Rumor: Trade Rumors and Proposals Thread | Current Rumor: Cam Talbot

[The Nuge]

Didn't Brad Richards just have one of the worst seasons in his career?

He did, but he'd still be a decent pickup for the right price. The thing is though, if we're looking at Richards, we probably should have just signed Roy, who we know has chemistry with Yak

 

[guymez]

Well then we're considering the "value" of these goalies in different lights. There are also UFAs.

Bernier hasn't done the playing 60+ games in one season, so there isn't actually a reason to suggest that he can.

Again, improve, as much as possible, not just as much as is convenient.

Bernier became a starter in the 2013-14 season in which he played 55 games. The next season (2014-2015) he played 58 games on a very bad defensive team...hence the lower sv%.
In any event he is clearly trending toward the 60 game mark especially considering that he is 26 years old and has been a starter for all of 2 years.

So based on this information how can you make the claim that there is no reason to suggest that Bernier can play 60+ games?

Your argument doesn't appear to have much substance to it.

 

[Shivakamini]

Would you trade either Marincin or 56th overall along with Nikitin for a 7th rounder, rather than buy him out?

Would cap floor teams consider this type of asset/cap management?

 

[dem]

Why would you buy out Nikitin? He's only signed for a year. Whats the point?

 

[40oz]

Would you trade either Marincin or 56th overall along with Nikitin for a 7th rounder, rather than buy him out?

Would cap floor teams consider this type of asset/cap management?

I'd hope not, there should be plenty of other ways to save cash.
But it depends if that cap space was holding up bigger/better deals I'd be open to anything.

 

[joestevens29]

Would you trade either Marincin or 56th overall along with Nikitin for a 7th rounder, rather than buy him out?

Would cap floor teams consider this type of asset/cap management?

Gregor kinda had a point, why buy him out? Fire him in the minors instead of wasting 1.5mil in cap space in 16-17. Do we really need the cap space this year?

The other thing is at some point Nikitin could just ask to terminate his deal and go to the KHL.

The rational side of me suggests Chiarelli doesn't need to free up money for this season. He can bite the bullet on one more season of Nikitin and Purcell, rather than have them on the books next season. I say that believing the Oilers will not be a playoff team this coming season. I fully expect them to improve drastically, but next summer or later this season Chiarelli can look to make a big splash.

But the emotional side of me would buy out Nikitin tomorrow. I'd send a message that the organization does not want players who aren't committed. He wasn't in good enough shape last season. If players don't commit in the off-season, they can't succeed during games. Showing up in camp not in the best shape possible is inexcusable, unless a player is coming off an injury. The Oilers have accepted a losing mentality for far too long and it must change.

That is my internal dilemma, and despite my willingness to want to buyout Nikitin, I'd rather keep him and send him to the minors, if his play warranted it, so in 2016/2017 I'd have all the cap space I wanted, because I believe the Oilers should be a playoff contender by then. The other option is Chiarelli might be able to trade him and retain salary, but that falls in the wishful thinking category for me

 

[booyakasha]

Brad Richards looked pretty gosh darn good this year and especially in the playoffs. He could be a much cheaper option and would prolly sign only a 2 year term.

I'm shocked you haven't mentioned Mike Richards yet! LOL
What's up with that philly boy?

 

[Klimando Kostani]

Would you trade either Marincin or 56th overall along with Nikitin for a 7th rounder, rather than buy him out?

Would cap floor teams consider this type of asset/cap management?

If we absolutely needed to make room for Sekera or another large contract D coming in yeah, we could try that.

Not my preferred method of moving him, might be better just to retain a little.

 

[guymez]

Why would you buy out Nikitin? He's only signed for a year. Whats the point?

There is no point.
The smart thing to do is to see if he can bounce back under a new coach and new system.

Same goes for Schultz IMO....let him try to find his game with a completely new set of circumstances instead of dealing him at his lowest value.

 

[La Bamba]

Would you trade either Marincin or 56th overall along with Nikitin for a 7th rounder, rather than buy him out?

Would cap floor teams consider this type of asset/cap management?

A Nikitin buy-out would cost us a 1.5M penalty for just 2 years. I doubt the Oilers would need that space at that point so it'd much rather keep the assets.

But to be honest, I'd rather keep Nikitin and even Purcell just because of the fact that they're on contract years and they have proven in the past they can be decent contributors.

 

[lakai17]

Roy was fitting with Yakupov I thought. Younger and cheaper than Richards as well. If you're talking rentals. That is great depth on center if there are injuries.

 

[joestevens29]

There is no point.
The smart thing to do is to see if he can bounce back under a new coach and new system.

Same goes for Schultz IMO....let him try to find his game with a completely new set of circumstances instead of dealing him at his lowest value.

Nikitin was pretty decent at times with his stick work in his own end, but the problem seemed that he would look good and get banged up again. The guy started hurt and played through it when he probably should've sat out. He'll never be worth that contract and I don't think many expected that from day one, but he really isn't as bad as we saw last year either.

 

[guymez]

Nikitin was pretty decent at times with his stick work in his own end, but the problem seemed that he would look good and get banged up again. The guy started hurt and played through it when he probably should've sat out. He'll never be worth that contract and I don't think many expected that from day one, but he really isn't as bad as we saw last year either.

I agree that he will never be worth the contract.
That being said...a lot of things went wrong for him and other dmen last season.
I think there is value in trying to see if some of those struggles were due to the toxic environment around the team.

 

[CupofOil]

There is no point.
The smart thing to do is to see if he can bounce back under a new coach and new system.

Same goes for Schultz IMO....let him try to find his game with a completely new set of circumstances instead of dealing him at his lowest value.

