Confirmed with Link: Kassian Signs - 4 Years, 3.2M Per

[Czechboy]

Like Kassian is the key word here... not actual Kassian who has only made the playoffs 3 times in the 10 years he’s played professionally, and has largely been a non-factor in those series.

I keep being told how valuable he'll be.. a decade and 3 goals in the playoffs. Never helped a team get in the playoffs and is currently not helping us get in the playoffs. Also, back to back wins! Amazing!

 

[McDNicks17]

The top 7 were 3 D and 4 forwards.. Zack was the 4th forward. Only 4 guys (or 3) PK at a time.

What stat? What is easily seen? He's played less than 2 minutes total this season. It's very easy to see that he doesn't penalty kill.

There's four defensemen on there. He's the third forward.

Goals and scoring chances against while on the ice.

And if you honestly think him not PKing this season is somehow indicative of him never PKing, this is a bigger waste of time than I already thought.

 

[Czechboy]

If you think he was a non-factor in the San Jose series, I don't know what to tell you.

I cheered and loved every second of that series but San Jose was down their best players. It never occured to me that Zack was the difference.. can you explain why he was such a difference maker? We know it wasn't points? Did he play a lot of minutes? Kill penalties? Key shot blocks? Where would you have ranked him in contribution when factoring in Talbot, McDavid, Maroon, Lucic, Klefbom?

 

[Czechboy]

There's four defensemen on there. He's the third forward.

Goals and scoring chances against while on the ice.

And if you honestly think him not PKing this season is somehow indicative of him never PKing, this is a bigger waste of time than I already thought.

Yes, he has PK'd in the past. Not very well.
Now, he doesn't PK at all... An entire season (the current one) and no PK (except for 1:30 seconds which was either 1 shift or 2).

 

[McDNicks17]

Yes, he has PK'd in the past. Not very well.
Now, he doesn't PK at all... An entire season (the current one) and no PK (except for 1:30 seconds which was either 1 shift or 2).

Lowest GA/60 on the team last season playing the third most minutes.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Do me a favour.. reread this post and tally how many cheapshots you took at me. Now reread every post I've written to you... count my cheapshots at you.

Also, you haven't provided any stats.

Zero cheap shots. Simply telling the exact truth. You are trying to validate the past two weeks in a blog very few people if any have read on a 4 year contract. When I have the time and perhaps the inclination I will also write a blog nobody else will read and provide the opposite. Seeing how his 4 year deal doesn’t start till July 1 I figure I have plenty of time.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Maybe he did the team a favor. 4-0 in his absence.

 

[McBeastMode]

Maybe he did the team a favor. 4-0 in his absence.

I was just going to say that, undefeated, when he's gone..

 

[ConnorMcNugesaitl]

Maybe he did the team a favor. 4-0 in his absence.

Guess he just needs to sit out for four and a half more years while they run the table to 5 straight Cups.

 

[Stoneman89]

I was just going to say that, undefeated, when he's gone..

We're also 3-1 when McDavid is not in the lineup. The TEAM is just really playing well right now.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

This part I agree with.. I just don't see anything else he does. He literally just plays 5 on 5 with McDavid. That's not versatility. It's 1 dimensional. Archibald also produces great 5 on 5 with McDavid. He also played 3 on 3 today and scored with Drai.. don't think Zack has played on 3 on 3 OT or scored any OT points.

Also, please find me quotes of Tippet saying any of the Oiler's suck? Shouldn't be in the league and are garbage? He hasn't said a bad thing about anyone because that's not a smart thing to do. I'm positive I could find him saying positive things about every single player on the roster.

Archibald has become a great versatile player as well and in short sample size able to step up to first line minutes. Great game today for a depleted roster and to get a chance in OT. He deserved it and with Connor out this team has had to adapt its approach to OT which hadn't really had great results. Like Archie a lot.

Tippett is well regarded as a coach and a straight shooter. He's not prone to dish out praise like pez candy nor is he loquacious in talking about this team and their players. Honest and direct most definitely not a professional coach who feels a need to pump tires or fill the air with platitudes. He's in the business of winning hockey games. His quotes I posted are pretty straight forward which reflect why and how Kassian has earned first line minutes. That won't be an entitlement - Kassian's game was off after the emotional Flames games and he spent time on the third line. I think he'll move down in the lineup possibly as early as next year. But this coach has confidence in the skill set and versatility to run him on the top line with McDavid.

