Post-Game Talk: RZH eats the Devils' brains

[Soundwave]

I've entertained that idea as well. If you could do a Hall extended (8.5-9M) for Neal + Broberg I would definitely have time for that and I am probably one of Broberg's bigger supporters on here. With Neal off the books they could make the cap work with Hall and Nuge with a rising cap + money coming off the books over the next two seasons.

Not a knock on Neal either, guy's been everything the team could have wanted and then some, 12 goals in 18 games is ridiculous.

Just age/contract and the opportunity to land a legit superstar tier player ... you have to consider it.

 

[Soundwave]

Depends on the length of the Hall contract. Thats another issue for me...how much term is he going to get?

Please understand that I am not a Hall hater by any means. I just see flaws in his game and I am concerned about how much worse that is going to be in his 30's which is only 2 years away.

You want to go 8 years so you can save on the cap hit with the later years of the contract.

 

[guymez]

You want to go 8 years so you can save on the cap hit with the later years of the contract.

Signing Hall could work but a lot has to happen to make it palatable for me.

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

I am not the least bit interested in overpaying a winger and being forced to get a cheap centre for the 2nd line.
Centres are much harder to acquire than wingers.
That aside its simple for me...Taylor Hall isnt worth what he is going to get.

That doesnt mean I dont like him...I am just stating a truth.

I would argue that no free agent is worth what they're going to get, but you're getting a developed player for zero assets. In the salary cap era you have to go "all-in" when you have a window. The Oilers window is McDavid/Draisaitl's prime (i.e. right now). At some point the price becomes so extravagant that it isn't worth it, but it does make sense to overpay FAs once in a while (especially if you cannot develop a talent like that from the draft during your window).

 

[McFlyingV]

Depends on the length of the Hall contract. Thats another issue for me...how much term is he going to get?

Please understand that I am not a Hall hater by any means. I just see flaws in his game and I am concerned about how much worse that is going to be in his 30's which is only 2 years away.

What are those flaws though? He's a high event player for sure, and at times can turn over the puck leading to chances the other way (McDavid is guilty of this as well). If his injury history is a concern then sure, that makes sense. However, if his skating is a concern then I'd have to disagree in that regard as he is every bit as explosive today as he's always been. To my memory Hall has never had an ACL reconstruction which is the true injury along with achilles ruptures that rob players of their speed later in their career.

I understand the concerns with his age, but I think he's a pretty good bet (and much better than any other UFA options) at delivering that you're looking for on the 2nd line.

 

[Soundwave]

What are those flaws though? He's a high event player for sure, and at times can turn over the puck leading to chances the other way (McDavid is guilty of this as well). If his injury history is a concern then sure, that makes sense. However, if his skating is a concern then I'd have to disagree in that regard as he is every bit as explosive today as he's always been. To my memory Hall has never had an ACL reconstruction which is the true injury along with achilles ruptures that rob players of their speed later in their career.

I understand the concerns with his age, but I think he's a pretty good bet (and much better than any other UFA options) at delivering that you're looking for on the 2nd line.

That breakaway he had last night was frightening how fast he can accelerate. Just totally left Bear and whoever the other Oilers on the ice were completely in his dust.

You forget how hard it is to play against fast players because usually we have McDavid doing it to other teams, but when a Hall or Athansiou smokes your D you go "oh ... yeah ... that's what that feels like".

 

[nabob]

Yeah and if MacKinnon was content to stay where he was 3 years ago ... I can tell you Colorado is no where near the team everyone and their grandma is bandwagoning onto now.

He chose to dramatically turn his career around and start playing like a bonafied superstar, if he had been content to stay where he was that franchise would be in massive trouble.

yeah he got his shit together, but he’s always had talent and abilities that Nuge doesn’t possess. MacKinnon is built like a Hall/Crosby hybrid and is faster than both. He also has the benefit of playing with big two all star level wingers on his line. Swap Chiasson and Neal for Rantanen and Landeskog and Nuge would look pretty damn dominant.

 

[Soundwave]

yeah he got his **** together, but he’s always had talent and abilities that Nuge doesn’t possess. MacKinnon is built like a Hall/Crosby hybrid and is faster than both. He also has the benefit of playing with big two all star level wingers on his line. Swap Chiasson and Neal for Rantanen and Landeskog and Nuge would look pretty damn dominant.[/B]

I hate to say it but I'm not so sure in practice it would actually play out like that. RNH can get incredibly fussy about who he'll play well with.

 

[rboomercat90]

There is zero proof anywhere that he even wants to come back here.

Yeah, it’s amusing this narrative of him wanting to play here is being pumped so much. Nobody knows if it’s true or not. It’s all baseless speculation. If he signs here for 5-6 million a year, then I’ll believe he really wants to play here. Until he does though, I’ll keep assuming the big driver of where he wants to go will be who offers him the best deal. I just don’t want us to be in those sweepstakes.

