Proposal: Rumors and Proposals Thread: Throw Connor a Frickin Bone Ken!

[McDNicks17]

These kind of reports always make me think its just people in the media speculating about our team (who dont watch us), who think our defense is weak so we need to be in on every defenseman.

Would they not be speculating on left-handed defensemen in that case though?

 

[Kaniac]

Please not Larsson for Kapanen

 

[Soul8]

The way Stauufer talks I get the sense that the Oilers higher ups recognize that this team needs more puck movers and offence from the back end and the also it is clear the Larsson and Russell hinder that. So maybe the rumors that they are looking at other d make sense.

Also, I am a bit curous with Hollands part track record of not really being involved in too many trades if he is able to make some actual hockey trades to improve the team that aren't rentals.

 

[Oil Dood]

A klutz defensively with better defensive metrics than our "defensive defensemen".

Puck-moving makes far more of an impact than breaking up cycles and blocking shots.

Klefbom would thrive with a puck-mover on his pairing.

It actually feels like Bouchard is custom made for Klefbom much like Bear is for Nurse.

 

[Faelko]

No idea why a team that actually has bodies on the blueline is looking at sending assets out for d-man when the forward depth is by far the worst in the league.

Yeah, all these NHL “Insiders” (also known as people on Twitter) that keep linking the Oilers to D must be stuck in the past. The Oilers have more than enough 3rd pairing D to get by and I don’t see any legit top 4 D being available right now.

 

[Oil Dood]

The way Stauufer talks I get the sense that the Oilers higher ups recognize that this team needs more puck movers and offence from the back end and the also it is clear the Larsson and Russell hinder that. So maybe the rumors that they are looking at other d make sense.

Also, I am a bit curous with Hollands part track record of not really being involved in too many trades if he is able to make some actual hockey trades to improve the team that aren't rentals.

The only issue I would have with Larrson is that 4 million is a lot to pay for a pure shut down defender, having said that though Lars is going to be the type of player we want in a 7 game series.

 

[belair]

It's simple things like goals and chances against.

And he plays the most 5v5 minutes on the Devils, so this isn't the case of a player being sheltered like Benning.

And these are horrible things to focus on if you want to isolate the contributions of an individual player whose primary job is to get pucks away from the opposing team.

In regards to Severson's QOC, it wouldn't necessarily matter if he's routinely on the ice with the lines who generally drive New Jersey's offense. Watching him, his team doesn't regularly succeed because he's on the ice.

Not really interested in bickering over this because the rumor doesn't even make sense, but I'll finish by saying that using offensive metrics for isolating individual contributions of a defensemen is dumb IMO.

 

[FlameChampion]

Would they not be speculating on left-handed defensemen in that case though?

Hard to say. But I also wouldnt assume that some people in the media know which hands our current defensemen shoot with.

 

[CupofOil]

No idea why a team that actually has bodies on the blueline is looking at sending assets out for d-man when the forward depth is by far the worst in the league.

What is this based on? Nobody remotely credible is reporting this.

The only credible info we have is that the Oilers made a strong push for Coleman and aren't likely to do much of anything at all.

 

[duul]

The way Stauufer talks I get the sense that the Oilers higher ups recognize that this team needs more puck movers and offence from the back end and the also it is clear the Larsson and Russell hinder that. So maybe the rumors that they are looking at other d make sense.

Also, I am a bit curous with Hollands part track record of not really being involved in too many trades if he is able to make some actual hockey trades to improve the team that aren't rentals.

This is exactly what I've been preaching for a few weeks now, and it's not by coincidence. The game has changed, and the Oilers management see how brutal our defence is in terms of puck moving ability. Having defencemen who can basically only chip it off the glass or skyrocket it into the air at the slightest hint of danger runs counter to what our skilled players want to do (have the puck on their stick).

The styles clash. Bear and Jones are solid. Bouchard will be solid. The rest are quite iffy. Nurse can skate the puck out of harms way which is nice. Klef? I don't know. Lars, Russell, Benning? Hell no.

 

[McDNicks17]

And these are horrible things to focus on if you want to isolate the contributions of an individual player whose primary job is to get pucks away from the opposing team.

In regards to Severson's QOC, it wouldn't necessarily matter if he's routinely on the ice with the lines who generally drive New Jersey's offense. Watching him, his team doesn't regularly succeed because he's on the ice.

Not really interested in bickering over this because the rumor doesn't even make sense, but I'll finish by saying that using offensive metrics for isolating individual contributions of a defensemen is dumb IMO.

You're saying that goals and chances against are a horrible way to judge a player defensively?

 

[belair]

You're saying that goals and chances against are a horrible way to judge a player defensively?

Individually? Absolutely.

There's five guys and a goalie on each team. Those metrics do a really bad job of explaining why those things happen.

 

[Jesus Take the Wheel]

The only issue I would have with Larrson is that 4 million is a lot to pay for a pure shut down defender, having said that though Lars is going to be the type of player we want in a 7 game series.

