G56 2017-18: Oilers at Golden Knights
Edmonton arrives in Vegas with a four game losing streak and lots of reasons to give up. Fans should be looking for youth to prevail, at least in terms of time on ice. On Pulju, on Slepy, on Caggiila, on Khaira, this is your chance to establish yourselves as NHL players. That’s a big damned deal and there’s no guarantees for the fall. Crash the gate doing 98! On the other hand, the general manager and coach badly need to see this team to win some hockey games.
THE ATHLETIC!
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- New Lowetide: Is Ryan Strome a keeper?
- New Jonathan Willis: Bob Nicholson shines a light.
- Jonathan Willis: Oilers at the deadline.
- Pierre Lebrun: Western Conference buyers and sellers.
- Craig Custance: Trade deadline.
- Lowetide: Value contracts in 2018-19
- Lowetide: Kailer Yamamoto’s Future
- Jonathan Willis: Would trading Leon Draisaitl get the Oilers closer to Stanley?
- Lowetide: How Good is Kirill Maksimov?
- Lowetide: Now is the time to play Khaira and Puljujarvi
- Lowetide: Draft 2018: Oilers and the WHL.
- Lowetide: What would Sam Pollock do?
- Lowetide: Oilers Keeper List
- Lowetide: Draft 2018: Oilers and the WHL.
- Lowetide: Oilers draft history and the OHL
- Lowetide: Oilers draft and college returns
- Lowetide: Central Scouting and where the Oilers shop for talent
VIVA LAS VEGAS, YEAR OVER YEAR
- February 2016: 3-3-0, goal differential 0 (6 points)
- February 2017: 3-3-0, goal differential -1 (6 points)
- February 2018: 1-4-1, goal differential -5 (3 points)
- February 13, 2016: Winnipeg 2, Edmonton 1 (Source)
- February 18, 2017: Edmonton 3, Chicago 1 (Source)
The Oilers started the month well before stepping into the elevator shaft. As inconsistent as this team has been, Edmonton is unpredictable both ways. We could see a win tonight and a small run in the “W” column, it’s happened previously in this season.
AFTER 55, YEAR OVER YEAR
- Oilers 15-16: 21-29-5, goal differential -33 (47 points)
- Oilers 16-17: 29-18-8, goal differential +16 (66 points)
- Oilers 17-18: 23-28-4, goal differential -28 (50 points)
- February 11, 2016: Edmonton 5, Toronto 2 (Source)
- February 11, 2017: Chicago 5, Edmonton 1 (Source)
If the 2015-16 team catches this year’s model, I think that’s a very bad sign for Peter Chiarelli and Todd McLellan. Not living up to last season’s team is one thing, but the 15-16 group that posted 70 points? I don’t believe they survive.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM FEBRUARY
- At home to: Colorado, Tampa Bay (Expected 0-1-1) (Actual 1-0-1)
- On the road to: Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose (Expected 1-1-1) (Actual 0-3-0)
- At home to: Florida (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-1-0)
- On the road to: Vegas, Arizona, Colorado (Expected 2-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: Boston, Colorado (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose (Expected 0-2-1) (Actual 0-0-0)
- Overall expected result: 5-6-3, 13 points in 14 games
- Current results: 1-4-1, three points in six games
The Oilers have played well against Vegas and the Arizona game on Saturday afternoon holds some promise. After that, the month of February appears daunting.
BOB NICHOLSON!
- “You always want to add to your core. I still really believe in Cam Talbot, and he’ll be the first person to say he hasn’t had a good year, so it starts with your goaltending. We’ve had a lot of injuries on the back end, especially in our top three defencemen. If we could add another top defenceman, that would be real good. We have two keys up front; Leon and Connor are both excellent players. People are down on Leon, but when you start to look at his stats, 5-on-5 he’s in the top seven or eight in the league; he just hasn’t been as productive on the power play. We’ve got to make sure we continue to support around that group, for sure. I really do believe we’re a lot closer than what we’ve shown this year.” Source
The actual quote is far less provocative than the stories that have been written because of it, suspect the Oilers are going to get hammered with every media avail from management until the fall. There’s an expectation of something after the season, if that doesn’t come one wonders about fan reaction. Fire the coach? Fire the GM? Assistant coaches? Are you sure that’s enough? I’ll say this: If this Oilers organization stays the course, the general manager makes another big trade and the club can’t make the playoffs in 2018-19, this will get very ugly. I don’t know how the Oilers go through a season like this one and then tell the fans they are going to run the same group again next year. That’s going to take a helluva sell.
