Toughness is a state of mind. I know plenty of people who are physically strong but are actually embarrassingly weak individuals. I'm actually the strongest person I know, and I'm not saying that without reason.

As for fighting, do you think I'd actually still be writing on here if fighting bothered me?

As for getting laid, here's a word of advice: It's not a threesome if it's just you and two magazines.
- Maxbone

I couldn't agree more.

P.S. You're Yoda.

Johansen and the 2nd for the 1st?
- freelancer

I think we'd have to add something...

The one we would get from columbus to move down...
- Ihatebrianburke

Well I just said the right to swap picks, because that's similar to what Florida acquired for their 1st rounder before...but again I'm assuming the Oil are looking to trade down

ok
- TheTaoOfSemenko

but in all seriousness, id rather keep yako... could be really good, you guys have a ton of defense already, and u can always trade hemsky, mps, and other assets for legit defenders in the league already... you guys are set, you dont need to trade or downgrade for murray, yako is a keeper.

Yeah. If the Oilers are actively looking to move down, I would not expect a better deal than that.
- Morris

(frank) Methot. What do we need another 3rd pairing dman for?

Here, I wrote you something. I've named it "The Nickelback Song"

The Nickelback Song by Richard Cloutier

It's Friday night and I'm so damn pissed,
When you open your mouth I insert a fist,
Rockin' and rollin' in my rock and roll band,
Mud bogs, and girlies, and 21 grams

Crank up the volume
Rip off the knob
Find me a cliché
I'll write you a song

I'm a punch to your gullet
Your mom with a mullet
I know what I am doin'
Bunk beds are for screwin'
Alcohol, midgets and applesauce
Yankees and parties and punchin' the boss
Lazy and bloated, pointless and lame
You know all my songs sound exactly the same

Ring through your nipple, tats on your ass
No one will ever suggest you have class
My liver is finished, my soul is diseased
I'll drink all your milkshake and get a brain freeze

Crank up the volume
Rip off the knob
My dad is a jerk
Because he found me a job

I'm a punch to your gullet
Your mom with a mullet
I know what I am doin'
Bunk beds are for screwin'
Alcohol, midgets and applesauce
Yankees and parties and punchin' the boss
Lazy and bloated, pointless and lame
You know all my songs sound exactly the same
- Maxbone

I would be verrry disappointed if oilers pass on yakupov. Stupid management if theres any truth to these latest rumors.

1st line: Eberle Nuge Hall

2nd line: MPS Gagne Yako

3rd line: Jones Horcoff Smyth

4th line: Eager Belanger ______


Im pretty sure if nashville resigns ryan suter, and since they still need offense, they would be interested in hemsky as they were before... hemsky + for ryan ellis perhaps? or straight up trade who knows. And dont overvalue hemsky, id do that in a heart beat, you guys have a set 1st line and 2nd already. Time to dump.

Yeah I get it you are not tough, you don't get laid and haven't ever been in a fight but some of us have you know?? HAHAHAH!!
- undisputed_8821

This is even more lame than the crap LB posts

but in all seriousness, id rather keep yako... could be really good, you guys have a ton of defense already, and u can always trade hemsky, mps, and other assets for legit defenders in the league already... you guys are set, you dont need to trade or downgrade for murray, yako is a keeper.
- Mapleleafs_91

This is one of the first times ive heard this from a non oiler fan.

Now that we're reportedly trading the Pick,
its 'why would u do that!?, yakupovs gonna be awesome!'.
Before,
it was 'are u guys dumb? U need to trade that pick for a dman! the last thing u need is another winger'

Cant win...

I dont understand how you guys dont have defense when you have:

whitney
smid
petry
barker
potter
teubert
plante
peckham
schultz
klefbom
marancin

your telling me from 11 defenders, you cannot pick 6 good ones to go into a season with? pretty sure smid and petry are fine defenders, along with teubert, klefbom could be ready, peckham is your toughness, schultz is more defensive isnt he? and then you got so many extras...

I think we'd have to add something...
- laughs2907

Probably

This is one of the first times ive heard this from a non oiler fan.

Now that we're reportedly trading the Pick, its 'why would u do that!?, yakupovs gonna be awesome!'.
Before, it was 'are u guys dumb? U need to trade that pick for a dman! the last thing u need is another winger'

Cant win...
- hugefemale dog77

but its true though, why trade yako when you can trade hemsky or other assets to obtain a good defender, example trade hemsky+ for ryan ellis... boom theres your puck moving defender, another canadian boy. Since nashville is so desperate for offense and wants to make a good run for the cup again.

but its true though, why trade yako when you can trade hemsky or other assets to obtain a good defender, example trade hemsky+ for ryan ellis... boom theres your puck moving defender, another canadian boy. Since nashville is so desperate for offense and wants to make a good run for the cup again.
- Mapleleafs_91

I couldnt agree more.

If we were to get johansen in the deal however.
Id strongly consider it

I dont understand how you guys dont have defense when you have:

whitney
smid
petry
schultz


klefbom
marancin

your telling me from 11 defenders, you cannot pick 6 good ones to go into a season with? pretty sure smid and petry are fine defenders, along with teubert, klefbom could be ready, peckham is your toughness, schultz is more defensive isnt he? and then you got so many extras...
- Mapleleafs_91

Fixed.

Whitney needs to get healthy. Hes a shell of himself.
Petry needs to continue developing.
Marincin, klefbom, gernat etc. Wont be playing in the nhl next year.

