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I Remember the Playoffs Once

April 30, 2013, 10:47 PM ET [275 Comments]
Richard Cloutier
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Chicago and some other team are playing right now. I'd watch, but meh, I couldn't be bothered.

It's not that playoff hockey is bad. Actually, in theory, this should be the most exciting time of the year for hockey fans. Problem is, I'm not a hockey fan. I'm an Oilers fan. The only thing the Oilers are playing right now is the back nine at Tiger Woods house. Oh, and they might be golfing too.

A bunch of Oilers are going to play in the world championships. Whoopie. Is that suppose to impress me or something? And Oilers brass talk about how the experience will build character and all of that. I just see it as another way our precious players could get hurt, and that worries me. I'd wrap Taylor Hall in cotton and stick him in a closet the entire off-season if I thought it would help. With my luck, he might starve or something, and that could be bad.

I heard some ridiculous number being thrown around that Craig MacTavish might make such significant changes to the Oilers this off-season that there might be between six and eight different players on the team. Maybe this is a good idea, maybe not? I'm not sure if we should be scared. I remember MacT the coach and how he favored certain players over better ones, just because. Dustin Penner scored 30+ goals and seemed to play five minutes per game. I'm just happy Krueger is the coach and not MacTavish.

I have a problem with the logistics of this. How can I explain: Okay, let's use Ales Hemsky as an example, because we all pretty much know he's gone this summer. What is Hemsky actually worth in a trade? A 2nd round pick and a reasonable prospect? That does nothing to help the Oilers now. So we'll keep looking. Maybe the Oilers throw in a 2nd round pick and turn Hemsky + a 2nd into Brandon Dubinsky, who would be a solid #3 center. I'm not sure Columbus does that deal, but you get what I'm trying to say here. In order for the Oilers to turn Hemsky into a positional upgrade, they'll need to deal more than just Hemsky.

Sam Gagner for a bigger center discussion....same thing. What do you feel like including with Gagner to get the deal done? Because that's how it's going to work.

Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail Yakupov, Justin Schultz and Oscar Klefbom all aren't going anywhere. Jeff Petry and Magnus Paajarvi are almost just as safe. The Oilers value Shawn Horcoff and no one would trade for him, so he's on the "staying" list. I think I'd add Nick Schultz and Devan Dubnyk to this list. The more I hear Oilers people talk about Dubnyk, the more they seem confident in his development. That's 11 guys who are safe.

Dealing players like Ladislav Smid, Ales Hemsky or Sam Gagner makes no sense unless you are upgrading at the position. That means the Oilers need to kick in extra prospects or draft picks. The Oilers 1st round pick (7th overall) could absolutely be moved this year for an immediate player. If MacT's plan is to make the team immediately better....and keep in mind the players the Oilers would really value (Sean Monahan or Sasha Barkov) will be gone by pick 7. The Oilers think Curtis Lazar is the best thing since sliced bread, but he's going to go around pick 20; meaning, the Oilers could always trade down.

You see what happens when your hockey team of choice sucks? We end up debating matters we have no idea how they will turn out instead of talking playoff hockey. Watching Kings and Blues right now, and I'm thinking the Oilers in their current form would be eaten alive by either of these teams. When did Brian Elliott become a real goalie?

Here's what I see happening this summer to the blue and orange: Not much.

MacT has big plans. Big dreams. Six to eight different players. Sounds ideal, but it's actually kinda not. Teams are not going to cough up what the Oilers need to get better. Going back to that Kings/Blues series...It's a bunch of gorillas out there. Teams don't trade away players like that. Oddly enough, the Oilers had the right idea last draft when they took Yakupov and a whole stack of huge forwards. It's possible two - Daniil Zharkov and Jujhar Khaira - Will turn into NHL players. The Oilers need another draft like this, only focusing on big centers. With luck you'll find one or two that turns into something. Trade Hemsky and a 2nd to move up and have a 2nd pick in the 1st round. Take Freddy Gauthier with it. Bribe the Flames to leave Sean Monahan alone. Maybe they'd rather take the more offensively-gifted Elias Lindholm. Can you imagine if the Oilers came away from the draft with Monahan AND Gauthier? The Top 9 just got huge.

If people are sitting around waiting for MacT to deal for Couturier, or Schenn, or Staal, or someone like that, they're going to be waiting forever. As horrifyingly painful as it is, the answer is still patience and is still the draft. Sue me for thinking so, but I just don't think the Oilers have enough assets to give up to acquire quality immediate players to compliment Hall and Eberle. And UFA's...you know how that works in Edmonton: Always the bridesmaids; never the brides.

K, I really need to go. An awful Scissor Sisters song is on my iPod and I'm slowly dying. Wake me up when the playoffs are over.
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