Nicholson doesn’t say regression in this statement but there’s likely to be plenty (special teams, goaltending) in 2018-19. I’d still like to see a more substantial backup added and do agree about RHD. Tyson Barrie is an interesting target, I’m not onboard with a Klefbom or Nuge pricetag but suspect that’s exactly what the ask will be from the Avs.
Chiefs Win thanks to this beautiful redirect by @kailer_yamamoto out front. #GoChiefsGo pic.twitter.com/Uhe9T5d9OE
— Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs) February 15, 2018
Yamamoto’s splits are now borderline insane, and he’s getting closer to the DeBrincat (2.00 points per game in final junior season). His push in the season’s second half is amazing.
- Yamamoto 2016-17: 65GP, 42-57-99 (1.52 points-per-game)
- Yamamoto 2017-18: 27GP, 14-32-46 (1.70 points-per-game)
- Yamamoto first 10 games: 1-8-9
- Yamamoto second 10 games: 7-11-18
- Yamamoto last seven games: 6-13-19
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
One of my favorite days of the week and the guest list shines like a diamond. At 10 this morning, TSN1260, scheduled to appear:
- Bruce McCurdy, Cult of Hockey at the Edmonton Journal. The viewers’ guide to the rest of this Oilers season.
- Rob Vollman, NHL.com and ESPN. Is there a match for Milan Lucic ala Phaneuf-Gaborik?
- Frank Seravalli, TSN. Trade deadline approacheth.
10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. See you on the radio!
Can’t trade Maroon now
Lucic can’t score, can’t backcheck, can’t take out his man, but he is a great leader on and off the ice and he really wants to score so our media will never get on his case. Leading the team to the same place number as his jersey.
He’s had a shocking past 20 games. Awful.
Maroon secures his 4×4.
Maroon’s knee, Are you kidding me? What a freakin sad sack team. Sign him 5×8, let’s do this thing Pete!
Hockey gods hate us.
No they just deserted us….
Slepy freed to to the first line with Maroon out.
I don’t think I can watch another season of Drai Marooon Lucic and Strome. I hate lumbering hockey, CMDs teanm should not be a bunch of 6 year out of date grinders.
While they bench Slepy who actually does things, although he needs to bring a lot more jump he looks slack at times, that’s not how you do it Anton.
**Drai is of course skilled, but I can only take one half pace player, two at the most.
Who is that 77?
Playing pretty good tonight
Hope I didn’t jinx him.
Seriously?? Maroon hurt? This season is so Murphy’s law to the max…
Now we lose him for nothing, or sign him to chia level premium deal… this team is hexed…
Now bench him!!
good Gord is this hockey hard to watch
looks like the drive of the march 2015 oilers
Maroon is back out – thank goodness – give me my futures…..
Milan Lucic since Christmas:
19GP plus tonight
0G 4A -10
What, but he protects McDavid, you say?
He has 12 PIMs in that span. All minors.
Yay $6M for 5 more years after this one.
He’ll now get a 6th rounder because injury worry instead of a first
Man that’s grim
And he appears to have gotten even worse taking/making a pass
Grim
Why that’s Brad Hunt, remember him? He of the Jordan Oesterle D cluster.
Settle down, everyone. Settle down.
Calm yourselves and reach into your inner peace.
Gerta Rauss,
His confidence is gone too,
So ya
Patty is not going to let something as minor as an ACL tear and Achilles strain ruin his opportunity to escape this shit show early.
