Did you watch many Hawks games over the last couple of seasons, or are you just ripping him based on analytics? He tried to anchor a team that was awful on D from the forwards to the rest of the D, and he was usually paired with a rookie. While not near the vintage DK, he still can bring a lot of valuable minutes on the ice in a better situation. Whether the Oilers are that fit, who knows...
- RaleighHawk

Well it kind of speaks more to the fact that Holland paid a relatively-high price for an expensive declining player who, regardless of the circumstances surrounding his play, hasn't played well in awhile. It's less an insult to Duncan Keith and more questioning why Holland couldn't, at the very least, get CHI to retain some money.

it's astonishing to me that Darryl Katz is not bankrupt.
- BINGO!

Did you watch many Hawks games over the last couple of seasons, or are you just ripping him based on analytics? He tried to anchor a team that was awful on D from the forwards to the rest of the D, and he was usually paired with a rookie. While not near the vintage DK, he still can bring a lot of valuable minutes on the ice in a better situation. Whether the Oilers are that fit, who knows...
- RaleighHawk

100% agree with this assessment.

In order for a trade to be a bad trade, you'll have to have lost more than you have gained.

The Oilers lost basically nothing. What they're getting is experience, mentality, culture... while they don't show up on stats sheets for individuals, they show up on the stats sheets for teammates.

But the Millennials judge all players in a vacuum of their own play rather than how a player has any form of aura whatsoever. That's why they make terrible armchair GMs. And that ridiculous attitude is infecting the media and they're asking equally stupid questions.

Could Holland have gotten Chicago to retain 1.5M/y? Yes... but are people complaining that the Oilers are losing 1.5m/y? Because that's about all they lost in this deal. Jones is a nothing defensemen... you can sign AHL free agents at that calibre... and a 3rd round pick? Like the Oilers didn't give away much. And people treat Keith like he's Jack Johnson: quite the contrary... Keith knows what it takes to win in this league.
- archromat

LMAO! It’s apparent the knob who wrote this article went straight to statistics and started writing….his OPINION of course. He knows nothing else.

Edmonton actually needs more guys with good stats. They have 0 depth and this eats up a lot of that cap space they had this offseason. He's 38 and a shell of his former self. It's an ugly move. Do you really think their issue is experience and 'Culture"? Looks like no depth is the biggest issue to me.
- RogerRoeper

Keith’s stats will be just fine on a better team. Just playing fewer minutes, and being paired with an actual NHL calibre D partner will go a long way towards that. I’m pretty sure when everyone’s tears dry up and the season gets underway that the Oil faithful will be pretty happy to have him around and all of this misplaced angst will melt away.

Love it, finally someone wants to come to EDM. The cap hit hurts a bit but the actual dollars owed at 2.1 this season and 1.5 next season played a big factor here. at those numbers totally worth it.
- al3535

Actual dollars paid means so little when he still counts 5.5 against the cap.

The Sabres brought in Eric Staal to be the veteran voice in the locker room. He was a disaster for this team, whether his heart wasnt here or whatever it was. The Sabres tried to play him in a position over his ability as well.

his bad play on the ice outweighed his leadership intangibles etc.

Keith is going to be the same. He is a net negative player and will be a detriment to the team on the ice.

He has worse defensive metrics than Ristolainen and Jack Johnson.
SO good luck with it.

