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

[bobbythebrain]

After listening to Chia's post Seguin trade comments during Boston, and after he got let go, alot different. He basically defended himself as best he could without revealing all and maintaining a professional response, but he was convincing enough imo to lead me to believe that he was not the idiot that the media has made him out to be.

Also, like Positive said, the fact he stressed he would have FULL reign here is just another indicator imo. As is all the Horton stuff you can find, his odd decision to leave, and all the comedy goin on in Bos after Chia. Seriously, MacT right about now is looking like a genius to what has happened there in just the last year. Like I hinted earlier, I can't believe Sweeney stepped into a role and has made or has been aloud to make that many stupid decisions in such a short time. The guy is basically a patsy


So, watching that video alone you can poke holes into alot of what is being implied.

Watching that video after everything has gone down, it becomes more telling imo.

 

[booyakasha]

If Richards comes in it's to push the guys on the bubble. Lander needs a huge camp if he's not moved prior to opening night. And if he does get a contract it's probably because Hendricks is probably only going to see 60-70% of the games this season due to his age.

I love the idea of Richards coming in and earning a contract, but I can't describe how slow he's become. I wouldn't expect him to bump guys like Yakupov or Pouliot. That would be selling them short.

I really like Lander and hope he has a big camp...I want to see kids we drafted to stick, and what I've seen as a player that he could be? I'm rooting for him.

(I would rather see Lander get a spot then have the Oil give someone like Richards one.)

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I don't see how we'd bring in Kane after looking for a "culture change" by moving Hall out. Franson I could see, Kane? No way in hell!

 

[McSuper]

back on topic with this PTO..

If it is Richards who gets a PTO and works his way onto a contract...who gets bumped?...I'm guessing M.Richards gets 3C role, and Drai moves RW. then what?...

Lucic - McD - Eberle
Maroon - RNH- Drai
Pouliot - Richards - Puljajrvi
Hendricks - Letestu - Kassian

I'm guessing Yak is odd man out, ///unless he comes into camp and completely changes minds and forces his way as top6 player...then wtf? Pulja to AHL?

maybe mr.heenan is right and Poo gets moved, but that wouldn't make sense to play a player on their off wing...maybe Poo and Yak are out and E.Kane in as discussed...(not for each other, but moving parts)....

Lucic - McD - Eberle
Kane - RNH- Drai
Maroon - Richards - Puljajrvi
Hendricks - Letestu - Kassian

Putting Puljujarvi with the blackhole offensively Richards is setting the kid up to fail .

 

[bobbythebrain]

If Richards comes in it's to push the guys on the bubble. Lander needs a huge camp if he's not moved prior to opening night. And if he does get a contract it's probably because Hendricks is probably only going to see 60-70% of the games this season due to his age.

I love the idea of Richards coming in and earning a contract, but I can't describe how slow he's become. I wouldn't expect him to bump guys like Yakupov or Pouliot. That would be selling them short.

Chia stated today he wants a player with "specific" skills. That I think is Richards and his ability to PK. Heard that he was #2 in the NHL last year. No matter how slow he was, he still helped the Caps to be #2 in the NHL in that regard.

Yes the man got slow for sure, but he played his way onto the 3rd line last year w/ no camp and freshly off the drugs. He did slow come playoffs of course.

But his last interview a couple weeks back he says he's been training and also that it was hard playing last year w/ no camp, and he still played 3rd line C

if we believe that Kassian is gonna be better this year, then I put alot more stock into a clean Richards w/ a camp behind him. Richards last year was way more effective than Kass was here

 

[bobbythebrain]

Putting Puljujarvi with the blackhole offensively Richards is setting the kid up to fail .

Like Bos putting Seguin on the 4th line? JP has offense, Richards would be a good mentor to show him how to play the game proper. His offense will come as he moves up the line-up. No more gifting the prospects points without teaching them how to play a 200ft game

 

[booyakasha]

Putting Puljujarvi with the blackhole offensively Richards is setting the kid up to fail .

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?

 

[belair]

Chia stated today he wants a player with "specific" skills. That I think is Richards and his ability to PK. Heard that he was #2 in the NHL last year. No matter how slow he was, he still helped the Caps to be #2 in the NHL in that regard.

Yes the man got slow for sure, but he played his way onto the 3rd line last year w/ no camp and freshly off the drugs. He did slow come playoffs of course.