 

[guymez]

What are those flaws though? He's a high event player for sure, and at times can turn over the puck leading to chances the other way (McDavid is guilty of this as well). If his injury history is a concern then sure, that makes sense. However, if his skating is a concern then I'd have to disagree in that regard as he is every bit as explosive today as he's always been. To my memory Hall has never had an ACL reconstruction which is the true injury along with achilles ruptures that rob players of their speed later in their career.

I understand the concerns with his age, but I think he's a pretty good bet (and much better than any other UFA options) at delivering that you're looking for on the 2nd line.

I would argue that no free agent is worth what they're going to get, but you're getting a developed player for zero assets. In the salary cap era you have to go "all-in" when you have a window. The Oilers window is McDavid/Draisaitl's prime (i.e. right now). At some point the price becomes so extravagant that it isn't worth it, but it does make sense to overpay FAs once in a while (especially if you cannot develop a talent like that from the draft during your window).

He is a high event player that disengages too much for my liking.
The MVP season was an outlier if there ever was an outlier. Its absolutely not going to happen again.
I guess I am just not as bullish on this player as some are.

Lastly...I dont beleve for a minute that he is motivated to come back to Edmonton.

 

[rboomercat90]

I'd be willing to do

Hall@ 50% retained + Zacha

for

Broberg, Puljujarvi, Neal, EDM 1st (pending a playoff berth)

IF Hall's camp is willing to sign an immediate extension like this

11/10.5/10.5/10.5/10/10/7/5.5

He gives up money on year 7/8 of the contract to play with McDavid + Draisaitl.

Of course you would. That’s why nobody ever takes anything you say seriously.

 

[Soundwave]

Yeah, it’s amusing this narrative of him wanting to play here is being pumped so much. Nobody knows if it’s true or not. It’s all baseless speculation. If he signs here for 5-6 million a year, then I’ll believe he really wants to play here. Until he does though, I’ll keep assuming the big driver of where he wants to go will be who offers him the best deal. I just don’t want us to be in those sweepstakes.

It's a non-issue, if he doesn't want to come back then you can discerene that from a 5 minute phone call with his agent.

But I doubt it.

He, unlike RNH and Eberle who never really gave much of a crap, really bought into the Oilers dynasty kool-aid that he was sold when he got here. He drank all that up and really believed the team would be a powerhouse one day.

He was devastated to be traded away from here and went into a year long funk because of it.

Hall also is a hockey nerd ... he studies the history of the game, he's not stupid, he knows how rare having a player like McDavid and Draisaitl (current versions) is.

Also I mean if he didn't want to be here, he could easily have said "no, I don't see myself back here" to the media. He carefully answered that in a way to leave it open without saying outright (as that would be a no no also) and I thought it was interesting he went out of his way to point out that the Oilers have new management ... as if to say he harbors no ill will now that Chia is gone.

 

[Soundwave]

Of course you would. That’s why nobody ever takes anything you say seriously.

Just like people told me I was crazy for wanting Chiarelli fired and not waiting and seeing when I said for years here he was going to leave with a bunch of stupid panic trades to top off the brutal gamble on Lucic (who many also claimed would bounce back ... annnnnnnny day now). On top of calling Lucic never bouncing back (and taking tons of heat for that) also called Larsson as not that important to this D corps ... which lo and behold a lot of people are seeing for themselves now too.

Maybe the Oilers should have taken some of those things seriously instead of hoping it was all going to work out.

The current Oilers forward structure is not going to work long term. Maybe they can sneak into the playoffs this year, but something major is going to have to be done if they ever want to be a serious playoff team season in, season out and if a Taylor Hall is available, you have to seriously look at it.

You can't just sit around and wait for middling prospects like Yamamoto and Benson to be the answer.

 

[Louis Cypher]

Devils have 6 wins in the last 46 games that Schneider played lmao.

To think we almost traded the pick that is Nurse for Schneider.

 

[guymez]

Just like people told me I was crazy for wanting Chiarelli fired and not waiting and seeing when I said for years here he was going to leave with a bunch of stupid panic trades to top off the brutal gamble on Lucic (who many also claimed would bounce back ... annnnnnnny day now).

Maybe the Oilers should have taken some of those things seriously instead of hoping it was all going to work out.

The current Oilers forward structure is not going to work long term. Maybe they can sneak into the playoffs this year, but something major is going to have to be done if they ever want to be a serious playoff team season in, season out and if a Taylor Hall is available, you have to seriously look at it.

You can't just sit around and wait for middling prospects like Yamamoto and Benson to be the answer.

