11 years with the Wild, longest tenured player in Wild history. He is missed by Wild fans. I didn't understand the trade at first, but in hind sight it makes a bit more sense now for both teams.
Gilbert is more of an offensive minded puck mover, Schultz a staunch defensive defenseman.
Both teams needed what they got. - MnGump
We get rid of Gilbert's piss poor defensive play and constant turnovers so I'm extremely happy. Just hope we can sign Shultz to a longterm extension.
11 years with the Wild, longest tenured player in Wild history. He is missed by Wild fans. I didn't understand the trade at first, but in hind sight it makes a bit more sense now for both teams.
Gilbert is more of an offensive minded puck mover, Schultz a staunch defensive defenseman.
Both teams needed what they got. - MnGump
I feel the same way. At first I was bit upset about the trade because as a fan all you do when you hear about it is look at the stats comparison and get pissed, and that's exactly what I did. Looking back though I am happy with what Schultz brings to the Oilers and I definitely agree it was a trade that helped both teams.
We get rid of Gilbert's piss poor defensive play and constant turnovers so I'm extremely happy. Just hope we can sign Shultz to a longterm extension. - Ihatebrianburke
Obviously he is more of an offensive defensemen but I think the term "piss poor defensive play" is a bit of a stretch.
I feel the same way. At first I was bit upset about the trade because as a fan all you do when you hear about it is look at the stats comparison and get pissed, and that's exactly what I did. Looking back though I am happy with what Schultz brings to the Oilers and I definitely agree it was a trade that helped both teams. - SteveTambellini
Don't get me wrong, his defensive play was questionable a lot of the time and he did turn the puck over a fair amount, but he's no Cam Barker. - SteveTambellini
And to think Chuck Fletcher gave up Nick Leddy for that waste of ice time!
The Oilers will not buyout Shawn Horcoff at this time (in case you wondered). Why? Because there's no advantage to it. Owners need to buyout this season at 100% of contract value, and Horcs is a decent 3rd line center on a team that isn't great at the position. If he's going to get paid the full amount no matter where he is, he might as well be here playing.
this isnt news.
it's pretty much the same thing the rest of us have been saying for months everytime u talked how horcoff should go and the oilers will buy him out first chance they get. - hugefemale dog77
There's no advantage to buying him out now because it's a 100% buyout. When they buy him out in the summer, it will be at 2/3 contract value. His actual buyout will be $4.7mil, which is less than half of his actual cap hit for the final two years of his contract ($5.5mil per season).
There is a lot of talk about Whitney being back and healthy. Playing him on the top line could entirely be a ploy to sell him. TSN is reporting that the Pens want gonchar back at 37 to bring some offense. If they are thinking of putting him into their top 4 then we might be able to weekend at Bernie's Ryan Whitney and prop him up long enough to sell him to someone. With the prices of D right now (except Subban - Sucker) he could fetch a late first round pick for us. I don't know why we would want one though.
I am thinking the last thing we need to do is keep trading for late draft picks and prospects right now. At some point we are going to need some NHL players or move the Barons to Edmonton so we can at least watch our players. We should be the ones trading for players and Whitney going with one of our excess players, picks or whatever for another "upgrade" is what we need to do and keep doing. Our days of losing and collecting picks need to end or we will have no one to play with our current young stars when they are ready in a couple years.
There is a lot of talk about Whitney being back and healthy. Playing him on the top line could entirely be a ploy to sell him. TSN is reporting that the Pens want gonchar back at 37 to bring some offense. If they are thinking of putting him into their top 4 then we might be able to weekend at Bernie's Ryan Whitney and prop him up long enough to sell him to someone. With the prices of D right now (except Subban - Sucker) he could fetch a late first round pick for us. I don't know why we would want one though.
