Friedman: Zack Kassian given permission to seek trade

[StumpyTown]

The Oil might be best to just put him on waivers and then bury him in the minors. This guy is not an NHL player anymore.

 

[Bobby Bottle Service]

Zack-ass is too slow for the NHL.

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

Kassian and Lucic 20% retained for Marleau.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Zack-ass is too slow for the NHL.

No he isn't. He's fast, and not just fast for a big guy, but actually quick. None of his tools are broken - it's just that he doesn't seem to be motivated a lot of the time.

 

[ManofSteel55]

The Oil might be best to just put him on waivers and then bury him in the minors. This guy is not an NHL player anymore.

He is some nights.

 

[Niten Ichi Ryu]

The Oil might be best to just put him on waivers and then bury him in the minors. This guy is not an NHL player anymore.

He just scored the only goal in regulation for the oilers in a 2-1OT win in Chicago. He was hitting, intimidating, producing and cycling really well. He can tilt the ice in a game by himself. He is 100% still an NHL player, just under the wrong coach. Todd McLellan is a terrible coach IMO, there is a looong list of players that 'under-performed' under that clown, and if Kassian is put on waivers, there will be a dozen teams calling dibs on him first. Every team could use a Zack Kassian, especially in the playoffs. Just ask the Sharks.

If they're going to shed him, might as well get some value out of it in a trade. Guaranteed there will be a handful of teams that are willing to give up some minor assets for him

 

[mouz135]

He just scored the only goal in regulation for the oilers in a 2-1OT win in Chicago. He was hitting, intimidating, producing and cycling really well. He can tilt the ice in a game by himself. He is 100% still an NHL player, just under the wrong coach. Todd McLellan is a terrible coach IMO, there are a looong list of players that 'under-performed' under that clown, and if Kassian if put on waivers, there will be a dozen teams calling dibs on him first. Every team could use a Zack Kassian, especially in the playoffs. Just ask the Sharks

He really can't. A McDavid level player can do that. A Crosby player, Matthews, Ovie, Malkin, etc. Kassian is borderline waiver fodder. Those types don't have much of an impact in a game as you'd like to think.

 

[gach]

If winning a game costs a star it won't belong before they are looking at the playoff race from the outside in.

Not a Toronto fan but I'll bet you on that

 

[Cogburn]

I'd give him a spot here. It would be the same spot he has now, and had in Vancouver, but....yeah nevermind. He still has top six asperations, doesn't he?

 

[FalcorMulch]

4th round pick for Zach Kassian

Leivo - Lindholm - Kassian

We can't waste money on the 4th line next season.

 

[belair]

The Oil might be best to just put him on waivers and then bury him in the minors. This guy is not an NHL player anymore.

The problem with this plan is the fact that his replacement will ultimately cost the team the same cap hit when including the cap that'll be left over after he's sent down. We only get $1.05m of relief when sending him down.

It's preferable to find a trading partner so we can use his entire salary effectively. Even if that player in return isn't the most attractive name.

If Vancouver was willing to retain on Gagner, I think this is one of the more logical moves. One would assume if they were willing to retain on Kassian at the trade deadline, he'd be a pretty sought after asset for a team with playoff aspirations. More so than Gagner, who's currently playing for someone else's organization.

 

[ManofSteel55]

I'd give him a spot here. It would be the same spot he has now, and had in Vancouver, but....yeah nevermind. He still has top six asperations, doesn't he?

He's never alluded that that in any interview I have witnessed. Perhaps privately he does, and that may be part of why he doesn't give it his all every night. I think if I was in his position I might wonder why I didn't get an extended shot with McDavid or Draisaitl before calling up guys like Rattie or gifting chances to Yamamoto, especially after the Sharks series, but he hasn't said anything about it that I'm aware of. It is likely that he does just want a chance to earn top six minutes - but he won't get that chance on any team by taking nights off.

 

[ManofSteel55]

He really can't. A McDavid level player can do that. A Crosby player, Matthews, Ovie, Malkin, etc. Kassian is borderline waiver fodder. Those types don't have much of an impact in a game as you'd like to think.

"Tilting the ice" is certainly a stretch, but he has absolutely been a force in games on numerous occasions. He is an NHL caliber player most of the time. When he's not motivated, he is useless. When he is super motivated, he's a diamond in the rough. The issue is that teams like consistency, and he doesn't bring any of that.

 

[Cup or Bust]

Kassian is a decent 4th liner. Can be quite inconsistent at times though. He is a guy that shows flashes but for whatever reason cant keep himself involved offensively on a game to game basis. He is a decent penalty killer and can be a solid player some nights, not often enough though to be missed much. If a team is looking for some added grit, he would be a reasonable pickup.

 

[FalcorMulch]

Zach Kassian for Marincin + 6th.

or Simply

Zach Kassian for 4th

I would rather hang on to Marincin as a 7th D injury replacement. He's been pretty decent this season so far.

If the Leafs wanted a Kassian-like player they would have kept the guy who was absolutely adored in the locker room, Matt Martin. We had an enforcer last year and Babcock stopped playing him and Dubas traded him. We're not going to go out and get a new one.

 

[Volica]

Calgary could use an intimidation factor out there most nights.

