Is RNH at #2C really that bad of an idea?

[A91]

McDavid is the #1C for the next decade+ (hopefully) no issues there
Now we have two capable #2 centermen in Leon and RNH, both look comfortable at the position and both are our next best forwards after Connor.

Ideally you run 3 scoring lines like the Pens have done and have our 3 best forwards centering the 3 lines, however our winger depth is atrocious and thus running 3 lines isnt always effective.

My idea (which is not farfetched lol has happened for 1/2 the season) is to make Draisaitl a RW fully. He's just as good there as he is at C and would instantly be a top5 RW in the game along with the Kanes, Tarasenkos, Kessels, Wheelers and Kucherovs (Damn the NHL has good RW depth)

RNH has had a renaissance year and has thankfully proven he can handle his own as a #2C, you want to encourage this season by providing him the best opportunity to succeed imo. I have always believed Nuge would develop slowly and I still think with a little more work + confidence he can be that 60-70 point reliable pivot that every team needs.

If we could acquire some legit top6 wingers I would prefer the 3-scoring lines model, however this is the Edmonton Oilers, we dont fill our holes until it is too late and when we do we still mess it up. Also, the cap situation isnt all that great not much hope for immediate help.

My question is which is preferred? The 3-scoring lines or having RNH as #2C and LD as a RW?

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[Gord]

You pay a guy 8.5 million you can't afford for him not to be centering his own line.
Oilers cant afford a 3rd of their salary cap on one line.

 

[oobga]

McLellan needs to actually try some stuff aside from Lucic on the 1st line.

This coach is useless to figure out what guys can and can't do. He has certain security blanket moves, and then stupid stuff that he stubbornly sticks with.

 

[redgrant]

McLellan needs to actually try some stuff aside from Lucic on the 1st line.

This coach is useless to figure out what guys can and can't do. He has certain security blanket moves, and then stupid stuff that he stubbornly sticks with.

McLellan can't cognitively process trying someone besides Lucic with McDavid so thats a lost cause.

 

[PatrikOverAuston]

In a non-cap world, sure, give me an RNH on every line.

But when you have to balance every dollar, it makes more sense to spend that $6M on a premier defender than the team's third-best natural center. It sucks, but that's the math.

 

[Satire]

I personally would prefer to see Leon playing a line against the teams top line that focuses on a shut down role with a secondary scoring option there. Give him some solid all-round wingers to play with. He can handle it.

Put JP, RNH and Mcdavid against 2nd line and line match better. I think it's a good experiment to try with the last 15 games. RNH is a strong shooter and passer. He's cerebral enough to play with Mcdavid.

I think RNH can handle 2nd line duties- I just don't think his skill set leads him to be able to carry a line by himself. He needs better wingers to shine. Leon and Mcdavid can carry the play much better.

If we want RNH as 2nd center and to be effective we need stronger wingers for him. I don't know how we find the cap space for that with Lucic not playing to his contract...

 

[nabob]

We need Drai with McDavid as long as they are short handed by having to tow Lucic around the ice.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

It really isn't. RNH is actually a pretty high end 2C, and Khaira and Strome will serve as the 3C and 4C well.

In fact, I'd be more open to trading Draisaitl than RNH, not because I think RNH is better (which I certainly don't) but because Draisaitl has an incredible amount of value and there are teams that would kill for a 1C. Something like this:

Leon Draisaitl, Milan Lucic, and Andrej Sekera

Mikael Granlund, Jason Zucker, Matthew Dumba/Jonas Brodin

 

[oobga]

McLellan can't cognitively process trying someone besides Lucic with McDavid so thats a lost cause.

Yeah, it's painful. I don't think anyone is sure of what Drai can do as a C yet, because McLellan is scared to stick with it for any period of time. And we don't know if Nuge can be like the Pavelski McLellan compared him to, playing wing too to help boost a line like McDavid's.

Just stuck with the same stuff almost all year, even as the season is done. The only thing McLellan has really allowed to falter for more than a couple periods before going back to his safe moves is McDavid+Lucic (although there is no safe move with LW anymore with Maroon gone, but he still let it suck for 2 months before Maroon was moved).

 

[A91]

In a non-cap world, sure, give me an RNH on every line.

But when you have to balance every dollar, it makes more sense to spend that $6M on a premier defender than the team's third-best natural center. It sucks, but that's the math.

Have you seen our forward depth? RNH is the only guy who can actually score outside of #29 and #97.
If we trade him for a dman we need a better forward coming back in a separate deal.

 

[Del Preston]

During his HNIC interview on Saturday Nicholson named McDavid and Draisaitl their top two centres going forward. I think there's a disagreement between management and the head coach on where Leon should be playing. Even when RNH was injured Draisaitl was still McDavid's RW for some games.

I'd like to see them go with three scoring lines but it's never gonna happen with this coach or the way the roster is constructed right now.

 

[A91]

It really isn't. RNH is actually a pretty high end 2C, and Khaira and Strome will serve as the 3C and 4C well.

In fact, I'd be more open to trading Draisaitl than RNH, not because I think RNH is better (which I certainly don't) but because Draisaitl has an incredible amount of value and there are teams that would kill for a 1C. Something like this:

Leon Draisaitl, Milan Lucic, and Andrej Sekera

Mikael Granlund, Jason Zucker, Matthew Dumba/Jonas Brodin

That would be highway robbery for us. A no brainer.

Im very high of Granlund on the wing.

