Rumor: Rumors and Proposals Thread: "Flies in the Vasoline"

[Ritchie Valens]

"Flies in the Vasoline we are, sometimes it blows my mind...keep getting stuck here all the time."

19 days to the deadline. Koskinen suddenly looking like a #1 goalie. Skinner knocking at the door. Smith still signed for another year. Still need help on D and bottom 6.

Clinging to a Wildcard playoff spot but only a few points out of second place.

Injuries.

Flies in the Vasoline we are indeed.

Click to read more...

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Great song choice (I am old)

Honestly, I'm going to beat this drum. Move Smith ++ to Buffalo for Pysyk and Anderson.

 

[FlameChampion]

At this point, I'm not really expecting much.

I'd personally move Kassian if theres a deal out there. Even if its for a mid round draft pick. I'd rather lose his contract at this point. I think hes going to have to be moved at some point. I'd rather it be sooner than later, if theres a deal to be made.

I'd also move Smith if possible. Once again, even if its for a draft pick. It would actually be nice to see this deal get done soon, so can see a Koskinen/Skinner tandem under Woodcroft for a few weeks before the trade deadline.

Barries a bit of an interesting one. I think hes actually looked better lately. But I think everyone knows, that him and Bouchard are kind of playing the same role. I'd rather get someone better defensively. But I'm not sure if its better in the offseason or just waiting a bit. I personally like Barrie, but hes been a bit underwhelming this year under Tippett. I'd like to give him more time under Woodcroft/Manson, but at the same time, I still think him and Bouchard are competing for the same spot.

The team obviously needs a starter. I just dont know how realistic it is at this point. I dont have a lot of faith in Holland getting it done. I dont want to see a trade giving up a ton of assets on a guy whos a slight upgrade in net. I dont think theres a ton of great options out there. Most teams who have good goaltenders, are in playoff spots and arent trading them. Then a lot of other goalies dont want to come to Canada. I would like to see a quality starter here, but considering Holland hasnt been able to able to get it done at this point, I doubt its happening before the trade deadline. Hopefully we dont see a panic trade giving up assets for a lateral move.

Outside of that, I dont think its too bad just working on improving depth. Picking up some depth forwards and depth defense.

My thoughts might change as we get closer. Currently this team is on the bubble. But we have a pretty favorable schedule this month.

 

[Klimando Kostani]

Barrie is still a huge liability. Would trade him and a pick for any serviceable developing shut down guy and cap space so we can go after a goalie.

 

[Broberg Speed]

Make a splash for the battle of Alberta this postseason.

 

[Snipes45]

Barrie is still a huge liability. Would trade him and a pick for any serviceable developing shut down guy and cap space so we can go after a goalie.

Same. I would trade Kassian for a bag of potatoes and Barrie for somebody young and developing that is cheap.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Same. I would trade Kassian for a bag of potatoes and Barrie for somebody young and developing that is cheap.

And expose our young D even more?

 

[Snipes45]

And expose our young D even more?

Barrie plays like a young rookie who screws up on D constantly. get rid of him and try to get a young dman or a hard nosed vet at the deadline

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Barrie plays like a young rookie who screws up on D constantly. get rid of him and try to get a young dman or a hard nosed vet at the deadline

I think barrie isn’t great but gets a lot more flak than he should. He’s slow though wow. I know people probably don’t agree with this.

 

[K1984]

I think barrie isn’t great but gets a lot more flak than he should. He’s slow though wow. I know people probably don’t agree with this.

His skating is what is going to take him out of the league.

He can't be the sole defender playing point on the PP anymore because he doesn't get east-west fast enough or can't quickly break back if there is a turnover high zone. Notice how the PP looked completely different with Nurse on it last night? It's because he could actually skate to loose pucks to keep them in the zone.

Defensively he isn't capable of winning a race or a battle behind the net because he gets outskated to pucks. Any passing ability he has is moot because he usually just has to punt it because he can't skate out of pressure anymore.

His skating is so bad it looks like he leans on his stick for support. Often he loses pucks in his feet because he's leaning on his stick and can't react to get the puck in time.

He is a bad, bad defenseman. If his horrid skating is due to conditioning, then maybe there is hope for improvement. If it's due to him just losing a step, he's done unless he is playing in very sheltered 3rd pairing situations.

 

[McTonyBrar]

Trade Barrie away and Kassian. Bring in Braun and either trade for a goalie or call up Skinner. Break the leg of Mike Smith and put him on LTIR

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I don't always use vaseline. But when I do I prefer Sand In The Vaseline...

Looking like a #1 tender might be more off-season. Two healthy 2B goaltenders finally is a big part of the reset back to where this team was expected to be. Skinner is the wildcard if one falters.

Exploration for a veteran physical, shutdown 2LD to stabilize and balance out the d-corp and mitigate the RD challenges of Barrie and rawness of Bouchard. Explore secondary scoring options with a top six volume shooting finisher RW. Look at Malone as possible 4 line utility guy with size and grit.

 

[Smartguy]

Crazy to read about how bad Mike Smith is when he’s literally the same as Koskinen. He plays good for a stretch then plays terrible for a stretch. People were running Koskinen out of town a month ago too.

While I think we need a new goalie this has been the Oilers for 3 years now with the Smith/Koskinen combo. 1 plays good for stretch, the other is terrible. Sometimes both are terrible and the team is terrible.

Smith is a crazy competitor given tonnes of chances by this management. No way he goes on LTIR without a major major injury. Old age won’t cut it unfortunately

 

[CornKicker]

Crazy to read about how bad Mike Smith is when he’s literally the same as Koskinen. He plays good for a stretch then plays terrible for a stretch. People were running Koskinen out of town a month ago too.

