When you have 20 million already locked up in the three stooges and have to give Draisaitl a fat raise and McDavid whatever he wants in a three years what are they gonna do about that annoying thing called a salary cap? Honest question. That's why any talk of a Dougie Hamilton offer sheet is complete fantasy island.

I guess Chia can commence building the team full of pussies he's seemingly wanted the last year and a bit.

Technically, he is still under contract. It's the reason why we would still have to pay his contract if he was to sit out.

Kinda stupid rule I agree. But, doubt the Bs would rather pay his salary and have him sit at home opposed to letting another team pay him.
- JIwasinskiJr

Kind of odd that a team could get compensation for someone they fired and don't want anymore. I thought this was just for guys a team wanted to keep but were being offered promotions by another team. Like teams always hiring Babcocks assistant coaches every summer, teams going after another teams AHL head coach to be their NHL head coach (Blashill) or raiding their front office staff (Yzerman/Nill) who then steal other guys from that same franchise to bring with them like Yzerman taking Verbeek with him and Nill taking their head of amateur scouting with him.

When you have 20 million already locked up in the three stooges and have to give Draisaitl a fat raise and McDavid whatever he wants in a three years what are they gonna do about that annoying thing called a salary cap? Honest question. That's why any talk of a Dougie Hamilton offer sheet is complete fantasy island.

I guess Chia can commence building the team full of pussies he's seemingly wanted the last year and a bit.
- PoketheBear

First off it's only $18m for Nuge, Hall and Eberle. Great price and they are locked up long term. That salary cap will go up long before those contracts are in danger.

Second there is $9m coming off our books when Nikitin and Purcell become UFA at the end of the season.

Third the Oilers have $18m in cap space right now.

And when it becomes to hard to keep all these guys we will unload one for prospects and draft picks at the deadline.

Eberle for Lucic?
- Alpha_Nuck

U drunk bro??

Look at the two players contracts before making proposals like that......tell me what the problem with that trade is??
- kahammer

Obviously not straight up and PC would have to talk with Lucic and believe he could re-sign him in Edmonton.

Obviously not straight up and PC would have to talk with Lucic and believe he could re-sign him in Edmonton.
- Alpha_Nuck

even re-signed Lucic...

Kind of odd that a team could get compensation for someone they fired and don't want anymore. I thought this was just for guys a team wanted to keep but were being offered promotions by another team. Like teams always hiring Babcocks assistant coaches every summer, teams going after another teams AHL head coach to be their NHL head coach (Blashill) or raiding their front office staff (Yzerman/Nill) who then steal other guys from that same franchise to bring with them like Yzerman taking Verbeek with him and Nill taking their head of amateur scouting with him.
- dcz28

Yeah. I think this is the first year for this and maybe they change it around after they see the silliness in some of it.

It may even be something the owners pushed as a way to say, "if we still have to pay you, because you are under contract, then we want some say of where you can and cannot go."

And maybe the picks are supposed to allow for that in a way.

For example.....if the leafs want Clode and we fired him, then we can tell them to "F" off, unless they give us a second/third rounder to soften the blow....?

Just asking, but isn't Neely an ex-bruin? Just wondering where the old boys club reference comes from. Because it makes it seem as if it's unorthodox method. But Bruins are employing it as well as the red wings. Thoughts? Because the condescending tone of your message was completely unwarranted.

Obviously not straight up and PC would have to talk with Lucic and believe he could re-sign him in Edmonton.
- Alpha_Nuck

Straight up or not they would be the 2 key pieces with Eberle being the best player in the trade. Lucic is going to want a raise on his next contract (he is at 6m now) and I can't see the Oilers paying him more than Hall, Eberle or Nuge. Plus Eberle is 2 years younger, produces more points, and has chemistry with the Oilers other top players.

The fact is Lucic isn't going to get a good return during the off season. He will get a king's ransom if they wait until the trade deadline but it sounds like they want to unload him sooner than that. They are going to likely get a lot less of a return than Eberle for him. I love Lucic but his age, last season performance and contract all hurt his value as a trade chip during the summer. The Bruins have less leverage in trade talks because of cap trouble as well.

Just asking, but isn't Neely an ex-bruin? Just wondering where the old boys club reference comes from. Because it makes it seem as if it's unorthodox method. But Bruins are employing it as well as the red wings. Thoughts? Because the condescending tone of your message was completely unwarranted.
- edmhatescal

I'm going out on a limb here, but my assumption would be the "mind-set" not relationships, necessarily.

