News Article: Training camp ongoing. Camp discussion part 2

[RegDunlop]

I don't see how it's any different than MacT's or Tambo's half measures.
I know that Chia had his hands tied (due to his own mistakes) but only a fool could have thought that Jerabek or Garrison would have in any way replaced what Sekera brought. Not to mention that Benning is now their every day 2nd pairing Dman for the 2nd straight season and a rookie is being forced into the top 6 even though the rookie deserves a look.

One can argue that the Oilers needed a D upgrade even with Sekera healthy. With him on the shelf, it's now a huge weakness that has yet to be addressed. One more injury (which is more likely than not) and it's red alert time, it might be a red alert as is.
I usually err on the optimistic side but it's hard to be optimistic about the current state of the defense.

This post nails it for me.
Give credit for bringing players in that can't contribute so you have the sense to rid yourself of them? Yeah not sure credit is due there! Maybe some shade for wasting everyone's time, resources, and money even though it's inconsequential.

When your post goes on to mention the fact that this was supposed to essentially relieve the loss of Sekera, I agree with you that he should have done that much sooner and IMO JJ was a poor choice. Credit? Not from me, and I'm not a Chia hater.

 

[PBandJ]

To be fair with Gryba it came out on Oilers Now last week that there were extenuating circumstances. Apparently since being sent down, he hadn't handled it well and was a bad lockerroom guy. Management didn't want him around the young D and it sounded like Gryba was doing nothing to help them with their development on or off the ice.

After hearing this I feel like it's fair enough

Couldn't they have buried him and told him to just stay home? Or would that have risked the ire of the NHLPA?

 

[snipes]

I’m thoroughly impressed by Bouchard’s showing for us so far. His ability with the puck on his stick is elite and something we haven’t had in forever. I think he’s going to prove to be an excellent pick for us.

Now get him on PP1 for some legitimate looks.

 

[Mr Positive]

I’m thoroughly impressed by Bouchard’s showing for us so far. His ability with the puck on his stick is elite and something we haven’t had in forever. I think he’s going to prove to be an excellent pick for us.

Now get him on PP1 for some legitimate looks.

For sure, I feel like for the first time since the rebuild started in like 2010, the team has all the pieces. However, I don't think Bouchard is ready yet. But maybe he is.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

I think Oilers MSM is the best in the league. Oilers sign Jerabek to a 1 year contract (27 year old, career euro player besdies 2 sub par NHL seasons with 2 different teams) and then release him when hes not good enough (shocking). The move was no risk but no upside. But yet Oilers MSM swarm to praise Chiarelli for literally the most routine, standard, unimpressive move:



Engineering pretty much what was a standard PTO?

Every GM the Oilers bring in gets the easiest ride from the media

FTR: I didnt mind the move or the release. But it was a move every GM makes every offseason. It was complete background noise

since when is Kurt Leavins MSM?

dude's a blogger

 

[CycloneSweep]

Couldn't they have buried him and told him to just stay home? Or would that have risked the ire of the NHLPA?

If a player is healthy and can play, I don't think a team can just tell them to stay home. Think that goes against contracts. Also, most hockey players actually like playing and don't get paid if they aren't injured or playing.

People keep saying to just tell him to stay home but that has never happened in hockey.

 

[guymez]

I never said they were dumb moves. It was a routine contract (essentially a PTO) for a replacement level D. This wasn't a creditworthy move that only a veteran GM can make. It was a move that every GM makes regardless of status or experience. It is a move that is comparable to MacT signing Anton Belov. Or a PTO that Jim Benning signs dozens of

Edmonton MSM will bust out the "gotta give him credit" for the most basic move of the offseason. So of course they'll carry buckets full of water when Chiarelli (or any Oilers GM) makes a truly terrible move, and will brainwash the fans

And again, the move wasnt bad or good. As far as sending Aberg down, not sure why this should be credited as a smart move. Chiarelli was the guy who traded for him in the first place. Yes he traded Letestu who had next to no value, but Chiarelli ended up not getting an NHL player. Thats to be expected for your average GM, but a savy veteran GM could have possibly gotten an NHL player. For example, when MacT traded a completely broken down Dubnyk to the Preds, he got make Hendricks (who had multiple decent seasons with us after)

I think you are reaching a bit with your original criticism. If you want to take issue with something thats fine... I just think this was a poor choice.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

If a player is healthy and can play, I don't think a team can just tell them to stay home. Think that goes against contracts. Also, most hockey players actually like playing and don't get paid if they aren't injured or playing.

People keep saying to just tell him to stay home but that has never happened in hockey.

He absolutely can be told to stay at home if he’s not good enough to be in the lineup

 

[guymez]

since when is Kurt Leavins MSM?

dude's a blogger

I believe he is an Edmonton Journal employee.

 

[belair]

since when is Kurt Leavins MSM?

dude's a blogger

I haven't minded some of the stuff he's written, but this one's a stretch. The Jerebek signing was reactionary to the Sekera injury. If Chiarelli can make the salary disappear and not take playing time away from our prospects, kudos. But the bigger picture is just 'meh'.

 

[oiler4ever]

are we in hook for 1M salary, does that count against the cap?

 

[guymez]

I haven't minded some of the stuff he's written, but this one's a stretch. The Jerebek signing was reactionary to the Sekera injury. If Chiarelli can make the salary disappear and not take playing time away from our prospects, kudos. But the bigger picture is just 'meh'.

I think thats part of the beauty of the Jerabek deal...if he doesnt make the team he will go back to Europe and the contract goes away.
At least thats what I am hearing.

