Oiler UFA's and RFA's: Who do you keep?

[ThePhoenixx]

Please no bashing or anything. Just wondering who everyone thinks is worth keeping and for how much.

Here's the gang:

RFA's
Ryan Strome: 3.0m QO
Anton Slepyshev: .966 QO
Drake Cagguila: .966 QO
Iiro Pakarinen: .761 QO
Matt Benning: .966
Darnell Nurse: .910 QO

UFA's
Mike Cammalleri: UFA
Ty Rattie: UFA
Johan Auvitu: UFA
Keegan Lowe: UFA

Click to read more...

 

[Aerrol]

I voted to keep more than I would say is ideal, because IMO you have to keep a certain around of bodies just for depth, regardless of how you feel about their quality of play. If we dropped all of Strome, Caggiula, Benning for instance, you'd be hard pressed to find upgrades we can afford, leaving some serious holes on the team.

 

[5 14 6 1]

Nurse and Strome lol

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Strome
Caggulia
Benning
Nurse

 

[PBandJ]

Strome
Slepy
Caggs
Nurse
Rattie

 

[McDNicks17]

I'd fire Cammalleri into the sun, let Auvitu walk and only bring Lowe back on an AHL deal.

The rest can stay with Pak/Rattie on cheap enough deals to bury in the AHL if needed.

 

[MinimaMoralia]

Nurse, Strome and Cags for me. Maaaaybe Auvitu. He was alright. Lowe was good for Bako.
I'd sure hope for an upgrade on Rattie.
I'd be very surprised if Slepyshev is back next year. Between Chia very publically shopping him early in the year and the KHL rumors, I think his time with the Oil is limited.

 

[CaptainSexyPants]

Surprised at all the love for Strome. 3 points in his last 15...meh.
For me...Nurse, Benning, Slepy, Cags, Ratti.

 

[BudBundy]

Surprised at all the love for Strome. 3 points in his last 15...meh.
For me...Nurse, Benning, Slepy, Cags, Ratti.

Love might be too strong a term but Strome has shown some value. I wouldn’t re-sign him at his QO but if he takes say $2.25 per for 3 or 4 yrs then definitely. He is a RH centre with decent size and enough skill to pinch hit a little higher if injuries hit hard. That doesnt grow on trees. He has been a big improvement over Letestu on the PK and isnt terrible defensively 5 on 5. For some, losing the only asset we got for Eberle would me enough reason alone. He sure misses on a lot of good scoring chances though.

As for the rest, i voted for Nurse, Slepyshev (I swear a player is in there somewhere), Pakarinen because of physical plag and pk ability, Benning purely because he is RH shot D, and Caggiula. I dont like Cags much, but better alternatives arent staring us in the face. I maybe shouldve included Rattie but I didnt. I want to see how rest of season goes.

 

[Aerrol]

Surprised at all the love for Strome. 3 points in his last 15...meh.
For me...Nurse, Benning, Slepy, Cags, Ratti.

Trade sucked, player is unremarkable, but unremarkable is better than total trash. We're better off signing him than leaving a gaping hole at 3C/4C.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

Slepyshev, Caggiula, Benning, Nurse, and Rattie. Strome only if he agrees to a sizeable pay cut (p>

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

Nurse, Strome and Cags for me. Maaaaybe Auvitu. He was alright. Lowe was good for Bako.
I'd sure hope for an upgrade on Rattie.
I'd be very surprised if Slepyshev is back next year. Between Chia very publically shopping him early in the year and the KHL rumors, I think his time with the Oil is limited.

Which is unfortunate since Slepy has been the best of the group not named Nurse. He does all those little things right, forechecking like a demon and going all out when it comes to battling for the puck.

 

[Joey Moss]

Nurse, Strome, Caggiula, Benning, Rattie (AHL deal)

Slepyshev is worth keeping but I don't see them doing it. Everyone else can walk.

 

[shoop]

If Keegan gets a vote than we know at least one member of the OBC posts on HFOil.

