Rumor: The new Rumour and Proposal thread: Ranking of the Oilers D is in another thread

[MessierII]

I was just riffing on lines....but Pulja on a line with a player like Richards would help him more on a 2 way game though...wouldn't be that bad of a thing?

Richards is a 4th liner. A lesser version of Boyd Gordon at this point.

 

[Shizuka]

granted, but he never did anything to hurt anyone (other than himself)..and was always a positive figure and a person looked up upon wherever he's went...

i'm with you, as I would rather have Lander get a shot, but I wouldn't be opposed to giving Richards a try...

Again though, at this point what does he provide that Lander or the other current roster players don't? You have added more vet leadership in Lucic, and a 4th line C option in either Letestu or Lander. I'm not understanding the logic behind even a PTO for Richards, other than a 'why not...' mentality.

 

[belair]

Again though, at this point what does he provide that Lander or the other current roster players don't? You have added more vet leadership in Lucic, and a 4th line C option in either Letestu or Lander. I'm not understanding the logic behind even a PTO for Richards, other than a 'why not...' mentality.

Competition and providing rest for our three NHL centers playing in that stupid tournament. We should be focused on improving our bottom six.

 

[MessierII]

Competition and providing rest for our three NHL centers playing in that stupid tournament. We should be focused on improving our bottom six.

Richards is nothing but a passable 4th line center option. If he's on your third line your third line sucks. He struggled in a third line role in Washington. I don't feel the need to add another 4th line center to the mix.

 

[booyakasha]

Again though, at this point what does he provide that Lander or the other current roster players don't? You have added more vet leadership in Lucic, and a 4th line C option in either Letestu or Lander. I'm not understanding the logic behind even a PTO for Richards, other than a 'why not...' mentality.

A vet presence who has won a significant amount in his tenure and can pass on and lead that onto our team...

He may have his issues, but attitude and character were not, and were never in question.

 

[Up the Irons]

Richards is nothing but a passable 4th line center option. If he's on your third line your third line sucks. He struggled in a third line role in Washington. I don't feel the need to add another 4th line center to the mix.

true. but, the same can be said of Letestu and Lander isn't an NHL player.

simply, if Richards is better than either of these two (and that's not hard to do) then we're better off with him. I'd be willing to bet that Richards is still better than Lander. I've given up on this kid; 1 goal and 2 assists was the last straw for me.

Ideally, an actually 3C would be the best bet.

 

[bobbythebrain]

Lander in the line-up? I'd rather see half our players on blow and Oxy. Lander needs "Limitless" pills

 

[Shizuka]

Competition and providing rest for our three NHL centers playing in that stupid tournament. We should be focused on improving our bottom six.

I agree about the tournament (seems a little silly at this point) but Richards is not going to end up slotting into the top 3C spots, or at least I'd personally hope not. Offering a PTO to a RHD with some offensive dimension to his game would be a better priority -- not easy, granted.

 

[bobbythebrain]

Richards is nothing but a passable 4th line center option. If he's on your third line your third line sucks. He struggled in a third line role in Washington. I don't feel the need to add another 4th line center to the mix.

He jumped to the 3rd line..played mostly with Wilson who was on the 3rd, and was used on their most crucial defensive situations. You saying struggled is kinda a misrepresentation. Same as the Larsson arguments. If you are basing it on points..sure. Could you please provide his goal against stats? I highly doubt he struggled there

He did struggle in the playoffs I agree, but he still PK'ed the crap outta Phi for a round and by his own admission, had a hard time with no camp.

 

[booyakasha]

Richards is nothing but a passable 4th line center option. If he's on your third line your third line sucks. He struggled in a third line role in Washington. I don't feel the need to add another 4th line center to the mix.

Passable 4th liner?..

He was a 3rd Line C on a Washington team that finished 1st in the East and went to the 2nd round of the playoffs..but yet you find him as a passable option as a 4 on a team that finished 29th?

 

[Shizuka]

A vet presence who has won a significant amount in his tenure and can pass on and lead that onto our team...

He may have his issues, but attitude and character were not, and were never in question.

I don't know if you can say that, he and Carter were moved along from Philly because they seemingly had a little too much fun off ice. The issues, at least for Richards, seem to have progressed in LA, to the point where he was sent down to the minors and then this arrest at the border by the RCMP.

Again, for his sake I'd hope he's cleaned up or made significant steps to do so off-ice -- I just don't see what he brings that other signings or current roster players don't. Lucic is a Cup winner too. Kassian provides a sobering, thoughtful example of the problems you can get into, and is in the midst of cleaning things up. Letestu, though probably better suited as a 4th line C, did alright in the 3rd line role (I'd still rather see Draisaitl there to take softer minutes). Lander is another option. Hard to understand the reasoning behind the alleged PTO to Richards, at this point.

 

[Homesick]

Passable 4th liner?..

He was a 3rd Line C on a Washington team that finished 1st in the East and went to the 2nd round of the playoffs..but yet you find him as a passable option as a 4 on a team that finished 29th?

