Line Combos: "Bear or Bouchard " to Mcdavids Wing

LABound

RFA
Sep 2, 2018
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You don't need to look outside the box, you just need to do a proper job with the traditional ideas. Don't need to hope a defenceman can convert to forward if you bring in quality forwards to start with.
Yes obviously but they haven't done that that is the entire premise I'm making traditional ideas and bringing them in has passed.

It's move him to be trending upward or go this route into oblivion I have no Ill will for the oilers the city or the fans. It's a horrible situation .

But let's be realistic there is no cap lots of bad contracts few high end prospects horrible depth with weaknesses on every line .

It is what it is....the situation is untenable for the next couple of seasons barring Norris like seasons or Vezina like bounce backs both possible but highly improbable.

Ravage a deep franchise like Nashville or Winnipeg, or find creative ways to maximize what you have when Billy Bean was doing the whole moneyball thing people thought he was nuts.

In time it will be a normal occurrence. For now I'll take the barbs and prods.

Innovation always comes out of situations like what I'm proposing.

It generally doesn't happen when things are easy or tools are readily available.....makes sense right?


There is no traditional route here as unfortunate as that is.
 

LABound

RFA
Sep 2, 2018
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OP is obviously a silly idea, but I'm a little surprised it's getting THIS much hate. I personally think it's interesting to discuss even if it isn't the actual solution to our problems.

It's ok lol it's pretty much the same personality type making the same wack reply I block out most of it now lol they pretty much finish each other's sentences it's like they are the same person.
 

Aerrol

༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ
Sep 18, 2014
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Whatever happened to Joey Laleggia? There's an example in our own org of a defenceman who successfully converted to a pretty good winger at the AHL level. Be interesting to see what the process was there.
 

5 Mins 4 Ftg

Life is better with no expectations.
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Apr 3, 2016
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Whatever happened to Joey Laleggia? There's an example in our own org of a defenceman who successfully converted to a pretty good winger at the AHL level. Be interesting to see what the process was there.

He signed with the Blues in the off season. 19GP, 2-10-12 dash 6 Elite Prospects lists him as a D/LW Not sure what position the Rampage are playing him.

Edit- they have him listed as D, he is 3rd in scoring on the team which doesn't look very good.
 
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LABound

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Sep 2, 2018
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He doesn't need world class wingers. He needs a couple of decently capable guys who understand where to be, ala Big Rig, whom the team dearly misses.

Somewhat agree but the bed is made there is no cap or resources without making bigger holes long-term to aquire them it's like the front office created some virtual cage they don't have a key for.

Edited to add Maroon was also LH another reason for this is Mcdavid hasn't had a decent RHS since he got here . It's like shutting off a whole part of his brain only having LHS.

Picture eating a Steak with only a knife.
 
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LABound

RFA
Sep 2, 2018
314
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Whatever happened to Joey Laleggia? There's an example in our own org of a defenceman who successfully converted to a pretty good winger at the AHL level. Be interesting to see what the process was there.

From experience playing coaching and building teams it's much easier to convert to forward than it is to convert from forward to defence.

Wing is the easiest position with the least responsibility obviously.

Can anyone remember when a forward was rare to be playing the point on the power play? Well innovation came along and every team does it now, in your minds what makes this such a stretch ?
 

Aerrol

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Sep 18, 2014
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He signed with the Blues in the off season. 19GP, 2-10-12 dash 6 Elite Prospects lists him as a D/LW Not sure what position the Rampage are playing him.

Edit- they have him listed as D, he is 3rd in scoring on the team which doesn't look very good.

Ah, too bad. I always liked him. Shame he couldn't up his game to be NHL level.
 
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GOilers88

Fer Da
Dec 24, 2016
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Somewhat agree but the bed is made there is no cap or resources without making bigger holes long-term to aquire them it's like the front office created some virtual cage they don't have a key for.

Edited to add Maroon was also LH another reason for this is Mcdavid hasn't had a decent RHS since he got here . It's like shutting off a whole part of his brain only having LHS.

Picture eating a Steak with only a knife.

