Confirmed with Link: Oilers Sign Tyson Barrie to a 1-year deal ($3.75M)

[Tobias Kahun]

The Oilers secondary scoring and scoring from the blue-line is night and day thanks to Tyson Barrie. Barrie vs Larsson isn't a debate in my head. It's been fait accompli that the Oilers will walk on Adam Larsson for years and I don't even expect they'll open up meaningful contract negotiations with him unless the Larsson camp comes in low or something.

Tyson Barrie is a player that the Oilers have starved for since the era of Lubomir Visnovsky and Sheldon Souray came to an end. They had a brief flash with Ryan Whitney and hope for Justin Schultz but nothing has landed until now.

Unsurprisingly they went from being one of the least effective offensive blue-lines to top-5 in the NHL. Their puck movement with Barrie/Nurse dumpsters on their puck movement with any other pairing.

It's disingenuous to look at his "only three goals". The Oilers feast cross seam. Barrie walking the line, jumping in, and moving pucks around at 97/29's level is worth a lot. He's an upgrade on Klefbom in the role and there's no reason to count your chickens on any Oiler, even Bouchard, "upgrading" that spot. Least of all at ES, where he's actually made the biggest difference offensively.

I would re-sign him. I'd move Bear before I just walked on him. And the talk about getting something for him? Absolutely idiotic. In the strongest terms I think that's a terrible idea. For Larsson too, actually. The assets you recoup are meaningless next to weakening the team ahead of a playoff campaign. This team needs to feel like it's advancing and pushing up to attract the players, both on the team and elsewhere, to win anything. The draft picks are nothing. Especially this year. In fact, trade their draft picks.

Its incredible that its a top 5 blue line in scoring with how poor our second and third pairing are.

Say's to how good that top pairing is.

 

[yukoner88]

Barrie is on the verge of going on a goal scoring streak. Lately He's been consistently launching bombs from the point and rocketing one timers. He's had some get deflected already which gives him assists instead of goals, but he'll soon start having more pop in off his stick. His shots sound heavy coming off his stick, almost like what Sheldon Souray use to be able to do

 

[Broberg Speed]

Nurse/Barrie is the best defensive pairing the Oilers have had in a very long time. If you want to keep Nurse happy start with signing Barrie.

 

[LTIR]

Nurse/Barrie is the best defensive pairing the Oilers have had in a very long time. If you want to keep Nurse happy start with signing Barrie.

Defensive?
Its best only because of Nurse. Flip Barrie with Bouchard, Larsson or even Russell and it will be upgraded defensively.
Offensively there is no question about it being the best.

 

[bucks_oil]

The Oilers secondary scoring and scoring from the blue-line is night and day thanks to Tyson Barrie. Barrie vs Larsson isn't a debate in my head. It's been fait accompli that the Oilers will walk on Adam Larsson for years and I don't even expect they'll open up meaningful contract negotiations with him unless the Larsson camp comes in low or something.

Tyson Barrie is a player that the Oilers have starved for since the era of Lubomir Visnovsky and Sheldon Souray came to an end. They had a brief flash with Ryan Whitney and hope for Justin Schultz but nothing has landed until now.

Unsurprisingly they went from being one of the least effective offensive blue-lines to top-5 in the NHL. Their puck movement with Barrie/Nurse dumpsters on their puck movement with any other pairing.

It's disingenuous to look at his "only three goals". The Oilers feast cross seam. Barrie walking the line, jumping in, and moving pucks around at 97/29's level is worth a lot. He's an upgrade on Klefbom in the role and there's no reason to count your chickens on any Oiler, even Bouchard, "upgrading" that spot. Least of all at ES, where he's actually made the biggest difference offensively.

I would re-sign him. I'd move Bear before I just walked on him. And the talk about getting something for him? Absolutely idiotic. In the strongest terms I think that's a terrible idea. For Larsson too, actually. The assets you recoup are meaningless next to weakening the team ahead of a playoff campaign. This team needs to feel like it's advancing and pushing up to attract the players, both on the team and elsewhere, to win anything. The draft picks are nothing. Especially this year. In fact, trade their draft picks.

Great post.

We need steps forward this year. We keep Barrie and add whatever we can at the deadline. Toronto can be taken down in a playoff series. A semi-final appearance would do wonders for the moral of our top talent. It must happen.

With Broberg, Bouchard and Samoroukov we should have some cheap refreshers coming on the blue line... but with time. Let them push the old guys out.

After that we know our forward depth is weak. I'd be spending assets at the deadline, in the summer in advance of expansion and via UFA to build it. This summer can be another step forward and test of Holland's abilities with cap space... each year gets a bit better, but we must take those steps before rot sets in with this core. Above all, we must protect that asset!