Will end this dialogue appreciative of your point-of-view. We see Kassian differently as a player and in his value or not to this team.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Archibald has become a great versatile player as well and in short sample size able to step up to first line minutes. Great game today for a depleted roster and to get a chance in OT. He deserved it and with Connor out this team has had to adapt its approach to OT which hadn't really had great results. Like Archie a lot.

Tippett is well regarded as a coach and a straight shooter. He's not prone to dish out praise like pez candy nor is he loquacious in talking about this team and their players. Honest and direct most definitely not a professional coach who feels a need to pump tires or fill the air with platitudes. He's in the business of winning hockey games. His quotes I posted are pretty straight forward which reflect why and how Kassian has earned first line minutes. That won't be an entitlement - Kassian's game was off after the emotional Flames games and he spent time on the third line. I think he'll move down in the lineup possibly as early as next year. But this coach has confidence in the skill set and versatility to run him on the top line with McDavid.

Will end this dialogue appreciative of your point-of-view. We see Kassian differently as a player and in his value or not to this team.

If I can ride on this Archibald showed a lot, again today, and that he is more effective than Kass in a topsix mix. He's easily more talented than Kass and is showing that when he gets the opportunity. As far as value it was Archibald that had the opponents so irate that they double team mugged him earing the Oilers a PP. He had the canes fans seething. THIS is the antagonist role. Archibald has stepped up bigtime and is making a name for himself on this club within his first season here.

Archibald is exhibiting in plain view what Kassian is ineffective at. With Archibald we're on the plus side of the ledger of antagonism and drawing penalties. With Kass in this same game I doubt he gets either goal, and I doubt he draws a penalty, and I doubt he's a thorn in the side of opposition. When Archibald is in bottomsix you notice him regularly. The ONLY time Kass produces much of anything is when he's up with the big boys, and really it requires BOTH McD and Drai to jumpstart anything out of him.

Archibald draws the ire of opposition. Kassian draws the targeting by opposition. They know he's susceptible to taking bad penalties and costing his team and push him to lose it. The Tkachuk tactic is not happening by accident. Its noted that Kass will fall for it. Archibald makes the opponents crazy, Kassian makes himself crazy.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

If I can ride on this Archibald showed a lot, again today, and that he is more effective than Kass in a topsix mix. He's easily more talented than Kass and is showing that when he gets the opportunity. As far as value it was Archibald that had the opponents so irate that they double team mugged him earing the Oilers a PP. He had the canes fans seething. THIS is the antagonist role. Archibald has stepped up bigtime and is making a name for himself on this club within his first season here.

Archibald is exhibiting in plain view what Kassian is ineffective at. With Archibald we're on the plus side of the ledger of antagonism and drawing penalties. With Kass in this same game I doubt he gets either goal, and I doubt he draws a penalty, and I doubt he's a thorn in the side of opposition. When Archibald is in bottomsix you notice him regularly. The ONLY time Kass produces much of anything is when he's up with the big boys, and really it requires BOTH McD and Drai to jumpstart anything out of him.

Archibald draws the ire of opposition. Kassian draws the targeting by opposition. They know he's susceptible to taking bad penalties and costing his team and push him to lose it. The Tkachuk tactic is not happening by accident. Its noted that Kass will fall for it. Archibald makes the opponents crazy, Kassian makes himself crazy.

Archibald had a fantastic game. I've loved what he's brought to this team and in some ways reminds me a bit of an 80's era Tikkanen. He's fearless, can skate, agitate and is a smart hockey player.

Kassian has a thirty point season going with fourteen goals. All 5 on 5 minute production and until recently was a net positive (he's -1 now). I don't look at our players in binary liking one and disliking another. Kassian has the skill to play with top line players and the power forward temperament to ensure other team's don't take advantage of this team's skill players. He'll take the body, generally play an aggressive forechecking game and a physical presence is still valuable especially as stetch games and playoffs become tighter in style of play and long series take their toll in attrition.

