Rumor: Rumors and Proposals Thread | Defense Set, or Another Addition In the Works?

[Bryanbryoil]

Seems like at this point he will end up playing over in Russia or something , will any NHL team even offer him a league minimum ?

I still would. Competition is a good thing. Maybe this whole situation has been a wake up call for him and others that have had poor seasons or underachieved in their careers?

 

[CookiesAndMilk]

I still would. Competition is a good thing. Maybe this whole situation has been a wake up call for him and others that have had poor seasons or underachieved in their careers?

He just has to look left and right. Everybody is taking pay cuts. Better players than him are taking pay cuts. If he's ready to take a cut as well he will find a place on a team easily IMO. Can't be stubborn in these times.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Wow - we're almost on the 2nd page with this thread. I guess it's the typical 'summer post-draft' lull period where most GM's are not doing much. Are their any active rumors out there?

Ooilers have no money to spend and all roster spots are taken

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

That would be a fun way to end the year. A little ownership crisis anyone?

I appreciate your candour in this trying time.

 

[GOilers88]

Who says Edmonton Oilers can't finish first in the Canadian Division? (Besides all those pesky experts, that is) | Edmonton Journal

I hope the team stays as under the radar as most people seem to have them, even though everything from last year points to the team being one of the strongest out of the Canadian contingent. Would make it all the sweeter to then hear people clamouring that nobody saw it coming.

Seems like everything regarding the Oilers being bad stems from a 4 game play in series after a massive layoff, which absolutely boggles me, and like the author points out, the Leafs who are somehow still seen as the strongest in Canada also went out in the first play in round albeit in 5 games instead of 4.

 

[Snipes45]

Who says Edmonton Oilers can't finish first in the Canadian Division? (Besides all those pesky experts, that is) | Edmonton Journal

I hope the team stays as under the radar as most people seem to have them, even though everything from last year points to the team being one of the strongest out of the Canadian contingent. Would make it all the sweeter to then hear people clamouring that nobody saw it coming.

Seems like everything regarding the Oilers being bad stems from a 4 game play in series after a massive layoff, which absolutely boggles me, and like the author points out, the Leafs who are somehow still seen as the strongest in Canada also went out in the first play in round albeit in 5 games instead of 4.

I don't give any credibility to that Lebrun article. Just lazy people who were asked. No research nothing.

 

[The Nuge]

Seems like at this point he will end up playing over in Russia or something , will any NHL team even offer him a league minimum ?

I’d take him back in a heartbeat. Heck, I’d even pay him like a million. He had a couple good games for us, and he was buzzing in the play ins. With the depth we have now, we can afford for him to only show up every few games. And a line of AA - Turris - Pulju would be crazy good for a 3rd line

 

[Smartguy]

Who says Edmonton Oilers can't finish first in the Canadian Division? (Besides all those pesky experts, that is) | Edmonton Journal

I hope the team stays as under the radar as most people seem to have them, even though everything from last year points to the team being one of the strongest out of the Canadian contingent. Would make it all the sweeter to then hear people clamouring that nobody saw it coming.

Seems like everything regarding the Oilers being bad stems from a 4 game play in series after a massive layoff, which absolutely boggles me, and like the author points out, the Leafs who are somehow still seen as the strongest in Canada also went out in the first play in round albeit in 5 games instead of 4.

Not exactly, more so this teams history of thinking they are there finally just to watch them stumble again.

Remember when Lebrun, McKenzie and all that east media were predicting the Oilers to be a cup winner after the 2016-17 playoffs? Just to watch them tank the following season.