 

[Aerchon]

Nurse/Barrie is the best defensive pairing the Oilers have had in a very long time. If you want to keep Nurse happy start with signing Barrie.

As LTIR says. Barrie has been awesome offensively but still regularly gets turn styled or beat up in his own zone. Personally I'm impressed we are managing to utilize him so he is actually helping the team but most of that is being paired with Nurse

Defensive?
Its best only because of Nurse. Flip Barrie with Bouchard, Larsson or even Russell and it will be upgraded defensively.
Offensively there is no question about it being the best.

 

[Broberg Speed]

Defensive?
Its best only because of Nurse. Flip Barrie with Bouchard, Larsson or even Russell and it will be upgraded defensively.
Offensively there is no question about it being the best.

Moving the puck quickly and accurately is the best defense. Barrie's passes can forward the play two zones in an instant and other teams fear that. It becomes something the opposition has to defend against and it opens all kinds of other options. McDavid and Draisaitl are that much more dangerous with the passing options available when Barrie is on the ice. Barrie is so underrated it's criminal. Nurse's quantum leap in ability is due to the confidence gained by the extra second he has to play the puck. It's a entirely different game for Nurse now.

 

[Nostradumbass]

As LTIR says. Barrie has been awesome offensively but still regularly gets turn styled or beat up in his own zone. Personally I'm impressed we are managing to utilize him so he is actually helping the team but most of that is being paired with Nurse

Imagine how good we would be if we had Klefbom right now...

 

[Aceboogie]

Barrie has been solid. But taking 15 shot attempts when on the ice with Draisaitl and McDavid is not the most effective use of the puck. Shots from the point really arent that great of choice a lot of times. Most times they end of deflected and with a loss of possession. When you have two of the best puck possession players in the NHL, I think a better use of the puck is to give it to them and let them makes plays.

Not an overly major thing, but something I hope gets changed. The chances a puck goes in the net from a point shot are much, much lower than most other spots on the ice. Especially on the PP, Id rather take more time to set up and go for a high danger shot vs shooting from the point. Everytime we launach a bomb from the point and it ends of wide and going all the way around the boards and out of the zone is the same as McDavid holding on to the puck and the defender making a great takeaway and clearing the puck down the ice

 

[GOilers88]

Much like people think we should move on from RNH if he wants north of 6, I think we should move on from Barrie if he's looking for 5+ and anything more than a couple years.

I really think Bouchard will be able to replace what he brings offensively while really being no worse defensively. Would rather spend that money on a legit defenseman that is actually good defensively.

 

[Broberg Speed]

Imagine how good we would be if we had Klefbom right now...

We'd be grossly over the cap. We lucked into Barrie at the perfect time.

You never know, Klefbom could get the green light and theoretically be ready to go at sometime in the playoffs. Months of rest and recuperation. Chronic injuries and spontaneous recoveries is something to ponder.

 

[MessierII]

Much like people think we should move on from RNH if he wants north of 6, I think we should move on from Barrie if he's looking for 5+ and anything more than a couple years.

I really think Bouchard will be able to replace what he brings offensively while really being no worse defensively. Would rather spend that money on a legit defenseman that is actually good defensively.

Yeah I wish we had Barrie 3 years ago. Not is not the time to commit to him long term.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I also wonder since his skating isn't that great, what happens to his game when he inevitably loses a step?

 

[Nostradumbass]

We'd be grossly over the cap. We lucked into Barrie at the perfect time.

You never know, Klefbom could get the green light and theoretically be ready to go at sometime in the playoffs. Months of rest and recuperation. Chronic injuries and spontaneous recoveries is something to ponder.

AFAIK, he hasn't even made the decision to get the surgery yet. I believe he's still consulting with experts to see what can be done.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Barrie has been solid. But taking 15 shot attempts when on the ice with Draisaitl and McDavid is not the most effective use of the puck. Shots from the point really arent that great of choice a lot of times. Most times they end of deflected and with a loss of possession. When you have two of the best puck possession players in the NHL, I think a better use of the puck is to give it to them and let them makes plays.

Not an overly major thing, but something I hope gets changed. The chances a puck goes in the net from a point shot are much, much lower than most other spots on the ice. Especially on the PP, Id rather take more time to set up and go for a high danger shot vs shooting from the point. Everytime we launach a bomb from the point and it ends of wide and going all the way around the boards and out of the zone is the same as McDavid holding on to the puck and the defender making a great takeaway and clearing the puck down the ice

We complained for years about having no D that shoot the puck, now we’re complaining that he shoots too much when we find one?