The Oilers team are better with both Kassian and Archibald imo. Their versatility to play throughout the roster is invaluable especially as this team is thin in talent and could use another top six scoring winger. Archibald in short samples has done well on top line minutes. Kassian for a season and a half has established it and timely with being a UFA found a reasonable contract that all parties agreed was fair. Wishing both players and this team continuing success!

 

[space321]

Prior to McDavid and Draisaitl being split up, I hated that Oiler fans had pretty much accepted or even welcomed the idea of Kassian as our top line winger for hte forseeable future. That led to people thinking that we didn't need another RNH level winger for McDavid, which has become extremely apparent after Draisaitl and RNH/Yamamoto have been tearing it up. I feel bad for McDavid that Kassian is on this team with that contract that screams 'better play me with mcdavid or else this contract will look really ugly'...

 

[LTIR]

Potentially a signing worse than any that Chiarelli made for Oilers including Lucic.

Nurse singing looking pretty bad right now as well now that he has taken a step forward. Should have waitef for one(Kassian)
and locked up the other one for longer.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

He has had a LONG rest, has a huge new deal in his back pocket and will be starting on our 3rd line. I don't want to see a half assed effort from Kass because he's not stapled to Connor's hip anymore. He needs to play smart, balls to the walls hockey to help this team after letting them down. If he drags his ass the rest of the season I would look to deal him, he needs to play his heart out regardless of where he is in the lineup.

 

[SwedishFire]

For the most effectivness for the team, I want Kassian in the top line, becuase he and McDavid can play together, but Im worried if he looses his skating anytime soon.

 

[replacement]

Anybody notice the massive "now I know what's legal" run he took at Johns last night?Put him on his butt. Got the Oilers possession and shifted the momentum, Oilers got a PP out of it and scored.

 

[space321]

Prior to McDavid and Draisaitl being split up, I hated that Oiler fans had pretty much accepted or even welcomed the idea of Kassian as our top line winger for hte forseeable future. That led to people thinking that we didn't need another RNH level winger for McDavid, which has become extremely apparent after Draisaitl and RNH/Yamamoto have been tearing it up. I feel bad for McDavid that Kassian is on this team with that contract that screams 'better play me with mcdavid or else this contract will look really ugly'...

4 more years of this btw, lookin' forward to it

 

[Drivesaitl]

Hey, look at what I said about Kassian vs Archibald as far back as Feb 16. With me denoting that Archie is the far more effective player, far better at antagonizing, better hands, better talent. With Kass you get the bs, and you get the penalties.

Awful, awful contract. This player has never truly turned the corner at any point in his career. Occasionally he will give you a few weeks of concerted play and utilize his big body, his stretch cover, have jump, and make a contribution. Then there will be months when you don't even notice him. This is a check in, and check out player, always was.

Perhaps the most astounding thing is the Oilers awarded this contract after Kass was repeatedly losing his mind with Tkachuk, got suspended, hurt the team due to that, and hasn't been a player since. lol that in the fight he couldn't even best Tkachuk. Didn't hurt him once. With Kass its antics and staging. just playing to fan favoritism. But a pro org you would think would do more thoughtful analysis of the player contribution than this. Kass is supposed to be an antagonist, yet he takes far more penalties than he elicits. We don't get any benefit whatsoever of his antagonism brand and he didn't even put on that clownshow mask the whole series.

What we got instead was a player that all the opponents think is a f***ed up joke, and sometimes I think that is creeping back up on Kassian himself. I could say more.

 

[Stoneman89]

The good news (if there is some), is that if we don't play again till 2023, then 3 years of his contract will be off the books.

 

[ZJuice]

We made a booboo for sure. What team hasn’t? I would have signed the contract too if i were Kassian** lol

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

We made a booboo for sure. What team hasn’t? I would have signed the contract too lol

You don't give depth players this kind of term, and Kassian has been a ghost for most of the season except for his beef with Calgary (which didn't actually help the team any)

 

[ZJuice]

You don't give depth players this kind of term, and Kassian has been a ghost for most of the season except for his beef with Calgary (which didn't actually help the team any)

I edited my post, I wouldn’t have offered that contract length unless it were at 2 million

 

[Mr Positive]

I do think the contract looks high but 3.2 aav is not horrible, especially if he is a very good third liner. What I dont like is how much Tippett loves to put him in the top six. Or maybe its Kassian constantly pushing for it