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

[The Nuge]

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.

There’s a big difference between not being able to play your entire bottom 6 because they’re AHLers, and having a third line that’s centred by a 4th liner

Brassard kinda struck me as a utility guy. Maybe you try him as 3C. Maybe you try him in the top 6 on wing.

With Boyle I think you are looking at a guy who can really on play on the third line at best, but probably is better suited as a 4C with PK

Exactly. Even if Brassard couldn’t fill the 3C hole, he would still solve another instead of just adding another 4th liner

I thought he was going to ARI?

Either way I'm not overly surprised, they need somebody so they might as well bring some competition in.

Makes sense. Calgary suddenly has a gaping hole on the blue line. He’d have to really mess up to not earn a contract

You must have a different impression of Brassard than I do if you think he's going to score 40 points on a 3rd line with little to no skill. Not to mention that he would likely get caved in defensively. He's a top 6 or bust player, still wouldn't have solved the 3rd line center issue.

Oh and the Oilers also need a 4th line center as well so either of the aforementioned names would help.

He might be 3rd line at ES, but he’d also get a ton of PP time. He’s literally one year removed from a 46 point season. Thinking he has the potential to score 40 points isn’t some unreasonable ask

Not that I care to have this irrelevant discussion but Stauffer just confirmed the Oilers were in on Brassard. So can we stop trying to deny he obvious in that we tried for Brassard and failed to acquire him?

Now for the Holland score card. Chock up a negative. Still he’s like +3ish in the offseason in my books. But we’ll need some more pluses before this lineup is rounded out to be a competitor.

That just isn’t a thing no matter how much you’re trying to make it be.

 

[guymez]

TheNumber4 is a nice even number. You can write it a few different ways so it's pretty versatile. It's so nice that Oilers great Kevin Lowe used it.

What a number.

Perfect.
That should do it.

 

[The Nuge]

I mean it's a good move but that's really all it is. It doesn't fix the mess that is the rest of the roster. The Sekera buyout still seems a bit questionable.

If there's no depth defensemen brought in, that third pairing is going to get slaughtered. And if anyone in the top 4 gets injured...

I mean, it doesn’t fix the entire roster, but it does get us a top 6 forward, so it fixed something.

Why? Because we opened a single spot for one of our numerous young dmen? Caleb Jones scored at a 29 point pace last year. Persson continued to light up the Swedish league and proved he wasn’t just a product of Petterson. Bouchard was damn near ready as an 18 year old last year... someone is going to fill that spot.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I mean, it doesn’t fix the entire roster, but it does get us a top 6 forward, so it fixed something.

That's the hope at least. There's evidence Neal will rebound but that doesn't necessarily mean he will. He should have a better year than Lucic but it's a bit premature to call him a top 6 forward until we see him in action.

Why? Because we opened a single spot for one of our numerous young dmen? Caleb Jones scored at a 29 point pace last year. Persson continued to light up the Swedish league and proved he wasn’t just a product of Petterson. Bouchard was damn near ready as an 18 year old last year... someone is going to fill that spot.

Call me skeptical but the idea of a Matt Benning/Rookie bottom pairing doesn't fill me with any confidence at all. And whenever the eventual injuries hit, one of those players is going to take a spot in the top 4. We already know that Benning in the top 4 is a disaster.

 

[CycloneSweep]

That's the hope at least. There's evidence Neal will rebound but that doesn't necessarily mean he will. He should have a better year than Lucic but it's a bit premature to call him a top 6 forward until we see him in action.


Call me skeptical but the idea of a Matt Benning/Rookie bottom pairing doesn't fill me with any confidence at all. And whenever the eventual injuries hit, one of those players is going to take a spot in the top 4. We already know that Benning in the top 4 is a disaster.

The amount of cap space we have doesn't help us improve the team. Our farm team is bursting with young ability and there is at least 1 guy there who can step in at an NHL level on the bottom pairing at least as good as "depth guys". Hell we still got Manning as depth too

 

[The Nuge]

That's the hope at least. There's evidence Neal will rebound but that doesn't necessarily mean he will. He should have a better year than Lucic but it's a bit premature to call him a top 6 forward until we see him in action.

