Chiarelli not learning from Oilers past failures

[rustyisin]

looks like he's wanting to add no fewer than 4 rookies to the already too young Oilers lineup.
Nurse, McDavid, Talbot, Reinhart
Hasn't he been watching this saga unfold the past 5 years?

[30ranfordfan]

I'm going to wait until the off season plays out to judge.... but my initial response is to agree.

McDavid is making this team, and that means that you've got two young guys (McDavid, RNH) as your top two centers. That isn't a problem... the talent is there, that's what you're building around (with Hall, Eberle, Yak, Draisaitl making what should be an awesome core of a forward group).

Talbot? I think the Oilers did okay in the trade.... but they're going with a guy with fewer than 60 games of NHL experience. He looked good for the Rangers last year, but the Rangers are not the Oilers (they're a team that can actually play defense) and while I can remain optimistic that he'll be good, there simply isn't enough of a body of work to convince me he will be......

Looking at who is (was) available: Lack, Talbot, Lehner, Anderson, Gibson, Khodobin, Jones, Niemi.....

Anderson was the one I had hoped they'd swing a deal for. If they had done something like the 16th + Something else for Anderson & Gryba (Oilers clearly had interest in him) I would have been very happy. I wanted nothing to do with Lehner or Jones... didn't realize that Khodobin was available but wouldn't have wanted him either. Niemi?? If the price for his rights was a 7th, and McLellan wasn't pushing hard to get him (I'll assume he was not?) then I'm pleased they stayed away from him (even though the idea of a vet goalie that has had some success is a good thing). Does this mean Lehtonen is available now too?? Not sure I'd want him either. Ramo or Enroth as UFAs ?? Not sure they're great bets.

Of the available backups, I think Eddie Lack is the one I would have preferred, though I can't imagine Vancouver was in a hurry to trade him in the division.

Does Talbot worry me? Yes, some. A vet that's handled top minutes in the past (rather than Scrivens) being added to the roster would make me feel better.



Then there's Reinhart. I don't know what to think. You got a guy with good size, that was a top 5 pick a few years ago.... and it cost you only picks. I think that's good value, though it's clear that the Islanders were ready to move on from him, which makes you wonder.

The Oilers clearly need to upgrade the D. I think that's MORE important than the goaltending (ask Devan Dubnyk??). Reinhart adds depth to a developing group, which is a good thing, but it doesn't do much to upgrade the team right now (which is what they need to do).

What remains to be seen is how many of these "rookie" D (I use quotes, because they've all had some NHL games) will be in the lineup next year: Nurse, Reinhart, Klefboom.... and what kind of role they'll play.

They're in a mix for NHL jobs with Justin Schultz (I'm expecting him to be resigned, not traded) Andrew Ferrence, Nikita Nikkanen, Mark Fayne, and now Eric Gryba. If Keith Aulie is retained, I'll assume he's AHL depth.....

So what do the Oilers have?? They've got a bunch of 4-5-6 dman types (with varying degrees of experience) in Ferrence, Nikkanen, Gryba, and Fayne. They've got a bunch of young 1-2-3 types in Schultz, Reinhart, Klefboom, and Nurse - but not nearly enough experience between them to actually count on them to log big minutes.

They're missing that REAL "top pairing" guy, who can eat 20-25 minutes a night and not look out of place doing it. I'm hoping there's another couple of moves to be made.

[rustyisin]

I'd be very happy if they shipped out RNH for Patrice Bergeron or Eric Staal. We need some veteran size for a 2nd line center.

I also think Eberle needs to find a new home as well as Schultz. Trade them both for vets.
That purges 3 young players who know how to lose.

For the goalie. I was hoping Gibson but I think he's untouchable

[30ranfordfan]

I forgot to comment on Gibson, lol.

The highest ceiling, by far, of the group I mentioned.... but I'd still be concerned with the fact that they'd be going into next season with an untested goalie.

The forward group, as it stands now, I think has the potential to be amazing (granted, it's also got the potential to blow up in management's face again....)

If I'd been running the team for the last few years, I'd have moved Eberle out after the lockout season. They still had "skill" depth up front.... guys that I didn't expect too much from, but were legit (if not great) NHLers: Gagner, Hemsky, Horcoff. Those three, with a mix of RNH, Hall, Yakupov... you had the makings of a good lineup. Instead they shipped out the vets, got nothing for them, and just handed the team over to the kids. Eberle (at the time) probably could have got you a nice upgrade on defense... and that's what they desperately needed. Now? I'm not sure I'd move any of them, as the trade value has tanked under Eakins. Let the current group play for a year under McLellan... and see how it pans out. Consider moving one out next summer, if they're still trying to plug holes on the backend.

