Speculation: Did RNH just become (more) available?

[TFHockey]

Wrong again.

Actually he is probably right. If the leafs were to acquire RNH you'd be very happy with the player you'd get. You would be impressed with his two way play, his willingness to play hard minutes and the way he'd fit in the dressing room. He is a 2C 55 point center. He'd also probably end up wearing a letter.

 

[THall4]

He'll be more then available in the summer after the season or depending on how his season goes...not so much now season.

As we've mentioned before, McLellan wants him to be more offensive minded rather than full defensive that he's been the last few years.

 

[Mr Positive]

there is an opportunity for a forward thinking GM to take a risk on a player like RNH. He could very well become a guy like Mikko Koivu, who had similar struggles at an early age. I know that until RNH becomes that, he isn't that, but he clearly is more than a lot of people give him credit for, and for some teams it would be a risk worth taking if your team has the cap space to spare for 4 years. Where else are you going to find a great young top six center?

At any rate, if all you do is dismiss him as a 3rd line center or just outright bad, then obviously you wouldn't be the one Chiarelli would be dealing with. McLellan is a big fan of RNH and uses him in a lot of situations, and in fact he took the most faceoffs on our team by a fair margin (making him a lot more than just a 3rd line center on our team btw). The only reason we'd want to move him is because of the cap hit. Imo, there is a good chance that Chiarelli finds a way to keep him beyond next season. It's not impossible.

 

[McStimperi]

RNH for Trouba

No way we get Trouba for RNH.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Nuge is gone next june

 

[THall4]

To Montreal:
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
2019 5th round pick

To Edmonton:
2018 1st round pick
Brendan Gallagher
Tomas Plekanec
2019 2nd round pick

Hell no....take out Plekanec and we got something going....

 

[Canovin]

No way we get Trouba for RNH.

One year of Trouba for 4 years of RNH. Their value is not that far off

 

[Neutrinos]

As he is now, RNH isn't good enough to be a #2 C on a contender, and he's paid too much to be a #3 C

This is not the kind of player that has significant value on the trade market

He's either going to a team like Vancouver where he can play heavy minutes while they build for the future, or he's going to a wannabe contender desperate for offense like Montreal

Either way, I don't think Edmonton should expect anything of value above and beyond the 6 million in future cap space

Sedins for RNH
Plekanec for RNH

 

[THall4]

there is an opportunity for a forward thinking GM to take a risk on a player like RNH. He could very well become a guy like Mikko Koivu, who had similar struggles at an early age. I know that until RNH becomes that, he isn't that, but he clearly is more than a lot of people give him credit for, and for some teams it would be a risk worth taking if your team has the cap space to spare for 4 years. Where else are you going to find a great young top six center?

At any rate, if all you do is dismiss him as a 3rd line center or just outright bad, then obviously you wouldn't be the one Chiarelli would be dealing with. McLellan is a big fan of RNH and uses him in a lot of situations, and in fact he took the most faceoffs on our team by a fair margin (making him a lot more than just a 3rd line center on our team btw). The only reason we'd want to move him is because of the cap hit. Imo, there is a good chance that Chiarelli finds a way to keep him beyond next season. It's not impossible.

The more I thought about this just now...the more I started to agree. Chicago found a way to pay Kane and Toews their contracts...and keep Hossa, Anisimov.. and now Saad as a replacement for Panarin.

I dunno kind of the same situation but different, I guess.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

As he is now, RNH isn't good enough to be a #2 C on a contender, and he's paid too much to be a #3 C

This is not the kind of player that has significant value on the trade market

He's either going to a team like Vancouver where he can play heavy minutes while they build for the future, or he's going to a wannabe contender desperate for offense like Montreal

Either way, I don't think Edmonton should expect anything of value above and beyond the 6 million in future cap space

Sedins for RNH
Plekanec for RNH

One of these things is not like the other.

 

[Funk21]

Of course he is, the Oilers have 14 million in cap space next year with almost 10 people to sign. Plus the have Nurse and Strome potentially having decent to maybe moster for the later. Look in an ideal world you hold on to the Nuge but if he is in a third line role and has another Meh season it could be a brutal return knowing that the opposite GM will have leverage due to cap issues.

I'm not a fan of either team but MTL badly needs centre help, the Oilers need a great third line centre who is responsible defensively and who is off the books next year. Something around this plus some picks being added by the Habs.

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

I liked RNH but he's very vanilla.

Good expendable player. This presents options for Edmonton. It's not a bad thing

 

[Beville]

Doesn't make sense to trade him now. The Oilers would be much better off showcasing him, putting him in a position to get 60+ points, then trading him.

That being said, it's Chiarelli.

Stajan straight up.

You forgot the bit about Chia wanting too much for him and ending up **** creek.

 

[THall4]

As he is now, RNH isn't good enough to be a #2 C on a contender, and he's paid too much to be a #3 C

This is not the kind of player that has significant value on the trade market

He's either going to a team like Vancouver where he can play heavy minutes while they build for the future, or he's going to a wannabe contender desperate for offense like Montreal

Either way, I don't think Edmonton should expect anything of value above and beyond the 6 million in future cap space

Sedins for RNH
Plekanec for RNH

Sedins are a combined 14M cap hit
Plekanec is a 6M cap hit

Id rather keep RNH over all 3 of those players...despite them becoming pending UFA's after this season, and we aren't in any desperation to move Nuge until next summer anyway. Nuge isn't going to be used as a give away.

 

[Mr Positive]

The more I thought about this just now...the more I started to agree. Chicago found a way to pay Kane and Toews their contracts...and keep Hossa, Anisimov.. and now Saad as a replacement for Panarin.

I dunno kind of the same situation but different, I guess.