Ya that’s fair. A “potential top 6 forward” is more accurate right now

Call me skeptical but the idea of a Matt Benning/Rookie bottom pairing doesn't fill me with any confidence at all. And whenever the eventual injuries hit, one of those players is going to take a spot in the top 4. We already know that Benning in the top 4 is a disaster.

I don’t know. I think Benning is a much better dman than he’s given credit for. He certainly has brain farts sometimes, but he’s still a #5/6 dman who does everything fairly well (skate, hit, shoot, etc). And with the right dman, he has been ok in the top 4. Now, that dman isn’t Nurse. Sekera made him look good 2 years ago, because he’s such a smart player. Klefa might be able to do the same.

Tippett has also mentioned keeping Russell on the left side, and I actually like the sound of it. I mentioned it in a different thread, but I wonder if we might see something like

Klefa - Larsson
Nurse - Jones/Bouchard
Russell - Benning

Now, that 2nd pairing might be a bit chaotic, but they’d do well offensively, and in transition. If you can line match them a bit, and keep their starts easier, it could work.

 

[guymez]

Ya that’s fair. A “potential top 6 forward” is more accurate right now



I don’t know. I think Benning is a much better dman than he’s given credit for. He certainly has brain farts sometimes, but he’s still a #5/6 dman who does everything fairly well (skate, hit, shoot, etc). And with the right dman, he has been ok in the top 4. Now, that dman isn’t Nurse. Sekera made him look good 2 years ago, because he’s such a smart player. Klefa might be able to do the same.

Tippett has also mentioned keeping Russell on the left side, and I actually like the sound of it. I mentioned it in a different thread, but I wonder if we might see something like

Klefa - Larsson
Nurse - Jones/Bouchard
Russell - Benning

Now, that 2nd pairing might be a bit chaotic, but they’d do well offensively, and in transition. If you can line match them a bit, and keep their starts easier, it could work.

The only concern I have with those pairings is with Jones and if he is ready for top 4 minutes.
Thats a large part of what got him in trouble last season although I cant recall if he was possibly playing top pairing minutes when he flamed out..

 

[fireantz]

Hollands training camp speech should be two words SHOW ME! If you include Puljujarvi 27 players are UFA or RFA next season. If after 3 seasons Benning can’t carry the third pair there are a handful of D in Bako yelling my turn. If Chiasson Gagner or Brodziak can’t cut it Nygard Haas and Jurco are screaming for an opportunity. If they fail Benson Marody and Yamamoto are waiting. Every organization should have 10 guys on the way out, 10 chopping at the bit and 10 more prospects earning their way to a chance. Too many times this organization has rushed prospects, keep playing boat anchors and paid UFAs out of desperation. Holland has changed that in one summer.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

The only concern I have with those pairings is with Jones and if he is ready for top 4 minutes.
Thats a large part of what got him in trouble last season although I cant recall if he was possibly playing top pairing minutes when he flamed out..

Yes he did, lack of Support from Larsson (major struggles) didn't help. I think a healthy Klefbom makes Jones infinitely more effective to take some more difficult minutes. Jones struggled when Both Klefa and Russell were out, unsurprisingly.

 

[guymez]

Yes he did, lack of Support from Larsson (major struggles) didn't help. I think a healthy Klefbom makes Jones infinitely more effective to take some more difficult minutes. Jones struggled when Both Klefa and Russell were out, unsurprisingly.

Thanks for that.
I really like Jones...I think he is a potential young Andre Sekera. Very similar player.
If he succeeds in a top 4 role next season that makes a world of difference for this team.
Its a lot of pressure to put on a rookie though.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Thanks for that.
I really like Jones...I think he is a potential young Andre Sekera. Very similar player.
If he succeeds in a top 4 role next season that makes a world of difference for this team.
Its a lot of pressure to put on a rookie though.

I think it's less pressure with Klefbom and Larsson above him (hopefully Larsson's game is better this year), paired with Nurse and then Russell and Benning to Support beneath.

The other thing it gives you is the ability to have Russell (or Benning) move up if Jones is having struggles. I want to see him (and the other guys) get a shot, because teams do this all the time. Look at the Bruins' blueline.

Edit: and not McAvoy I know about him

 

[Bryanbryoil]

If we were in on Brassard then we are likely still trying to add at least one more player up front. I much prefer this to the Chiarelli approach of "I improved the team last year so now I'm going to sit on my laurels until I'm about to get fired and then make a bunch of dumb trades" mentality.

