Why do all you left coasters think the top 6 will not improve year over year with age and maturity.
If the bottom 6 would have pitched in just a little bit last year and taken some pressure off the top enough more wins could have been had to secure a play off spot.
and if Whitney wouldnt have sucked so much and pouted about it of coarse
- HallNEbs

i do think it'd be better. and 7th overall again might be abit of an exaggeration. but we'll also be in a much bigger, tougher division next year, so we have to take that into account. and i think that's the real point.

imo, we need some real size and edge to create space for ebs, nuge etc. along with more help in the bottom 6.
two offensive minded dmen really isnt the answer either imo.
maybe 1 and a defensive one. or even better, a true two way guy and another.

i just didnt think it was the right mix to get us to where we'd like to be.
more talented and better than this year? almost assuredly.

Cloutier is forgetting one thing, another team - possibly the Flames may offer the 6th & a later first round pick this year to move up into the same position if they feel the player they want is about to be plucked.

The talk in Calgary has always been Monahan but don't let that fool you because they also love Barkov but they know unless they become bold, he won't be available at 6 so I know Cloutier seems to think this can be accomplished by the Oilers, it can also be accomplished by other teams & the Flames have the assets in picks this year to do just that.

But don't bet Nashville stays put at 4 & takes Barkov - Cloutier is grasping at straws because he's so in love with Barkov. I think Nishushkin is going to Tampa all the way which leaves Drouin as the player who's dropping.

If i'm Calgary, I stay at 6 because they could have Drouin fall into their laps even though they want a centre, which could really mess Feaster up because depending on draft boards, do you take the best player available(most will have Drouin at that point) or do you take the centre??

I guess the Flames could also trade back a couple of spots if this scenario happened and pick up more picks but highly unlikely.

I will agree with Clouts in the fact if the Oilers want to move up, giving up the 7th & next year's pick is more what's it's going to take.

Cloutier is forgetting one thing, another team - possibly the Flames may offer the 6th & a later first round pick this year to move up into the same position if they feel the player they want is about to be plucked.

The talk in Calgary has always been Monahan but don't let that fool you because they also love Barkov but they know unless they become bold, he won't be available at 6 so I know Cloutier seems to think this can be accomplished by the Oilers, it can also be accomplished by other teams & the Flames have the assets in picks this year to do just that.

But don't bet Nashville stays put at 4 & takes Barkov - Cloutier is grasping at straws because he's so in love with Barkov. I think Nishushkin is going to Tampa all the way which leaves Drouin as the player who's dropping.

If i'm Calgary, I stay at 6 because they could have Drouin fall into their laps even though they want a centre, which could really mess Feaster up because depending on draft boards, do you take the best player available(most will have Drouin at that point) or do you take the centre??

I guess the Flames could also trade back a couple of spots if this scenario happened and pick up more picks but highly unlikely.

I will agree with Clouts in the fact if the Oilers want to move up, giving up the 7th & next year's pick is more what's it's going to take.
- newmy

If honestly be willing to overpay with picks to get barkov.

Question is though if we don't address size somehow for next year (with the new division), either via ufa or trade, we may give up two top tens rather than the 7th and say 20th pick. Risky. But barkov could be worth it IMO.

Silly question when r the oilers gonna draft a legit top 2 or 4 defenceman every other team has in the last few years some have worked out others haven't can't draft fowards every year gets u no where in the long run I don't understand why u guys
don't trade up for Seth jones best defenceman available .
- arnpriorguy

You can never have enough good defensive prospects, but right now those are the only quality prospects we have. All our forwards that are prospect age are already on the team. In the next couple of years we have Marincin, Klefbom, Gernat, Musil, and Fedun looking to make the jump on the backend. At forward we really only have Lander and Rajala. Lander projects to be a 3rd or 4th liner and Rajala really doesn't have a future here cause we're already stocked full of small wingers

And no disrespect to Flames' fans but Feaster & the worst scouting director in the league(Todd Button) will screw it up somehow.

when dealing in the top 5, yes it will cost you a lot. however oil could suck again and give up a good pick next season obviously
- nelson911

If EDM thinks Barkov is yet another saviour and try to put him into the line up immediately (apparently the Finnish military can grant special outs or break up the service so it can be completed in periods, like the off season), then next years pick will be high again. NSH would have to consider this.

