Richard Cloutier: Oilers to Benn Over?
- Maxbone

100% agree. It makes no sense to offer sheet Benn, and my faith in the rebuild depends on them not doing something as stupid as that.

We have all of 5.5 million committed past 2014, so I don't think our cap situation is that bad. Tambs has everyone except Horcoff on a two-year tryout right now, so I don't think the current 8th ranked spending should concern any oilers fan. We can easily keep all the kids and improve the team through trade/FA over the next two years. I forgot that we also have Yaks signed past two years but you get the point.

Here comes a flame war, but I actually don't think you're giving Toronto enough credit. They are a #1 center OR a #1 goalie away from the playoffs. They won't need both.

Calgary or Vancouver makes the most sense in terms of an offer sheet. Calgary because they need another major piece to solidify their playoff chances and to parlay the franchise into the post-Iginla age, and Vancouver because their draft picks would be peanuts comparatively, and they could use a little more balance in the top 6. I'd put Winnipeg in the list, but they have their own RFA to re-sign right now.

Agree 100% in terms of a power forward. They'll be hard or problematic to acquire. In my opinion, Hall looks like he's on the Dustin Brown path anyway: a born leader who'd eat glass if you told him it would help the team win. Brown is a true power forward who's only Hall-sized

Considering the Oilers will be in the running for MacKinnon or Jones this year, offer sheeting Benn would likely be a big mistake.
- skelly96

Only time will tell. There are a number of teams in the running at this point. Not making a move based on speculation of future performance isn't a wise operations strategy.

Brandon Dubinsky ‏@BDubi17
On my way to Columbus today to see what its all about! Excited to see my new home! #CBJ
- saskoil21

I like Dubinsky, I wish him the best. I'd imagine Columbus is a cool city for young players, what with the 30,000 college girls kickin around.

Leafs PR ‏@LeafsPR
Steve Staios announced today his retirement as an active player and has been named the #Leafs Player Development Advisor.



Steve was a good soldier for the Oil... really wish him all the best...
- saskoil21

I could've sworn that I heard he retired a few weeks ago and took some sort of job. Thought he an Moreau were around the same time?

Brandon Dubinsky ‏@BDubi17
On my way to Columbus today to see what its all about! Excited to see my new home! #CBJ
- saskoil21

Feel bad for the guy. He is going to be considered the center piece of the deal for CBJ's franchise player.

Brandon Dubinsky ‏@BDubi17
On my way to Columbus today to see what its all about! Excited to see my new home! #CBJ
- saskoil21

Shouldn't start your career in CBJ with LIES, Brandon.

Feel bad for the guy. He is going to be considered the center piece of the deal for CBJ's franchise player.
- Lahey

Yeah, he will have alot of pressure on him... I think those players combined will fill the void Nash left behind... just not individually...

Shouldn't start your career in CBJ with LIES, Brandon.
- Bodhisattva

I thought this too.

Shouldn't start your career in CBJ with LIES, Brandon.
- Bodhisattva

Well he never said he was excited to put on the Jersey, just excited to see his home. Who knows maybe it has an awesome games room with a fully stocked bar so he can drink the pain of going from a contender to, well, CBJ.

Yeah, he will have alot of pressure on him... I think those players combined will fill the void Nash left behind... just not individually...
- saskoil21

It's not hard to get those players though.

Dubinsky has been rumored to be on the block all year. Would it really cost all that much to get him if you weren't moving Nash?

I don't know about AA, but he was playing with Stepan and Gaborik last year so who knows how good he really is.

So Chiarelli approaches Oilers management and says "I'll give you Lucic for Klefbom"....and then the Oilers say "no"?


- Bodhisattva

Cloutier is way too high on Klefbom at the moment, the kid is hyped as an offensive dmen yet he hasn't done anything special in the swedish league. he has good size and I feel there is a great upside in his game but it will take years before he is NHL ready.

Cloutier is way too high on Klefbom at the moment, the kid is hyped as an offensive dmen yet he hasn't done anything special in the swedish league. he has good size and I feel there is a great upside in his game but it will take years before he is NHL ready.
- Gannicus

wrong.

the guy will be playing in 2013/14 guaranteed, if you saw him at the development camp you'd have seen. Stood out the way eberle and hall did two years ago at the same camp. Nobody is really hyping him up to be an offensive guy, people compare him to Kevin Lowe. Now that we signed Schultz it is less concerning if Klefbom is more of a 20-25 point steady defenseman.

wrong.

the guy will be playing in 2013/14 guaranteed, if you saw him at the development camp you'd have seen. Stood out the way eberle and hall did two years ago at the same camp. Nobody is really hyping him up to be an offensive guy, people compare him to Kevin Lowe. Now that we signed Schultz it is less concerning if Klefbom is more of a 20-25 point steady defenseman.
- Oil_Addict

Playing against kids isn't exactly a big deal.

