Rumor: Rumours and Proposals Thread: Adam Larsson for 3-4 years at 3.75?

[Ringo13]

Here's my vision for us to be a legit contender next year.

XXXX McDavid Pulujaarvi
RNH Draisaitl Yamamoto
Kahun McCloud Kassian
Holloway XXXX Archibald

Nurse Barrie
Klefbom Larsson
Kulikov Bouchard

XXXX
Smith

Obtain players to replace XXXX and get rid of Neal and Koskinen by trading assets (1st, Bear, Jones), and through free agency.

Lots has to go right for this to be a possibility:
1) Klefbom has to be healthy.
2) Barrie and Nuge together need to be below 12.
3) We have to obtain the right goalie. Lots available but goalies are a crap shoot.
4) We need to find 2 teams willing to take assets along with salary.
5) Holloway has to be ready.

 

[fancy dan]

i'm not sure you can make decisions about whether or not to bring back smith before playoffs even start.

at this stage I'd be inclined to cut weight.

 

[McDoused]

i'm not sure you can make decisions about whether or not to bring back smith before playoffs even start.

at this stage I'd be inclined to cut weight.

Makes sense given his vezina worthy season hes having. Also isnt it cut bait?

 

[780il]

Habs fans apparently wanna buy out Drouin in the summer...

Lmao has he been that bad

 

[Ringo13]

i'm not sure you can make decisions about whether or not to bring back smith before playoffs even start.

at this stage I'd be inclined to cut weight.

I don't know. He's a pretty good plan B if we can get a guy like Driedger who had a good season but is still a relative unknown.

 

[fancy dan]

Makes sense given his vezina worthy season hes having. Also isnt it cut bait?

oh so you understood what i meant, great.

i'm just saying i'd rather take a gamble on a younger goalie.

also, if say he gets lit up and swept in 4 games, you're still signing him "given his vezina worthy season"?

i wonder why holland hasn't signed him already

 

[McDoused]

oh so you understood what i meant, great.

i'm just saying i'd rather take a gamble on a younger goalie.

also, if say he gets lit up and swept in 4 games, you're still signing him "given his vezina worthy season"?

i wonder why holland hasn't signed him already

Mike Smith doesnt strike me as a guy who is chasing the money right now, I'm pretty sure hes just focused on trying to win a cup at the age of 39. Also it doesnt make sense to sign him before the expansion draft.

 

[Paralyzer]

oh so you understood what i meant, great.

i'm just saying i'd rather take a gamble on a younger goalie.

also, if say he gets lit up and swept in 4 games, you're still signing him "given his vezina worthy season"?

i wonder why holland hasn't signed him already

Smith deserves to be re-signed. He is the perfect backup to have going forward for at least 2 more years IMO. But as posted before, it's better to wait until after the expansion to sign players now. We can't afford to lose guys we signed to Seattle. I got a feeling our young goalie will come from someone in our organization (Skinner, Rodrigue, Konovalev). And if the draft goes our way, I feel we could draft Sébastien Cossa, and that would add enough goalie depth for a while.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

You really think, after sitting Bouchard for most of the year despite being with the team since day 1, staying behind Bear on the depth chart despite Bear's struggles this season, that Tippett will all of a sudden give him top-pairing duties overnight?

To be fair, Barrie isn't in a true, top pairing role. There's a reason Tippett swaps to Nurse-Bear at the end of tight games. But the thing is, it makes more sense to have the possession monsters that are Nurse and McDrai insulate him, as Barrie makes them so much more dangerous.

No reason why you couldn't do that with Bouchard, assuming you still have Bear (and Larsson) ready to jump in during defensive situations.


As for Klef, I think they'll hold off as long as they can on making the call on what to do with him. I can see Holland going after a top 4 guy who's looking for a prove it contract at the end of summer.

I wouldn't be opposed to bringing back Kulikov on a 1 year deal. He'd be a decent stopgap for Samorukov, whom I think could sneak into the top 4 by the end of next season.

Worst case (as in nothing happens) the top 6 looks like this to start next year.