Essentially, you can do whatever you want to Calgary. No one is going to do anything about it, and the powerplay will spend the night retrieving pucks.

 

[Cogburn]

He's never alluded that that in any interview I have witnessed. Perhaps privately he does, and that may be part of why he doesn't give it his all every night. I think if I was in his position I might wonder why I didn't get an extended shot with McDavid or Draisaitl before calling up guys like Rattie or gifting chances to Yamamoto, especially after the Sharks series, but he hasn't said anything about it that I'm aware of. It is likely that he does just want a chance to earn top six minutes - but he won't get that chance on any team by taking nights off.

Didn't mean it as a dig, just asking. Here he noticeably disengaged when he was taken off the Sedin line. In all fairness, he almost definitely earned his spot up there, but he only seemed to show any initiative when he was playing in an offensive role, with bigger players then on a shut down or energy line. Like, he wasn't even physical. That part has clearly been corrected since he left.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Calgary could use an intimidation factor out there most nights.

Essentially, you can do whatever you want to Calgary. No one is going to do anything about it, and the powerplay will spend the night retrieving pucks.

Having that edge is something that we would rather have than anything the Flames would give up for Kassian, ha ha.

 

[TheNumber4]

Said when this rumour came out that the Oilers should keep him and he'll get the message. Then he comes out last night and scores the one and only goal for us. We don't win last nights game without Kassian. We don't beat the Sharks in 16-17 without Kassian. We don't get to 7 games without Kassian.

Look Kass, will never have the best hands he's as typical of a 4th liner as you can get. But he's fast, he's tough, he scares the shit out of the opposition if they ever want to step up, and he's the type of emotional high energy type player that helps you huge in the playoffs.

Keep Kass! Oilers will regret losing him once we start playing the dirtier teams in this league and especially in the playoffs.

 

[Bobby Bottle Service]

Calgary could use an intimidation factor out there most nights.

Essentially, you can do whatever you want to Calgary. No one is going to do anything about it, and the powerplay will spend the night retrieving pucks.

ZK would be a good pickup for Calgary, even if he only plays games against the Oilers. When he has a chip on his shoulder, he plays some motivated hockey.

I remember his first game against the Sabres following the Hodgson trade where he has 8 hits and 2 points. Canucks fans were falling over themselves as he looked like the 2nd-coming of Eric Lindros. Needless to say, it did not last.

 

[big ape]

Zack-ass is too slow for the NHL.

You obviously haven’t watched him skate. As his skating and speed is his best attributes.

 

[LouJersey]

Cehlarik for Kassian

 

[belair]

Said when this rumour came out that the Oilers should keep him and he'll get the message. Then he comes out last night and scores the one and only goal for us. We don't win last nights game without Kassian. We don't beat the Sharks in 16-17 without Kassian. We don't get to 7 games without Kassian.

Look Kass, will never have the best hands he's as typical of a 4th liner as you can get. But he's fast, he's tough, he scares the **** out of the opposition if they ever want to step up, and he's the type of emotional high energy type player that helps you huge in the playoffs.

Keep Kass! Oilers will regret losing him once we start playing the dirtier teams in this league and especially in the playoffs.

The problem with this idea is he's far too expensive for this role. We can't be paying a guy $2m a year to be invisible for 90% of the season. There are far too many needs on this roster both this year and in the future.

Jujhar Khaira fills that exact same role and is five years younger than Kass. Darnell is another player who is willing to pound the piss out of anyone taking liberties as well. We're not exactly a soft team anymore.

 

[TheNumber4]

The problem with this idea is he's far too expensive for this role. We can't be paying a guy $2m a year to be invisible for 90% of the season. There are far too many needs on this roster both this year and in the future.

Jujhar Khaira fills that exact same role and is five years younger than Kass. Darnell is another player who is willing to pound the piss out of anyone taking liberties as well. We're not exactly a soft team anymore.

You make a good point on the money. Again Chia overplays and prices our players out of our team. Can't blame Kass for taking the money though, but Chias loose wallet continues to hurt us.

I like our team toughness too, but none of those players bring an element of crazy that Kassian brings. McDavid is far too important to not afford him the best possible protection we can fit into an effective roster.

 

[belair]

You make a good point on the money. Again Chia overpays and prices our players out of our team. Can't blame Kass for taking the money though, but Chias loose wallet continues to hurt us.

I like our team toughness too, but none of those players bring an element of crazy that Kassian brings. McDavid is far too important to not afford him the best possible protection we can fit into an effective roster.

Well this is just an insane take. Without looking, the number of times he's put the puck in the net since signing that contract could probably be counted on his fingers. The number of times he's put his team a man down at inopportune times is considerably higher. I think you're overvaluing this 'crazy' characteristic that is likely nonexistent.

Zack Kassian is not an important part of this roster. Kudos to him for scoring the goal last night, but he's already dug his hole in the last 13 months with his play. And honestly he's probably not the easiest teammate to have considering he's a guy who consistently harms your roster.

Nice try deflecting Kassian's poor play at Peter Chiarelli though. He signed him after Kassian did exactly what you gave him credit for in the San Jose series. Playoff success impacts future contracts.