Rumor: Rumors & Proposals Thread | The Oilers Biggest Roster Need Is?

[iCanada]

Anyone know any realtors that might have insight on Jiricek coming here?

I hear Taylor Hall is selling his house here in Edmonton...

 

[Soundwave]

Askarov killing it.

HFOilers eying Blackwood

 

[Fourier]

Stats like this like do lack some context though. The Oilers might be not allowing a lot of high danger shots, but they are definitely leading the league in colossal breakdown freebie goals.

They are in a different class than the rest of the league in "what the hell just happened" and Bouchard, who plays the most minutes on D, is elite class in head scratching decisions

Some of these breakdowns don't even count as high danger chances but they are the most dangerous chances because it's unexpected.

Last night the Jets in the first half hung Hellybuyck out to dry on multiple occasions. He made every stop. I am not sure I buy the argument that the Oilers make so many more egregious errors than other teams justifying the save numbers. At some point the goalies job is to stop those shots. Plus as a I have shown before its not just 5 alarm goals against for Skinner. He is being beaten all over the offensive zone.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Nvm

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

He's absolute upgrade on Pickard and is very likely upgrade on Skinner.

I think you could move Skinner out East, honestly, because there are competitive teams that could use skill and he's played out their his entire career.

It's absolutely a risk, but this isn't some $6M maybe, it's a guy with a long track record, the issue is he was beaten down by a team that a complete and utter disaster.

Also, Anaheim would absolutely have to eat 50%.

My only worry is Gibson is he is injury prone. Assuming we ship Skinner out, we're playing with fire.

The good news is even at 50 percent retained Gibson shouldn't be that expensive. I think the ducks want "to do right by the player"

 

[Scrapin Ice]

One of the big problems here is that our pro scouts have most likely been detailed to do a detailed analysis of Jiricek but how do you put any faith in what they come back with? This is not something either Jackson or Bowman can do for themselves either.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

My only worry is Gibson is he is injury prone. Assuming we ship Skinner out, we're playing with fire.

The good news is even at 50 percent retained Gibson shouldn't be that expensive. I think the ducks want "to do right by the player"

He is, but he's healthy now and has still played more than Blackwood over the last several years.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Gibson, Binnington or Blackwood would all be upgrades on the current situation. If management doesn't want to "give up" on Skinner, fine. Trade or waive Pickard.

As for Jiricek, I don't see him as being the answer here, but if we can get him for a reasonable cost, sure go for it.

If we don't move Skinner it gets hard cap wise and we limit our ability to get a defencemen

 

[NotAVacuumSalesman]

Jiříček doesn’t fit the timeline here. He’s not the piece for a team that’s in win now mode.

I’m getting conflicting reports on the return for CBJ. TSN reporting a trade for another high selected prospect (McGroarty for Yager) or a hockey trade for a young forward who can play now (a la Drysdale for Gauthier).

I do like Jiříček, scouts had him comps stylistically to Pietrangelo or McAvoy from his draft report. The potential is huge, scouts were clamouring at his incredible upside. Played men’s top league Czech Extraliga as a 17 year old. He won Extraliga ROTY in 20-21.

He’ll take time to develop like any other big defencemen. I don’t think the Oilers can afford him the development time he needs. He’s only 20.

@Czechboy what’s your opinion?

 

[FlameChampion]

Jiříček doesn’t fit the timeline here. He’s not the piece for a team that’s in win now mode.

I’m getting conflicting reports on the return for CBJ. TSN reporting a trade for another high selected prospect (McGroarty for Yager) or a hockey trade for a young forward who can play now (a la Drysdale for Gauthier).

I do like Jiříček, scouts had him comps stylistically to Pietrangelo or McAvoy from his draft report. The potential is huge, scouts were clamouring at his incredible upside. Played men’s top league Czech Extraliga as a 17 year old. He won Extraliga ROTY in 20-21.

He’ll take time to develop like any other big defencemen. I don’t think the Oilers can afford him the development time he needs. He’s only 20.

@Czechboy what’s your opinion?

Well if he was traded for Savoie or O’Reilly or Akey, they don’t really fit our timeline either.

The good thing with Jirichek is that he is still on an ELC so he’s much easier to fit in cap wise.

Trading for him to expect him to be a RD2 next to Nurse probably isn’t wise.

The team could also make other moves at the trade deadline with the picks they have to obtain a stop gap in the middle of the defense.

I don’t watch Jirichek enough to know what his game is post draft. Young players don’t seem to fit here in well or get much leash so I don’t know if its worth trading for him.

 

[belair]

Jiricek seems risky. His Edge numbers are basically the same as Josh Brown's as far as speed and speed bursts go.

Betting on defensemen that are horrible skaters isn't usually the smartest move.

