Ryan Wilson: Oilers balk at Matt Murray asking price Oilers balk at Matt Murray asking price

I just have no idea what the return will be for Murray but I wouldnt be waiting long before making a decision. All of the teams left in the playoffs appear set in net.

JR is playing his game. He has a tentative deal he likes, Im sure its with Toronto, no harm in chasing a big return with Edmonton.

The bar is pretty low with what everyone is expecting for Murray, hoping JR surprises.

JR is likely realizing that the 1st he gave to Toronto for Kapanen was over the top, now he's trying to get it back!

With Murray in 1st on the TSN trade bait board, GMs often making bad calls on goalies, whether it be trades, draft position or contracts, and Murray having 2 cup runs under his belt already at only 25...he may fetch a decent return including somones 1st overall. Now the rest of the league knows what JR wants and they rest already know Murray is in demand. Hopefully a GM does something stupid and I feel there's a decent chance that happens.

It’s difficult to write off a 22 year old kid as a bust, but the Oilers FWDs aren’t very deep, and this kid can’t keep a job there. I understand he had a rebound year over in Finland, but even though it’s a nice league, that success doesn’t necessarily translate.

I think it’s buyer beware on Puljujarvi, and Murray should fetch you more. Not a 1st, but definitely more than this kid. I’m not sayin that Puljujarvi is absolutely toast in the NHL. We don’t really know. I just think that Murray should bring a little more stability than this kid.

Plus, you just filled that spot with Kapanen, and at least you have an idea as what to expect there.

Is it more important to get a player? a prospect? or the pick(s)? Edmonton only has a 1st, 5th, 6th and 7th this year.

Would a better fit potentially be ottawa? They have three 1st round picks this year along with four 2nd round picks. They have 9 picks in the 1st three rounds in 2020. Next year they have three more 2nd round picks. They have nilsson and hogberg under contract as goalies for the 2020-21 season. They only have 10 players and $41M spent heading into the season. Will Dorion part with any picks? How about a 2nd this year and a 2nd next year if they dont want to give up a #1?

Ryan Wilson: Oilers balk at Matt Murray asking price
Oilers balk at Matt Murray asking price
- Ryan_Wilson

Only chance you have at getting a 1st for Murray would be to first ink him to an absolute bargain of a deal. 3 years at 2M AAV or less. Otherwise an unsigned goalie coming off a sub par 899sv% isn't worth a whole heck of a lot. Especially with all the upcoming UFA's looking for a new home.

Horn's clause becomes modified after the coming season, but unless I'm wrong, any player with any kind of trade clause has to be protected automatically. At that point he would still have to waive if the Pens deal him to Seattle.
- Rinosaur

You have to have a NMC to force protection and Hornqvist does not have one.

I think the last forward spot is up for grabs this season. Otherwise it's pretty straightforward.

Theres plenty of smoke that the 1st we traded to the Leafs for Kapanen was just a placeholder for Murray should the Leafs be able to move Anderson

If that's true, and the Leafs can successfully move Anderson (only due 1 million in salary with a 5 Million cap hit) then JR will want/need to do better than a #15 Overall value to move on it sooner, than to just wait on the Leafs

Theres plenty of smoke that the 1st we traded to the Leafs for Kapanen was just a placeholder for Murray should the Leafs be able to move Anderson

If that's true, and the Leafs can successfully move Anderson (only due 1 million in salary with a 5 Million cap hit) then JR will want/need to do better than a #15 Overall value to move on it sooner, than to just wait on the Leafs
- TheGame316

Thats the first I heard tell of that. Where have you been smelling that smoke?

Connor + our first for Murray and JJ

RW hates stuff like this

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...alance-intimidating-play/

If you’ve watched any of the Vegas games, hard to see how the Pens couldn’t make use of Reaves
- RoloTahmasee

The while Reaves thing was maddening. We gave up a 1st and a prospect who turned into a decent center for Reaves and a lower pick they used on a guy who has already retired.

Then they play Reaves with 2 absolute plugs, give up on him and give him to Vegas, and he becomes exactly what they said he was: an enforcer who can play. He's even been a 53% corsi/Fenwick player that gets you about 10 goals and 20 points.

Now I wouldn't want him back at his salary with and with the 4th line we have now, but another example of GMJR overpaying for a guy and then giving up on him less than a year later.

