Recalled/Assigned: Nikitin Waived, Clears, Assigned to Condors

[BoldNewLettuce]

They probably value your overall work more than that one error.

That's probably what Katz is thinking.

Common, Mac wasn't so bad. He just messed up the Nikitin signing. He values Macs overall body of work more than that.

"I'm pretty sure there is a piece of **** on this hot dog"

"but how is the body of work?"

".....delicious"

 

[Seedling]

Craig MacTavish and Scott Howson piss away $9 million, and face zero consequences.

I wish I had a job like that.

Kids working at McDonald's face more accountability.

The irony is thick especially with your avatar.

 

[Seedling]

He's been on waivers four hours and is already a -6.

That's "Actually better".

 

[McHaNugYakEbNurDra]

I'm trying to imagine the meeting where this was discussed:

PC: "I've decided to place Nikitin on waivers."

MacT: "Won't that make it more difficult to resign him? His contract is up next year"

PC: "Yes, I suppose so. But we probably won't be resigning him anyway, just replacing him"

Howson: "Replace him? You want me to start looking for a similar player to replace him with then? I'm on it!"

PC: "Sorry to interupt your golf game guys, I've got this"

 

[s7ark]

Sarcasm warning.

Ummm yeah, the subtle sarcasm in that thread was hard to pick up on....

@ me.

Whoosh...

 

[Hockey Buddha]

Craig MacTavish and Scott Howson piss away $9 million, and face zero consequences.

I wish I had a job like that.

Kids working at McDonald's face more accountability.

This year's free agent market wasn't the same as past years. It was markedly different. People who move millions of dollars around are put in those positions, because they are trusted. All over the league, GMs have signed players to bad contracts. Almost every GM in the league worth their salt has done it. Poor decisions are also learning opportunities. A billionaire might say, "If you pay $9M for someone's education, do you want to get rid of them?" I've heard wealthy people say very similar kinds of things.

 

[McFlyingV]

He does if he gets a big enough offer from a KHL team. I've mentioned that a few times now.

He's not going to get more than he's making this year in the KHL though. The ruble is already screwing the KHL and very few players are even making 4.5 mil over there as it is. Nikitin would be much smarter to just spend the year in NA and then sign in the KHL next year.

 

[s7ark]

He's not going to get more than he's making this year in the KHL though. The ruble is already screwing the KHL and very few players are even making 4.5 mil over there as it is. Nikitin would be much smarter to just spend the year in NA and then sign in the KHL next year.

Good point. Forgot about the currency thing. Yeah he'll ride it out in the AHL this season. Oh well. Better than him being on the team.

 

[McFlyingV]

Good point. Forgot about the currency thing. Yeah he'll ride it out in the AHL this season. Oh well. Better than him being on the team.

Don't get me wrong, I would love if he retired and headed back to Russia. I would even drive him to the airport. I just don't see it realistically happening. Best case scenario, maybe he puts up some good numbers in the AHL and some team suffers multiple injuries on D and takes him for half price. I'm not holding my breath on it though lol.

 

[Replacement*]

I thought Belov was fine while he was here.

I might be the only one that feels that way though.

Not at all. I liked Belov as well. One of the few physical D the Oilers had. Wasn't used properly.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

I'm trying to imagine the meeting where this was discussed:

PC: "I've decided to place Nikitin on waivers."

MacT: "Won't that make it more difficult to resign him? His contract is up next year"

PC: "Yes, I suppose so. But we probably won't be resigning him anyway, just replacing him"

Howson: "Replace him? You want me to start looking for a similar player to replace him with then? I'm on it!"

PC: "Sorry to interupt your golf game guys, I've got this"

I imagine it ending like;

Howson; I'm on it-
MacT; No! I'm on it!
Howson; I called it!
*MacT shoves Howson*
*Howson shoves MacT*
*MacT slaps Howson*
*Howson breaks a chair over MacTs back*
*MacT grabs a beer bottle and breaks it and points it at Howson*
*Howson grabs the whip from his belt and whips the bottle from MacTs hand*
*MacT steps on the whip*

Howson; stalemate?
MacT; ....once again....

 

[CupofOil]

Not too surprised, the writing was on the wall after that disaster of a game. McLellan's face on the 5th Vancouver said it all, if looks could kill....

The only thing is that I don't want him polluting the AHL team and taking a spot away from a developing youngster so I wonder if he shoots off to the KHL. He could probably get paid handsomely over there.

What a screw up by MacT and Howson, not only that they gave him the ridiculous contract but they actually dealt a pick for his rights. A player who was a healthy scratch most nights. How they are still in the organization is beyond me but I'm sure that Chia will phase them out eventually.