I prefer for smaller media attention and predictions from the east folks. People can bring up Lebrun saying this past playoffs that the Canucks are the blackhawks pre 2010 this season. An outlandish statement

 

[BarDownBobo]

I’d take him back in a heartbeat. Heck, I’d even pay him like a million. He had a couple good games for us, and he was buzzing in the play ins. With the depth we have now, we can afford for him to only show up every few games. And a line of AA - Turris - Pulju would be crazy good for a 3rd line

I feel like the Kahun signing closed the door on any chances of AA coming back. There’s only 12 guys then can dress on a given night, and they’ll have to keep a few of them in the bottom 6 open for guys who can defend and play PK. As it sits right now you’re probably looking at a top 9 something like this:

RNH-McDavid-Kassian
Kahun-Drai-Yamo
Neal-Turris-Pulju

Which leaves you with some combination of Khaira, Archibald, Chiasson, Nygard, Haas, PRussell on the 4th line. Not many of those top 9 guys are historically shutdown/PK style players so it’d be a bit of a detriment to take one of them out for another offense only guy in AA. Sucks that they spent two 2nds on him but I feel like the team is better with Kahun in the mix anyways.

 

[GOilers88]

Not exactly, more so this teams history of thinking they are there finally just to watch them stumble again.

Remember when Lebrun, McKenzie and all that east media were predicting the Oilers to be a cup winner after the 2016-17 playoffs? Just to watch them tank the following season.

I prefer for smaller media attention and predictions from the east folks. People can bring up Lebrun saying this past playoffs that the Canucks are the blackhawks pre 2010 this season. An outlandish statement

Anyone picking a team that was in the basement for 13 years to win the cup after one outlier season is an idiot anyways

But I agree, I hope they keep under the radar. It will only be to their benefit.

 

[bone]

Who says Edmonton Oilers can't finish first in the Canadian Division? (Besides all those pesky experts, that is) | Edmonton Journal

I hope the team stays as under the radar as most people seem to have them, even though everything from last year points to the team being one of the strongest out of the Canadian contingent. Would make it all the sweeter to then hear people clamouring that nobody saw it coming.

Seems like everything regarding the Oilers being bad stems from a 4 game play in series after a massive layoff, which absolutely boggles me, and like the author points out, the Leafs who are somehow still seen as the strongest in Canada also went out in the first play in round albeit in 5 games instead of 4.

Toronto's opponent was also better than Edmonton so I don't have much issue with those claiming Toronto will be one of the strongest as they had the second best record.

What's driving me batty is everyone's claim that Montreal is on the verge of taking the division. They added a backup goalie, a player less skilled than the player they sent out to get him, a third pairing defenseman and Toffoli to a team that wasn't even close to the playoffs without a ridiculous format. Pundits also like to think their playoff run sets them up well, when they basically just won 2 games as the play-ins are muchly irrelevant in evaluating how good a team really is.

I don't understand the undervaluing of Edmonton either but ultimately it doesn't matter as they were declared cup contenders the last time they had a good season, and that didn't end up going so well.

 

[GOilers88]

Toronto's opponent was also better than Edmonton so I don't have much issue with those claiming Toronto will be one of the strongest as they had the second best record.

What's driving me batty is everyone's claim that Montreal is on the verge of taking the division. They added a backup goalie, a player less skilled than the player they sent out to get him, a third pairing defenseman and Toffoli to a team that wasn't even close to the playoffs without a ridiculous format. Pundits also like to think their playoff run sets them up well, when they basically just won 2 games as the play-ins are muchly irrelevant in evaluating how good a team really is.

I don't understand the undervaluing of Edmonton either but ultimately it doesn't matter as they were declared cup contenders the last time they had a good season, and that didn't end up going so well.

I'm not saying they should be declared cup contenders, because I though that it was stupid in 2016 and think it would be stupid now. But everywhere I turn I see them being discredited because of the play-ins while ignoring the 71 games that preceded it, which confuses me. Like, I keep hearing how completely terrible our goaltending was and still is, yet when we look at what transpired last year none of that argument holds any water whatsoever.

Just funny how social media and analysts have almost no rhyme or reason or consistency to how they form their opinions. It's all shit flinging at a wall.

 

[bone]

I'm not saying they should be declared cup contenders, because I though that it was stupid in 2016 and think it would be stupid now. But everywhere I turn I see them being discredited because of the play-ins while ignoring the 71 games that preceded it, which confuses me. Like, I keep hearing how completely terrible our goaltending was and still is, yet when we look at what transpired last year none of that argument holds any water whatsoever.

Just funny how social media and analysts have almost no rhyme or reason or consistency to how they form their opinions. It's all shit flinging at a wall.

