Rumor: Rumors and Proposals Thread | Time to Cut Bait on the Dead Weight

[CupofOil]

Because the only way I would trade for Kane is if San Jose was willing to eat 50% of his contract and take back Kassian. Kane would come at a near net zero cap impact for the next two and a half seasons. It wouldn't cost you the 1st, or Yamamoto or any of the blue chip pieces.

Kane is a better, more impactful player than Kubalik and would cost significantly less in both trade return and committed salary.

Well, there's a very real and legit reason why Kane could be had for cheaper which is not something that you can just sweep under the rug as if it's nothing.

If he is indeed the problem child that he's been at every spot and the Oilers are the next team in line that wants to rid of the cancer, you're stuck with a $3.5m caphit for the next 3 seasons so it's not a no risk proposition financially either. Can he change who he's been for the last decade plus? I don't know, seems pretty risky to me.

Not saying that I'd be all for the Kubalik trade either but both options come with significant risk.

 

[Stoneman89]

Better fit in top 6 perhaps? I don't know..

Then we need to get someone to replace the type of player that Foegele is. Again.

 

[Oilhawks]

I think if Kubalik is acquired there will be a plan in place to re-sign him in the offseason. Yamamoto will likely be in the trade or another. I don’t see him being back next season

Barrie and Kassian are probably gone in the offseason, no matter what

If Smith looks good after he’s back, they probably go with him and Skinner with Konovalov as insurance. In fact, I think if Konovalov continues to look good in the AHL and Skinner continues to look good in his NHL starts, this is pretty much a certainty for next year given the cap situation. If that doesn’t turn out they’ll acquire another goalie rental and look to address the starter position that offseason

 

[Stoneman89]

I think if Kubalik is acquired there will be a plan in place to re-sign him in the offseason. Yamamoto will likely be in the trade or another. I don’t see him being back next season

Barrie and Kassian are probably gone in the offseason, no matter what

If Smith looks good after he’s back, they probably go with him and Skinner with Konovalov as insurance. In fact, I think if Konovalov continues to look good in the AHL and Skinner continues to look good in his NHL starts, this is pretty much a certainty for next year given the cap situation.

They just signed Barrie to a 3 year deal. Why and how do you think he's gone after this year?

 

[belair]

Well, there's a very real and legit reason why Kane could be had for cheaper which is not something that you can just sweep under the rug as if it's nothing.

If he is indeed the problem child that he's been at every spot and the Oilers are the next team in line that wants to rid of the cancer, you're stuck with a $3.5m caphit for the next 3 seasons so it's not a no risk proposition financially either. Can he change who he's been for the last decade plus? I don't know, seems pretty risky to me.

Not saying that I'd be all for the Kubalik trade either but both options come with significant risk.

I'm not sweeping it under the rug. But it's something that really doesn't have a ton of context to go along with it. You're talking about a guy's personality. And it hasn't really impacted the way he performs on the ice. Nor has it seemingly impacted the way his coaches have relied on him in the past.

He's made the news and people eat that up. I get that. He hasn't seemed to upset the room with the Barracuda so far. Are the Sharks any better of a team without him? What about his personality is going to come to a head in Edmonton?

Because if it does happen, there are still outs when Kane is a player capable of scoring at a first line rate with three seasons left at a $3.5m cap hit. The risk can be mitigated by moving the asset through one of multiple avenues.

This is all kind of pointless talk though because I doubt the Sharks would agree to it because there are teams out there smart enough to see the value there.

