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

[Scrapin Ice]

Ceci was solid enough defensively and could skate decently (although it didn’t look pretty, he got to where he needed to).

I just don’t see Murphy moving the needle. I want an improvement over what we had last year going into the playoffs. Some of that can come from Nurse himself, who’s trending to a better season than last year. Murphy has been a huge minus player on a bad Hawks team admittedly, but there’s no guarantee he learns solid defensive hockey if he comes here. He’ll have to unlearn a lot of trash Hawks hockey.

Have you watched this player? I've seen him in many many games. Watch him next game.
Yes I would rather have a Brandon Carlo or a Provorov. What available to us and whats available to more eager of our competitors with better assets to offer. Maybe look at whats out there realistically -- a guy that can play top 4 now? Who do you have in mind?
We don't have the assets (short of doing something dramatically stupid) to entice them to part with Alex Vlasic.

 

[TheNumber4]

Have you watched this player? I've seen him in many many games. Watch him next game.
Yes I would rather have a Brandon Carlo or a Provorov. What available to us and whats available to more eager of our competitors with better assets to offer. Maybe look at whats out there realistically -- a guy that can play top 4 now? Who do you have in mind?

I’ll give him a watch. Just watched a Jiricek game, there could be something there with him actually.

That’s the problem. There’s not much out there on the right side. Provorov brings the most ability and even he’s not ideal being a left shot playing the right side. But he should be and will be available.

The best hope we got is Bobs off-the-radar hint. None of the guys on the radar are great. As the season moves along and teams fall out of the race, hopefully better D-men become available. We can’t see the full market at this point.

 

[Scrapin Ice]

I’ll give him a watch. Just watched a Jiricek game, there could be something there with him actually.

That’s the problem. There’s not much out there on the right side. Provorov brings the most ability and even he’s not ideal being a left shot playing the right side. But he should be and will be available.

The best hope we got is Bobs off-the-radar hint. None of the guys on the radar are great. As the season moves along and teams fall out of the race, hopefully better D-men become available. We can’t see the full market at this point.

Im suggesting a more defensive version, you want a more offensive guy. What I'm saying is if you want a complete RD two way guy veteran you dont have the assets and you will have more eager competitors with better assets. Columbus likes Provorov too. Jiricek is definitely the wrong guy for Nurse. Outstanding vision high event not ready.

 

[TheNumber4]

Im suggesting a more defensive version, you want a more offensive guy. What I'm saying is if you want a complete RD two way guy veteran you dont have the assets and you will have more eager competitors with better assets.

Our accrued cap space might be the asset we need come TDL time. Having the cap space to spend paid dividends last year for teams and hurt teams that didn’t have it. Like Toronto who couldn’t make any moves for the D they wanted from Calgary cause they needed retention.

It seems like Bowman is planning to weaponize that accrued cap space. Hopefully he executes.

I think our willingness to spend futures should be higher than other teams too. Considering cup or bust and the last year of cheap Drai. It’s go time for us, it’s not go time for all of our competitors.

 

[Scrapin Ice]

Our accrued cap space might be the asset we need come TDL time. Having the cap space to spend paid dividends last year for teams and hurt teams that didn’t have it. Like Toronto who couldn’t make any moves for the D they wanted from Calgary cause they needed retention.

It seems like Bowman is planning to weaponize that accrued cap space. Hopefully he executes.

I think our willingness to spend futures should be higher than other teams too. Considering cup or bust and the last year of cheap Drai. It’s go time for us, it’s not go time for all of our competitors.

Okay if you want the last 3 games for Chicago are out there. Vancouver is aching for a top 4 guy. You have faith in Bowman?
Have you played against a strong defensive guy that stands up that closes quickly that a battler on the boards that has patience and skating with the puck and great decision making with a first out of zone pass. They dont grow on trees. Murphy does not have much offensive vision but he brings those other assets.

 

[Scrapin Ice]

Talking about watching games....you guys really need to watch the Saskatoon blades for a game or two, (i do occasionally as i went to university there).
Watch a D Tanner. He has the wings of Hermes attached to his skates.

