Player Discussion Andrej Sekera

[FlameChampion]

I thought he would really struggle coming back. I am glad I was wrong. Hes a smart player, the Oilers have really missed him.

 

[oXo Cube]

In attendance last night I thought he was amazing. Easily the best player on the ice for the Oilers.

 

[Porkleaker]

He's been sorely missed, now if he can only stay healthy....

 

[CycloneSweep]

Imo Sekera you keep cause even with him playing well his value is low due to injuries. More value to us then being traded.

 

[guymez]

In a way it's a bit painful seeing the night and day difference between this team with and without our top-6 healthy.

Anyone watching us in 2016 knew that our D was a little bit thin to be playing as late in the playoffs as we did and relied on superhuman efforts from Talbot. It was passable, but was our most obvious weakness. With the Sekera injury it only highlighted the priority of adding an upgrade or two... and we did nothing... instead focusing to save un-used cap space and downgrade from Ebs to Strome.

In my mind that still ranks as the stupidest mistake Chiarelli did in his time here (sure, Hall/Larsson, but at least there might have been an argument if Larsson emerged a 1B/2A and Hall continued to sulk)... this... you compare cap space to nothing... and you can't convince me that we couldn't find a guy better than our 7th (Gryba/Auvitu/Davidson) who ended up having to play 17-18mins a night for more than half the season.

It is still a major weakness that must be addressed, though I suppose we have no choice but to put it 2nd priority to wing depth (thanks Chia!).

The Larsson deal has been beaten to death and then some....dont want to go there.

That said its crazy that here we are in 2019 and the defence STILL really needs a solid top 4 puck moving defender.

 

[ImmuneEH]

Imo Sekera you keep cause even with him playing well his value is low due to injuries. More value to us then being traded.

I can see us keeping him next year, but after that he should be traded. Nurse's raise is due + we have Jones or Lagesson capable of 3LD minutes by then. I think they are ready now - certainly by then.

 

[Magnum23]

I think he should be on first PP over nurse.

Nurse is producing but his passing and decision making on the PP still needs work.

So many plays dies on his stick on the pp - it's frustrating to watch.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I think he should be on first PP over nurse.

Nurse is producing but his passing and decision making on the PP still needs work.

So many plays dies on his stick on the pp - it's frustrating to watch.

I like Sekera's smarts as well, but the old Shin Pad Assassin doesn't need to be on the first unit, Nurse/Klefa are fine for what the Oilers have. If the Oilers are still playing and Bouchard is finished in the OHL, maybe they'll look at that.

 

[BarDownBobo]

I thought he would really struggle coming back. I am glad I was wrong. Hes a smart player, the Oilers have really missed him.

They did the smart thing this year and let him get his legs under him in the AHL. Once he got going last year he was very good at the Worlds with Slovakia, he was just really rusty with the Oilers.

 

[CycloneSweep]

They did the smart thing this year and let him get his legs under him in the AHL. Once he got going last year he was very good at the Worlds with Slovakia, he was just really rusty with the Oilers.

And his knee brace which he had off at World's and now.

 

[GhostfaceWu]

I like Sekera's smarts as well, but the old Shin Pad Assassin doesn't need to be on the first unit, Nurse/Klefa are fine for what the Oilers have. If the Oilers are still playing and Bouchard is finished in the OHL, maybe they'll look at that.

Nurse isn't fine the team had 1 pp goal in the last 11 games before last night the guy just isn't good enough and fast enough with the puck at the point to continually waste pps on him right now.

 

[Zaddy]

I don't think it can be overstated just how big of a blow it was to this team having Sekera out for as long as he was. That and Klefbom's health has been the single biggest reason(s) the team has sucked the past two years. The 16/17 team wasn't a mirage and even with PC's dumb moves this team probably would've still been a playoff team the past two years had these guys been healthy.

Great to have him back.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Nurse isn't fine the team had 1 pp goal in the last 11 games before last night the guy just isn't good enough and fast enough with the puck at the point to continually waste pps on him right now.

Fair, I would suggest that Klefbom would have taken his spot if that puck hadn't had a negative effect on the rest of his night.

I think Sekera there is possible, but I think they like the shots that both Nurse and Klefbom have more.