This
So many people on this board just run to hockeydb and look at a players points and determine they aren't good enough. Yet these playoff contenders always seem to have "garbage" players that would never be good enough for the Oilers. Hopefully next year we can use our lottery pick to start adding some bottom 6'ers

 

[MessierII]

Passable 4th liner?..

He was a 3rd Line C on a Washington team that finished 1st in the East and went to the 2nd round of the playoffs..but yet you find him as a passable option as a 4 on a team that finished 29th?

Literally every credible writer who follows Washington has stated he was over his head on the third line and struggled heavily. He's a passable defensive 4th line center with limited skating ability. I'd argue Letestu is better than him right now.

 

[booyakasha]

I don't know if you can say that, he and Carter were moved along from Philly because they seemingly had a little too much fun off ice. The issues, at least for Richards, seem to have progressed in LA, to the point where he was sent down to the minors and then this arrest at the border by the RCMP.

Again, for his sake I'd hope he's cleaned up or made significant steps to do so off-ice -- I just don't see what he brings that other signings or current roster players don't. Lucic is a Cup winner too. Kassian provides a sobering, thoughtful example of the problems you can get into, and is in the midst of cleaning things up. Letestu, though probably better suited as a 4th line C, did alright in the 3rd line role (I'd still rather see Draisaitl there to take softer minutes). Lander is another option. Hard to understand the reasoning behind the alleged PTO to Richards, at this point.

The Oxy issue had nothing to do with partying...

 

[bobbythebrain]

I don't know if you can say that, he and Carter were moved along from Philly because they seemingly had a little too much fun off ice. The issues, at least for Richards, seem to have progressed in LA, to the point where he was sent down to the minors and then this arrest at the border by the RCMP.

Again, for his sake I'd hope he's cleaned up or made significant steps to do so off-ice -- I just don't see what he brings that other signings or current roster players don't. Lucic is a Cup winner too. Kassian provides a sobering, thoughtful example of the problems you can get into, and is in the midst of cleaning things up. Letestu, though probably better suited as a 4th line C, did alright in the 3rd line role (I'd still rather see Draisaitl there to take softer minutes). Lander is another option. Hard to understand the reasoning behind the alleged PTO to Richards, at this point.

What are you talking about? Kassian exemplifies what sobering up is yet Richards contributions to the best team in the NHL last season are "questionable"? Richards did more as a hockey player last year than if Kassian was a Mormon.

A full blown addict in Richards is still more impactful than Kassian.

 

[Joey Moss]

Literally every credible writer who follows Washington has stated he was over his head on the third line and struggled heavily. He's a passable defensive 4th line center with limited skating ability. I'd argue Letestu is better than him right now.

Agreed and I don't like Letestu. Would still take Richards over Lander though.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Richard's stats over the past 3 seasons at 5 on 5 :

1.7 GF/60 2.33 GA/60

His teammates stats: 2.18 GF/60 1.75 GA/60

He faced relatively easy competition: 49.4 GF/GA ratio

He also had a fairly strong o-zone push... 35.5% ozone and 30.3% dzone faceoffs.

He may be good at PK duty but he bleeds at 5 on 5 and he's been used 7.5 times as much at 5 on 5 as he's been used on the PK.

Adding Richards would not be a useful proposition.

 

[Jumptheshark]

I have a slightly different reason why I think adding Richards is a bad idea

We already have Kassian who had off ice issues that were well documented--Richards has also had off ice issues that were well documented

On one hand one thought theory has them keeping each other on the straight and narrow

but the problem could be--if one falls back into old habits the other could as well

I have done rehab twice for different things and from my experience is when one guy slips the other comes along for the ride and I am hoping that does not happen to Kassian but that is just me

 

[McSuper]

I was just riffing on lines....but Pulja on a line with a player like Richards would help him more on a 2 way game though...wouldn't be that bad of a thing?

Playing on the top line in the AHL while focusing on his 2 way game would be better for his development

 

[McSuper]

Lander in the line-up? I'd rather see half our players on blow and Oxy. Lander needs "Limitless" pills

With comments like this you might want to rethink your user name by 1/2 . No one on gods green earth should be on either . I have bottles and bottles of Oxy because of my car accident . I have to fill my prescription or the insurance for the other side won't think I am hurt , but I am in terrible pain every day . I just will not allow addiction to become apart of my struggles

 

[MrM]

The nice thing about a PTO is that it gives Richards an opportunity to prove his worth with no commitment at all. He could make us eat our words or prove us all wrong.

 

[shoop]

The nice thing about a PTO is that it gives Richards an opportunity to prove his worth with no commitment at all. He could make us eat our words or prove us all wrong.

Wouldn't those be the same thing?

Pretty meh about Richards. It doesn't really hurt anything to sign him to a PTO. He might want to play a season with McD. I guess. He has two rings and should have a ton of money in the bank. I don't really get what the incentive would be for him to play another season.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

Wouldn't those be the same thing?

Pretty meh about Richards. It doesn't really hurt anything to sign him to a PTO. He might want to play a season with McD. I guess. He has two rings and should have a ton of money in the bank. I don't really get what the incentive would be for him to play another season.

Tac his Legacy onto McDavid's.