News Article: Oilers the oldest team in the league

[Lay Z Boy GM]

I don’t mind extra vets bumping up the average age, I want some vets when we’re supposed to be contending.

But this will need to change if we intend to keep McDrai. We need to lead the charge on scouting college and overseas players, like today. Pittsburgh got Rust and maybe a couple other guys this way. if you’re trading picks year after year you need top tier scouts to fill the pipeline.

 

[Broberg Speed]

I'll keep beating this drum, but it wouldn't shock me to see them move on from Kane in the offseason, too. Turning 33 in October, I could see them trying to avoid the inevitable downturn in productivity.

Who replaces his toughness? Nobody in the organization is even close.

 

[alanschu]

Haha yep the NHL makes me feel old.

I was sad when Jumbo Joe retired as it meant I was now older than every NHL player XD

 

[Oilhawks]

Jeezus, based on the bolded, I think I'd better check me and the Missus into a home.

 

[Mav3rick07]

Bouchard, Holloway, McDavid, Draisaitl, Broberg, Skinner and McLeod are relatively young players and are all important pieces moving forward. I'm not too worried.

 

[Broberg Speed]

Bouchard, Holloway, McDavid, Draisaitl, Broberg, Skinner and McLeod are relatively young players and are all important pieces moving forward. I'm not too worried.

Holloway, Broberg and even McLeod are young but they haven't proven much to me.

 

[Mr Positive]

Bouchard, Holloway, McDavid, Draisaitl, Broberg, Skinner and McLeod are relatively young players and are all important pieces moving forward. I'm not too worried.

Exactly. It's the surrounding cast that is aging

That is a concern. Sure it's not a problem for Ryan, Gags and Perry as they are on short term deals and on the way out, probably just in time for someone like Bourgault or Lavoie to step up.

The real issue is Hyman, Nuge, Kane. Forwards age the fastest and we have term on them. But, this isn't too bad yet. They still play well.

The age issue won't be even an issue that's on the table until a couple years from now

 

[belair]

Who replaces his toughness? Nobody in the organization is even close.

We just picked up a guy who fought Mathieu Olivier as a throw in. I think the toughness factor, while it's still a factor, is often overstated.

There's also the valid question when it comes to his goal production. But we're seeing in real time how he's having a tough time finding a role.

I think the Oilers look to open market next season and hope for a little more flexibility.

 

[Broberg Speed]

We just picked up a guy who fought Mathieu Olivier as a throw in. I think the toughness factor, while it's still a factor, is often overstated.

There's also the valid question when it comes to his goal production. But we're seeing in real time how he's having a tough time finding a role.

I think the Oilers look to open market next season and hope for a little more flexibility.

Carrick is a 4th liner who fought in a staged fight. I like Carrick just fine, I have time for that type of player all day.

I've seen Kane hit, I mean really hit the top defencemen in this league time and time again. I don't know if there is another power forward that has had as much effect as Kane.

How can you measure that. All I know is after Kane hits a defenseman, that defenseman is less effective for his team for the rest of the game. I've seen this multiple times this season.

Kane will score 25-30 goals this year. He already has 21 and that's splitting the season between the 2nd and third line.

That's impact.

 

[brentashton]

Exactly. It's the surrounding cast that is aging

That is a concern. Sure it's not a problem for Ryan, Gags and Perry as they are on short term deals and on the way out, probably just in time for someone like Bourgault or Lavoie to step up.

The real issue is Hyman, Nuge, Kane. Forwards age the fastest and we have term on them. But, this isn't too bad yet. They still play well.

The age issue won't be even an issue that's on the table until a couple years from now

Nuge is 12 going on 15 with his facial hair. He’s young.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Corey Perry and Derek Ryan really prop up the average haha

 

[Ritchie Valens]

Jeezus, based on the bolded, I think I'd better check me and the Missus into a home.

In all seriousness, it’s amazing how the pro sports world bastardizes age or how we view or define people as old. When an athlete retires at 35, everyone is amazed how much of a geezer he is, meanwhile most people are still about 20 years from real-job retirement.

Nuge is 12 going on 15 with his facial hair. He’s young.

Nuge when asked how many times a week he shaves:

Corey Perry and Derek Ryan really prop up the average haha

Imagine if Smith was still on the team.

 

[brentashton]

In all seriousness, it’s amazing how the pro sports world bastardizes age or how we view or define people as old. When an athlete retires at 35, everyone is amazed how much of a geezer he is, meanwhile most people are still about 20 years from real-job retirement.


Nuge when asked how many times a week he shaves:




Imagine if Smith was still on the team.

I’m hanging out with people who are 15-20 years older than me, in their 80s (my parents age) and I honestly struggle some nights to keep up. They are prodigious partiers.

