Jimmi McJenkins
Sometimes miracles
This offseason, so damned funny. $2.4M for Kampf is terrific.
They're able to do that because of their cap structure though. They were spending like $10-15M less in their top6.
The Oilers are way too top heavy to ever roll 4 lines/3 pairings.
They might not have all 6 D men be as solid as Vegas, but we shouldn't create a liability where there currently isn't one.
As of now I see the defense like this:
Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Ceci
Kulak - Desharnais
The bolded are guys that can be relied on, the rest are varying degrees of wild cards. Ideally we should only run with one wild card at most. Two is already too many, move Kulak and you have three. We have an injury to one of the others, and all of a sudden you have two. Winning a series against a good opponent then becomes borderline impossible.
Trading Kulak is cutting off your nose to spite your face IMO.
You're going to have to open a hole to fill another.
Right now Derek Ryan is the team's second best RWer. You're far better off spending $2M in the top6 than on the bottom pairing.
I would agree if it wasn't Ekholm and Nurse playing infront of Kulak. I see them both as top pairing guys (I know that's controversial here). I'm not sure if this is the case, but let's say (in my best case scenario dreamland) that Blake Wheeler is willing to come here at minimum + bonuses, but if you move Kulak you can also bring in Connor Brown. I think Connor Brown probably makes a bigger difference to the team's success than Brett Kulak does.I think quality #3 LD is much more important on this team than quality #2 RW. Also much harder to find.
I think #3 LD is much more important on this team than #2 RW. Also much harder to find.
I don’t like Desharnais or Broberg but I think Broberg is ahead of him at least.I don’t get that tweet from annoying Boob. How will Broberg show anything he’s got when
Ekholm
Nurse
Kulak
Desharnais
Are all ahead of him?
When you're goaltender puts up a historic turd, you better swing big. Either for more defensively sound forwards, D upgrades, or some random goalie upgrade being creative.
Here, it's just "meh, we are a playoff team. It's all good" lol
We have low standards in Edmonton. When Drai and McDavid are gone with no cups, people will bi*** and moan about how we didn't do enough. I can already see it
How so?
That spot is going to play very limited minutes behind Nurse/Ekholm and bottom pairing guys are extremely easy to find. And they have Broberg, so it's not like they have to find one either.
Does Pepperidge Farms?Remember when Flame fans thought they could sell really high on Toffoli after his big season? I remember....
I think you're really undervaluing that spot in the lineup. If the Oilers had one extra good middle-six winger they probably win the series against Vegas. Depth scoring pushes this team into cup contender territory.I think we could win a playoff series with Derek Ryan playing #2 RW (if it came to that). I don't think we can win one with a bottom pair of Broberg/Desharnias, and am dead certain we wouldn't win one if there is an injury and either of those guys have to play top 4 minutes against a contending team.
I think we could win a Conference Final/Final playoff series with Derek Ryan playing #2 RW (if it came to that). I don't think we can win one with a bottom pair of Broberg/Desharnias, and am dead certain we wouldn't win one if there is an injury and either of those guys have to play top 4 minutes against a contending team.
I think you're really undervaluing that spot in the lineup. If the Oilers had one extra good middle-six winger they probably win the series against Vegas. Depth scoring pushes this team into cup contender territory.
Edit: Though strong goaltending probably makes up the difference in either scenario.
I'd personally be trading Desharnais. Broberg and a veteran like a Luke Schenn would be a fine third pairing.
And I don't think the injury argument holds a lot of water. What if one of McDrai get hurt and now you've got a Kane-McLeod-Ryan second line? Injuries happen. You can't make your roster worse just in case they happen.
I think Broberg is bait at this point. He needs NHL playing time to improve, and he isn't going to get that ahead of Nurse, Ekholm or Kulak, and he's the wrong type of defenseman to go on his off-side to play with either Ekholm or Kulak. I don't think he's shown enough to get gifted a spot next to Nurse either. He's got potential, but I feel that we would be better off looking for an upgrade to #3RD and keeping Vinny as our #7 than trying to find a way to get Broberg ice time.I don’t get that tweet from annoying Boob. How will Broberg show anything he’s got when
Ekholm
Nurse
Kulak
Desharnais
Are all ahead of him?
Gazzola was right.
And one injury to any of them and we have a very suspect top 6I think Broberg is bait at this point. He needs NHL playing time to improve, and he isn't going to get that ahead of Nurse, Ekholm or Kulak, and he's the wrong type of defenseman to go on his off-side to play with either Ekholm or Kulak. I don't think he's shown enough to get gifted a spot next to Nurse either. He's got potential, but I feel that we would be better off looking for an upgrade to #3RD and keeping Vinny as our #7 than trying to find a way to get Broberg ice time.
If I were a betting man, I'd put money on Holland kicking all 3 of the RFA cans down the road until mid summer once all the dust has settled.
For better or worse, I get the feeling Holland likes the wiggle room of not having contracts signed.
Right now, he doesn't have to move Foegele, as Koskin isn't signed; Thus it's not as much of a cap dump. It's crappy reasoning, I can at least see it.
Plus it's far easier to show the RFAs what's left in the budget and tell them that's all you can afford at the end of summer vs. the start. He did that with McLeod last year, who basically got every last dollar of cap space the team had to start the season.
He should be able to be #3 on that list if his time is now.I don’t get that tweet from annoying Boob. How will Broberg show anything he’s got when
Ekholm
Nurse
Kulak
Desharnais
Are all ahead of him?
I think Broberg is bait at this point. He needs NHL playing time to improve, and he isn't going to get that ahead of Nurse, Ekholm or Kulak, and he's the wrong type of defenseman to go on his off-side to play with either Ekholm or Kulak. I don't think he's shown enough to get gifted a spot next to Nurse either. He's got potential, but I feel that we would be better off looking for an upgrade to #3RD and keeping Vinny as our #7 than trying to find a way to get Broberg ice time.