Rumor: Rumors & Proposals Thread | With Klingberg in the Mix Who Are Our 7D After the Deadline?

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Ugh the Drew O'Connor news is not encouraging. In my opinion, a bottom 6 winger is literally the thing we need least. In order of preference, under ideal circumstances:
  1. Starting or tandem goalie
  2. Second pair RD (if we need to upgrade on Klingberg)
  3. Top-6 winger or center with finishing ability
  4. Bottom-6 center
  5. Veteran, depth defenseman (if we don't need an upgrade on Klingberg)
  6. Bottom 6 winger
What O’Connor news?
 
Big like on getting Frederic. God would he become a crowd favourite quick.

I was all aboard the Frederic train but im starting to less convinced. His stat line this year is 7-7-14 playing 14-15 minutes a night. Meanwhile Perry is 10-8-18 playing 10 minutes a night.

That's all fine because he seems like a playoff player but how much is that worth? I thought I heard fans say it will start with a 2nd as he has a lot of suitors. Also, his 2.3M cap hit might also be hard to squeeze in without retention. Hes also a UFA that might get paid 4M+ on the open market.

Just doesn't seem worth the cost.

What O’Connor news?

Frank said the Oilers were looking at him before Vancouver traded for him. He's big an fast and would add top our bottom 6.
 
I don’t think they’d really want rumours out there considering they don’t want to completely trash Skinner’s confidence.
I was thinking this as well. We have a great analytics staff that has to know that goaltending has struggles relative to other teams.

Also just the way Knoblauch talks he referenced how he thought the team didn't play that poorly in the 1st period against Toronto. That scoring chances were even and then we took over in the second. He also didn't hate the penalty kill.

Its no secret that Skinner would have liked to have a couple back and he clearly knows that it was a rough game from Skinner but he still handled it in a positive way that doesn't hurt Skinner.

I dont actually hate Skinner (deapite wanting to trade him all the time). I just think he's way to inconsistent for a team with Stanley cup aspirations and want to be best in class at everything.

The data supports that he isn't good enough unless the rest of the team is perfect. We need to find a way to beat other top teams and not just capitalize on winning games against teams lower in the standings.
 
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I was thinking this as well. We have a great analytics staff that has to know that goaltending has struggles relative to other teams.

Also just the way Knoblauch talks he referenced how he thought the team didn't play that poorly in the 1st period against Toronto. That scoring chances were even and then we took over in the second. He also didn't hate the penalty kill.

Its no secret that Skinner would have liked to have a couple back and he clearly knows that it was a rough game from Skinner but he still handled it in a positive way that doesn't hurt Skinner.

I dont actually hate Skinner (deapite wanting to trade him all the time). I just think he's way to inconsistent for a team with Stanley cup aspirations and want to be best in class at everything.

The data supports that he isn't good enough unless the rest of the team is perfect. We need to find a way to bewt other top teams and not just capitalize on winning games against teams lower in the standings.

Yep, we have Michael Parkatti | Edmonton Oilers employed. I bet he's the first guy that has said the Oilers need another goalie.
 
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Nothing wrong with looking at xGF%. You want players who are going to help you more than hurt you.

Didn't you just make an argument for why goaltending is such an issue? Upgrading our teams sv% just slightly would increase our odds dramatically.

Also, if Klingberg works out we might not need to spend a lot of assets on defence. Maybe just a depth defender that can play PK.
I don't think that was me, and slightly increasing our team sv% does not increase our odds dramatically, it is measurable.

Like I said the gap between Bobrovsky (0.906 sv%) and Skinner (0.901 sv%) was roughly 3 more saves last playoffs and who knows when those 3 extra saves occur.

Contrasted against Nurse being -11 at 5 on 5 to the #3 D-man on FLA Montour who was +6 at 5 on 5, a 17 goal differential. (All situations actually has the identical 17 goal differential spread despite the differing special teams usage)

It's crazy more blame was assigned to Skinner making $2.6M versus a $10M goalie which bested him by a 3 goal differential in the playoffs, contrasted by Nurse making $9.25M who was bested by Montour making $3.5M by a 17 goal differential.

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As for Klingberg we have time to let things play out and it's not fair to pigeon hole him yet, but my initial impression are he will come up a bit short defensively to really cut it in a 2nd pairing role, but has the toolset to create an outscoring 3rd pairing with a responsible experienced d-partner like Kulak.
 
