Not to the rest of the NHL. For them I think it does bring a bit more value.

DeKeyser... seriously, he's not solving immediate problems. Sure bring him in, but if thats the mentality in town... we're still 2 years out on playoffs. Have we not learned that throwing prospects at a glaring problems solves very little?
- Eersel

Watch how fast Semin disappears now. Dumb move.

Just curious what hemskys playoff stats are ? Has he ever done much ? He strikes me as a guy that should be close to point per game in reg season but come playoffs he might disappear .... Clowe has had a very dismal year but he seems to always bring it come playoffs
- Redmile247

When he was a rookie, he had 0 points in 6 playoff games.

During the cup run, he had 17 in 24, which was just below the pace he scored in the season. Posted good stats on bad playoff teams in junior, and good stats for his Czech lockout team. That's all we have to go off of.

When he was a rookie, he had 0 points in 6 playoff games.

During the cup run, he had 17 in 24, which was just below the pace he scored in the season. Posted good stats on bad playoff teams in junior, and good stats for his Czech lockout team. That's all we have to go off of.
- Morris

I always felt that Hemsky would flourish more in the Eastern Conference. Great player, brilliant, but getting run over by some of the monster players in the West has put him off stride.

clouts if smid isnt a 3.5 million dollar guy, how do you get a prospect and a conditional first for him? or did i just read it wrong.

edit In any case...and I know many, many people are going to disagree with me on this...but a 2nd round pick, plus a conditional 2nd round pick for Douglas Murray is a solid return on a 33 year-old shutdown defenseman rental player. It sets the bar really high for the much younger Smid. The Oilers could easily deal, because of his age, for a quality prospect plus a conditional 1st provided he re-signs with the team involved. Dealing Smid really makes sense if the Oilers add DeKeyser and if they're outside of the playoff race.

I don't have an issue with Smid, actually, but I just believe now is the time to move him. He's just not a $3.5mil per season defenseman.

ok i got it now. classic

Wait two months. Bye bye Smyth (37), Danis (31), Whitney (30), Khabbi (40), Sutton (38) and Belanger (35). How many of those can you say play an integral role on the Oilers right now?
- Morris

Same for all teams. Ottawa has Alfredsson, Neil, Gonchar and Phillips. Ottawa has started as many as 8 rookies on some nights. My main point was essentially the same as yours, youngest average age as a team statistic does not mean much.

Teams are obviously going to overlook the fact that Smid has never played a single playoff game. Also, they're gonna bank on the fact that Hemsky is gonna replicate his production from 8 years ago.

For his entire career Smid has been playing on the pretty darn bad oilers, so the world's most reliable stat ( ) plus/minus speaks mostly to that.

As for the "dismal" career hit total: he sits 17th in the NHL in hits currently. He was 38th last year and 80th the year before that. The conclusion there is that he's actually among the more physical players in the NHL and is only getting moreso.

When you make things up, people will discredit you.
- Morris

In the four previous seasons, Murray has about 200 more hits than Smid, so I think that says a bit more than a 30 game sample. And the plus minus argument is a terrible one, it's a recorded stat for a reason, it's a reflection of defensive responsibility. You can't just discredit a 450 game career and a minus 42 because the other 4 players on the ice were so terrible all the time, especially when the guy is a defenseman.

Pointless stat anyways
- robin_steele264

pretty much

Why does everyone like Mark Mcneill, sure he has size, but he's slow and doesnt have very good vision according scouts. His point totals as a 20 year old (25-42-67 in 65 games) in the WHL are very comparable to Pitlicks as a 19 year old (27-35-62 in 56 games). And we all know how well Pitlicks doing right now

Sure Mcneill has some weight on Pitlick but i dont consider him much of an upgrade over him and he is totally over rated; he's not worth Hemmer.

We were all excited when we got Teubert in the Penner deal, and now Teubs is barely in conversation as a future Oiler, Macneill will fair no better IMO.

In the four previous seasons, Murray has about 200 more hits than Smid, so I think that says a bit more than a 30 game sample. And the plus minus argument is a terrible one, it's a recorded stat for a reason, it's a reflection of defensive responsibility. You can't just discredit a 450 game career and a minus 42 because the other 4 players on the ice were so terrible all the time, especially when the guy is a defenseman.
- alcatrazhockey

Meh, you're posting in the fantasy land where Hemsky will garner more interest and a higher yield for a playoff run than Ryan Clowe.

