I dont understand why they haven't bought him out and just used that money and given RNH a contract extension, RNH will be making around the same money that hemsky would be anyways...Hemskys obviously not going to be of much help from the 3rd line
- annoyance_101

Hemskys contract will be done before nuges extension starts so it seems pointless to buy him out. If hemsky can stay healthy and put up some decent numbers he could be traded for an asset at the deadline, or at worst we have some top 6 depth and he walks at the end of the year.

What the hell does Hemsky have anything to do with RNH's contract? If anything having Hemsky because of RNH's shoulder issue is going to give us some depth.
- ryan78

Hemskys contract will be done before nuges extension starts so it seems pointless to buy him out. If hemsky can stay healthy and put up some decent numbers he could be traded for an asset at the deadline, or at worst we have some top 6 depth and he walks at the end of the year.
- abware

Pretty much. RNH doesn't start the year one of Hemsky/yak/eberle goes to LW. Without Hemsky, we looking at Jones?

If we could've gotten a 3rd liner like Zach Smith for Hemmer then I would've been fine moving him, but at this point we have the cap space and the money, so he can stay.

These threads have been lacking something recently but I can't quite put a finger on it... OH YEAH!

You forgot Weber.
- Oilnutz

he's 6 or 7 on my list.

I think suter is just now getting the credit he deserves for that pairings success.

What the hell does Hemsky have anything to do with RNH's contract? If anything having Hemsky because of RNH's shoulder issue is going to give us some depth.
- ryan78

Hemsky doesn't play Center......da (frank)

Hemsky doesn't play Center......da (frank)
- annoyance_101

Hall to center, Hemsky to LW. Not that (frank)ing difficult to figure out. Or Hall stays LW and they play Eberle at center.

While I agree with your sentiments that Kronwall is a great defenseman and isn't even close to being Lidstrom, I also think saying that Lidstrom is the best defenseman to ever play in the NHL is a winning argument at this point. Who was better? Maybe Bobby Orr? Considering the amount of high-quality defensemen in Lidstrom's 20-season career versus Orr's 12-season career, for example, the competition isn't even close. You could make a case for a handful of defensemen, so I'll stop there...
- TwoPieceFeed

Orr=Best Dman of all time. Coffey is also up there too. Lidstrom is hands down the best Dman of the 2000s

I dont understand why they haven't bought him out and just used that money and given RNH a contract extension, RNH will be making around the same money that hemsky would be anyways...Hemskys obviously not going to be of much help from the 3rd line
- annoyance_101

Hemsky's contract'll be up before RNH's extension kicks in. Hemsky's a better 3rd line option than anything else EDM has. Also he'll be needed in the top 6 with RNH out

Hall to center, Hemsky to LW. Not that (frank)ing difficult to figure out. Or Hall stays LW and they play Eberle at center.
- ryan78

Hall was like 54.7% in the dot this year. Albeit in a limited number of draws, but a better option at C then anyone else in the top 6.

Hemsky-Hall-Eberle
Perron-Gags-Yak(<--lol, never read that as a sentence)

Pump hemsky's numbers with Hall-Ebs. Deal him when RNH is back for good value. I think Hall will struggle out of the gates at C. And I expect EDM to struggle out the gates with a new coach and a 9-game road trip

Hall was like 54.7% in the dot this year. Albeit in a limited number of draws, but a better option at C then anyone else in the top 6.

Hemsky-Hall-Eberle
Perron-Gags-Yak(<--lol, never read that as a sentence)

Pump hemsky's numbers with Hall-Ebs. Deal him when RNH is back for good value. I think Hall will struggle out of the gates at C. And I expect EDM to struggle out the gates with a new coach and a 9-game road trip
- TheNugeIsHuge

Winning the draw is only a part of it. Hall is still a moron when carrying the puck and defensive zone coverage. Eberle at least has some defensive smart and doesn't stand around with an open mouth and that dumb look that Hall has as he swings his stick around on the ice.

Winning the draw is only a part of it. Hall is still a moron when carrying the puck and defensive zone coverage. Eberle at least has some defensive smart and doesn't stand around with an open mouth and that dumb look that Hall has as he swings his stick around on the ice.
- ryan78

Hall's jersey will one day be hanging from the rafters in the new barn. Not sure how any Oil fan makes a statement like that.

These threads have been lacking something recently but I can't quite put a finger on it... OH YEAH!


- MaximumBone

That'll take more than a finger.

