Close. I think the stock piling of more prospects is pointless. I think we need that like we need a hole in the head. What are we going to do with them? Start to AHL teams? We need to start turning our prospects into one or two elite players. Smid and Hemsky might be enough to get us a real goalie or a top 4 dman. We can't just keep throwing rookies out there and saying they will get better. At some point in time we need to find a player that has proven he is good NOW and pick him up.

I also think Omark has little value so signing him and playing his next year is the best idea for him. He will be cheap and even as the extra forward on the team, I think we have proven that we have enough injuries to warrant his skills. Then when he shows his worth we trade him.
- bsteinley

there's a reason why edm qualified him, he is a capable forward, but just small and selfish. only team, detroit bc of his chemistry with brunner and zetterberg. otherwise i would not let him step into the edm lock room at all.

You pretty much said it.

We have one ex player in the HHOF so I think you are bang on
- VANTEL

Bure is a cancer on a hockey team. He never back-checked, he divided most rooms he was in, and he would score 3goals in a 6-4 loss. The Sedins are lights out awesome! but I do remember them playing on the third line, facing trade rumours, getting teased, etc. If you use your 5-6yr time horizon, Hall is about 4years ahead of that.

I am actually feeling a bit guilty for not mentioning Stan Smyl, he was pretty great actually.

Bure is a cancer on a hockey team. He never back-checked, he divided most rooms he was in, and he would score 3goals in a 6-4 loss. The Sedins are lights out awesome! but I do remember them playing on the third line, facing trade rumours, getting teased, etc. If you use your 5-6yr time horizon, Hall is about 4years ahead of that.

I am actually feeling a bit guilty for not mentioning Stan Smyl, he was pretty great actually.
- JLO961

Smyl was a leader for Canucks, much like Linden . Never make the HOF but revered in Vancouver.

Smyl was a leader for Canucks, much like Linden . Never make the HOF but revered in Vancouver.
- VANTEL

Kind of how Smytty would be in Edmonton if not for the douche maneuvers.

Really, the last guy I can think of that truly grabbed this team by the balls and led it was probably Gator. Highly underrated dman. Never got enough credit.

Bure is a cancer on a hockey team. He never back-checked, he divided most rooms he was in, and he would score 3goals in a 6-4 loss. The Sedins are lights out awesome! but I do remember them playing on the third line, facing trade rumours, getting teased, etc. If you use your 5-6yr time horizon, Hall is about 4years ahead of that.

I am actually feeling a bit guilty for not mentioning Stan Smyl, he was pretty great actually.
- JLO961

are you comparing sedins at 21 vs hall at the moment at 21 facts and figures?

Richard Cloutier: My wife knows hockey more than me.

Fixed

I will say it yet again.

New coach. You can't promote an assistant. It doesn't work.

New management. I truly believe Tambo is a tool put in place to be manipulated by upper management. Either way, the entire staff has to go. Do what Mtl did cuz whatever mentality this staff has, is brutal.

With that change, more changes will come with the on ice talent. But the vets on this team are losers and it rubs off on your youth. Don't want that mentality going forward.

Another lottery pick this year.

How can a team with last last million first round draft picks still be this bad? Get somebody in there who knows how to build a hockey team would ya? It's embarrassing to watch!

Is there any chance for the Oilers to pick up Ruff, or is that a zero possibility right now just because Krueger is in his first year?

You pretty much said it.

We have one ex player in the HHOF so I think you are bang on
- VANTEL

The Sedins are pretty close, people can make a pretty strong arguement that they are.

Is there any chance for the Oilers to pick up Ruff, or is that a zero possibility right now just because Krueger is in his first year?
- nayefj

Depends how bad it gets. If the losing streak winds up stretching to 10 games or so (and Ive seen nothing to indicate it won't sadly) you've got to think Katz will do what he would with any losing enterprise: re-structure.

Otherwise no.

Dear Richard,

Why do you list the players you want to keep in every single blog? Ok., we get it, you somehow want to improve your team without moving one of your top picks/prospects.

Perhaps it would be prudent to remind you of the time the Raptors - eerily similar to the Oilers - drafted Damon Stoudamire, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and Marcus Camby: Shoulda been the best team in the NBA for years. I don't have a point, but the paralells are interesting.


Also, I have to wonder if the Oilers are waiting to see if Darcy Rieger gets fired first, but what possible reason do they have on waiting on Lindy Ruff? Scoop him up now!!

Smyl was a leader for Canucks, much like Linden . Never make the HOF but revered in Vancouver.
- VANTEL

Linden was a big fan favorite, but he's one of the least effective hockey players ever. Great guy, but he's an "also ran".

Kind of how Smytty would be in Edmonton if not for the douche maneuvers.

Really, the last guy I can think of that truly grabbed this team by the balls and led it was probably Gator. Highly underrated dman. Never got enough credit.
- sanfordnson

bingo!!! He's precisely what EDM needs, precisely.

Hmm

Need to score?




LET'S GO!

The Sedins are pretty close, people can make a pretty strong arguement that they are.
- doon

It would be a travesty if the Sedins aren't in the HHOF. WHen you think of cycling the puck, you think of them. If Gretz gets the 99 behind the net, put their numbers on the boards in the offensive corners.

Dear Richard,

Why do you list the players you want to keep in every single blog? Ok., we get it, you somehow want to improve your team without moving one of your top picks/prospects.

Perhaps it would be prudent to remind you of the time the Raptors - eerily similar to the Oilers - drafted Damon Stoudamire, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and Marcus Camby: Shoulda been the best team in the NBA for years. I don't have a point, but the paralells are interesting.


Also, I have to wonder if the Oilers are waiting to see if Darcy Rieger gets fired first, but what possible reason do they have on waiting on Lindy Ruff? Scoop him up now!!
- Jimmy_Tea

the kids are not the problem,and the Oilers dont need to trade any of the kids to get the help they need.

Kruger doesn't seem to have much emotion about anything. Is it possible this is translating to the players? he should have been absolutely livid after last night yet still...I think the time for coddling these guys is done. They need some tough love.
- sanfordnson

It doesn't help that the young guys have already been anointed superstars by various people. They are far from that level right now, and even though I wouldn't suggest going as far as Burke and Wilson did in the past to keep expectations on Kadri realistic, they do have to be looked at as they are and be held accountable accordingly.

Do you really believe after just a few more years of sucking that any of the core would even want to be hear anymore?? NOT
- cdjaakkola

no they wont i said before if management dont do nothing they will ask for the door

When did Vesa Toskala make the comeback?

You're hilarious Clouts.

HA! No you couldn't. I guarantee you that. But, if you insist:

Devan Dubnyk should get the same as anything the Canucks could get for Schneider.

Sam Gagner is at least an average 2nd line center.

Jeff Petry is a top-4 Dman on most teams in the NHL.

Ladislav Smid is a top-notch PKer and shot blocker but isn't good for much else.

Ales Hemsky is a skilled top-6 playmaker.

The thing is, the bar has yet to be set when it comes to post-lockout trades so I couldn't give you any definitive values on those players. What do you want me to evaluate them by? The pick(s) they would garner in a trade with the ideal trade partner? I need more parameters for this.
- MaximumBone

Hahahaha

Is there any chance for the Oilers to pick up Ruff, or is that a zero possibility right now just because Krueger is in his first year?
- nayefj

I've said it before, he'd be like Pat Quinn 2.0 for the Oilers. A big name who's really never seemed to adapt to a modern coaching style. he's not the answer.

Hire Pierre McGuire and Lindy Ruff fire Kruger and Tambi
Pierre is me of the best at examining talent And Ruff can get these kids going

Hire Pierre McGuire and Lindy Ruff fire Kruger and Tambi
Pierre is me of the best at examining talent And Ruff can get these kids going
- rigger2.0

Why? In precise terms.
- sanfordnson

Cause he has a $6 mil price tag and the cap is going down to $64 mil. He is definitely tradeable, just not as easy as Oiler fans would like. Alot of teams would love to have him, ex. Columbus