Player Discussion Andreas Athanasiou

[Soundwave]

While I agree with this sentiment I think AA just isn't as good as you are hoping.

It is extremely unlikely we could get an upgrade in him especially at his projected cap hit of 3 mill. But if he could be used in a package to get an upgrade we can afford you do it.

I think Trotz would have troubles getting AA to plays sound positive hockey. And if he did I expect him to be more a 40 point guy than a ppg guy even playing with McDrai.

If AA can clean up his game and be a positive 40+point player in our top 6 I would be very happy.

No one's asking for 70 points from him.

He can be a 40-50 point, 20 goal guy here if the Oilers stop being stupid with line deployment.

When you as an organization have more time for Ty Rattie in your top six than you do for Ryan Strome and Andreas Athansiou, and then you have a fan base/media crying that you have no winger depth, I mean, lol it's not hard to see partly where the problem stems from.

 

[Patch101]

I don't think AA can ever be paired with McDavid (who I think benefits more from someone who's good around the net)
as they are the same type of attacking player.

I'm guessing that maybe they had hoped that him and Leon would click the way Mcdavid did.
I'm ok with keeping him for another season, but not with Mcdavid. 2nd or 3rd line duty.

 

[replacement]

Can’t Just let AA walk though you gotta either recuperate some picks or trade him for a 3c.

Sunk cost. You can't make future decisions based on past spent assets. Qualifying AA at $3m completely tanks his external value, especially in a flat cap world. There's barely anything to recoup. And if you can't make a deal, you're locking up a massive chunk of cap that could have been used elsewhere. Opportunity cost.
You're essentially qualifying him to keep him.

I personally think AA can recover and be a heck of a player for us. But the situation is what it is. If they walk away, that's a fine decision if they use the cap space well. If they keep him, I'm sure we're all rooting for him.

 

[SwedishFire]

Third line of AA Mcleod and Kassian, i could get behind that. Some wheels there!!

My heart love this, my brain screams -35 in the +/- category.

 

[SwedishFire]

The stupid thing is that I remember AA from his draft year, 2012(?) as a magic boy, with great hands, and thought I want to have that player. Now I hear stone hands etc. That years Jurco, who was also a bit hyped up 2011.

If keeping him, yes, a line with fast players who is exhasuting other teams players before and after McJesus has terrorised tjenopposition with his speed.

That makes players as Kassian, Nurse and Khaira more important as well, when other teams tries to mock it up to slow it down and change the game pace.

Nugey McJesus Kassian
Ennis Drai Yamo
AA McLeod Archibald
Nyqvist Sheahan Chiasson/Neal depending on hot streaks

Khaira Haas

Wow, we really need a solid top 6 player.
Chiasson, Neal or Ennis is top 9 players, not top 6 anchors.

If I got the chance to do changes, I would look for one upgrade for one oof those. If replacing another player, the leavibg players skillset needs to be replaced

 

[Soundwave]

I think we can't break up the RNH Draisaitl Yamamoto line just yet. Eventually as Yamamoto gets older, maybe.

Ennis on that line isn't a great fit either because it's two very small guys on the line and I don't think it works great.

RNH Draisaitl Yamamoto
Athansiou McDavid Kassian

Is what I think they should go with based on what they have now.

 

[majormajor]

Athanasiou works best as a guy who runs the offense on his line, he doesn't play with his linemates that well but a good line can be built if guys feed off of the mess that he makes of the opposition. That's a good setup for a lot of clubs as a second line. The Oilers obviously can't have that on the top two lines and the ideal for the bottom two lines is playing low-event hockey (not Athanasiou's strength). I say move on.

There are much better fits for McDavid's line. I would like Holland to trade for a two-way playoff veteran like Silfverberg. The top lines need defensive help more than offensive, in my opinion.

 

[SwedishFire]

Athanasiou works best as a guy who runs the offense on his line, he doesn't play with his linemates that well but a good line can be built if guys feed off of the mess that he makes of the opposition. That's a good setup for a lot of clubs as a second line. The Oilers obviously can't have that on the top two lines and the ideal for the bottom two lines is playing low-event hockey (not Athanasiou's strength). I say move on.

There are much better fits for McDavid's line. I would like Holland to trade for a two-way playoff veteran like Silfverberg. The top lines need defensive help more than offensive, in my opinion.

I Agreed. If AA works here, its probably in a way where the whole line is dedicated to his game, and thats stupid.