I always wonder about those people that can't balance a checkbook and live paycheck to paycheck. Then I realize it's these low IQ fans that don't understand how the salary cap works.
- jfkst1

I am one of them idiots I guess? Can you explain how Keith contact harms the Oilers cap that is so bad. Edmonton has for 2020-21 59,432,500 committed to our cap. Add 4,000,000 for Larsen, 2,500,000 (ball park) for Yamamoto.. Not sure about a G as Mike Smith is 40 next January or was it this past one? Maybe add 6,000,000 for a NYI or NYR, or Columbus G and we are at 71,000,000. So now we are at 71,000,000. Hmmm the cap is 80,500,000? So please enlighten me as to this check book balance and how Holland so screwed it up? Also how the salary cap works.. Say a Top 2 D man with a bad shoulder goes on the LTIR and saves us 4,167,000 and is ready for the second season aka when no salary cap is in place a la Kucherov. Ya Holland what a DUMMY. I don't know man I don't get it. Guy gets 5,000,000 a year??? Unreal he is so much dumber than guys like us I would say? No way Holland and the Oilers brass did anything like due diligence on say Duncan Keith and found out he is a fitness freak like say Chris Chellios was? And maybe that there is a lot more left in Keith's tank than idiot arm chair fans and their statistical analysis have figured out. I am sure Keith who has won 3 cups, a conn smythe, and gold medals is just riding off into the sun set and has no will to win. Seems his pedigree? No way playing wth 97 and 29 is gonna motivate him to get back to his 60 point seasons or anything like that? Such a bad trade. Tyson Barrie obviously must be signed for 12,000,000 a year based on leading the NHL in points last year! He is that good (sarcasm). Keith will get 50 points by accident on our league best pp by accident.

Did CHI getting Caleb Jones have more to do with luring big bro ?

“ and could be up there in awful trades as the Reinhart deal.”

It’s bad but not quite that bad

I am one of them idiots I guess? Can you explain how Keith contact harms the Oilers cap that is so bad. Edmonton has for 2020-21 59,432,500 committed to our cap. Add 4,000,000 for Larsen, 2,500,000 (ball park) for Yamamoto.. Not sure about a G as Mike Smith is 40 next January or was it this past one? Maybe add 6,000,000 for a NYI or NYR, or Columbus G and we are at 71,000,000. So now we are at 71,000,000. Hmmm the cap is 80,500,000? So please enlighten me as to this check book balance and how Holland so screwed it up? Also how the salary cap works.. Say a Top 2 D man with a bad shoulder goes on the LTIR and saves us 4,167,000 and is ready for the second season aka when no salary cap is in place a la Kucherov. Ya Holland what a DUMMY. I don't know man I don't get it. Guy gets 5,000,000 a year??? Unreal he is so much dumber than guys like us I would say? No way has though about anything like that nor done due diligence on say Duncan Keith and found out he is a fitness freak like say Chris Chellios was? And maybe that there is a lot more left in Keith's tank than idiot arm chair fans and their statistical analysis have figured out. I am sure Keith who has won 3 cups, a conn smythe, and gold medals is just riding off into the sun set and has no will to win. Seems his pedigree? No way playing wth 97 and 29 is gonna motivate him to get back to his 60 point seasons or anything like that? Such a bad trade. Tyson Barrie obviously must be signed for 12,000,000 a year based on leading the NHL in points last year! He is that good (sarcasm). Keith will get 50 points by accident on our league best pp by accident.
- al3535

Sure. He's great you win.

"If we were getting Duncan Keith at $2.75 (million) it would have been a lot higher price than it was today," Holland said. "End of the day, basically if we wanted to have the lower salary we would have had to put more assets with our offer.

"I don't know if this is a numbers decision. What I'm saying is I can't put a price on three Stanley Cups, two Norris Trophies, a Conn Smythe Trophy, two gold medals and his leadership, what he's meant to the Chicago Blackhawks franchise."
-Ken Holland

I'm just curious who else he was competing against (or so he thought) to '' drive up the price '' and forcing him to take on Keith's full salary.