After 1
1-0 Vegas
10-9 Vegas shots
18-17 Oilers corsi for 5×5
Being an Oilers fan is painful sometimes.
Can’t watch tonight, what were the lines to start the game?
Bruce McCurdy
@BruceMcCurdy
Draisaitl gets TWO wingers who haven’t scored since before Christmas. And that’s the second line.
9:10 PM · Feb 15, 2018
frjohnk,
TMac Blender might be worse than MacTBlender
Ron Lowe looks exactly the same as he did 20 years ago. Maybe a bit “redder”.
TMac coaching for his job right now.
Or maybe this is one of those messages he is sending to the GM again.
Same as last game.
That is a fine suggestion,
Mine’s stuffed with Saskatoon berries and wrapped in a flaky crust
Maybe he hung out with Rob too much?
1-0 for the other team
All these chinese knock offs should be blocked at the borders
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/2452557213/ti2dzas5rg370v38hvv4.jpeg
That was a heck of a tip.
Hmmm…when was the last time the Oilers were down 2-0.?
Yup, but Maroon did not take his man, this after Nurse somehow whiffed on the puck on a clearing attempt. This team is cursed.
It was Only Yesterday
Yup. Sometimes we are quick to say “Oiler player X screwed up” but in plays like this, gotta give credit for the Vegas tip.
The Edmonton oilers where no sticks are tied up in the slot ever.
I wonder what the tipped in goals against to for is for this team. Has to be at least 5 to 1
That’s why I shouldn’t drink on school nights. Pouzar is doing it right.
Oilers love to pass from the middle of the ice to the wings–from higher percentage to lower percentage, almost without fail. Coaching. It’s a thing.
Looks like the Boyz are gonna mail this one in 🙁
Still, Maroon was right next to Marchessault, then inexplicably drifted out into the slot watching the puck and left his man open to make the tip uncontested. Yes, great tip, but FFS at least make it more difficult by taking your man.
Ok.
Fine.
Maroon screwed up.
Better?
😜
Slepy is about the only forward doing anything positive with the puck.
how the frack did that go in…?
Pull him niw
No save Cam?
Talbot wake the f*** UP !
So far the story to be told is that the team will not play any better and Talbot will not have a bounce back game.
Naw, keep him in. Coach will see this as a teaching moment.
Not sure what we are seeing is worthy of a story but sure, that sounds good.
Why does Todd have a Goalie-Pull phobia?
Well at least I have a team Canada jersey I can wear for a couple of weeks to give me hope….
There’s going to be a lot learning in the next couple of months. For me it will be to stay away from SN.
To keep his other phobias company?
Time to send out a new & improved email
I haven’t been 100% focused but this is the first time I’ve seen Connor.
As an aside, I’ve never seen Conair.
That was NOT a highly entertaining period……
And nothing happened!!!
It’s on Movietime right now. A shame what they do to the Vette
All of Katz horses, and all of Katz men, could not put Humpty Dumpty Oilers together again.
OP has been a little quite so far so let me try this out.
On a positive note, Cammalleri is a perfect 2-0 on the dot tonight.
I dunno, I think OP is better at this than I am.
Oilers have given up. Season can’t end soon enough for these guys. Not a good sign going into next year.
You’re such a sceptic
Skinner. McDavid. Yamamoto
Maroon. Draisatl. Puljujarvi
Lucic. Strome. Slepeshev
Cagguila. Khaira. Kassian
Nurse. Larsson
Sekera. Faulk
Russell. Benning
Nuge and Klefbom for Skinner and Faulk
Re-sign Maroon at $3.5 mill for 3 years. Nurse for $4.75 . Benning for $2.0 mill. Fits under the cap if only barely.
And after season Russell can be traded to a list of team’s and exposed for expansion draft for Seattle. Skinner is a UFA so see how that goes, sign or let walk.
Absolutely love that movie. Casting was terrific.
Can’t help it . Sugar rush from overdosing on M&Ms.