If he comes over this year sure, I could see him getting some action in 13/14. If not then I don't know.

Playing against kids isn't exactly a big deal.

If he comes over this year sure, I could see him getting some action in 13/14. If not then I don't know.
- Lahey

you seem down on Klefbom, why?

Brandon Dubinsky ‏@BDubi17
On my way to Columbus today to see what its all about! Excited to see my new home! #CBJ
- saskoil21

Good team player. I wouldn't hesitate to snag him on EDM anytime.

you seem down on Klefbom, why?
- Oil_Addict

I'm not down. I just don't get to excited when a kid that is use to playing against men does well in a meaningless development camp against kids.

The transition that these kids have to go through isn't easy either. Klefbom at least will have an edge when it comes to the strength side of things because he's played against men, but he'll still have to learn the NA game and will have to get use to the hitting aspect that isn't that big in the SEL.

I'm not down. I just don't get to excited when a kid that is use to playing against men does well in a meaningless development camp against kids.

The transition that these kids have to go through isn't easy either. Klefbom at least will have an edge when it comes to the strength side of things because he's played against men, but he'll still have to learn the NA game and will have to get use to the hitting aspect that isn't that big in the SEL.
- Lahey

Just put him on the ice with Torres and he'll learn quick.

Richard Cloutier: Oilers to Benn Over?
- Maxbone

yes the Oilers on the cap are 8th in the league right now, but they have 24 players on that roster so one will have to come off. Also I think about 11 million of that is in bonuses so unless all the ELC guys play the lights out and get those bonuses, Edmonton is not really spending anywhere near the cap.

Benn offer sheet for Oilers doesn't make sense to me. Great player, but would cost a lot. I could see Ottawa or Montreal giving him an offer sheet.

Well he never said he was excited to put on the Jersey, just excited to see his home. Who knows maybe it has an awesome games room with a fully stocked bar so he can drink the pain of going from a contender to, well, CBJ.
- Lahey

It's rumored that Carter left behind a hidden treasure of assorted, fancy liquors when he left, so maybe he's excited to try to find that...

It's rumored that Carter left behind a hidden treasure of assorted, fancy liquors when he left, so maybe he's excited to try to find that...
- Dissent

Liquors or various samples of cocaine?

Excellent. Perfect way to put it. If you only could have heard how loud I yelled "BULLSH*T!!!!!" in my head as I read that part of the article...

And people think Leafs fans overrate their players...
- Bodhisattva

It was just a few short seasons ago that Leafs fans on this site were spewing garbage about not being willing to deal Kaberle straight up for Lucic. That in itselfs limits any Leafs fan from throwing stones about not wanting to part with a prospect for the guy...it was idiotic then and it's idiotic now.

The most ridiculous part of any "Lucic to anywhere" post is that every team in the league had a shot at him and passed in his draft year - some twice as he went 50th in '06. All you had to do was watch the Vancouver Giants in the postseason a couple years ago to know he was going to be an NHL force.

According to CapGeek, the Oilers are sitting at 8th in spending for player contracts next season. 8th. The 29th place team spends the 8th highest amount

The Oilers are not actually spending it
A good chunk of it is unpaid bonuses to the fruit of their suckage.

Dallas has $17MM in unused Cap space.
As someone noted earlier, Benn ain't going anywhere.

It was just a few short seasons ago that Leafs fans on this site were spewing garbage about not being willing to deal Kaberle straight up for Lucic. That in itselfs limits any Leafs fan from throwing stones about not wanting to part with a prospect for the guy...it was idiotic then and it's idiotic now.

The most ridiculous part of any "Lucic to anywhere" post is that every team in the league had a shot at him and passed in his draft year - some twice as he went 50th in '06. All you had to do was watch the Vancouver Giants in the postseason a couple years ago to know he was going to be an NHL force.
- Deeps27

^this

I thought the title said "Oilers to Bend over!"

I thought the title said "Oilers to Bend over!"
- Captain_Quiffe

I believe that's the joke.