Rumor: Rumors & Proposals Thread | What Do Our RFA's Sign For Edition

[Stealth1616]

I can’t understand why anyone would want to live in LA. There’s way too many people, it’s dirty, it’s got growing issues with homelessness, drug abuse and crime. You get ass rammed tax wise from every direction.

For a lot of wealthy people these days they want to hold property in California but they want to live in Nevada, Texas, Tennessee, Florida.

I get your point about the wives though, my wife loves California. She’d live there for sure but she’d be divorced

Oh I agree about living there. I would think that living there with 50 mil in your bank account might be a bit different experience though.

 

[iCanada]

Baseless alarmism, IMO. If LA looks like shut this year it would make it even more so (doubt either chase the money to that degree).

I'd expect Draisaitl to make ~12, he hasn't really had a big payday and he deserves it. I get the feeling McDavid will sign a Datsyuk or Lidstrom style discount though, I think he'd much rather have another Kane on his wing or on the team than make more money.

That might be wishful thinking though.

 

[brentashton]

Oh I agree about living there. I would think that living there with 50 mil in your bank account might be a bit different experience though.

The taxes are killer and would stop me cold. But where you live, as in any locale, is the key. Wouldn’t live in downtown Edmonton, wouldn’t live in NE Edmonton and wouldn’t live in SE and a few other specific neighborhoods , Obviously downtown is not desirable in LA and unless you have money a lot of other neighborhoods are off limits. But the suburbs towards east side of LA are nice areas, relatively. Riverside and in particular parts of Pasadena and other spots nearby, I would say are no different than living in Red Deer, Terwillegar, Sherwood Park.

 

[Mr Positive]

I'd expect Draisaitl to make ~12, he hasn't really had a big payday and he deserves it. I get the feeling McDavid will sign a Datsyuk or Lidstrom style discount though, I think he'd much rather have another Kane on his wing or on the team than make more money.

That might be wishful thinking though.

By the time the those contracts are up, the cap will have gone up a ton. I bet both will sign the same deal basically, something like 13.5

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

The taxes are killer and would stop me cold. But where you live, as in any locale, is the key. Wouldn’t live in downtown Edmonton, wouldn’t live in NE Edmonton and wouldn’t live in SE and a few other specific neighborhoods , Obviously downtown is not desirable in LA and unless you have money a lot of other neighborhoods are off limits. But the suburbs towards east side of LA are nice areas, relatively. Riverside and in particular parts of Pasadena and other spots nearby, I would say are no different than living in Red Deer, Terwillegar, Sherwood Park.

Newport Beach area is awesome.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I'm not really arguing the point. I completely agree with you.

I just find the whole situation kind of interesting. Because I have this theory that wingers are kind of valueless in the cap NHL unless they're true gamebreaking calibre forwards or they're multifaceted role players that are known to contribute to team success.

A guy like Andreas Athanasiou could score 20-20-40 next season and there would be no deadline market for him. If Seattle decided to move on from Jordan Eberle, they'd have to take salary back to even get modest value for a player capable of putting 60 points in a scoring role. Top six production in wingers just seems kind of empty if that player doesn't contribute to other areas of the game.

If a young prospect really wants to solidify a long prosperous career, I'm not sure how riding the coattails of a skill center on a bad team accomplishes that. That production would ultimately earn you the big contract, but the big contract is what hurts your perceived value. How long is it until the next hotshot prospect comes along and steals your role?

Ah okay, gotcha. Well I agree the broader context is an interesting discussion. First, I think wingers are the most easy replaced and plentiful quality position around. They're kinda becoming like the running back in contemporary NFL, high volume of cheap, replacement options that enable spending on other higher priority areas. Second, the Covid Flat Cap is changing the financial landscape with elites getting their money and support players getting squeezed. Stuff really hit the wall this season with all the walk-aways on restricted free agents. Are these temporary conditions with tight, extended flat cap or beginning of a trend with managing the cap.

Another intriguing situation is a couple elite franchises, Tampa and Vegas, starting to eschew draft picks in favour of NHL talent. They have adjusted their value parameters around the industry's golden goose, draft picks. Of course these two teams are in their winning window and geographically favourable and well run to find system replenishment through other means such as free agency.

The specific dynamic you mention is interesting. Internal development which works successfully with players driving production which drives their salary increase but creates risk of replacement for cheaper. Is this a passing Covid Flat Cap phenomena? Or will it become an adoptive practice of an evolving management strategy to manage their spending within a capped, ceiling imposed closed industry market.

I personally believe cornerstones to building a team run down the middle. Center, defense, goaltending. I'd probably only draft centres and defense but also take a high pedigree goaltender in the first round. Pick and choose winger support as a secondary consideration. Can always find them, they are readily available.