Theres plenty of smoke that the 1st we traded to the Leafs for Kapanen was just a placeholder for Murray should the Leafs be able to move Anderson

If that's true, and the Leafs can successfully move Anderson (only due 1 million in salary with a 5 Million cap hit) then JR will want/need to do better than a #15 Overall value to move on it sooner, than to just wait on the Leafs
- TheGame316

By smoke do you mean when LeBrun said that Dubas is still interested in Murray after the Kapanen trade and figures Murray wasn’t included because TOR wants to figure out the Anderson situation first? Cus that’s not smoke at all regarding a 1st round pick trade back. At no point did he imply Dubas would trade back the first.

The while Reaves thing was maddening. We gave up a 1st and a prospect who turned into a decent center for Reaves and a lower pick they used on a guy who has already retired.

Then they play Reaves with 2 absolute plugs, give up on him and give him to Vegas, and he becomes exactly what they said he was: an enforcer who can play. He's even been a 53% corsi/Fenwick player that gets you about 10 goals and 20 points.

Now I wouldn't want him back at his salary with and with the 4th line we have now, but another example of GMJR overpaying for a guy and then giving up on him less than a year later.
- Tojo.

Yeah the issue was never specifically Reaves. It was A) the trade that brought him here was atrocious. Same can be said for the trade that brought Lovejoy here and he played decently. Sometimes that’s just sunk cost, but hard to ignore as a stupid move. B) Reaves can’t be your best 4th liner. That line sucked Richard because it was Reaves and two AHL players. The thing about Reaves while he was here is that you can’t really say he was blocking anyone because the two other guys on his line were worse than him. I’m kinda shocked he was the one that eventually got press boxed.

Theres plenty of smoke that the 1st we traded to the Leafs for Kapanen was just a placeholder for Murray should the Leafs be able to move Anderson

If that's true, and the Leafs can successfully move Anderson (only due 1 million in salary with a 5 Million cap hit) then JR will want/need to do better than a #15 Overall value to move on it sooner, than to just wait on the Leafs
- TheGame316

Lol just because Toronto is interested in Murray doesn’t mean you’re getting your 1st back.

Yeah the issue was never specifically Reaves. It was A) the trade that brought him here was atrocious. Same can be said for the trade that brought Lovejoy here and he played decently. Sometimes that’s just sunk cost, but hard to ignore as a stupid move. B) Reaves can’t be your best 4th liner. That line sucked Richard because it was Reaves and two AHL players. The thing about Reaves while he was here is that you can’t really say he was blocking anyone because the two other guys on his line were worse than him. I’m kinda shocked he was the one that eventually got press boxed.
- Victoro311

That trade is going to look worse and worse when guys picked in the 30s start becoming NHL regulars.

Lol just because Toronto is interested in Murray doesn’t mean you’re getting your 1st back.
- Feds91Stammer

I'm skeptical that its the 1st they've agreed on but I do think they have a deal laid out. The first or Kerfoot would be cool.

If JR doesn't get a 1st back in any return for Murray(Assuming no players are coming back) then he is going to look awfully bad giving up a 1st and a prospect for most likely a third line player who has 41 goals/90 points in 202 games.

Say what you will about Murray, he's still only 26 and he has won before, so I'm sure there is a team willing to take a chance on him. Just going to a new team may help.

Yeah the issue was never specifically Reaves. It was A) the trade that brought him here was atrocious. Same can be said for the trade that brought Lovejoy here and he played decently. Sometimes that’s just sunk cost, but hard to ignore as a stupid move. B) Reaves can’t be your best 4th liner. That line sucked Richard because it was Reaves and two AHL players. The thing about Reaves while he was here is that you can’t really say he was blocking anyone because the two other guys on his line were worse than him. I’m kinda shocked he was the one that eventually got press boxed.
- Victoro311

I still don't mind the trade

It was Reaves for a downgrade of about 20 slots in the draft

The compounding factors of the guy we drafted having to abruptly retire, Sundqvist "sort of" breaking out (I still don't consider him a big loss, was in quasi-bust territory when we moved him and I still prefer Blueger at his price tag vs 2.75 for Sunqvist) and the coach refusing to play Reaves and/or playing him with scrubs makes it look a lot worse than it was

We missed out on Klim Kostin (assuming RW got his way since he ruined a few pairs of socks over him at the time) How many NHL games has Kostin played in the last 3 years?

