Confirmed with Link: Oilers Trade CBJ 5th '14 and Sign Nikita Nikitin (2 years/$4.5M per) - Part 2

[BoldNewLettuce]

He was a top four guy on a bad team. When he was bumped down, the team was better. That's a rudimentary analysis for sure, but it does suggest he's not a big difference maker.

My hope for the season is that Klefbom steps up and Marincin continues to show well so that they simply have to bump Nikitin to his rightful place on the bottom pairing.

I didn't watch enough of the Jackets to really get a sense of what Nikitin does. But I'd say if you tried to get a gauge on Nikitin two years ago...

http://thehockeywriters.com/nikita-nikitin-a-bright-spot-for-the-blue-jackets/

http://rbth.com/articles/2012/11/25/nikita_nikitin_columbus_blue_jackets_19841.html

http://www.jacketscannon.com/2012/6/28/3124063/blue-jackets-off-season-jackets-ink-nikita-nikitin-for-two-years-4-3

he would sound like a stay-at-home D who can actually make a pass and shoot the puck.

Assuming he has an ankle....he will hopefully be a better than 2011 Ryan Whitney 4/5 defender, play the pp, potentially play a shut-down pair and still be able to get the puck up to the forwards.

 

[Oilfan2]

I like Nikitin, but that's a ridiculous contract that I think no other team in the NHL would ever consider. Foolish overspending that sums up the Oilers for the last several years. Everybody in the media is saying WOW, I can't believe he got that much.

But I'll give some people in this thread credit for the quality spin justification. Well done.

Who is 'everybody in the media'? I've heard a few comments bur, frankly, it means nothing.
The money is obviously too much but who cares? It should only be Katz problem and for 2 years it gives them an opportunity to slow down and 'grow their own'...Nurse, Klefbom, Marincin, Musil, Gernat, Simpson, etc...

Nikitin is a 4/5 D and adding that experience after last year's Larsen, Grebs, Fraser, Belov, etc, can't be a bad thing.

It's most likely a stop gap that isn't going to hurt. We're going to have to do something similiar with the 2nd line 'C' that some people won't like.... C'est la vie..

 

[Up the Irons]

He was a top four guy on a bad team. When he was bumped down, the team was better. That's a rudimentary analysis for sure, but it does suggest he's not a big difference maker.

My hope for the season is that Klefbom steps up and Marincin continues to show well so that they simply have to bump Nikitin to his rightful place on the bottom pairing.

that would be great. he could be a good partner with Eckblad, whom I'm starting think could fall to us. Nik is an expensive #5, but he is a legit NHLer, unlike half our D the past few years.

but simply: Nikitin >> Potter, Fraser, Larsen, Fistric... you get the idea.

 

[Master Lok]

Playing guys who are 6th D on a decent team in the #4 hole are why the Oilers are perpetually terrible.

Agreed, I guess there's some disagreement about how good (or not) Nikitin is. Scott Howson who probably saw Nikitin "good" when he traded for him as Columbus GM clearly still sees him as a second pairing dman.

On the flip side, former Columbus GM Doug McLean sees Nikitin bad - as a #7 dman doesn't like him at all. Although McLean claims that Nikitin doesn't speak English, and the video evidence earlier in the thread, that doesn't seem to be the case so how well does McLean know Nikitin?

It's not just that it's too high. It's that there's no chance of getting value on the deal. So it's poor management in that respect.

Oh... I wouldn't say NO chance. If for example, Nikitin does turn out to be a decent second pairing defenseman, I think 4.5 million was well worth it then.

The question I have is - why did the Oilers trade a 5th rounder to speak to Nikitin? Clearly the Oilers management value Nikitin highly. But if two year @ 4.5 million is a huge overpay, then wouldn't that deal have beaten any offer from any other team and the Oilers wouldn't have had to give up a 5th rounder?

Or is the Free Agent situation SOOO bad in Edmonton, that it required a) huge overpay, b) former GM who traded for you talking to you and c) 48 hour negotiation rights before any other team to convince a player to come to Edmonton.

if that's the case.... then its really really really tough to convince any free agent to come and play for the Oilers.

 

[Moose Coleman]

Agreed, I guess there's some disagreement about how good (or not) Nikitin is. Scott Howson who probably saw Nikitin "good" when he traded for him as Columbus GM clearly still sees him as a second pairing dman.

On the flip side, former Columbus GM Doug McLean sees Nikitin bad - as a #7 dman doesn't like him at all. Although McLean claims that Nikitin doesn't speak English, and the video evidence earlier in the thread, that doesn't seem to be the case so how well does McLean know Nikitin?

Oh... I wouldn't say NO chance. If for example, Nikitin does turn out to be a decent second pairing defenseman, I think 4.5 million was well worth it then.

Sure, but the chances of that happening strike me as slim.

The question I have is - why did the Oilers trade a 5th rounder to speak to Nikitin? Clearly the Oilers management value Nikitin highly. But if two year @ 4.5 million is a huge overpay, then wouldn't that deal have beaten any offer from any other team and the Oilers wouldn't have had to give up a 5th rounder?

Or is the Free Agent situation SOOO bad in Edmonton, that it required a) huge overpay, b) former GM who traded for you talking to you and c) 48 hour negotiation rights before any other team to convince a player to come to Edmonton.

if that's the case.... then its really really really tough to convince any free agent to come and play for the Oilers.

I think they just really really wanted this guy and moved the fifth (which is unlikely to turn into a player) to get the inside track without risking getting outbid by another desperate team. Simple as that.

 

[OF17]

It's just hedging your bets to trade the 5th instead of waiting. Is a signed Nikitin worth a 5th round pick? Absolutely. So why wait and risk it instead of getting the inside track? Waiting to trade the pick until Nikitin signed was a very smart thing to do in this situation. No risk at all, and it helps your chances of getting him signed. I'm fine never having picks at all if MacT keeps using them this effectively.

 

[MrOiler]

I like this deal.

Short term. Good size. Right age. This takes some pressure off of rushing the young prospects, but doesn't screw us up when they are ready.

Expensive? Sure, but what UFA comes cheap except the spare parts?

Howson put together a solid team in Columbus. He's no dummy.

I think this was a thinking GM's move. We'll have to see how the off-season works out, but I'm liking this so far.