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Ugh the Drew O'Connor news is not encouraging. In my opinion, a bottom 6 winger is literally the thing we need least. In order of preference, under ideal circumstances:
  1. Starting or tandem goalie
  2. Second pair RD (if we need to upgrade on Klingberg)
  3. Top-6 winger or center with finishing ability
  4. Bottom-6 center
  5. Veteran, depth defenseman (if we don't need an upgrade on Klingberg)
  6. Bottom 6 winger
My priority list is:

1. Elite goalie
2. Quality 2nd pairing D
3. Elite winger
4. Play driving winger for the 3rd line or goal scoring winger for the 2nd line
5. A moderate goalie upgrade (I'd ignore all marginal upgrades cause Skinner + Pickard are well liked and marginal upgrades aren't worth wrecking the lockerroom dynamic)
6. 4th line C (preferably RH) (though I still wouldn't entirely rule out Philp claiming this role)

Obviously fulfilling a higher tier priority like elite goalie for example would check off the corresponding lower priority.

While I did like Drew O'Connor I'm not sure he is the right spark to get our 3rd line going, I do have a strong inclination to upgrade that line cause I think we can get a lot more out of Henrique and the line in general without paying a heavy price to do it, where as the other higher priority fixes will be costly.
 
My priority list is:

1. Elite goalie
2. Quality 2nd pairing D
3. Elite winger
4. Play driving winger for the 3rd line or goal scoring winger for the 2nd line
5. A moderate goalie upgrade (I'd ignore all marginal upgrades cause Skinner + Pickard are well liked and marginal upgrades aren't worth wrecking the lockerroom dynamic)
6. 4th line C (preferably RH) (though I still wouldn't entirely rule out Philp claiming this role)

Obviously fulfilling a higher tier priority like elite goalie for example would check off the corresponding lower priority.

While I did like Drew O'Connor I'm not sure he is the right spark to get our 3rd line going, I do have a strong inclination to upgrade that line cause I think we can get a lot more out of Henrique and the line in general without paying a heavy price to do it, where as the other higher priority fixes will be costly.
Ah with this list you'd assume the this team was where the Nucks are in the Standings.

This might be an offseason thing, but not something that can be done at the deadline.
 
Seravalli says we were really in on Drew O’Connor and we want a speedy bottom six winger.

I don’t get it. Don’t we want someone on the top six who has more than 10 goals? 😂 or are we relying on A 40 year Perry to guide our wingers to paradise?
This is concerning. We knew how important wingers for Drai were. We still don't have wingers for Drai and the team is talking about adding a 4th liner? We have an abundance of 4th liners.

Can you guys imagine if we have all this cap space in a must win year and we don't spend it???????

This deadline **might** be real disappointing......
 
I am not a Stuart apologist and do agree that we need to upgrade the goaltending.Why we don’t try Rodrigues for a few games to see what we have,as other teams have done,is baffling.If he shits the bed then look for that 1b.Loyalty,by management,over performance has been one of the main issues IMO.Also,another issue is why do goaltenders from other teams look like Vezina finalists when playing us.When we play perimeter hockey without screening their goalies and being predictable it’s definitely easier for them seeing most shots and cheating on others.
We lost a lot of speed and size last summer and replaced them with smaller shooters that don’t improve the perimeter play.Kane’s return will help but I think we need a couple more disrupters that will make their goalies and defence men jobs tougher,ala Perry but a younger version.
 
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Ah with this list you'd assume the this team was where the Nucks are in the Standings.

This might be an offseason thing, but not something that can be done at the deadline.
That's not my expectation..... it's a priority list for things that could help us. We have neither the assets nor the cap to do all of that.

My expectation is 6 can always be done cause landing a 4C isn't that hard or costly and then one thing from 1 to 5, plus one random depth addition that will most likely never play.
 
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Ugh the Drew O'Connor news is not encouraging. In my opinion, a bottom 6 winger is literally the thing we need least. In order of preference, under ideal circumstances:
  1. Starting or tandem goalie
  2. Second pair RD (if we need to upgrade on Klingberg)
  3. Top-6 winger or center with finishing ability
  4. Bottom-6 center
  5. Veteran, depth defenseman (if we don't need an upgrade on Klingberg)
  6. Bottom 6 winger
All the insiders have been saying all year that the Oilers are targeting a bottom 6 forward with speed so this is fully expected. They paid Arvidsson to be a top 6 forward so they're hitching their wagon to him for better or worse, RNH and Hyman are the other 2 top 6 forwards and I guess they're assuming Kane is coming back so there's the 4th one. I'm guessing that Skinner gets swapped out for a forward that plays more of a conventional bottom 6 north-south game.

