Oilers claim Matt Fraser

[The Nuge]

None? All of them are waiver wire fodder.

Couldn't possibly disagree more. Roy and Arcobello have had good years.

 

[tiger_80]

Couldn't possibly disagree more. Roy and Arcobello have had good years.

Roy and Arcobello have been fine if you compare them with Fraser or Gazdic. Neither can't play a lick of defence, throw a hit or win a face-off and both have been scoring at below 0.5PPG. Roy has been good in the mentorship role for Yakupov, but if he's the No.2 centre at the start of next season, this team will be out of the play-offs race by Christmas time.

 

[guymez]

Roy and Arcobello have been fine if you compare them with Fraser or Gazdic. Neither can't play a lick of defence, throw a hit or win a face-off and both have been scoring at below 0.5PPG. Roy has been good in the mentorship role for Yakupov, but if he's the No.2 centre at the start of next season, this team will be out of the play-offs race by Christmas time.

I agree.
Roy is not a 2nd line centre on a decent team...too many deficiencies in his game. His experience was much needed this season only beacuse MacT screwed up royally with the lack of depth down the middle.
Roy might be a decent 3rd line centre if he has strong 2 way wingers which just so happen to be in very short supply on this team.
In any event I would much rather have Lander in the 3rd line centre role.

In the end signing Roy for cheap is fine but I would like to see the team try to improve on Roy even if they sign him.
He would be good insurance as a 13th forward IMO but thats about it.

 

[tiger_80]

I agree.
Roy is not a 2nd line centre on a decent team...too many deficiencies in his game. His experience was much needed this season only beacuse MacT screwed up royally with the lack of depth down the middle.
Roy might be a decent 3rd line centre if he has strong 2 way wingers which just so happen to be in very short supply on this team.
In any event I would much rather have Lander in the 3rd line centre role.

In the end signing Roy for cheap is fine but I would like to see the team try to improve on Roy even if they sign him.
He would be good insurance as a 13th forward IMO but thats about it.

I hope they sign Roy for 1 or 2 years on the cheap as an insurance and look for another centerman via trade or free agency. Maybe something can be worked around Marincin+a pick for Berlgund.
Then roll with:

Pouliot-RNH-Eberle
Hall-Berglund-Yakupov
Purcell/Roy-Lander-Pitlick
Hendricks-Gordon-Klinkhammer

 

[Samus44]

I'm glad he got a couple goals last night, but holy hell I didn't realize he hasn't had a single point since January. What did MacT see in this guy?

One shot scorer with a net presence, he's a very good AHL player. If he could skate at an NHL level he'd be a solid two way gritty winger, he just can't get where he needs to be and he isn't so big he can rely on puck protection.

I didn't mind the Fraser claim from having seen him in the AHL but i honestly would have claimed Paajarvi too. Drafted the same year as Lander and look at how he's just now breaking out.

 

[Master Lok]

I agree.
Roy is not a 2nd line centre on a decent team...too many deficiencies in his game.

"on a decent team"...

Well.... on a decent team, Justin Schultz wouldn't be a first pairing defenseman. Or even a second pairing defenseman. Or the powerplay quarterback. On a decent team.

A rookie like Oscar Klefbom wouldn't step into be a first pairing defenseman. On a decent team.

Ben Scrivens wouldn't have started eight of the last eleven games on a decent team.

A decent team wouldn't have a 21 year old centre as their first line centre, a guy who was waived through by the entire league (and it wasn't due to his contract) as their second line centre, a rookie (arguable) as their third line centre.

A decent team wouldn't even suggest that Nikita Nikitin would be in their top 4 defensemen next year after having such a terrible season this year.

So let's stop with the qualifier "on a decent team" because its meaningless on the Oilers.

 

[joestevens29]

One shot scorer with a net presence, he's a very good AHL player. If he could skate at an NHL level he'd be a solid two way gritty winger, he just can't get where he needs to be and he isn't so big he can rely on puck protection.

I didn't mind the Fraser claim from having seen him in the AHL but i honestly would have claimed Paajarvi too. Drafted the same year as Lander and look at how he's just now breaking out.

I still like the pickup regardless of whether or not Fraser ever plays another game for us. You need to give guys like him a chance, especially when you are a team that is weak at every area.

 

[Panda Bear]

I still like the pickup regardless of whether or not Fraser ever plays another game for us. You need to give guys like him a chance, especially when you are a team that is weak at every area.

I wonder how Serdachny feels about Fraser. If Fraser could make a leap on his skating this summer to become NHL average, is he worth having?