Dumb on EDM part. Monahan would suffice as a 2 nd line C.

And no disrespect to Flames' fans but Feaster & the worst scouting director in the league(Todd Button) will screw it up somehow.
- newmy

Actually, Weisbrod is the guy in charge of scouting. Button answers to him. CGY's drafting has been much better since Feaster took over and restructured the scouting dept.

Still think draft plays out like this...

Jones
MacKinnon
Nishushkin
Barkov
Drouin
Monahan

Oilers could take Nurse at 7, I think this would be a nice pick & don't pass the excuse onto me about the Oilers having too many defensemen in the pipeline - maybe so but no one compares to what Nurse can bring to the fore-front.

Or they could trade back IF a team say picking 15th wants to move up and part with the roster player the Oilers could use right now. What about Johannsen in Columbus(for example). Don't know if would happen but i'm using it as an example.

Actually, Weisbrod is the guy in charge of scouting. Button answers to him. CGY's drafting has been much better since Feaster took over and restructured the scouting dept.
- TandA4Flames

He may be in charge of Button but Todd is the man in charge of his crew & has a big influence in the picks.

Weisbrod definitely pitched for Jankowski last year but to imagine they could have had Olli Matta is what sets this organization back. It's decisions like this that are unacceptable, Matta is going to be a solid dman but to trade back in the first round, then select a guy they could have had in the 2nd or even as high as the top of the 3rd round is puzzling.

Still think draft plays out like this...

Jones
MacKinnon
Nishushkin
Barkov
Drouin
Monahan

Oilers could take Nurse at 7, I think this would be a nice pick & don't pass the excuse onto me about the Oilers having too many defensemen in the pipeline - maybe so but no one compares to what Nurse can bring to the fore-front.

Or they could trade back IF a team say picking 15th wants to move up and part with the roster player the Oilers could use right now. What about Johannsen in Columbus(for example). Don't know if would happen but i'm using it as an example.
- newmy

If Nichushkin goes at 3, which is possible, the next team, who I believe will be Nashville, will probably get Drouin. He's too good to pick Barkov over.

Still think draft plays out like this...

Jones
MacKinnon
Nishushkin
Barkov
Drouin
Monahan

Oilers could take Nurse at 7, I think this would be a nice pick & don't pass the excuse onto me about the Oilers having too many defensemen in the pipeline - maybe so but no one compares to what Nurse can bring to the fore-front.

Or they could trade back IF a team say picking 15th wants to move up and part with the roster player the Oilers could use right now. What about Johannsen in Columbus(for example). Don't know if would happen but i'm using it as an example.
- newmy

There's no way drouin falls to 5th. Top 3 are Jones, MacKinnon, Drouin. It's a toss up between them.

My armchair GM post of the day.

Pick up Mark Streit UFA
Pick up Viktor Stalberg UFA
Pick up Matt Cooke UFA
Package deal of 2013 1st round, Martin Gernat, Ryan Jones for Jonathon Bernier and Slava Voynov

Hall-Nuge-Eberle
Paajarvi-Gagner-Yakupov
Hartikainen-Horcoff-Stalberg
Brown-Smithson-Cooke

Streit- Voynov
Schultz-Smid
Petry-Fistric
Potter

Dubnyk
Bernier

While I'm at it I want a pony.
- freelancer

That package barely gets you Bernier. LAK won't trade Voynov I don't think.

He may be in charge of Button but Todd is the man in charge of his crew & has a big influence in the picks.

Weisbrod definitely pitched for Jankowski last year but to imagine they could have had Olli Matta is what sets this organization back. It's decisions like this that are unacceptable, Matta is going to be a solid dman but to trade back in the first round, then select a guy they could have had in the 2nd or even as high as the top of the 3rd round is puzzling.
- newmy

Maata is over rated. He's another middle of the road D prospect. I likely makes the NHL but won't be hugely impact full. Maybe #4 at best. Weisbrod was swinging for the fences with a high risk high reward player. If CGY keeps drafting middle of the road players, we will always be middle of the road,

buffalo will get him before the Oilers we have lots of players to move and picks
- gerbe75pts

Has anyone that's responded in this blog actually even seen more than 30 seconds of footage of any of this years draft eligibles?