Winning the draw is only a part of it. Hall is still a moron when carrying the puck and defensive zone coverage. Eberle at least has some defensive smart and doesn't stand around with an open mouth and that dumb look that Hall has as he swings his stick around on the ice.
- ryan78

I disagree with everything except what is bolded. Hall-RNH are the reason Eberle can play top lines. Hall and Nuge were the only two oilers with a positive Takeaway-Giveaway ratio(Hall 31-29, Nuge 22-11). EDM had the same 72% contained break-in rate when Hall and Eberle had the puck. Hall's a better all around player than Eberle. RNH is becoming the best all around in the top 6 IMO

http://www.coppernblue.co...-3-in-the-top-25-under-25

Hall's jersey will one day be hanging from the rafters in the new barn. Not sure how any Oil fan makes a statement like that.
- GWnorth

Well sure, but that has nothing to do with him being smart enough to move to center right now. Guy gets creamed in his natural position and isn't the smartest in the defensive zone, so how does putting him at center help his case, especially where both the creaming and defensive zone is harder.

2 of those last 6 words were chosen for you laughs.

I disagree with everything except what is bolded. Hall-RNH are the reason Eberle can play top lines. Hall and Nuge were the only two oilers with a positive Takeaway-Giveaway ratio(Hall 31-29, Nuge 22-11). EDM had the same 72% contained break-in rate when Hall and Eberle had the puck. Hall's a better all around player than Eberle. RNH is becoming the best all around in the top 6 IMO

http://www.coppernblue.co...-3-in-the-top-25-under-25
- TheNugeIsHuge

Belanger has had a positive ration his whole time here as well....

Belanger has had a positive ration his whole time here as well....
- ryan78

I think that's expected of a defensive centre. And probably the reasoning for starting 66.7% of non-neutral zone FOs in the defensive end.

What does Eberle have going for him defensively that Hall does not?

Hall was like 54.7% in the dot this year. Albeit in a limited number of draws, but a better option at C then anyone else in the top 6.

Hemsky-Hall-Eberle
Perron-Gags-Yak(<--lol, never read that as a sentence)

Pump hemsky's numbers with Hall-Ebs. Deal him when RNH is back for good value. I think Hall will struggle out of the gates at C. And I expect EDM to struggle out the gates with a new coach and a 9-game road trip
- TheNugeIsHuge

Hall's jersey will one day be hanging from the rafters in the new barn. Not sure how any Oil fan makes a statement like that.
- GWnorth

Because its true? You can be gifted offensively and blow defensively...Look at Kessel to prove that point

So Esplen has ranked EDM 5th, 7th, 5th, and 7th respectively in his pacific-based blogs and VAN ranked 3rd, 3rd, 3rd, and 3rd.

Wonder if there was any bias whatsoever involved? Can't say Esplen is umbday or else I'll get annedbay again.

Love his reasoning for EDM being 5th in forwards is that they're too soft. 2/3s of VAN's 2nd line played a combined 29 games this year

Because its true? You can be gifted offensively and blow defensively...Look at Kessel to prove that point
- annoyance_101

don't know how Hall in any way "blows defensively" like I said before 31-29 in takeaways-giveaways playing top lines

don't know how Hall in any way "blows defensively" like I said before 31-29 in takeaways-giveaways playing top lines
- TheNugeIsHuge

Actually I don't give 2 poops about Hall himself, all I meant by my statement was a player can be great offensively and blow defensively, I don't think anyone knows really what that group can do defensively, because they haven't tried that yet, or they would have made the playoffs by now with that group...we'll see if Eakins tries that...

So Esplen has ranked EDM 5th, 7th, 5th, and 7th respectively in his pacific-based blogs and VAN ranked 3rd, 3rd, 3rd, and 3rd.

Wonder if there was any bias whatsoever involved? Can't say Esplen is umbday or else I'll get annedbay again.

Love his reasoning for EDM being 5th in forwards is that they're too soft. 2/3s of VAN's 2nd line played a combined 29 games this year
- TheNugeIsHuge

Are you claiming that Kesler is soft because he happened to be injured getting in front of a shot and then playing with the broken foot for 7 games?

Actually I don't give 2 poops about Hall himself, all I meant by my statement was a player can be great offensively and blow defensively, I don't think anyone knows really what that group can do defensively, because they haven't tried that yet, or they would have made the playoffs by now with that group...we'll see if Eakins tries that...
- annoyance_101

A lot of that has to do with the defence itself. Can't win a lot of hockey games with no top pairing. Nothing to do with the top line.

Are you claiming that Kesler is soft because he happened to be injured getting in front of a shot and then playing with the broken foot for 7 games?
- annoyance_101

Ask anybody on this site what they think of Hemsky

He did literally the exact same thing. Although it might have been 8 games

EDIT: I may be way off. It may have been like 15GP. Was hemsky's foot injury against DET or NSH?