But his last interview a couple weeks back he says he's been training and also that it was hard playing last year w/ no camp, and he still played 3rd line C

if we believe that Kassian is gonna be better this year, then I put alot more stock into a clean Richards w/ a camp behind him. Richards last year was way more effective than Kass was here

It's exciting to think about him getting any semblance of his Philly game back considering he's only 31, but the fact that he can't find a job at this point hammers home the reality of it being pretty unlikely. Here's to him becoming our Selke and Masterton nominee this year though.

 

[booyakasha]

Chia stated today he wants a player with "specific" skills. That I think is Richards and his ability to PK. Heard that he was #2 in the NHL last year. No matter how slow he was, he still helped the Caps to be #2 in the NHL in that regard.

Yes the man got slow for sure, but he played his way onto the 3rd line last year w/ no camp and freshly off the drugs. He did slow come playoffs of course.

But his last interview a couple weeks back he says he's been training and also that it was hard playing last year w/ no camp, and he still played 3rd line C

if we believe that Kassian is gonna be better this year, then I put alot more stock into a clean Richards w/ a camp behind him. Richards last year was way more effective than Kass was here

He is no way a #2.

a #3 with a bit of press box time....(dry island time)

 

[bobbythebrain]

He is no way a #2.

a #3 with a bit of press box time....(dry island time)

#2 pk'er in the NHL. Not a #2 C

 

[guymez]

Seems to me that there are a lot of red flags around Richards.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/kings-gm-dean-lombardi-says-what-happened-to-mike-richards-a-tragedy/

 

[Shizuka]

Management already has one reclamation project to monitor and keep heavy tabs on, in Kassian. I do not understand the desire to sign someone like Richards, at all -- even disregarding some very substantial off-ice addiction problems, his production and play have dipped considerably, to the point where you have to question if he can contribute properly on the ice anymore. May as well just use Lander, he is at least young and probably an equal to Richards in the F/O dept. at this point.

 

[booyakasha]

Seems to me that there are a lot of red flags around Richards.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/kings-gm-dean-lombardi-says-what-happened-to-mike-richards-a-tragedy/

He escaped dry island on a boat into Canada with some Oxy.

You got to give him courage and gumption...that oughta be worth something? no?

 

[booyakasha]

#2 pk'er in the NHL. Not a #2 C

sorry, misread your post and jumped to conclusions. my bad.

 

[Mr Positive]

He escaped dry island on a boat into Canada with some Oxy.

You got to give him courage and gumption...that oughta be worth something? no?

plus maybe he would be a good example to the team of how drugs can de-rail a career, and his story could steer our young players away from that path. I imagine that it would be easy for an NHL player to get addicted to pain killers, and for that to be a gateway drug to illegal opiates and that lifestyle. I assume he'd be willing to advertise an anti-drug message to the team.

 

[belair]

Seems to me that there are a lot of red flags around Richards.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/kings-gm-dean-lombardi-says-what-happened-to-mike-richards-a-tragedy/

This is an article written shortly after that incident. He went into Washington and played there without incident last season, so there's no reason why he couldn't do the same in Edmonton this year.

He's a guy who's worn a C in this league and if he's committed to making a comeback, I'd really like to see if he could do that here. Obviously it's also his body that has to be up to the task though.

 

[guymez]

He escaped dry island on a boat into Canada with some Oxy.

You got to give him courage and gumption...that oughta be worth something? no?

This is an article written shortly after that incident. He went into Washington and played there without incident last season, so there's no reason why he couldn't do the same in Edmonton this year.

He's a guy who's worn a C in this league and if he's committed to making a comeback, I'd really like to see if he could do that here. Obviously it's also his body that has to be up to the task though.

Never said that he still had a substance abuse issue....I just stated that there are some red flags with this player.


In Washington Richards was a shell of the player he once was.

The team already has one player recovering from a noted substance abuse problem.

 

[ekcut]

Management already has one reclamation project to monitor and keep heavy tabs on, in Kassian. I do not understand the desire to sign someone like Richards, at all -- even disregarding some very substantial off-ice addiction problems, his production and play have dipped considerably, to the point where you have to question if he can contribute properly on the ice anymore. May as well just use Lander, he is at least young and probably an equal to Richards in the F/O dept. at this point.

A guy can have off ice issues and still be a character guy. As silly as it sounds.

A guy I worked with, had drug problems. In and out of rehab several times, He just couldn't kick it. He was the most likable, dedicated, hardworking guy. By far the most popular guy at work who could mentor new employees, and united different cliques, who would rally to help him stay on the straight and narrow.