Absolutely no to resigning Maroon. I can’t watch him anymore. Take the second round pick and move on.
Put down the bunny
No heart.
–Two Georges
Beats the hell outta Vegas Shame
Tank mode in full effect
Lol
Put the bunny, back in the box …
Why couldn’t you put the bunny back in the box?
Define irony: a bunch of idiots dancing around on a plane to a song made famous by a band that died in a plane crash
Oh .. nothing makes me sadder than the agent lost his bladder in the.. aaiirrplane
Cy-onara!
Cy-onara
It won’t go our way let’s just finish the game
Not that it matters either
What a mess
Maroon benched. Trade?
Never mind, 4th line
Strome can’t even kick in a goal
Waiting to fire everyone is ridiculous start next season’s work now.
Expansion team is the Edmonton Oilers, this is ugly ugly hockey, Eakins would be proud.
This team needs to go to the Bunny Ranch after the game….
Edmonton Oilers; the only CHL team playing in the NHL
This whole season has slid slowly through Talbot’s 5-hole.
Auvitu has had a nice game. Slepy as well. Toss up Klefbom and Nurse for my Oilers 3 stars.
they would get shut out there too.
Oiler jersey on the ice
You think the team is bad, wait until the Oilers shed salary this off-season to account for McDavid’s new contract next year. I don’t imagine both RNH and Klefbom will still be Oilers this fall, and Maroon will likely be gone too (without a suitable replacement in place).
My votes for the equipment manager
Is this the first time this happened at Roger’s place?
Also, is this the first time this has happened since McDavid was drafted?
This game is in Vegas.
Most likely a hammered Oiler fan.
Leon from his “spot”
Can’t get in trouble throwing an opponents jersey on ice….
Sorry, brain cramp! Thanks
Drai with the side door slapper to get 1 on the board
Jujube killed him
Nice scrap.
Maybe a little heart after all
Nice pass by Klefbom to Drai.
Khaira throwing bombs
Vegas watching juju wondering how such a sad sack organization were able to keep him hidden from their scouts.
“Killer” Khaira.
Leon has been incredibly weak in the dzone tonight. His give a shit meter has been about 2. Didnt deserve the goal.
Start double shifting the stick boy
Easy. TMac press boxed him
On what fuckin planet is that not a penalty? Right in the numbers.
Great…now he will go back to that low percentage shot over and over again cause it worked once out of 25 times.
Connor not looking well. Bug or big party?
In the meantime…figure skating was exciting
The final horn comes as a mercy.
Well that’s 5 losses in a row and a trip through Death Valley on Saturday
What a mess
Swamp people are hurting this year. Price of gators has really dropped. But they seem happy!
Vegas figured out how to beat the Oilers. Jinx lifted. They will now go on to own the Oilers for 5 years…
Kurt Browning’s commentary…man. (Didn’t have sportsnet access, lucky thing)
He was an irritant. Muted though I can tolerate it.
I’ve been thinking about Woodguy’s assertion that he would trade Nuge for Faulk. How do we feel about this lineup next year?
Maroon-McD-Yamamoto
Lucic-Drai-Pulju
Caggs-Strome-Slepy
???-Khaira-Kassian
Pakarinen
Klefbom – Faulk
Nurse – Larsson
Sekera – Benning
Russell – Davidson
For me…The defense feels exciting in that lineup. The right wing needs another veteran in top 9. Not a ton of change but would seem pretty balanced if they picked up one more top 9 winger with more experience.
This feels better for the forwards but isn’t possible…
Hoffman-McD-Pulju
Maroon -Drai-Neal
Caggs-Strome- Yamamoto
Slepy-Khaira-Kassian
With a Nuge for Faulk trade, a Lucic trade, and a Russel trade/buyout, the cap would work. However, as I said, not possible. But dare to dream…
Why would we sign Maroon? This is exactly the type of expensive UFA signing that has killed this franchise over the years. Also, if we get Faulk in a trade, there’s zero reason to keep Benning. We can have two lefties on the third pair.
Like everyone else he knew it was over before Christmas.
