Rumor: Trades/Proposals: This Offseason can we transition from the "Wasted Years" to living in the Golden Y

[McSuper]

Just throwing together a few things that have been talked about by some of the local media members here.

Keith@$4.5m for Jones and Koskinen
Patrick for Bear
Crouse for mid picks/prospects

Barrie 4 years $5m
Larsson 4 years $3.75m
Tatar 1 year $3m
Smith 1 year $2m
Starting Goalie up to $5.5m
Yamamoto 2 years $2m
Patrick 2 years $1.175m
Khaira 1 year $1m
Benson 2 years $850k

Buyout Neal
Bury Turris

RNH-McDavid-Pulju
Tatar-Drai-Yamo
Crouse-Patrick-Kassian
Khaira-Glendening-Archibald
Shore/Benson

Nurse-Barrie
Keith-Larsson
Russell-Bouchard
Lagesson

New Goalie
Smith

Third line would be a question mark but three big guys who can skate well, if they click they could wreak havoc. Lineup leaves enough cap room to allow for a potential return of Klefbom in place of Russell. Tatar won’t be the most popular add but he’s a guy who’s shown he can score at ES consistently, and the hope would be that Benson or Holloway could steal his spot similar to what Caufield did in Mtl this year.

Where's McLeod ?

 

[Fourier]

I think that's part and parcel for our 1-2 punch sort of like Crosby/Malkin.

You hope to find guys on the low who can produce, and get as many games out of them as you can before they need the big payday. The NHL scouting side of things for Edmonton make me nervous for these reasons, like a lot of folks I'm sure. It's not the most sustainable model, but I think it could be the most effective if they can pull it off.

Here's to hoping.

I think that this off season will be the last one where you might see some of the prime UFA's sign one year deals. But I would not expect it to be common. The situation has changed from last year. Things are not only less certain but there is also substantially more cummulative cap space than there was last year.

 

[CycloneSweep]

It's probably more just that if they go 7-3-1 there aren't a lot of better options than Jones this year. Maybe they can take Skinner or a guy like Benson if left unprotected, but they're not going to even get a guaranteed NHL player from us in expansion.

Kassian if exposed is a real NHL player so that's an option.

 

[CanmoreMike]

Kassian if exposed is a real NHL player so that's an option.

I know many are frustrated with him since his extension but I do think if he's protected we could see him return to old Zach. Seems to be a disconnect at the moment albeit not sure that's the team's fault.

 

[GOilers88]

I think that this off season will be the last one where you might see some of the prime UFA's sign one year deals. But I would not expect it to be common. The situation has changed from last year. Things are not only less certain but there is also substantially more cummulative cap space than there was last year.

Yeah I don't necessarily mean all on one year deals. But if you can get a couple productive years out of guys and move on when they earn that big payday it seems like it would be a beneficial strategy not only to free agents but the organization as well.

We certainly would rather help accomplish this by having a steady pipeline of home grown NHL players, but I think it beats swinging big on the open market. I just don't see Edmonton ever being a top long term choice for a lot of high end players and I mean no disrespect to the city at all.

 

[Heavy Dee]

@McPlayoffChokers
Wasn't it rumored or speculated Foligno was strictly a rental for the Leafs and he'd be re-signing with Columbus in free agency?

Schwartz though...that is a real possibility. He's from Saskatoon and as I posted in a couple threads back, his dad passed away unexpectedly in November. He may want to play closer to family, especially his mom.

That family has had a tough go.

 

[Fourier]

Yeah I don't necessarily mean all on one year deals. But if you can get a couple productive years out of guys and move on when they earn that big payday it seems like it would be a beneficial strategy not only to free agents but the organization as well.

It would help. But it is remarkably rare for this to happen. Players want security. The guys who are willing to sign one year deals tend to be either very near the end of their career or pretty much fringe players. Last year was kind of an exception. This year may see few decent guys going that route but it won't be many.

 

[NotAVacuumSalesman]

I know many are frustrated with him since his extension but I do think if he's protected we could see him return to old Zach. Seems to be a disconnect at the moment albeit not sure that's the team's fault.

