Rumor: Rumors and Proposals Thread: Any More Moves Before Preseason?

[TheNumber4]

Of course it's been the topic of discussion here. It's the middle of August. Brassard coming here had been discussed at lengths throughout the summer and then consensus saw him as a top six forward with likely minimal impact at 3C, the position that likely still needs to be addressed.

Considering this player brings diminishing 5v5 production, poor defensive awareness, terrible possession and absolutely no PK prowess, he's not exactly someone Holland should've been eyeing if that position was his focus.

And as a top six wing option, I honestly had a hard time fitting him in considering we have an abundance of forwards who play wing on the roster as is.

So, like I said... no major loss.

We’ll see how his season plays out and what our Plan B ends up being. Anyone cheap and still available at this time of the year is going to have their warts. Brassard in my estimation was a pretty good fit warts and all. But we’ll see.

 

[FlameChampion]

I wouldnt of minded Brassard but at the same time, those type of players hardly ever make a comeback for the Oilers.

Hopefully we sign Maroon to 1x1.5 as thats probably the only realistic signing for us at this point.

 

[Ol' Jase]

Sure okay. Laraque is lying. So this whole 7 plus pages of discussion of Brassard to Oilers on here and the trade boards is all ridiculous. Why don’t you call out all of it.

The fact that you hold a guy who has a vast record of getting things wrong as “all indications” and then include a bunch of internet fan chatter as proof that Laraque was accurate is becoming something that resembles parody.

 

[FlameChampion]

If it’s only for one year, I wonder if Marleau has been offered any contracts at this point? Veteran leadership as a 3C if cap room could be made.

I honestly think he is only willing to sign with SJ. I think thats the reason why Toronto had to give up a first for him. Hes still a useful player. SJ couldnt afford him at his cap. I am surprised Thorton and Marleau havent signed after the Labanc deal though. Kinda weird.

 

[TheNumber4]

The fact that you hold a guy who has a vast record of getting things wrong as “all indications” and then include a bunch of internet fan chatter as proof that Laraque was accurate is becoming something that resembles parody.

If you thought a bit harder you’d realize that my point is that we lost out on a player that could help us.

Assuming we were after him witch it sounds like we were. So maybe we weren’t after him, if so, ignore everything I said. My points are under the assumption we all have made the last couple days in that we were after him.

So continue shitting your pants over people on a hockey forum either believing an insider rumor or not.

 

[belair]

We’ll see how his season plays out and what our Plan B ends up being. Anyone cheap and still available at this time of the year is going to have their warts. Brassard in my estimation was a pretty good fit warts and all. But we’ll see.

Well the post you just quoted essentially said the opposite of what you just posted. Brassard wasn't a good fit whatsoever if we're looking for a 3C.

 

[TheNumber4]

Well the post you just quoted essentially said the opposite of what you just posted. Brassard wasn't a good fit whatsoever if we're looking for a 3C.

When trying to squeeze players in at 1M-2M at the tail end of the off season I hope we’re not looking for the perfect fit at 3C cause we’ll keep looking and never find this unicorn.

Brassard in my estimation was the best available fit. But sure, maybe Holland pulls a rabbit out of his hat and we get someone better at around the same dollars.

Either way, we won’t really be able to evaluate until we see what happens this season with Brassard vs. whoever else we pick up. My bet is “whoever else” is going to look worse when we sign him and be worse as the season plays out.

We’ve already seen the alternatives to guys like Brassard.... it’s guys like Brodziak and Reider and Cammilieri. Worse, much worse.

 

[joestevens29]

Sure okay. Laraque is lying. So this whole 7 plus pages of discussion of Brassard to Oilers on here and the trade boards is all ridiculous. Why don’t you call out all of it.

It is all ridiculous. Not one insider from Edmonton claimed that we were going to sign him. Only thing that came out is we probably had some interest in the guy for the right price.

Just like we did Wayne Simmonds or Michael Ferland

 

[TheNumber4]

It is all ridiculous. Not one insider from Edmonton claimed that we were going to sign him. Only thing that came out is we probably had some interest in the guy for the right price.

Just like we did Wayne Simmonds or Michael Ferland

K. So start a thread telling everyone to STOP discussing Brassard. The points in making about Holland missing out is under the assumption we were after him. If you aren’t under this assumption (which is admittedly an assumption and not concrete) please excuse yourself from all discussions about Brassard and move on with your life.

 

[joestevens29]

K. So start a thread telling everyone to STOP discussing Brassard. The points in making about Holland missing out is under the assumption we were after him. If you aren’t under this assumption (which is admittedly an assumption and not concrete) please excuse yourself from all discussions about Brassard and move on with your life.

According to Eklund we are after Kreider should we discuss that as well?

Some insiders just shouldn't be listened to.

