James Tanner: OHMYGOD IT's the All-Star Break + Runblad, Whitney and My Top Ten Bad times for Coyotes fans: Still half a year to go!

Whitney was the Abe Vigoda of hockey. Seems like he was the oldest guy in the league for the last 30 years.

At least now I won't have to hear Canuck fans begging to acquire him at the TDL. For some reason he's always been "the piece that will put us over the top" every year.

Whitney was the Abe Vigoda of hockey. Seems like he was the oldest guy in the league for the last 30 years.

At least now I won't have to hear Canuck fans begging to acquire him at the TDL. For some reason he's always been "the piece that will put us over the top" every year.
- Vanoxy

Who knows, maybe he was?

Who knows, maybe he was?
- James_Tanner

We certainly could have made worse acqusitions.... And most years we did.

I would, however, buy a Zemgus Girgenson All-Star jersey - if I could afford it.
- James_Tanner

I'm sorry that my AdBlock is preventing you from owning a Girgensons jersey

I'm sorry that my AdBlock is preventing you from owning a Girgensons jersey
- eichiefs9

I honestly don't know what that means.

I do have three kids, so, for the record, that was not a comment about what I'm paid here, but rather a general reference to my finances i.e crushing student loan debt.

I honestly don't know what that means.

I do have three kids, so, for the record, that was not a comment about what I'm paid here, but rather a general reference to my finances i.e crushing student loan debt.
- James_Tanner

I know you weren't complaining about that.

Student loans are the worst.

I know you weren't complaining about that.

Student loans are the worst.
- eichiefs9

Well, they aren't Clint Eastwood bad, but they certainly suck.

Well, they aren't Clint Eastwood bad, but they certainly suck.
- James_Tanner

I assume this means that you were not a fan of American Sniper?

I assume this means that you were not a fan of American Sniper?
- eichiefs9

I just hate the guy> I wouldn't watch that movie unless I was paid to write a review about it.

Sorry to hijack your new thread James, but I wanted this comment read by that Oilers fan:

draisaitl's size and that he was probably going to be playing 3rd line duties behind arco and insulated by vets like Pouliot and perron etc wasn't unheard of. Especially with Gagner gone as we didn't need sammy whatsoever. Meh, I might give u this one, but it's just hindsight on what wasn't a crazy decision at the time.

We finished last twice, 7th last and 3rd last with Gagner.
He provided no skill sets we were desperate for. And is doing the same for the yotes. We're better off with Purcell and needed size more than a center. Besides, he's a terrible centermen and even being moved to the wing in phoenix. Same as mact expressly said they were gonna do of he was still in edm.

Kruegers team lost 9/10 and nosedived as soon as the playoff push came and the others teams regulars kinda got into game shape. (Our kids had been playing together in okc for months)
Krueger had a solid pp, but his 5v5 numbers were actually worse than Eakins. And he benefitted from much better goaltending.
Either way, the way we were trending, that season goes 82, we're closer to 3rd last than 7th last.

We're actually tight on cash going into next year. It was giving salary back for a guy who's not gonna get much ice time now anyway.
It was actually a very prudent move. And were better now than we were with him.

Basically,

Maybe
Wrong
Wrong
Wrong
- Ihateallofu

Let me explain my reasonings.

Draisatl: First off, the only reason the Oilers were forced to keep him around is because Gagner was dealt. I'll get to that later, but it's part of what made trading Gagner an example of bad management. But besides that, his whole handling especially around the time of the WJC was a huge disaster. There's really no denying that. The WJC debacle is the only example you need to say management messed up with Draisatl even though just having him up here and burning a year of his ELC was a mistake right off the bat. Forget his size...the kid was 18. There's hardly any player that's ready to play in the NHL at 18 no matter how big they are.

Trading Gagner: So the Gagner trade...I feel that this trade was made simply for the sake of making a trade. MacT was under pressure and Gagner was the guy the media kept pointing to so he went ahead and did it. For a team hurting on centers, to deal him for a winger was a bad idea. Dealing him essentially forces you to play Draisatl and even then you hardly have 3 or 4 NHL ready centers. You crap on him now but before you dealt him you guys talked him up as one of the only players with grit despite his size. A real solid player and while he isn't anything special, he provided you guys with good center depth and he was a veteran. You have him, RNH, Arco, Gordon and Lander down the middle and that's a solid center depth and now you're no longer forced to keep Draisatl.

Krueger: This again was a move made for no reason. MacT just wanted his own guy. Yakupov flourished under him his rookie year and then you fire him and bring in Dallas Eakins and all of a sudden Yakupov is misused and his development is halted. That's a side effect of the Krueger firing.

Trading Arco for Roy when Roy was on waivers: So here we have a situation where a team that's thin on NHL centers dealing one of their only depth centers for another center that was available for free just a few days earlier. This deal wasn't made for cap reasons...it was made to keep you at 49 contracts instead of 50. But just weeks later, you go ahead and deal Perron for a pick and Klinkhammer. This to me symbolizes your management has ZERO plan. Why not have picked up Roy and then dealt Perron to Pitt for just the 1st? Is Klinkhammer really a deal breaker? Maybe a 5th instead of Klinkhammer? Boom, now all of a sudden a team that's hurting on centers has RNH, Roy, Arco, Lander, and Gordon. If you never dealt Gagner, you have RNH, Roy, Gagner, Arco, Lander, Gordon. The idea of this trade (staying at 49 contracts) and then dealing Perron for what could've been just 2 picks right after shows me that your management, again, has zero plan and is just throwing things against the wall to see what sticks.

I won't even get into trading a pick for the rights to the worst available UFA defenseman and signing him to the biggest contract. And missing out on Boychuk and Leddy.

