I have a suggestion to all oilers fans. We need some pay back after the way the ducks fans treated the shultz's tonight. So aside from salenne lets boo the (frank) out of them, lets boo perry, lets boo getslaf, lets boo EVERYONE. idiot duck fans need to relize they are having a fluke season. Radik dvorak with 40 points the broadcaster said tonight. I hope i miss heard him. Dvorak with 40 points now thats a fluke. We need to teach them ugly ducklings proper respect for the best up and coming team. They'll be cryin in their stews when we start whoopin their asses. We gotta stick up for our players and they will raily behind us. Maybe we'll even win some games. Can't hurt to try.
- deadsector

I hope you were drunk when you wrote this, otherwise I am embarrased for you and the way you represent oiler fans. We had every right to boo J Schultz. Nick Schultz got booed as collateral damage so to speak. Whitney got a bit as well cuz he sucked when he was a Duck. But the main thrust of it was against J Schultz, who had it coming. You have to understand he had it coming.

Dvorak does not have 40 points. We just picked him up, I think he scored his 2nd and 3rd goals last night.

If the next game is anything like last night, your idea of retribution by booing our star players every time they touch the puck will result in you losing your voice by the end of the first period.

Those two you can pay whatever they want.

The two issues with the Oil is they don't draft well outside of the easy picks, and they don't want to pay the premium that is necessary for solid defencemen, and that's what has to be done. It's only 2-3 defencemen a generation who can step into the NHL and be effective within 1-2 seasons (Doughty, Karlsson, etc) - the rest take time to develop. You can't hope to draft one to devleop with your forward core, it's too late for that already.

Forwards, like the plethora the oilers have, enter their prime very early on and you have to complement them with skilled veteran D who know the game if you want results.

If I'm Tambellini, I'm paying a premium this summer for Yandle. You've got plenty of picks, plenty of prospects. Problem is Oil fans go into fuill on uproars every time a quality for quality trade is made or suggested because team management has been hyping every prospect so badly so the fans don't pick up pitchforks and march.

An example would be Hartikainen and a 1st for Yandle. That would give you a #1 D going forward, and improve your entire D core by trickle-down. Pair him with smid on line one, and shelter Schultz by allowing him to run the offense on L2 with easier minutes.

But ST doesn't have the balls to do that, so I imagine it will be limbo-land again this offseason, and if the young guns can't carry the team into the top 8 next year, he'll finally be out on his ass.
- TommyDeVito

He was being sarcastic... Hall and Eberle are already signed long term for 6 million per. But its not going to be easy when you've got 5 players all potentially making between 5.5 and 6.5. Not to mention what Gagner and Dubnyk will want when their contracts are up?

If the cap goes up after next year... I imagine they will be okay.. but if not.. then they WILL be in trouble.

Agreed...

In all seriousness.. do you not think its time to at least consider moving one of the big 4 for a legitimate top pairing defenseman?
- kneughter

Depends who we're talking about. On both sides of the equation.

Those two you can pay whatever they want.

The two issues with the Oil is they don't draft well outside of the easy picks, and they don't want to pay the premium that is necessary for solid defencemen, and that's what has to be done. It's only 2-3 defencemen a generation who can step into the NHL and be effective within 1-2 seasons (Doughty, Karlsson, etc) - the rest take time to develop. You can't hope to draft one to devleop with your forward core, it's too late for that already.

Forwards, like the plethora the oilers have, enter their prime very early on and you have to complement them with skilled veteran D who know the game if you want results.

If I'm Tambellini, I'm paying a premium this summer for Yandle. You've got plenty of picks, plenty of prospects. Problem is Oil fans go into fuill on uproars every time a quality for quality trade is made or suggested because team management has been hyping every prospect so badly so the fans don't pick up pitchforks and march.

An example would be Hartikainen and a 1st for Yandle. That would give you a #1 D going forward, and improve your entire D core by trickle-down. Pair him with smid on line one, and shelter Schultz by allowing him to run the offense on L2 with easier minutes.

But ST doesn't have the balls to do that, so I imagine it will be limbo-land again this offseason, and if the young guns can't carry the team into the top 8 next year, he'll finally be out on his ass.
- TommyDeVito

If all it took was Harti and a 1st it would have been done already. Yandle will require more. Significantly more I would imagine.

Agreed...