Personally, I thought he was still laboring his injury or at least keeping himself in check to avoid causing any unnecessary penalties or bone headed suspension. Whatever it was, it felt like he had a leash on him.

 

[GOilers88]

It would help. But it is remarkably rare for this to happen. Players want security. The guys who are willing to sign one year deals tend to be either very near the end of their career or pretty much fringe players. Last year was kind of an exception. This year may see few decent guys going that route but it won't be many.

Even with regards to trades too, though. Maybe you can concentrate more on guys who are a year and a half, or two years off a new contract with the plan to maximize what they can give you without worrying about how you're going to retain them when they're due. Or maybe they like it here and want to stay so they take a discount, but that's always hard to count on.

I'd just rather see something like that over always talking about big impact names and free agency. I don't see that as a position of strength for us, really, and think it will usually wind up biting us in the ass more times than not. At least until the boys bring a championship home.

 

[Paralyzer008]

@McPlayoffChokers
Wasn't it rumored or speculated Foligno was strictly a rental for the Leafs and he'd be re-signing with Columbus in free agency?

Schwartz though...that is a real possibility. He's from Saskatoon and as I posted in a couple threads back, his dad passed away unexpectedly in November. He may want to play closer to family, especially his mom.

I could be wrong, but I believe the Oilers viewed Schwartz as the "what if we don't sign Nuge option"

If you look at how the dollars shake out now, Oilers have 16.2M in space per Capfriendly.

Larsson could take anywhere from 3.75-4.5. That drops them to around 12M.

Yamamoto's bridge could drop them to around 9.5M in space.

If Schwartz commands 5M, they won't have enough to fill the other holes. I don't think he's in play anymore.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I could be wrong, but I believe the Oilers viewed Schwartz as the "what if we don't sign Nuge option"

If you look at how the dollars shake out now, Oilers have 16.2M in space per Capfriendly.

Larsson could take anywhere from 3.75-4.5. That drops them to around 12M.

Yamamoto's bridge could drop them to around 9.5M in space.

If Schwartz commands 5M, they won't have enough to fill the other holes. I don't think he's in play anymore.

We have to be shedding some cap in at least 1 of Neal and Koskinen though IMO.

 

[NotAVacuumSalesman]

We have to be shedding some cap in at least 1 of Neal and Koskinen though IMO.

If we can somehow get rid of both this offseason.

 

[Aceboogie]

What happened to all the leadership Lucic or ference was supposed to bring

Bs narrative

 

[CanmoreMike]

What happened to all the leadership Lucic or ference was supposed to bring

Bs narrative

Disagree.

With Ference he was a limited player to begin with. A bottom pairing guy on a good team - not the type of guy who could read his team the riot act in the first intermission and turn the game around with a couple of plays the next period. He was a complimentary piece.

Lucic in his first year was what this team needed. Said before - he brought in a rule that win or lose, good or bad, there's no dwelling on a game after two hours.

He lightened the mood the stretch run.

He had some amazing games like that Nashville game Vancouver and San Jose late.

He brought a lot. Something happened. But it was agood start.

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

What happened to all the leadership Lucic or ference was supposed to bring

Bs narrative

It isn't a BS Narrative. It was always a case of wrong value and time/player.

Ference would have been a great add in the bottom pair for a team going for it. Not paid like a 2nd pair on a team that was nowhere near playoff contention.

Lucic was a valuable player in his first season. But his term was wayyyy too long and he isn't quite the guy you want for 'leadership'. What is he going to teach McDavid or Drai?

Keith can actually teach our young dmen so much, and be a strong locker-room presence for a team actually ready to take the next step.

Simply put though, if he wants to come here, we don't need to do Chicago any favours. We need to win the trade.

 

[CanmoreMike]

It isn't a BS Narrative. It was always a case of wrong value and time/player.

Ference would have been a great add in the bottom pair for a team going for it. Not paid like a 2nd pair on a team that was nowhere near playoff contention.

Lucic was a valuable player in his first season. But his term was wayyyy too long and he isn't quite the guy you want for 'leadership'. What is he going to teach McDavid or Drai?

