What about Fedun? I think the Oilers have a gem in the rough that they could readily use to juice up a trade. The first year in camp just before he broke his leg...he was the best defencman in camp. His rehab was long..but now they say he's the best defencman on the farm. He's played only 4 games as an Oiler...and scored twice. He is now between a rock and a hard place with Klefbom and Nurse coming not to mention the possibilty of Ekblad. I think they should do him a favor and move him...because he deserves a shot, and he won't get it here.

Well, lately I have become so detached to this Team that "(frank) The _____!" Is my answer for everything.

So, my friends, let me axe you dis:
Are the Oilers on the right track? Meaning to we stick with the Fab 5, Gagner, Petry, Perron, our 2 new goalies and just keeping adding through the draft , minor trades and whatever we can get in free agency? If so, when can we expect a playoff berth?

Or, is this team (frank)ed? Does Mac T need to start trading assets to improve now? Can this ship be turned around swiftly with a BOLD move or 2?

Tell me bubba or go fck yourself and have a nice day.
- Jeropotato

I think I could give you a fair answer after the first wave of FA is over. Edmonton has work to do, but if MacT can manage to make a good trade and sign two good players it would go a long way.

People always say that it's crazy to think that this team is close by any stretch, but I really think they are only missing about three or four players from really making the next step.

Now those players needed happen to be very hard to come by and that's what makes the problem, but i don't think it's unlikely to see us take a big step if we target the right guys

I think I could give you a fair answer after the first wave of FA is over. Edmonton has work to do, but if MacT can manage to make a good trade and sign two good players it would go a long way.

People always say that it's crazy to think that this team is close by any stretch, but I really think they are only missing about three or four players from really making the next step.

Now those players needed happen to be very hard to come by and that's what makes the problem, but i don't think it's unlikely to see us take a big step if we target the right guys
- CrustyRooster

I saw your nickname and read "Cooter". That's what I'm calling you now.

I saw your nickname and read "Cooter". That's what I'm calling you now.
- ChetManly

So trade a top 6 forward in a bold move to address the other needs?
- Jeropotato

Gagner without a doubt.
Id First explore what gags and our first can fetch.

And then see what kind of offers ebs or yaks can bring in

It's really Klef vs Larsen/Fedun at this point isn't it?

I realize now that they don't want to burn a year of his contract, though so you may be right.

I wholeheartedly agree with you about dump and chase. Taylor Hall was among the best last year at zone entries with possession, and I think him being forced to dump and chase may limit his turnovers, but it's directly related to his supposed dimished ability to create chances this year.

Also, I don't care if he turns the puck over 5 times a game if he back checks like he did last night.
- Morris

Sorry Mo. The klefbom comment wasn't nessesarily directed at you. His contract does not slide this year as he's in ahl so we eat a year of his elc regardless. I just don't see him sticking the rest of the year. He may well though.


Also anyone see freidmans comments on the edmonton Tyler myers rumour. He says it was bs essentially. They didn't see a fit. So that should tell us all more if we read into it. If the myers rumour is bs then likely a bunch of others are as well such as Gardiner as they make even less sense.

What about Fedun? I think the Oilers have a gem in the rough that they could readily use to juice up a trade. The first year in camp just before he broke his leg...he was the best defencman in camp. His rehab was long..but now they say he's the best defencman on the farm. He's played only 4 games as an Oiler...and scored twice. He is now between a rock and a hard place with Klefbom and Nurse coming not to mention the possibilty of Ekblad. I think they should do him a favor and move him...because he deserves a shot, and he won't get it here.
- Rhino

Depends on Larsen I think. They seem fairly similar. Not sure if we would keep both. I think we will see more of Fedun before the season is over though.

I think I could give you a fair answer after the first wave of FA is over. Edmonton has work to do, but if MacT can manage to make a good trade and sign two good players it would go a long way.

People always say that it's crazy to think that this team is close by any stretch, but I really think they are only missing about three or four players from really making the next step.

Now those players needed happen to be very hard to come by and that's what makes the problem, but i don't think it's unlikely to see us take a big step if we target the right guys
- CrustyRooster

3 or 4 impact players is a tall order. Especially considering the desirability of playing in edm.
Hence the 'not close'

A trade for a top pairing guy.
Signing a big bodied top 6/9 winger.
A defensively sound 2c.
A gritty but reasonable bottom 6'er

And then maybe another solid defender.

I'd consider that pretty far from being close. Especially considering the 'next step' is playoff hunt. Nit actually contender

Does anyone truly believe we'll acquire all of say;

Couturier
Coburn
Kulemin
Winnik

That would be like a dream. But extremely unlikely

I saw your nickname and read "Cooter". That's what I'm calling you now.
- ChetManly

cooter...

Some people are suggesting we trade either Eberle or Yakupov but I'm not sure we need to do that just yet. However I do think there are two things MacT should do this off season to our top 9.

1. Replace Gagner with 2C that can win a faceoff and is sound defensively.
2. Try very hard to acquire a third line winger like Kulemin (I would try hard to sign him).

If the right systems are being used (like others I'm not convinced Eakins knows what he is doing) and Gagner is replaced as described and our top 6 is still not getting it done then we look at replacing Eberle or Yakupov.

It's tough to defend eakins.

But even tougher to defend the roster we have.

I'm far from convinced eakins is the right guy. But I'd like to see what he can do with an nhl level defence and some size in that top 6

Does anyone truly believe we'll acquire all of say;

Couturier
Coburn
Kulemin
Winnik

That would be like a dream. But extremely unlikely
- hugefemale dog77

Its ultimately what we've been reduced to. Nothing but a pipe dream...

