Philip Broberg - 8th overall pick (2019) FOR 2nd round pick (2025)
Dylan Holloway - 14th overall pick (2020) FOR 3rd round pick (2025)

Still not getting it. Finding an actual cause is extremely simple. Every single player could legitimately declare they have chronic pain in their back, shoulder, knee, wrist. And any doctor could legitimately state that a period of rest and rehab could be beneficial. There. Done. So if Kane says he's ready, then someone else can rest.

As for discounts, do you really think Henrique couldn't make more money elsewhere? Do you really think Skinner and Arvidsson couldn't sign for more money elsewhere? All these guys left money on the table for a chance to win. Try to keep up.
- HockeyBuzzed

From Icehockeycentral:

First and foremost, the injury must be considered a “bona fide” injury, meaning it is verified by a team physician and confirmed by an independent doctor. Additionally, the injury must be expected to sideline the player for at least 10 games and 24 days. If the player is able to return sooner than expected, the team must remove him from LTIR status and comply with the salary cap immediately.

Again, I'm not saying that teams/players don't play fast and loose with this, but it's not as simple as: Player X says I'm hurt---> therefore LTIR.

I didn't say anything about Skinner Arvidsson, or Henrique. I said Draisaitl, McDavid and Bouchard - the three main leaders of the team (I presume) aren't taking a dime less than they can get. I'd be very pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong on this, but certainly won't believe it until I see it.

That said, no way in hell Arvidsson makes more than $4M. Henrique maybe. Skinner has already been paid by the buyout, so he was free to fit himself in anywhere to chase a cup and/or make himself look good for his next contract (not unlike Brad Richards did with the Hawks in 2014-15).

From Icehockeycentral:

First and foremost, the injury must be considered a “bona fide” injury, meaning it is verified by a team physician and confirmed by an independent doctor. Additionally, the injury must be expected to sideline the player for at least 10 games and 24 days. If the player is able to return sooner than expected, the team must remove him from LTIR status and comply with the salary cap immediately.

Again, I'm not saying that teams/players don't play fast and loose with this, but it's not as simple as: Player X says I'm hurt---> therefore LTIR.

I didn't say anything about Skinner Arvidsson, or Henrique. I said Draisaitl, McDavid and Bouchard - the three main leaders of the team (I presume) aren't taking a dime less than they can get. I'd be very pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong on this, but certainly won't believe it until I see it.

That said, no way in hell Arvidsson makes more than $4M. Henrique maybe. Skinner has already been paid by the buyout, so he was free to fit himself in anywhere to chase a cup and/or make himself look good for his next contract (not unlike Brad Richards did with the Hawks in 2014-15).
- Chunk

Ok. You are free to cling to your LTIR views. The rest of us reside in the real world.

Draisaitl and McDavid are not motivated to squeeze every last penny out of the organization. They will take discounts to win. Not saying they will play for half price, but they will easily shave $1M or so. But let's play a game. You tell everyone what Draisaitl's extension should be, if he was just thinking about himself, and then let's see what he actually signs for. So go ahead. Tell us the number...

Hossa went on LTIRetirement for a fabricated allergy that he played with for decades. Kucherov and Stone both were LTIR scams recently.
- jfkst1

Are you a doctor? Didnt think so.

I don't fault Hossa or the team for taking this route. His game was in decline which should be expected at that age. But believing the players or teams at face value regarding LTIR just proves you are very naive.
- jfkst1

But taking you at face value is the hight of wisdom. Moron.

But taking you at face value is the hight of wisdom. Moron.
- LFS

Generally if you are going to insult someone's intelligence, you should at least make sure the post insulting the person's intelligence is spelled correctly. I'll repeat, if you think LTIR is used in only good faith, you also are extremely naive.

Ok. You are free to cling to your LTIR views. The rest of us reside in the real world.

Draisaitl and McDavid are not motivated to squeeze every last penny out of the organization. They will take discounts to win. Not saying they will play for half price, but they will easily shave $1M or so. But let's play a game. You tell everyone what Draisaitl's extension should be, if he was just thinking about himself, and then let's see what he actually signs for. So go ahead. Tell us the number...
- HockeyBuzzed

You are really combative considering I am agreeing with you for the most part.

Anyway... $13M/year AAV? Does that make you happy? I have no clue what the number should be (or what it will be).

The problem I see is that the Oilers are already paying a huge price for two players (I guess soon to be three with Bouchard). That doesn't leave a lot of room for depth which is an absolute key in the playoffs. The reality of the cap is that you kind of need to win when your stars are young so that you can put a team around them. Obviously, it's not the only way, but I think history has shown it is best way to go.

Honestly, I'm hoping either EDM or TOR wins the cup next year. I think it would help draw a lot more eyes to the game (star power) and ultimately push the salary cap up helping all teams. If the Oilers can't get it done this year (and keep the three players I mentioned) I have serious concerns about them maintaining their competitiveness.

A 5-goal game?? Three hattricks in 10 games???

via GIPHY

Hattrik Laine. Our Elite sniper

You are really combative considering I am agreeing with you for the most part.

Anyway... $13M/year AAV? Does that make you happy? I have no clue what the number should be (or what it will be).

The problem I see is that the Oilers are already paying a huge price for two players (I guess soon to be three with Bouchard). That doesn't leave a lot of room for depth which is an absolute key in the playoffs. The reality of the cap is that you kind of need to win when your stars are young so that you can put a team around them. Obviously, it's not the only way, but I think history has shown it is best way to go.

