Speculation: What if...OEL wants a change of scenery?

Heldig

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So, lots of talk that OEL is "broken". Could be emotional (dealing with the loss of his mother), mental (tired of the losing), and/or physical (lingering injuries taking their toll) but he has not looked good so far. Very early and the new system etc means we should cut him slack BUT as discussed on these boards we expected the top 4 D to be the stabilizing part of the team...

But what if OEL wants a change of scenery?

Can Chayka trade him and make this team better?

What kind of return would you want?
 

MIGs Dog

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Too early to talk trade, but if we are sellers at the deadline (laughs hysterically) all options are on the table.
 
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RABBIT

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It would be a huge mistake unless it was for PK Subban, or something of that calibre. I'll take the five games of suffering we've had and chalk it up to a brand new coaching staff and half of his team leaving this last summer.
 

PhoPhan

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I think there is some mental fatigue there from playing in a losing environment for so long, but that will change if and when the team takes a step forward competitively. He looks like he's playing hurt, though.
 
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Sinurgy

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I've been bitching about OEL and his horrid starts for years now, this is nothing new. If you look at his career history he's a -45 before the all-star break and a -9 after it. I do think he's trying a bit too hard right now to be the man so to speak but either way I don't think this year will be much different than years past, he'll slowly but surely round into form and I expect he'll have a monster second half (well assuming the whole team doesn't end up a tire fire).
 

Matias Maccete

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I think there is some mental fatigue there from playing in a losing environment for so long, but that will change if and when the team takes a step forward competitively. He looks like he's playing hurt, though.
This. To answer the other questions I don't think possible it's to make the team better by trading him. I doubt we get a player who's as good 1 for 1.
 

Bonsai Tree

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OEL doesn't understand the new system, IMO. He is out of position and exposes himself trying to recover.
 

Jakey53

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OEL doesn't understand the new system, IMO. He is out of position and exposes himself trying to recover.

I don't think this is the problem, at all. I believe OEL has to put in a bit more of an effort than he has. There has been no urgency to his game, and this is not the first time we have seen this from OEL.
 

Heldig

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OEL doesn't understand the new system, IMO. He is out of position and exposes himself trying to recover.
There should be some concern that the system being used is counter to how OEL actually plays. Can/will OEL fully adapt?
 

Heldig

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I'll be concerned about this when I see evidence of a system.
Good point. I have only seen 1 and a 1/3rd games. Opener vs Ducks and the first period in Vegas (barf). Not enough to judge what Tocchet is trying to get them to do.
 

Heldig

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Well judging from the main board we may as well keep OEL. Not worth much in a trade apparently.
 
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hbk

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I'm curious if there is an update on what analytics say about when to walk away from a D man. Even a star D.

While other factors are obviously in play (optics to fan base being most notable) one of the lessons learned from the NFL is there is a point in time where a players play sharply declines. Is that at 30 like running backs or is it 32 (which would be year 6 of a 8 year deal).

Now I have to acknowledge that I loved OEL in his earlier years. I took some flak when I commented he could crack our Top 6 after seeing him play live at a WJC pre-tournament game. This a scant 6 months after we had drafted him out of Swedish League Division 2 when everyone was still nervous about that 6th the verbal pick. In recent years I've found OEL more consumed by providing offence and his defensive game (which was at one point fairly elite) has in my mind deteriorated. I still consider him a top D but he is more a top 10-15 now than he is top 5 in recent years (which is still awesome btw).

Does anyone have an appetite to move him? I've opened a sliver in my mind to the opportunity that this could happen but in the end I feel we will give him an 8 year deal. So this post is really about nothing.
 

XX

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I'll be ready to move him if his head is still somewhere around Saturn by the halfway point. No idea what is going on with the dude ( likely injured given his stride ) but it's not helping his value.
 
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PhoPhan

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I still think he's hurt. He's playing a much more passive game.

Generally, defensemen tend to peak a little later than forwards. Every player is different, but defenders tend to have their best years around age 27 or 28. I think OEL can get back to the highest levels we've seen him play before, but I wouldn't expect him to progress much beyond that. Neither do I expect a precipitous decline any time soon, barring a major injury. He should have at least a few more years as a top pairing guy.

That all said, I think he and the team would be benefit from cutting his minutes back a bit, especially if he's not at 100%.
 

rt

The Kinder, Gentler Version
May 13, 2004
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OEL for Trouba+Roslovic+1st

Win lottery. Draft Dahlin and Woo with our two 1sts.

New D core:

Dahlin-Hjammer
Chychrun-Trouba
Goligoski-Demers
P.O. Joseph-Woo
Capobianco-Wood
 

LDN

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Trade to Toronto for Bozak, JVR, Rosen and two 2nds and two 3rds
 

hbk

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I'm not worried about actually re-signing OEL. To me that's not an issue. There's no other team that has the cap flexibility that we currently enjoy. Agent can work out a deal after that point if he's tired of rebuild. By then we will know if we are landing Dahlin.
 

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