It’s a lifestyle.

 

[Kerberos]

In all seriousness, it’s amazing how the pro sports world bastardizes age or how we view or define people as old. When an athlete retires at 35, everyone is amazed how much of a geezer he is, meanwhile most people are still about 20 years from real-job retirement.

Viewed with-in the context of athletic capability, it makes perfect sense. Biologically competing against people half your age puts you at a massive disadvantage. 30, hell, 40 isn't "old" physically speaking in a vacuum obviously. But of course the stress accumulated on a body is exponentially greater for a professional athlete at 30 or 35 compared to a regular person as well.

Outside of professional athletic competion a lot of people seem to increasingly be in better shape, physically speaking, in their 30's than in their 20's these days I've noticed however. Metabolism slowing down sucks although some people win the genetic lottery there too... so unfair.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

I’m hanging out with people who are 15-20 years older than me, in their 80s (my parents age) and I honestly struggle some nights to keep up. They are prodigious partiers.

It’s a lifestyle.

Is this them?



I love old Jive dancing but I wasn’t born with any feet let alone two left ones to dance with but these two are amazing.

 

[tiger_80]

Given we have near zero in terms of prospects rising thanks to league worst drafting and development over the past decade, being this old is concerning at this stage of McDavids career.

Not a lot in the system to replace players who age out and we already look slow out there too often.

Thoughts?

It's a bit misleading. The Oilers do not have many old players (Perry, Ryan, Henrique maybe). They just have the bulk of the players clustering in the 27-32 range, with very few in their early 20s (Bouchard and Holloway basically). It is much worse when your best players are on the wrong side of the 30s (See Washington and Pittsburgh).

 

[McJadeddog]

For better or worse, I would guess at least Broberg and Holloway are on the NHL roster next year. Perhaps Lavoie too, although management seems to not want to give him a shot.

Doubt Perry will be back, Campbell bought out, Ryan the 13th FWD. Foegle will likely price his way out.

Yeah I think all three of those players are on the team for next year, likely for the entire year in fact. Broberg and Holloway both have roughly 80 GP in the NHL over the past few years and another 50-70 AHL GP over that same time span. So they aren't going to be raw-rookies by any stretch. Lavoie is likely the only real rookie of the bunch.

I could see maybe Perry being back on a league min deal, that wouldn't shock me. Foegele is gonzo for sure though, some team will offer him a 3 year deal at a number we'd be silly to match.

 

[brentashton]

Is this them?



I love old Jive dancing but I wasn’t born with any feet let alone two left ones to dance with but these two are amazing.

Nope. Not enough empty tequila bottles on the floor.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

2 year window

 

[Drivesaitl]

Given we have near zero in terms of prospects rising thanks to league worst drafting and development over the past decade, being this old is concerning at this stage of McDavids career.

Not a lot in the system to replace players who age out and we already look slow out there too often.

Thoughts?

That I called in offseason that the team was headed this direction. The team was on the older side even before adding Perry, and the TDL additions. Holland likes old players, this 20yr old news is just in.

I make several jokes here about 100yrs old line and people think its erroneous. Add up the age of say Kane, Perry, Henrique. yeah, thats old..

 

[KCC]

Not really looking forward to the decade of darkness 2.0

If edm wins a cup I’ll be happy.

 

[Drivesaitl]

If edm wins a cup I’ll be happy.

They said in 1990. The same people were burning jerseys, tarring Jason Arnott when they weren't picketing Peter Pocklington. The fanbase, that had just had 5SC's to celebrate were disgusted by the Oilers even a couple years later. By 93 the Oilers were considered the city joke and anything that had happened before largely forgotten. By 95 the team was financially on the ropes and in danger of departing.

Just saying. If the Oilers even won the cup now, this season, disatisfaction would be almost immediate the moment the team started losing its stars.

 

[5 14 6 1]

Given we have near zero in terms of prospects rising thanks to league worst drafting and development over the past decade, being this old is concerning at this stage of McDavids career.

Not a lot in the system to replace players who age out and we already look slow out there too often.

Thoughts?

Guys like Perry, Ryan and Henrique really affect this and likely are replaced by much younger players next year. Not really concerned tbh.

 

[Broberg Speed]

Guys like Perry, Ryan and Henrique really affect this and likely are replaced by much younger players next year. Not really concerned tbh.

So we traded away our top trading asset at the deadline not expecting to re-sign Henrique? Doubt it.

 

[CupofOil]

It's deceiving because most of the Oilers old guys, outside of Ekholm, are guys who will only be here short term. It's not like Pittsburgh and Washington whose core is very old. The Oilers important players are all in their mid 20s to early 30s, outside of Ekholm but he's the type of guy that should age very well.