For all we know GMJR has his sights set on Lauzon anyways. Put it on the shelf with the other million or so busts taken at the end of the 1st round

Even if you don't like Kostin, Who'd we miss out on?

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/nhl2017e.html

How about Murray to Toronto for Mikko Lehtonen?

I still don't mind the trade

It was Reaves for a downgrade of about 20 slots in the draft

The compounding factors of the guy we drafted having to abruptly retire, Sundqvist "sort of" breaking out (I still don't consider him a big loss, was in quasi-bust territory when we moved him and I still prefer Blueger at his price tag vs 2.75 for Sunqvist) and the coach refusing to play Reaves and/or playing him with scrubs makes it look a lot worse than it was

We missed out on Klim Kostin (assuming RW got his way since he ruined a few pairs of socks over him at the time) How many NHL games has Kostin played in the last 3 years?

For all we know GMJR has his sights set on Lauzon anyways. Put it on the shelf with the other million or so busts taken at the end of the 1st round

Even if you don't like Kostin, Who'd we miss out on?

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/nhl2017e.html
- TheGame316

WOW! So after the Flyers drafted Nolan Patrick second overall, the three players that went after him were: Miro Heiskanen, Cale Makar and Elias Pettersson. I think the Flyers may want a mulligan on that.

Sundqvist wasn’t busting, he was just not offensively gifted. His defensive metrics were pretty stellar. We gave up draft capital and an effective and very cheap defensive forward, for a relatively expensive defensive forward on an expiring contract. And it’s not really about whether or not Kostin would pan out for us or not. If we wanted to trade that 1st we could have gotten a lot more out of it, and first round prospects are always valued in trades. That trade was piss poor asset management even if you like Reaves and is yet another example of Rutherford not really bothering to extract value out of his futures.

I just took this from Pensburgh


—Darren Dreger on the Penguins:

“No shortage of trade bait with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Matt Murray expected to go sooner rather than later. You’ve got Hornqvist, Aston-Reese, Johnson among those that could be moved. But there’s been some speculation around veteran defenseman Kris Letang. And I’m not sure that’s legit. It’s ok to talk about specific players, outside of Sidney Crosby and maybe [Evgeni] Malkin. But I know that Kris Letang wants something clarified: his agent Kent Hughes saying that Kris does NOT expect to be traded. He might very well be traded, but that’s not his expectation.”

WOW! So after the Flyers drafted Nolan Patrick second overall, the three players that went after him were: Miro Heiskanen, Cale Makar and Elias Pettersson. I think the Flyers may want a mulligan on that.

- stevens87

If you're referring to who we could have had, then you have to look at players in the 2nd round and beyond

Nothing special in the 2nd or 3rd round that we "could have, would have, should have" had we kept the pick

Sundqvist wasn’t busting, he was just not offensively gifted. His defensive metrics were pretty stellar. We gave up draft capital and an effective and very cheap defensive forward, for a relatively expensive defensive forward on an expiring contract. And it’s not really about whether or not Kostin would pan out for us or not. If we wanted to trade that 1st we could have gotten a lot more out of it, and first round prospects are always valued in trades. That trade was piss poor asset management even if you like Reaves and is yet another example of Rutherford not really bothering to extract value out of his futures.
- Victoro311

Sundqvist is 26 and has hit his ceiling as a 12-15 goal scorer (pretty much what Blueger is now at 4 years younger and 2 million cheaper)

He was probably viewed as a spare part as they had a similar player (Blueger) in the system who was ready to surpass him

"MAYBE" we could have gotten more for the 1st and "MAYBE" not. We also received a pick back that was 20 slots lower (and lots of the players 30-60 in any draft are considered interchangeable) that people constantly dismiss and claim the trade was "Reaves for Sundqvist and a 1st"

As it stands we traded a player (Sundqvist) with a 12-15 goal ceiling for a player with a 8-10 goal ceiling (Reaves) who brings a lot more to the table than Sundqvist (who we already had a younger/cheaper player in Blueger to replace with who still has "potential" upside)

The trade looks bad in hindsight because Lauzon retired, but Kostin looks like a bust or bottom 6 "at best" player and those guys are around everywhere. So call that a wash at this point

If you look at the link of the 2017 draft, the entire draft was crap after pick #30 anyways

GMJR got a player who can play in Reaves, but Sully didn't use him. That speaks more to a different dysfunction than it does on Reaves or a bad trade