I am thinking the last thing we need to do is keep trading for late draft picks and prospects right now. At some point we are going to need some NHL players or move the Barons to Edmonton so we can at least watch our players. We should be the ones trading for players and Whitney going with one of our excess players, picks or whatever for another "upgrade" is what we need to do and keep doing. Our days of losing and collecting picks need to end or we will have no one to play with our current young stars when they are ready in a couple years. - bsteinley
If Whitney really is finally healthy and back to his prior form, why the hell would we want to get rid of him? Then he is our legit top pairing guy to play with Schultz and all of a sudden boom, the Oilers have a respectable top 4 on the back end. You're right, we don't need any more picks at this point. The Oilers still do have a fairly deep prospect pool right now with a few guys who have a good chance of making the Oilers and sticking, so I wouldn't be too worried yet about finding guys to fill out the roster. Although I do agree that now is the time the focus needs to be turned to trading assets such as draft picks and prospects to acquire NHL level players.
If Whitney really is finally healthy and back to his prior form, why the hell would we want to get rid of him? Then he is our legit top pairing guy to play with Schultz and all of a sudden boom, the Oilers have a respectable top 4 on the back end. You're right, we don't need any more picks at this point. The Oilers still do have a fairly deep prospect pool right now with a few guys who have a good chance of making the Oilers and sticking, so I wouldn't be too worried yet about finding guys to fill out the roster. Although I do agree that now is the time the focus needs to be turned to trading assets such as draft picks and prospects to acquire NHL level players. - SteveTambellini
The reasons to trade him are because his contract is up at the end of the year and because he is ALWAYS injured. If Petry develops the way we think he will then, Whitney or N. Shultz should go or we have a 3 million dollar player on our 3rd pairing. With Shultz getting the A, I think they showed which way they wanted to go. Plus Klefbom is on his way. If Whitney has a good year he has trade value but he is so fragile that you just can't count on him. Let him be someone else's problem. I thought they would have traded N. Schultz in the off season too because of his contract and to make room for Oscar.
I agree if Whitney turns it around like Gaborik and plays his first full season in years, he has value to the Oilers. There is just a better chance of Belanger getting 50 goals this year than Whitney playing 48 games.
The reasons to trade him are because his contract is up at the end of the year and because he is ALWAYS injured. If Petry develops the way we think he will then, Whitney or N. Shultz should go or we have a 3 million dollar player on our 3rd pairing. With Shultz getting the A, I think they showed which way they wanted to go. Plus Klefbom is on his way. If Whitney has a good year he has trade value but he is so fragile that you just can't count on him. Let him be someone else's problem. I thought they would have traded N. Schultz in the off season too because of his contract and to make room for Oscar.
I agree if Whitney turns it around like Gaborik and plays his first full season in years, he has value to the Oilers. There is just a better chance of Belanger getting 50 goals this year than Whitney playing 48 games this year. - bsteinley
Klefbom will most definitely be an Oiler but, especially with his season-ending injury this year, I don't think we can be counting on him to make the team and be effective right out of the gate next season.
There are two ways this season could go for Ryan Whitney: either he really is healthy again and back in solid form, or he is once again nothing but a band-aid. Either way the chances of a trade occurring are very slim. Why? Because if he is actually healthy again he can be the top pairing guy the Oilers need, and if he can be that guy, there is absolutely no reason for the Oilers trade him and leave a hole in our defense instead of re-signing him. And if he is always injured again, especially when you consider how short this season is, nobody will give up anything worthwhile in a trade for him. Ditto for Ales Hemsky. He is either going to get his game back and stay in Edmonton or walk out of here as a free agent. Although, considering Hemsky has the 1 extra year on his deal, there is a slight chance that he could be traded for something of decent value at the trade deadline next year if he can stay consistent.
OMG I read your blog and I read it every day. You suck! And I'm first person to leave a comment, which allows me to say "FIRST!" and makes me super excited because I hate your blogs.
LOL - Maxbone
I never said you suck, I think you're very good at what you do. Its just that what you do is @$$ hattery, not hockey writing.
Location: "Don't worry about me, worry about yourself". -EKLB DNZ supreme , AB Joined: 10.21.2011
Jan 15 @ 10:32 PM ET
We lost 6 million in WW Deuce and don't get a cheque from the German government. I mean seriously these people's population increased since whitey came here, they got running water and electricity, don't need to pay taxes and have been at peace for like 200 years, boohoo. Who would have ever guessed that the Indians could hire better Jew lawyers than the Jews could....Oy Vey! - ShooterMcGavin
Who told you they don't need to pay taxes? Sounds like you need to do a bit of fact checking.