The theme for the Oilers this upcoming season is all about challenge. Chia likely has very few solid plans for next offseason. There will be a strong message to the team that things will be tightening up the following year, and if you want to stay you have to deliver. That goes double for a big cap hit like RNH.

So yeah, RNH is more available now that Drai is cemented in our future, but at the same time I think Chiarelli really wants to keep RNH around for this season to see if he can finally put it all together, and also to put pressure on other players to do really well.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

The Oilers like many have said have no reason to make a move this season. Maybe next off season they try to unload a player Like RNH or Lucic

 

[BrannigansLaw]

Actually he is probably right. If the leafs were to acquire RNH you'd be very happy with the player you'd get. You would be impressed with his two way play, his willingness to play hard minutes and the way he'd fit in the dressing room. He is a 2C 55 point center. He'd also probably end up wearing a letter.

We have Kadri who makes less and is clearly better than him, so no, he's wrong.

 

[MagicalRazor]

Oilers in the avalanche situation right now not as severe but still there. There are going to trade him its just a matter of when . they have been open to trading him for IMO the past 2 years more so now that ever with the 2 big new signings. But they are not willing to take a loss for him , they know his value and in the past 2 years they obviously havn;t got any reasonable offers for him

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

We have Kadri who makes less and is clearly better than him, so no, he's wrong.

Kadri vs RNH;

I think RNH is a more cerebral play maker than Kadri. Kadri can obviously contribute offensively but I think RNH would compliment high IQ players like Marner and Nylander better. Kadri isn't any more of a 2C than RNH.
Having Matthews, RNH, Kadri down the middle doesn't sound to bad.

 

[pepperMonkey]

Kadri vs RNH;

I think RNH is a more cerebral play maker than Kadri. Kadri can obviously contribute offensively but I think RNH would compliment high IQ players like Marner and Nylander better. Kadri isn't any more of a 2C than RNH.
Having Matthews, RNH, Kadri down the middle doesn't sound to bad.

What Kadri contributes is not specifically offense. He's a $hit disturber that cause chaos but brings a little offense with it. With the makeup of the team, I think Kadri fits more than a RNH. But that's just me. And before anyone looks at the team I cheer for and go 'what does he know'...nothing, I know nothing but I also know that the Habs are totally screwed in the way they are built.

RNH probably fits in better on the Habs than the Leafs, albeit, what they really need is a #1C.

 

[VanJack]

Is RNH 'more' expendable now....he was always expendable....but now that McDavid and Draisaitl are signed his contract becomes an absolute albatross for the Oilers.....hard to believe that he's the third of the first overall picks between 2010 and 2012 and soon all of them will be gone.

 

[Konami McDavid]

We have to accept that Nuge is gone, and we are not getting much for him. Every team will look at our cap next season, and realize that it is unmanageable with Nuge on the books. Without him I don't see much of an issue with icing a good team, but something has to give next year.

Without any moves, and a stagnant cap next year, we have $12.5m in cap space with a minimum of 10 contract to sign with the money. we will need;

-1 top 6 RW (or Strome re-sign) $3.5m
-1 top 6 LW (or Maroon re-sign) $3.5m
-Drake Caggiulla re-sign $1.25m
-3rd line LW (or Jokinen re-sign) $2.5m
-Pakarainen $950k
-Slepychev re-sign $1.25m
-4th line C (or Letestu re-sign) $1.25m
-Benning re-sign $2m
-Nurse re-sign $2m

This can be done without taking a serious step back for $18.2m. That leaves the Oilers with a hole of $5.7m. A little added relief if an entry level contract can fill in for any of the above.

Bye Nuge. I really appreciated what you could do, but you will not fit after this year. Kudos to whoever gets him, you will pay next to nothing, and you will really like the player you get.

 

[Fataldogg]

$6M for a center who has not hit 50-points in a couple of years isn't desirable outside of teams like Montreal or New York who desperately need a center. Even then, I can't picture either of those teams giving up an arm and a leg for him. He will essentially be a cap dump.

 

[TFHockey]

$6M for a center who has not hit 50-points in a couple of years isn't desirable outside of teams like Montreal or New York who desperately need a center. Even then, I can't picture either of those teams giving up an arm and a leg for him. He will essentially be a cap dump.

If that is what you think you don't really know this player. Plain and simple.

He would fit in very nicely with both teams. However there has been a very valid argument that if RNH is your 1C you aren't good enough at center. I think that is a reasonable statement.

RNH is not a cap dump. To say so ignores everything he can do and all of the things he provides a team.

 

[CaptainCrunch67]

We have to accept that Nuge is gone, and we are not getting much for him. Every team will look at our cap next season, and realize that it is unmanageable with Nuge on the books. Without him I don't see much of an issue with icing a good team, but something has to give next year.

Without any moves, and a stagnant cap next year, we have $12.5m in cap space with a minimum of 10 contract to sign with the money. we will need;

-1 top 6 RW (or Strome re-sign) $3.5m
-1 top 6 LW (or Maroon re-sign) $3.5m
-Drake Caggiulla re-sign $1.25m
-3rd line LW (or Jokinen re-sign) $2.5m
-Pakarainen $950k
-Slepychev re-sign $1.25m
-4th line C (or Letestu re-sign) $1.25m
-Benning re-sign $2m
-Nurse re-sign $2m

This can be done without taking a serious step back for $18.2m. That leaves the Oilers with a hole of $5.7m. A little added relief if an entry level contract can fill in for any of the above.

Bye Nuge. I really appreciated what you could do, but you will not fit after this year. Kudos to whoever gets him, you will pay next to nothing, and you will really like the player you get.

I honestly think your low on some of those, if Nurse has any kind of decent season he's going to ask for and get 3 or more. I doubt that your going to find too many decent top 6 guys for 3.5.

Its going to take more then trading Nuge at this point.