Confirmed Trade: [EDM/DET] Andreas Athanasiou, Ryan Kuffner to Oilers for Sam Gagner (10%), 2020 2nd, 2021 2nd

[Rabid Ranger]

What does this even mean?
I don't see any red wings fans throwing celebrations about acquiring 2nd round picks?
The 2nd round picks weren't used to acquire a superstar?

It means that on HF 2nd round picks are worth more than gold. People want to hang to them like it's their mama's teet.

 

[MBH]

Dude was trash in Detroit. Should Anthony Duclair have returned a top prospect from Ottawa just because he broke out since they acquired him?

He's had an off year.
But this year is an outlier.
Check his goals/60 season by season since joining the NHL.

 

[TatarTangle]

If the Oilers are smart they will play AA on the third line and he will absolutely feast on lesser opposition.

AA is going to score at least 10 goals before the end of the season.

I don't like the return on this. Unless AA was an absolute cancer in the locker room they should have held on to him.

AA needs players better than him to produce otherwise he goes full Beer D league hockey and tries to go through four guys. If he plays on the third line in Edmonton you will see a lot of what you saw in Detroit - a lot of turnovers and minuses.

The less the puck is on his stick, the better

 

[nabob]

What does this even mean?
I don't see any red wings fans throwing celebrations about acquiring 2nd round picks?
The 2nd round picks weren't used to acquire a superstar?

it means that the regular Oilers haters who pollute every Oilers thread on mains have found the Hill they want to die on to try to convince others this was a bad trade. Wings fans are being very pleasant

 

[lucaseider]

Not happy with this trade. Despite all the negativity on aa I am always against trading a player at his lowest value. Think he will look good this year with the Oilers.

 

[ManwithNoIdentity]

It means that on HF 2nd round picks are worth more than gold. People want to hang to them like it's their mama's teet.

It’s worth a lot to a rebuilding team like Detroit with a GM that has a great record in drafting

What set you off?

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Not happy with this trade. Despite all the negativity on aa I am always against trading a player at his lowest value. Think he will look good this year with the Oilers.

Meh, I think the Wings were on course to one of the worst arbitration cases since Tommy Salo... He might have been worth more at the draft but he wasn't going to be on the roster after that weekend in Montreal regardless. So if he went into a full on malaise for the Month of March and dipped to minus 60 I am not sure the return is any different. It was time to turn the page. Hopefully AA learns from this and a more dedicated player shows up in Edmonton.

AA has full arbitration rights and can push himself directly into free agency. Mantha can as well which means if extension talks don't go well, I can see him getting shipped at the draft in his hometown as well. We will have to see, but Yzerman decided AA wasn't a part of the future and moved on. I think the message being sent to Bertuzzi, Mantha and Larkin was a part of why he did it now.

 

[DingDongCharlie]

If the Oilers are smart they will play AA on the third line and he will absolutely feast on lesser opposition.

AA is going to score at least 10 goals before the end of the season.

I don't like the return on this. Unless AA was an absolute cancer in the locker room they should have held on to him.

He put up 30 last year. I’d play him with McDavid and Kassian. Ennis was an excellent pickup to pair with Sheahan and Archibald.

AA - McDavid - Kassian
RNH - Draisaitl - Yamamoto
Ennis - Sheahan - Archibald
Benson - Haas - Neal

 

[S E P H]

Well he has to be an upgrade on playing McDavid with Gagner or Archibald. The Oilers gained a top 6 forward and they really needed one. Maybe he eventually plays on Draisaitl's line, even though that's the best 2nd line in the league. You are taking a really negative spin and I don't think you are really objective in this matter.

By all other accounts Edmonton had a good TDL. Now that We are starting to have a top line again.. the Oilers are poised to make the playoffs. That's good news for any Oiler fan.

I actually have no problem with Oilers trading two seconds as I am far from an asset management type of bloke, but it also depends on who you target with them. AA isn't an amazing player, Holland pretty much traded for him because he's fast for McDavid. Do you think if AA didn't have anywhere close to his skating ability, Ken would've still targeted him?

 

[lucaseider]

Meh, I think the Wings were on course to one of the worst arbitration cases since Tommy Salo... He might have been worth more at the draft but he wasn't going to be on the roster after that weekend in Montreal regardless. So if he went into a full on malaise for the Month of March and dipped to minus 60 I am not sure the return is any different. It was time to turn the page. Hopefully AA learns from this and a more dedicated player shows up in Edmonton.

AA has full arbitration rights and can push himself directly into free agency. Mantha can as well which means if extension talks don't go well, I can see him getting shipped at the draft in his hometown as well. We will have to see, but Yzerman decided AA wasn't a part of the future and moved on. I think the message being sent to Bertuzzi, Mantha and Larkin was a part of why he did it now.