It was less about thinking that you were crazy for wanting Chia fired and more about the endless posts that just went on and on and on repeating the same thing. You just didnt seem to know when to stop polluting the board.
I got tired enough of seeing your repetitive posts that I had you on temporary ignore.

 

[Soundwave]

It was less about thinking that you were crazy for wanting Chia fired and more about the endless posts that just went on and on and on repeating the same thing. You just didnt seem to know when to stop polluting the board.
I got tired enough of seeing your repetitive posts that I had you on temporary ignore.

Wouldn't be an issue if the franchise would correct problems that should be obvious to most people.

We wasted two years of nothing basically to see if Chairelli really sucked. Well congrats I guess we got our answer, but you paid the price of two years of McDavid's prime years to get that answer, which is monumentally stupid.

So no, I don't feel one ioata of regret for making those posts. They were right on the money and quite frankly this ownership and fanbase needed to hear it sooner if anything.

A person who just tells you what you want to hear when it's clear something needs to change is not doing you any favors.

 

[guymez]

Wouldn't be an issue if the franchise would correct problems that should be obvious to most people.

We wasted two years of nothing basically to see if Chairelli really sucked. Well congrats I guess we got our answer, but you paid the price of two years of McDavid's prime years to get that answer, which is monumentally stupid.

So no, I don't feel one ioata of regret for making those posts. They were right on the money and quite frankly this ownership and fanbase needed to hear it sooner if anything.

A person who just tells you what you want to hear when it's clear something needs to change is not doing you any favors.

Its not about telling someone what they want to hear. Its understanding that there is a time to pump the brakes on the rhetoric.

In any event thankfully the Chia era is over and we can all feel more optimistic about where things are headed.

 

[Soundwave]

Its not about telling someone what they want to hear. Its understanding that there is a time to pump the brakes on the rhetoric.

In any event thankfully the Chia era is over and we can all feel more optimistic about where things are headed.

You can feel optimistic but only if the new GM is going to seize on actual opportunities when they are staring him square in the face.

This is also part of the problem, the Oilers organization lulls itself into stupid rhetoric safety blankets (ie: "Craig's on it").

The structure of this bottom 9 in a big picture way is not adequate for a consistent playoff team. If you have a chance to add a piece that can transform it towards that pretty much instantly, you have to consider it.

RNH is a decent player, but he cannot handle the pressure of being the defacto best player on his line on a team where the 2nd line is vital to securing playoff berths.

And they have to address this.

 

[guymez]

You can feel optimistic but only if the new GM is going to seize on actual opportunities when they are staring him square in the face.

This is also part of the problem, the Oilers organization lulls itself into stupid rhetoric safety blankets (ie: "Craig's on it").

The structure of this bottom 9 in a big picture way is not adequate for a consistent playoff team. If you have a chance to add a piece that can transform it towards that pretty much instantly, you have to consider it.

RNH is a decent player, but he cannot handle the pressure of being the defacto best player on his line on a team where the 2nd line is vital to securing playoff berths.

And they have to address this.

You really mean the things you view as opportunities and that the GM is doing what you think he should do.

I will defer to Holland on that thank you.

 

[Soundwave]

You really mean the things you view as opportunities and that the GM is doing what you think he should do.

Well I mean I would hope a GM is smarter than HFBoards poster, but clearly in Edmonton that hasn't been the case for a long time.

Didn't the majority of this board want Barzal for example and the reaction to the Reinhart trade was overwhelmingly negative?

The sad thing is the more knowledgeable posters on this board (not the casual fan types) generally are smarter than the management we've had.

If Taylor Hall is available, yes, you have to strongly consider it.

 

[Blindsummit]

Hi Oilers fans. Stars fan here. I come in peace!
I'm coming to the Stars game on November 16th. It's my first time visiting Edmonton, and obviously Rogers Place.
I wanted to get some guidance on pre game hangouts, would Studio 99 or the Molson Hockey House be good choices? Or do a lot of fans congregate elsewhere before the game. Looking for some pre game atmosphere and banter and to see where Oilers fans like to hang out. And good beer of course. Looking for good local craft beer if possible. Cheers! I have to get well lubricated for the undoubted rogering the Oilers are going to give us <l>.

 

[guymez]

Well I mean I would hope a GM is smarter than HFBoards poster, but clearly in Edmonton that hasn't been the case for a long time.

Didn't the majority of this board want Barzal for example and the reaction to the Reinhart trade was overwhelmingly negative?

The sad thing is the more knowledgeable posters on this board (not the casual fan types) generally are smarter than the management we've had.

If Taylor Hall is available, yes, you have to strongly consider it.

You know...the past was very difficult but I am not one to keep looking back and complaining about the past. Or one to take small sample sizes (like many on here did with Ken Holland over the summer) and use that as an excuse to build up a strawman narrative.

