Rumor: Rumors & Proposals Thread | What Do Our RFA's Sign For Edition

[CycloneSweep]

It took him his 4th year to acquire a top 4D.

He lost terribly on the Keith deal. He was lucky that Keith retired to get him that 5M.

He's done a poor job building the D core.

His drafting of Broberg was a terrible and obvious mistake and no it wasn't hindsight.

If Holland/Wright could actually draft this team would have been in good hands, but they haven't drafted a single impact player with 8th and 14th overall.

He's had cap, and assets and has failed with the backend and goaltending 5 straight years.

He didn’t lose anything on the Keith deal.
He got a guy who was playing at a top 4 d level for pretty much NOTHING.
I agree that drafting Broberg was a bad thing.

You say he failed but our defence, statistically is just outside the top 10 which with our team structure is good. People acting like we need to have the best d in the league.

You do know that our d, statistically, is better than the one who just won the cup?

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

He didn’t lose anything on the Keith deal.
He got a guy who was playing at a top 4 d level for pretty much NOTHING.
I agree that drafting Broberg was a bad thing.

You say he failed but our defence, statistically is just outside the top 10 which with our team structure is good. People acting like we need to have the best d in the league.

You do know that our d, statistically, is better than the one who just won the cup?

But it doesn't feel that way for reasons lol. Sincerely, well said.

This team is seriously good

 

[Oilers49er]

He didn’t lose anything on the Keith deal.
He got a guy who was playing at a top 4 d level for pretty much NOTHING.
I agree that drafting Broberg was a bad thing.

You say he failed but our defence, statistically is just outside the top 10 which with our team structure is good. People acting like we need to have the best d in the league.

You do know that our d, statistically, is better than the one who just won the cup?

We weren't better than Vegas defensively. Our goals against was 17th in the league. Vegas was 11th.
Shots against Oilers were 19th and Vegas was 13th.

That isn't good enough because Nurse-Ceci cannot defend. The coach thought they would get better in the playoffs and they were absolutely terrible. They were on the ice for majority of the goals against for a reason. Neither hold a blue line, neither have a net front presence.

These two are the concerns and without a change there is no cup.

But it doesn't feel that way for reasons lol. Sincerely, well said.

This team is seriously good

Our D wasn't better than Vegas. No they aren't good enough.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

We weren't better than Vegas defensively. Our goals against was 17th in the league. Vegas was 11th.
Shots against Oilers were 19th and Vegas was 13th.

That isn't good enough because Nurse-Ceci cannot defend. The coach thought they would get better in the playoffs and they were absolutely terrible. They were on the ice for majority of the goals against for a reason. Neither hold a blue line, neither have a net front presence.

These two are the concerns and without a change there is no cup.



Our D wasn't better than Vegas. No they aren't good enough.

Oh because lost, so not as good. Just like Florida's being better than Boston's

 

[Broberg Speed]

We weren't better than Vegas defensively. Our goals against was 17th in the league. Vegas was 11th.
Shots against Oilers were 19th and Vegas was 13th.

That isn't good enough because Nurse-Ceci cannot defend. The coach thought they would get better in the playoffs and they were absolutely terrible. They were on the ice for majority of the goals against for a reason. Neither hold a blue line, neither have a net front presence.

These two are the concerns and without a change there is no cup.



Our D wasn't better than Vegas. No they aren't good enough.

What do you think of Bouchard's prowess on the defensive end of the hockey rink?

Bonus question. What do you think of McCloud as a third-line center on a contending team?

 

[Oilers49er]

What do you think of Bouchard's prowess on the defensive side of the hockey rink?

He can hold a blue line. He played better than the other two. He's the Oilers John Carlson. A team can have an offensive D who gets the puck out quickly. He's also hands down the best passer on the back end. He's not perfect in his zone and needs to be better with net front work.

Oh because lost, so not as good. Just like Florida's being better than Boston's

Boston got no goaltending. Ullmark was playing hurt and not just a little hurt. I'm still baffled why Swayman didn't play. That's what killed Boston.

 

[Oilers49er]

What do you think of Bouchard's prowess on the defensive end of the hockey rink?

Bonus question. What do you think of McCloud as a third-line center on a contending team?

McCloud was the only C who actually handled Eichel. The 3rd line kept the puck in the offensive zone. He needs to be more selfish offensively. He burns D and then button hooks away from the net. Needs to get confidence. If he shoots more he gets 15G a season on AVG. Some players just may never realize that. Let's hope he does.