Did you watch many Hawks games over the last couple of seasons, or are you just ripping him based on analytics? He tried to anchor a team that was awful on D from the forwards to the rest of the D, and he was usually paired with a rookie. While not near the vintage DK, he still can bring a lot of valuable minutes on the ice in a better situation. Whether the Oilers are that fit, who knows...
- RaleighHawk

What was the market for Keith? The market determines the price. He had a full no movement clause. He's 38. He would have waived for who other than EDM? WPG? VAN? SEA? CGY? That's about it. Of those teams, who would have interest? SEA maybe for the leadership element. VAN? It is Benning, but I still doubt he'd try to do a deal like Holland pulled off. You basically had a few teams who might have any interest. They made the market, and Holland does that deal with CHI retaining no money? It isn't Jones and the 3rd going to CHI. It isn't that Keith might have something left in the tank (he might). It is, instead, a combination of his age, decline in play, the assets moving to CHI, the retention, and the obvious need after the sweep for EDM to improve its depth. This is a top heavy team that now has less room to find quality players to correct a problem that was glaringly obvious.

Did CHI getting Caleb Jones have more to do with luring big bro ?
- rrentz

Reading the tea leaves I would say if not at the draft, next year for free on July 1 or whenever UFA day 1 is. If not I would be shocked.

Did CHI getting Caleb Jones have more to do with luring big bro ?
- rrentz

Let’s hope not.

Yes sir. I think this is a win - win. Duncan gets to be where his heart wants to be, near his kid. Stan managed that. Chicago gets an NHL D man and salary cap relief. Klefbom can play the Kucherov card for 82 games next year and return when the cap is irrelevant aka the second season. Oilers have soooo much cap room to play with FINALLY this is fun up in Oil country. Next stop Hymen on a contract a bit higher than RNH who was a steal BTW and then hopefully Tatar on a Barrie one year show me contract? A guy can dream I guess? Could be worse we could be the Flames. Good luck with that! So glad Markstrom chose Calgay over Edmonton.
- al3535

Keep drinking the water hahahaha. You have soooooooo much cap room you may as well trade for Eichel & Point while you can fit them.

I am one of them idiots I guess? Can you explain how Keith contact harms the Oilers cap that is so bad. Edmonton has for 2020-21 59,432,500 committed to our cap. Add 4,000,000 for Larsen, 2,500,000 (ball park) for Yamamoto.. Not sure about a G as Mike Smith is 40 next January or was it this past one? Maybe add 6,000,000 for a NYI or NYR, or Columbus G and we are at 71,000,000. So now we are at 71,000,000. Hmmm the cap is 80,500,000? So please enlighten me as to this check book balance and how Holland so screwed it up? Also how the salary cap works.. Say a Top 2 D man with a bad shoulder goes on the LTIR and saves us 4,167,000 and is ready for the second season aka when no salary cap is in place a la Kucherov. Ya Holland what a DUMMY. I don't know man I don't get it. Guy gets 5,000,000 a year??? Unreal he is so much dumber than guys like us I would say? No way Holland and the Oilers brass did anything like due diligence on say Duncan Keith and found out he is a fitness freak like say Chris Chellios was? And maybe that there is a lot more left in Keith's tank than idiot arm chair fans and their statistical analysis have figured out. I am sure Keith who has won 3 cups, a conn smythe, and gold medals is just riding off into the sun set and has no will to win. Seems his pedigree? No way playing wth 97 and 29 is gonna motivate him to get back to his 60 point seasons or anything like that? Such a bad trade. Tyson Barrie obviously must be signed for 12,000,000 a year based on leading the NHL in points last year! He is that good (sarcasm). Keith will get 50 points by accident on our league best pp by accident.
- al3535

He had a lot of cap, but has now wasted it. Keith does not make them better. they have McDavid and Drais in their primes. They must get much better this offseason. this does not do it.

Could this trade have anything to do with how the Oil were / are thinking about the expansion draft…. Perhaps ?