 

[Louis Cypher]

Then play him with McDavid. Kassian is still useful lower down the lineup if he gets bumped off the top line.

Not a fan. Plus no room for him.
Rather play Benson with McDavid or promote someone else.

 

[The Nuge]

The only concern I have with those pairings is with Jones and if he is ready for top 4 minutes.
Thats a large part of what got him in trouble last season although I cant recall if he was possibly playing top pairing minutes when he flamed out..

I’m pretty sure it was second pairing. I definitely wouldn’t start them with too difficult of minutes right off the bat. But as a run and gun pairing that could put up 80 points, it might be workable

 

[guymez]

I’m pretty sure it was second pairing. I definitely wouldn’t start them with too difficult of minutes right off the bat. But as a run and gun pairing that could put up 80 points, it might be workable

I hear you.
Its not ideal Jones playing in the top 4 on his off wing...I am a little nervous about that.
We shall see how things play out.

 

[The Nuge]

I hear you.
Its not ideal Jones playing in the top 4 on his off wing...I am a little nervous about that.
We shall see how things play out.

Oh I agree. I’m just not convinced we’re better off with Benning in his place, and I like Benning

 

[Seachd]

How could it possibly be a failure to not sign an aging free agent near the end of August?

(It’s rhetorical. I’ve read the reasons given and none of them make sense.)

 

[HenrikW]

I know (Mikael) Granlund just had a kid, and is probably not looking to move around alot. But I would love for us to sign him next year. Long term. Somehow I doubt he'll get premium PP time in Nashville next year, that ought to drop his point totals and could lower his ask.

We are going to have cap to sign a big forward if we want to.

With Granlund signed and later RNH extended, lines could be Draisaitl - McDavid - Neal (until Yamamoto can take over), Benson - RNH - Granlund. That's a pretty respectable and talented top 6. Costly because of Neal, but having Bouchard and a few others on entry level deals/equivilents until Russel is off the books, seems doable.

 

[McTonyBrar]

Drai McD Kas
Benson Nuge Neal
Nygaard Marody Granlund
Khaira Haas Archibauld

Nurse Klefbom
Jones Larsson
Russell Bear/Benning

Smith
Koskinen

Try having Klefbom and Nurse play together

 

[ujju2]

Drai McD Kas
Benson Nuge Neal
Nygaard Marody Granlund
Khaira Haas Archibauld

Nurse Klefbom
Jones Larsson
Russell Bear/Benning

Smith
Koskinen

Try having Klefbom and Nurse play together

Why would you put the lefties together and the righties together on D when Klefbom-Larsson already works?

 

[McDrai]

Drai McD Kas
Benson Nuge Neal
Nygaard Marody Granlund
Khaira Haas Archibauld

Nurse Klefbom
Jones Larsson
Russell Bear/Benning

Smith
Koskinen

Try having Klefbom and Nurse play together

Still a bottom 10 team in the west in my opinion. But at least Lucic is off the team which is something lol

 

[McTonyBrar]

Why would you put the lefties together and the righties together on D when Klefbom-Larsson already works?

I don’t want to see Klefbom and Larsson together until Larsson learns to play good hockey again

 

[Bangers]

Honestly, unless Larsson finds a way to not play like a 3rd pairing defender and Klefbom stays healthy, the Oil's D is doomed.

This is why I was p***ed they bought out Reggie (and are taking the extra cap hit on top).

Nurse - bad Larsson
Russell - Benning
Rookie - Rookie

Barf. And that's with the other three staying healthy.

Also, Brassard would have been a good signing, and you can definitely put it on Holland that he didn't chase him earlier. It's middle of August. Maybe his asking price didn't come down until now, but this is the chance you take when you play the waiting game with FAs.

If one of the Oil's top 6 goes down, Brassard is a decent stop gap. There is literally no other Oiler forward you can say that about right now.

 

[Jet Walters]

Nurse and Gagner for Spurgeon +

Puljujarvi and the +'s from Minny for Kreider

Does that fit under the cap? Might have to dump Manning with a pick to get under.

 

[McDNicks17]

Nurse and Gagner for Spurgeon +

Puljujarvi and the +'s from Minny for Kreider

Does that fit under the cap? Might have to dump Manning with a pick to get under.

All that for two impending UFAs?