Rumor: Rumour and Proposals Thread: I'll Trade You My Banana For Your Dunkaroos

[3IR]

The DRY line is driven by the Hart trophy winner.

Leon Draisaitl going from 77 point player to 120 point player is significant. It's like the Avalanche with MacKinnon being a 60-70 point player (team was shit) to upwards of a 90-100+ point player ... radically alters the team dynamic.

Even RNH ... finally playing like a real top 3 pick, 70+ point player finally, not that 56 point crap.

Yamamoto is the complimentary player there, no where near the straw that stirs the drink.

Yamamoto was a massive part in the entire team turning around that god awful slump when he was called up in December. He's not the driver, but he also wasn't just a replacement level winger. They all made each other better.

Again, I'm not trying to say Drai or RNH will be bad if yamo regresses, but if yamo regresses, that entire line suffers. We saw that in the playoffs when Ennis was tried there and the line didn't look anywhere near as dangerous as a group. Also as much as I love RNH, thinking that this seasons PPG is going to continue rather than regress closer to his average seems like a bad bet based on history.

I just don't think we're in a position to sit on our hands and hope everyone is just as good as they were last season. We've had this core for long enough now to have experienced how up and down they can be.

 

[foshizzle]

Who wants to wager that Tre uses one of those 3rd rounders picked up by the Flames to trade for Hall’s rights?

 

[Soundwave]

Yamamoto was a massive part in the entire team turning around that god awful slump when he was called up in December. He's not the driver, but he also wasn't just a replacement level winger. They all made each other better.

Again, I'm not trying to say Drai or RNH will be bad if yamo regresses, but if yamo regresses, that entire line suffers. We saw that in the playoffs when Ennis was tried there and the line didn't look anywhere near as dangerous as a group. Also as much as I love RNH, thinking that this seasons PPG is going to continue rather than regress closer to his average seems like a bad bet based on history.

I just don't think we're in a position to sit on our hands and hope everyone is just as good as they were last season. We've had this core for long enough now to have experienced how up and down they can be.

It's not like Yamamoto is some scrub prospect ... he outscored Nico Hischier in their draft year (the actual no.1 pick) and was also on par with draft year PPG with Nugent Hopkins (another no.1 overall).

The only reason the Oilers got this kid at 22 is because he's 5'8. Plain and simple.

Maybe he's just (gasp) a good player.

 

[Del Preston]

I think Holland not wanting to spend the ~$5M to qualify AA and Benning means the opposite of bargain bin shopping. I can't see him letting a 30-goal scorer go for free if there isn't an upgrade he has his eye on.

 

[3IR]

It's not like Yamamoto is some scrub prospect ... he outscored Nico Hischier in their draft year (the actual no.1 pick) and was also on par with draft year PPG with Nugent Hopkins.

The only reason the Oilers got this kid at 22 is because he's 5'8. Plain and simple.

Maybe he's just (gasp) a good player.

I specifically said I believe he's a good player... but to expect him to continue to be a PPG player based on a single season sample size where everything was going perfectly after taking as long as he did to break in is not the kind of bet I'd want any reasonable GM to make.

If yam put up 25/25 next year, that would be a fantastic season for him, but would still be far below what he was playing over his stint last year.

 

[McXLNC97]

I think Holland not wanting to spend the ~$5M to qualify AA and Benning means the opposite of bargain bin shopping. I can't see him letting a 30-goal scorer go for free if there isn't an upgrade he has his eye on.

Well looks like Toffoli is hitting the market...perhaps he's an option to replace AA cap space with? Benning they could probably bring back around 1.4m

 

[Soundwave]

The main difference with this Oilers team and year's past is they deploy more like Pittsburgh now.

Draisaitl going from 77 point winger of McDavid's to 125+ point Hart trophy center on his own line completely alters the dynamic of the team.

It's not some "oh yeah, that's neat" little change, lol. It's a total revolution to the forward group.

Even Nugent Hopkins .... no more of that wishy washy 56 point shit. 70+ points is what he should be producing as a guy taken that high and he finally is growing into that.

Pittsburgh is always the blue print we should have followed, Chiarelli made a stupid left turn away from that for no reason.

 

[Mr Positive]

I think Holland not wanting to spend the ~$5M to qualify AA and Benning means the opposite of bargain bin shopping. I can't see him letting a 30-goal scorer go for free if there isn't an upgrade he has his eye on.

also, he is pro. He knows it's a poker game. What is the advantage of saying he is desperate for skill and is ready to spill his wallet? None. What is the advantage of saying he will be conservative? Lots. Why? Because if he does swing for the fences but strikes out, he can salvage his reputation by saying that it's part of the plan.

 

[29Beast97Mode]

I think Holland not wanting to spend the ~$5M to qualify AA and Benning means the opposite of bargain bin shopping. I can't see him letting a 30-goal scorer go for free if there isn't an upgrade he has his eye on.

What a waste of 2 seconds just to let anthansiou walk. And trading the 4th for Green. Ouch

 

[Del Preston]

What a waste of 2 seconds just to let anthansiou walk. And trading the 4th for Green. Ouch

It is but those trades were made before Covid stopped the season and screwed up the financial situation. If the cap is $85M then Athanasiou gets qualified.

 

[Mr Positive]

What a waste of 2 seconds just to let anthansiou walk. And trading the 4th for Green. Ouch

So? Free agency is coming. That's where you add players and not give any assets. Value lost one day. Value gained the next.

 

[WaitingForUser]

It is but those trades were made before Covid stopped the season and screwed up the financial situation. If the cap is $85M then Athanasiou gets qualified.

