Rumor: Oilers talking to Kris Russell

[LMFAO]

Klefbom - Larsson
Russel - Sekera
Nurse - Davidson
Fayne

 

[Snakepit]

Great add for them, they need a veteran D presence on their team. Won't be the difference maker they need on the blueline but definitely shores up the bottom half of it.

 

[chubeyr]

Hope the Oilers dont sign Russell, as a flames fan! He makes them better period. Definitely not a first pairing dman, one could argue a 2nd pairing dman. Really good third pairing dman. Also pretty reliable when injuries happen moving up in the lineup for a limited time.

I dont want Russell back on the flames this year. Next year though once Wideman Engelland and Smid are off the team I would definitely consider it.

 

[McHaNugYakEbNurDra]

The worst one was the Reinhart trade. There were 2 guys who were top 10 talents that had dropped (thanks to Boston going off the board 3 picks in a row), and we passed on them to acquire a low ceiling LHD (our greatest area of strength in the prospect pool). It would have made way more sense to take Barzal/Connor at that spot (and this is not hindsight, I was ecstatic watching them drop to our pick). We didn't get a guy that helped us right away, and we didn't address an area of weakness. It was a bad deal.

I know I am in the minority among Oiler fans, and also among non-Oiler fans, but I liked the Reinhart trade at the time, and still like it today.

 

[belair]

I know I am in the minority among Oiler fans, and also among non-Oiler fans, but I liked the Reinhart trade at the time, and still like it today.

Yup.

'Low-ceiling' is far from what he is to the organization.

Unprepared? Sure. But his ceiling is right where it was when he was drafted.

Not all defensemen develop overnight.

 

[McWeber]

I know I am in the minority among Oiler fans, and also among non-Oiler fans, but I liked the Reinhart trade at the time, and still like it today.

Yeah, he hasn't come on as soon as one would like but it seemed like a gamble worth taking.

 

[Homesick]

Yup.

'Low-ceiling' is far from what he is to the organization.

Unprepared? Sure. But his ceiling is right where it was when he was drafted.

Not all defensemen develop overnight.

I didnt think much of him as an Oil King and he shouldn't have went in the top 10(less physical Luke Schenn)

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

A 1 year $3 million deal would be a fair offer for Kris Russell. I can't see any team offering him a 1 year $4 million or $5 million deal at least not at this stage of getting close to the NHL season.

 

[voxel]

Klefbom - Larsson
Russel - Sekera
Nurse - Davidson
Fayne

Barf. If Nurse or Reinhart are playing in the NHL this season then the Oilers are not serious about competing (gifting minutes to kids again).

Russell is not an answer to any of the Oilers problems.

 

[Homesick]

Barf. If Nurse or Reinhart are playing in the NHL this season then the Oilers are not serious about competing (gifting minutes to kids again).

Russell is not an answer to any of the Oilers problems.

I think Gryba signing a PTO is a sign that the Oilers have moved on from Russell. I'd like the Oilers to offer Jakub Nakladal a PTO as well

 

[DJJones]

I think Gryba signing a PTO is a sign that the Oilers have moved on from Russell. I'd like the Oilers to offer Jakub Nakladal a PTO as well

Don't even joke about taking Nakladal. Brad will find room for him on Calgary. Still hope he has something coming.

 

[Menzinger]

What has Chia done to show he's incompetent at his job exactly?

The Oilers team going into this season should be much improved over what it was last season.

Wasted picks in the trade for Reinhart.

Traded one of the top wingers in the league for only a top four defensemen.

And signed Lucic to a deal that he'll have to buy out in like four seasons.

I think the Oilers will be an improved team - but that's due to McDavid's step forward in his development and him staying healthy.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Wasted picks in the trade for Reinhart.

Traded one of the top wingers in the league for only a top four defensemen.

And signed Lucic to a deal that he'll have to buy out in like four seasons.

I think the Oilers will be an improved team - but that's due to McDavid's step forward in his development and him staying healthy.

You think Lucic will be done when he is 32? And if you think Larsson is only a top 4, I think you should talk to some New Jersey fans about him. I can't wait to see him in Oiler colours, if he is as good as NJ fans say, then we got a very underrated defenseman who is at worst a #2.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Barf. If Nurse or Reinhart are playing in the NHL this season then the Oilers are not serious about competing (gifting minutes to kids again).

Russell is not an answer to any of the Oilers problems.

Nurse was fine last year until he had to move up and play higher in the lineup than he should be. I would prefer him in the AHL for another partial year at least too, but lets not pretend that he was awful last year. Reinhart was okay to finish off the year as well, but again, start him in the AHL.

 

[belair]

I didnt think much of him as an Oil King and he shouldn't have went in the top 10(less physical Luke Schenn)

The guy that drafted him in junior and the team that employs him thinks differently.

 

[Homesick]

Wasted picks in the trade for Reinhart.

Traded one of the top wingers in the league for only a top four defensemen.

And signed Lucic to a deal that he'll have to buy out in like four seasons.

I think the Oilers will be an improved team - but that's due to McDavid's step forward in his development and him staying healthy.