Agreed. And I agree with your previous post as well. I was just using yours as a reply to really bring up my beef with the over-valuing of Montreal pretty much for the same reasons they are undervaluing Edmonton.

On the same note, I feel similarly about how they are discussing the Flames. I don't see how they really got better this summer, better goalie?? Maybe, but their defense definitely took a step back and Giordano is turning 38, and the clock on their forwards to finally reach their potential is running out. I still think they are a good team, just don't see how they improved.

I can understand the Vancouver hype as their breakout is coming from depth and emerging youth. But youth don't always develop in a straight line.

Can't wait to actually see what happens though.

 

[Smartguy]

Toronto's opponent was also better than Edmonton so I don't have much issue with those claiming Toronto will be one of the strongest as they had the second best record.

What's driving me batty is everyone's claim that Montreal is on the verge of taking the division. They added a backup goalie, a player less skilled than the player they sent out to get him, a third pairing defenseman and Toffoli to a team that wasn't even close to the playoffs without a ridiculous format. Pundits also like to think their playoff run sets them up well, when they basically just won 2 games as the play-ins are muchly irrelevant in evaluating how good a team really is.

I don't understand the undervaluing of Edmonton either but ultimately it doesn't matter as they were declared cup contenders the last time they had a good season, and that didn't end up going so well.

My biggest issue with what MTL did, is they put all their eggs into the Suzuki/Kotkaniemi basket because of their play in. They banked on those 2 being their 1/2 C next year like they were in the playoffs. I like Suzuki but he’s not a 1C, Kotkaniemi is still a complete wildcard who isn’t dominating the Liiga by any stretch. For a team that struggles to find offense they just traded their most gifted offensive player for a grinding winger, who they then threw a massive deal at.

But that’s what happens when you tie 10.5 M into a goalie, they kind of have no choice but to live or die by him. Unless Price is a top tier goalie again they will never get back to being a playoff team, or even a contender.

 

[K1984]

Who says Edmonton Oilers can't finish first in the Canadian Division? (Besides all those pesky experts, that is) | Edmonton Journal

I hope the team stays as under the radar as most people seem to have them, even though everything from last year points to the team being one of the strongest out of the Canadian contingent. Would make it all the sweeter to then hear people clamouring that nobody saw it coming.

Seems like everything regarding the Oilers being bad stems from a 4 game play in series after a massive layoff, which absolutely boggles me, and like the author points out, the Leafs who are somehow still seen as the strongest in Canada also went out in the first play in round albeit in 5 games instead of 4.

It's the same story as every off season.

Leafs (and to a lesser extent Candiens) get massively overrated
Flames make a big trade or signing and everyone expects them to shoot up the standings but they don't
Oilers get dumped on
Everyone else somewhere in between

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

It's the same story as every off season.

Leafs (and to a lesser extent Candiens) get massively overrated
Flames make a big trade or signing and everyone expects them to shoot up the standings but they don't
Oilers get dumped on
Everyone else somewhere in between

The Leaf media have been planning a parade for 50+ years. Old habits are hard to break.

Flames always get lots of love in the off season. They have the best “looks great on paper” roster ever - year after year after year and it’s always the same. First round out with a whimper exit and we get to see Cassie the **w and Kelly H whine and hear their radio guys cry.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

The Leaf media have been planning a parade for 50+ years. Old habits are hard to break.

Flames always get lots of love in the off season. They have the best “looks great on paper” roster ever - year after year after year and it’s always the same. First round out with a whimper exit and we get to see Cassie the **w and Kelly H whine and hear their radio guys cry.

It's gonna be a f***ing good parade though, they got lots of experience planning it.

 

[Delicious Pancakes]

The Leaf media have been planning a parade for 50+ years. Old habits are hard to break.

Flames always get lots of love in the off season. They have the best “looks great on paper” roster ever - year after year after year and it’s always the same. First round out with a whimper exit and we get to see Cassie the **w and Kelly H whine and hear their radio guys cry.

Maybe the Leafs media think if they build the Leafs up the team will believe they can win a Cup and go do it. If you look at teams that win the Cup though you need core players on the team who have an "I'm not taking no for an answer" attitude/mentality on top of being skilled and engaged defensively and I just don't see that currently with the Leafs' core players.

