I really think now more than ever is the time for patience. The NHL is such a tight league that a Colorado or NJ can finish last and then make the playoffs the next year. Sakic got ridiculed for his patience.
We have McDavid, Draisaitl and Nuge. Klef and Larsson are really good dmen.
Chances are if we are patient with everyone down in Bakersfield, we have some secondary scoring on the way next season.
Chances are one or both of Jones/Bouchard are ready to help our Blueline next season. (Bouchard in a similar way to Werenski in Columbus).
The worst thing that happens is we miss the playoffs one more time, and draft another forward to add to that depth on the way.
Wait for an opportunity to move bad contracts without trading a first, be patient with what we have the system and keep drafting the way we have been. I know its painful after what we have been through, but we HAVE to be patient!
Chances are Gagner will be a franchise center Cogliano a first line center, nielson a first line winger, paajarvi will be a first line winger, marincin and gernat will be our Slovakian giants on the Blueline, one of our 10 goalie prospects has to turn out, Lucic will put up 40-50 points a year, our fourth overall pick will turn into a top line scoring winger, etc etc etc.
This team has been waiting for these "chances" since forever.
Patience is the only thing this team has been selling for the last 12 years.
Asking for any more is a slap in the face to every fan of the oilers. The fact that we've had this long to wait, with so many "promising propsects" is a joke. Why should anyone ever be patient with this organization any more.
The new NHL isn't any different from the NHL 10 years ago in terms of personel and development. You need a staff that can develop propsects, a scouting group that can find good propsects, and the ability to not have to rely on them immediately.
Also the drafting has not been better until we see NHL results, of which there are none outside of McDavid, but a monkey could have made that pick.
The best draft pick to turn out lately is drai and he was a Mact pick. Everyone's praising Gretzky and chia like they're finding all these hidden gems... Well everyone looks good until they get onto this team. Give them a year in oilers colors and tell me how good our drafting is then.