If management did things correctly in a perfect world, the Oilers would look pretty good with RNH - Gagner - Roy - Gordon down the middle and Boychuk, Leddy, and a different UFA defenseman on the backend.

Well, they aren't Clint Eastwood bad, but they certainly suck.
- James_Tanner

Wow, you say a lot of off the wall stuff Tanner, but this takes the cake.

I don't know if I like you anymore.

Wow, you say a lot of off the wall stuff Tanner, but this takes the cake.

I don't know if I like you anymore.
- IRON.MAIDEN

Sorry, I missed what you said, I was talking to a chair.

Sorry, I missed what you said, I was talking to a chair.
- James_Tanner

It's cool.
I'll just presume you don't know who he is, so you can't be held accountable, maybe you're confusing him with the vampire from the Twilight movies

It's cool.
I'll just presume you don't know who he is, so you can't be held accountable, maybe you're confusing him with the vampire from the Twilight movies
- IRON.MAIDEN

Eastwood is a good actor, but he directs lousy movies and is a terrible person.

Eastwood is a good actor, but he directs lousy movies and is a terrible person.
- James_Tanner

Make sure you check your air pressure and lube your chain before you start to back pedal...

Eastwood is/was an icon to an era and a genre. He is no revolutionary, and he didn't reinvent the wheel, but he was a fixture for a long time in Hollywood. I'm not an Eastwood fan, but to relate to the quality of something being "Clint Eastwood bad" is hilarious at best.

PS, you may be the only person in the entire world who tries to bring his character into question when trying to validate why you used the term you did.

I won't even get into trading a pick for the rights to the worst available UFA defenseman and signing him to the biggest contract. And missing out on Boychuk and Leddy.

If management did things correctly in a perfect world, the Oilers would look pretty good with RNH - Gagner - Roy - Gordon down the middle and Boychuk, Leddy, and a different UFA defenseman on the backend.
- rangerdanger94

Yeah, Nikitin was certainly a mistake, but you're operating under the assumption that other options existed. You're also making the assumption that Edmonton could've given the same value as in either deal.

In the case of Boychuk? Perhaps, but it was also well noted that Boychuk wanted to stay out East and Boston doesn't make a habit of ignoring it's players requests.

In Leddy's case? I highly doubt it. First, Edmonton is an in-conference opponent that Chicago likely wanted to avoid. Secondly, it seems to me that the Hawks coveted the skillset Pokka (offensive RHD) brought to the table and, as he was the key cog in that trade, it'd make sense that Chicago was looking specifically for that type of player. Now, ask yourself; do the Oilers have that type of prospect in their system? To save you from looking that up, the answer is no.

Eastwood is a good actor, but he directs lousy movies and is a terrible person.
- James_Tanner

examples on both please?

Yeah, Nikitin was certainly a mistake, but you're operating under the assumption that other options existed. You're also making the assumption that Edmonton could've given the same value as in either deal.

In the case of Boychuk? Perhaps, but it was also well noted that Boychuk wanted to stay out East and Boston doesn't make a habit of ignoring it's players requests.

In Leddy's case? I highly doubt it. First, Edmonton is an in-conference opponent that Chicago likely wanted to avoid. Secondly, it seems to me that the Hawks coveted the skillset Pokka (offensive RHD) brought to the table and, as he was the key cog in that trade, it'd make sense that Chicago was looking specifically for that type of player. Now, ask yourself; do the Oilers have that type of prospect in their system? To save you from looking that up, the answer is no.
- MaximumBone

You guys to seem to forget what teams blog you're in. This isn't a Rangers or Oilers blog. Why you guys bring the fight here is ridiculous. Please stay on topic.

Clint Eastwood.

You guys to seem to forget what teams blog you're in. This isn't a Rangers or Oilers blog. Why you guys bring the fight here is ridiculous. Please stay on topic.

Clint Eastwood.

- IRON.MAIDEN

Clint Eastwood is overrated

/discussion

So back to how much the oilers suck...

Yeah, Nikitin was certainly a mistake, but you're operating under the assumption that other options existed. You're also making the assumption that Edmonton could've given the same value as in either deal.

In the case of Boychuk? Perhaps, but it was also well noted that Boychuk wanted to stay out East and Boston doesn't make a habit of ignoring it's players requests.

In Leddy's case? I highly doubt it. First, Edmonton is an in-conference opponent that Chicago likely wanted to avoid. Secondly, it seems to me that the Hawks coveted the skillset Pokka (offensive RHD) brought to the table and, as he was the key cog in that trade, it'd make sense that Chicago was looking specifically for that type of player. Now, ask yourself; do the Oilers have that type of prospect in their system? To save you from looking that up, the answer is no.
- MaximumBone

Fair argument. How about my other points?

Make sure you check your air pressure and lube your chain before you start to back pedal...

Eastwood is/was an icon to an era and a genre. He is no revolutionary, and he didn't reinvent the wheel, but he was a fixture for a long time in Hollywood. I'm not an Eastwood fan, but to relate to the quality of something being "Clint Eastwood bad" is hilarious at best.

PS, you may be the only person in the entire world who tries to bring his character into question when trying to validate why you used the term you did.
- IRON.MAIDEN

Eastwood is an icon of the Western, an at best super-racist genre of movies. As a humanitarian, political commentator and all round person, he is terrible. He is my least favorite actor of all time. I give him credit only for the use of his name in the third best movie of all-time: Back to the Future III.

But we don't need to agree though, it's just how I feel.

Eastwood is a good actor, but he directs lousy movies and is a terrible person.
- James_Tanner

Odd since they always seem to be up for an award.

Fair argument. How about my other points?
- rangerdanger94

I'm not the guy you're looking to argue with on those points, but I'm down to try

So... Wes Anderson