As usual, I agree with most you said TZE, I just think this is something everyone knew was gonna happen at some point, and we should have traded him probably last draft.

 

[TFHockey]

I actually have no problem with Oilers trading two seconds as I am far from an asset management type of bloke, but it also depends on who you target with them. AA isn't an amazing player, Holland pretty much traded for him because he's fast for McDavid. Do you think if AA didn't have anywhere close to his skating ability, Ken would've still targeted him?

I am not certain what you are trying to say here. Obviously, Holland traded for AA because he likes what he sees, whether that is his skating, scoring or whatever. I don't think the Oilers paid too high a price for a pending RFA who the team believes can get under contract. We need legit NHL forwards here and that is what Holland traded for. Ennis and AA are good pickups and the Oilers didn't lose any of their prized prospects or 1st rounders.

Will AA have to tighten up his defensive play? Under Tippett you bet he will. Does anyone expect him to with the Selke? Ha! Nope.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

As usual, I agree with most you said TZE, I just think this is something everyone knew was gonna happen at some point, and we should have traded him probably last draft.

I get that, I think he drew a line in the sand and frankly it is something we asked Holland to do more of. I am not going to be critical of Yzerman doing it. He decided Athanasiou was no longer a part of the core and acted accordingly. I think we all hoped the return would be better but we knew the flaws he had as well as the strengths. If you think back to when we were contending we would have questioned some of the trouble spots in his game a heck of a lot if we were the team going in on him. The return Wings fans wanted just wasn't there in my opinion.

 

[Del Preston]

Not to brag but he's on pace to be +40 as an Oiler.

 

[MBH]

AA needs players better than him to produce otherwise he goes full Beer D league hockey and tries to go through four guys. If he plays on the third line in Edmonton you will see a lot of what you saw in Detroit - a lot of turnovers and minuses.

The less the puck is on his stick, the better

AA is a legit top 6 player and an elite 5 on 5 goal scorer.
The same Red Wings who've been defending Holland (and Babcock and Blashill) are the ones who hate AA the most.

AA scored 30 goals next to Glendening or Nielsen last year.
I don't care who he plays with on Edmonton in the top 6. Whether it's RNH, Drai or McDavid, he's going to be very good and return to form.
We saw that today - and he wasn't even the top flight AA yet.

 

[MBH]

I get that, I think he drew a line in the sand and frankly it is something we asked Holland to do more of. I am not going to be critical of Yzerman doing it. He decided Athanasiou was no longer a part of the core and acted accordingly. I think we all hoped the return would be better but we knew the flaws he had as well as the strengths. If you think back to when we were contending we would have questioned some of the trouble spots in his game a heck of a lot if we were the team going in on him. The return Wings fans wanted just wasn't there in my opinion.

It wasn't there. So he shouldn't have been traded.
If AA regains his form - or even improves on last year's form - and all we have to show for it is 2 2nd rounders - man, this will not look good.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Wings keep wingin'.

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

I was impressed with him today. Hoping he doesn't show that same lack of defensive ability that Wings fans mention.

 

[Henkka]

Not to brag but he's on pace to be +40 as an Oiler.

It's a miracle how player can learn defence on one night.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Not happy with this trade. Despite all the negativity on aa I am always against trading a player at his lowest value. Think he will look good this year with the Oilers.

Good year for the Oilers. McD and Drai are doing very well.

 

[howkie]

I like this trade for my fantasyleague. Was thinking off trading AA, but thought I wait until after deadline, looks like it payed off. Hope he keeps it up with Mcdavid and Ennis.

 

[Henkka]

AA is a legit top 6 player and an elite 5 on 5 goal scorer.
The same Red Wings who've been defending Holland (and Babcock and Blashill) are the ones who hate AA the most.

Nope. You are just troll with our agenda. I'm a big Holland, Babcock and Athanasiou fan.

But still can think these trade in both ways, it was good for the EDM, good for the individual and good for Detroit. He wasn't gonna get this opportunity here.

 

[McTonyBrar]

I like this trade for my fantasyleague. Was thinking off trading AA, but thought I wait until after deadline, looks like it payed off. Hope he keeps it up with Mcdavid and Ennis.

It has only been one game but I was surprised at the passing he was making and his smarts. I thought people said he had no hockey iq lol? I don’t see a player with no hockey IQ. I see a player who had to carry a team on his back that had no supporting cast around him other than a few forwards in Larkin, Bertuzzi and Mantha

 

[Smartguy]

I was impressed with him today. Hoping he doesn't show that same lack of defensive ability that Wings fans mention.

I actually noticed good defensive play last night, almost like he was purposely focusing there, he hung back as the high winger on almost every entrance into the zone. Made a nice play coming down off the wing to break up a play at one point in front of the net.

As the game went on he got more comfortable, and started to show some really good skill with the puck.