Woodcroft thought Bjugstad could handle Eichel for some reason. Bjugstad was terrible in the Vegas series and we won't miss him much.

 

[McDrai]

Wish we could have signed Kostin. Maybe he will be dealt back here in his last year on Detroit, you never know

"I'll always remember it": Kostin writes farewell to Oilers fans | Offside

Though he was only an Edmonton Oiler for one season, it is clear that the city and organization meant a lot to Klim Kostin.

dailyhive.com

 

[Oilhawks]

I’m glad this place is a good sounding board for the doomers, both those that never stop posting and the ones that come here only to doom post in the offseason

 

[SK13]

Ken Holland inherited a team that was wading-pool deep and cap f***ed to Tuesday. A team that missed the playoffs twice in a row. A team that would immediately lose its under-priced top defenseman to a career-ending injury at 28 years old, which would put them into LTIR for four years. A team that based its top contracts around the idea of the cap going up, only for a pandemic to induce a three-year flat cap. A team that already had the challenge of being the Edmonton Oilers. And he's done a very good job with it despite all that IMO.

The Oilers have gone from a team that was pushing Ty Rattie and Alex Chiasson in the top six to a team that has Kane, Nuge, Hyman and Brown on a collective AAV of 16.5M dollars. It's the best top-six group in the league and they just put up one of the highest-scoring seasons in modern NHL history. Their bottom six, still a work in progress, just finished the year with 10+ goals each. At the time he started, it could politely be described as a group of non-NHL players.

The Oilers are identifying pro players far better than they have in decades. They're developing later picks into actual, promising young players. I don't think the Oilers have been a more functional organization since the 1980s. Seriously.

"The Oilers aren't good enough" Yes, they are. They've lost to a Colorado team at the height of their possible power which immediately lost half of its forward depth to the cap. They lost to a Vegas team running a 96M dollar roster (and gave it a better fight than anyone), and even that series turned on a goalie injury and a hot back-up.

No team is without flaws on July 1 in a flat cap. The Knights gave away Reilly Smith for nothing just to become cap compliant. Boston just lost so much talent. Toronto shuffled Bunting, O'Reilly and Holl for Bertuzzi, Domi and Klingberg. Tampa had to let Killorn walk. Florida replaced Gudas with Ekman-Larsson. Colorado added two players with negative contracts in order to rebuild some of its depth semi-affordably. The Wild are the same team pretty much completely. *THESE ARE THE OTHER GOOD TEAMS*

These are the good times. You can say "should have won the Cup" or "the Cup is the only success". I get it, I do, but you're calling a B+ job an F because it isn't an A and you're missing the good times. The times when we know the Oilers go into a season as maybe one of seven teams most people wouldn't blink at winning the Cup. The times where the Oilers make the playoffs with home ice advantage for 4 straight years. The times where the Oilers have their handcuffs off at the deadline.

 

[Broberg Speed]

He can hold a blue line.

Not so much.

He played better than the other two.

Consider Bouchard's partner and the quality of competition.

He's the Oilers John Carlson.

Carlson? Absolutely not.

A team can have an offensive D who gets the puck out quickly. He's also hands down the best passer on the back end.

Bouchard can move the puck effectively because McDavid and Draisaitl draw double coverage and there is less pressure when Bouchard is on the ice because he is a threat because he actually can pass really well. I've never denied that. Ever. And Bouchard has real talent.

Place Bouchard on a different team. Forecheckers' assignments don't include watching McDavid and Draisaitl. Things change for Bouchard in a hurry.

He's not perfect in his zone and needs to be better with net front work.

Bouchard can't defend very well, period. That is possibly an understatement.

McCloud was the only C who actually handled Eichel. The 3rd line kept the puck in the offensive zone. He needs to be more selfish offensively. He burns D and then button hooks away from the net. Needs to get confidence. If he shoots more he gets 15G a season on AVG. Some players just may never realize that. Let's hope he does.

Woodcroft thought Bjugstad could handle Eichel for some reason. Bjugstad was terrible in the Vegas series and we won't miss him much.

Absolutely not.

I get it, you are a joke poster.

Bravo.

 

[Oilers49er]

Not so much.

Consider Bouchard's partner and the quality of competition.

Carlson? Absolutely not.

Bouchard can move the puck effectively because McDavid and Draisaitl draw double coverage and there is less pressure when Bouchard is on the ice because he is a threat because he actually can pass really well. I've never denied that even once.

Place Bouchard on a different team. Forecheckers assignments don't include watching McDavid and Draisaitl. Things change for Bouchard in a hurry.

