Speculation: The logic of buying out Benoit Pouliot?

[Speed220DChalavan]

With 2 goals, and a 3 point night, he now has 6 points in 13 games. Leads the Sabres in FF%.

Historically strong even strength player. Had the best shot suppression rates on the PK. Had speed on the wing which the Oilers are now searching for.

Had a poor season last year, Was a good bounce back candidate.

1. Why exactly was he bought out for cap space the Oilers didn't need/use? Benoit will carry a 1.333M cap hit this season and 3 additional seasons. With Jussi Jokinen signed to replace that roster spot, a mere 1.4M was saved this season.

What's the logic in turning it into a 4 year problem, especially when the Oilers will need every bit of cap space after the McDavid extension kicks in?

2. Even if you want to buy him out, why not wait until next summer? Or trade him with 1 year left at 50% retained salary - much easier to swallow

3. If they absolutely needed cap space this year (they didn't) for flexibility, Mark Fayne would have been a better buy-out candidate.

Just trying to understand the logic of some of these asinine decisions. The list is piling up, and the long-term health of this organization is jeopardized as Peter Chiarelli continues to be entrusted to care for the assets of this organization.

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[CantHaveTkachev]

Convinient this thread was made after a 3 point night lol
Dude was on pace for 20 points before tonight now you're questioning why he not still not here

He was bought out cause he sucked last year, was terrible in the regular season and worse in the playoffs

 

[Bryanbryoil]

He looked like crap last season, takes undisciplined penalties in the offensive zone and is as soft as a goose down pillow. As for why he was bought out beyond those reasons, I would suspect that the GM and head coach had enough of his half assed efforts so they shopped him, didn't find any takers so they bought him out.

 

[Soundwave]

I said it at the time, I didn't really understand what the logic of this was and in fairness he was terrible here last year, but why take on an extra year of cap penalty for no real reason?

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I said it at the time, I didn't really understand what the logic of this was and in fairness he was terrible here last year, but why take on an extra year of cap penalty for no real reason?

That was my question as well. Do you recall if the buyout came before or after the Eberle trade? They also likely saw Pouliot as a NHL option even if they didn't like him so they would've been on the hook for his entire cap whereas Fayne is more of an AHL option where they could bury $925K in Bako.

 

[Mav3rick07]

Regardless of the sample size doesn't he now have more points than our entire bottom six ?


Man I really hate how we only brought in Jussi and Strome .

 

[Soundwave]

Pouliot + Pitlick + Desharnais have 8 goals, not too shabby. Granted, I'm not going to sit here and pretend like I wanted Pouliot back. I just didn't see the point of the buy out because of the extra cap penalty for doing it last summer versus next summer.

 

[Speed220DChalavan]

He looked like crap last season, takes undisciplined penalties in the offensive zone and is as soft as a goose down pillow. As for why he was bought out beyond those reasons, I would suspect that the GM and head coach had enough of his half assed efforts so they shopped him, didn't find any takers so they bought him out.

Effort was never his problem.

He took offensive penalties, but he also drew a ton of penalties. This is in contrast to Zach Kassian who takes significantly more penalties than he draws.

After a season playing well on McDavid's line (the two complimented each other due to their speed), the coaches never really gave it a shot last season. Lucic got the push because he was the sexy UFA signing - when all along they had an internal solution on their hands.

Just senseless asset management.

 

[oobga]

Would have made sense if Chia did something with the space this year. He didn’t and we now have enough cap space to pick up 30M+ worth of players at the dead line for some reason (even accounting for McDavid full bonuses). All i can think of now is that chia is GMing this season as if McDavid is already a 10M cap hit like it is some kind of pilot run of cap hell.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Effort was never his problem.

He took offensive penalties, but he also drew a ton of penalties. This is in contrast to Zach Kassian who takes significantly more penalties than he draws.

After a season playing well on McDavid's line (the two complimented each other due to their speed), the coaches never really gave it a shot last season. Lucic got the push because he was the sexy UFA signing - when all along they had an internal solution on their hands.

Just senseless asset management.

Maroon showed better with McDavid after his arrival from Anaheim so Pouliot was already the odd man out on that line.

Kassian and Maroon take dumb penalties but they are of the physical nature which is to be expected at times of physical players. Pouliot was anything but physical with the Oilers.

 

[Speed220DChalavan]

Maroon showed better with McDavid after his arrival from Anaheim so Pouliot was already the odd man out on that line.

Kassian and Maroon take dumb penalties but they are of the physical nature which is to be expected at times of physical players. Pouliot was anything but physical with the Oilers.