Keith can actually teach our young dmen so much, and be a strong locker-room presence for a team actually ready to take the next step.

Simply put though, if he wants to come here, we don't need to do Chicago any favours. We need to win the trade.

Great points.

I'll add - pretty sure every Cup winning team has one thing in common - a Cup winner in their lineup.

Who do we have after Chiasson leaves?

 

[CanmoreMike]

This is what Lucic brought many games that first season here.

 

[McShogun99]

We have to be shedding some cap in at least 1 of Neal and Koskinen though IMO.

Even if we get rid of Koskinen we’re going to probably be replacing him with a goalie in the 6 million range. Neal’s buyout gives us around 4 million extra.

 

[McShogun99]

Great points.

I'll add - pretty sure every Cup winning team has one thing in common - a Cup winner in their lineup.

Who do we have after Chiasson leaves?

He was more like a passenger on Washington’s Cup run. You want guys that played a key role and have numerous long playoff runs on their resume.

 

[CanmoreMike]

Even if we get rid of Koskinen we’re going to probably be replacing him with a goalie in the 6 million range. Neal’s buyout gives us around 4 million extra.

$6M range?

Take a look at Cup winners the last 16 years (including this one) teams have either drafted their Cup winning goalie or found him outside of their team long before he was a star goalie. Cup winning goalies are drafted or home grown.

Oilers currently have three in their system with some indications of being NHL starters. Blogs are calling for them to draft Cossa if he's available at the draft.

I'm hoping this is the start of the Oilers developing their own goalies again.

 

[CanmoreMike]

He was more like a passenger on Washington’s Cup run. You want guys that played a key role and have numerous long playoff runs on their resume.

Sure. My point is after Chiasson we have no one. Which is why, at the right price, I really like a guy like Keith coming in with his resume.

He was not a passenger in any Hawks Cup win.

 

[Cerebral]

I'm okay with trading for Keith but only if it's a pure cap dump by Chicago where they retain some salary and take back some salary as well. If the Hawks think Keith actually has value, we'd be far better off using our cap space to just sign a veteran defenceman to a short-term deal. One of Kassian, Koskinen, or Neal would need to move in the deal for it to make any sense at all for us.

 

[McShogun99]

$6M range?

Take a look at Cup winners the last 16 years (including this one) teams have either drafted their Cup winning goalie or found him outside of their team long before he was a star goalie. Cup winning goalies are drafted or home grown.

Oilers currently have three in their system with some indications of being NHL starters. Blogs are calling for them to draft Cossa if he's available at the draft.

I'm hoping this is the start of the Oilers developing their own goalies again.

Are you willing to wait for Skinner or Konalov or the rare chance that Cossa drops to us? We need a starting goalie more then anything. If we go after a free agent like Grubaeur it's going to cost us around 6 million. Ullmark or Driedger will probably cost around 4.5. We could also trade for a young, stud goalie but who lnows what the cost to acquire will be. We can't have McDrai waiting another 3+ years for our goalie of the future to develop.

 

[Fourier]

Even with regards to trades too, though. Maybe you can concentrate more on guys who are a year and a half, or two years off a new contract with the plan to maximize what they can give you without worrying about how you're going to retain them when they're due. Or maybe they like it here and want to stay so they take a discount, but that's always hard to count on.

I'd just rather see something like that over always talking about big impact names and free agency. I don't see that as a position of strength for us, really, and think it will usually wind up biting us in the ass more times than not. At least until the boys bring a championship home.

I actually think the Oilers are at the stage where they could make one or two big moves but concentrate more on building from within. Those bog moves could be somthing like one FA signing and one trade.

 

[SK13]

This is what Lucic brought many games that first season here.

He had that kind of impact twice. That mid-winter game against the Predators and a very early game against the St Louis Blues.

I remember that, despite his relative success offensively (mostly on the PP & with in the last two months of the season on the 2line with Eberle and RNH), because posters here were asking the question as to why he wasn't that more often.

And he's never really been that player again. For Edmonton or Calgary.