OEL being mentioned on main boards as Norris candidate

[Vinny Boombatz]

I was hoping that OEL would fly under the radar for one more year so that his next contract can be some type of 'bridge' contract to get him for 3 years for $3.5-4m per, but it seems now that the jig is up and his next contract will be north of $5m.

If it's north of $5m, then I want 8 years $44m, some type of scaler from $3.5m to $6.5m at it's peak

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[hbk]

I was hoping that OEL would fly under the radar for one more year so that his next contract can be some type of 'bridge' contract to get him for 3 years for $3.5-4m per, but it seems now that the jig is up and his next contract will be north of $5m.

If it's north of $5m, then I want 8 years $44m, some type of scaler from $3.5m to $6.5m at it's peak

NHL may be trying for the bridge deal but OEL is worth giving the long-term big money deal. Depends what the agent wants to do.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

Now, what can GMDM do to protect OEL from an offer sheet?

 

[hbk]

Now, what can GMDM do to protect OEL from an offer sheet?

Expiring UFA contacts at season's end frees up nearly $12 million in actual $ savings but we do need to ice a competitive team and require someone to play goal.

Other RFA's like Korpikovski can be passed on as well (saves nearly $2 million) and there are several AHL players that we don't need to rush to re-sign; and certainly not at a one way ticket.

We can also move some very good assets like Klesla which saves us another $3 million.

We have the capabilities to match any offer sheet but this requires Maloney to work his UFA magic and not overpaying to fill some of the holes.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

GMDM if he can't get OEL under contract can just take OEL to salary arbitration, which will avoid letting other teams submit offer sheets.

"had to go back and reread current CBA"

 

[hbk]

GMDM if he can't get OEL under contract can just take OEL to salary arbitration, which will avoid letting other teams submit offer sheets.

"had to go back and reread current CBA"

Very good point and we will likely do that with both Boedker and OEL.

Actually this is awesome. We are in no hurry to make any moves. None at all.

 

[Summer Rose]

OEL is worth just about anything if you ask me.

 

[MP]

OEL is worth just about anything if you ask me.

Agreed. Speaking purely in terms of performance, OEL is the only player on the roster who is truly irreplaceable. If DM loses him for any reason, it would be insufficient merely to fire him and leave it at that. I would look into having him committed. Anything less would be a dereliction of our moral duty to the mentally disadvantaged.

 

[hbk]

Agreed. Speaking purely in terms of performance, OEL is the only player on the roster who is truly irreplaceable. If DM loses him for any reason, merely firing him and leaving it at that would be insufficient. I would look into having him committed. Anything less would be a dereliction of our moral duty to the mentally disadvantaged.

Agreed but Maloney has done very well to prevent this organization to not be in salary cap hell next year. We're in a very very good position. Hell he even got a UFA Doan to take a front-loaded deal that was $2 million+ under what other teams were asking going into what we all knew was going to be a half season with a lockout.

 

[pacerhimself]

The only way I see OEL leaving is if he decides that the team is not competitive. We've seen how he plays and he never quits or gives half efforts. Then again he may not be that type of person and decides to loyalty over a huge pay cheque.

 

[KG]

It's hard to gauge that without being in the room. OEL barely ever speaks so it's pretty had to get any sort of read- Bods speaks a bit more and he seems pretty down-to-earth so I'm inclined to think he would resign.

 

[pacerhimself]

It's hard to gauge that without being in the room. OEL barely ever speaks so it's pretty had to get any sort of read- Bods speaks a bit more and he seems pretty down-to-earth so I'm inclined to think he would resign.

Re-sign lol. OEL just seems like all business from whistle to horn so it's just a feeling I had that he wants nothing more than to win at all times.

 

[Gwyddbwyll]

Remember OEL badly wanted to go back and play for his former hometown team during the lockout. That team is not in the top tier, the SEL but the Allsvenskan which also means it's not well paid by his standards. He seems like the kind of guy who wants to win for *his* team and that's part of what makes him successful. What happens on the ice is more important than what happens off it (which certainly wasnt the case for the likes of Mueller and Turris).

However his agent will be all business and will have just as much influence on the outcome as OEL himself. GMDM is all business too and it'll be fine if both sides remember that.

 

[XX]

It's hard to gauge that without being in the room. OEL barely ever speaks so it's pretty had to get any sort of read- Bods speaks a bit more and he seems pretty down-to-earth so I'm inclined to think he would resign.

Boeds is just happy to be in the NHL. I remember him very seriously saying that he had to go out and earn his contract after Maloney signed him. I don't pretend to know OEL all that well but he strikes me as the type that would take 8 years $40 million without hardlining much. Hockey seems to be his #1 priority.

 

[Jakey53]

Remember OEL badly wanted to go back and play for his former hometown team during the lockout. That team is not in the top tier, the SEL but the Allsvenskan which also means it's not well paid by his standards. He seems like the kind of guy who wants to win for *his* team and that's part of what makes him successful. What happens on the ice is more important than what happens off it (which certainly wasnt the case for the likes of Mueller and Turris).

However his agent will be all business and will have just as much influence on the outcome as OEL himself. GMDM is all business too and it'll be fine if both sides remember that.

Thats the problem in sports, its those freaking agents.