 

[Oilhawks]

In reference to my above post, roster probably looks something like this heading into the offseason

Hyman - McDavid - Pulju
Foegele - Draisaitl - Kubalik
RNH - Holloway - X (Bourgault? Or a cheap UFA as insurance. Maybe McLeod centre’s this line and Holloway on the wing)
McLeod - Ryan - X (cheap UFA)

Shore, X (maybe Sceviour is back)

Nurse - Bouchard
Broberg - Ceci
Keith - X (cheap Hakanpaa type)
Nemo or Samorukov as the 7D rotating in for Keith depending on opponent. One of Nemo or Sammy will be gone in a trade, maybe to address bottom 6 RW

Smith
Skinner
Konovalov

People will hate the goaltending, understandably. I just don’t see the cap to address with an expensive starter and they will want to see if Skinner can develop into a starter and get Konovalov NHL reps while he’s waiver exempt

 

[Oilhawks]

They just signed Barrie to a 3 year deal. Why and how do you think he's gone after this year?

Why? Because he was signed as insurance for Bouchard and Bouchard has proven to be ready. They will need his cap, and can replace his ES minutes with a cheap shutdown bottom pairing D. How? He has no trade clauses and will have value to a (likely rebuilding) team looking for a veteran PP specialist

 

[Stoneman89]

Why? Because he was signed as insurance for Bouchard and Bouchard has proven to be ready. They will need his cap, and can replace his ES minutes with a cheap shutdown bottom pairing D. How? He has no trade clauses and will have value to a (likely rebuilding) team looking for a veteran PP specialist

We'll have to agree to disagree. I don't think Bouchard is ready to take the reins yet.

 

[Oilhawks]

We'll have to agree to disagree. I don't think Bouchard is ready to take the reins yet.

That’s fine. I’m as big a fan of Barrie as anyone on this board. But he is a luxury at this point, they need to use his cap elsewhere.

With the defensive depth coming in the pipe, top 9 forward will be a bigger need, particularly a goal scorer. Yams is the weakest link. He’s going to need to have a Cogliano moment which probably won’t happen here (as well). They had difficulty in re-signing Yams to a bridge so will likely have more trouble getting him to agree to taking a team friendly deal that pertains to him being a 3rd line player

 

[Soundwave]

They just signed Barrie to a 3 year deal. Why and how do you think he's gone after this year?

Don't think they can keep everyone and Barrie. Puljujarvi needs a raise, Yamamoto will probably need a smaller raise, you need to have some money for a goalie too or the Oilers may as well stop wasting everyone's time and just admit they're not serious about competing right now.

 

[LTIR]

We'll have to agree to disagree. I don't think Bouchard is ready to take the reins yet.

Reins from Barrie?
Bouchard took them like 5 games in. Barrie is getting the top unit PP mins not because he is better than Bouch. The organization probably promised him that or maybe they don't want Bouch minutes to go up over 25 per game. Barrie is 3rd best RD on the team and on most nights a liability. He is gone after this season for sure.

 

[McDNicks17]

Was checking out Kubalik's 5v5 numbers and noticed that Brandon Hagel is leading the Hawks in 5v5 points.

How do all these decent UFAs out of the WHL always get plucked right from under our nose? The dude played four years in Red Deer. Come on.

 

[belair]

That’s fine. I’m as big a fan of Barrie as anyone on this board. But he is a luxury at this point, they need to use his cap elsewhere.

Barrie is a luxury, but Kubalik wouldn't be? Dude, Barrie repeatedly outscores Kubalik year after year.

A complimentary left winger might be one of the more frivolous trade targets I could think of looking at the current roster.

Unless that guy is coming in on an absolute steal of a deal, the Oilers would be better off sniffing around Debrusk.

 

[PeteEakins]

According to Google Translate:

Speculation about the possible transfer of Marc Andre Fleury from Chicago to Edmonton is not the only one that mentions this direction. According to several overseas sources, there is also communication between the same organizations about the possible arrival of Dominic Kubalík.

First of all, both clubs are used to trading together. Let's recall the replacement of Duncan Keith, the three-time Stanley Cup champion, who has been wearing the Oilmen's jersey since this season. In this case, Chicago did not keep a dollar from the veteran's salary. That would probably have to be the case with Kubalík. Or it would have to be a trade-off of comparable players, hockeywriters.com speculates.