Interesting times we live in! We'll see how and if NHL management continue to evolve their game to manage their talent pools in a soon to be rising financial market. Appreciate your points and always our discussions!

 

[harpoon]

Like it or not each players wife/girlfriend will have a say in where they play next. They both strike me as the type to enjoy LA lifestyle

Until they actually live there and realize what a complete shit hole it is. LA has nice weather going for it. That’s about it.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

Top 3 reasons Oilers lost in the 2nd round (imo of course)...

#1 Woody's coaching choices/stubbornness
#2 Goaltending
#3 Team D


Not saying they would have gotten past the Knights "for certain" with a different coach... or at least with Woody being a little better with his coaching decisions on players he used and ice time he allocated to players... but I think the series could easily have gone to seven games at a minimum.


Have the Oilers addressed those areas this summer... maybe...

... if Woody has grown and learned from his stubborn mistakes

... if Campbell snaps back to a starter class goalie (he may have actually been that in the playoffs but Woody refused to play him enough to find out). Skinner not being subpar in the playoffs again would be a bonus as well... he simply wasn't good enough vs Vegas.

... if team D can be as good or better than it was last season... this one I'm more skeptical of.

The team has moved out Bjugstad, Yamamoto and Kostin. None of those players were bad defensively... in fact taken together... that was a pretty solid trio imo in terms of defense.

Connor Brown is the only notable brought in (and he's coming off an injury)... so overall I don't think the team D will be better... in fact it could even regress a bit with more minutes piled onto greener players like Holloway and Broberg who'll need to step up in bigger roles.

Those three contributed, among others, but the turning point in the series was Game 5 when Janmarks' stick nicked the Knights' Dman in the face making it a 5 on 3. Done like dinner after that.

 

[brentashton]

Those three contributed, among others, but the turning point in the series was Game 5 when Janmarks' stick nicked the Knights' Dman in the face making it a 5 on 3. Done like dinner after that.

That call was bad luck but not the turning point imho. Boys need a backbone if so.

 

[Broberg Speed]

Until they actually live there and realize what a complete shit hole it is. LA has nice weather going for it. That’s about it.

When you have a hundred million banked you can work with it. But if you had that type of cash why would you live in a densely populated area? I'd rather live in a river valley city centered in boreal forest even if it's an ice desert in winter.

 

[mkatcherin00]

When you have a hundred million banked you can work with it. But if you had that type of cash why would you live in a densely populated area? I'd rather live in a river valley city centered in boreal forest even if it's an ice desert in winter.

unfortunately a lot of these spoiled athletes want that (more so their wives). I got lucky. I made my small millions and my wife loved it in Edmonton compared to Vancouver.

 

[Ibanez]

Until they actually live there and realize what a complete shit hole it is. LA has nice weather going for it. That’s about it.

Cali has some nice spots in and around LA. LA is a dump in itself

 

[GhostfaceWu]

That Kopitar extension kinda worries me. Signs 2 year extension that expires the same year Draisaitl contract expires. Not to mention there was talk of drai going to LA. I mean his gf is an actress. Im having flashbacks , this is looking all to familiar

It expires a year after Draisaitls. I don't understand why people are scared of LA of all teams signing our stars.

 

[Ibanez]

It expires a year after Draisaitls. I don't understand why people are scared of LA of all teams signing our stars.

Although Gretz was traded Im guessing it’s some ptsd related to that?

 

[walktheboulavard]

McDrai will re-sign with the Oilers if the Oilers win the cup. The Oilers will only win the cup if they have the right mix of players and those players play a brand of hockey that is conducive to winning a cup. Neither of which will occur with such fanboyism that would assert players like McLeod are absolute imperatives or categorically indispensable to the club. Fanboyism, in all its insidiousness, must not be tolerated.

This post is contradictive. McLeod IS the kind of player conducive to winning cups. You need centers that win their match ups. But you're suggesting it's ok to part ways with a young player who is a key cog to the exact mix you say is required to win the cup.

 

[Broberg Speed]

This post is contradictive. McLeod IS the kind of player conducive to winning cups. You need centers that win their match ups. But you're suggesting it's ok to part ways with a young player who is a key cog to the exact mix you say is required to win the cup.

McLeod isn't a third-line center on a championship caliber team. He's not positionally sound at the center position. No good team has this player at center.

You can make the argument that McLeod's a fast non-physical winger. What's that worth?

The Edmonton Oilers find themselves in a cap crunch and this player shouldn't be making 2M in my opinion. Hopefully he doesn't get that.

 

[Anarchism]

McLeod is what he is. First step is fantastic and stride speed is very good causing him to be able to get to pucks first and very good at rushing. His hands are average. He is not good in the corners and never will be a net front presence. So not a center really. But very good on the PK which will probably continue to improve as he learns how to use that speed even more effectively and his stick work increases. A valuable piece but far from irreplaceable.
Arbiter looks at the body of work and the numbers....2.5 mil.