I’m kidding. Maybe.
Please hockey gods remember how much a rollercoaster its been this year. Give us a little bit more luck next year and send us 3-4 new draft picks that will change our fortunes over the next 5 years.
Congrats to Vegas for finally finding a way to beat us.
Lets hope now our coach will rest our top stars, allow for injuries to fully heal and we can tap into their brains how we can improve the team in the future and let the young guys play for fun and bring up a few from AHL to bring their enthusiasm to the NHL.
For me the GM and Coach get another one year at the helm since they in some way helped us get into playoffs (and win a playoff series) last year which no coach/GM did for about a decade.
Lately when I hit the Tankathon Draft lottery button no matter how Oilers lose we keep winding up with #10 on Lowetide’s List…
(10) LD Quinn Hughes, Michigan (NCAA). Fast as lightning defender, smooth as silk.
MIlan Lucic has taken 13 penalties and drawn 3.
He has a team-leading 48 giveaways against just 18 takeaways.
This is the type of player who is supposed to be contributing even when he isn’t scoring because he does other things. What other things is he doing well?
At the Christmas break the Oilers had crawled back to fake .500. There was a glimmer of hope. Then in this awful 20 game stretch since, that has killed off the season once and for all he has gone 0G 4A -10/
You don’t even have to look up Hall’s stats during his 16-game, ongoing point streak to paint Lucic in a bad light. He has done that all by himself.
I’ve held my tongue on criticizing Lucic the player for a long time. (I have panned the contract, but that’s Chia’s fault, not the player’s.)
But this man is getting paid $42m over 7 years to bring 20-30-50 with some leadership, fire, gritensity and be a possession monster. He’s negative Corsi relative on the year now, hasn’t brought his gritensity in quite some time and is a negative factor on the ice almost every game for a quarter of the season.
There are slumps and there are canyons. The Oilers better hope this is just a slump because there are FIVE more years after this one. We all knew the back end of the contract would be really painful before the ink even dried. The 7th year was shocking to see. But at least the first four years or so were going to be productive, right?
That’s interesting, I thought Leon was one of the very few Oilers engaged through the first two periods.
No finish, no goaltending, no defensive toughness…equal no future.
Wow Laraque took a massive dump on Lucic.
Back when Laraque played in Edmonton, we had basically no high end skill, yet the team was competitive. I remember Lowe and MacT together were able to cobble a lineup that could compete despite no salary cap and limited spending money.
Lowes problems as GM seemed to come with the increased budget. Give a poor man more money than he’s used too and he doesn’t know what to spend it on. I believe this is actually a phenomenon that applies to real life as well. I remember reading an article summarizing some research on the subject.
Anyways, it feels pretty disgusting that we are once again praying for the lottery balls, lord knows we don’t deserve Dahlin.
10 million in Lucic and Russell locked in. Make that 14 mill when Maroon gets 4X4 with an NMC.
I need a new hobby.
My god I hate Cassandra but at this point he looks pretty close to spot on with his take on Lumbering Lucic.
Every time I see him receive a pass standing still in the neutral zone and he tries to skate with it I hear “Fee Fi Fo Fum” reverberating in my head. He’s not even grinding any bones out there anymore so the comparison doesn’t even fit.
That was not a good effort by the Edmonton Oilers last night.
I’d like to say this recent play is a function of not having Larsson and Nuge in the lineup but, although that is a factor, the piss poor effort is unacceptable.
It would be a massive mistake to commit any mediumm to long term cap to a “veteran” winger, whether it be Maroon, Grabner, Max P., Hoffman or otherwise.
The best course of action, in my opinion, for the medium to long term success of this team is to find a way to dispose of one of the $4M plus contracts on the left D side that isn’t Klefbom (or Nurse) and use that cap space to acquire a legit 1st or 2nd pairing RD that can move the puck.
Hopefully find a ONE YEAR stop gap winger to play in the top 6 to bridge the gap until there is some prospect graduation.
