Confirmed with Link: Oilers sign Mark Fayne (4-Years, $3.625M per)

[Roof Daddy]

Marincin might be able to handle it but I rather for him to keep developing on the second pairing where he doesn't seem out of place.

Nikitin Fayne for top minutes
Marincin Petry for second pairing
Ference Schultz for bottom pairing with Schultz getting prime pp time

Barring any future transactions, this is how I see it playing out as well. It will be the best D we've had since Souray and Vis were here.

I'm not about to rosterbate over it, but the overall solidness of this group may mean we are making our way out of the bottom 10 teams defensively. If our offence can be top 10 (not out of the question considering the talent), maybe we can still be in the conversation for a playoff spot around trade deadline?

 

[Mikos87]

Saw him play with the Devils quite a bit. Great contract for him, and he's a guy that eats tough minutes.

His nerd stats however are byproduct of the Devils best defenseman in Andy Greene. With that said Fayne is a rock of a defenseman. No frills, meat and potatoes defender that plays a calm steady mistake free game.

Very underrated player, and one of the reasons why Larsson never cracked the Devils top 6 in 3 years. Fayne handled those hard minutes better than any Devils defenseman while Zidlicky took over the PP. Was a rock in their run to the finals two years ago. Very good at taking away options, limiting time and space.

Stick work is great, smart positionally, and plays the body like a defenseman should. Very limited offensively, more of a chip and clear type of player. Blocks shots, clears rebounds, and can legitimately handle top line forwards.

Needs a very effective LD to move the puck. Andrew Ference isn't going to cut it.

 

[Eirhead*]

Barring any future transactions, this is how I see it playing out as well. It will be the best D we've had since Souray and Vis were here.

I'm not about to rosterbate over it, but the overall solidness of this group may mean we are making our way out of the bottom 10 teams defensively. If our offence can be top 10 (not out of the question considering the talent), maybe we can still be in the conversation for a playoff spot around trade deadline?

I think you make a very reasonable case. I hope Oilers surprise the skeptics.

 

[guymez]

Barring any future transactions, this is how I see it playing out as well. It will be the best D we've had since Souray and Vis were here.

I'm not about to rosterbate over it, but the overall solidness of this group may mean we are making our way out of the bottom 10 teams defensively. If our offence can be top 10 (not out of the question considering the talent), maybe we can still be in the conversation for a playoff spot around trade deadline?

The Oilers D last season was comprised of...

Ference
N. Schultz
J. Schultz
Belov
Petry
Marincin
Smid and Fraser.

As it stands right now....

Nikitin
Fayne
Ference
J. Schultz
Petry
Marincin and Aulie.

Aulie is an upgrade over Fraser IMO and Aulie is younger.

Nikitin is a big upgrade over Smid...they are basically the same age but Nikitin is approaching the games played where his game should improve and he already moves the puck better than Smid.

Fayne is a big upgrade over N Scultz and he is much younger.

Belov is addition by subtraction.

This is a much improved defence on paper and I am not even factoring in the added experience and likely improvement of Marinicin and Justin Schultz. Its very reasonable to suggest it should be more successful on the ice.

 

[Aceboogie]

Fayne has some very good underlying numbers, but even more impressive when you consider he was playing top pairing comp in New Jersey

Fayne’s played in the Eastern Conference for his entire career, but even so his most frequent 25 opponents feature some of the game’s biggest names. Fayne’s been on the ice against John Tavares more than against any other player in the league. Claude Giroux ranks third, Eric Staal fourth. Other notables include James Neal, Martin St. Louis, Steven Stamkos, Alex Ovechkin, Phil Kessel, Evgeni Malkin, Marian Gaborik and Tyler Seguin.