From an outsider point of view here, and I could be wrong. The Oilers need to stop building with simply drafting the top offensive players in the draft every year, and maybe try to flip picks for D-men and depth. Also, bringing in "good" grit player and leaders, something you guys seem to be missing.

The drafting after the first rounds don't seem to be the greatest either.

Again, too many guys that think the same way and are either scared or too stubborn to change and think outside the box. Not that I if think Chia would be the best person for this, but maybe he has learned a lesson or two.

haha. There is no end to other teams trying to find angles to pry away all of Edmontons good young players. I can guarantee you that if you want them that bad they cant be had for anything close to what you think they are worth.

Ty Anderson: What does Chiarelli in Edmonton mean for Bruins?
- tyanderson

means he's got a nice young nucleus to grow with. unlike the bruins.

means he's got a nice young nucleus to grow with. unlike the bruins.
- rob121

Yep, Cups mean nothing if you've got a nice young nucleus you can lose with. That's what everybody really wants, the promise of what could be in the future.

I would really love Lucic in a Oilers Uniform
He would fit in perfectly.

I wouldn't mind if a trade like this goes along:
Drai + Nikitin for Lucic + A 2nd or 3rd rounder + (Prospect)

You could change or add a couple things to that trade, but it will be centered on Drai going and Lucic incoming. I still think that Boston will have to give up a tad more than just Lucic. Drai is going to be a damn good Center and it might have to cost the Bruins a good prospect as well.

Another aspect is that Lucic woudl have to agree to do an extension if he gets traded beforehand. If we lose Lucic and Drai......

But then again, having RNH, McDavid, and Drai as your top 3 centers is unbelievable.
All I can say is that the Oilers are going to be looking much different this season.

I would really love Lucic in a Oilers Uniform
He would fit in perfectly.

I wouldn't mind if a trade like this goes along:
Drai + Nikitin for Lucic + A 2nd or 3rd rounder + (Prospect)

You could change or add a couple things to that trade, but it will be centered on Drai going and Lucic incoming. I still think that Boston will have to give up a tad more than just Lucic. Drai is going to be a damn good Center and it might have to cost the Bruins a good prospect as well.

Another aspect is that Lucic woudl have to agree to do an extension if he gets traded beforehand. If we lose Lucic and Drai......

But then again, having RNH, McDavid, and Drai as your top 3 centers is unbelievable.
All I can say is that the Oilers are going to be looking much different this season.
- EdmHockeyMan

If Drai gets traded it better be for some Vet D or proven #1 goaltending. I don't even care if the Oilers have to add. But don't waste that asset on forwards when we have way bigger holes to fill.

If Drai gets traded it better be for some Vet D or proven #1 goaltending. I don't even care if the Oilers have to add. But don't waste that asset on forwards when we have way bigger holes to fill.
- kahammer

I think Looch would be a good fit there, but I agree, should be down on the priority list. Really don't see B's/Oil as trade partners, at least not in the near future. Could see some former B's as UFA additions though. Wouldn't be shocked to see Quaider in the Copper & Blue.

I love the energy! And and the hate on the post! Reminds me of playoff hockey......

Mattering on moves, obviously, what do you think the odds are for the Oilers finishing better than the Bruins next season?

Right now, I'm thinking it's 50/50.

Are there any spare parts left in Dallas for the Eberle trade?

If Drai gets traded it better be for some Vet D or proven #1 goaltending. I don't even care if the Oilers have to add. But don't waste that asset on forwards when we have way bigger holes to fill.
- kahammer

I see your point.
But you have to admit that adding Lucic would really, really toughen up the Oilers top 6.
They are missing that grit in their game. If you watch them play, the Oiler's 4th line (Wagon line of Gordon, Hendricks, and Kilnk) have better grit than the team altogether.

Lucic has that and we need that.

If we are not trading Drai, how about our 1st (Pittsburgh's) + Nikitin + Klinkhammer for Lucic +3rd Rounder

The Oiler's might need to give a 2nd round pick to make that work though or a decent prospect, but I think it is good as it is.
Boston will be in a cap restraint and the Oilers can use this as an advantage.
Not to mention that Lucic only has one more year left, therefore if the Oilers give up too much and we don't resign him, we would look like fools.
Klinkhammer would be a nice pickup for Boston because he is cheap and decently good; something the Bruins need right now. He could be a third line Winger in the Boston Roster.

