not sure what you think Expendable means but there are a lot of guys on this team and in the minors that are tradeable pieces that I would move before a 25 year old 20 goal wing who flies around the ice every shift and actually goes into the corners to get the puck.
- niteislander

Please name them.
Outside of Barzal, there is nobody on this team that has (maybe) the same value as Beau. Palms and Lee have an NTC. JGP and Nelly have M-NTC. That leaves Beau, Bailey, Wally, Bellows and the 4th line. Bellows has little to no trade value. The 4th line guys? There may be a late round pick worth of value, but their AAV is probably higher than other teams might like. Personally, I think Wally has more upside potential than Beau, so I'd keep him. Which leaves Beau and Bailey. Bailey has little trade value. Beau is the "odd man out". Not saying I want him gone, he's just the most logical.
Now, if you want to go to the system, you've got Ratty, Dufour, Koivula, Iskhakov, Holmstrom and a couple very young defensemen. Outside of Koivula (with his 20 NHL games and 0 goals) none of those guys has played an NHL game. They're prospects. Do they have some value? I would assume Ratty & Dufour do, since they're getting some publicity right now. How much value is the question. I don't see any of the other prospects having very much value other than being thrown in as part of a package.
To reiterate, I would like to see Beau spend at least a few more years here, develop his game and get better. I just think he has the most attractive trade value, outside of Barzal. Not personal, it's business.

RIP Ben. May people be inspired by your story and courage.
- Nfdbulldawg

Absolutely. Amen.

RIP Ben. May people be inspired by your story and courage.
- Nfdbulldawg

Rest in Peace

RIP Ben. May people be inspired by your story and courage.
- Nfdbulldawg

Ben is gonna be missed.

Hope the Oilers give him a proper ceremony at the home opener.

Please name them.
Outside of Barzal, there is nobody on this team that has (maybe) the same value as Beau. Palms and Lee have an NTC. JGP and Nelly have M-NTC. That leaves Beau, Bailey, Wally, Bellows and the 4th line. Bellows has little to no trade value. The 4th line guys? There may be a late round pick worth of value, but their AAV is probably higher than other teams might like. Personally, I think Wally has more upside potential than Beau, so I'd keep him. Which leaves Beau and Bailey. Bailey has little trade value. Beau is the "odd man out". Not saying I want him gone, he's just the most logical.
Now, if you want to go to the system, you've got Ratty, Dufour, Koivula, Iskhakov, Holmstrom and a couple very young defensemen. Outside of Koivula (with his 20 NHL games and 0 goals) none of those guys has played an NHL game. They're prospects. Do they have some value? I would assume Ratty & Dufour do, since they're getting some publicity right now. How much value is the question. I don't see any of the other prospects having very much value other than being thrown in as part of a package.
To reiterate, I would like to see Beau spend at least a few more years here, develop his game and get better. I just think he has the most attractive trade value, outside of Barzal. Not personal, it's business.
- Isleshockeyman

Isles seem to have a couple of nice prospects in Ratty & Dufour but not good enough to be able to add a player like Tkachuk. I would also rather not trade Beau but he would have more value than Bailey.

Isles seem to have a couple of nice prospects in Ratty & Dufour but not good enough to be able to add a player like Tkachuk. I would also rather not trade Beau but he would have more value than Bailey.
- ses111

That's pretty much my point. If you want to trade for someone like Tank, you need to give some value. Bailey doesn't have the value. Obviously we'll see what happens in a few weeks.

That's pretty much my point. If you want to trade for someone like Tank, you need to give some value. Bailey doesn't have the value. Obviously we'll see what happens in a few weeks.
- Isleshockeyman

I'm not sure of where the Isles prospect pool ranks but I cannot imagine it's high. Isles really need to hold onto the 2023 #1 pick.

I'm not sure of where the Isles prospect pool ranks but I cannot imagine it's high. Isles really need to hold onto the 2023 #1 pick.
- ses111

Right around the bottom of the league

Going off only the two Athletic writers that rank pipelines...Wheeler has the Islanders at 31st and Pronman has them at 27th, as of their most recent rankings. Doesn't mean that someone can't surprise, but the odds are not in the Isles favor.

edit: it was an older one I found for Pronman, so disregard that

Right around the bottom of the league
- eichiefs9

Thanks chief! I was afraid this was the case. Makes it that much tougher when you miss on quality FA's.

Right around the bottom of the league

Going off only the two Athletic writers that rank pipelines...Wheeler has the Islanders at 31st and Pronman has them at 27th, as of their most recent rankings. Doesn't mean that someone can't surprise, but the odds are not in the Isles favor.

edit: it was an older one I found for Pronman, so disregard that
- eichiefs9

Not if you ask NiteIslander.

- eichiefs9

- Wildschwein

Chief better be getting a housewarming invite.

Chief better be getting a housewarming invite.

- ses111

I'm more relieved that he made it out of that poop bag country without being conscripted to be cannon fodder in the military

But the fact that he bought a house is probably a good sign for the future, at least

I'm more relieved that he made it out of that poop bag country without being conscripted to be cannon fodder in the military

But the fact that he bought a house is probably a good sign for the future, at least
- eichiefs9

Very much so.