 

[PatrikOverAuston]

Have you seen our forward depth? RNH is the only guy who can actually score outside of #29 and #97.
If we trade him for a dman we need a better forward coming back in a separate deal.

I agree with both sentiments. But it's certainly possible to add depth even after an RNH trade. Maybe Chia can't do it, but GMs like Shero and Rutherford have shown that wingers are far easier to acquire than almost any other type of player.

That's also the other reason spreading money around is advantageous. You wouldn't be able to splurge on a winger like Kessel or Hall with RNH making $6M.

 

[SK13]

The problem is that if, for any reason, the Oilers want Draisaitl and McDavid to centre different lines, they no longer have an NHL winger. I like malleability, but it screws the depth chart over to say "well, we'll just play this C and RW".

Maybe it wouldn't be crippling with Puljujarvi and Yamamoto on ELC's next year.

 

[A91]

I agree with both sentiments. But it's certainly possible to add depth even after an RNH trade. Maybe Chia can't do it, but GMs like Shero and Rutherford have shown that wingers are far easier to acquire than almost any other type of player.

That's also the other reason spreading money around is advantageous. You wouldn't be able to splurge on a winger like Kessel or Hall with RNH making $6M.

Thats true, we have Milan Lucic filling the role of our highest paid winger currently so nice things dont get to happen for us.
Assuming a fair deal can be made I think we should trade for Neal/Perrons rights at the draft. With Tatar added for a few seasons and both Perron/Neal being UFAs you have to think one of them squeezes through. They could likely take some Lucic money back too ... for the right deal.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

You can't pay Draisatl 8.5 not to center his own line.

PPs, late in the third, and OTs are the only times they should be on the ice together.

 

[ThreeOfAPerfectPair]

You pay a guy 8.5 million you can't afford for him not to be centering his own line.
Oilers cant afford a 3rd of their salary cap on one line.

How do his numbers compare to other highly paid wingers when he's with McDavid? Who could possibly be a better fit that's available?

 

[Gord]

How do his numbers compare to other highly paid wingers when he's with McDavid? Who could possibly be a better fit that's available?

How many teams will have a first line making 27 million dollars?

 

[CupofOil]

It really isn't. RNH is actually a pretty high end 2C, and Khaira and Strome will serve as the 3C and 4C well.

In fact, I'd be more open to trading Draisaitl than RNH, not because I think RNH is better (which I certainly don't) but because Draisaitl has an incredible amount of value and there are teams that would kill for a 1C. Something like this:

Leon Draisaitl, Milan Lucic, and Andrej Sekera

Mikael Granlund, Jason Zucker, Matthew Dumba/Jonas Brodin

Any trade of Draisaitl that doesn't have an elite #1 Dman coming back is a poor trade. I know that those players are good but not interested in the least in making a trade like that and I don't think the Wild do that trade either.

As far as the center discussion is concerned, McDavid and Draisaitl is THE core. The future success of this team will heavily depend on McDavid and Draisaitl anchoring the top 2 lines and the sooner Mclellan realizes this the better, they aren't paying Draisaitl 8.5M to be McDavid's winger. These guys are paid a combined $21M to carry their lines and if they need each other to be successful then maybe they aren't as good as we all think they are.
Nuge is a fine player but unless they are transitioning him to wing, I'd rather deal him because Draisaitl is the #2 center here going forward. I wouldn't mind seeing Nuge at #3 center but I don't think that suits his abilities so either move him to wing or deal him.

 

[VainGretzky]

It really isn't. RNH is actually a pretty high end 2C, and Khaira and Strome will serve as the 3C and 4C well.

In fact, I'd be more open to trading Draisaitl than RNH, not because I think RNH is better (which I certainly don't) but because Draisaitl has an incredible amount of value and there are teams that would kill for a 1C. Something like this:

Leon Draisaitl, Milan Lucic, and Andrej Sekera

Mikael Granlund, Jason Zucker, Matthew Dumba/Jonas Brodin

 

[McGoMcD]

You can't pay Draisatl 8.5 not to center his own line.

PPs, late in the third, and OTs are the only times they should be on the ice together.

yes you can, why not. First of all he takes most of the draws, not McD. I am fine with paying McD 12.5 to play wing, so I am fine with Drai at 8.5 doing it as well.

 

[belair]

To answer the OPs question, no. Having depth through the middle is how good teams are built. The 'cap world' is getting bigger and our window to contend is just opening with much of our higher end talent signed long-term, which means there likely aren't any surprises coming financially like they did this summer.

Also, the likelihood of you getting fair value on a player making RNH's salary is fairly low.

 

[Soundwave]

Leon is gonna have to be Connor's RW for a while IMO.

The offence always sputters to a halt when ever the two are separated for any long stretch.

We can't split them apart, this team can't score with them apart, there just isn't the talent level here. With Maroon gone it gets worse.

Every time Todd does it the team goes through an ugly goal drought inevitably and he's forced to put them back together.

 

[t0nedeff]

You pay a guy 8.5 million you can't afford for him not to be centering his own line.
Oilers cant afford a 3rd of their salary cap on one line.

Tell that to the Capitals and the Blues paying Wingers close to or more than that and it didn't hamper the success atleast in the regular season at all.

 

[Soundwave]

The Oilers haven't had two actual scoring lines in like 10 years.

The last time I recall them having that was 2008 after they got Glencross and that line was red hot along with Gagner's kid line clicking like crazy and they almost made the playoffs because of it.

3 good lines? Gimme a break, this team doesn't even have 2 right now. Lets focus on getting two actual scoring lines first that actually score consistently.