Rumor: Rumors & Proposals Thread | Where's The Beef?

Behind Enemy Lines

Registered User
Feb 19, 2003
17,217
19,027
Vancouver
If only we would have drafted that sure fire stud goalie Wallstedt


Oh wait
Looks to be tracking well. Youngest goalie to start a game in Wild history. Last season 2.70 gaa, 910 sav% & winning record on a non-playoff team with a -61 goal share. Iowa Wild looks like a real young AHL roster squarely focused on development.

"Wallstedt, who is viewed by many as the top NHL goalie prospect, has earned AHL Goalie of the Week honors twice this season. He has posted a .913 save percentage or better in 17 of his 33 starts — including 13 contests with a .930 SV% or higher. Not only has he had a large workload in terms of starts, but he’s also faced the fifth-most shots across the AHL with 964 shots against in 33 games. Not to mention he’s been in net for 16 of Iowa’s 19 wins this season." Top Prospect Jesper Wallstedt Growing Through Ups and Downs of Sophomore Season | Minnesota Wild

Personally I wanted Cossa in that draft (and fully believe the Oilers were targeting him until Detroit moved up to snake that). But with Wallstedt there at their pick, I felt they should still have taken the best ranked, pedigree goaltender of the draft class. However reality was a position player would likely develop quicker and add some cheap salary years in the near term winning window versus a goaltender, even an elite one, jumping into an NHL support role. But ... well that didn't work out with their draft choice.

Oilers organizational strategy with goaltending has been very spotty. Sign and play retread guys at the NHL and a draft approach of throwing volume, low percentage picks hoping to find a diamond. Skinner's the only home grown guy to breakthrough to NHL success and that was out of necessity with the colossal misfire on the Jack Campbell winning window bet.

Never any certainty for drafted players at any position. But Wallstedt looks to be growing his game within a clear succession planning in Minnesota.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mr Positive

Mr Positive

Cap Crunch Incoming
Nov 20, 2013
38,462
19,409
Looks to be tracking well. Youngest goalie to start a game in Wild history. Last season 2.70 gaa, 910 sav% & winning record on a non-playoff team with a -61 goal share. Iowa Wild looks like a real young AHL roster squarely focused on development.

"Wallstedt, who is viewed by many as the top NHL goalie prospect, has earned AHL Goalie of the Week honors twice this season. He has posted a .913 save percentage or better in 17 of his 33 starts — including 13 contests with a .930 SV% or higher. Not only has he had a large workload in terms of starts, but he’s also faced the fifth-most shots across the AHL with 964 shots against in 33 games. Not to mention he’s been in net for 16 of Iowa’s 19 wins this season." Top Prospect Jesper Wallstedt Growing Through Ups and Downs of Sophomore Season | Minnesota Wild

Personally I wanted Cossa in that draft (and fully believe the Oilers were targeting him until Detroit moved up to snake that). But with Wallstedt there at their pick, I felt they should still have taken the best ranked, pedigree goaltender of the draft class. However reality was a position player would likely develop quicker and add some cheap salary years in the near term winning window versus a goaltender, even an elite one, jumping into an NHL support role. But ... well that didn't work out with their draft choice.

Oilers organizational strategy with goaltending has been very spotty. Sign and play retread guys at the NHL and a draft approach of throwing volume, low percentage picks hoping to find a diamond. Skinner's the only home grown guy to breakthrough to NHL success and that was out of necessity with the colossal misfire on the Jack Campbell winning window bet.

Never any certainty for drafted players at any position. But Wallstedt looks to be growing his game within a clear succession planning in Minnesota.
Also what was weird was the Campbell signing. It did show an organization commitment to invest in goaltending, but it was such a bizarre risk. The guy had so small sample body of work and any deep dive into his stats had red flags all over the place.

Even then, I'd say he was a good risk to take but not for all that money and term. They just looked at the save percentage and a couple good playoff games and inked him. When it comes to goaltending our organization just doesn't spend time or care to the decision making, or non-decisions. Maybe Bowman changes it but so far in his small sample it's pretty much business as usual.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Behind Enemy Lines

Behind Enemy Lines

Registered User
Feb 19, 2003
17,217
19,027
Vancouver
Also what was weird was the Campbell signing. It did show an organization commitment to invest in goaltending, but it was such a bizarre risk. The guy had so small sample body of work and any deep dive into his stats had red flags all over the place. Even then, I'd say he was a good risk to take but not for all that money and term. They just looked at the save percentage and a couple good playoff games and inked him. When it comes to goaltending our organization just doesn't spend time or care to the decision making, or non-decision making. Maybe Bowman changes it but so far in his small sample it's pretty much business as usual.
Held my nose with the Campbell signing. Didn't like it but the goaltending hole was a massive gap within the final evolution of the rebuild(s) era into a winning window mature phase team. I felt Markstrom or Ulmark free agent years would have been way better bets. Another product of erratic, changing management groups. They're fortunate Skinner stepped into the breach and has kept his head above water. But they live with some wild swings of performance volatility of a developing goaltender in place of the window veteran goaltender required.
 