 

[BUX7PHX]

Couldn't arbitration work out in a huge negative for us, though? I'm willing to say that if we went to arbitration, OEL could be in line for a contract that would give some serious pause, if it goes to that step. He's the one that I would be worried about, simply, because he will get generous offers if made available to other teams. All depends on if we can get somewhere close to the arbiter value in our offers, as that sets the market.

That being said, since we rarely go to arbitration, we do have that safety net. Plus, I'd imagine that we start to look to fill some roles with players from drafts past. Brown got his day of work. Didn't look out of place. Samuelsson could bypass the AHL, for all we know. He would be my bet to somehow make the team out of training camp next year. Those two and maybe we make another 2-way signing to fill out 2-3 spots on the 3rd/4th lines.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

Brown will be ready to fill in on the 4th line, but Sammy is going to need at least 2 more years minimum. He's gonna have to improve his skating, we want him to tally 100 pts next year with Oil Kings and get some exposure at World Juniors.

He absolutely has the body, but if he can improve his skating, he's got a chance to slot somewhere in the top 6, sorta of the future replacement for Doan.

With us having many RFA, UFA's this summer, I'm expecting a lot of turnover as many of the players won't like the ownership turmoil and decide to go to another destination so they can pick where they will be playing.

UFA's: Lombardi, Sullivan, Torres, Gordon, Johnson, Chipchura, Smith, Labarbera
RFA's: Korpi, Boedker, OEL, Stone

This has the potential to be a serious turnover of players.

 

[hbk]

Couldn't arbitration work out in a huge negative for us, though? I'm willing to say that if we went to arbitration, OEL could be in line for a contract that would give some serious pause, if it goes to that step. He's the one that I would be worried about, simply, because he will get generous offers if made available to other teams. All depends on if we can get somewhere close to the arbiter value in our offers, as that sets the market.

That being said, since we rarely go to arbitration, we do have that safety net. Plus, I'd imagine that we start to look to fill some roles with players from drafts past. Brown got his day of work. Didn't look out of place. Samuelsson could bypass the AHL, for all we know. He would be my bet to somehow make the team out of training camp next year. Those two and maybe we make another 2-way signing to fill out 2-3 spots on the 3rd/4th lines.

Arbitration just gives us leverage and prevents other teams from the offer sheet. It's actually a fairly easy negotiation in theory. Main issue will be years but with NHL owning team I can't see them not demanding the bridge deal. With Subban and MDZ's deals its easy to see where things should lay out.

Samuelsson needs time at the AHL level. Heck I think he's eligible for another year in the CHL. I wouldn't rush him. Brown needs to improve his puck skills. I like him but we should try to buy him another half season of development time at the very least.

 

[Sinurgy]

Thats the problem in sports, its those freaking agents.

Well in all fairness those greedy agents exist because of greedy owners. If everyone would just be decent with each other this wouldn't happen but unfortunately that just doesn't happen. Once someone is firmly in the drivers seat the power goes straight to their ****ing heads! It's just like corporations and unions.

 

[mouser]

Thats the problem in sports, its those freaking agents.

Well in all fairness those greedy agents exist because of greedy owners. If everyone would just be decent with each other this wouldn't happen but unfortunately that just doesn't happen. Once someone is firmly in the drivers seat the power goes straight to their ****ing heads! It's just like corporations and unions.

Sports is a business. Whether you're a player or an owner you're looking out for yourself first and foremost.

 

[Shepard]

OEL is also getting some love on NHL.com, where they have him as a finalist (Chara is their current leader though).

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=659466&navid=DL|NHL|home

I also thought this stat was interesting:

Ekman-Larsson has been on the ice for 26 Coyotes goals at even strength, which was the most of any player in the NHL at the end of the games Friday.

 

[Sinurgy]

Sports is a business. Whether you're a player or an owner you're looking out for yourself first and foremost.

Exactly, and that's the problem, the mentality that because it's "business" it's ok to **** each other over.

 

[zz]

Exactly, and that's the problem, the mentality that because it's "business" it's ok to **** each other over.

I don't know, wouldn't you say it's the same thing in any business out there? I mean, creating a true corporate culture of employer / employee loyalty is extremely difficult. In the end it's always about performance, revenue and profits. That's the bottom line.

In order to build loyalty and not end up with only B and C performers, you need to offer something in return; in the real world this means benefits, career paths, promotions, profit sharing, off-site activities and such; primarily though, it's about the hope that long-term, things will stay good or will get even better.

We don't have any of that to offer here. There's no real expectation of a championship. We can't pay top dollar. And we have no idea whether we'll be around a couple years from now. I can't blame players for looking into free agency. I'd do the exact same thing.

Actually, I might open a poll asking the following question: who on this board ever accepted a meaningful pay cut out of loyalty for their employer, when a better paying gig was available elsewhere? My guess is there's a lot of hard blowing around here.

 

[zz]

Did you ever take a pay cut out of loyalty to your employer?

Just wondering how many people have been in this situation. Hockey players' contract decisions are not that different from any employment negotiation, it's just a lot more money than we're used to.

I know I have, a couple of times. Once I quit a good job with a good, honest employer to take a 30% pay increase; recently I took a 25% pay cut, but only because it's my business and I'm a major shareholder.

 

[Summer Rose]

I voted the first option, in the sense that I've declined to seek new employment for more money, though I haven't had an actual job offer (but I have shopped around).