 

[The Batman]

Sekera playing as well as he has been after such a lengthy hiatus is one of the few positives we've had this season. Playing above everybody's expectations I reckon. He also has "intangibles" I don't think we should discount. Very well liked veteran that asks the right questions and is a great role model for the younger guys.

We've also seen how crucial it is to have a healthy Sekera and Klefbom. I hope the new GM recognizes our lack of depth and actually puts a contingency plan in place if (when) injuries pile up again. We have some good prospects in the pipeline but I'd rather we trade/sign another top 4 and let the kids overripen.

 

[StoveTopStauffer]

Imagine if we had 2 Sekeras?

2 smart dmen, is that too much to ask for?

 

[Da McBomb]

Whenever the camera pans on to him.. I often see him always talking with his teammates. His veteran presence on and off the ice is well worth keeping around if he can continue to play like this. My only concern is whether the guy can stay healthy.

 

[PinSeeker]

Looks worlds better than last year when he returned. If Klef is not out, Sekera is our 2nd best dman. Will have to probably increase his minutes and take on a load here and there as Nurse is still growing, for us to make any run.

 

[guymez]

Amazing to think that Sekera has missed almost a calendar year of playing NHL hockey and he has managed to do as well as he has so far. Especially when you consider the severity of the most recent injury and that he had to recover from a severe injury last season as well.

Really speaks to how mentally tough and how committed Andre is. Little wonder he is such a popular teammate.

 

[McTonyBrar]

Apparently all the predictions of Sekera being done as an NHL player were a little off the mark.

I think its safe to say that this years version of Sekera is exactly what the team needed.

I was watching his play in the AHL and his mobility was excellent. Here we are 11 games into his NHL return and I am confident in suggesting that Sekeras return has been a massive boost to this team.

This player should be here next season...he is too valuable to trade and the possibility of an upgrade for less money is remote IMO.

His contract is actually really good

 

[McTonyBrar]

I think he should be on first PP over nurse.

Nurse is producing but his passing and decision making on the PP still needs work.

So many plays dies on his stick on the pp - it's frustrating to watch.

It's funny how his PP work isn't the best, but 5 on 5, in the offensive zone, he's been good (particularly last night). Mostly all of his points are 5 on 5

 

[fireantz]

Sekera is 33 in June and under contract for 2 more seasons. Be proactive and use him to mentor entry level guys(Bear, Bouchard and Jones) now. Move Benning and play them so potentially they become replacements for any or all of our current top 4 guys

 

[bucks_oil]

Sekera is 33 in June and under contract for 2 more seasons. Be proactive and use him to mentor entry level guys(Bear, Bouchard and Jones) now. Move Benning and play them so potentially they become replacements for any or all of our current top 4 guys

Big fan of this... Sekera is a skilled player that developed into a solid all around guy. Very well liked in the room and would be a great mentor for our offensively talented rooks.

Benning... he's not going to fit longer term and makes a bit too much. I'd move him to make room for the guys on the ELC.

Though to be honest, now that he's recovered, I'd like him to start by teaching Nurse on the 2nd pairing and have Russel be the mentor for the third pairing guy. Nurse could use a little tutelage as well!

 

[joestevens29]

Apparently all the predictions of Sekera being done as an NHL player were a little off the mark.

I think its safe to say that this years version of Sekera is exactly what the team needed.

I was watching his play in the AHL and his mobility was excellent. Here we are 11 games into his NHL return and I am confident in suggesting that Sekeras return has been a massive boost to this team.

This player should be here next season...he is too valuable to trade and the possibility of an upgrade for less money is remote IMO.

It's funny the Stauffer was one of the guys saying this for quite a long time.

 

[joestevens29]

Sekera is 33 in June and under contract for 2 more seasons. Be proactive and use him to mentor entry level guys(Bear, Bouchard and Jones) now. Move Benning and play them so potentially they become replacements for any or all of our current top 4 guys

Ideal that's what you want. However we aren't exactly in an ideal situation.

He is a bigger ticket contract on a team trying to move salary. While he might be the better of the players with a big contract, you have to weigh the cost of moving others compared to potentially not moving anything or actually getting something for him.

Sure hope he can regain form and not be a negative value contract the next couple years. It is however a risk

 

[guymez]

It's funny the Stauffer was one of the guys saying this for quite a long time.

Stauffer says a lot and some of what he says is ridiculous.
His comments on Sekera were right on the mark though.