Player Discussion Tyler Pitlick

[CantHaveTkachev]

Pitlick publicly stated that he wanted a fresh start. How do you blame that on the GM? He’s a dime a dozen 4th line winger, it won’t be hard to replace him.

exactly

but don't let fact get in the way of some people raging on Chiarelli for not re-signing him

literally don't remember one person being outraged he signed in Dallas in the offseason

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

exactly

but don't let fact get in the way of some people raging on Chiarelli for not re-signing him

literally don't remember one person being outraged he signed in Dallas in the offseason

You have to look at it in context of the team as a whole. Not signing Pitlick due to his injury history etc is fine, but you gotta replace him. However, he not only didn't replace Pitlick, but also failed to replace Hendricks and Pouliot (who should never have been bought out), banking on every player in the bottom 6 improving and a player he clearly didn't evaluate properly in Jussi Jokinene, leaving us with one of the worst bottom 6s in the NHL.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

You have to look at it in context of the team as a whole. Not signing Pitlick due to his injury history etc is fine, but you gotta replace him. However, he not only didn't replace Pitlick, but also failed to replace Hendricks and Pouliot (who should never have been bought out), banking on every player in the bottom 6 improving and a player he clearly didn't evaluate properly in Jussi Jokinene, leaving us with one of the worst bottom 6s in the NHL.

he replaced Pitlick with Khaira

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

he replaced Pitlick with Khaira

No he didn't Khaira was already in the organization. Also not a Chiarelli acquisition.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

No he didn't Khaira was already in the organization. Also not a Chiarelli acquisition.

Khaira is replacing Pitlick's minutes and production...yes he is

 

[CupofOil]

Losing Pitlick, who despite his torid injury pace has Always projected or played as a bottom 6 nhl careerer was tough. Always liked this player. Wonder what he would have been without all those injuries derailing his career.

Pitlick over Caguillia is the most obvious thing in the world to me. Not sure what Caguillia has that Chiarelli loves so much.

Having said that we don't know what happened at the negotiations. Maybe Chiarelli did make a good offer and Pitlick wanted to go somewhere else. Not being aggressive to sign Pitlick with his injury history also is understandable.

Pitlick over Cagguila wasn't the most obvious thing. Cagguila had a really good close to the end of last season and had some big playoff goals, Pitlick just had another lost season due to injury so it wasn't the obvious decision to sign Pitlick to a 3 year deal and demote Cagguila.
Unfortunately, just like everything else this season, it's another decision that has gone to shit but in hindsight it didn't seem like a bad decision to not extend Pitlick long term.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

Khaira is replacing Pitlick's minutes and production...yes he is

You can't just say that. There are multiple holes in the bottom 6 that Chia didn't fill, who knows whose contributions between Pitlick/Hendricks/Pouliot/Lander etc Khaira is actually replicating. Jussi Jokinen certainly didn't fill any of those holes.

 

[McShogun99]

We didn’t replace anyone that left last seasons team. Eberle, Desharnais, Pouliot, Hendricks, Pitlick and an injured Sekera. Instead Chia signed 7 AHL players to NHL deals. We aren’t in the playoffs because we did t replace any of those players.

 

[nabob]

We didn’t replace anyone that left last seasons team. Eberle, Desharnais, Pouliot, Hendricks, Pitlick and an injured Sekera. Instead Chia signed 7 AHL players to NHL deals. We aren’t in the playoffs because we did t replace any of those players.

Wrong. We aren't in the playoffs because our goalies couldn't stop a puck in the first 60 games and we have the worst special teams in the league.
Strome has replaced Eberle's goal scoring from last year while being more versatile, Khaira has replaced Pouliots production without the stupid penalties, Paajarvi has replaced Pitlick's production, and whoever is in the press box has kept Hendrick's seat warm. The only player who wasn't replaced was Sekera but Nurse has easily been better than Sekera has been, it's also not that easy to just sign a top 3 Dman to a 1 year deal.

 

[Del Preston]

Is there anything this board/fanbase doesn't whine about?

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Better then Slepyshev and Caggiula, yes. He would still be a 4th line player on a good team.

IMO you are selling him short. How many teams have 4th liners that can skate, hit and shoot like Pitlick?

That's the thing. We aint a good team. Especially not the bottom 6. Pitlick would instantly be the best bottom 6 forward on the team not named Jujhar Khaira.

Agreed, it's just too bad that he wanted to move on.