Pouliot didn't throw a ton of big hits, but he was assertive on the boards, and strong on the puck. He could also shoot. If anything, his offensive zone penalties were a result of being too aggressive.

He was solid for 2 out of the 3 years in his tenure in Edmonton (bulk of his points at EV, 50+ point pace in the first two seasons).

You cannot convince me buying him out was the sensible decision.

 

[Zaddy]

I really don't know why Chia was so quick to dump both Pouliot and Eberle. If we desperately need them gone for cap reasons you move them next summer. Buying out Pouliot this year just makes the Oilers long-term cap situation worse. He could've helped our PK this year and perhaps even provided some secondary scoring. Not sure why Chia downgraded on both these players...

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Pouliot didn't throw a ton of big hits, but he was assertive on the boards, and strong on the puck. He could also shoot. If anything, his offensive zone penalties were a result of being too aggressive.

He was solid for 2 out of the 3 years in his tenure in Edmonton (bulk of his points at EV, 50+ point pace in the first two seasons).

You cannot convince me buying him out was the sensible decision.

I can see why both Eberle and Pouliot were moved out, the problem is that as on this time no one has stepped up to fill their roles.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Well before tonight... Kris Russell had more points than him.

Pacioretty, Nash and Spezza have fewer pts than him so far as well.

So in other words... sample size.

I don't hate Pouliot (although like Eberle he was Casper in the playoffs)... but you also have to remember he's got to show decently this year and is likely playing for his NHL career this season... next stop Europe if he doesn't turn it up a notch this season.

He's always had the talent... it was his level of effort and consistency that was constantly questioned.

 

[oljimmy]

This is getting ridiculous. Oilers have had a bad start, a little unlucky but bad. And now every time an ex-player from the past two years has one good night, we have to have a new thread about it? Are these posters capable of slowing down and thinking rationally for like 8 seconds? Pouliot? Of all players? The guy who was benched for a long stretch last year because of how bad he was?

Here's a start on the rational thinking: even if a guy does well elsewhere, that doesn't mean he would do well here. Sometimes guys need a fresh start. Sometimes they don't fit the team system here. Sometimes there's bad blood and they have to go. So, conclusion: the fact that some ex-player has a good night elsewhere says very little about how much he would be adding to the Oilers now. Forget about them, move on, look to the future.

 

[KingKhron]

I really don't know why Chia was so quick to dump both Pouliot and Eberle. If we desperately need them gone for cap reasons you move them next summer. Buying out Pouliot this year just makes the Oilers long-term cap situation worse. He could've helped our PK this year and perhaps even provided some secondary scoring. Not sure why Chia downgraded on both these players...

This franchise seems more than happy to ship out players after a poor season for nothing. You see other teams hold on to players who have a real down year and they’re so glad they did. Won’t have to worry about seeing that happen here.

 

[Speed220DChalavan]

This is getting ridiculous. Oilers have had a bad start, a little unlucky but bad. And now every time an ex-player from the past two years has one good night, we have to have a new thread about it? Are these posters capable of slowing down and thinking rationally for like 8 seconds? Pouliot? Of all players? The guy who was benched for a long stretch last year because of how bad he was?

Here's a start on the rational thinking: even if a guy does well elsewhere, that doesn't mean he would do well here. Sometimes guys need a fresh start. Sometimes they don't fit the team system here. Sometimes there's bad blood and they have to go. So, conclusion: the fact that some ex-player has a good night elsewhere says very little about how much he would be adding to the Oilers now. Forget about them, move on, look to the future.

It's part of the bigger picture.

A GM can make a good move (like signing Jussi Jokinen or trading for Brian Elliott) that doesn't work out. The thought process and the right idea behind the move.

With Pouliot, I'm trying to assess the logic behind it. I just don't see it. Seems like a reactionary move.

Reactionary management isn't a winning strategy in the long run.

It just isn't.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

It's part of the bigger picture.

A GM can make a good move (like signing Jussi Jokinen or trading for Brian Elliott) that doesn't work out. The thought process and the right idea behind the move.

With Pouliot, I'm trying to assess the logic behind it. I just don't see it. Seems like a reactionary move.

Reactionary management isn't a winning strategy in the long run.

It just isn't.

We don't know what happens behind the scenes so with any trade there could always be more than meets the eye. Last season he was garbage, that was on him period.

 

[Speed220DChalavan]

Benoit Pouliot had 70 points in his first 113 Oilers games. Going into this season, Milan Lucic needs 20 in his next 31 to match that pace.

Doesn't seem like it will happen.