The past is done. How would it serve me to keep revisiting it unless I am just addicted to feeling s****y. Some posters like nothing more than to keep dipping into the past and then to share that s****y feeling with the rest of the board. Misery loves company I guess.

I respect Ken Holland...I think he is a solid GM.

I also understand the situation he has been put in and because of that I am willing to give him this season and the following off season to see what his plan is.
So that precludes me from reacting to waiver wire possibilities and trades other teams have made and using that as a means to criticize Holland.


In any event....even if I didnt make a choice to try and enjoy Oiler hockey again and take advantage of this improved team my feeling is that this is a new GM and he shouldnt be held hostage by residue from the past.
I will judge him on his own merit.

 

[Soundwave]

You know...the past was very difficult but I am not one to keep looking back and complaining about the past. Or one to take small sample sizes (like many on here did with Ken Holland over the summer) and use that as an excuse to build up a strawman narrative.

The past is done. How would it serve me to keep revisiting it unless I am just addicted to feeling s****y. Some posters like nothing more than keep dipping into the past and then to share that s****y feeling with the rest of the board. Misery loves company I guess.

I respect Ken Holland...I think he is a solid GM.

I also understand the situation he has been put in and because of that I am willing to give him this season and the following off season to see what his plan is.
So that precludes me from reacting to waiver wire possibilities and trades other teams have made and using that as a means to criticize Holland.


In any event....even if I didnt make a choice to try and enjoy Oiler hockey again and take advantage of this improved team my feeling is that this is a new GM and he shouldnt be held hostage by residue from the past.
I will judge him on his own merit.

The bottom 9 being thrown out of sync from the original plan of building around McDavid + Draisaitl + Hall + RNH (which was a solid foundation) is a massive problem for the Oilers isn't a "in the past" issue. It stems from dumb decisions in the past, yes, but it's a clear and present here and now issue that affects the team every night.

I mean you can literally even see how it wears on this team now, from McDavid and Draisaitl getting visibly frustrated at times to RNH's pre-game interview last game where he looked like he was about to cry talking about how he's not bringing enough scoring to support McDavid/Draisaitl.

This *wears* on this team. First thing Chiasson says in the post game interview after scoring a goal is "now you guys can't bother me for 5 days about secondary scoring".

This team needs a defacto 2nd line producer who is an alpha-type so that players like RNH, Chiasson aren't put under that weight where they start to choke and Leon and Connor aren't pressing so much.

You can't move on from the past if you don't deal with the issues stemming from the past first. You can't just have some massive trauma in your past and then try and move on by forgetting about it, you have to face it.

Holland is going to have to face up to this sooner or later too.

 

[guymez]

The bottom 9 being thrown out of sync from the original plan of building around McDavid + Draisaitl + Hall + RNH (which was a solid foundation) is a massive problem for the Oilers isn't a "in the past" issue. It stems from dumb decisions in the past, yes, but it's a clear and present here and now issue that affects the team every night.

I mean you can literally even see how it wears on this team now, from McDavid and Draisaitl getting visibly frustrated at times to RNH's pre-game interview last game where he looked like he was about to cry talking about how he's not bringing enough scoring to support McDavid/Draisaitl.

This *wears* on this team. First thing Chiasson says in the post game interview after scoring a goal is "now you guys can't bother me for 5 days about secondary scoring".

This needs a defacto 2nd line producer who is an alpha-type so that players like RNH, Chiasson aren't put under that weight where they start to choke and Leon and Connor aren't pressing so much.

You can't move on from the past if you don't deal with the issues stemming from the past first. You can't just have some massive trauma in your past and then try and move on by forgetting about it, you have to face it.

Holland is going to have to face up to this sooner or later too.

I honestly dont think you read my post. If you did then you wouldnt have responded with this post.
Either that or you are just a chronic complainer that cant help him/herself.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Hi Oilers fans. Stars fan here. I come in peace!
I'm coming to the Stars game on November 16th. It's my first time visiting Edmonton, and obviously Rogers Place.
I wanted to get some guidance on pre game hangouts, would Studio 99 or the Molson Hockey House be good choices? Or do a lot of fans congregate elsewhere before the game. Looking for some pre game atmosphere and banter and to see where Oilers fans like to hang out. And good beer of course. Looking for good local craft beer if possible. Cheers! I have to get well lubricated for the undoubted rogering the Oilers are going to give us <l>.

Its an afternoon game but if you want to hit Studio 99 you better make a reservation. It’s almost always sold out. It’s pretty good though, I go there a lot pre game. Great pregame vibe and the Gretzky memorabilia is fantastic. Mercers Tavern across the street is pretty good but go super early. Molson Hockey House in Ford Hall is ok but I think it’s just Molson Canadian beer which is horse piss.

I’ll be at the game and in Studio 99 post game and I’ll look for a drunk Dallas Stars fan and say hi!