The 2024 25 Roster Thread

[Shanahanigans]

A lot of discussion about the current construction of this roster, so I figured we should have a thread on it. As I see it, there are several issues.

1) Skinner has been atrocious, same as last season. Nothing more needs to be said there, but inconsistency in net is killing this team. While we're on the topic, the 2-1 goal to Reinhart in game 7.....weak goal.
2) The bottom 6 is old, slow, and can't score. We got rid of our entire 3rd line from last year and elevated the 4th line due to a playoff PK heater. I have a soft spot for Foegele and Mcleod because I remember when we had a good top 6 but our 3rd line was Archibald-Sheahan-Neal. A good bottom 6 is what got us from first round fodder to deep runs in 3 consecutive years. Our bottom 6 today is not 2020 bad but it is downgrade from last year.

3) Defense. We got rid of 3 of our Dmen from last year and replaced them with question marks, or didn't replace them at all. Also, Nurse has regressed significantly, I'm not sure he's a top 4 Dman in this league at this point. We have a top pair and 2 third pairs. Some of you suggested moving Kulak but he's been our 3rd most consistent Dman in the last 3 years because of how volatile Nurse can be. That contract isn't going anywhere unfortunately. I feel comfortable with Kulak-Emberson but we need a real stud on that 2RD to carry Nurse and bring some snarl to that back end.

4) I believe Hyman will step it up, RNH is always who he has been, he's not a driver so expecting him to carry the team when everyone is struggling won't happen. He tends to go as the team does.

5) Derek Ryan has been a great soldier for this team, but he doesn't have it anymore. Noah Philip soundly outplayed him in preseason, and deserves that spot. Perry has been fine but I'd be more comfortable with him as the 13th forward.

 

[Mr Kot]

Here is what, realistically, the holes we should be filling and how the team should look with the right pieces:

xxx/Skinner - McDavid - Hyman
xxx/Skinner - Draisaitl - Perry/Arvidsson/xxx
Podkolzin - Nuge - Janmark
Brown - Henrique - Perry

Ekholm - Bouchard
xxx - Stetcher
Kulak/Nurse - Emberson

Pickard
xxx/AHL Call-up

Just looking at the list, even when we put every player in their ideal spots, where they SHOULD work, we still have lots of holes. McDavid-Hyman is a given, but the top line REALLY needs to have Nuge off the top line, he's so redundant there and does very little right now. Instead, give Nuge some energy guys on the third line and see if he can at least try to swing momentum for the team there.

Bottom line is "ideal" but only because we have so many 4th liners and this is probably as good as it gets.

Top 2 lines are interesting. We have the couple pieces to get it to work, but are missing a solid left wing for one of either line, which means that someone has to be moved up beyond what they are capable. Nuge covers one side but he hasn't done well for some time in that role. He needs to have less time away from the top lines tbh. If nuge HAS to be played in the top lines, then replace him with Philp/Henrique manning both bottom lines.

The defence only has one real spot to fill, but it's a tough one to find. Nurse, even with his shit contract, should be on the third pair and playing very small amounts of minutes. The team has to stop trying to justify the contract and just play him to his abilities. If he's bumped down, then that leaves a top 4 spot open. Stetcher is ok there, but he needs a partner. DO NOT SUGGEST KEEPING NURSE THERE. he get's paid like a top 4, but he isn't, stop trying to fit an obviously wrong puzzle piece.

Pickard should be played over all goalies for now, play skinner either far less or trade him for another one in a lateral move. If not, give someone in AHL a try, we really have no choice.

IDEAL MOVES:

Trade skinner, or even send him back down
Ryan sits or traded, he's done


Even with all that said, Oilers don't have a lot of pieces to move for help, so we have basically just playing people higher up than they should. Best solutions right now is to put trouble players (Nurse/Skinner) on the backburner and play them as little as possible.