Bouchard can't defend very well period.

Absolutely not.

I get it, you are a joke poster.

Bravo.

lol. So are you. You just disagree. That's your play. Bravo.

 

[Broberg Speed]

lol. So are you. You just disagree. That's your play. Bravo.

interesting

 

[guymez]

Losing Kelfbom and then Larsson was a huge blow for this team.

 

[guymez]

I'll revise my original thoughts on Bouchard.

2yrs $3.25M per, McLeod, 4 years $1.85M

I would be very happy with that number for Bouchard on a 2 year deal..

I expect him to come in at about $3.6M - $3.75M.

 

[ilovetheshowlost]

Are we more scared of Vegas or Colorado? Both still seem very deep to me - I certainly hope we can get to that level in the playoffs!

 

[SupremeTeam16]

Ken Holland inherited a team that was wading-pool deep and cap f***ed to Tuesday. A team that missed the playoffs twice in a row. A team that would immediately lose its under-priced top defenseman to a career-ending injury at 28 years old, which would put them into LTIR for four years. A team that based its top contracts around the idea of the cap going up, only for a pandemic to induce a three-year flat cap. A team that already had the challenge of being the Edmonton Oilers. And he's done a very good job with it despite all that IMO.

The Oilers have gone from a team that was pushing Ty Rattie and Alex Chiasson in the top six to a team that has Kane, Nuge, Hyman and Brown on a collective AAV of 16.5M dollars. It's the best top-six group in the league and they just put up one of the highest-scoring seasons in modern NHL history. Their bottom six, still a work in progress, just finished the year with 10+ goals each. At the time he started, it could politely be described as a group of non-NHL players.

The Oilers are identifying pro players far better than they have in decades. They're developing later picks into actual, promising young players. I don't think the Oilers have been a more functional organization since the 1980s. Seriously.

"The Oilers aren't good enough" Yes, they are. They've lost to a Colorado team at the height of their possible power which immediately lost half of its forward depth to the cap. They lost to a Vegas team running a 96M dollar roster (and gave it a better fight than anyone), and even that series turned on a goalie injury and a hot back-up.

No team is without flaws on July 1 in a flat cap. The Knights gave away Reilly Smith for nothing just to become cap compliant. Boston just lost so much talent. Toronto shuffled Bunting, O'Reilly and Holl for Bertuzzi, Domi and Klingberg. Tampa had to let Killorn walk. Florida replaced Gudas with Ekman-Larsson. Colorado added two players with negative contracts in order to rebuild some of its depth semi-affordably. The Wild are the same team pretty much completely. *THESE ARE THE OTHER GOOD TEAMS*

These are the good times. You can say "should have won the Cup" or "the Cup is the only success". I get it, I do, but you're calling a B+ job an F because it isn't an A and you're missing the good times. The times when we know the Oilers go into a season as maybe one of seven teams most people wouldn't blink at winning the Cup. The times where the Oilers make the playoffs with home ice advantage for 4 straight years. The times where the Oilers have their handcuffs off at the deadline.

Yeah this.

 

[Broberg Speed]

Are we more scared of Vegas or Colorado? Both still seem very deep to me - I certainly hope we can get to that level in the playoffs!

We need an elite partner to help Nurse on the top pairing and a real third-line center that can get the job done. Then we can beat both. I'm certain of it.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

Are we more scared of Vegas or Colorado? Both still seem very deep to me - I certainly hope we can get to that level in the playoffs!

I'm more scared of Colorado, but either one if they fully abuse the cap and make intelligent decisions while magically bringing back Landeskog/Stone just in time for the playoffs is a hard advantage to overcome.

 

[McDoused]

Ken Holland inherited a team that was wading-pool deep and cap f***ed to Tuesday. A team that missed the playoffs twice in a row. A team that would immediately lose its under-priced top defenseman to a career-ending injury at 28 years old, which would put them into LTIR for four years. A team that based its top contracts around the idea of the cap going up, only for a pandemic to induce a three-year flat cap. A team that already had the challenge of being the Edmonton Oilers. And he's done a very good job with it despite all that IMO.

The Oilers have gone from a team that was pushing Ty Rattie and Alex Chiasson in the top six to a team that has Kane, Nuge, Hyman and Brown on a collective AAV of 16.5M dollars. It's the best top-six group in the league and they just put up one of the highest-scoring seasons in modern NHL history. Their bottom six, still a work in progress, just finished the year with 10+ goals each. At the time he started, it could politely be described as a group of non-NHL players.