 

[alphahelix]

We complained for years about having no D that shoot the puck, now we’re complaining that he shoots too much when we find one?

We could find loads of guys with 4% SH and coach them to shoot the puck as often as Barrie, just feed everything through them. Lots of guys would be happy to get paid millions to do that. Hell Larsson shoots like 8%. The problem is if the shooter isnt good enough it just wastes our PP minutes away. If you told Larsson he was the gunner and to fire away every chance he got with top PP time, he would have hundreds of shots just like Barrie. And probably more goals.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

We could find loads of guys with 4% SH and coach them to shoot the puck as often as Barrie, just feed everything through them. Lots of guys would be happy to get paid millions to do that. Hell Larsson shoots like 8%. The problem is if the shooter isnt good enough it just wastes our PP minutes away. If you told Larsson he was the gunner and to fire away every chance he got with top PP time, he would have hundreds of shots just like Barrie. And probably more goals.

Barrie has a much better shot than Larsson and it’s not really that close

 

[alphahelix]

Barrie has a much better shot than Larsson and it’s not really that close

Funny how he has 1 more goal in like a billion more shots and infinitely more power play time. Some guys make good decisions with the puck and some guys dont. If Barrie has a 1 on 1 wide open against an NHL goalie you can bank on the goalie every time. At least Nurse has a chance.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Funny how he has 1 more goal in like a billion more shots and infinitely more power play time. Some guys make good decisions with the puck and some guys dont. If Barrie has a 1 on 1 wide open against an NHL goalie you can bank on the goalie every time. At least Nurse has a chance.

This might be a surprise to you. But 1 on 1 with a goalie, it’s a safe bet to put your money on the goalie every time

Barrie also has twice the career shooting percentage of Larsson.

and now we’re saying Barrie doesn’t make good decisions offensively with the puck?

 

[FlameChampion]

Much like people think we should move on from RNH if he wants north of 6, I think we should move on from Barrie if he's looking for 5+ and anything more than a couple years.

I really think Bouchard will be able to replace what he brings offensively while really being no worse defensively. Would rather spend that money on a legit defenseman that is actually good defensively.

I agree. I would like to see Barrie return but I dont think its practical. 5 mil over 2-3 years would probably be fine. I dont think hes going to sign that contract unless theres literally no market for him unless he loves the team. I definitely wouldnt give him anything over 3 years (his skating and defense are way too suspect). I do think his salary should start with a 4 so anything starting with 5 would make me really nervous. I think Bouchard can provide similar offense with better defense, moving forward. I think we have to see how Bear finishes this year. We have to see what Larsson is demanding in terms of $/term. One of Bear, Barrie and Larrson are unlikely to be here next year.

 

[AddyTheWrath]

Barrie will cost too much for what he brings offensively (and what he doesn't bring defensively).

 

[Aceboogie]

We complained for years about having no D that shoot the puck, now we’re complaining that he shoots too much when we find one?

Well this is missing the argument completely. Its better to have a D with a good shot, and we should look for those guys (because we lacked them in the future). But on the flip side, there is a limit on the effectiveness of a shot from the point, and going to far to the other end of the scale and overshooting, leads to a worse outcome.

Would you be ok with McDavid and LD deferring mostly to Nurse and Barrie on the point and having them just take point shots all game? That wouldnt be an optimal outcome right? Thats a hyerpbolic example, but I think you can see the point that shots from the point are effective only to a certain degree. Barrie overshooting could actually be leading to worse outcomes, as we would be better suited with McDavid with the puck. Barrie overshooting was actually a noted issue in Toronto and Colorado

But in summary:

Barrie- good D, good to have a D with a goos shot
Barrie overshooting- potentially bad and should be looked at to mitigate any issues

 

[Paralyzer008]

I think we need to see Tyson Barrie in the playoffs before committing any money to him.

He seems to me like the opposite of a player who would thrive there. I think Sakic knew that.

There's good moments when he really utilizes skill, there's moments where it's flash and no substance and there are awful D effort moments. Considering the contract he'd take, this seems like a bonus now, a disaster later.

 

[ujju2]

Defensive?
Its best only because of Nurse. Flip Barrie with Bouchard, Larsson or even Russell and it will be upgraded defensively.
Offensively there is no question about it being the best.

Larsson sure, Russell, maybe, but Bouchard? No way. Top pairing Bouchard would be an absolute disaster. He needs to gain experience on the 3rd pairing and work his way up the next couple years before getting any top pairing looks. As it stands he has major defensive issues even in a third pair role. Let him develop.

 

[McShogun99]

Usually Dmen that put up points get paid. Some team will offer Barrie a ridiculous contract this summer.