I think those of you who are expecting a top 6 forward or tandem goalie are going to be very disappointed. It's more than likely a top 4 Dman (more a 4/5 than a 2/3) and a bottom 6 forward, those will be the adds unless something surprising pops up.
 
You actually think Kulak is a great top 4?
Tony maybe we don't need a 'Great' top 4 guy. Kulak is getting the job done of being a foil to Nurse and providing that pair with a strong defensive side.
Is he a strong hi skating puck distributing elite transition guy--well we all know he isn't. But he is doing the job and Nurse is the beneficiary of his presence.
Further if we can strengthen the 3rd pair with
a guy that has size and can skate and is as good as Kulak defensively then it opens all kinds of options for Knobber.
The third pair can take some of the load from both the second and a bit from the first.
I'm not saying we shouldn't look and try to find a really good two way guy but we may not be able to get a 'Pulok' for whatever reason--availability, competition, contract, ntc or nmc, etc. Plan B is strenghtening the third pair.


There is more than one way to skin that cat. Players are put into positions above there true talent level all the way through bantam midget junior B ...some flourish, some adapt and find a niche and some outright fail.
Kulak has been put in a useful niche area and is doing relatively well. One day he might even surprise you and start providing a bit more offense than you think he is capable of -- .
 
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Worst part for me is there is absolutely 0 rumors or Mubbling about edmonton showing any interest in goalie upgrade

I'm fking speechless
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I know the Sabres aren't sold on UP Luukkonen, I wonder if a deal can be found with them and Oilers swapping starters?

Skinner has shown some strong games in the league and was excellent against the Sabres last game.

Maybe?

To BUF: Stuart Skinner, 2025 2nd, 2027 1st(top-5 protected) and Beau Akey

To EDM: UP Luukkonen and Byram(50% retained)

Then

To WSH: Jeff Skinner and 2026 4th

To EDM: Ethan Bear ($912K in the minors) and Byram(retained at another 50%)


Then the Oilers can go

Forwards unchanged

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Byram
Kulak - Emberson
Klingberg, Stetcher

UP Luukkonen
Pickard

I think it's really worth the bet.

Washington has all the cap space in the world and injuries up front.

Edit: You also move Byram at the draft to the highest bidder, because his ask for his extension is too high.
 
I wonder how available Saros is with Nashville being so bad. With the cap going up so much we can easily fit him without retention. I'd offer Skinner, 2026 1st and a prospect of Nashville's choice.
His NMC doesn't kick in until the new contract starts and I wonder where Nashville's mind is for "writing off" this season and regrouping.
 
I wonder how available Saros is with Nashville being so bad. With the cap going up so much we can easily fit him without retention. I'd offer Skinner, 2026 1st and a prospect of Nashville's choice.
Saros, like Ekholm, was rumoured to be available before signing his extension. I also wonder if there's any interest in Nashville right now to move him, though the time to trade for him was before Nashville moved Askarov. That said, if you bring in Saros, Skinner is going the other way. And if Skinner's as good as some people here say he is, then that probably helps a trade like that come to fruition.
 
The pursuit of O'Conner to me reeks of "we now realize we totally f***ed up in the summer getting offer sheeted and then not matching, we're now hyper focused on trying to bring in a Holloway style forward that we projected he would be in the bottom 6 at least".

I hope the front office has a more broad look at team needs and isn't just fixated on the unfortunate errors they made in the summer.

Team needs a lot more than just a speedy bottom 6er.
 
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Oilers nation has become almost unwatchable. They won't stop glazing and defending Skinner. Meanwhile this is all bouchards fault again despite being on the ice for 1GA and the the ice for 3 of them.

I can’t stand watching it personally. It’s pretty terrible when FlamesNation is more enjoyable to watch.
 
This is concerning. We knew how important wingers for Drai were. We still don't have wingers for Drai and the team is talking about adding a 4th liner? We have an abundance of 4th liners.

Can you guys imagine if we have all this cap space in a must win year and we don't spend it???????

This deadline **might** be real disappointing......
We do have wingers for Drai- it's that our coach doesnt like the combinations.
Draisaitl with Hyman and Perry worked when McDavid was out stick with it.
McDavid refuses to shoot- Skinner and Arvy love to shoot. Stick those guys together.

See how those top 2 lines work until the deadline. Then reassess.
 

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