What Jiricek has between his ears is lightyears ahead of what Josh Brown does.

 

[belair]

While I got so excited about Jiricek my brain stopped functioning someone here kicked in the voice of reason. Yeah if they will take an Akey and a wanner go ahead--dont think they will. But i think we should keep Savoie and O'Really. We have places already lined up for these guys.

You move Savoie in a deal if it means you get Jiricek. What Savoie does in his ELC isn't irreplaceable. He's a secondary winger that's going to get some level of production boost from playing with elites. We've seen how the payscale works in the past.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

You move Savoie in a deal if it means you get Jiricek. What Savoie does in his ELC isn't irreplaceable. He's a secondary winger that's going to get some level of production boost from playing with elites. We've seen how the payscale works in the past.

Yes as long as he's not the only defensive upgrade we get this season

 

[McDNicks17]

What Jiricek has between his ears is lightyears ahead of what Josh Brown does.

Hockey sense can’t make up for skating near as much on D.

 

[CupofOil]

Stunning to me that people still think there's no concern with Skinner.

Does he have the potential and/or to be the guy? Yes.

Has he proven in isolation that he has the talent level to play on a SC contender? Yes.

Has he shown the consistency to be someone that we can 100% rely on to play well through the playoffs? No.

Has he shown the ability to narrow the size of the swings in his game? No.

It really isn't that complicated. He's a guy with some talent that can either give you good enough goaltending or be the sole reason we lose and it is never apparent how or when these instances will occur. This is not conducive to winning in the playoffs. It's not like he has one bad or underwhelming performance and then can jump right back and turn it around, it always drags for games at a time and you never know when it will happen. Just look at the playoffs last year:

Kings series - brutal for Games 1-3, then a stud in Game 4, then back to being mediocre at best in Game 5.

Nucks series - complete joke through games 1-3, then pretty steady for games 6 and 7 with the major caveat that the Oilers were on their game and dominated 6 and 7 severely limiting chances against. If anything, goaltending was why Game 7 in particular wasn't an easy multi goal win.

Stars series - Definitely good enough in Game 1 and 2 (but not without some hiccups), dog shit in games 3 and 4. Then good again in 5 and 6 (again, not without some hiccups in 5).

Finals - not objectively terrible in any of the games really, but struggled to make the "big save" that teams need at certain times to win the Stanley Cup when it really mattered. Missing that next step in his game.

I don't know how anyone could look at his playoff record last year and determine that he's definitely the guy. If anything we're very lucky to have gotten as far as we did with circus up and down net minding basically every series. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind we win the Stanley Cup last year with a different goalie even if everything else was exactly the same.

I don't think anybody, as far as I've seen, says that there's no concern with Skinner.
I'm just replying to you because I've been one of the few Skinner defenders and aren't sure if this was directed at me so I needed to clarify.

My purpose in this thread was to reply to the statement that he's a backup at best when he's proven to be more than that the previous two seasons. There's no defending what he's done this season and the Oilers would be wise to not ignore the goalie market BUT I don't see any real solutions out there that are clear upgrades on Skinner as a starter or Pickard as a backup so I don't know where to go unless you want to bring in somebody just for the sake of bringing in somebody that's different. Of course it's easy to upgrade on what Skinner has been this season thus far but history dictates that he'll likely bounce back so I guess we'll see.

I wouldn't mind bringing in a developmental goalie that's NHL ready that fell out of favor with another organization or simply giving Rodrigue a bit of a test run but then you're risking losing him on waivers if he gets sent back down. No easy solutions from the goalie market right now.

 

[Canovin]

Hockey sense can’t make up for skating near as much on D.

Jiricek's skating is comparable to Bouchard at the same age

 

[Canovin]

The players I want to see the Oilers add: Jenner, Blomqvist, Petterson. HM: Jiricek, Kakko

Subtraction: Skinner x 2. Dermott

 

[bucks_oil]

That's not what I said.

I also already noted that I was incorrect and both are just less than 0.01 xGF, is rounding error on display.

The Draisaitl goal is 0.003 xGF, 1/300.

The Reinhart goal is 0.008 xGF, 1/125.

Regardless - it's not a good goal to give up compared to even the chance by Holloway literally 30 seconds earlier on the other end of the rink.

Look... you were the one that CHOSE to present the two as equivalent because "math said so".

You lost all credibility with that one and just served to highlight that the models are highly imperfect and often quoted by people who don't understand math, or hockey, or both. Notes of emphasis: a) 0.003 DOES NOT round up to 0.01 and b) nobody in their right mind would present those goals as objectively equal.

Next time, just say you are a fan and emotionally upset about our goaltending and leave it at that. You are of course allowed to wish for better goaltending (though I still question why people would expect it, or feel entitled to it, based on where we invest our cap dollars).