Looking at that roster I wouldn't be surprised if they need to go through some playoff learning and adversity like Tampa, St. Louis and Washington before winning the Cup and maybe they'll get there eventually, or maybe they'll end up like San Jose, Nashville and the NY Rangers where they never quite reach the top. They're just at the start of their window though.

An Oilers-Leafs Stanley Cup Final would be quite a spectacle in this country, and while it can't happen this year with an all-Canadian division (nor would it have been very likely without Covid either) you could have an Oilers-Leafs Division Final which would also be very entertaining and could serve as a warm-up to an Oilers-Leafs Stanley Cup Final down the road.

 

[bellagiobob]

It's gonna be a f***ing good parade though, they got lots of experience planning it.

The only parade Leaf fans will ever see is the Saturday night fashion parade as the players waltz into the building in their latest bizarre outfits.

 

[North]

The only parade Leaf fans will ever see is the Saturday night fashion parade as the players waltz into the building in their latest bizarre outfits.

Hey, hey, hey. That’s not entirely true. They can watch parades on tv (while crying) when other teams inevitably win the cup.

 

[Stoneman89]

Unfortunately for the Oilers, the play-in series was a mirror image of their last few games of the regular season, where things were starting to unravel a bit for them. Was it a one off bad week? Or was it a continuing trend that would have sunk them had the season continued 4 months earlier anyhow?

 

[McTonyBrar]

Unfortunately for the Oilers, the play-in series was a mirror image of their last few games of the regular season, where things were starting to unravel a bit for them. Was it a one off bad week? Or was it a continuing trend that would have sunk them had the season continued 4 months earlier anyhow?

4 games doesn’t explain much in my opinion and the team made changes over the offseason if you remember

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Unfortunately for the Oilers, the play-in series was a mirror image of their last few games of the regular season, where things were starting to unravel a bit for them. Was it a one off bad week? Or was it a continuing trend that would have sunk them had the season continued 4 months earlier anyhow?

You mean the playin series where outside the first game they actually dominated the play?

 

[SupremeTeam16]

Unfortunately for the Oilers, the play-in series was a mirror image of their last few games of the regular season, where things were starting to unravel a bit for them. Was it a one off bad week? Or was it a continuing trend that would have sunk them had the season continued 4 months earlier anyhow?

They were 5-3-2 in their last 10 before the shutdown. Hardly a team falling apart.

 

[K1984]

Unfortunately for the Oilers, the play-in series was a mirror image of their last few games of the regular season, where things were starting to unravel a bit for them. Was it a one off bad week? Or was it a continuing trend that would have sunk them had the season continued 4 months earlier anyhow?

In my mind there were two versions of the Oilers last year:

1) Good version - forwards were getting back deep defensively and supporting the breakout as a unit. Heavy back pressure to stifle other team's breakouts and strong goaltending.

2) Bad version - forwards are blowing the zone as soon as the defense gets possession and completed passes become few and far between through the neutral zone. Point coverage and coverage in front of the net awful. Goaltending might bail them out (as happened a few times prior to the COIVD shutdown), or they get caved, but either way it isn't pretty.

The fundamental flaw with this team last year was consistency breaking the puck out efficiently. The common theme in both versions of the team above was shaky breakout passing and getting through the neutral zone with possession. To me the Oilers' success basically came down to how committed the forwards were to getting down low and helping the D move the puck out.

The good months (October, November, January, February) saw the Oilers forwards do the right thing in all ends of the ice. In the bad months (December, start of March, playoffs) the forward's commitment on their own half of the ice was terrible and they paid for it.

The solution long term is to have more d men that can actually make a consistent strong breakout pass, which should be coming (Barrie, Bouchard, Broberg, more ice for Bear and Jones). In the mean time the forwards have to commit every game to getting back and being competent in their own end. Nurse, Larsson, Russell and to a lesser extent even Klefbom are some mix of incapable of hitting a breakout pass or extremely inconsistent in doing so. Put a mobile, fast moving defense like Colorado has with our group of forwards and we would be unstoppable.