Maybe Chiarelli should had wrote it off as a bad season and waited for a rebound? Instead of making it a 4 year problem when BP could have been an asset to the team this season?

 

[Bangers]

I wasn't really a fan of the buyout due to the cap implications, and I do think he was somewhat of a candidate for a bounce back season (he isn't as bad of a player as he was last season), but I don't miss his lackadaisical play and stupid penalties.

 

[rboomercat90]

With 2 goals, and a 3 point night, he now has 6 points in 13 games. Leads the Sabres in FF%.

Historically strong even strength player. Had the best shot suppression rates on the PK. Had speed on the wing which the Oilers are now searching for.

Had a poor season last year, Was a good bounce back candidate.

1. Why exactly was he bought out for cap space the Oilers didn't need/use? Benoit will carry a 1.333M cap hit this season and 3 additional seasons. With Jussi Jokinen signed to replace that roster spot, a mere 1.4M was saved this season.

What's the logic in turning it into a 4 year problem, especially when the Oilers will need every bit of cap space after the McDavid extension kicks in?

2. Even if you want to buy him out, why not wait until next summer? Or trade him with 1 year left at 50% retained salary - much easier to swallow

3. If they absolutely needed cap space this year (they didn't) for flexibility, Mark Fayne would have been a better buy-out candidate.

Just trying to understand the logic of some of these asinine decisions. The list is piling up, and the long-term health of this organization is jeopardized as Peter Chiarelli continues to be entrusted to care for the assets of this organization.

You don’t watch a lot of games or really follow the league very closely do you? If you did you wouldn’t need to ask what the logic was behind buying him out. You’d have seen that his overall play had dropped substantially. If you had followed the player at all you would have known that this has been a pattern for him his entire career and that’s why SO MANY teams had already given up on him. You also wouldn’t be too surprised that he’s also initially playing well for his new team, because that’s been part of his pattern too. It’s almost like getting bought out from his contract was some kind of wake up call for him.

These must be glorious times for you. There is just so much for you to complain about.

 

[rboomercat90]

I can see why both Eberle and Pouliot were moved out, the problem is that as on this time no one has stepped up to fill their roles.

This is it exactly. The team is in a transitional stage right now and it’s unfortunate that it’s taking so long for players to find their new roles. What was obvious to everybody last year was that neither one of those two looked like any kind of answer to what this team needed going forward. There sure looks like a lot of revisionist history in this thread. I don’t remember many going to bat for these players last spring.

 

[Speed220DChalavan]

You don’t watch a lot of games or really follow the league very closely do you? If you did you wouldn’t need to ask what the logic was behind buying him out. You’d have seen that his overall play had dropped substantially. If you had followed the player at all you would have known that this has been a pattern for him his entire career and that’s why SO MANY teams had already given up on him. You also wouldn’t be too surprised that he’s also initially playing well for his new team, because that’s been part of his pattern too. It’s almost like getting bought out from his contract was some kind of wake up call for him.

These must be glorious times for you. There is just so much for you to complain about.

I think I clarified it in my initial post

1. He has 2 out of 3 good seasons
2. He was the teams best forward penalty killer, added element of speed on wing the management now coverts.
3. It was reasonable to expect a bounce back season.

Even if you thought he was a player who fell off a cliff and wouldn’t rebound- it still made no sense to buy him out due to long term cap implications.

 

[Aerrol]

I agree with the OP, this move made even less sense than the Eberle trade, and Eberle was way better than Pouliot last year.

Pouliot was garbage but there was 0 reason to buy him out last off season. We didn't need the cap space this year. If Chia and Todd hated him so much they could have buried him in the minors like Fayne and then, worst case scenario, buy him out next year for less lasting damage to our cap.

The fact that we're clearly missing him on the PK is honestly something I didn't expect but this was a terrible move that flew under the radar because Pouliot played his way off the team hard. I just don't understand what the obsession with clearing cap space this year was. Maybe it was cap concerns the public doesn't have access to... But with how loose Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Washington etc have played with the cap over the years, I find that hard to believe.

Edit: the only thing I can think of is that Chia was worried he'd have to pay Draisaitl even more than he did, in which case... Yeesh. Way to believe in your negotiation skills.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Pouliot was garbage but there was 0 reason to buy him out last off season. We didn't need the cap space this year.

This is your assumption, completely and utterly. I mean the team did everything to GIVE him away last season, it was VERY Clear they were Done with the player. If you can't see that, you're likely being willfully ignorant.

Stop pretending that Pouliot was anything more then a bit player who had ALOT of trouble staying in the line up, if you're going to mythologize a former player, atleast make it one even remotely worthy of it.