Hopefully there is some way to ensure that disposed of LHD contract is Kris Russell as I’d much rather keep Sekera (who is materially better than Russell in all aspects of the game) – it may have to be a buyout.
It may be a painful year next year with more middling wingers in the top 6 (until our prospects graduate) but it will be worth it for the longer term success of the team.
Management: Do not commit cap with term to the top 6 – we cannot afford that unless the Lucic contract is off the books. We have to bet on prospects providing extreme value on their ELCs
Still want to take that bet? I do too, but it may not be in Edmonton.
I’m not going to beat a dead horse, I’ve said my piece about Lucic for two seasons now…..The fact that the Oiler’s traded Hall on the chance Chairelli was going to sigh Lucic only makes matters worse..
That being said, If the Edmonton Oilers want to compete for a Stanley Cup then there is zero chance this man can be on the team, Chairelli can right a lot of wrongs by admitting he screwed up and trade Lucic..
If Chairelli keeps Lucic then he clearly doesn’t understand what he did wrong, his Loyalty is blinding and losing anymore talent (specifically RNH ) just to keep this man and his contract on the Oilers will be my last as an Edmonton Oiler season ticket holder.
This isn’t about Loyalty this is about Cap management and getting the best players to support the ones already here.
IMHO the Oilers have to purge Russell – Lucic – and Sekera contracts in order to fully compete for a Stanley Cup.
I just don’t see how they rebuild this mess without the Cap room.
Can’t believe how many fans are willing to sit still for more losing seasons just to push favored styles of hockey, keep favorites, dump players decided upon as worthless before they played a game for us, and perpetrate the failed 80s Oilers redo rebuild strategy for god knows how many years.
The answer is simple, keep the McDavid core and build around them. All others are expendable as long as talent is brought in to maximize that core. Dump the UFAs and RFAs but Nurse and maybe Strome if we can get around the QO.
Russell’s buyout in year three will significantly impact what we can do. Do you want to give up on Puljujarvi because of Russell’s year 3 buyout? Bite the bullet and wait on Russell and Sekera until next summer when they’re tradable, Lucic the year after.
Chia and TMac have to first realize that Lucic is a very flawed player that is not a fit with McDavid or Draisaitl. Trying to prop up Lucic by weighing down McDavid and/or Draisaitl is not an efficient way to use our two best players. 20 games without a goal? Thats 25% of the season. And we needed some secondary scoring during this time when we were fighting for our playoff lives but Lucic was nowhere to be seen.
Unfortunately, Oilers can not move him or his contract. That is just not happening.
So the Oilers have to make do with the asset. Put him on a soft minutes line on the 3rd line with Strome and a faster winger like Sleppy or Kassian on the other side. Give them offensive zone starts so Lucic does not have try and transition the puck through the neutral zone with plodding skating and errant passes. Put him on PP2 in front of the net. Cut his minutes down to about 12 minutes so maybe he gives a full effort every shift instead of disappearing for shifts at a time.
While removing the Lucic contract would be massive for the ability of this team to fill some of its holes, not moving the Lucic contract does not necessarily equate to Chiarelli’s continued support of this player.
That contract can not be moved without the consent of Milan and Milan could simply just say no. I would assume that he isn’t married to Edmonton and would indeed waive to get to various destinations but that’s pure speculation on my part and, if Milan says no, there is nothing Peter can do.
If anything, Peter has actually shown the ability to walk away from mistakes (Reinhart, Jokinen) and I believe he would walk away from the Lucic contract if he could.
He may not want to, you could be right, however, my point is simply that not moving the contract does not mean the GM/POHO does not want to.
It has nothing to do with keeping favorites and everything to do with trying to build a team to contend for and win the Stanley Cup.