This so much this. Cap was projected at 85 that leaves enough for both AA and Benning to be qualified. Corona screwed this up not KH!

 

[CycloneSweep]

I think Holland not wanting to spend the ~$5M to qualify AA and Benning means the opposite of bargain bin shopping. I can't see him letting a 30-goal scorer go for free if there isn't an upgrade he has his eye on.

Maybe? Holland straight up said he wants like 1-2 mill as a buffer. So that leaves us say 7 mill in space for a 7d, Bear, 1B goalie at minimum. If we get Bear at 2.5 and spend a total of 2 mill on the other 2 that leaves us 2.5 mill for a 3c or top 6 winger.

It also sounds like they are probably planning on keeping Russell to cover for Klefbom.

It also sounds like we are probably resigning Puljujarvi... Probably for 1.5 so that doesn't leave us with much.
We also don't have the assets to clear out our bad cap.

It's possible but bargain hunting is probably what we do.

 

[DropTheGloves]

So here's the roster next year if everything Holland has said today/yesterday (no buyouts, no big FAs, Russell's still here, keeping $1 million in cap space) can be taken at face value:

UFA ($2 million)-McDavid-Kassian
RNH-Draisaitl-Yamamoto
LW in trade (~$2 million)-UFA (~2 million)-Neal
Khaira-Haas-Archibald
Russell Nygard

Nurse-Bear
Russell-Larsson
Jones-Bouchard
Lagesson/UFA (~$800k)

Koskinen
Smith/UFA (~$1.5 million)

That's... not good folks. BEST case, Chiasson is traded for an Anders Bjork, and those free agents are Galchenyuk, Haula, plus someone like Gravel or Derrick Pouliot. Goal is still unstable, McDavid still doesn't have a high-end target, and the D is somehow worse.

How can Holland look at that team and think he's improved it?

 

[McAsuno]

So? Free agency is coming. That's where you add players and not give any assets. Value lost one day. Value gained the next.

 

[OfCorsiDid]

I don't really understand why we would not qualify him unless if we're targeting Hall or Toffoli

We’ll see.

Depending what might happen on Friday I might be hitting the sauce early.

 

[McTedi]

It is but those trades were made before Covid stopped the season and screwed up the financial situation. If the cap is $85M then Athanasiou gets qualified.

Agreed and the 4th for Green could/should have worked out better.

 

[Mr Positive]

For a short term deal, he's still getting 8 million. That's why everyone says it's got to be Colorado.

But, we might swing it if we cheap out on goaltending, 3C, and ditch Russell, and have prospects promoted into the defense. Is it really worth it?

 

[McAsuno]

For a short term deal, he's still getting 8 million. That's why everyone says it's got to be Colorado.

But, we might swing it if we cheap out on goaltending, 3C, and ditch Russell, and have prospects promoted into the defense. Is it really worth it?

Heart says Oilers. Brain says Colorado.

 

[AddyTheWrath]

Depends who we get for 3c/backup imo.

 

[PaPaDee]

Ugh, 2020 has not been kind to the Oilers.

 

[TheNumber4]

Don't use Covid to entirely absolve Holland of any responsibility here for the AA situation. He spent the two 2nd round picks and traded for AA pre-Covid. AA sucked Pre-Covid. Also sucked Post-Covid. Sure, AA gets another shot at proving himself if the Covid flat cap didn't happen, but it still required AA to prove himself and from what I've seen of the player, he sucks, no IQ, overhandles the puck, his speed and skill seemed very overrated as we saw nearly none of it in his time here.

 

[McTedi]

For a short term deal, he's still getting 8 million. That's why everyone says it's got to be Colorado.

But, we might swing it if we cheap out on goaltending, 3C, and ditch Russell, and have prospects promoted into the defense. Is it really worth it?

Maybe you could swing 6.5 -7 x 2...it would be interesting to see him back. Unlikely to happen.

 

[McTedi]

Don't use Covid to entirely absolve Holland of any responsibility here for the AA situation. He spent the two 2nd round picks and traded for AA pre-Covid. AA sucked Pre-Covid. Also sucked Post-Covid. Sure, AA gets another shot at proving himself if the Covid flat cap didn't happen, but it still required AA to prove himself and from what I've seen of the player, he sucks, no IQ, overhandles the puck, his speed and skill seemed very overrated as we saw nearly none of it in his time here.

Not a huge sample size and he had moments. Hard to build chemistry that quick.

 

[TheNumber4]

So here's the roster next year if everything Holland has said today/yesterday (no buyouts, no big FAs, Russell's still here, keeping $1 million in cap space) can be taken at face value:

UFA ($2 million)-McDavid-Kassian
RNH-Draisaitl-Yamamoto
LW in trade (~$2 million)-UFA (~2 million)-Neal
Khaira-Haas-Archibald
Russell Nygard

Nurse-Bear
Russell-Larsson
Jones-Bouchard
Lagesson/UFA (~$800k)

Koskinen
Smith/UFA (~$1.5 million)

That's... not good folks. BEST case, Chiasson is traded for an Anders Bjork, and those free agents are Galchenyuk, Haula, plus someone like Gravel or Derrick Pouliot. Goal is still unstable, McDavid still doesn't have a high-end target, and the D is somehow worse.

How can Holland look at that team and think he's improved it?

With the bottom of the barrel UFA options that will only be available (for the Oilers), the loss of Klefbom, we are looking like we'll be worse than last year. The only thing that can save it is the graduation of Bouchard... but it doesn't seem like that's in the plans for this year.