No? Ok

There's no way drouin falls to 5th. Top 3 are Jones, MacKinnon, Drouin. It's a toss up between them.
- oilersrule66

I disagree. He is NOT a lock to go in the top 3. He will if Tampa passes on Nishushkin but I will tell you this, Yzerman & his crew love the Russian over Drouin.

If Nashville is as high on Barkov as many think, for sure Drouin could fall to 5.

Anything is possible but the whole puzzle will be interesting if Tampa holds true to their liking & select Nishushkin at 3.

Gonna be fun!!!

Has anyone that's responded in this blog actually even seen more than 30 seconds of footage of any of this years draft eligibles?

No? Ok
- mochoson

What the (frank) is draft?

Maata is over rated. He's another middle of the road D prospect. I likely makes the NHL but won't be hugely impact full. Maybe #4 at best. Weisbrod was swinging for the fences with a high risk high reward player. If CGY keeps drafting middle of the road players, we will always be middle of the road,
- TandA4Flames

And I disagree with your assessment of Matta. I do agree with you regarding Weisbrod going after the high risk/reward player, the problem with that in the first round is scary & could continue to set this franchise back years.

Remember them taking Derek Morris, I believe at 13 one year, totally caught many off guard and although Morris was a steady dman, he was nothing to get excited about.

And I disagree with your assessment of Matta. I do agree with you regarding Weisbrod going after the high risk/reward player, the problem with that in the first round is scary & could continue to set this franchise back years.

Remember them taking Derek Morris, I believe at 13 one year, totally caught many off guard and although Morris was a steady dman, he was nothing to get excited about.
- newmy

I agree with what u say re: Morris and Maata is the same. Im not saying I wouldnt want him but if Janko becomes as projected, thats a big win for CGY.

Has anyone that's responded in this blog actually even seen more than 30 seconds of footage of any of this years draft eligibles?

No? Ok
- mochoson

No way, only you. We're all totally ignorant. Except for you of course

eberle and our 7th overall would only get us a 2nd line center?!!!

we'll keep him then.
we dont need to move any of those kids to get better either.

and we're nothing like the canucks.
you had your kicks at the can with that core. u didnt deal them away mid run. or even worse, before they even had a go!
we havent had our run yet. let us do that, and then we might be comparable if it fails and we need to retool.
- hugefemale dog77

Where did I say second line center? I said a top six center, depending on who it is he may be a first or second line guy. Eberle and a 7th overall will get you a very very good player.

Where did I say second line center? I said a top six center, depending on who it is he may be a first or second line guy. Eberle and a 7th overall will get you a very very good player.
- LeftCoaster

And will leave a huge hole on the wing to fill.

Why do all you left coasters think the top 6 will not improve year over year with age and maturity.
If the bottom 6 would have pitched in just a little bit last year and taken some pressure off the top enough more wins could have been had to secure a play off spot.
and if Whitney wouldnt have sucked so much and pouted about it of coarse
- HallNEbs

They will, but I thought Edmonton wanted to compete for the playoffs. Keep in mind everyone else's young players are getting better and better as well. New Division next year with San Jose, Anaheim, Vancouver and Los Angeles will probably take the top four spots in the West/Pacific. St Louis, Chicago and Minny will probably take the top three spots in the central or whatever they call it. That means you're competing against some good young teams for the final spot.

Do you have the patience for them to just get better gradually or do you want to compete now, like the Oilers players and management do?

And will leave a huge hole on the wing to fill.
- abware

Championship teams are built through the middle, you need a center far more than you need Eberle, Hemsky and Yakupov on the RW.

I don't know, that seems a bit much for a guy thats never played in the nhl before. The seventh pick in this years draft certainly. But add one second from this year and one second from next year and i think thats a fair deal. THe oilers are likly to still need that first rounder next year. On the other hand i'd be ok with the offer you've suggested, it would mean MacT is willing to take some risks and thats a good thing.