In all seriousness.. do you not think its time to at least consider moving one of the big 4 for a legitimate top pairing defenseman?
- kneughter

I'd much rather trade this years pick and prospects.


Actually now would be the time for a Burkie style 2 1sts and a 2nd type of deal.

Richard Cloutier: Do Oilers Fans Have a Right to be Angry?
- Maxbone

Yes

Depends who we're talking about. On both sides of the equation.
- sanfordnson

They gotta spread that love around.. ala Chicago Blackhawks.

I don't care enough to figure out a scenario.. but I would imagine a team like Dallas might be willing to give up shattenkirk or something.

the problem with your logic is that my point flew COMPLETELY over your head.

i NEVER said they were as good as crosby or malkin.....my point was that if pitt can afford their team (which has better and more expensive players) then edmonton should have no problem keeping their roster intact.
- sensarmy_11

You missed my point. Because of who those two are, you don't need to play them with 5+ million players to have an effective line. They had Crosby playing with Kunitz (3.75 million) and Dupuis (1.5 million). Having the flexibility created by having all-world players by not requiring top 3 wingers to play with them, gave them the cap room to add prorated cap hits like Iginla's and Morrow's.

The second half of the blog was okay, it actually made sense. It's easy to say,now that it looks like there is zero chance of the playoffs, that we should have moved our UFA's for 3rd rounders or whatever("if" there was any interest), but that would have been cashing in our playoff hopes.So we rented our own UFA's and it didn't work out.
We might have been able to get that defenseman at the deadline, but it would have cost the Oilers Sam Gagner or Nail Yakapov.Hemsky wasnt going to get us anything. Rival GM's don't even rate him as high as Martin Erat for franks sake. Is anyone here prepared to move forward with Hemsky as our 2RW? What do at center ice now that we moved Gags for a defender?

I could go on for hours, and I have, the point is that we don't have have the depth to replace what few assets of value we have. No one is untouchable, unless there is a replacement player in the system.

Free Agency is the key.Not so much to fill the holes in the roster, but to create some flexibility with the line up. Maybe we wont land a top tier defensman, but if we are lucky enough to snag a David Clarkson ,maybe we can afford to move MPS as part of a package for help on D. Maybe we can sign Tyler Bozak and package up Gags?
Even still..the Oilers have less than a 1 in 30 chance of signing anybody that actually fits in our top 6, so Tambo can't exactly gamble with what he has right now.

If Tambo hasn't done anything by the the 2nd week of July I'll be pissed, but until then,his hands are basically tied.I wouldn't be too opposed to him moving our pick at the draft we have a better team in October as a result either,though.

They gotta spread that love around.. ala Chicago Blackhawks.

I don't care enough to figure out a scenario.. but I would imagine a team like Dallas might be willing to give up shattenkirk or something.
- kneughter

I think you are getting a little mixed up

Those two you can pay whatever they want.

The two issues with the Oil is they don't draft well outside of the easy picks, and they don't want to pay the premium that is necessary for solid defencemen, and that's what has to be done. It's only 2-3 defencemen a generation who can step into the NHL and be effective within 1-2 seasons (Doughty, Karlsson, etc) - the rest take time to develop. You can't hope to draft one to devleop with your forward core, it's too late for that already.

Forwards, like the plethora the oilers have, enter their prime very early on and you have to complement them with skilled veteran D who know the game if you want results.

If I'm Tambellini, I'm paying a premium this summer for Yandle. You've got plenty of picks, plenty of prospects. Problem is Oil fans go into fuill on uproars every time a quality for quality trade is made or suggested because team management has been hyping every prospect so badly so the fans don't pick up pitchforks and march.

An example would be Hartikainen and a 1st for Yandle. That would give you a #1 D going forward, and improve your entire D core by trickle-down. Pair him with smid on line one, and shelter Schultz by allowing him to run the offense on L2 with easier minutes.

But ST doesn't have the balls to do that, so I imagine it will be limbo-land again this offseason, and if the young guns can't carry the team into the top 8 next year, he'll finally be out on his ass.
- TommyDeVito

I do that trade 11/10 times. Problem is, we'd need to add a lot more to that... At least I think we would.

He was being sarcastic... Hall and Eberle are already signed long term for 6 million per. But its not going to be easy when you've got 5 players all potentially making between 5.5 and 6.5. Not to mention what Gagner and Dubnyk will want when their contracts are up?