While thats true, its a lot more viable when the other two RD we have are currently cheap

 

[Oil Dood]

This is exactly what I've been preaching for a few weeks now, and it's not by coincidence. The game has changed, and the Oilers management see how brutal our defence is in terms of puck moving ability. Having defencemen who can basically only chip it off the glass or skyrocket it into the air at the slightest hint of danger runs counter to what our skilled players want to do (have the puck on their stick).

The styles clash. Bear and Jones are solid. Bouchard will be solid. The rest are quite iffy. Nurse can skate the puck out of harms way which is nice. Klef? I don't know. Lars, Russell, Benning? Hell no.

I really believe in a year(unless Benning gets traded)
Nurse/Bear
Klefbom/Bouchard
Jones/Benning
Those pairings each play to each others strengths. I have full faith Bouchard will be a stud.

 

[Oil Dood]

While thats true, its a lot more viable when the other two RD we have are currently cheap

For sure. Nurse's deal kicks in next year so that might change things.

 

[McDNicks17]

Individually? Absolutely.

There's five guys and a goalie on each team. Those metrics do a really bad job of explaining why those things happen.

It's just a coincidence that the Devils have had their best defensive results with him on the ice despite everyone else playing with those same four other skaters and goalie then?

 

[FlameChampion]

All the talk about the defense. Unless Klefbom is out longer than 2-3 weeks and KRussell isnt coming back sooner than that, I am not sure what to make of it.

While I think we need better puck moving defense in general, I am not sure that its something that can be fixed at a trade deadline. The forwards (mainly top winger) is more of a primary concern, with a 3C being more of a minor concern. I am not sure if the defense could or should be fixed in the offseason to be honest. Teams rarely trade away defensemen that they want to keep. Even with the current Oilers defense, I think they are better off waiting for their young guys (Jones, Bouchard, Broberg, Samurokov etc) when they are ready to emerge. I would personally move on from Russell and Benning in the offseason and go with Jones/Bouchard on the bottom pairing. I would let Larssons contract play out. I dont think we should be making a decision on Larsson until next season unless theres honestly a deal that can not be passed up.

 

[McDoused]

Didn't Severson used to play forward when he was younger and transitioned to deference relatively late? He looks like a forward that plays defense.

 

[McSuper]

His last name is Dicklund. Too close to Eklund for me.

And our own Granlund

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Didn't Severson used to play forward when he was younger and transitioned to deference relatively late? He looks like a forward that plays defense.

Maybe, but the totals listed since back since the WHL look like the totals of a defenseman.

 

[Jesus Take the Wheel]

For sure. Nurse's deal kicks in next year so that might change things.

I think it'd be whatever raise Bear gets and approach we take to his second contract would impact the outlook of our defensive cap situation a lot more than Nurse's 2 mil raise

 

[Oil Dood]

I think it'd be whatever raise Bear gets and approach we take to his second contract would impact the outlook of our defensive cap situation a lot more than Nurse's 2 mil raise

Yeah Bear, and there are others that will deserve more $$$ too. I think when that happens Russell or Larrson or both will be gone.

 

[McDoused]

Maybe, but the totals listed since back since the WHL look like the totals of a defenseman.

Yeah it was before he joined Kelowna.

 

[duul]

Severson would be a great add, but then you begin to run the same problem you have with Larsson. If Bouchard succeeds, and Bear continues to show great talent, then what do you do with Severson? Bear is a way better player at this point, Bouchard is tracking to be a way better player. Do you put Severson on the 3rd pairing at 4m? Nah. If Bouchard plays well in the next games leading to the TDL, you have the luxury of moving on from Larsson and acquiring a piece that is needed more.

Bringing in Severson would be a step sideways. Adding salary for a guy who might not be needed for more than a third pairing role as soon as 10 games from now's time.

As our roster stands right now, I'd be open to adding a true #1/2 guy who will push Bear or Nurse down the lineup. Someone like a Doughty etc who you would be blessed to have no matter what. Then you have a nice problem in having to move a D man out. Severson isn't worth it. We need to be playing cheap options on our 3rd pair no matter what. Jones and Benning do that for us right now.

Like I've said for 2 weeks now, I've known that Bouchard would be getting a solid look to see what they have going into the TDL. He isn't up because of Klefbom's injury. Lagesson was going down for Bouch if Klef stayed healthy.

 

[Jesus Take the Wheel]

Severson would be a great add, but then you begin to run the same problem you have with Larsson. If Bouchard succeeds, and Bear continues to show great talent, then what do you do with Severson? Bear is a way better player at this point, Bouchard is tracking to be a way better player. Do you put Severson on the 3rd pairing at 4m? Nah. If Bouchard plays well in the next games leading to the TDL, you have the luxury of moving on from Larsson and acquiring a piece that is needed more.

2 games of Bouchard before the TDL is not enough to make any sort of decision on moving a RHD no matter the quality of his play those two games. I will admit though I don't think it makes sense swapping Larsson out on this dcore for somebody with more term unless they are elite, which i don't see happening.

I dont see the harm in keeping Larsson even if he falls to the third pairing due to Bouch's play, we would still be paying our entire right defense side only 6 mil at that point