 

[KlimasLoveChild]

I imagine it ending like;

Howson; I'm on it-
MacT; No! I'm on it!
Howson; I called it!
*MacT shoves Howson*
*Howson shoves MacT*
*MacT slaps Howson*
*Howson breaks a chair over MacTs back*
*MacT grabs a beer bottle and breaks it and points it at Howson*
*Howson grabs the whip from his belt and whips the bottle from MacTs hand*
*MacT steps on the whip*

Howson; stalemate?
MacT; ....once again....

...where was Curly when all this was going down?.......

 

[Dooman]

Not at all. I liked Belov as well. One of the few physical D the Oilers had. Wasn't used properly.

I thought Belov got Eakins'ed

 

[belair]

Didn't the commitment to advance stats come after Nikitin was signed last year? Iirc, Dellow was hired after Nikitin was signed and people were confused because Nikki wasn't his type of player. It just shows how much of a cluster **** things were under Mactavish as the organizations long term played kept changing every couple months.

Pretty sure that Dellow wrote an in-depth blog as to why the Nikitin signing was poor IIRC.

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

Best thing about this is that it's a sign to the rest of the team: shape up or ship out. It's a sign to Schultz that his decent play is being rewarded and that it means something. Maybe they'd do the same to him if he pulled a Nikitin this year.

 

[McSuper]

visually Nikitin has looked better this year

 

[Dorian2]

Not too surprised, the writing was on the wall after that disaster of a game. McLellan's face on the 5th Vancouver said it all, if looks could kill....

The only thing is that I don't want him polluting the AHL team and taking a spot away from a developing youngster so I wonder if he shoots off to the KHL. He could probably get paid handsomely over there.

What a screw up by MacT and Howson, not only that they gave him the ridiculous contract but they actually dealt a pick for his rights. A player who was a healthy scratch most nights. How they are still in the organization is beyond me but I'm sure that Chia will phase them out eventually.

There is still a chance he could be a bit of a help down there also. He's a vet after all.

 

[Bangers]

I'm so glad they didn't use the buyout window to get rid of Nikitin and sign a legitimate NHL defender like Franson.

That extra million the team will save next year in cap space - definitely worth fielding a team this year with only 4/5 legitimate NHL defenders...

 

[Tarus]

I know Howson takes this decision on the chin, but I think Nikitin's injury has played significantly into this.

Nah, it doesn't, Nikitin was terrible in Columbus as well

If Mact and Howson hadn't come along, he probably would have gone to the KHL.

 

[The Nuge]

I'm so glad they didn't use the buyout window to get rid of Nikitin and sign a legitimate NHL defender like Franson.

That extra million the team will save next year in cap space - definitely worth fielding a team this year with only 4/5 legitimate NHL defenders...

Meh. Defensively, Franson isn't an upgrade on anyone in our top 6

 

[rboomercat90]

Pretty sure that Dellow wrote an in-depth blog as to why the Nikitin signing was poor IIRC.

Yeah, I think you're right. That's why his hiring was kind of bizarre, especially the timing. Would have made more sense to have done it a month before free agency if they were going to be going that direction. Again, it's just another example how dysfunctional the organization was with the OBC.

 

[rboomercat90]

Nah, it doesn't, Nikitin was terrible in Columbus as well

If Mact and Howson hadn't come along, he probably would have gone to the KHL.

I could never figure out why they wanted to sign a guy so badly they'd trade a draft pick for the rights to someone who was a healthy scratch for Nick Schultz. The same Nick Schultz Mactavish couldn't get rid of fast enough just a few months earlier because he figured was useless.

 

[oobga]

Nah, it doesn't, Nikitin was terrible in Columbus as well

If Mact and Howson hadn't come along, he probably would have gone to the KHL.

Yeah, they thought they were scoring a home run picking him up. Hidden gem that Columbus was using improperly.

 

[Bangers]

Meh. Defensively, Franson isn't an upgrade on anyone in our top 6

Oilers' D-men who are definitely better than Franson this season:
None

- probably better than Franson this season:
Sekera

- potentially better than Franson this season (but potentially worse as well):
Klefbom
Schultz

- potentially better than Franson, but unlikely this season:
Reinhart

- probably worse than Franson:
Gryba
Fayne

- flotsam to be jettisoned ASAP
Ference
Nikitin

Franson would be a top 4 defender on this team, and if he signed for what he did in Buffalo, signing him (and buying out the pilon formerly known as Nikita) would have cost exactly the same amount of cap space that waiving Nikitin will this year.