 

[The Nuge]

Boyle had more goals than Brassard last year. Both he and Sheahan are better suited for a 3rd line center role than Brassard.

Brassard's worth would have been in a top 6 role if he bounced back to previous form but in a #3C role (which I'm sure Holland had him pegged for), he would have struggled. He's poor defensively, isn't as good on face-offs and doesn't penalty kill. He wasn't a good fit for that role.
Boyle and Sheahan aren't ideal but they are the best of the available options.

Boyle has only managed 30 points a single time in his career, and that was 9 years ago. He’s a damn good 4C, but he’s still a 4C.

Sheahan I can at least see an argument for, and have been fully behind the idea of us bringing him in.

 

[oobga]

Beggars can't be choosers at this point. Any guy that has proven they can play NHL hockey at C for ~14 minutes a night without getting destroyed and we can fit in our tiny bit of cap space, COME ON DOWN!

I have no faith in anyone we have now to play #3C if Nuge/Drai are in the top 6. Granlund, Gags, Khaira, Haas, Brodziak, Marody, whatever. All potential disasters at C that will have Tippett scared to play the bottom 6.

 

[Oilhawks]

Don’t see what the big fuss is about Brassard. At this point, I’d rather see about a couple of PTOs and see where the lineup shakes out. Could see Marody taking the 3C if he’s improved since his last stint (he was really missed in the Bake in the second round) and Benson likely does a better job at 2LW than Brassard would have (and for that matter, Marody could be much better at 3C than Brassard who was a tire fire at that spot).

They need to start graduating some prospects that are getting to waiver exemption. More an issue at the D prospects (but they have an open spot or two), but still upcoming for forwards.

 

[The Nuge]

Beggars can't be choosers at this point. Any guy that has proven they can play NHL hockey at C for ~14 minutes a night without getting destroyed and we can fit in our tiny bit of cap space, COME ON DOWN!

I have no faith in anyone we have now to play #3C if Nuge/Drai are in the top 6. Granlund, Gags, Khaira, Haas, Brodziak, Marody, whatever. All potential disasters at C that will have Tippett scared to play the bottom 6.

If all like 7 of our bottom 6 centermen are unable to play 3C, we’re not going to be going anywhere anyways, because most of those guys are going to be in the lineup anyways.

It’s like saying you’re worried about Jones/Bouchard/Bear/Samorukov/Lagesson/Persson being able to play bottom pairing, so we may as well just sign Andrew MacDonald. At some point you’ve got to trust that you’ve got enough options and let your players play

 

[McDrai]

I really don’t trust any sources besides the trade deadline/July 1 insiders so I’m not surprised at all that Brassard didn’t sign with the Oilers

 

[oobga]

If all like 7 of our bottom 6 centermen are unable to play 3C, we’re not going to be going anywhere anyways, because most of those guys are going to be in the lineup anyways.

I’s like saying you’re worried about Jones/Bouchard/Bear/Samorukov/Lagesson/Persson being able to play bottom pairing, so we may as well just sign Andrew MacDonald. At some point you’ve got to trust that you’ve got enough options and let your players play

Bottom pair is easier to shelter than a 3rd line IMO. #3C is a pretty important position still. You cannot run your top 2 forward lines into the ground all year long. You can shelter a 3rd D pair and a 4th line, but asking your coach to shelter your 3rd and 4th line and 3rd D pair, you're gonna get caught, a lot.

I think I'm just straight up saying we don't have a player on this team capable of being a reliable #3C. It's a hole in the lineup that's gonna cost us wins, plain and simple. We can try guys for sure, but I don't think it's gonna work out. And if it's not, it's gonna force Tippett to go to McDavid/Drai/Nuge down the middle, and then we damage our ability to score goals because we are trying to not have a disaster bottom 6. We just watched Hitch go half a year scared to play his bottom 6. It was ugly, and we ran McDAvid and Drai into the ground.

 

[Porkleaker]

I wouldnt of minded Brassard but at the same time, those type of players hardly ever make a comeback for the Oilers.

Hopefully we sign Maroon to 1x1.5 as thats probably the only realistic signing for us at this point.

Would love to have Maroon back and I'm sure he'd love to be back too. Chia screwed us getting rid of him and keeping Lucic.

 

[MessierII]

Would love to have Maroon back and I'm sure he'd love to be back too. Chia screwed us getting rid of him and keeping Lucic.

Maroon had an offer to stay here for significantly more money on a 3 year term and didn’t.

 

[joestevens29]

Maroon had an offer to stay here for significantly more money on a 3 year term and didn’t.

That was before he over priced himself out of the market. He also made it quite clear last year he wanted STL badly.

I suspect he's still holding out for them, but I doubt they'll figure anything out with him.