Maroons handedness is irrelevant. My point was he isn't a world class talent. He's a career third liner who understood how to best make use of the golden ticket opportunity he was given, and ran with it.

As the cap keeps rising, I personally dont understand why everyone says Drai has to be a center. Him and McD have amazing chemistry and feed brilliantly off each other. There's his winger for the next 8 yers, with Nuge as a solid #2. Don't see the issue myself. Whether it's Nuge or Drai at 2C is irrelevant, as the winger depth is still trash and the same four boat anchor contracts still prevent us from really going out and fixing that.
 

Boom not bust

Registered User
Nov 17, 2018
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Edmonton
Maroons handedness is irrelevant. My point was he isn't a world class talent. He's a career third liner who understood how to best make use of the golden ticket opportunity he was given, and ran with it.

As the cap keeps rising, I personally dont understand why everyone says Drai has to be a center. Him and McD have amazing chemistry and feed brilliantly off each other. There's his winger for the next 8 yers, with Nuge as a solid #2. Don't see the issue myself. Whether it's Nuge or Drai at 2C is irrelevant, as the winger depth is still trash and the same four boat anchor contracts still prevent us from really going out and fixing that.
I agree, people get too hung up on this he has to drive a line. You aren't putting scrubs with Connor McDavid, Drai is a guy who has excellent chemistry with him and produces in that spot more than anyone else can on the roster so he is delivering value. It's not like if you put Zack Kassian with McDavid and he would do just as well as Drai not, clearly not by a long shot. And Nuge is a strong 2C, need more wingers it's a shame JP isn't further along.
 
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GOilers88

Fer Da
Dec 24, 2016
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I agree, people get too hung up on this he has to drive a line. You aren't putting scrubs with Connor McDavid, Drai is a guy who has excellent chemistry with him and produces in that spot more than anyone else can on the roster so he is delivering value. It's not like if you put Zack Kassian with McDavid and he would do just as well as Drai not, clearly not by a long shot. And Nuge is a strong 2C, need more wingers it's a shame JP isn't further along.
Honestly i couldnt care less if he's being paid 8.5 to put up 70/80 points a year. Its only going to improve McDavids production.
 

missinthejets

Registered User
Dec 24, 2005
4,734
618
Yes obviously but they haven't done that that is the entire premise I'm making traditional ideas and bringing them in has passed.

It's move him to be trending upward or go this route into oblivion I have no Ill will for the oilers the city or the fans. It's a horrible situation .

But let's be realistic there is no cap lots of bad contracts few high end prospects horrible depth with weaknesses on every line .

It is what it is....the situation is untenable for the next couple of seasons barring Norris like seasons or Vezina like bounce backs both possible but highly improbable.

Ravage a deep franchise like Nashville or Winnipeg, or find creative ways to maximize what you have when Billy Bean was doing the whole moneyball thing people thought he was nuts.

In time it will be a normal occurrence. For now I'll take the barbs and prods.

Innovation always comes out of situations like what I'm proposing.

It generally doesn't happen when things are easy or tools are readily available.....makes sense right?


There is no traditional route here as unfortunate as that is.

what you're not taking into account is that we've seen this team with shit for D and great wingers, it was worse than what it is now. We need Bear and Bouchard on D more than we need them at wing. Improve the offense from the back end and all the wingers will suddenly look a hell of a lot better. No one is afraid of our back end scoring so they can focus on taking away the fowards offense.

There is a reason that the box is there in the first place. This isn't a situation where you need to re-invent the wheel, you just have to wait until prospects develop. This team was absolute shit for drafting for such a long time it's not going to happen over night.
 

Canada Drai

Dwemer Remix
Oct 4, 2017
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We should give Drai a chance up there to see what he could do. I think it might make a good line. Thoughts? :dunno:
 

Todd from Leduc

Connor “The Next Great One” McDavid
Nov 15, 2017
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I feel like this whole post is a poke at me for suggesting we try Looch at D. Sorry but suggesting trying out your big, tough cup winning proven leader on defence is not the same as suggesting playing your young stud D-men on forward. The former is worth a try, the latter is blatant internet trowling.
 

nexttothemoon

and again...
Jan 30, 2010
29,303
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Northern AB
Bouchard is an exceptional dman prospect... in fact he should likely still be up with the team playing 50-60 games this season with the team and definitely would help the PP as I think he is arguably (or possibly even clearly) the best PP dman option the team has.