Sometimes the guy who has hit rock bottom, is exactly the guy you need to provide perspective.

 

[booyakasha]

plus maybe he would be a good example of how drugs can de-rail a career. I assume he'd be willing to advertise that message to the team.

all kidding aside, ..he does come across as a good guy and a great player...all of which is benificial to a young club. He could impart to our youth what Oates did to Stoll back in the day..he is a great 2 way player.


and to note..I am the LAST person who should be judging anyone on their lack of will power...

 

[Shizuka]

A guy can have off ice issues and still be a character guy. As silly as it sounds.

A guy I worked with, had drug problems. In and out of rehab several times, He just couldn't kick it. He was the most likable, dedicated, hardworking guy. By far the most popular guy at work who could mentor new employees, and united different cliques, who would rally to help him stay on the straight and narrow.

Sometimes the guy who has hit rock bottom, is exactly the guy you need to provide perspective.

I just wonder about the character of someone like that. You have to take responsibility for your decisions, and especially for Richards who had a pretty serious issue getting caught at the border with what I believe was oxycodone? Unlike Kassian, I haven't heard anything about the guy entering some serious rehab or addictions counselling.

As I said, even disregarding all of that (and it is certainly substantial...), his play was in serious decline. How is he better or anything more than a sidestep to a Lander?

 

[bobbythebrain]

He would be a good mentor IMO. G's comments speak volumes

 

[bobbythebrain]

I just wonder about the character of someone like that. You have to take responsibility for your decisions, and especially for Richards who had a pretty serious issue getting caught at the border with what I believe was oxycodone? Unlike Kassian, I haven't heard anything about the guy entering some serious rehab or addictions counselling.

As I said, even disregarding all of that (and it is certainly substantial...), his play was in serious decline. How is he better or anything more than a sidestep to a Lander?

Good enough for Washington..president's trophy, questionable in Edm, 4th last. Is that a serious question?

 

[booyakasha]

I just wonder about the character of someone like that. You have to take responsibility for your decisions, and especially for Richards who had a pretty serious issue getting caught at the border with what I believe was oxycodone? Unlike Kassian, I haven't heard anything about the guy entering some serious rehab or addictions counselling.

As I said, even disregarding all of that (and it is certainly substantial...), his play was in serious decline. How is he better or anything more than a sidestep to a Lander?

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...

 

[snipes]

A guy can have off ice issues and still be a character guy. As silly as it sounds.

A guy I worked with, had drug problems. In and out of rehab several times, He just couldn't kick it. He was the most likable, dedicated, hardworking guy. By far the most popular guy at work who could mentor new employees, and united different cliques, who would rally to help him stay on the straight and narrow.

Sometimes the guy who has hit rock bottom, is exactly the guy you need to provide perspective.

It doesn't sound silly at all. It's the truth.

That's why Kassian is good for our team, assuming his demons are in check. It takes tremendous strength and character to overcome an addiction, I believe Kassian was genuine when he says he is forever grateful to the Oilers for being there when he was at rock bottom.

Kassian has said many times how grateful he is to be in Edmonton. He's stated he wants to be an Oiler for the rest of his career. That's a loyal, committed to the team first guy I want on my team. Plus, he looks like he's in good shape and training hard (check out his instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/p/BGz-4USAyaV/?taken-by=zkass09).




I'll take Zach Kassian as our 4th line RWer and give him responsibility to play on the 1st team PK as well. He's the type of player Edmonton has always loved. If he can stay focused on playing hockey and committed to our team, that's a soldier McJesus needs.You better ****ing believe if anyone tried to take any liberties with McJesus, Kassian would loyally make sure he let the league and that person know that McDavid is off limits. I would go to battle with Kassian, you don't want an entire team of guys like him, but having him on our team is a good thing long term. Plus, he's right handed.


Keep any possible trouble away. Richards or Kane would be bad news, this is Connor McDavids team and **** that.

We have a recovering addict in Kassian that also needs to remain taken care of to maximize his role on this team. We cannot take that risk in the slight chance things go sideways. Kassian is still a young guy, he's only 25 and he can bring something to our team for many years to come.

This is a team first Oilers, team above ego. Keep players like that far away.

 

[belair]

Never said that he still had a substance abuse issue....I just stated that there are some red flags with this player.


In Washington Richards was a shell of the player he once was.

The team already has one player recovering from a noted substance abuse problem.

Is there a max number of players a team can have trying to better themselves at one time? Seems like silly reasoning especially considering the vague description of his apparent issues.