If I was a coach, I would have a straight, just open talk like

”I know you, and for the sake of the team, and for your career, we need to break the silence, and see the elephant in rhe roon. Your defence will always be broken, a cant fix, and now when that is cleared, I know you have your best hockey when you can run like a McDavid 2B. Tell us, what kind of players do you need to work out, and be an effective offensive player, wich players can you have chemistry with? To play with McD and Draisaitl you have to grow to be a more complete player, that can read off others. Today, you are not even want to be in a learning curve. So just leave that dream aside. That is what your own career is about. You can go the Ho-Sang route, or really work for beeing productive, not a risk. If you have lazy days, you will be out in a year. So, what do you suggest? ”

Remember the ? blocks in super mario NES games? That is how I feel about AA, Chiasson and Neal. You dont know what will come out, will any of them ever be effective again? While beeing in the important young primenyears of your superstars, you have to go on fromthose type of players, Oilers cant ride on such players anymore like they did for a dark decade. They need real players.

With 32 teams, there just isnt enough quality top 6 ers in the world! Most teams have 4 top 6 players now. So look up other qualitys.
They should stop looking after players with so or so many points per year. Go for the route to scout players that can read of hockey, read of smart players, play intense hockey, be ahead of the game, play with the head, then will the results come. Those type of players is what Oilers top6 need.

Not 10$ of ”maybe this is the year”- players like AA, Chiasson and Neal. Its not a waste of money, but most a waste of others time. Though getting rid of all those three, and getting just a servicable NHLer that is average would be an upgrade.

 

[Panda Bear]

Athanasiou works best as a guy who runs the offense on his line, he doesn't play with his linemates that well but a good line can be built if guys feed off of the mess that he makes of the opposition. That's a good setup for a lot of clubs as a second line. The Oilers obviously can't have that on the top two lines and the ideal for the bottom two lines is playing low-event hockey (not Athanasiou's strength). I say move on.

There are much better fits for McDavid's line. I would like Holland to trade for a two-way playoff veteran like Silfverberg. The top lines need defensive help more than offensive, in my opinion.

I'm with you until you get to the ideal bottom six.

The ideal roster is one that outscores its opponent, and it doesn't matter how you do it.

If you can build a successful third line with Athanasiou driving the play, then you do it. Just give him a Kassian or Archibald and a defensive stalwart for a centre who can give Athanasiou the puck.

 

[Panda Bear]

For what it's worth, I really didn't want Athanasiou as I think he's a dumb player, but we have him now.

 

[majormajor]

The ideal roster is one that outscores its opponent, and it doesn't matter how you do it.
.

The ideal roster is one that outscores its opponent, utilizing both high-event and low-event approaches as needed.

You don't want to be protecting a 4-2 lead in the third and being like "well we have to put Athanasiou's line out sometime, don't we?"

 

[CanmoreMike]

While I agree with this sentiment I think AA just isn't as good as you are hoping.

It is extremely unlikely we could get an upgrade in him especially at his projected cap hit of 3 mill. But if he could be used in a package to get an upgrade we can afford you do it.

I think Trotz would have troubles getting AA to plays sound positive hockey. And if he did I expect him to be more a 40 point guy than a ppg guy even playing with McDrai.

If AA can clean up his game and be a positive 40+point player in our top 6 I would be very happy.

I think he has the potential to be a very good bottom-6 forward who can drive a 3rd line but play up and down the lineup.

 

[Panda Bear]

If we're being completely rational, protecting a lead is a worse strategy than continuing to score.

There’s No Secret to Protecting a Lead

Just play hockey in a way where you play better than your opponent.

 

[SupremeTeam16]

Sunk cost. You can't make future decisions based on past spent assets. Qualifying AA at $3m completely tanks his external value, especially in a flat cap world. There's barely anything to recoup. And if you can't make a deal, you're locking up a massive chunk of cap that could have been used elsewhere. Opportunity cost.
You're essentially qualifying him to keep him.

I personally think AA can recover and be a heck of a player for us. But the situation is what it is. If they walk away, that's a fine decision if they use the cap space well. If they keep him, I'm sure we're all rooting for him.

I think the best course of action is convincing him to take a haircut on the aav on a 2-3 year deal. If they can get him 2 - 2.5 for 2-3 years, it gives the Oilers an opportunity to try him out for a full year, let Tipp work with him and try to find a role where he can contribute. If the fit isn’t there the contract is likely tradeable, not going to recoup the two 2nds but you could get something for him.

From his point of view, taking a cut on aav to secure an extra year or two would be a smart move because if they qualify him and things don’t go well next year or he gets injured or whatever then they could find themselves in a position where Ferris is fielding a bunch of 1 year 1M offers.

 

[Mr Positive]

I think the best course of action is convincing him to take a haircut on the aav on a 2-3 year deal. If they can get him 2 - 2.5 for 2-3 years, it gives the Oilers an opportunity to try him out for a full year, let Tipp work with him and try to find a role where he can contribute. If the fit isn’t there the contract is likely tradeable, not going to recoup the two 2nds but you could get something for him.

