A Comprehensive Analysis of Craig MacTavish as GM

[oilinblood]

great work. I disagree on the Nikitin signing being a -2 "harmful". It's an overpayment, which is a minus, but it is managed to our cap. Nikitin comes off the books right when we have to re-sign Perron. We still have to re-sign Schultz and Yakupov, but that's cap space we should be setting aside for Perron anyway.

Nikitin also isn't a restrictive deal. We could have lowered the cap hit by adding a NMC, but we needed asset freedom with him. Also, we could have lowered the cap hit by giving him term, like with Fayne, but that would have been bad cap management. We have a lot of young LHD coming, which can take Nikitin's place in two years for sure, but not on the right side where we'll need Fayne.

You seem hung up that we paid a UFA price, which I totally agree with but I don't understand why you bring it up. He was days away from UFA. Of course we paid the UFA price. We're also a team low in the standings. Expecting some kind of discount for him is not realistic to our situation, and if he did hit UFA status chances are that we wouldn't have signed him. MacT spent weeks hammering out the deal with Nikitin, which was known to the public and involved having to extend that negotiating window a few times.

Also, even though Nikitin has been up and down so far for us, I think he will settle down and be a positive force back there. He also allows us to send young D like Nurse down right now.

So, considering the good and the bad of the contract, I would rate it a +1. I'm glad he's here. His high cap hit is well managed. He is definitely "mildly beneficial" overall, to use your wording.

This isnt a post directed at you but is a reply on some things you spoke of,

The thing that i always find amusing is in judging - pending UFA, and UFA signings - people talk about the GM failing because the player gets a overpay...and then they complain about not signing more UFAs. Its one or the other and anyone who doesnt think so is delusional and really has a moot opinion. or you can sign the unwanted garbage left at the end...ala belanger, eager, etc.

If i was a UFA i would never ever even think of coming to this wasteland (because of the "fans") Ill take my overpay from one of the other twenty nine teams that are very happy to do it. But that is besides the point. Fans are idiots. You sign a good ufa and give him dollars or term or a clause and people complain. Those same idiots complain that you dont sign UFAs. The player still has thirty options all better than playing for mouthbreathers.

This is a world different than boston which is a cap team but never complains about clauses or price tags.

Also the Oilers are the pathetic disgrace punchline of this league and yet the giving of roster spots to rookies is both encouraged and discouraged by the same fans...normally in the same review, article, or even verbal garbage opinion. On one hand a known pro vet with nhl experience and resume is signed and he is blocking talent(junior talent, not nhl talent)...then when no good UFA options are available to be signed the same poster yaps about how no centre UFA hack was signed...couldnt we just sign that trash centre no one else wanted and was asking for three years over pay with clause.

The big hint though...players have to want to play here. And guess what...a large minority of players in the league have clauses and control...and they dont hate the city as much as all the "live by a rink and played some midget so my opinion should be valued" armchair gms that spew forth from this municipality like a toxic gas from sewage.

This is why some opinions are best followed by hitting a button in user preferences.