 

[shoop]

Love might be too strong a term but Strome has shown some value. I wouldn’t re-sign him at his QO but if he takes say $2.25 per for 3 or 4 yrs then definitely. He is a RH centre with decent size and enough skill to pinch hit a little higher if injuries hit hard. That doesnt grow on trees. He has been a big improvement over Letestu on the PK and isnt terrible defensively 5 on 5. For some, losing the only asset we got for Eberle would me enough reason alone. He sure misses on a lot of good scoring chances though.

Excellent post. No reason to re-sign him at his QO, but don't think he'll do it on that long a term.

 

[ujju2]

If Keegan gets a vote than we know at least one member of the OBC posts on HFOil.

Lmao wouldn't I love to be a member of the OBC. I don't see it as a bad thing to keep him around in Bakersfield.

 

[StevenF1919]

#teamauvitu

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

fire the mall

 

[FlameChampion]

I would keep Strome. I think hes been decent in second half. He has shown some versatility and usefulness. I could see him being improved next year.
Slepshev is a player that should work on this team. Big, good skater, some skill. I dont think the coach has put him in position to succeed but he hasnt shown much this year either. I wouldnt mind seeing him with a different coach. But I would be surprised if hes back next year.
Drake Cagguila is a player I am not high on. I respect the effort he plays with. The coach has given him all kinds of opportunity this year. I just dont think he has enough skill or defensive awareness to be overly useful. I think they could trade him for something.
Iiro Pakarinen isnt a great player but I like what he brings. Guy gives a good effort. Has good defensive awareness. I think hes fine as a #13.
Matt Benning I would give another year. He has struggled this year but the whole defense is a mess. So who knows.
Darnell Nurse I would keep obviously. I think they should give him a bridge deal though. It might come back to hurt the team, but I havent seen enough personally to give him a long contract.
Cammaleri has put up some decent points. Hes been productive. I personally just dont think he brings much. Hes too slow and despite the points, doesnt have enough impact on the game.
Rattie has shown some chemistry with McDavid. I think another year is fine since he should be cheap. The Oilers should just not pen him in the line up for next year and should probably expect him in the AHL.
Auvitu I havent minded this year. I think he should of got more of an opportunity. He hasnt been good lately though, which shouldn't be surprise since its been so long between games. I think he is ok as #7 guy but I am indifferent on him.
Lowe I have no opinion on. Dont watch Bakersfields games.

 

[shoop]

fire the mall

West Edmonton or Southgate?

 

[Dan Kelly]

Strome
Caggulia
Benning
Nurse
Rattie

 

[ThePhoenixx]

I voted to keep more than I would say is ideal, because IMO you have to keep a certain around of bodies just for depth, regardless of how you feel about their quality of play. If we dropped all of Strome, Caggiula, Benning for instance, you'd be hard pressed to find upgrades we can afford, leaving some serious holes on the team.

I felt the same way. I dropped one d-man and two forwards.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Nurse gets pay increase. The rest can get QO's as far as I'm concerned.

Cammy can get league min.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

If Keegan gets a vote than we know at least one member of the OBC posts on HFOil.

I voted for him, I've had a hard time watching AHL games this year, but from what I've read he's been one of the most reliable and best d-men down on the farm club, and a little added d-depth is never a bad thing.

We are only committed to 32 contracts next year, I'd be ok having all of those guys back aside from Cammalleri, who I don't think provides enough secondary attributes to stick in a line-up if he isn't scoring goals. The other two I didn't vote for are Pakarinen, who I've always liked I just don't see an NHL future for him and while I'd offer him a contract if he wanted it, just cause he's a good AHL player, I think it is probably time for him to go back to Europe and make a bit more money; and the other was Auvitu who while I like some elements of his game, he just rubs me the wrong way with some of his reads and I believe he's probably close to his peak right now with little room for more growth in his game and I don't see him being ok with playing in the AHL. Of the ones I voted for Nurse and Strome are for sure NHLers and the others just keep their salary under $1M and they can be waived with no cap penalty if they don't make the club, I know people have favorites amongst those guys are probably voted for one at the expense of another, but IMO we need more bodies and more competition and we can just let it get sorted out at the next training camp. Also some of the players people gripe about were put in roles about their present ability level, if we can get a couple bodies to push them down the line-up they could blossom in lesser roles.

 

[Dan Kelly]

"I voted for him"

Kevin Lowe, is that you?