 

[Samus44]

I still like the pickup regardless of whether or not Fraser ever plays another game for us. You need to give guys like him a chance, especially when you are a team that is weak at every area.

I agree, he was worth the shot. Boston isn't a bad team to pick up scraps from.

 

[Samus44]

I wonder how Serdachny feels about Fraser. If Fraser could make a leap on his skating this summer to become NHL average, is he worth having?

One could make an argument that given his AHL talents and the fact that he is at least a fringe talent that he has value as a callup option/AHL vet, but it's also debatable that Ryan Hamilton is a pretty similar player already in that role. Fraser is going to be 25 next season, his skating probably isn't going to get much better.

 

[Aerchon]

Couldn't possibly disagree more. Roy and Arcobello have had good years.

Agree with you.

Roy is fighting for his career and has made a significant impact on this team. Is he our cup contending #2 or #3. No. Leon or someone else we draft/sign/trade for will end up being the upgrade in a year or two but until then he is a solid NHL vet who can HELP this team.

I am extremely curious how Arco would have done under Nelson. He is extremely new to the NHL and does have a solid two way game, wins face offs and has great stats across the board (take aways, hits, plus minus, as well as advanced stats as well). Can score in the NHL as his 21 markers to date proves. His points per game per minutes played is solid.

On any Eastern team either of these guys would be flourishing. Size/Western Conference brutality is what keep guys like this from being a great solution but they are solid stop gags until a solution presents itself.

EDIT: Since this is a Fraser thread I suppose I should add something about him.

Good size, not bad skills but agree his skating/hockey smarts put him too far behind the play to be an effective NHLer.

 

[joestevens29]

I wonder how Serdachny feels about Fraser. If Fraser could make a leap on his skating this summer to become NHL average, is he worth having?

One could make an argument that given his AHL talents and the fact that he is at least a fringe talent that he has value as a callup option/AHL vet, but it's also debatable that Ryan Hamilton is a pretty similar player already in that role. Fraser is going to be 25 next season, his skating probably isn't going to get much better.

I guess if they are similar then why not try keep the younger player who could still become a late bloomer?

 

[dustrock]

One could make an argument that given his AHL talents and the fact that he is at least a fringe talent that he has value as a callup option/AHL vet, but it's also debatable that Ryan Hamilton is a pretty similar player already in that role. Fraser is going to be 25 next season, his skating probably isn't going to get much better.

Fraser has something that Ryan Hamilton doesn't, and that's an NHL caliber shot.

He needs to work on his skating and then bang every game, but he could still have a career.

 

[Samus44]

Fraser has something that Ryan Hamilton doesn't, and that's an NHL caliber shot.

He needs to work on his skating and then bang every game, but he could still have a career.

Ryan Hamilton has better size, balance, board play and is better at getting in on the forecheck IMO. I do think Fraser has a chance still with his ability to score goals, but it's awfully tough to project at this point given his skating and inability to produce or be a factor now for 3 NHL teams.

 

[Samus44]

I guess if they are similar then why not try keep the younger player who could still become a late bloomer?

Because one is already signed... I'd take Fraser over Hamilton too, although i would suggest Hamilton has probably been better this season, but it's not that simple. Fraser could be a late bloomer, but he's had plenty of opportunity and the Oilers have too many players who need a looksie to be given bat after bat to a guy who's yet to make it happen.

 

[Faelko]

Couldn't possibly disagree more. Roy and Arcobello have had good years.

I think watching these terrible players year in and year out may be effecting your judgement.

They're awful which is why they play for awful teams. They would never make a good team and stick.

 

[Replacement*]

The "wouldn't be a player on a decent team" card gets played an awful lot. I can see around half a dozen players on the Flames that would be these supposed examples of "wouldn't be a player" that start looking an awful lot like players because they're playing on a good team.
This is what happens on teams that start to find it is the whole team starts rowing harder and often with individual players looking much better than they are. Suddenly you start getting huge contributions from everybody. Pisani's 14 goals in playoffs is textbook illustration.

Really I think its been so long since we've had a winner that people forget how winning clubs start to formulate.

What it takes is the better players leading the way and the rest following. We've rarely had the better players on this team rowing hard enough to get out of the basement. Last season Hall did.

 

[Samus44]

The "wouldn't be a player on a decent team" card gets played an awful lot. I can see around half a dozen players on the Flames that would be these supposed examples of "wouldn't be a player" that start looking an awful lot like players because they're playing on a good team.
This is what happens on teams that start to find it is the whole team starts rowing harder and often with individual players looking much better than they are. Suddenly you start getting huge contributions from everybody. Pisani's 14 goals in playoffs is textbook illustration.