Does anyone truly believe we'll acquire all of say;

Couturier
Coburn
Kulemin
Winnik

That would be like a dream. But extremely unlikely
- hugefemale dog77

And goc for 3c

And goc for 3c
- ystoil

The 3 forwards mentioned would be great.
Star talent and scoring is only one facet of the nhl game.
It's amazing what size, grit and two way play Can do to insulate the talent. ; this squad would look so different and be so much more well rounded.

Does anyone truly believe we'll acquire all of say;

Couturier
Coburn
Kulemin
Winnik

That would be like a dream. But extremely unlikely
- hugefemale dog77

I sincerely believe we could get the last 3, but MacT would have to overpay the FAs

And goc for 3c
- ystoil

What about a 4C instead? Between Gordon and Arco/Lander/Horak, we may already have some bottom 6 options for next year.

I sincerely believe we could get the last 3, but MacT would have to overpay the FAs
- Morris

3.5 winnik

4.5-5 kulemin

Thats alot of cash

3.5 winnik

4.5-5 kulemin

Thats alot of cash
- hugefemale dog77

Yeah, entirely possible it's that much. I wasn't picturing quite as much, but I suppose it's whatever the market dictates.

Does anyone truly believe we'll acquire all of say;

Couturier
Coburn
Kulemin
Winnik

That would be like a dream. But extremely unlikely
- hugefemale dog77

I don't know there are a lot of options out there in FA for what we need IMO.

Taking a quick look at FA fowards this summer I think all these guys could make us a better team

Benoit Pouliot
Brian Boyle
Marcel Goc
Daniel Winnik
Dustin Penner
Lee Stempniak
Nikolai Kulemin
Steve Downie
Radim Vrbata
Dave Bolland (although if he really wants 5mil that's crazy)
Mikhail Grabovski
Jussi Jokinen

I just named 12 guys capable of playing a top 9 role, obviously some are better than others but it's unlikely the oilers get everyone they want for what they want. If you pick any two guys off this list it makes us a better team. It's nice to have options like this that are doable. Would I rather have couturier? Of course but it may not be an option for us.

Now if only we had the same luxury of top for dmen heading to FA

I don't know there are a lot of options out there in FA for what we need IMO.

Taking a quick look at FA fowards this summer I think all these guys could make us a better team

Benoit Pouliot
Brian Boyle
Marcel Goc
Daniel Winnik
Dustin Penner
Lee Stempniak
Nikolai Kulemin
Steve Downie
Radim Vrbata
Dave Bolland (although if he really wants 5mil that's crazy)
Mikhail Grabovski
Jussi Jokin, bolland jump en

I just named 12 guys capable of playing a top 9 role, obviously some are better than others but it's unlikely the oilers get everyone they want for what they want. If you pick any two guys off this list it makes us a better team. It's nice to have options like this that are doable. Would I rather have couturier? Of course but it may not be an option for us.

Now if only we had the same luxury of top for dmen heading to FA
- CrustyRooster

i think a few of those guys might be abit redundant. at least in terms of the amount of help they give and the type of players they are in relation to what we'd have to pay.

id scratch vrbata, jokinen and even grabovski off that list immediately.
penner, while he would help and has the tools to be a guy we could use, doesnt really have that every night effort we crave so much.

winnik, kulemin, downie and bolland jump out at me first. all gritty guys that can float on the 2nd and 3rd lines, can play defence, and chip in offensively abit. as far as bolland, he wont come cheap.

end of the day. it's a big summer for mact and this franchise. another failure like this year and i see those kids looking for the door and another rebuild on the horizon

i think a few of those guys might be abit redundant. at least in terms of the amount of help they give and the type of players they are in relation to what we'd have to pay.

id scratch vrbata, jokinen and even grabovski off that list immediately.
penner, while he would help and has the tools to be a guy we could use, doesnt really have that every night effort we crave so much.

winnik, kulemin, downie and bolland jump out at me first. all gritty guys that can float on the 2nd and 3rd lines, can play defence, and chip in offensively abit. as far as bolland, he wont come cheap.

end of the day. it's a big summer for mact and this franchise. another failure like this year and i see those kids looking for the door and another rebuild on the horizon
- hugefemale dog77

Good post. In terms of forwards, I'd like to see us simply add a couple competitive players that can play up and down the lineup, and let competitions for ice time and chemistry develop.

Teams like St Louis seem to have any given line on any given night that will be the toughest to go against.

my ideal 2014/15 lineup

___, nuge, eberle
hall, ___, yakupov
perron, Gordon, ___
hendricks, lander, pitlick

___, petry
___, schultz
marincin, ference
klefbom

fasth
scrivens


tall order

handedness of d has no bearing on my post. i just meant a top pairing guy. and if possible another second pairing guy

Good post. In terms of forwards, I'd like to see us simply add a couple competitive players that can play up and down the lineup, and let competitions for ice time and chemistry develop.

Teams like St Louis seem to have any given line on any given night that will be the toughest to go against.
- Morris

i think we've built a core that wont be able to exactly emulate the type of game st.loo plays.
but i love that u mentioned them. that's the type of team id strive to be. (boston in alot of ways too)
depth, depth, depth. a b1tch to play against at both ends of the ice. 4 lines that can beat u. relentless and physical.

my ideal 2014/15 lineup

___, nuge, eberle
hall, ___, yakupov
perron, Gordon, ___
hendricks, lander, pitlick

___, petry
___, schultz
marincin, ference
klefbom

fasth
scrivens


tall order
- hugefemale dog77

I think _____ is gonna have a big year!