Not if you ask NiteIslander.
- Isleshockeyman

Isles prospects are never ranked high.. ever.. I remember after the 2008 draft almost all of the "experts" gave them an F b/c they passed on Luke Schenn and Filatov. They moved down twice and got more picks.. ended up with 13 picks including Bailey, Hamonic, Martin, Spurgeon, .. same with 2009.. other than Tavares we had no prospects but in that draft we took Calvin De Haan, Koskinen, Anders Nilsson, Casey Cizikas and Anders Lee in the 6th round...
2010- Nino and Brock...
2011- Strome and Mayfield
got Pelech in 3rd round of 2012.. did u ever hear about him being a good prospect? ever?

We had no first in 2020 or 2021.. but we still have plenty of solid prospects in Raty, Dufour, Salo, Bolduc, Wilde, Iskhakov, etc.

Isles prospects are never ranked high.. ever.. I remember after the 2008 draft almost all of the "experts" gave them an F b/c they passed on Luke Schenn and Filatov. They moved down twice and got more picks.. ended up with 13 picks including Bailey, Hamonic, Martin, Spurgeon, .. same with 2009.. other than Tavares we had no prospects but in that draft we took Calvin De Haan, Koskinen, Anders Nilsson, Casey Cizikas and Anders Lee in the 6th round...
2010- Nino and Brock...
2011- Strome and Mayfield
got Pelech in 3rd round of 2012.. did u ever hear about him being a good prospect? ever?

We had no first in 2020 or 2021.. but we still have plenty of solid prospects in Raty, Dufour, Salo, Bolduc, Wilde, Iskhakov, etc.
- niteislander

I'm not sure what mentioning players drafted in 2012 and earlier has to do with the current state of the prospect pipeline, especially when they were drafted under an entirely different front office.

Lumping Bolduc/Wilde/Iskhakov in as "solid" prospects is also a big stretch. They all have varying degrees of potential, but they're all also far from even coming close to reaching that. Bolduc had a bad 2nd season, and his only good season came during a wacky Covid year where the Soundtigers only played the same two teams all season. Wilde didn't perform great playing in Sweden's tier-2 league. Iskhakov produced decently in Germany and Finland, but is undersized and is going to need to have a big first NA pro season to be on anyone's radar at all.

Ben is gonna be missed.

Hope the Oilers give him a proper ceremony at the home opener.
- Wildschwein

Ok I feel like a moron I don’t know him

Ok I feel like a moron I don’t know him
- kasperrko

Give the Oilers blog a read. It tells the sad tale pretty well.

here you go chiefs...
https://www.thescore.com/...lvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Isles prospects are never ranked high.. ever.. I remember after the 2008 draft almost all of the "experts" gave them an F b/c they passed on Luke Schenn and Filatov. They moved down twice and got more picks.. ended up with 13 picks including Bailey, Hamonic, Martin, Spurgeon, .. same with 2009.. other than Tavares we had no prospects but in that draft we took Calvin De Haan, Koskinen, Anders Nilsson, Casey Cizikas and Anders Lee in the 6th round...
2010- Nino and Brock...
2011- Strome and Mayfield
got Pelech in 3rd round of 2012.. did u ever hear about him being a good prospect? ever?

We had no first in 2020 or 2021.. but we still have plenty of solid prospects in Raty, Dufour, Salo, Bolduc, Wilde, Iskhakov, etc.
- niteislander

None of the bolded matter as far as "prospects" go.
I'm curious to see how Ratty & Dufour pan out in the AHL and NHL. Salo seemed decent. Maybe with more NHL experience his confidence will boost and so will his play. Bolduc, Wilde and Iskhakov? What is "solid" about them? Maybe they're good, maybe they're busts. Nobody knows.
I appreciate your passion for the team but I think you look at things through rose-colored glasses.

None of the bolded matter as far as "prospects" go.
I'm curious to see how Ratty & Dufour pan out in the AHL and NHL. Salo seemed decent. Maybe with more NHL experience his confidence will boost and so will his play. Bolduc, Wilde and Iskhakov? What is "solid" about them? Maybe they're good, maybe they're busts. Nobody knows.
I appreciate your passion for the team but I think you look at things through rose-colored glasses.
- Isleshockeyman

Or nite goggles

None of the bolded matter as far as "prospects" go.
I'm curious to see how Ratty & Dufour pan out in the AHL and NHL. Salo seemed decent. Maybe with more NHL experience his confidence will boost and so will his play. Bolduc, Wilde and Iskhakov? What is "solid" about them? Maybe they're good, maybe they're busts. Nobody knows.
I appreciate your passion for the team but I think you look at things through rose-colored glasses.
- Isleshockeyman

There is no question that Raty and Dufour could be star players. Both should start in the AHL for furthering their development but Raty has unique skill and Dufour can score as well as any prospect and has the size and strength to play in the nhl. Will be interesting to see them in pre season.

There is no question that Raty and Dufour could be star players. Both should start in the AHL for furthering their development but Raty has unique skill and Dufour can score as well as any prospect and has the size and strength to play in the nhl. Will be interesting to see them in pre season.
- joegreif17

Trust me, I'm excited to see how Ratty & Dufour will do. I'm hoping they become star players as well.

It’s not “Ratty” or “Raty”.

It’s “Räty”.

Put some ‘spect on our muther(frank)ing saviour’s name.