The guy really is at a cross roads. He made family #1, which is fine. Now that he didn't have that great of a year and STL appears to be maxed out he has issues. Not sure if he looks at the next closest Cities or if he just takes the most money he can get at this point. Either way his options can't be that great.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Gagner
Granlund
Khaira
Brodziak
Marody
Gambardella
Cave
Haas
Currie
Malone
McLeod
Hebig

That's pretty much every possible option for #3C and #4C that the team has currently in the org.

Not a great list of options in terms of proven quality... but certainly enough in terms of quantity.

If we are to take Holland at his word... he said in his short interview at the Summer Showcase that he was done with the roster other than the Puljujarvi situation which he was going to work the phones on... which I assume he is doing but he also said if that doesn't work out then Europe is the likely option for JP... so basically I don't expect a lot more until shortly before camp and maybe a couple PTO players come into the mix at that point.


I get the feeling they want to see what they have as well with the logjam of bodies they have in the bottom 6... and who may look good/decent/bad there in camp.

There are still a pile of RFA players to sign across the league and that may have follow-on roster effects across the league and Holland may want to leave a little open cap space to take advantage of that. I'm thinking there may be a decent body or two moving on from a team with zero cap space once they sign their RFA talent and the Oilers could pick up a useful body in a minor trade or even on waivers since they have a fairly high priority status currently (7th in priority).

 

[Jamin]

That was before he over priced himself out of the market. He also made it quite clear last year he wanted STL badly.

I suspect he's still holding out for them, but I doubt they'll figure anything out with him.

The guy really is at a cross roads. He made family #1, which is fine. Now that he didn't have that great of a year and STL appears to be maxed out he has issues. Not sure if he looks at the next closest Cities or if he just takes the most money he can get at this point. Either way his options can't be that great.

I don't buy this family number 1 crap everyone eats up about him.

He turned down a deal from us as was said. Thought he would get his good power forward pay day after the Mcdavid bump. It never came and other players signed. He waited. He then fires his agent. Waits more and signs a cheap 1 year deal with his hometown.

I think he took what options he had and if July 1st ended up like he thought he would be on a different team with a multi year deal and would never have fired his agent.

Having said all this I like Maroon. But the argument he is the ultimate family man vs someone who bungled last year's UFA period seems fishy to me given the facts.

 

[joestevens29]

Gagner
Granlund
Khaira
Brodziak
Marody
Cave
Haas
Currie
Malone
McLeod
Hebig

That's pretty much every possible option for #3C and #4C that the team has currently in the org.

Not a great list of options in terms of proven quality... but certainly enough in terms of quantity.

If we are to take Holland at his word... he said in his short interview at the Summer Showcase that he was done with the roster other than the Puljujarvi situation which he was going to work the phones on... which I assume he is doing but he also said if that doesn't work out then Europe is the likely option for JP... so basically I don't expect a lot more until shortly before camp and maybe a couple PTO players come into the mix at that point.


I get the feeling they want to see what they have as well with the logjam of bodies they have in the bottom 6... and who may look good/decent/bad there in camp.

There are still a pile of RFA players to sign across the league and that may have follow-on roster effects across the league and Holland may want to leave a little open cap space to take advantage of that. I'm thinking there may be a decent body or two moving on from a team with zero cap space once they sign their RFA talent and the Oilers could pick up a useful body in a minor trade or even on waivers since they have a fairly high priority status currently (7th in priority).

I guess the real hope is that you find some guys that can string together some stretches together and when they start to fail you have a plan B.

And then at some point someone takes the spots for good.

 

[nexttothemoon]

I guess the real hope is that you find some guys that can string together some stretches together and when they start to fail you have a plan B.

And then at some point someone takes the spots for good.

I forgot Gambardella who can play C as well.

By my count that's a dozen options... although a few obviously are almost assuredly going to be in the AHL all season... BUT there's enough bodies there that I think they have to at least wait and see what they have before they try and fix the issues they have by acquiring yet another body.

 

[joestevens29]

I forgot Gambardella who can play C as well.

By my count that's a dozen options... although a few obviously are almost assuredly going to be in the AHL all season... BUT there's enough bodies there that I think they have to at least wait and see what they have before they try and fix the issues they have by acquiring yet another body.

I don't think you actively look if you are Holland, but if there is a guy that you think can bounce back or has untapped potential maybe you look to signing him. And by signing him, I'm look at 1mil and less type guys.

If Brassard wanted to sign for a mil then fine, you can justify taking the shot.

 

[CupofOil]

Boyle has only managed 30 points a single time in his career, and that was 9 years ago. He’s a damn good 4C, but he’s still a 4C.

Sheahan I can at least see an argument for, and have been fully behind the idea of us bringing him in.

I don't disagree. I'm just saying that those two are better suited for a bottom 6 center role than Brassard would have been. None of these are ideal options but they are the best of the available options. Either that or plug Granlund, Khaira or Gagner into a role they aren't suited for.