 

[TheNumber4]

Okay if you want the last 3 games for Chicago are out there. Vancouver is aching for a top 4 guy. You have faith in Bowman?
Have you played against a strong defensive guy that stands up that closes quickly that a battler on the boards that has patience and skating with the puck and great decision making with a first out of zone pass. They dont grow on trees. Murphy does not have much offensive vision but he brings those other assets.

Every year is the same. Teams will always be out there looking for upgrades, mostly Centers and RD. And there will always be competition. But that hasn’t stopped us from getting mostly what we need every TDL. Last year we needed a Center, got it in Henrique. Year before we needed a top 4 defenceman, got it in Ekholm.

I’ll give JJ/Bowman the benefit of the doubt that he can complete some deals at the trade deadline for us. No reason not to at this point. He’s shown to be active and has completed some negotiations already in his short tenure.

Good first pass and solid D is nice. But it’s honestly not that far off from what Ceci already brought and I was a huge Ceci detractor. If we want to move the needle though, it’ll have to be someone better, someone who can make plays in the o-zone to go along with the solid D and puck movement. Maybe Provorov could be that guy or maybe some off the radar pick as Bob alludes to.

 

[Scrapin Ice]

Every year is the same. Teams will always be out there looking for upgrades, mostly Centers and RD. And there will always be competition. But that hasn’t stopped us from getting mostly what we need every TDL. Last year we needed a Center, got it in Henrique. Year before we needed a top 4 defenceman, got it in Ekholm.

I’ll give JJ/Bowman the benefit of the doubt that he can complete some deals at the trade deadline for us. No reason not to at this point. He’s shown to be active and has completed some negotiations already in his short tenure.

Good first pass and solid D is nice. But it’s honestly not that far off from what Ceci already brought and I was a huge Ceci detractor. If we want to move the needle though, it’ll have to be someone better, someone who can make plays in the o-zone to go along with the solid D and puck movement. Maybe Provorov could be that guy or maybe some off the radar pick as Bob alludes to.

Provorov is quite average defensively. There is almost always a trade off. Prongers or even Jaybos' are unicorns. Fox Makar Hughes are not available lol.

 

[TheNumber4]

Provorov is quite average defensively. There is almost always a trade off. Prongers or even Jaybos' are unicorns. Fox Makar Hughes are not available lol.

We don’t need to go that high end. Ekholm was a unicorn until we found him. Completely underrated all that time on Nashville, just sitting behind a stacked D that featured a Norris level Josi. I know it won’t be easy, but that’s the type of D we need to find. And I’d be willing to sell the farm for it, McDrai deserves the best chance possible before their cheap contracts are up.

 

[Scrapin Ice]

We don’t need to go that high end. Ekholm was a unicorn until we found him. Completely underrated all that time on Nashville, just sitting behind a stacked D that featured a Norris level Josi. I know it won’t be easy, but that’s the type of D we need to find. And I’d be willing to sell the farm for it, McDrai deserves the best chance possible before their cheap contracts are up.

Search and ye shall find lol. A diamond in the rough. Okay hope your right. Maybe im biased against Bowman cause he never played. Murphy is not ideal for our situation but would work at a price we can afford. If we can do better reasonably great.

 

[TheNumber4]

Search and ye shall find lol. A diamond in the rough. Okay hope your right. Maybe im biased against Bowman cause he never played. Murphy is not ideal for our situation but would work at a price we can afford. If we can do better reasonably great.

Hopefully yes lol. We’ll see what Bowman and JJ can find. It feels like this set up this whole year and our right side to have a hole that they will spend the entire season trying to fill. With Holland it was never sure how they felt about upgrading Ceci despite trying at times in the offseason. With bowman I think it’s clear what their plan is. Maybe they’ll strike out though and we’ll need to fall back on some of the names that are out there. I’m not saying Murphy couldn’t work, like I said I’ll give him a watch, i always do for players that could potentially be Oilers. Maybe there’s untapped potential there.