Probably the most pressing problem remains in the Edmonton goal area. Mike Smith is one of the NHL's oldest goalkeepers at the age of 39. The Oilers have the highest ambitions. Smith is simply not at the age when he can bring them to the top. Mikko Koskinen, who is six years younger and has spent most of his career in the KHL, does not have top performance. Twenty-three-year-old Stuart Skinner is just looking around in the NHL.

Before the season, Ken Holland dealt intensively with the post of goalkeeper, but in the end there was no change. The bet on the previous tandem was more of a way out of the emergency. If the performances of the masked Oilers men are not satisfactory, it is possible that Fleury and Kubalík will come from Chicago at the same time until the transfer deadline. This is due to the fact that the Blackhawks play poorly and may thus be among the "sellers".

After this season, Dominik Kubalík's contract ends, which guaranteed him $ 3.7 million this year. He will be in the position of RFA, a protected agent, which gives the potential new club exclusive rights to negotiate cooperation with him for years to come. A native of Pilsen cannot run away without compensation.

The Czech sniper is playing in the NHL for the third season. The year before, he scored 30 goals in 68 matches. Last year, he made 17 hits in 56 duels. So far, he has scored six times in 30 starts. He is behind expectations, especially in the game of five to five, when he scored only three times. He might benefit from the change.

Kubalík has a reputation as a shooter and there is more space on the wings in Edmonton than in the middle of an attack. Everyone's breathtaking opportunity to board alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl centers. Who wouldn't want such a position?

Speaking of Oilers, let's add another gossip that has been on the Internet in recent weeks. Although it probably won't rain from this cloud, Ken Holland reportedly contacted coach Mike Babcock. Edmonton has won twice after six defeats, but Dave Tippett's position is certainly not very sure. Holland is a seasoned manager who is not afraid to map out all the possibilities.

 

[Soundwave]

A deal for Kubalik + MAF means Chicago has to take some salary back.

Koskinen + Kassian + EDM 1st

for

MAF @50% retained + Kubalik?

Then I guess the idea is when needed use RNH as the 3C and Kubalik takes his spot.

Hyman McDavid Puljujarvi
Kubalik Draisaitl Yamamoto
Foegele RNH McLeod (?)
Shore Ryan Scevior

I would then make a move for a 13th forward type bruiser like Zack McEwan or someone like that.

 

[AddyTheWrath]

Which other options have I criticized? The only time I generally comment is when the trade is a clear Hail Mary for some level of short-term playoff success.

Kubalik's QO would be unmanageable. It would be multiple futures out for an asset that likely dies at season's end. And this player currently has one point on Foegele, who has seen next to no time in our top six. Kubalik's 30 goal season is now two years removed.

How does this not look like a repeat of the Athanasiou trade?

You want better options? Evander Kane is one of them. I've also thrown out a handful of lower cost depth guys like Nick Paul, Calle Jarnkrok and Zemgus Girgensons who would address the area of need effectively without costing the team their most valuable trade assets.

I have never understood why the answer for most people is paying top dollar for more guys to play top six wing. If the answer for our bottom six was always just dropping Nuge down a line, why are we even spending the assets?

Just off the top of my head - DeBrusk, Chychrun, and now Kubalik.

If anything I'd rather trade for impact guys than the bottom-6ers of the world.

 

[McDNicks17]

I don't really see the fit with Kubalik. $4M for a guy who has scored half his points on the PP. He'd get zero PP minutes here.

I don't buy the McDavid needs a shooter/skill winger thing either. He's always looked much better with guys who will muck along the boards and grind it out.

 

[McDNicks17]

Just off the top of my head - DeBrusk, Chychrun, and now Kubalik.

If anything I'd rather trade for impact guys than the bottom-6ers of the world.

Impact players would be nice, but their cap is getting to a point where if you add one that's signed beyond this season, you're probably going to have to lose one too.