If true then it is in fact a smart signing by Chiarelli. Jerabek looked good for the Candiens last season. Not sure what happened in pre season.

 

[belair]

I think thats part of the beauty of the Jerabek deal...if he doesnt make the team he will go back to Europe and the contract goes away.
At least thats what I am hearing.

If true then it is in fact a smart signing by Chiarelli. Jerabek looked good for the Candiens last season. Not sure what happened in pre season.

Game isn't built for the West.

 

[guymez]

Game isn't built for the West.

Thats entirely possible. I think he just needed more time but the preseason is only so long.

 

[oiler4ever]

according to cap friendly we have zero cap space left then again that includes Jerebek, Bouchard and Bear on the roster.

 

[Del Preston]

are we in hook for 1M salary, does that count against the cap?

His contract is cheap enough that none of it will count against the cap when the Oilers loan him to another team.

 

[oiler4ever]

His contract is cheap enough that none of it will count against the cap when the Oilers loan him to another team.

thank you for the clarification.

 

[Senor Catface]

What’s the story about Aberg and Tinder? I missed it.

What can I say, he likes to party.

 

[Louis Cypher]

This post nails it for me.
Give credit for bringing players in that can't contribute so you have the sense to rid yourself of them? Yeah not sure credit is due there! Maybe some shade for wasting everyone's time, resources, and money even though it's inconsequential.

When your post goes on to mention the fact that this was supposed to essentially relieve the loss of Sekera, I agree with you that he should have done that much sooner and IMO JJ was a poor choice. Credit? Not from me, and I'm not a Chia hater.

With what money? Signing Nurse was the priority.

 

[Mr Positive]

I don't see how it's any different than MacT's or Tambo's half measures.
I know that Chia had his hands tied (due to his own mistakes) but only a fool could have thought that Jerabek or Garrison would have in any way replaced what Sekera brought. Not to mention that Benning is now their every day 2nd pairing Dman for the 2nd straight season and a rookie is being forced into the top 6 even though the rookie deserves a look.

One can argue that the Oilers needed a D upgrade even with Sekera healthy. With him on the shelf, it's now a huge weakness that has yet to be addressed. One more injury (which is more likely than not) and it's red alert time, it might be a red alert as is.
I usually err on the optimistic side but it's hard to be optimistic about the current state of the defense.

bear in mind that Garrison or Jerabek didn't have to replace Sekera.

The plan could be to have a player like Russell or Benning replace Sekera, and then those UFA adds just had to replace Russell/Benning, who would have been on the bottom pairing.

I know that it still doesn't replace Sekera, but it's not quite as bad. Also know that there is cost. For instance, a lot of this board wants Faulk from Carolina, but for all we know they are demanding RNH and that's it. With Sekera going down midway into August, it's not like there would be options sprouting all over.

But to just go full circle, I don't think that Chiarelli did enough. His desire for an OFD was deflated when we drafted Bouchard, and that probably doesn't help us this upcoming season a whole lot.

 

[guymez]

bear in mind that Garrison or Jerabek didn't have to replace Sekera.

The plan could be to have a player like Russell or Benning replace Sekera, and then those UFA adds just had to replace Russell/Benning, who would have been on the bottom pairing.

I know that it still doesn't replace Sekera, but it's not quite as bad. Also know that there is cost. For instance, a lot of this board wants Faulk from Carolina, but for all we know they are demanding RNH and that's it. With Sekera going down midway into August, it's not like there would be options sprouting all over.

But to just go full circle, I don't think that Chiarelli did enough. His desire for an OFD was deflated when we drafted Bouchard, and that probably doesn't help us this upcoming season a whole lot.

I agree with this except to say that I think Bouchard does have the potential to help right away with the offence. He just needs to be properly sheltered.
I think that Bouchard is an offensive dynamo the likes of which we havent seen since Pronger.

 

[Louis Cypher]

bear in mind that Garrison or Jerabek didn't have to replace Sekera.

The plan could be to have a player like Russell or Benning replace Sekera, and then those UFA adds just had to replace Russell/Benning, who would have been on the bottom pairing.

I know that it still doesn't replace Sekera, but it's not quite as bad. Also know that there is cost. For instance, a lot of this board wants Faulk from Carolina, but for all we know they are demanding RNH and that's it. With Sekera going down midway into August, it's not like there would be options sprouting all over.

But to just go full circle, I don't think that Chiarelli did enough. His desire for an OFD was deflated when we drafted Bouchard, and that probably doesn't help us this upcoming season a whole lot.

I am actually not too worried about the offence coming from the back end. I'm more worried about keeping the pucks out of the net.

 

[Mr Positive]

I am actually not too worried about the offence coming from the back end. I'm more worried about keeping the pucks out of the net.

Imo with the latter, we have Klefbom, Nurse, Russell, and above all Larsson. These are strong two-way Dmen. But, if you don't have Dmen who play well in the offensive zone, that often leads to odd man rushes coming the other way. It's all connected. I do believe that if we isolated defensive ability, our D is quite good, but the problem is that nothing in reality is isolated.

 

[PAZ]

Dropping in here, just wondering who do you think will have a better season between Rattie and Puljujarvi?

 

[bobbythebrain]

For sure, I feel like for the first time since the rebuild started in like 2010, the team has all the pieces. However, I don't think Bouchard is ready yet. But maybe he is.

I think he is ready for light duty. The OHL really doesn't have anything to offer him at this point. The biggest worry is we most likely don't have the players or coach's IQ to shelter him proper

Sergachev last year was a hot mess defensively for some time, but he was given small ice times and used in an offensive manner

I just hope we can stick to a plan w/ Bouchard in the same way