TheNumber4

Registered User
Nov 11, 2011
47,057
58,483
Also what was weird was the Campbell signing. It did show an organization commitment to invest in goaltending, but it was such a bizarre risk. The guy had so small sample body of work and any deep dive into his stats had red flags all over the place.

Even then, I'd say he was a good risk to take but not for all that money and term. They just looked at the save percentage and a couple good playoff games and inked him. When it comes to goaltending our organization just doesn't spend time or care to the decision making, or non-decisions. Maybe Bowman changes it but so far in his small sample it's pretty much business as usual.
Kosko sucked, but Smith was good and cheap. The Oilers panick moved cause of all the incessant noise and whining around their goaltending even though Smith was providing league best goaltending value.

Without the noise I don’t think they panic move into the horrific Campbell signing. Let’s hope they don’t make the same mistake twice.

You know what they should have done after Smith provided .923 and .915 goaltending for a measly 2.2M cap hit. They should have said to themselves let’s go and do that again. It would have avoided the Campbell signing, the potential Husso signing, the potential Kuemper signing. They could have found someone cheap to tandem with the already decent Skinner they had in the system. And if that someone cheap didn’t work out they could have tried again the next year, and the next. All while Skinner held the fort and continued developing.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Mr Positive

Trafalgar Sadge Law

Registered User
Nov 8, 2007
11,626
7,157
Also what was weird was the Campbell signing. It did show an organization commitment to invest in goaltending, but it was such a bizarre risk. The guy had so small sample body of work and any deep dive into his stats had red flags all over the place.

Even then, I'd say he was a good risk to take but not for all that money and term. They just looked at the save percentage and a couple good playoff games and inked him. When it comes to goaltending our organization just doesn't spend time or care to the decision making, or non-decisions. Maybe Bowman changes it but so far in his small sample it's pretty much business as usual.
Jack Campbell was allegedly scouted and recommended to Holland by Dustin Schwartz. It's actually unreal how much Schwartz has held back this franchise and yet the guy has even better job security than Kevin lowe
 

Mcnotloilersfan

I'm here, I'm bored
Jul 11, 2010
11,361
5,655
Niagara
It's crazy to me that the only questionable thing Grier has done since the summer was trade us Emberson. Everything else was gold, and he's building up the Sharks future quite nicely.

Getting a 2nd round pick and Walman for free is insane
Trading up to 11 and leaving the draft with both Celebrini and Dickinson is huge.
Picks and prospects for Askarov and Liljegrin are both great gambles.
Trading a 6th for Blackwood a year ago, and getting a 2nd and player for him now is smooth.

It's crazy how quickly they're going to leapfrog the ducks rebuild if he keeps this up. Won't be long before they pass the Flames in their quest for mediocrity.

*edit* also hilarious, for as much as we complain about the old boys club, 2 former Oilers players are doing a pretty good job as GM's right now
 

Mcnotloilersfan

I'm here, I'm bored
Jul 11, 2010
11,361
5,655
Niagara
Jack Campbell was allegedly scouted and recommended to Holland by Dustin Schwartz. It's actually unreal how much Schwartz has held back this franchise and yet the guy has even better job security than Kevin lowe
I spoke to someone at a junior game last year, who was in one of the Organizations that Campbell played for (that's all I'll say). Said he had the athleticism to do great things, but there was always a mental/confidence issue. Said nicest guy in the world though, and hoped he would find his confidence and his game.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bryanbryoil

TheNumber4

Registered User
Nov 11, 2011
47,057
58,483
It’s an assumption your making. Sabres bought him out for a reason.
First of all we are talking about his thoughts. So his performance in Buffalo doesn’t really matter.

I think it’s safe to assume life long goal scorer Jeff Skinner still wants to score goals. What’s the alternative? To assume he doesn’t give a bleep about goal scoring anymore?
 
  • Like
Reactions: jesusbuiltmyhotrod

Trafalgar Sadge Law

Registered User
Nov 8, 2007
11,626
7,157
It's crazy to me that the only questionable thing Grier has done since the summer was trade us Emberson. Everything else was gold, and he's building up the Sharks future quite nicely.

Getting a 2nd round pick and Walman for free is insane
Trading up to 11 and leaving the draft with both Celebrini and Dickinson is huge.
Picks and prospects for Askarov and Liljegrin are both great gambles.
Trading a 6th for Blackwood a year ago, and getting a 2nd and player for him now is smooth.

It's crazy how quickly they're going to leapfrog the ducks rebuild if he keeps this up. Won't be long before they pass the Flames in their quest for mediocrity.

*edit* also hilarious, for as much as we complain about the old boys club, 2 former Oilers players are doing a pretty good job as GM's right now
Old boys club isn't necessarily a bad thing to be honest. Bringing in people with strong ties to the team as a player makes them more invested in the franchise's long-term future. Some of the better GMs were longtime players for their former teams (Joe Sakic, Don Sweeney, Rob Blake etc). Heck, even the Oilers did well with Kevin Lowe as GM for the first few years before he got full of himself and started thinking himself the next Glen Sather. A lot of them have a brilliant mind for the game, it's how they got to the NHL in the first place. You just need to make sure that they A) put in their dues and gain the necessary skills/experience for management and B) be willing to let go of them when they start performing poorly.

