To be honest these threads bore me to tears after so many years of constant negativity. The Oilers are 13 games removed from a second round game 7 and there's already been multiple threads calling for personnel changes. Talk about an entitled group of fans. So yes, bandwagoneers. It's possible to discuss something you disagree with without picking up a torch or calling someone a #turd. Leave that for the kids.
@StevenF1919 I tried to respond to your post and had it nearly complete but my browser crashed deleting half of the response. To add to Soundwave's critique, offering Draisaitl a bridge deal after a 77 point campaign and leading the team in playoff scoring would've been an insult to him. There was also the very real possibility of the offer-sheet which was discussed at lengths in the off-season, which ties into the Eberle trade and Pouliot buyout which I was not a fan of either, but ultimately accepted.
Russell, again... 20 min D in the playoffs. Comparable matchups all last season to Klefbom/Larsson. Takes a $900k raise. Look at the available UFA options in the summer...some very bad defensemen got term. Kulikov and Alzner were the best D available. Hamonic wasn't an option (would've cost us Yamamoto++), Hjalmarsson neither (we didn't have a Murphy to give them). Top 4 RD on good contracts are just as difficult to acquire as they were prior to Larsson. That hasn't changed.
I agree with the RW critique. I wanted Justin Williams. Brian Gionta. Still want Josh Leivo. I'll take Ales Hemsky, Matt Read, Joe Colborne for cap dumps. Chiarelli really needs to address this position. But honestly, in a summer with a very weak UFA crop and two very important contracts to get done internally, staying away from another big UFA signing was the best thing he could've done.