Nurse-Bouchard
Klefbom-Bear
Lagesson-Larsson
Russell

But I think you'll at least see Kulikov re-signed (or someone similar) and Russell buried.

Nurse-Bouchard
Kulikov-Larsson
Klefbom-Bear
Lagesson


With Samorukov knocking on the door.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

To be fair, Barrie isn't in a true, top pairing role. There's a reason Tippett swaps to Nurse-Bear at the end of tight games. But the thing is, it makes more sense to have the possession monsters that are Nurse and McDrai insulate him, as Barrie makes them so much more dangerous.

No reason why you couldn't do that with Bouchard, assuming you still have Bear (and Larsson) ready to jump in during defensive situations.


As for Klef, I think they'll hold off as long as they can on making the call on what to do with him. I can see Holland going after a top 4 guy who's looking for a prove it contract at the end of summer.

I wouldn't be opposed to bringing back Kulikov on a 1 year deal. He'd be a decent stopgap for Samorukov, whom I think could sneak into the top 4 by the end of next season.

Worst case (as in nothing happens) the top 6 looks like this to start next year.

Nurse-Bouchard
Klefbom-Bear
Lagesson-Larsson
Russell

But I think you'll at least see Kulikov re-signed (or someone similar) and Russell buried.

Nurse-Bouchard
Kulikov-Larsson
Klefbom-Bear
Lagesson


With Samorukov knocking on the door.

Klefa won't be here and shouldn't be counted as part of the group.

 

[Nostradumbass]

I don’t get all the whining over his salary.

Kassian is paid 3.2. The average NHL salary is 3.54 if your team is a cap team.

He is paid 10% less than the average player. He is an average player himself who gets about 25 points a year and has size and a strong physical element to his game that is an absolute must come playoff time.

Yes he’s been off since fans disappeared. Let’s see how he does in the playoffs and next season when restrictions are gone and fans are back before dumping him.

When you have McDavid & Draisaitl on your team, your average cap for the remaining players is $2.88MM if you have a 23 man roster. Is Kassian better than the average player on the Oilers? He's getting paid 11% more than the average player.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Klefa won't be here and shouldn't be counted as part of the group.

That's not the worst assumption, however I do think the Oil are being deliberately vague with his health due to the ED.

The good news is the Oil do have a decent number of young LHD in the pipeline. Broberg is still a fair bit off, but I'd be okay with rolling with Kulikov and Lagesson to start the year until Samorukov jumps in.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

That's not the worst assumption, however I do think the Oil are being deliberately vague with his health due to the ED.

The good news is the Oil do have a decent number of young LHD in the pipeline. Broberg is still a fair bit off, but I'd be okay with rolling with Kulikov and Lagesson to start the year until Samorukov jumps in.

Klefa has never been healthy and now we're hitting the worst. Again, the Oilers should "use" Klefa to get rid of Neal or Koskinen to Seattle at the expansion draft and move forward without him.

There are internal options, there are external options (Ryan Murray, McCabe, Olesiak, Elder, Forbort, etc) and then there's trade.

This team had this season without him, no reason to imagine a lineup with him in it.

 

[Proko88]

Continue

This is what I’ve been saying for months!! Teach bear LD!!!

 

[Smartguy]

Mike Smith doesnt strike me as a guy who is chasing the money right now, I'm pretty sure hes just focused on trying to win a cup at the age of 39. Also it doesnt make sense to sign him before the expansion draft.

Yeah, if Mike Smith wins a cup I would guarantee he calls it a career and rides off on a high note.

He deserves to come back on another 1 year deal because of his season. It’s Koskinen they should be looking at replacing with a younger, better, option, a goalie you can count on to be your 1A in the near future. Smith is defying odds at 39, not sure he does the same at 40, and he’s likely done after that.

 

[Mr Positive]

Yeah, if Mike Smith wins a cup I would guarantee he calls it a career and rides off on a high note.

He deserves to come back on another 1 year deal because of his season. It’s Koskinen they should be looking at replacing with a younger, better, option, a goalie you can count on to be your 1A in the near future. Smith is defying odds at 39, not sure he does the same at 40, and he’s likely done after that.