The Oilers are identifying pro players far better than they have in decades. They're developing later picks into actual, promising young players. I don't think the Oilers have been a more functional organization since the 1980s. Seriously.

"The Oilers aren't good enough" Yes, they are. They've lost to a Colorado team at the height of their possible power which immediately lost half of its forward depth to the cap. They lost to a Vegas team running a 96M dollar roster (and gave it a better fight than anyone), and even that series turned on a goalie injury and a hot back-up.

No team is without flaws on July 1 in a flat cap. The Knights gave away Reilly Smith for nothing just to become cap compliant. Boston just lost so much talent. Toronto shuffled Bunting, O'Reilly and Holl for Bertuzzi, Domi and Klingberg. Tampa had to let Killorn walk. Florida replaced Gudas with Ekman-Larsson. Colorado added two players with negative contracts in order to rebuild some of its depth semi-affordably. The Wild are the same team pretty much completely. *THESE ARE THE OTHER GOOD TEAMS*

These are the good times. You can say "should have won the Cup" or "the Cup is the only success". I get it, I do, but you're calling a B+ job an F because it isn't an A and you're missing the good times. The times when we know the Oilers go into a season as maybe one of seven teams most people wouldn't blink at winning the Cup. The times where the Oilers make the playoffs with home ice advantage for 4 straight years. The times where the Oilers have their handcuffs off at the deadline.

Preach my brother!

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Ken Holland inherited a team that was wading-pool deep and cap f***ed to Tuesday. A team that missed the playoffs twice in a row. A team that would immediately lose its under-priced top defenseman to a career-ending injury at 28 years old, which would put them into LTIR for four years. A team that based its top contracts around the idea of the cap going up, only for a pandemic to induce a three-year flat cap. A team that already had the challenge of being the Edmonton Oilers. And he's done a very good job with it despite all that IMO.

The Oilers have gone from a team that was pushing Ty Rattie and Alex Chiasson in the top six to a team that has Kane, Nuge, Hyman and Brown on a collective AAV of 16.5M dollars. It's the best top-six group in the league and they just put up one of the highest-scoring seasons in modern NHL history. Their bottom six, still a work in progress, just finished the year with 10+ goals each. At the time he started, it could politely be described as a group of non-NHL players.

The Oilers are identifying pro players far better than they have in decades. They're developing later picks into actual, promising young players. I don't think the Oilers have been a more functional organization since the 1980s. Seriously.

"The Oilers aren't good enough" Yes, they are. They've lost to a Colorado team at the height of their possible power which immediately lost half of its forward depth to the cap. They lost to a Vegas team running a 96M dollar roster (and gave it a better fight than anyone), and even that series turned on a goalie injury and a hot back-up.

No team is without flaws on July 1 in a flat cap. The Knights gave away Reilly Smith for nothing just to become cap compliant. Boston just lost so much talent. Toronto shuffled Bunting, O'Reilly and Holl for Bertuzzi, Domi and Klingberg. Tampa had to let Killorn walk. Florida replaced Gudas with Ekman-Larsson. Colorado added two players with negative contracts in order to rebuild some of its depth semi-affordably. The Wild are the same team pretty much completely. *THESE ARE THE OTHER GOOD TEAMS*

These are the good times. You can say "should have won the Cup" or "the Cup is the only success". I get it, I do, but you're calling a B+ job an F because it isn't an A and you're missing the good times. The times when we know the Oilers go into a season as maybe one of seven teams most people wouldn't blink at winning the Cup. The times where the Oilers make the playoffs with home ice advantage for 4 straight years. The times where the Oilers have their handcuffs off at the deadline.

Yep I think sometimes some of us forget how far we have come. (Myself included)

Well said.

 

[UpHere]

Ken Holland inherited a team that was wading-pool deep and cap f***ed to Tuesday. A team that missed the playoffs twice in a row. A team that would immediately lose its under-priced top defenseman to a career-ending injury at 28 years old, which would put them into LTIR for four years. A team that based its top contracts around the idea of the cap going up, only for a pandemic to induce a three-year flat cap. A team that already had the challenge of being the Edmonton Oilers. And he's done a very good job with it despite all that IMO.

The Oilers have gone from a team that was pushing Ty Rattie and Alex Chiasson in the top six to a team that has Kane, Nuge, Hyman and Brown on a collective AAV of 16.5M dollars. It's the best top-six group in the league and they just put up one of the highest-scoring seasons in modern NHL history. Their bottom six, still a work in progress, just finished the year with 10+ goals each. At the time he started, it could politely be described as a group of non-NHL players.