If the cap goes up after next year... I imagine they will be okay.. but if not.. then they WILL be in trouble.
- kneughter

Gagner and Dubnyk haven't earned good money in any form or fashion. Gagne maybe 4 mill on a short term, Dubnyk I'm not paying more than 2.5

Next year could be very interesting for the Oilers. The new division will feature some tough physical teams that the Oilers will have to face regularly. What it comes down to is we need to be better then one of Vancouver, Anaheim, Los Angeles or San Jose. The Californian teams in particular are physical teams that the Oilers seem to struggle against. Add in Phoenix the trap capital of hockey and I don't see much success with our current roster.

I do think that Krueger is the solution coaching as he has a solid sytem. With a full seaon the team should be able to pick up his system and have some success. The real issue is a lack of skilled forwards with size who use it. We don't have a Horton and Lucic or Backes and Stewart. We need a pair of guys with size and can play.

Ideally we need a center and two wingers to fill out the top 9. However it is debatable whether Hartikaenen can fill one of those roles. Assuming he can I would love to see the following lines:

Hall, RNH, Eberle
?1, ?2, Yakupov
Paajarvi, Gagner, Hartikaenen

?1 would be a big winger acquired in a trade involving Hemsky, such as Niederrieter or Kreider.
?2 could be Barkov at this years draft.

The top line is magic. That second line could really wear down defenders and provide some offence. Line three would be great at cycling the puck down low and creating oportunities from behind the net.

I don't think acquiring two guys like I mentioned would be impossible (even if you needed to add on the Hemsky trade). A top 9 of the following would instantly help out against the more physical teams in the new division, while still keeping our teams identity of a fast, offensive team.

I'd much rather trade this years pick and prospects.


Actually now would be the time for a Burkie style 2 1sts and a 2nd type of deal.
- robin_steele264

I hate Burke, but you know for a fact he would turn this team into a conteder in a few months.

Gagner and Dubnyk haven't earned good money in any form or fashion. Gagne maybe 4 mill on a short term, Dubnyk I'm not paying more than 2.5
- TommyDeVito

Gagner has been the best Oilers this year.

I know it's gonna suck when Hall and Eberle want long term deals.
- robin_steele264

Just setting the hook, I love it.

I do that trade 11/10 times. Problem is, we'd need to add a lot more to that... At least I think we would.
- JShack

I suppose so, but that's certainly a starting point!

Hemsky, 2013 1st, Hartikainen, 2014 2nd?

2 1sts + Harty?

I mean, that's a deal that makes both teams better, lets Phx play more of it's promising D prospects, and Edmonton gets an immediate return on assets that they don't really need.

Bottom line is that it's worth it when you have so much elite potential up front being held back by the defence.

Gagner has been the best Oilers this year.
- Oilersforlife

Hall

Hall
- robin_steele264

Lately it's been Hall for sure, The whole season my vote goes to Gags. He got off to a quick start and IMO he is the main reason the Oilers were in the hunt so long. But you could easily make an argument for either one. Biggest dissapointment so far? for me has to be Smytty.

Oilers management didn't do anything to help the team at the trade deadline. Yes, they acquired a depth forward, but that's not what the team is lacking and we all know it. The Oilers need to add a left-handed puck-moving defenseman of significance.
- Maxbone

And once you want to move (at least) one of Hall, Eberle, RNH, Yakupov, or J. Schultz, it becomes possible to do so.

Depends who we're talking about. On both sides of the equation.
- sanfordnson

I think if you guys draft 10 to 14 (assuming you don't win the lottery) you'll have a shot at Ristolainen (sp) or Zadarov. Both very good D man.

I think if you guys draft 10 to 14 (assuming you don't win the lottery) you'll have a shot at Ristolainen (sp) or Zadarov. Both very good D man.
- KABLOOEY

Ristolainen or Nurse somehow falling to us would be cool.

And once you want to move (at least) one of Hall, Eberle, RNH, Yakupov, or J. Schultz, it becomes possible to do so.
- jmatchett383

Thanks for your advice.

Ristolainen or Nurse somehow falling to us would be cool.
- sanfordnson

Risto is already falling. I think at the start of the year he was 8th and now 12/13th.

Thanks for your advice.
- sanfordnson

If your Calgary who do you take at the draft? I think we have to take Barkov or Mackinnon but man would we get ripped for passing on Jones.

(all assuming we pick first which is unlikely)