Edmonton actually needs more guys with good stats. They have 0 depth and this eats up a lot of that cap space they had this offseason. He's 38 and a shell of his former self. It's an ugly move. Do you really think their issue is experience and 'Culture"? Looks like no depth is the biggest issue to me.
- RogerRoeper

WOW! Edmonton has zero depth?? bahahahaha. So Bouchard, Broberg, Holloway, this years 19 th over all 1 st rounder., is that the no depth you speak of? What do the Leafs have for depth? Who owns your first THIS year? Columbus for the Foligno rental and 7 game BED poop? OMFG watching your window slam shut and not win a round must make you bitter hey? Our window is open starting in about 90 days for about 5 years. Sucks to be you and wouldn't want to be ya. Ps: My GF is a Leafs fan. I genuinely fell bad for her. I actually thought you guys had a bye to round 3 and a coin toss vs LV / Colorado then a hell of a shot vs the Bolts in the SCF. It WAS 3-1!!!

His ownership must be some boondoggle that gives him a tax advantage. Has to be.
- Only_A_Ladd

Oh it is for sure. They get to write off player salaries as depreciating assets or something like that.

What?!? The cap hit is everything to a team wanting to contend and not waste the second comings prime years. No fan of the oilers cares about the actual money. Are you the child of ownership hoping your inheritance dosnt get wasted on a competent hockey team?

Keith’s stats will be just fine on a better team. Just playing fewer minutes, and being paired with an actual NHL calibre D partner will go a long way towards that. I’m pretty sure when everyone’s tears dry up and the season gets underway that the Oil faithful will be pretty happy to have him around and all of this misplaced angst will melt away.
- Ogilthorpe2

I LIKE YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND WHY AM I YELLING?? I would think you would have the 411 on DK2 more than 99% of people watching hockey. Have a good day sir. I am off to crush some beer and golf balls hopefully as well. Peace

In order for a trade to be a bad trade, you'll have to have lost more than you have gained.

The Oilers lost basically nothing. What they're getting is experience, mentality, culture... while they don't show up on stats sheets for individuals, they show up on the stats sheets for teammates.

But the Millennials judge all players in a vacuum of their own play rather than how a player has any form of aura whatsoever. That's why they make terrible armchair GMs. And that ridiculous attitude is infecting the media and they're asking equally stupid questions.

Could Holland have gotten Chicago to retain 1.5M/y? Yes... but are people complaining that the Oilers are losing 1.5m/y? Because that's about all they lost in this deal. Jones is a nothing defensemen... you can sign AHL free agents at that calibre... and a 3rd round pick? Like the Oilers didn't give away much. And people treat Keith like he's Jack Johnson: quite the contrary... Keith knows what it takes to win in this league.
- archromat

I don't think Keith remembers anymore what it takes to win. The real cost is >$5m used in cap, plus the 3rd, plus the player not named Jones that will be plucked by Seattle. Jones may have been gone by expansion, but now you could stand to lose Larsson and Jones. Or Jones + Klefbom, assuming he is healthy. Is he healthy and Kenny is posturing to get Seattle to ignore Klefbom? Or is he done and you have gone from Klefbom to Barrie to Keith. That's negative no matter how you justify it.

Sure. He's great you win.



- ImThatGuy

You are NOT wrong. Analytics.. You think maybe on a different team say as a number 4 and not miscast as a number 1 on an inferior team might make a difference? I do, but that is just me. Time is the purveyor of all truths. I like Holland's bet on this one personally.

What was the market for Keith? The market determines the price. He had a full no movement clause. He's 38. He would have waived for who other than EDM? WPG? VAN? SEA? CGY? That's about it. Of those teams, who would have interest? SEA maybe for the leadership element. VAN? It is Benning, but I still doubt he'd try to do a deal like Holland pulled off. You basically had a few teams who might have any interest. They made the market, and Holland does that deal with CHI retaining no money? It isn't Jones and the 3rd going to CHI. It isn't that Keith might have something left in the tank (he might). It is, instead, a combination of his age, decline in play, the assets moving to CHI, the retention, and the obvious need after the sweep for EDM to improve its depth. This is a top heavy team that now has less room to find quality players to correct a problem that was glaringly obvious.
- Only_A_Ladd