I'm going out on a limb here, but my assumption would be the "mind-set" not relationships, necessarily.

From an outsider point of view here, and I could be wrong. The Oilers need to stop building with simply drafting the top offensive players in the draft every year, and maybe try to flip picks for D-men and depth. Also, bringing in "good" grit player and leaders, something you guys seem to be missing.

The drafting after the first rounds don't seem to be the greatest either.

Again, too many guys that think the same way and are either scared or too stubborn to change and think outside the box. Not that I if think Chia would be the best person for this, but maybe he has learned a lesson or two.
- JIwasinskiJr

They have been choosing the consensus #1 one pick. And they haven't chosen wrong. Take McDavid away. Would you choose hanifin over eichel? No. And that's the way it's been for the past several years. It's very rare a dman would go first. I see your point but it's just not right. You always go with BPA when choosing first.
And their later round picks are starting show, but their 2nd round picks look suspect mostly.

Yeah. I think this is the first year for this and maybe they change it around after they see the silliness in some of it.

It may even be something the owners pushed as a way to say, "if we still have to pay you, because you are under contract, then we want some say of where you can and cannot go."

And maybe the picks are supposed to allow for that in a way.

For example.....if the leafs want Clode and we fired him, then we can tell them to "F" off, unless they give us a second/third rounder to soften the blow....?
- JIwasinskiJr

The one that pushed for this was Holland because he was tired of other teams always trying to steal people in his management group and coaches every off-season. This way at least they get something for letting someone under contract (that they would like to keep) take a higher level job with another team. I don't think this was meant to have anything to do with people that were fired.

ahh one of these guys is 38, and coming off his worst season since he was an Islander......the other guy is the future of your D

If you can shed Chara's salary, u do it bc he's getting old, forget about him as a keeper when the team has cap issues....

I see your point.
But you have to admit that adding Lucic would really, really toughen up the Oilers top 6.
They are missing that grit in their game. If you watch them play, the Oiler's 4th line (Wagon line of Gordon, Hendricks, and Kilnk) have better grit than the team altogether.

Lucic has that and we need that.

If we are not trading Drai, how about our 1st (Pittsburgh's) + Nikitin + Klinkhammer for Lucic +3rd Rounder

The Oiler's might need to give a 2nd round pick to make that work though or a decent prospect, but I think it is good as it is.
Boston will be in a cap restraint and the Oilers can use this as an advantage.
Not to mention that Lucic only has one more year left, therefore if the Oilers give up too much and we don't resign him, we would look like fools.
Klinkhammer would be a nice pickup for Boston because he is cheap and decently good; something the Bruins need right now. He could be a third line Winger in the Boston Roster.
- EdmHockeyMan

mid range first, cap dump, and plug for Lucic and a 3rd?

I think Boston would take Eberle or Leon over that package

I see your point.
But you have to admit that adding Lucic would really, really toughen up the Oilers top 6.
They are missing that grit in their game. If you watch them play, the Oiler's 4th line (Wagon line of Gordon, Hendricks, and Kilnk) have better grit than the team altogether.

Lucic has that and we need that.

If we are not trading Drai, how about our 1st (Pittsburgh's) + Nikitin + Klinkhammer for Lucic +3rd Rounder

The Oiler's might need to give a 2nd round pick to make that work though or a decent prospect, but I think it is good as it is.
Boston will be in a cap restraint and the Oilers can use this as an advantage.
Not to mention that Lucic only has one more year left, therefore if the Oilers give up too much and we don't resign him, we would look like fools.
Klinkhammer would be a nice pickup for Boston because he is cheap and decently good; something the Bruins need right now. He could be a third line Winger in the Boston Roster.
- EdmHockeyMan

I hear ya brotha the Oilers need grit 100%.I love Lucic as much as the next guy but those picks are needed for the blueline and goaltending. Nikitin and Klinkhammer have no trade value whatsoever. Nikita's contract is disgusting and there will be several Klinkhammer's available during the free agent frenzy. All attention should be on getting 2 solid proven D and a proven #1 goaltender and target cap strapped teams. It's going to take a lot of resources to pull it off and I don't think they have assets to worry about a guy who costs 6m with an expiring contract and declining production. But I definitely agree his style of play is badly needed on the Oil.