It’s probably a good idea to holster some of that enthusiasm for the dark days of mid October when people like Jaded Dog start making Lottery threads. You dont want to fire all your bullets before prom night.
I bet if MacT was GM, this team would not have made any trades, held onto chumps like Hall, Eberle and Pouliot. This team may also have Barzal and whatever garbage, maybe Sebastian Aho with that second pick. So the defence never gets fixed. Would this team be a playoff team with McD, Drai, Hall, Eberle, Pouliot, Barzal and Aho? I also think MacT would have added Demers at the time and not have the ability to dish out contracts to Sekera, Russell and Lucic. So basically a top pairing of Demers and Klefbom, Nurse and whomever on the 2nd pair.
There's a lot to address in your post and I didn't even quote the stuff about you saying that Lucic is a better skater, better defensively etc., stuff which is pretty much a wash with these players.
I like that he's not handing out really stupid contracts. Short and sweet deals, trying to build a bottom 6 with whatever money Chiarelli left him (which was nothing). It's when more money gets freed up that we will see what he does. That's where my interest lies.
He smashed Gretzky like records that will never be beaten. Lol MacT did get us McDavid tho with his glory of hiring Dallas Freaking Eakens. Katz just couldn't get it right until now.Mact would've done a better job and that is a whole lot of nothing on the trade front. MacT would have definitely gone to the podium to pick again after the McDavid pick. The crazy thing is he would've tried to move up and throw in a 3rd to pick Jake Debrusk and continue the old boys club regime. In the 2016 draft, I believe MacT and the scouts were also eyeing on Nick Merkley and that would've been the legit 3 pick in the first round. He'd probably want to unite Merkley with Draisaitl. I am also certain that he would reach for Sergachev and pass on JP and this board will blow up sky high. JP turns into an all-star with the Flames.I'm not going to defend MacT but he definitely would've done a better job than Chia. That being said, I'm happy with Holland. Chia will go down as The worst GM in Oilers organizational history. Hopefully.
I'd rather have gone with a younger goalie tbh. Oilers probably not making the playoffs next season so it's better to break in a new younger goalie.I don't mind the Smith signing (was slightly negative when he was 1st signed because like many others I would have preferred a younger option).
Saying that... I know most say he's old and possibly breaking down and he's coming off his worst season basically in his entire career BUT he played much better in the 2nd half of the year and was essentially all the Flames had going for them in the playoffs. Avs fans even remarked at how well he played in the playoffs and he was the only reason they didn't get blown out even worse.
He has only had 2 seasons below 91% in the past 8... and he's well known by Tippett so I think the chances of him bouncing back and being at least a solid backup is actually pretty good. I think there's a decent chance he steals the starter job as well.
It's a 1 year deal and the $$$ isn't insane... guaranteed $2 million and bonuses taking it as high as $3.75 million if they make the playoffs.
If they do make the playoffs.. Smith has been a beast there in the past with a 93.8% sv pct in his 24 career playoff games so that's some value as well.
Plus he's an *******... and the team can use less nice guys on the team who tend to just bend over and take defeat... Smith at least should be a diver in net and will likely get a few more calls going the Oilers way because he isn't afraid to embellish and whine/***** to the refs.