And of course a month later and Slepy is useful. Just goes to show how much of a dumb piece of trash Chiarelli is.


Ditching Pouliot was a mistake. As was letting Pitlick ditch us without either making an attempt to retain him or replacing him with a useful player, and not freaking Mitch Callahan.

The problem is Jujhar Khaira. The problem is Pitlick>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Jussi Jokinen every day of the week, but that's the player Chiarelli prioritized.

Slepy is still far too inconsistent. We all see the tools (size, speed and a good shot) but he still really hasn't gained traction. At least he wasn't waived.

Pitlick would've been huge for us early on when our bottom 6 couldn't score to save their lives. Again, too bad that he wanted a fresh start and that it likely would've taken an overpay to keep him (something that we can't do to bottom 6 guys given our cap situation).

As for Pouliot he was overpaid and his effort level varied far too much. That said I was surprised that he was bought out TBH, I would've preferred that we retained on him in a trade if possible.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Is there anything this board/fanbase doesn't whine about?

Short answer? No.

 

[ujju2]

exactly

but don't let fact get in the way of some people raging on Chiarelli for not re-signing him

literally don't remember one person being outraged he signed in Dallas in the offseason

Not outraged, but I was certainly upset. Always liked Pitlick a lot.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Not outraged, but I was certainly upset. Always liked Pitlick a lot.

I didn't like it either but if he wanted out what do you do? Poor guy was out during our run so he didn't get to experience the playoffs with the rest of the club.

 

[McShogun99]

IMO you are selling him short. How many teams have 4th liners that can skate, hit and shoot like Pitlick?

Not many but he just isn’t good enough to be a third liner on a contender. He’s also at the age for forwards where you know what his ceiling will be.


Agreed, it's just too bad that he wanted to move on.



Slepy is still far too inconsistent. We all see the tools (size, speed and a good shot) but he still really hasn't gained traction. At least he wasn't waived.

Pitlick would've been huge for us early on when our bottom 6 couldn't score to save their lives. Again, too bad that he wanted a fresh start and that it likely would've taken an overpay to keep him (something that we can't do to bottom 6 guys given our cap situation).

As for Pouliot he was overpaid and his effort level varied far too much. That said I was surprised that he was bought out TBH, I would've preferred that we retained on him in a trade if possible.

 

[TheNumber4]

Just cause you offer someone something, does not mean they sign it, believe it or not but it takes two parties to sign a contract.

And if Chia offered and does not get accepted does that mean Chia is an effective GM or not an effective GM. Everyone slags on Chia for his negotiation skills in trades, well free agency signing is also a sign of negotiation skills or lack thereof. ESPECIALLY when you consider Pitlicks injury history and overall performance in the NHL so far. Do you really think that after his latest injury Pitlick went into the offseason confident he'd get many offers for his services or was it more likely he was worried he might not even get a chance anymore. That's a player a good GM should sign easily if he wanted to.

 

[Jumptheshark]

exactly

but don't let fact get in the way of some people raging on Chiarelli for not re-signing him

literally don't remember one person being outraged he signed in Dallas in the offseason

We hoped the best for him when that happen--but it has been mentioned this board has a lot of monday morning quarterbacks who will deny anything they said in the past on a great many subjects that may make them look foolish

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

And if Chia offered and does not get accepted does that mean Chia is an effective GM or not an effective GM. Everyone slags on Chia for his negotiation skills in trades, well free agency signing is also a sign of negotiation skills or lack thereof. ESPECIALLY when you consider Pitlicks injury history and overall performance in the NHL so far. Do you really think that after his latest injury Pitlick went into the offseason confident he'd get many offers for his services or was it more likely he was worried he might not even get a chance anymore. That's a player a good GM should sign easily if he wanted to.

So much this. Sure Pitlick expressed desire to get a fresh start, but a good negotiator would have been able to convince him that Edmonton was still the right place for him. Negotiation skills are one of the most important traits for a general manager, right behind talent identification, and Peter Chiarelli is, by far, the worst negotiating GM in the NHL. (and near the bottom of the barrel for talent identification too, see: Wheeler, Blake)

 

[Mr Positive]

Pitlick signed a 3 year deal. Fans here would have roasted Chia for doing that.

 

[TheNumber4]

Pitlick signed a 3 year deal. Fans here would have roasted Chia for doing that.

3 year at 1M per. Not that big of a risk, especially if you assessed his talent correctly last year and realized he's a young real deal bottom 6er.