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Look... you were the one that CHOSE to present the two as equivalent because "math said so".

You lost all credibility with that one and just served to highlight that the models are highly imperfect and often quoted by people who don't understand math, or hockey, or both. Notes of emphasis: a) 0.003 DOES NOT round up to 0.01 and b) nobody in their right mind would present those goals as objectively equal.

Next time, just say you are a fan and emotionally upset about our goaltending and leave it at that. You are of course allowed to wish for better goaltending (though I still question why people would expect it, or feel entitled to it, based on where we invest our cap dollars).

I can’t stand this argument bone. It’s ridiculous. Skinner is getting paid 2.6 million and is playing like he should be in Latvia.

 

[McDNicks17]

Jiricek's skating is comparable to Bouchard at the same age

Not even close. Bouchard was ~50% in speed and bursts as a rookie.

Jiricek was under 10% in speed and 1% in bursts last year.

 

[bucks_oil]

For the longest time I blamed Kulak and a little bit of Skinner until I watched that YouTube video and could see the play develop from the Panthers end. If Foegele stayed above his man, Reinhart probably takes the puck to the outside or Kulak stands him up at the blue line. Instead you have to worry about an uncovered player for an easy tap in or let a 57 goal scorer pick his spot.

100% true and thanks for pointing it out... there was enough traffic in the replays I saw that I only noticed Ceci covering the net-driving forward and Kulak (what looked like cowering) back toward goal.

You still wish for him to take a more aggressive angle (from the hash marks in he could have put his brakes on, still had an angle on the pass and closed that gap on Reinhart... he probably didn't realize Ceci would effectively block the cross-crease... and at that point Reinhart probably would have dropped his shoulder and driven near post since Kulak would be giving that up... who knows what happens from there), but at least I can understand what he was concerned about.

 

[McShogun99]

Well if he was traded for Savoie or O’Reilly or Akey, they don’t really fit our timeline either.

The good thing with Jirichek is that he is still on an ELC so he’s much easier to fit in cap wise.

Trading for him to expect him to be a RD2 next to Nurse probably isn’t wise.

The team could also make other moves at the trade deadline with the picks they have to obtain a stop gap in the middle of the defense.

I don’t watch Jirichek enough to know what his game is post draft. Young players don’t seem to fit here in well or get much leash so I don’t know if its worth trading for him.

If we added Jiricek it would be for the future. Zero chance he helps the team this year. He'd be a nice add to our prospect pool but I don't think we have what Columbus wants.

 

[bucks_oil]

I can’t stand this argument bone. It’s ridiculous. Skinner is getting paid 2.6 million and is playing like he should be in Latvia.

I'm not saying Skinner would be a better goalie if you paid him more.

I'm saying when you rely on a single, non-established (therefore low pay) young goaltender and a career AHL / replacement level goaltender to back him up... both coached by a goalie-coach that has a documented history of mediocrity (at best), and both of whom have been selected by an organization that has a twenty year history of not finding a solid goalie... and refused to pay the last HoF goalie they had.

Well then maybe just maybe there is a systematic problem, and you get what you've paid for. And therefore maybe your ire should be directed elsewhere. Your goaltending isn't letting you down. It's doing exactly what a rational person would expect of it... which is to say not much.

If you want to expect good goaltending, you've got to give a $#!+ about it.


Also just to highlight once again:
OILERS SHOOTING PERCENTAGE = 6th worst in the league
OILERS SAVE PERCENTAGE = 10th worst in the league

Our goaltending is BAD, but it is actually outperforming our putrid offense. And where are we spending our money?

 

[NotAVacuumSalesman]

Well if he was traded for Savoie or O’Reilly or Akey, they don’t really fit our timeline either.

The good thing with Jirichek is that he is still on an ELC so he’s much easier to fit in cap wise.

Trading for him to expect him to be a RD2 next to Nurse probably isn’t wise.

The team could also make other moves at the trade deadline with the picks they have to obtain a stop gap in the middle of the defense.

I don’t watch Jirichek enough to know what his game is post draft. Young players don’t seem to fit here in well or get much leash so I don’t know if its worth trading for him.

I haven’t watched Jiříček post draft either but I wouldn’t bet against him reaching his potential.

I don’t think those three prospects are on Waddell’s radar. I could be wrong but looking around the league some of the other teams could put up better offers for Jiříček imo.

McLeod+Tullio > Savoie > Jiříček is a crazy conversion lol Probably a plus with Savoie to balance the trade.

 

[Slats432]

I remember the prospects camp the Oilers held at Downtown Community Arena the year they drafted Broberg. They even paired Broberg and Bouchard for drills.

At the time Broberg was light years a better skater than Bouchard. Bouchard has become much better.

Jiricek would be nice but I don't see how he helps us win a cup this year.