As for Staios and Grier having success, I'm not surprised. They both put in work in various scouting/management gigs before getting hired and both were players who performed far above their talent level due to smart play and sheer effort.
 

OilerTitanFan

Registered User
Feb 26, 2019
4,867
1,626
Zach Fucale is planning to make a comeback to the NHL, maybe we can take a chance on him and roll the dice. Could end up being another Tim Thomas story.

Montreal is also looking as they seem to have given up on Cayden Primeau.
 

5 Mins 4 Ftg

Life is better with no expectations.
Sponsor
Apr 3, 2016
52,483
91,604
Edmonton
First of all we are talking about his thoughts. So his performance in Buffalo doesn’t really matter.

I think it’s safe to assume life long goal scorer Jeff Skinner still wants to score goals. What’s the alternative? To assume he doesn’t give a bleep about goal scoring anymore?

I’m just challenging your assumption of how he thinks. Buffalo bought him out for a reason. Sure he wants to score goals, but your assuming he is going to suddenly have some sort of self realization or actualization which will turn his season around.

Perhaps he sees he is just not a fit here, or the dynamics aren’t working for him.

In the end fans have zero clue how or what he’s thinking.
 

TheNumber4

Registered User
Nov 11, 2011
47,057
58,483
I’m just challenging your assumption of how he thinks. Buffalo bought him out for a reason. Sure he wants to score goals, but your assuming he is going to suddenly have some sort of self realization or actualization which will turn his season around.

Perhaps he sees he is just not a fit here, or the dynamics aren’t working for him.

In the end fans have zero clue how or what he’s thinking.
But I didn’t assume his thoughts would turn into actualization. Like I said earlier, thoughts not actual performance.

I literally said “ my Prediction”. And you’re like welll that’s an assumption you’re making. Like yeh, that’s what I said. So in no way did I say he’s for sure thinking that.

Regardless I think alpha athletes who’s done it their whole lives are more likely to think they still have it, then pack it in at a unripe age of 32. So agree to disagree on what we THINK he might be thinking.
 

5 Mins 4 Ftg

Life is better with no expectations.
Sponsor
Apr 3, 2016
52,483
91,604
Edmonton
But I didn’t assume his thoughts would turn into actualization. Like I said earlier, thoughts not actual performance.

I literally said “ my Prediction”. And you’re like welll that’s an assumption you’re making. Like yeh, that’s what I said. So in no way did I say he’s for sure thinking that.

Regardless I think alpha athletes who’s done it their whole lives are more likely to think they still have it, then pack it in at a unripe age of 32. So agree to disagree on what we THINK he might be thinking.

I haven’t said anything about what he’s thinking. Only challenging your assumption. That’s all. Anyway not a biggie - I have my money he’s traded out.
 

SupremeTeam16

5-14-6-1
May 31, 2013
9,018
9,108
Baker’s Bay
Why does a guy sign for far less money then he could have and also insists on a full NMC?

He’s shooting his shot for a cup and regardless of his performance the team is still one of the favourites and they can’t move him off the team in any way without his consent. I wouldn’t completely rule out a move but if it happens I don’t think it’s before the deadline and almost assuredly it would only be to a handful of teams that Skinner feels have as good of a chance as the Oilers, Id be near positive he’s not accepting a trade to a non playoff or bubble team.
 

Soundwave

Registered User
Mar 1, 2007
75,002
31,287
It's crazy to me that the only questionable thing Grier has done since the summer was trade us Emberson. Everything else was gold, and he's building up the Sharks future quite nicely.

Getting a 2nd round pick and Walman for free is insane
Trading up to 11 and leaving the draft with both Celebrini and Dickinson is huge.
Picks and prospects for Askarov and Liljegrin are both great gambles.
Trading a 6th for Blackwood a year ago, and getting a 2nd and player for him now is smooth.

It's crazy how quickly they're going to leapfrog the ducks rebuild if he keeps this up. Won't be long before they pass the Flames in their quest for mediocrity.

*edit* also hilarious, for as much as we complain about the old boys club, 2 former Oilers players are doing a pretty good job as GM's right now

If Askarov is for real, that's outstanding GMing on Grier's part. Imagine we could have locked in a star in the making goalie as soon as we got McDavid, likely the entire McDavid era is very different (for the better).
 
  • Like
Reactions: McDoused

TheNumber4

Registered User
Nov 11, 2011
47,057
58,483
I haven’t said anything about what he’s thinking. Only challenging your assumption. That’s all. Anyway not a biggie - I have my money he’s traded out.
Yeh it’s whatever my comment was kind of tongue in cheek anyways. I’d be surprised if he’s traded. But I guess we’ll see.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 5 Mins 4 Ftg

TheNumber4

Registered User
Nov 11, 2011
47,057
58,483
My kid gave me a scouting report when they played the marlies. Looked good!
I don’t watch much AHL. But his hockey IQ was very apparent in his brief call up earlier. There’s definitely something there with this player.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad