He's gonna be your meal ticket to the rest of your roster depth later. Hes gonna get you guys a few assets to round out the roster.
- poisondhearts37

Or he lights it up playing with RNH, Hall, Eberle and Co.

I bet yakopov is the reason the russians end with gold. Dont forget his nerves playing at home cant help. He went first for a reason.

Cant see the Oil having Cap problems for a few years. Very manageable cap situation and team. Great situation going forward, and this new Cap/CBA couldnt have come at a more perfect time for a young team ready to take the next step.
- systemtool

This.
Even with a buyout option the oil wouldnt buy out horcoff until next summer at the earliest.
He does too many things well and fills a role no one else can really ( tough matchups defensively, 3rd line center, faceoffs etc)

Overpaid or not, the oilers can afford him at the moment, and he's still vital to this young team

This.
Even with a buyout option the oil wouldnt buy out horcoff until next summer at the earliest.
He does too many things well and fills a role no one else can really ( tough matchups defensively, 3rd line center, faceoffs etc)

Overpaid or not, the oilers can afford him at the moment, and he's still vital to this young team
- hugefemale dog77

When Horcoff's contract expires, the Oilers will be sick for real.

It's too bad that Brian Burke is too dumb to figure out how to get rewarded for losing.
- RichardHertz

Umm okay....now you're just being an idiot. Shame you're too dumb to figure it out. Then again, I can see why you would relate losing to brilliance. I see what you did there.

When Horcoff's contract expires, the Oilers will be sick for real.
- Thehabsfan93

Horcoff is brilliant. Too bad Taylor Hall is too dumb to figure out what it takes.

See what happened there Cloutier? Brilliant.

Why is Yakupov the bait? Who's to say he doesn't kick Hall off the team, or Eberle gets injured, or RNH falters. poop happens. That's the whole point of depth. If somebody gets too expensive you trade them for new assets, you don't deal the guy before he plays especially a number one overall pick The Oilers have a unique spot in that they have a deal breaking chip for the future in one of their top end picks that will be one of those major playoff/contention moves down the line.

Why is Yakupov the bait? Who's to say he doesn't kick Hall off the team, or Eberle gets injured, or RNH falters. poop happens. That's the whole point of depth. If somebody gets too expensive you trade them for new assets, you don't deal the guy before he plays especially a number one overall pick The Oilers have a unique spot in that they have a deal breaking chip for the future in one of their top end picks that will be one of those major playoff/contention moves down the line.
- AdamFrench

Racism.

One of these things is not like the others...

Racism.

One of these things is not like the others...
- systemtool

Ya that Nugent-Hopkins freak has two last names.

Ya that Nugent-Hopkins freak has two last names.
- AdamFrench

His mom must wear the pants in that marriage.

His mom must wear the pants in that marriage.
- systemtool

His muddah and faddah are divorced.

I bet yakopov is the reason the russians end with gold. Dont forget his nerves playing at home cant help. He went first for a reason.
- hockeylegend488

he looked like a pretty selfish player in the US game.

Hate to see that attitude bleed in when players like RNH/Eberle/Hall don't play that way

After watching Yakapov play yesterday, he came off as a selfish player who likes to float. Sure, he has talent, but if this is his attitude, I'm glad you guys took him. He did make one shot block late in the third, but it doesn't make up for the turnovers and leaving the zone too early, for a stretch pass. I don't even think that he's ready for the NHL yet.
- PrinceLH

I noticed his selfishness too. Could get a good goalie for him

send him to vancouver for lack and tanev.

Let him develop a nice ego with keeler lol

I bet yakopov is the reason the russians end with gold. Dont forget his nerves playing at home cant help. He went first for a reason.
- hockeylegend488

Poor bastard has toplay 41 home games in the NHL, will that excuse carry over if he doesn't perform?

I don't believe that Shawn Horcoff doesn't care if the Oilers win or lose. I don't think he necessarily needs to be tossed from a leadership role. And at this point, he's only 2 million overpaid.

Lose him if we must. But I guarantee we'll turn around and spend 3-3.5 million of it on Dominic Moore, Jason Arnott, or worse, Scott Gomez.