I'm guessing they don't move any of the big guns this summer, and roll with something like this next year:


Eberle / Hopkins / _______
Hall / McDavid / _______
Yakupov / _______ / _______
Hendrick / Gordon / Klinkhammer
Gazdic

Of those 4 empty slots... Benoit Pouliot is one of them. Probably with Eberle & Hopkins. I would really like to see Roy brought back to take the 3rd line C slot... but I'm guessing they won't bother keeping him. Teddy Purcell will slot in, unless they get rid of him (I would) somewhere too. Anton Lander looked good late last year... that's likely who they'll hand the 3rd line C slot too (or maybe flip him & Gordon?). Assuming no Roy, this still leaves room from Draisaitl to make the team... if he's ready.

I get what you're saying (about a Bergeron, who I'd really like..... or Staal... who I'd pass on) because you'd be adding top line / vet / winning talent to this group. It's something they probably do need an infusion of.

It's why I'd like to see Purcell gone, and replaced with a guy like Patrick Sharp (not necessarily Sharp, and I would assume that Chicago is asking too much for him, but he's a good example: Proven winner, high skill, can mix into the top two lines).

If the Oilers could put themselves in a position where RNH & McDavid are both playing like their pedigrees suggest they should... and Hall, Eberle, Yak are doing the same around them.... this team could be a crazy good offense, and with the right mix of defense, goaltending, and grizzeled vets around them: I think could turn into a contender quickly (because I do believe McDavid is *THAT* good)..... and they'd also be insulted from the inevitable cap crunch that comes up in three years time:

Once McDavid's ELC runs out, he's going to want to get paid. That's when you move out RNH for a package that compliments what you've got (picks, players, whatever it is that you need at the time) and Draisaitl slots in as your #2 center, while you've still got a winger group consisting of two former #1 overall picks (Hall, Yakupov) and Eberle.

I'd be very happy if they shipped out RNH for Patrice Bergeron or Eric Staal. We need some veteran size for a 2nd line center.

I also think Eberle needs to find a new home as well as Schultz. Trade them both for vets.
That purges 3 young players who know how to lose.

For the goalie. I was hoping Gibson but I think he's untouchable

I dunno. I try to keep the rose coloured glasses off of my face (especially with how bad this team has been) but I really feel that MacTavish & Lowe being out of decision making roles, Eakins being long gone (he set this team back 2+ years) and McDavid coming to town: They've got a chance to be a very special group. The talent that's been collected here is going to be exciting.... I just hope that also means they'll win.

[rustyisin]

the Oilers fwd group HAD the potential to be amazing for many years - they aren't.
Perennial losers have to be purged...that might include Hall
RNH has to go -can't pay a 2nd line centre 6M per year
Yak needs to play with McDavid - that guy can score...give him a chance.
Hall-McDavid-Yak line would be something to watch.

Funny about Eberle - I thought he should have been gone 3 years ago. Kept telling that
to my Oilers buddy who disagreed. So far he's right and I look like an idiot - and so does the Oilers organization.I
'm not even a hockey manager and I know the flaws they made with this team.

Seems like they're content on continuing to lose by playing young players - I don't see that they upgraded the youth for veterans at all - quite the opposite

[30ranfordfan]

I read an article about Lou Lamoriello yesterday (latest issue of the hockey news). One thing they talked about was his insistence of how to build a proper hockey team. You needed a mix of youth (18-23 year olds), middle age guys (24-31) and older vets (32+). Ideally your youth grow into the middle age guys, but you move players in and out of the organization based on the idea that you want to keep those three age groups similar in numbers. If you suddenly find you team to be too old or too young, you make trades to re-balance those ratios.

That's exactly what the Oilers have not done over the last 9 years. Lots of youth / potential.... but not enough older talent around them.

[rustyisin]

I don't think Chiarelli is as dumb as Lowe, MacT, and Tambellini
So I think his plan must be to move out some of those young player (Eberle, RNH, Schultz, etc.)
for some veterans.
I can see them keeping Hall, Yakupov (no value), and Draisatl - but with McDavid, Nurse, Klefbom I think that's enough youth on the team.

[RGM81]

I don't think Chiarelli is as dumb as Lowe, MacT, and Tambellini
So I think his plan must be to move out some of those young player (Eberle, RNH, Schultz, etc.)
for some veterans.
I can see them keeping Hall, Yakupov (no value), and Draisatl - but with McDavid, Nurse, Klefbom I think that's enough youth on the team.

Is anybody dumber than those three?