While I think we need a new goalie this has been the Oilers for 3 years now with the Smith/Koskinen combo. 1 plays good for stretch, the other is terrible. Sometimes both are terrible and the team is terrible.

Smith is a crazy competitor given tonnes of chances by this management. No way he goes on LTIR without a major major injury. Old age won’t cut it unfortunately

100% so the hope here has to be a bottom feeder team sees koskinen and thinks LOL oilers give up decent goalies lets take him and another playoff team with a young goalie wants vet insurance and takes mike smith....we get a real goalie win win

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Crazy to read about how bad Mike Smith is when he’s literally the same as Koskinen. He plays good for a stretch then plays terrible for a stretch. People were running Koskinen out of town a month ago too.

I guess, Koskinen owns the best record on the road in the entire league, and has taken to the coaching change like he's become a new player.

Mike Smith is old, has been hurt and has been just terrible this season with a few good games sprinkled throughout. He's signed for another year, and hasn't been better then the guy who's in the minors right now.

Smith is also "interesting" individual that can be difficult to deal with, so add all the factors togethter, getting him just out is the best thing for the team and it is not close.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Crazy to read about how bad Mike Smith is when he’s literally the same as Koskinen. He plays good for a stretch then plays terrible for a stretch. People were running Koskinen out of town a month ago too.

While I think we need a new goalie this has been the Oilers for 3 years now with the Smith/Koskinen combo. 1 plays good for stretch, the other is terrible. Sometimes both are terrible and the team is terrible.

Smith is a crazy competitor given tonnes of chances by this management. No way he goes on LTIR without a major major injury. Old age won’t cut it unfortunately

He won't retire either, he's too stubborn. We should just deal him to the Coyotes and send them a third for their trouble.

Since Woodcroft took over:

Koskinen: 3-0-0, .936
Smith: 3-3-0, .899
Skinner: 1-0-0, 1.000

Stop f***ing around here. Feed Kostko starts, get Smith out of here, and bring up Skinner. Time to ice the best possible team.

 

[Smartguy]

He won't retire either, he's too stubborn. We should just deal him to the Coyotes and send them a third for their trouble.

Since Woodcroft took over:

Koskinen: 3-0-0, .936
Smith: 3-3-0, .899
Skinner: 1-0-0, 1.000

Stop f***ing around here. Feed Kostko starts, get Smith out of here, and bring up Skinner. Time to ice the best possible team.

I don’t agree with bringing up Skinner at this time, and I’ve been a HUGE supporter this year, I wanted Koskinen cut over him in camp. He’s on a very good AHL team that has the chance win it again-ish this year, he will be the number 1 and a good run would be huge for his development, next season he’s a no brainer NHL goalie. He comes up here and has one off come in the stretch run and the pressure will be insane

I agree with moving Smith it just won’t be easy, I think like Hollands comments, they are going to try 1 more Smith-Koskinen run.

Issue will be if Koskinen plays decent from here out then what? Smith maybe can be moved in the offseason, Skinner is up next year, you’d prefer to find a younger more established goalie in the offseason to compliment Skinner, for example Husso.

 

[Del Preston]

Is there a team looking for a real gud gritty veteran goalie?

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Is there a team looking for a real gud gritty veteran goalie?

I guess Washington isn't getting saves right now, maybe Smith + for Nick Jensen?

 

[MettleMcOiler]

9 games before trade deadline.
I think the only way Holland will go in and get an impact player even using the 1st rounder is if the oilers win all 9 games.

Anything else, he'll probably make a small splash and it'll probably be for a bottom pairing shutdown defencemen.

 

[MessierII]

He won't retire either, he's too stubborn. We should just deal him to the Coyotes and send them a third for their trouble.

Since Woodcroft took over:

Koskinen: 3-0-0, .936
Smith: 3-3-0, .899
Skinner: 1-0-0, 1.000

Stop f***ing around here. Feed Kostko starts, get Smith out of here, and bring up Skinner. Time to ice the best possible team.

That’s a one game sample size for skinner though. What do you do if he goes into a long slump? Ride Koskinen? We all know how that movie ends. Skinner isn’t a massive upgrade on smith. Smith at some point will string together some good games. What we need is an upgrade on all of them.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

That’s a one game sample size for skinner though. What do you do if he goes into a long slump? Ride Koskinen? We all know how that movie ends. Skinner isn’t a massive upgrade on smith. Smith at some point will string together some good games. What we need is an upgrade on all of them.

Skinner - based on his body of work this season, not just under Woodcroft - has been our best goalie.

Considering I think Holland is incompetent and incapable of securing a goaltending upgrade, I think Koskinen-Skinner is as good as we're getting this year.

 

[trick91]

When is the last time Smith stringed some good games together? He continues to let in horrible goals and be horribly positioned in net. He is lucky the third goal against Carolina didnt count, as it again went right through him.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Skinner - based on his body of work this season, not just under Woodcroft - has been our best goalie.

Considering I think Holland is incompetent and incapable of securing a goaltending upgrade, I think Koskinen-Skinner is as good as we're getting this year.

Flyers and Hawks rode Michael Leighton and Antti Niemi to a Stanley Cup final, it's not ideal, but it can work.

 

[McSuper]

Great song choice (I am old)

Honestly, I'm going to beat this drum. Move Smith ++ to Buffalo for Pysyk and Anderson.

Don't Smith have a NTC ? Holland hands them out like crazy .