The playoffs will decide what we do with Smith imo.

But what you say is my preferred option. Plus we have Stalock on a small-ish cap contract for next season, and so if the wheels do fall off of Smith we do have a safety net. (edit: and a reminder I'm talking about the back-up position, not starter, although Smith could be 1b)

Also, this is not my idea, but someone brought up the possibility of having Smith retire with us and then move on to be goalie coach. Not bad at all

 

[Draiskull]

Why would Smith retire after the kind of season he just had?
He would be looking to make another couple million next year.

 

[Little Fury]

I don’t get all the whining over his salary.

Kassian is paid 3.2. The average NHL salary is 3.54 if your team is a cap team.

He is paid 10% less than the average player. He is an average player himself who gets about 25 points a year and has size and a strong physical element to his game that is an absolute must come playoff time.

Yes he’s been off since fans disappeared. Let’s see how he does in the playoffs and next season when restrictions are gone and fans are back before dumping him.

This narrative ignores the fact that he pulled plenty of disappearing acts before the fans went away. It has nothing to do with the fans, it's just who he is as a player.

 

[Little Fury]

Why would Smith retire after the kind of season he just had?
He would be looking to make another couple million next year.

Because he'll want to go out on a high after winning the Cup.

 

[Ruok]

Why would Smith retire after the kind of season he just had?
He would be looking to make another couple million next year.

Because it might be nice to retire on a high after hoisting lord Stanley over his head.

 

[Ruok]

Because he'll want to go out on a high after winning the Cup.

Boooo

But also yeah!

 

[Paralyzer008]

I feel like there are a good handful of options for top line LW.

It may be of utmost importance to rebuild the bottom six - and THAT might be the harder job, considering the Oilers lack of success of doing so for years and years.

I think Kahun is a piece. McLeod is a piece. Archibald probably stays. Holloway? Or is it better for him in the AHL? Benson?

I definitely circle 3rd line RW as a spot where we can add more of a "Pisani" type. I don't trust Kassian there right now. Archibald is more of a line 4/PK guy to me. It COULD be a place Yamamoto plays if we can find a a guy who can interchange with him on line 2 depending on who is hot.

 

[Draiskull]

I feel like there are a good handful of options for top line LW.

It may be of utmost importance to rebuild the bottom six - and THAT might be the harder job, considering the Oilers lack of success of doing so for years and years.

I think Kahun is a piece. McLeod is a piece. Archibald probably stays. Holloway? Or is it better for him in the AHL? Benson?

I definitely circle 3rd line RW as a spot where we can add more of a "Pisani" type. I don't trust Kassian there right now. Archibald is more of a line 4/PK guy to me. It COULD be a place Yamamoto plays if we can find a a guy who can interchange with him on line 2 depending on who is hot.

Bottom 6 RW is the easiest spot to fix in NHL. If that is your biggest issue you are a legit contender.

 

[Paralyzer008]

Bottom 6 RW is the easiest spot to fix in NHL. If that is your biggest issue you are a legit contender.

You'd think. The Oilers have a history of having no idea how to do this though.

BLANK 1-McDavid-Puljujarvi
BLANK 2-Draisaitl-Yamamoto
Kahun-McLeod-BLANK 3
BLANK 4-BLANK 5-Archibald

Blank 1 - UFA or trade
Blank 2 - RNH, if not then a bit scary to have to also dip into UFA or trade again
Blank 3 - UFA or trade, should be fillable. Some will argue Kassian here, I'd rather deal him.
Blank 4 - Benson? Holloway? UFA?
Blank 5 - Khaira, or UFA

Some may even have McLeod in blank 5 and add another C on a one year ahead of him, hopefully not pulling another Turris

 

[Draiskull]

Neal, Turris, Koskinen and Kassian are signed past this season and cant just be removed from the squad. Khaira and Shore are also RFAs and have been decent in bottom 6 roles. Benson and Marody have nothing left to prove in AHL so should get a shot with the big club next training camp.
I dont think we are finding anything better than Kassian for a bottom 6 spot nor is there a need.
At worst we re-up Chiasson at 1x1 for another year.