 

[Sweetpotato]

I would do Subban + McLeod for Barrie + Kassian

Not a chance they do that.

 

[belair]

Just off the top of my head - DeBrusk, Chychrun, and now Kubalik.

If anything I'd rather trade for impact guys than the bottom-6ers of the world.

Well you could probably argue that one of the guys you mentioned is a player capable of 'impact', but he'd also be incredibly expensive to acquire and he'd be tossed into a secondary role here.

The logic of paying an exorbitant price for 'established production' is skewed. The team needs depth and everyone's favorite targets are always players who'd end up playing with the guys already driving the offense.

For the record, I was on board with acquiring Debrusk. I just realize that he's a player they wouldn't qualify, so I wouldn't be willing to pay the price to acquire him.

The Oilers aren't in a position where it would be wise to give up their best trade chips for rentals.

 

[belair]

I don't really see the fit with Kubalik. $4M for a guy who has scored half his points on the PP. He'd get zero PP minutes here.

I don't buy the McDavid needs a shooter/skill winger thing either. He's always looked much better with guys who will muck along the boards and grind it out.

Give Foegele another dozen games in that spot and see what you've got. Odds are he's be outproducing Kubalik by the end of that stretch.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Make of it what you will but Czech media is reporting that Kubalik is close to becoming an Oiler. I read a few articles that there have been lots of talk. All Czech articles though.

Personally, I think we need to stop looking for Top 6 help and focus on goalie and D. So I'd rather Fleury waive his clause and come on over but Kubalik would definitely help as it'd push Yam to bottom 6 and he'd be exceptional on line 3 (maybe even with RNH).

Looks like very loose speculation citing the hobby based Hockey Writers website. It's easy to draw a line like this between these two teams with Fleury addressing a chronic need and Kubalik a shoot first volume scoring forward. I don't see anything substantive other than some standard hockey fandom speculation. Just stuff the internet is great at - insert speculation in one place and watch it get churned up in a variety of forms across sites, posters and the like.

 

[Oilhawks]

Barrie is a luxury, but Kubalik wouldn't be? Dude, Barrie repeatedly outscores Kubalik year after year.

A complimentary left winger might be one of the more frivolous trade targets I could think of looking at the current roster.

Unless that guy is coming in on an absolute steal of a deal, the Oilers would be better off sniffing around Debrusk.

They need wingers that can score goals, and they have a surplus of puck movers. Barrie is the logical one to move on from with Bouchard looking like a top 4D this year and likely to be a consistent top pairing D as early as next season.

Kubalik can play both sides, which is something they seem to be targeting with winger acquisitions (Hyman, Foegele). If they are able to retain Yams at a reasonable price or if he departs, obtain another 3rd line player in addition to Holloway coming in by next season. They will have legitimate top 9 depth for the first time since 05-06.

 

[Oilhawks]

I don't really see the fit with Kubalik. $4M for a guy who has scored half his points on the PP. He'd get zero PP minutes here.

I don't buy the McDavid needs a shooter/skill winger thing either. He's always looked much better with guys who will muck along the boards and grind it out.

McDavid has his wingers already if Tippett doesn’t galaxy brain the situation (Foegele and Pulju). Draisaitl doesn’t.

The acquisition would be for a Drai winger. Kubalik had success with good Toews, a centre they don’t really have anymore. He could be back to scoring 30 on Draisaitl’s wing

 

[McDNicks17]

McDavid has his wingers already if Tippett doesn’t galaxy brain the situation (Foegele and Pulju). Draisaitl doesn’t.

The acquisition would be for a Drai winger. Kubalik had success with good Toews, a centre they don’t really have anymore. He could be back to scoring 30 on Draisaitl’s wing

I don't really see the fit with Drai either.

That line is struggling because it has two wingers that can't score at 5v5 and fall over if they even get close to the boards or contact. Kubalik is more of the same of that.