ourye na ebmarrsenesmt ot het lersoi fna sbea
- RichardClitz

You spelled "midget" wrong.

You spelled "midget" wrong.
- Maxbone

Now now children no fighting

I think 4 years of losing for hall and ebs would be very bad..
- hugefemale dog77

I'm not saying they should tank the season. The Oil roster right now just doesn't seem to have all they need to be contenders, yet. All we've been discussing for months are deficiencies on D, bottom 6 and not enough size up front, esp on the top 2 lines. We've got speed to burn but our guys still get pushed around a lot. Many opponents have large, mobile D that are capable of holding back our offence.
Try as they might, the Oilers aren't going to be able to address all these issues in 1 year. They've got to add the pieces as and when they can without blowing up the core.
Having said that, if there's a great deal to be made in return for our 1st in '14 plus 1 of our core guys, then MacT should do it if he believes the Team will be all the better for it.

That wa a good post and I agree 100%. Now I do t want to actually trade any of our top 6 but if I were Mac T I would seriously consider a proposal like this:
To Edmonton :
Brandon Dubinski
Nick Foligno
Fedor Tyutin

To Columbus
Nail Yakupov
Anton Lander
Martin Marincin
2014 1st

Regardless of whether Columbus would make the trade, this is the kind of deal that Mac would absolutely have to consider.
Hall Nuge Ebs
Perron Gags Hemmer
Foligno Dubinski Jones
Smyth Gordon Joensuu

Tyutin Petry
J.Schultz Ferrence
Belov Smid

Without Yak, I think this a way thicker line up.
- Jeropotato

how good do you think Foligno and Dubinsky are? Yak, a 1st, and a top prospect? I'm asking for Pietrangelo or OEL+ if that's the deal. Yikes

Wasn't Smid used as a winger for a while a couple years back when the Oilers D was competent? Should that not say he has some decent skating ability? I can recall a couple times a within the last couple years where Ladi was either up on the rush, or leading the rush. This "bad skater" theory is garbage.

Wasn't Smid used as a winger for a while a couple years back when the Oilers D was competent? Should that not say he has some decent skating ability? I can recall a couple times a within the last couple years where Ladi was either up on the rush, or leading the rush. This "bad skater" theory is garbage.
- wreckage

From what I see his skating is nothing special, but definitely not bad.

Hell, when he makes blocks he's quick on his feet into position to dive, or slide into oncoming shots. And is quick for a shutdown defender.

Would love to see him on the Leafs.

There is a solution, but it has passed MacT by: Buy out Ales Hemsky.

The only reason Hemsky shouldn't have been bought out is if MacT had a deal in the bag or him. That was obviously not the case or Hemsky would be long gone by now.

Free up Hemsky's 5M and go free agent shopping. There are still plenty of good options out there. What can you get for 5M? Well, the combined salaries of Mason Raymond, Brad Boyes, and Peter Mueller came in at 5M last year. Teams obviously aren't breaking down the doors of these players, so should we really expect them to see much, if any, of a raise? Imagine actually having forward depth, including someone (or multiple guys) who could play up in the line up in the event of an injury or slump. I'd be much more comfortable with this forward line up than the one we have now:

Hall/RNH/Eberle
Perron/Gagner/Yakupov
Raymond/Boyes/Mueller
Smyth/Gordon/Jones

It can still be done if a taker can be found for Hemsky that doesn't involve taking a lot of salary back. It's extremely doubtful though. If I were any other team I'd just look to sign Boyes for much, much less money...

There is a solution, but it has passed MacT by: Buy out Ales Hemsky.

The only reason Hemsky shouldn't have been bought out is if MacT had a deal in the bag or him. That was obviously not the case or Hemsky would be long gone by now.

Free up Hemsky's 5M and go free agent shopping. There are still plenty of good options out there. What can you get for 5M? Well, the combined salaries of Mason Raymond, Brad Boyes, and Peter Mueller came in at 5M last year. Teams obviously aren't breaking down the doors of these players, so should we really expect them to see much, if any, of a raise? Imagine actually having forward depth, including someone (or multiple guys) who could play up in the line up in the event of an injury or slump. I'd be much more comfortable with this forward line up than the one we have now:

Hall/RNH/Eberle
Perron/Gagner/Yakupov
Raymond/Boyes/Mueller
Smyth/Gordon/Jones

It can still be done if a taker can be found for Hemsky that doesn't involve taking a lot of salary back. It's extremely doubtful though. If I were any other team I'd just look to sign Boyes for much, much less money...
- Centacre

Thing is even if those names u mentioned are marginally better fits than hemsky (which is certainly far from a sure thing) it depends on how long of a term their looking for.

Id rather keep hemmer and let him walk to free up that 5 mil at the end of the season then gamble on any of those guys for multiple years.
Not only is the free agent crop way better next year, but we have our own housekeeping to do with nuge, schultz, petry, and dubnyk

Just blow it all up now.

Cloutier, there's no way in hell the Oilers are going to land a big-time goalie on the UFA market!!

Let's get that straight right now!!
- newmy

Is that strait from Dregs?

You are so dumb it hurts me. Justin Schultz will have 100+P seasons and win a Norris, but Smid isn't top 4. The people that defend you must have a hard, hard time.
- TheNugeIsHuge

What I really don't get is why no one seems willing to eat a little salary in a Hemsky deal. At $3M, he's be worth a gamble for many teams.