From his point of view, taking a cut on aav to secure an extra year or two would be a smart move because if they qualify him and things don’t go well next year or he gets injured or whatever then they could find themselves in a position where Ferris is fielding a bunch of 1 year 1M offers.

and who knows. Maybe if you give him 2-3 years instead of 1, maybe he'd take a bit less aav just for the added security of longer term. It's always possible he bombs and has to sign league minimum somewhere if he signs just one year.

 

[ZenOil]

The sooner Kassian is off McDavids line the better. Doesn't have the I.Q for it. Getting a guy with high I.Q even if he's a little slower is probably better then speedsters or bangers for McDavid.

 

[Mr Positive]

The sooner Kassian is off McDavids line the better. Doesn't have the I.Q for it. Getting a guy with high I.Q even if he's a little slower is probably better then speedsters or bangers for McDavid.

He only really worked there when the line was overloaded. At least he got his pay day. I get the idea. Kassian was supposed to be like Maroon I guess, but he was never that type of player.

I think the ideal to strive for is a third line with AA and Kassian. That looked great in the playoffs in their short stint. If they get red hot on that line, they'd move up into the top six for a while.

 

[29292929]

They keep thinking "mcdavids fast so he needs fast players" but that's a flawed view. He needs a smart winger who know when to give the puck and lag behind for the pass. And a 2 way winger who's always the high guy. Oilers effed the dog not taking Debrincat imo. They essentially need a player like him. Good shot and smart. A younger Neal would be ideal (Palmeri?)

 

[Panda Bear]

Hands up if you genuinely wanted Debrincat that draft.

I sure f***ing did.

The good Granlund would work well with McDavid.

 

[29292929]

I also thought they would have a go at Burakovsky, which again would have made sense player wise for McDavid in every aspect.

 

[MessierII]

I also thought they would have a go at Burakovsky, which again would have made sense player wise for McDavid in every aspect.

Who says they didn’t?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Issue with AA is he needs to be in the same softer role, which the Neal-Khaira-Chiasson line had down the stretch.

Problem is that line was really good, so how do you break it up? Plus all of those guys are too slow to be on a checking line that already features Sheahan. Thus the only spot for AA was on the checking line. Safe to say the odds we're against that succeeding.


If you're going to keep AA, then you'll need to build the rest of the 3rd line around him. I thought he worked well with Kassian once they away from McDavid, and I could see him fitting with Puljujarvi.

I've banged this drum a few times, but I like the idea of running AA/Pulju and Neal/Kassian as the middle 6 winger duos, and letting both see a good bit of time with McDavid.

RNH and Yama on the top line with Drai, and Archibald and Nygard anchoring the checking/4th line.

 

[Mr Positive]

Issue with AA is he needs to be in the same softer role, which the Neal-Khaira-Chiasson line had down the stretch.

Problem is that line was really good, so how do you break it up? Plus all of those guys are too slow to be on a checking line that already features Sheahan. Thus the only spot for AA was on the checking line. Safe to say the odds we're against that succeeding.


If you're going to keep AA, then you'll need to build the rest of the 3rd line around him. I thought he worked well with Kassian once they away from McDavid, and I could see him fitting with Puljujarvi.

I've banged this drum a few times, but I like the idea of running AA/Pulju and Neal/Kassian as the middle 6 winger duos, and letting both see a good bit of time with McDavid.

RNH and Yama on the top line with Drai, and Archibald and Nygard anchoring the checking/4th line.

i'm leaning this way. I want us to get a winger for McDavid but it seems unlikely to afford it if we keep AA (along with roster upgrades), and might be redundant if we have all these projects like JP and AA around, since they are here to develop into that winger.

 

[McDoused]

If you cant get the value back by trading him, I have no issue with qualifying him.

I'd still like to see how he looks with McDavid for more than one game. AA-McDavid-Ennis looked pretty good. If that doesnt work, I also thought he looked good with Kassian. We just need a 3rd line center for those two.

 

[SwedishFire]

Holland just throwed two 2’second round picks out of the window, for no reason at all, and he knew that it was a very risky move, medium reward -extreme high risk. Like, why?


But just lets move on instead.
Trade the guy for a 4thvrounder, or even better - some kind of a role player, they always do good for oilers.

Find the new Haula-worth kind of center, understands offense and eefense, and can skate, but mau need time.
Continue to fraft good, since Chiarelli - the drafting has got better. Continue deep reasearch with people like Kieth Gretzky.

Nuge - McDavid - A big body with hands
Ennis (is cheap)Draisaitl Yamamoto
Nygård - A good 2 way C - Kassian
Khaira - Sheahan - Archibald

wow that bottom 6 hurts, no balance at all.
If Puljyjärvi doing his military service in Finland and ever gets grown up mentally, he could fill in instead of Haas.. maybe.

I wished I could be high on Benson, but he is such a wild card now.