Really I think its been so long since we've had a winner that people forget how winning clubs start to formulate.

What it takes is the better players leading the way and the rest following. We've rarely had the better players on this team rowing hard enough to get out of the basement. Last season Hall did.

I agree that the at this point the team has a solid amount of depth in many areas but not all of it can be placed on a few players or their effort. First off there is a lack of balance and ability on the top of the roster for C,D, and G positions. When you start with a poor coach, go from 2 to 1 bonafide top 4 D and a limited one at that (Fayne), and at times no reasonable options for 2nd or 3rd line center, things are going to be bad. And then on top of that you add the absolute worst goaltending in the NHL, what does anyone expect? In fairness to managment i think most thought the goaltending would be at least decent, but we all knew that the Center and Defense were set up to fail.

 

[Samus44]

I think watching these terrible players year in and year out may be effecting your judgement.

They're awful which is why they play for awful teams. They would never make a good team and stick.

Marc Arcobello i think ends up like Rich Peverley, he's still learning the NHL game and managed to be an occasional scoring threat without being a defensive liability. Wins faceoffs, plays special teams, can play any position. Teams can use utility players like that. It was just ridiculous that the Oilers expected him to break in as a center while getting the often mediocre wingers and a lack of shelter with Draisaitl also being here.

Roy has been up and down no doubt but it's expected that a player like that is going to have good nights, he used to be a ppg and he's still managed to be a guy that can score every second game now when given some ice time. He just got buried a bit in St.Louis and Nashville but it's not like he was useless. Roy's an NHLer, lets not get carried away. St.Louis and Nashville were just fine with him in the lineup and they were both stacked at center. Before that he was good in Vancouver and Dallas. And obviously in Buffalo he was a very good player with legit #1 C seasons. Basically at worst he's been competent everywhere he's went.

 

[Replacement*]

I agree that the at this point the team has a solid amount of depth in many areas but not all of it can be placed on a few players or their effort. First off there is a lack of balance and ability on the top of the roster for C,D, and G positions. When you start with a poor coach, go from 2 to 1 bonafide top 4 D and a limited one at that (Fayne), and at times no reasonable options for 2nd or 3rd line center, things are going to be bad. And then on top of that you add the absolute worst goaltending in the NHL, what does anyone expect? In fairness to managment i think most thought the goaltending would be at least decent, but we all knew that the Center and Defense were set up to fail.

It was just an academic point I was making.

Yeah, under Eakins nobody expected this club to compete.

But I think what gets overlooked is how the player changes don't need to be monumental, they just need to be right fit. The Oilers needed for instance a Veteran Center. Roy filled in to the best of his ability and was acquired easily. This actually resulted in the club getting production from another line. The line still leaked GA but was at least rowing at this point.

As for D the need here is two D that will at least clear traffic. They don't need to be outstanding D but just guys with a chip on shoulder that will get physical all the time. Guys like that don't have to have huge skillsets, just huge compete level. The Gator types. 1, 2 of those guys would also cure what we are seeing in goaltending.

What doesn't get noted here is that goalies tend to just give up here with the way the club plays in front of them. People always point out the other thing that the players are giving up, which I find ironic, but its the goalies of a team with a goal differential like this one and a D like this one that have more reason to be giving up. I don't mean it literally either its just that getting shellshocked every game takes you out of your game.

Last night for instance Brossoit stops 50 pucks. Last year it was Scrivens doing this. Its untenable, for anybody. Each goalie in his own terms soon learns there no hope and that often times playing out of your head just results in the club in front of you taking more liberties. To a degree that we saw a goalie like Fasth literally screaming at the players on this bench. Which Hiller would be doing by now as well.

 

[guymez]

"on a decent team"...

Well.... on a decent team, Justin Schultz wouldn't be a first pairing defenseman. Or even a second pairing defenseman. Or the powerplay quarterback. On a decent team.

A rookie like Oscar Klefbom wouldn't step into be a first pairing defenseman. On a decent team.

Ben Scrivens wouldn't have started eight of the last eleven games on a decent team.

A decent team wouldn't have a 21 year old centre as their first line centre, a guy who was waived through by the entire league (and it wasn't due to his contract) as their second line centre, a rookie (arguable) as their third line centre.

A decent team wouldn't even suggest that Nikita Nikitin would be in their top 4 defensemen next year after having such a terrible season this year.

So let's stop with the qualifier "on a decent team" because its meaningless on the Oilers.

So are you suggesting that we just give into the suck and learn to live with it?