You're not getting it.

1st, I don't hate the guy. Saying he's perhaps not a long-term answer and saying I hate the guy are two completely separate things.

2nd, my point was, the Oilers need to play Smid in a 1/2 role because they don't have better options. On a team with good D, he'd be, at best, a 3/4 guy. In saying this, I'm not insulting him at all. I'm being realistic.

3rd, why do you think the guys has to block so many shots? Because he can't keep up. He's an absolute warrior, like a Jason Smith. Every team benefits from having a guy who will do anything, especially when it comes to sacrificing himself to make a play. But quit being so emotionally attached to the player and look at him objectively. His offense has never been there, he's not brilliant at moving the puck out of his zone, and blocks often indicate a defense's inability to skate. In a 5/6 role, at a reasonable contract amount, I'd love him. But as a 1/2? He's not that good. And the fact the Oilers need to use him that way indicates roster issues, not issues with Smid himself.
- Maxbone

Yet you said he shouldnt be playing top 4 minutes at all, did you not?
I quote, "He's not really good enough to be a Top 4 defenseman in the NHL"

If my math is correct, and it always is, a 3/4 dman is a top 4 defenseman. And you said here that on a good defense he could be a 3/4 guy.
So which one is it?

Kulemin, Cleary, Greening, Boyle.

Move Hemsky, Schultz, and picks/prospects to make these deals happen.

Hall-Gagner-Yakupov
Greening-Nuge-Eberle
Perron-Gordon-Kulemin
Cleary-Boyle-Jones


- Morris

What kind of picks/prospects are you adding to J Schultz to get Kulimen?
You also have to take Liles.

What I really don't get is why no one seems willing to eat a little salary in a Hemsky deal. At $3M, he's be worth a gamble for many teams.
- muffin_man

I wouldn't mind aeeing him on the habs. Moen and 2nd for hemmer

I wouldn't mind aeeing him on the habs. Moen and 2nd for hemmer
- munky123

If I'm the oilers, I do that in a heartbeat. Moen I think would be a great fit, and the 2nd replaces their 2nd from the perron deal. They could also flip it for another decent 3rd line winger.

I wouldn't mind aeeing him on the habs. Moen and 2nd for hemmer
- munky123

Could you guys get any softer, if you traded for Hemsky

I wouldn't mind aeeing him on the habs. Moen and 2nd for hemmer
- munky123

When I look at the oilers lineup I keep thinking.... "man in a couple of years that team is gonna be scary" but you still need a goalie to win it all, like the flyers......

how can u say smid isnt a top 3 or 4 d-man because he is on most teams. by playing on a team that gets out scored yearly and only being a minus 1 through 48 games, playing against the toughest opposition every night id say he has the pedigree of top 4. doesnt put up lots of points but that isnt what hes there for. also i would like to add that he is right up there in blocked shots in the league which proves that he is solid positionally and durable. ya he has had some concussion issues (sean avery) in past and neck problems but who hasnt when mixing it up with guys like avery or cooke. now if the oil had some better d infront of smid to play with he would look even more like an excellent 3 or 4 d-man. not sure what u expect out of that position?

There is a solution, but it has passed MacT by: Buy out Ales Hemsky.

The only reason Hemsky shouldn't have been bought out is if MacT had a deal in the bag or him. That was obviously not the case or Hemsky would be long gone by now.

Free up Hemsky's 5M and go free agent shopping. There are still plenty of good options out there. What can you get for 5M? Well, the combined salaries of Mason Raymond, Brad Boyes, and Peter Mueller came in at 5M last year. Teams obviously aren't breaking down the doors of these players, so should we really expect them to see much, if any, of a raise? Imagine actually having forward depth, including someone (or multiple guys) who could play up in the line up in the event of an injury or slump. I'd be much more comfortable with this forward line up than the one we have now:

Hall/RNH/Eberle
Perron/Gagner/Yakupov
Raymond/Boyes/Mueller
Smyth/Gordon/Jones

It can still be done if a taker can be found for Hemsky that doesn't involve taking a lot of salary back. It's extremely doubtful though. If I were any other team I'd just look to sign Boyes for much, much less money...
- Centacre

raymond? are u freaking kidding me! we are soft enough. ya so lets put a peewee player that doesnt show up in playoffs as a third line checker, ridiculous and stupid. why not bring osullivan back then.......brutal!!

how can u say smid isnt a top 3 or 4 d-man
- hockey_talk079

I am surprised people still question the writer's knowledge.

What kind of picks/prospects are you adding to J Schultz to get Kulimen?
You also have to take Liles.
- pbrsimps

I'd buy out Liles to get Kulemin. Kuli + Liles for a 2nd and a 4th?

I hope Nonis lets Kuli walk and we can just nab him for free.

If I'm the oilers, I do that in a heartbeat. Moen I think would be a great fit, and the 2nd replaces their 2nd from the perron deal. They could also flip it for another decent 3rd line winger.
- pbrsimps

Yeah I think that would be a good fit for us too. He's more like a good 4th liner at this point (on a good team) but he would add that depth, effort and toughness we're looking for.

I love how the top 6 is always "untouchable"

They havent done anything to deserve this status