These guys don't compete, that's the problem and I don't see that changing under a new coach. Plus they take up space that could be filled with better players.
Schultz I would hold onto because he's still young and at least puts up points. Nikitin is what he is at this point and at $4.5M, it seems like a waste of money that could be better spent elsewhere.

If you keep both, the Oilers only have room to add 1 defenseman and that's assuming that Nurse doesn't make the opening night roster.
Fayne, Klefbom, Schultz, Nikitin, Ference, Marincin and FA. 1 or 2 of these guys has to go if the Oilers are to significantly improve that defense. Fayne, Klefbom and Ference are locks, probably Schultz too with Marincin and Nurse competing for the other spots. Some of the dead weight needs to be cut.

Klefbom-xxx
xxx-Fayne
Ference-Schultz

Marincin, Nurse

This should be what the D looks like going into free agency assuming no trades for a Dman are made.

If you keep Nikitin, it's

Klefbom-xxx
Nikitin-Fayne
Ference-Schultz

Yikes

 

[Faelko]

There is no point.
The smart thing to do is to see if he can bounce back under a new coach and new system.

Same goes for Schultz IMO....let him try to find his game with a completely new set of circumstances instead of dealing him at his lowest value.

The point would be to get a terrible hockey player off this team, he was garbage in Columbus his last year there too, I don't think he's salvageable.

Sometimes it doesn't need to be about dollars, he's burning up valuable minutes that a guy like Marincin would benefit from and the team would be better off. I don't care what they do with him as long as he isn't wearing an Oiler jersey next year.

 

[joestevens29]

Is the door completely shut on Roy? I know what's been leaked already, but this is a guy that signed July 15th for pretty much bare minimum. He is a guy that was waived throughout the league and then traded for a contract dump by the worse team in the league. While he was decent for us he still was a guy that was horrid at faceoffs and doesn't PK. We were essentially the perfect fit for the guy and I don't know if another team would've gotten what we did out of him.

I do wonder if once the dusts settles he gets a tryout with us and forces his way on to the team.

 

[McGoMcD]

Why would you buy out Nikitin? He's only signed for a year. Whats the point?

I am not that worried about Nikitin, luckily he will be hurt most of the year and thus he won't really be much of a cap hit.

ps. I also think if he shows up to camp and looks like crap Chia won't think twice about burying him in the AHL.

 

[booyakasha]

The point would be to get a terrible hockey player off this team, he was garbage in Columbus his last year there too, I don't think he's salvageable.

Sometimes it doesn't need to be about dollars, he's burning up valuable minutes that a guy like Marincin would benefit from and the team would be better off. I don't care what they do with him as long as he isn't wearing an Oiler jersey next year.

Maybe have someone convince him to go to the KHL and terminate his contract?or put him in the minors? I agree though, don't want to see him in an Oilers jersey.

 

[joestevens29]

The point would be to get a terrible hockey player off this team, he was garbage in Columbus his last year there too, I don't think he's salvageable.

Sometimes it doesn't need to be about dollars, he's burning up valuable minutes that a guy like Marincin would benefit from and the team would be better off. I don't care what they do with him as long as he isn't wearing an Oiler jersey next year.

I have no issue with him getting rid of him, but I don't think we have to do it at any cost just to get rid of him. Him playing over Marincin is when the coach and GM need to be on the same level. I don't see McLellan being forced to play guys that shouldn't be played, especially fodder left from the MacT error. There are times where a GM will tell his coach to buck up and play a guy, but Nikitin isn't going to be in that boat.

 

[joestevens29]

Maybe have someone convince him to go to the KHL and terminate his contract?or put him in the minors? I agree though, don't want to see him in an Oilers jersey.

One of the local media guys was wondering if PC has a talk with Nikitin to see where he is at. Maybe a mutual termination is there? The real problem is right now Nikitin would be leaving a lot of money on the table with a mutual termination. He hasn't exactly made a boat load of money over his career either, so I can see him not wanted that termination right now. Maybe once he's in the AHL, then things could change.

 

[Faelko]

I have no issue with him getting rid of him, but I don't think we have to do it at any cost just to get rid of him. Him playing over Marincin is when the coach and GM need to be on the same level. I don't see McLellan being forced to play guys that shouldn't be played, especially fodder left from the MacT error. There are times where a GM will tell his coach to buck up and play a guy, but Nikitin isn't going to be in that boat.

I agree with not dumping him at any cost, that's counter productive for sure but I won't be upset with a buyout and wasted space the year after either.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Roy was fitting with Yakupov I thought. Younger and cheaper than Richards as well. If you're talking rentals. That is great depth on center if there are injuries.

the fact the oiler have kicked Roy to the street makes me mad. I love Lander--but I do not see him a fit with Yak

 

[Seachd]

There is no point.
The smart thing to do is to see if he can bounce back under a new coach and new system.

Short of trading him (if they want to), this is the only option that seems to make sense.

 

[Halibut]

the fact the oiler have kicked Roy to the street makes me mad. I love Lander--but I do not see him a fit with Yak

We have bigger fish to fry now. If Roy is around after we've fixed holes on our blueline and in net and we dont find a better fit for the forward position i.e better two way physical then we can look at Roy. Yak may have to find a fit with one of RNH, McDavid, Lander, Draisaitl.

 

[ivanthebad*]

I think the media really ran with the big Roy/ Yak chemistry hype. We definitely needed some sort of bright spot. It 's easy to pop a few goals when you aren't committed to defense. Roy did bring some veteran knowledge to the offensive zone for sure, but if Yak proves that he can't play with a defensive minded center like Lander, then his value is what exactly? A #1 draft pick should be able to create his own offense. Hall proved that being on the 3rd line with Lander one can still contribute.