You might want to wait until Barzal plays a game in the NHL before calling that a wasted trade(admittedly I've never been a fan of G.Reinhart)
Kadri has a bigger chance of being bought out than a healthier/bigger/more talented Lucic
Larsson is a #2 defenseman and most of the leagues fans believe so in a recent poll

In: Lucic, Larsson, Versteeg, Maroon, Kassian, Gryba
Out: Hall, Nikitin, Korpikoski, Scrivens

Oh, and the Oilers still lots of cap space

 

[Homesick]

The guy that drafted him in junior and the team that employs him thinks differently.

Yea because they haven't been slightly biased towards Oil Kings(among many others) that have failed before. I'm not writing him off yet since defensemen do take longer to develop and Barzal hasnt even played an NHL game yet

 

[Skobel24]

You think Lucic will be done when he is 32? And if you think Larsson is only a top 4, I think you should talk to some New Jersey fans about him. I can't wait to see him in Oiler colours, if he is as good as NJ fans say, then we got a very underrated defenseman who is at worst a #2.

Agreed. Larsson is a good #1. I do think Lucic will decline a bit in his early 30's due to his playstyle, but who knows. Either way, it was a good signing for the Oilers.

 

[SupremeTeam16]

Wasted picks in the trade for Reinhart.

Traded one of the top wingers in the league for only a top four defensemen.

And signed Lucic to a deal that he'll have to buy out in like four seasons.

I think the Oilers will be an improved team - but that's due to McDavid's step forward in his development and him staying healthy.

And if he didn't do any of those things. People would sit there and say he is just collecting draft picks instead of using them to improve the team. He failed to upgrade the defence in another off season. He failed to address Edmonton's need for different style of players up front.

Are all the moves going to work out? I doubt it but at least he's being proactive, he took a shot on Reinhart as a player who's closer to being NHL ready then what he was going to get with 16+32. Losing Hall sucks but I'd rather have a #2 Dman on a nice long term deal.

Everyone thinks they know what's best and what should be done or should have been done but honestly we can't know because we don't know the variables like what is actually available, how each GM actually values individual players, GM/team relationships.

 

[THall4]

I think Gryba signing a PTO is a sign that the Oilers have moved on from Russell. I'd like the Oilers to offer Jakub Nakladal a PTO as well

I don't think so.

I think that PC and TM would prefer Nurse to play in the AHL.

Klef/Larsson
Davidson/Sekera
Russell/Fayne

Gryba/Oesterle/Musil

 

[Mr Positive]

I know I am in the minority among Oiler fans, and also among non-Oiler fans, but I liked the Reinhart trade at the time, and still like it today.

people put too much value in picks. Just like when people say why not trade a 1st overall for top pairing D, there's a lot of imagined value with the hype of picks that's just not in reality.

Reinhart will be a very good Dman for us down the road, which is plenty considering that it is common for mid first picks not to be impact NHLers at all. Not to mention that we would have probably taken a D at that range, so someone like Chabot (not Barzal or Connor). At that point, we might as well just take Reinhart since he's further along in development.

 

[nzoilerfan]

Looks like Gryba is going to be with EDM on a PTO, with reportedly one team still looking at sorting out a contract for him.

I like Gryba, he's a good 6th guy who can play a hard 12-15 ES minutes plus plenty of PK time. Plus I'd rather have him riding the pine as a 7th guy than a young D like Oesterle or Musil.

Hopefully this doesn't rule out Russel though.

Kelfbom - Larsson
Davidson - Sekera
Russel - Fayne
Gryba

Callups: Nurse, Reinhart, Oesterle, Musil

Still missing a 2nd pairing offensive RHD but that's a serviceable NHL D, Especially if all three of our top C's are firing. Fayne is the only really inept puck mover there, everyone else can move it out the zone relatively well.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Agreed. Larsson is a good #1. I do think Lucic will decline a bit in his early 30's due to his playstyle, but who knows. Either way, it was a good signing for the Oilers.

IMO Lucic is a lot like Byfuglien in that they are big guys and they are exceptions to the rule. Winnipeg and Edmonton both bet heavily on these guys being impact players into their mid 30's. Lucic is supposedly very fitness oriented so that may help him age well despite his play style.

 

[ujju2]

I'd much rather have Pouliot in the lineup than Versteeg. I also think that Pulju will outplay Versteeg, but we'll see what happens. I know that some of my fellow Oiler fans are gun shy on playing guys directly out of the draft because there's a stigma that we "rush" players, but not all players are created equal. Pulju is as NHL ready as it gets - skating, hockey IQ, size and strength, shot. Todd McLellan will provide him with better coaching than he'd receive in the AHL

If Versteeg outplays Pulju, fine, I just don't see it happening. I want the best players making the team.

I see Versteeg being better value than Pouliot. Not better, but better value. Helps us sign Drai and McD soon.

 

[LMFAO]

Looks like Gryba is going to be with EDM on a PTO, with reportedly one team still looking at sorting out a contract for him.

I like Gryba, he's a good 6th guy who can play a hard 12-15 ES minutes plus plenty of PK time. Plus I'd rather have him riding the pine as a 7th guy than a young D like Oesterle or Musil.

Hopefully this doesn't rule out Russel though.

Kelfbom - Larsson
Davidson - Sekera
Russel - Fayne
Gryba

Callups: Nurse, Reinhart, Oesterle, Musil

Still missing a 2nd pairing offensive RHD but that's a serviceable NHL D, Especially if all three of our top C's are firing. Fayne is the only really inept puck mover there, everyone else can move it out the zone relatively well.

And that's one of the softest defense in the league and that's why Nurse will be on the roster opening night