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4 - 1st Round Picks + Coach Smyth? |
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The Oilers won tonight. Good idea? Not bad. It was good for Nail Yakupov, who had a couple goals and moved to the front of the line in the Calder Trophy race. We all know he'll never win it, because the people who vote on such things have a complete and total eastern bias. It will be Dougie Hamilton who wins the Rookie of the Year in 2013.
Yakupov and Hall together on a line seems like hell on skates for the opposition. Two very similar players with similar levels of compete. Add the right center to the line and you have the one of the scariest 1st lines in the NHL. Speed and tenacity.
The Oilers slipped to drafting 7th now, which blows. I have this feeling if the Oilers are picking in the Top 5, they'll use the pick. 7th or later? They move it for an immediate player. The Oilers need a center with size. Would the Oilers 7th overall pick and Sam Gagner get you Brayden Schenn? What about the same offer for Mika Zibanejad? Have you seen Zibanejad play this season. Woof. I like this kid. He's be the perfect #2 center in Edmonton.
I have this one scenario in my head where Craig MacTavish loses his mind and deals Sam Gagner, Ales Hemsky and Ladislav Smid all for 1st round picks. Could you imagine the Oilers having four picks in the 1st round? Hilarious. No necessarily a great idea; but it's funny. Gagner could get you someone in the 8-12 range, Hemsky and Smid more the 20-30 range.
Who do you draft? Need to project the draft a bit to figure this out.
1. Jones, 2. Drouin, 3. MacKinnon, 4. Barkov, 5. Nichushkin, 6. Nurse, 7. Oilers - Monahan, 8. Lindholm, 9. Shinkaruk, 10. Ristolainen, 11. Oilers - Lazar, 12. Zadarov, 13. Fucale, 14. Gauthier, 15. Wennberg, 16. Horvat, 17. Pulock, 18. Rychel, 19. Domi, 20. Zykov, 21. Burakowsky, 22. Oilers - Hagg, 23. Santini, 24. Mantha, 25. Compher, 26. Oilers - Comrie, Dickinson, 27. Hartman, 28. Bowey, 29. Bigras, and finally 30. Theodore
Under this scenario the Oilers draft their future 2nd and 3rd line centers in Monahan and Lazar. The complete level goes way up on the team with these two added. Hagg is a defenseman with size that players the left-side (something the Oilers need). Hard to say if he's the next Oscar Klefbom. With the final 4th 1st round pick, the Oilers take a goalie they have followed around all season; Eric Comrie.
Of course, Oilers fans will all hate this suggestion, but I really like it. Hemsky has nothing to do with the Oilers success now, and they'd had two blue chip prospects in Monahan and Lazar to replace Gagner. Comrie would immediately move to the front of the Oilers prospect line.
One Final Rumor - Someone text me a message today claiming Oilers management have offered Ryan Smyth a coaching position next season. Well, that's one way to get him off the ice. The move would make sense, I believe. Smyth is a "company man" and it's time for him to move on.
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
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