Holland suspects this....he should look around before caving.

 

[Anarchism]

So Holland signs a bridge with Bouchard for 3.5 or 3.75 for a couple of years and caves on McLeod and signs him before arbitration for 2.4. Then he plays shuffle and signs Derek Grant.
Management goes to the bar and all slap themselves on the back for a great summer.
Holland just doesnt what it takes anymore. I can hear the interview now...."I did what I could with the money that was available....'
The pack leaders teeth are long....

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

I am in complete agreement with both of you. My point is that as our roster stands, Woodcroft is going to ride our top players into the dirt no matter what. IF we are going to run a more balanced lineup, then you might as well put all the guys like Holloway and Bourgault and Lavoie in there too. The reason being that they have POTENTIAL to make our bottom 6 worth giving significant minutes to. As it currently stands, giving our bottom 6 minutes is a total waste. We need to give young players a real shot to develop and that is done at the beginning of a regular season, especially when you're a contender. Developing these guys in preparation for the playoffs is paramount.

We were good enough to give McDrai more rest than we did, I think step one of the issue is neither of McDavid or Drai really want to pack it in early, they want to play and Woodcroft is an accommodating coach particularly to his best players, but sometimes you have to do what is in the players and teams best interests despite it not being what the player says they want.

Second thing is we often didn't have the most comfortable of leads, generally we wanted to be up by 3 goals with 10 mins left to feel comfortable, when for most teams 2 goals is a comfortable lead with that much time left. It really just comes down to being better defensively and I think Ekholm had a very significant impact on making us better defensively and in all likelyhood Campbell will be better next season which should also make leads feel more comfortable. Then we also need to improve the PK and that is possible to address with a UFA signing (a few guys who can help are still out there).

Then when it comes to rookies, it doesn't matter that there upside is better unless the rookie is bluechip or overripe it's very unlikely they will outperform an established quality vet, like in this recent playoffs Skinner, Desharnais, and Broberg were all underwhelming, there are exceptions where rookies perform well in their first playoffs, but it isn't the norm. I don't see how we benefit from rushing either Bourgault or Lavoie into the NHL. Also for the people bitching about C. Brown's bonus laden contract eating into next years cap, playing rookies who are going to hit bonuses will have a similar effect on next seasons cap.

Lastly our bottom 6 forwards did a commendable job, we got good minutes out of a lot of value signings, we are always going to be a top heavy team so giving "significant" minutes to the bottom six isn't likely to happen.

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

McLeod is what he is. First step is fantastic and stride speed is very good causing him to be able to get to pucks first and very good at rushing. His hands are average. He is not good in the corners and never will be a net front presence. So not a center really. But very good on the PK which will probably continue to improve as he learns how to use that speed even more effectively and his stick work increases. A valuable piece but far from irreplaceable.
Arbiter looks at the body of work and the numbers....2.5 mil.

Holland suspects this....he should look around before caving.

Good assessment. I think he's one of those players who looks better than he is. He stands out because of his slating bit has always left a lot to be desired production-wise. Optimists will see what he could be with the chances his speed creates, but realists can accept what he actually is based on his tools.

 

[Broberg Speed]

I really do think Connor was hurt in the second to last regular season game against the Colorado Slasharoos.

Vegas played the ultimate cerebral series against us but I do wonder what might have happened if McDavid wasn't hampered playing with a sore wrist or hand, and both he and Draisaitl had a little more gas left in the tank. Those two might have powered us through to the cup final.

Next year I want to see McDavid, Draisaitl and Ekholm given big time rest down the stretch. That trio should play reduced minutes in the final weeks leading up to the playoffs and each be given 3 games off to rest. Some other players need to be given a game or two off and given a couple days or even a week of extra rest as well.

Let the black aces run wild to prove themselves and give some players from Bakersfield a shot.

 

[Zerotonine]

It expires a year after Draisaitls. I don't understand why people are scared of LA of all teams signing our stars.

Did you miss the part were Draisaitl girlfriend is an actor, and ohh i dunno Hollywood could be a spot were actors live. Just a hunch....

Wasn't there some fellow can't think of his name that married an actress in the late 80s that was sent to LA as welll???

 

[alphahelix]

Good assessment. I think he's one of those players who looks better than he is. He stands out because of his slating bit has always left a lot to be desired production-wise. Optimists will see what he could be with the chances his speed creates, but realists can accept what he actually is based on his tools.

McLeod was injured last year and came back looking like his top speed was just a little off the rest of the season. Other than that… kids played one season in the NHL. I don’t think any of us know what he’ll be in the end but high-end 3rd line shutdown center does not seem out of reach at all. Wouldn’t totally count out him being even more than that, just yet.

 

[oil Leaks]

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Seems fine, he can be approached, if development is positive, after the contract ends.