Honestly, I'm hoping either EDM or TOR wins the cup next year. I think it would help draw a lot more eyes to the game (star power) and ultimately push the salary cap up helping all teams. If the Oilers can't get it done this year (and keep the three players I mentioned) I have serious concerns about them maintaining their competitiveness.
- Chunk

Now you are agreeing with me. You've insinuated that LTIR has to be used for legit injuries, and if Kane is healthy then the Oilers are in trouble. This is false. If teams want to get creative with LTIR it is extremely easy for any doctor to authorize that any player could benefit from extended rest. Simple as that. You can string the lemmings in the media and fans along with any story you want. If Kane is ready to be activated and the Oilers happen to be "healthy" at the time, then some other player will conveniently miss the next 6 weeks with a hip flexor or strained knee.

As for needing depth to win. Sure. Who said otherwise. Nothing wrong with paying McDavid $15M and Draisaitl $13M...when you have guys like Skinner and Arvidsson and Henrique and Janmark taking less to play there. Instead of RNH at $8M he's at $5.5M. Hyman has been incredible value. Ekholm is good value. Stuart Skinner is a bargain at the moment. This is already an incredibly deep team if you are paying attention.

Now you are agreeing with me. You've insinuated that LTIR has to be used for legit injuries, and if Kane is healthy then the Oilers are in trouble. This is false. If teams want to get creative with LTIR it is extremely easy for any doctor to authorize that any player could benefit from extended rest. Simple as that. You can string the lemmings in the media and fans along with any story you want. If Kane is ready to be activated and the Oilers happen to be "healthy" at the time, then some other player will conveniently miss the next 6 weeks with a hip flexor or strained knee.

As for needing depth to win. Sure. Who said otherwise. Nothing wrong with paying McDavid $15M and Draisaitl $13M...when you have guys like Skinner and Arvidsson and Henrique and Janmark taking less to play there. Instead of RNH at $8M he's at $5.5M. Hyman has been incredible value. Ekholm is good value. Stuart Skinner is a bargain at the moment. This is already an incredibly deep team if you are paying attention.
- HockeyBuzzed

I've not insinuated, I've stated, that in order for a player to go on LTIR, it needs to be a legitimate injury that has to be confirmed by an independent doctor. I've also stated that teams can and will play as fast and loose as they possibly can in order to help their cap situation. These are facts.

And yes, if Kane is healthy, that is an issue that the Oilers will need to deal with. So if Kane is ready to go, does Hyman or RNH just say, yeah, I could use a good couple of months off? I would doubt players would willingly not play hockey (especially notable ones on the team). By no means am I speaking in absolutes here, but it's not really likely a team could pull that off if the other players aren't legit injured.

I really don't think Arvidsson, Henrique, or Janmark would be able to get any more money on the open market unless there's a bottom team that would overpay to get them to play for them (see Nick Foligno).

Stan Bowman already sinking the ship.
- madhatter56

You are mad as a hatter.

I've not insinuated, I've stated, that in order for a player to go on LTIR, it needs to be a legitimate injury that has to be confirmed by an independent doctor. I've also stated that teams can and will play as fast and loose as they possibly can in order to help their cap situation. These are facts.

And yes, if Kane is healthy, that is an issue that the Oilers will need to deal with. So if Kane is ready to go, does Hyman or RNH just say, yeah, I could use a good couple of months off? I would doubt players would willingly not play hockey (especially notable ones on the team). By no means am I speaking in absolutes here, but it's not really likely a team could pull that off if the other players aren't legit injured.

I really don't think Arvidsson, Henrique, or Janmark would be able to get any more money on the open market unless there's a bottom team that would overpay to get them to play for them (see Nick Foligno).
- Chunk

You have a very naive approach to LTIR. But that's cool.

And you don't think that a versatile forward like Henrique could make more than $3M? Sean Monohan got $5.5m x 5 years. Chandler Stephenson got a monster deal.

Tyler Toffoli gets $6M x 4 years while Arvidsson signs for just $4m x 2 years. David Perron signed the exact same deal as Arvidsson, except he's 36 instead of 31.

I'm done arguing. Most informed fans recognize that Henrique, Skinner, Arvidsson, Janmark, etc... left some money on the table to try to win. But again, very cool if you think they all went to the highest bidder...

But taking you at face value is the hight of wisdom. Moron.
- LFS

It's cute that you believe this. Any player could walk into a doctors office and be diagnosed with chronic pain. Let's see what more rest will do. Go ahead and investigate. Hey Evander. We disagree with the Oilers doctor and think you are healthy enough to play. Hmm, my shoulder still hurts every day. Oh, I see.

These issues are not black and white. Mark Stone is not injured one day and healthy the next. It is a spectrum. So if Kane seems ready and wants to get back in action...then someone like Hyman or Draisaitl or Ekholm or Nurse or McDavid will suddenly have a lower body injury that a doctor suggests rest will help.

Teams are blatantly doing this and the Oilers will too. My close friend played 6 or 7 years in the NHL. He was in pain every day and said at any moment he could have raised his hand and gone on IR and every doctor would sign off on that as reasonable. But again, kinda cute that you think it's black and white.
- HockeyBuzzed

That is how it does work. When Kucherov was deemed out for the season, the League sent their own people to investigate and ensure that was a accurate approximate timeline. No one is sitting there determining if he's healthy enough to play. In this case he might have been able to play a week or two earlier but since he pretty much immediately injured himself he cleary returned to early. One aspect people ignore is you might be healed and healthy enough to play but you cant just hop right back into the lineup, Kucherov didnt play for a full year, his body wasnt conditioned to play playoff hockey. It is very easy to injure yourself when you go from 0 to 100