James, are the Oilers still objectively the best team in the NHL?
- DoubleDown

They objectively have the most talent and wouldn't trade their roster for anyone else's.

Think about it: the Oilers have averaged two + star players missing from their lineup for the entire season. It's ridiculous that people think this is the same old failure.

This is a team who missed the Playoffs only because they had so many injuries.

No one is comparing their contracts. Just saying that long term big contracts for declining players is not a good way to build a team.

Stamkos isn't declining to the point were he is crap, but he sure as hell isn't the same guy who scored 60 and scorign 40 isn't worth a max cap hit.
- James_Tanner

if this was tavares in a couple years, i would completely agree with you. Tavares will be older and the leafs salary cap situation could be a little tigher over the length of his contract.

but $10M for a 26 year old stamkos will be ok value.

now with moving phanuef out, i really can't see how the stamkos is going to interfere with signing other younger players long-term.

They objectively have the most talent and wouldn't trade their roster for anyone else's.

Think about it: the Oilers have averaged two + star players missing from their lineup for the entire season. It's ridiculous that people think this is the same old failure.

This is a team who missed the Playoffs only because they had so many injuries.
- James_Tanner

Objectively again eh?

Pretty sure there's some teams in the league that are objectively better.

LA / Chi / Wash

Edm wouldn't stand a chance in a 7 game series.

I could keep adding teams but you get the point.

A UFA of Stamkos's calibre is available maybe once every 5 years.

Other than the Hawks, Kings, Caps and, maybe, the Pens, every other team in the league with cap space should be lining up to sign him.

You have to pay somebody (or really 3 players) and Stamkos is someone worth paying.

The Hawks are built around Toews, Kane and Keith and they are awesome.
The Kings are built around Kopitar, Doughty and Quick and they are highly successful.
The Wild are built around Parise, Suter and now Vanek (cap wise), and they are not so awesome (yesterday notwithstanding).
The Leafs were built around Kessel, Phaneuf and Clarkson and they sank like a stone.

No one is comparing their contracts. Just saying that long term big contracts for declining players is not a good way to build a team.

Stamkos isn't declining to the point were he is crap, but he sure as hell isn't the same guy who scored 60 and scorign 40 isn't worth a max cap hit.
- James_Tanner

Scoring is also down for the entire league (particularly for top forwards, as, in addition to the usual NHL's tendency to permit more clutching and grabbing over time, teams are increasingly rolling 4 lines and having defensemen join the rush). Last year Jamie Benn won the Art Ross w/ 87 points. This year, only one player (Kane) is on pace for much more than that. The closest anyone has come to 60 goals since 2011-12 was Ovechkin last year w/ 53.

James, are the Oilers still objectively the best team in the NHL?
- DoubleDown

<------------------------------------- Smokeshow best

They objectively have the most talent and wouldn't trade their roster for anyone else's.

Think about it: the Oilers have averaged two + star players missing from their lineup for the entire season. It's ridiculous that people think this is the same old failure.

This is a team who missed the Playoffs only because they had so many injuries.
- James_Tanner

Please tell me this is some back handed attempt at humor?
Or the lack of timely goaltending, or the lack of an effective defensive core or the lack of true leadership...
Your love for the Oilers is well known but please enough with the click bait... I honestly enjoy reading your blogs but come on.

A UFA of Stamkos's calibre is available maybe once every 5 years.

Really? I don't think there's ever been one.

Other than the Hawks, Kings, Caps and, maybe, the Pens, every other team in the league with cap space should be lining up to sign him.

You have to pay somebody (or really 3 players) and Stamkos is someone worth paying.

The Hawks are built around Toews, Kane and Keith and they are awesome.
The Kings are built around Kopitar, Doughty and Quick and they are highly successful.
The Wild are built around Parise, Suter and now Vanek (cap wise), and they are not so awesome (yesterday notwithstanding).
The Leafs were built around Kessel, Phaneuf and Clarkson and they sank like a stone.
- Snowblind

[quote=James_Tanner]

Kovalchuk in 2010.

And despite all the cap circumvention, losing a draft pick and his bolting for the KHL, on the ice, the Devils did get within 2 games of a Stanley Cup with him.

James,
Would you sign Boedker to a 4 or 5 year deal at his current cap hit?(3,750,000)