The Oilers are identifying pro players far better than they have in decades. They're developing later picks into actual, promising young players. I don't think the Oilers have been a more functional organization since the 1980s. Seriously.

"The Oilers aren't good enough" Yes, they are. They've lost to a Colorado team at the height of their possible power which immediately lost half of its forward depth to the cap. They lost to a Vegas team running a 96M dollar roster (and gave it a better fight than anyone), and even that series turned on a goalie injury and a hot back-up.

No team is without flaws on July 1 in a flat cap. The Knights gave away Reilly Smith for nothing just to become cap compliant. Boston just lost so much talent. Toronto shuffled Bunting, O'Reilly and Holl for Bertuzzi, Domi and Klingberg. Tampa had to let Killorn walk. Florida replaced Gudas with Ekman-Larsson. Colorado added two players with negative contracts in order to rebuild some of its depth semi-affordably. The Wild are the same team pretty much completely. *THESE ARE THE OTHER GOOD TEAMS*

These are the good times. You can say "should have won the Cup" or "the Cup is the only success". I get it, I do, but you're calling a B+ job an F because it isn't an A and you're missing the good times. The times when we know the Oilers go into a season as maybe one of seven teams most people wouldn't blink at winning the Cup. The times where the Oilers make the playoffs with home ice advantage for 4 straight years. The times where the Oilers have their handcuffs off at the deadline.

its sad when posts like this are drowned out by posts by that other guy

 

[McDoused]

This team's offense is fine, but the fact the D is the same is an absolute fail this offseason. Two playoffs in a row they tried to outscore their defensive issues. It doesn't work.

Yes Holland will be reactive and make a trade at the deadline, but is it for a top 4 D or depth D. If people get tricked because Ceci plays a little better then Holland won't change the top 4.

It's simply not good enough D and potentially not good enough goaltending. Two spots Holland hasn't fixed in 5 years.

0 Division titles.

The offence isnt just fine, it's one if not the best forward group in the NHL lead by the two best players in the NHL. Outscoring the other team is literally how you win hockey games.

As far as not improving the defence did you not see that we traded for Ekholm? He basically got two top 4 defenceman in that trade with Bouchard flourishing. Popular to popular belief, Nurse is still a top pairing defenceman. Kulak has impressed as a solid minute muncher. Desharnais helped solidify our defence and Broberg showed flashes. It was a top 10 defence post TDL.

Is there still some work to replace Ceci? I'd love if it they upgraded now but it's more likely to be a deadline acquisition. Who knows, maybe Broberg takes a big leap forward or someone we werent expecting becomes available mid-season.

Goaltending as others have pointed out is hard to predict. I never would have thought that Hill + LB was better than what we had to start the year. Let's see how they do next season. If Campbell cant bounce back go after Hart, Gibson, Hellebuyck, or like 4 random nobodies like Vegas did. I don't think the goal is to chase a goalie anyways.

 

[Delicious Pancakes]

I would be very happy with that number for Bouchard on a 2 year deal..

I expect him to come in at about $3.6M - $3.75M.

Yeah that's about what I'm expecting for Bouchard as well. I feel like 2 x $3.5M for Bouch and 2 x $1.8 for McLeod are the low end of what you could reasonably hope for. McLeod's got arb. rights so it's going to be hard to get him signed for a number that starts with 1 on a two year deal if it goes to arbitration.

I'm still holding out hope that both guys could sign for a combined $5.3M which would allow another league minimum salary to be added to the roster and a few hundred k in cap space as a buffer in case of injuries. However a combined $5.5M - $5.75M seems more likely. Dare to dream though I guess (saving a few hundred k on the cap is a semi-reasonable dream for an Oilers fan, right?).

 

[Kanedogg]

It took him his 4th year to acquire a top 4D.

He lost terribly on the Keith deal. He was lucky that Keith retired to get him that 5M.

He's done a poor job building the D core.

His drafting of Broberg was a terrible and obvious mistake and no it wasn't hindsight.

If Holland/Wright could actually draft this team would have been in good hands, but they haven't drafted a single impact player with 8th and 14th overall.

He's had cap, and assets and has failed with the backend and goaltending 5 straight years.

Yeah I really hate the whole hindsight nonsense. Zegras was clearly the consensus best player available. Me and all my friends at the draft party wanted him. But the Oilers needed to show how smart they were and pass on him.

Also it cannot be stated enough what a hero Duncan Keith is retiring for this team. We wouldn't have ekholm if he came back again last year.