Richard Cloutier: Making the Oilers Fit Under the Cap in 2013/2014
- Maxbone

Hate losing Whitney for nothing - I'd rather move him for a pick than let him walk.

I don't believe that Shawn Horcoff doesn't care if the Oilers win or lose. I don't think he necessarily needs to be tossed from a leadership role. And at this point, he's only 2 million overpaid.

Lose him if we must. But I guarantee we'll turn around and spend 3-3.5 million of it on Dominic Moore, Jason Arnott, or worse, Scott Gomez.
- Morris

I think you missed the point of the blog. The Oilers don't have the $3mil - $3.5mil of cap space required to acquire someone. In Edmonton, like most other teams, prospects will start their careers sooner in the NHL because teams will need to unload veteran players who cost twice as much.

In 2014/2015, for example, Ryan Smyth and Eric Belanger will be gone. Depending on how good Justin Schultz and Yakupov turn out, you might need to get rid of someone like Nick Schultz, and Ryan Jones could go too. If the Oilers play terrible in the shortened 2013 season, you could see either Sam Gagner or Ales Hemsky go very quickly. I'm pretty sure the Oilers would take MacKinnon, Barkov or Monahan and play that person in the 2nd line center role...Barkov and Monahan in particular would bring much needed size to the Top 6.

Hate losing Whitney for nothing - I'd rather move him for a pick than let him walk.
- thefullnelson

Oilers will deal him at the trade deadline.

I think you missed the point of the blog. The Oilers don't have the $3mil - $3.5mil of cap space required to acquire someone. In Edmonton, like most other teams, prospects will start their careers sooner in the NHL because teams will need to unload veteran players who cost twice as much.

In 2014/2015, for example, Ryan Smyth and Eric Belanger will be gone. Depending on how good Justin Schultz and Yakupov turn out, you might need to get rid of someone like Nick Schultz, and Ryan Jones could go too. If the Oilers play terrible in the shortened 2013 season, you could see either Sam Gagner or Ales Hemsky go very quickly. I'm pretty sure the Oilers would take MacKinnon, Barkov or Monahan and play that person in the 2nd line center role...Barkov and Monahan in particular would bring much needed size to the Top 6.
- Maxbone

Hopefully not

If the Oilers picked 2nd, and MacKinnon was gone, I'd definitely take Jones.

Linus Omark is worth nothing.

Your ideas are a great way to compete for the services of Nathan Mackinnon or Seth Jones.

I think you missed the point of the blog. The Oilers don't have the $3mil - $3.5mil of cap space required to acquire someone. In Edmonton, like most other teams, prospects will start their careers sooner in the NHL because teams will need to unload veteran players who cost twice as much.

In 2014/2015, for example, Ryan Smyth and Eric Belanger will be gone. Depending on how good Justin Schultz and Yakupov turn out, you might need to get rid of someone like Nick Schultz, and Ryan Jones could go too. If the Oilers play terrible in the shortened 2013 season, you could see either Sam Gagner or Ales Hemsky go very quickly. I'm pretty sure the Oilers would take MacKinnon, Barkov or Monahan and play that person in the 2nd line center role...Barkov and Monahan in particular would bring much needed size to the Top 6.
- Maxbone

Do we have a firm idea what the cap is going to be? I hadn't looked at the latest proposal.

All I was saying was that practically speaking, we'd need a 3rd line centre to compete, so I don't really feel like you can just eliminate all 5.5 of Horcoff's money permanently. You'll have to reinvest. Maybe that's three or four years down the road though. It strikes me as purely academic when there isn't a firm number of the 2013-2014 cap and we don't know if there will yet be a shortened season.

Linus Omark is worth nothing.

Your ideas are a great way to compete for the services of Nathan Mackinnon or Seth Jones.
- sanfordnson

It's not so much that Omark is worth nothing... more that no one will pay anything for him. There are likely 10 teams who should offer a conditional 7th round pick for him or something... the kid has attitude problems but sometimes people outgrow those, and if a team can sort out his issues he could be a good second line winger.