I wouldn't want to place that talent on the wing because as others have said... clearly the team is deficient on both D and the wings.

The team has RHS players like Marody/JP/Yamamoto/Maxsimov/Hebig developing as well as players like Rattie/Chiasson at the NHL level.

Are they great top line options? No... but they are forwards already and I'd rather a natural forward take a forward spot and leave the few decent dmen prospects the Oilers have to develop further on D.


I see this as a desperate measure to move a dman to forward... and yes the team is desperate for offense from the wings BUT not at the cost of potentially setting back Bouchard/Bear who are needed to help the D develop offense.

I also really don't think Bear or Bouchard are Burns/Buff type talents to accomplish that either... they are dmen 1st and foremost and their strengths are the point shot which is less of a factor as a forward at evens than when utilized as dmen.


I would go for both Bear and Bouchard on the same PP unit though.. having 2 dmen with good point shots would be interesting to try even though they are both right shots.
 

snipes

How cold? I’m ice cold.
Dec 28, 2015
54,882
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If any one of our D in this bizzaro world where we had to move them up to wing, Nurse probably makes the most sense if we had the horses on D to replace him.
 

oobga

Tier 2 Fan
Aug 1, 2003
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Bear-McDavid-Bouchard

giphy.gif
 
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LABound

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Sep 2, 2018
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I feel like this whole post is a poke at me for suggesting we try Looch at D. Sorry but suggesting trying out your big, tough cup winning proven leader on defence is not the same as suggesting playing your young stud D-men on forward. The former is worth a try, the latter is blatant internet trowling.


Not directed at you at all at least not from me I had no idea about the Lucic thing I'll try and find it.

As for this being blatant internet trowling I assure you it is not.

I'm not looking for reassurances if it's viable or not I know it is I'm just inquiring how it could be accomplished the effects it would have through the lineup, how it would benefit the young D in the future etc etc etc .

Tieing players together and Koskinen bouncing pucks playing center etc that's just noise....boring stale recycled noise.

You guys need options that are viable or worth exploring not packaging Benning Lucic to get some high end winger .

Innovation is what fixes situations as dire as this.

Not Fantasy or Magic.

Remember the days of a forward manning the point on the Power Play? The Left Wing Lock the Trap passing the puck back against the flow to get different zone entries on the Power Play etc etc etc All was viewed as witchcraft previously no?

It's just foresight on to a part of the game that will change shortly players will come up learning multiple positions it increases there value skill set and would make them more attractive.

Would you teach a child playing soccer to kick with one foot?

There is only positives that can come from it in this context tell me how it would stunt development ?

It would increase skill sets vision awareness as well as communicating with the best player in the game inches apart instead of 8 feet of separation for there careers .

It's called vision.



I'll patiently wait for the boring predictable toddler replies as per....with notable exceptions of course.
 
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LABound

RFA
Sep 2, 2018
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Fyi paajarvi played defense when he was 13

If you manage a business or understand the jobs other do in any field by learning how it feels what it entails it makes you more well rounded it gives you perspective understanding and a different feel after seeing it through thier eyes and experience.

Am I saying they should be full time wingers?

No of course not.

In the future if injury struck or a major penalty occurred or you wanted to unleash a set play in the dying moments,. this helps with those options .

Or you could scramble getting some guy from the minors on a flight rushing him to rink and probually have lesser results.

It's much more efficient and thought out then you think the problem is I can't force you to see it or will the understanding on you .

I'm not a wizard.
 

Stoneman89

Registered User
Feb 8, 2008
27,205
21,405
I have a far out creative crazy idea. How about we develop both Bear and Bouchard as solid offensively creative defencemen and have them initiate and join in the offensive rushes that McDavid creates?
 

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