I could easily just say “I can’t believe how many fans want management to try and fix all the apparent holes in the off-season which is an impossible task and will lead to panic moves and even more cap issues in the future:.
have my opinions on what is missing on the team and we simply do not have the cap space to acquire a 1st/2nd pairing RHD (which is the biggest need in my opinion) as well as add some scoring on the wings up front. We don’t have the cap space to do both without having to dispose of an important piece of the core in Klefbom or Nuge. That isn’t about “favorites” that’s about players that I think can help the team win in the future. This team has one advantage right now, its center depth, and I do not think its a good idea to disable the one advantage to commit cap space with term for a top 6 winger. I would rather try and fill the top 6 winger spot internally with extreme value contracts allowing cap space to be spend elsewhere.
We need extreme value contracts in order to build a contender.
Given the foregoing, my opinion is that we cannot commit cap space with term to an established top 6 winger – we don’t have the cap space for it and I think the cap space needs to be spent on the right side of the D – we need to fill that hole and help the transition game. Because of this, there could very well be a hole or two at the top 6 wing and I’m willing to leave the hole for a year (and miss the playoffs because of it) and fix it, in time, with extreme value contracts from graduating prospects.
Its not about “not caring” about missing the playoffs next year its about being realistic, in my opinion, about how many holes can be filled in one off-season with limited cap space without creating other holes. I feel that not committing to a top 6 winger with term is the best course of action to build towards a championship in the medium term even though it may contribute to another tough season next year.
More short term pain for longer term gain.
In my opinion.
I don’t “like it” but I think its the situation we are in unless we can get rid of the Lucic and Russell contracts.
There is a way, Chairelli has to be a GM, bring Lucic in and sit him down, explain that the plan going forward is to get younger, cheaper and faster. There is no room on the team for you, pick twelve teams and I will do my best to trade you to one of those teams, if not… you’ll play at 4 minutes a night….
If I was still a serviceable player and my GM laid out the situation to me like that my choice would be to move on……
Loyalty is a bitch and admitting that a change has to happen is what will make a great GM or A gM that could go down as one of the worst GM’s of all time.
They’ve made their bed for next year, they should probably sleep in it. There aren’t any easy ways out, just creating further problems down the road.
However it seems that rolling the dice on fixes coming up down the road may be part of a GM’s mind set. Gamble Sekera can be good for a few more seasons and hope a player emerges or some deal comes up.
The thing with Klefbom is – if he is healthy in the long term – he will be a very good D on a great contract for quite a few years. Given how hard D are to get, it probably isn’t a great idea to move him.
But he is not a young player anymore and still hasn’t smoothed out like really top players do, that may be something that reduces his value in the org’s eyes.
I think it is more likely they move Nuge. They won’t use him as a winger, he’s smaller and isn’t a shooter, has middling top 6 offense. Trading a good centre for anything other than an elite winger is a talent loss again.
For a quality RD it may be a net gain, but this is a pretty dry group of forwards offensively, they would have to find some goals and decent play in a cheaper UFA or trade.
BTW, Lucic has two more seasons after next before he can be asked to give an 8 team list.
Although I think that if next year he underperforms he’ll fall on his sword. He’s a proud guy, I can see him doing that, but he’ll have to be feeling pretty bad to develop that mindset.
I believe he’s tradeable, but he might not bring much back, but the cap room will mean a lot and while he was the ‘Hall replacement’, he didn’t actually cost assets, just money, so it’s not that bad if it’s a low return.
There also has to be a team that wants him. Highly unlikely.
If this team finds cap space miraculously and spends it on another expensive UFA, I’m going to lose my shit.
Milan could still say no.
Even if Milan says yes to a few teams, moving the contract without taking back an equally horrid contract or retaining more than what makes the trade worthwhile is likely.
I think we are the only two in the community that do not want to see a material top 6 winger brought in this off-season.
I think there’s interest in Lucic, Chairelli might have to eat half that salary but if a 33 yr old Phaneuf can get traded and there is intrest in Maroon then a 28 yr old Lucic has to have some value to a team.
Eating $3M and then needing to replace what Lucic does bring likely makes it even more expensive….
Do you see how much of a hypocrite you sound like? Let’s wait another couple years until we can get rid of Russell and Sekera.. look at your first paragraph and your last paragraph.
Punch me in the face