I couldnt agree more.

If we were to get johansen in the deal however.
Id strongly consider it
- hugefemale dog77

Probably.

Fixed.

Whitney needs to get healthy. Hes a shell of himself.
Petry needs to continue developing.
Marincin, klefbom, gernat etc. Wont be playing in the nhl next year.
- hugefemale dog77

Definitely.

Definitely.
- laughs2907

Probably

I dont understand how you guys dont have defense when you have:

whitney
smid
petry
barker
potter
teubert
plante
peckham
schultz
klefbom
marancin

your telling me from 11 defenders, you cannot pick 6 good ones to go into a season with? pretty sure smid and petry are fine defenders, along with teubert, klefbom could be ready, peckham is your toughness, schultz is more defensive isnt he? and then you got so many extras...
- Mapleleafs_91

smid really had a tremendous season and has finally matured enough to be a responsible dman who will block shots and keep the other team off the score sheet. Petry really matured as the season progressed and hopefully he continues to grow, but still early in his NHL career and still makes dumb plays that result in the puck going in our own net. Peckham may be tough but he is terrible, i even remember last year he tried to start a fight behind the play and it resulted in a 2 on one and the oil were scored upon. Schultz is a good defensive d man but didnt see much of him so will have to wait and see. The rest of our current rostered d are pretty mediocre and whitney isnt the same as he used to be. Sutton is a brute when he isnt getting suspended and the prospects are all a wait and see issue. Hopefully klefbom and Teubert pan out and at least one other prospect and we are looking ok. Takes time to tell though.

I dont understand how you guys dont have defense when you have:

whitney...2-4
smid...2-4
petry...2-4, so far
barker....not qualified
potter....5-7
teubert...5-7
plante...ahl at best
peckham....6-7
schultz....3-4
klefbom....more seasoning
marancin ....more seasoning

your telling me from 11 defenders, you cannot pick 6 good ones to go into a season with? pretty sure smid and petry are fine defenders, along with teubert, klefbom could be ready, peckham is your toughness, schultz is more defensive isnt he? and then you got so many extras...
- Mapleleafs_91

Most of these guys are either not ready or just not good enough

Of those that are ready good enough they are mostly middle pairing guys...Petry is still developing his NHL game, Smid showed he is about at potential, Whitney has the foot issue, Schultz is decent but not a top pairing guy.

The team needs a Top Pairing guy and one of either Petry, Smid or Whitney to be able to play with them. The other two then join Schultz and see who plays middle pair and then the last guy goes 3rd pair and joins Sutton/Potter/JSchultz/UFA/??

Does anyone recall if we played Shultz and Smid together as a shutdown pair? ala Ottawa with Phillips and Volchenkov a couple years back

Does anyone recall if we played Shultz and Smid together as a shutdown pair? ala Ottawa with Phillips and Volchenkov a couple years back
- Ihatebrianburke

i think i saw them together a couple times but not often cause the other d were so awful they need to split em up to have a little more defensive reliability, that and after they got schultz, the oil werent in a lot of games where they were in the lead and in a position to shut the other team down. But i like that idea of them 2 being a shutdown pair, hopefully next season they are in a position to utilize them that way. Thats gonna depend a lot on who the new coach is too.

i think i saw them together a couple times but not often cause the other d were so awful they need to split em up to have a little more defensive reliability, that and after they got schultz, the oil werent in a lot of games where they were in the lead and in a position to shut the other team down. But i like that idea of them 2 being a shutdown pair, hopefully next season they are in a position to utilize them that way. Thats gonna depend a lot on who the new coach is too.
- ruttager17

A lot depends on whether Whitney can return to form. But I don't think anyone is banking on it

A lot depends on whether Whitney can return to form. But I don't think anyone is banking on it
- Ihatebrianburke

true dat son, definitely gonna need someone to move the puck if he can't recover. which is too bad because last season before he got hurt he had something like 27a and 3 goals and was one of the scoring leaders on the team. I am pretty sure that at least 2 of klefbom, musil, marincin, gernat or teubert will develop into solid nhl players, which is why i don't get everyone saying draft a defensemen, sure we need immediate help on d, but a first year drafted player is probably not that guy. Take yakupov, immediately improve the offense like RNH did this year, and look for immediate help on the D through a UFA or trade. I am sure Murray will be an incredible defenseman someday, but might as well stick to the prospects they are already developing in the system, rather than stocking the cupboard with another prospect who has never played an NHL game.

The way I see it is if you're gonna trade down to no.2, you might as well keep trading down and getting as many assets as possible.

So let's go to our NHL 12 Magic Eight Ball and see what kind of deals are out there...

trade down to for no.2, 2nd rounder and nikitin
(CBJ has to overpay but they won't give up johansen)
then

trade down for the 5th and schenn
(schenn is in the doghouse in TO and a change of scenery might be the answer)
then

trade down and include gagner for the 10th and lecavalier
(tampa has 2 1st rounders and I'm sure would love to open up some salary cap room to try and add a good goalie)

at 10th overall your options could be reinhart, trouba, dumba, reilly, or teravainen

so in the end you'd get an instant upgrade on defence and you get a great no.2 center who makes a lot but brings a lot. If you're still worried about skill on the wing, hopefully teravainen is still there or if you've got a hard on for reinhart he might be there too. I'd be going for Reilly as Edmonton doesn't have a full on offensive defenseman in the system.