I'd take Hemsky in LA, but not what we paid for Penner.

(frank) that.

Here's my first comment ever on Hockeybuzz and it's all for you. I love you're blog, read it everyday. I agree with 95% of what you're usually saying, and you usually say alot so I agree with a good amount. I think the Oilers need to dump the vets and I'd rather see Smyth retire than get traded again, but I think they need to bring in maybe one or two GOOD vets to show the kids whats what. I think the team also needs to take more shots, more shots seems to mean more goals for the team. I think a good player that oilers should've traded for was steckel with toronto, slightly bigger, can win faceoffs and is a 3/4th line centre. I was unsure about the brown trade at first but I think he is doing pretty good. And I have no idea what kruegar is thinking with these line combos. I'd like to see what could happen if you tried a line of Yakupov-Gagner-Hall, even if its for just a game.

Teams are obviously going to overlook the fact that Smid has never played a single playoff game. Also, they're gonna bank on the fact that Hemsky is gonna replicate his production from 8 years ago.
- golfingsince

weak

When he was a rookie, he had 0 points in 6 playoff games.

During the cup run, he had 17 in 24, which was just below the pace he scored in the season. Posted good stats on bad playoff teams in junior, and good stats for his Czech lockout team. That's all we have to go off of.
- Morris

That's not too bad then ... You have to consider a rookie back when hemsky started would be able to impact like today's rookies seem to be able to .

clouts if smid isnt a 3.5 million dollar guy, how do you get a prospect and a conditional first for him? or did i just read it wrong.
- munky123

We're not. I've been saying this all along. At 3 we can talk. But teams looking for a defensive defensemen are few and far between.

He's got to step it up tonight since Whitney is getting sat.

That's not too bad then ... You have to consider a rookie back when hemsky started would be able to impact like today's rookies seem to be able to .
- Redmile247

Still riding the coat tails of that failed 2004 cup run?

Teams are obviously going to overlook the fact that Smid has never played a single playoff game. Also, they're gonna bank on the fact that Hemsky is gonna replicate his production from 8 years ago.
- golfingsince

Fun fact, Jay Bouwmeester since he was a 16 year old in the WHL till now as a 29 year old established NHLer (with trade value) has only made the playoffs once EVER in his entire career (playing for the Wolves in the AHL) and recorded 0 points in all 18 games.

16 seasons from Junior to the NHL and has only played 18 AHL playoff games...

Not saying Smid and Bouwmeester are even close to comparable, but I think the lack of playoff games is irrelevant.

weak
- Reveen

That is an apt description of Hemsky.

I always felt that Hemsky would flourish more in the Eastern Conference. Great player, brilliant, but getting run over by some of the monster players in the West has put him off stride.
- Eersel

Hemsky does seem more eastern conference then west I agree ...hemsky smid and a pick for gaborik

And I have no idea what kruegar is thinking with these line combos. I'd like to see what could happen if you tried a line of Yakupov-Gagner-Hall, even if its for just a game.
- madmatt7

Once Edmonton is mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, just you watch. You're going to see some real coaching actually happen.

I hope it doesn't come to that.

But yeah... this 3rd period poopety coaching of putting tired old men on the ice with a 1 goal lead is sooooooo frustrating.

Fun fact, Jay Bouwmeester since he was a 16 year old in the WHL till now as a 29 year old established NHLer (with trade value) has only made the playoffs once EVER in his entire career (playing for the Wolves in the AHL) and recorded 0 points in all 18 games.

16 seasons from Junior to the NHL and has only played 18 AHL playoff games...

Not saying Smid and Bouwmeester are even close to comparable, but I think the lack of playoff games is irrelevant.
- Lyxdeslic

How many teams do you see lining up for JBo ? Experience in the playoffs do matter......

And I have no idea what kruegar is thinking with these line combos. I'd like to see what could happen if you tried a line of Yakupov-Gagner-Hall, even if its for just a game.
- madmatt7

Once Edmonton is mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, just you watch. You're going to see some real coaching actually happen.

I hope it doesn't come to that.

But yeah... this 3rd period poopety coaching of putting tired old men on the ice with a 1 goal lead is sooooooo frustrating.

Still riding the coat tails of that failed 2004 cup run?
- Reveen

No I've been pulling my hair out for a while now ... scouting and sutter attitude has been a problem for far too long ... Iggy never given a decent center .... Amazing considering Marc savard and Martin st.louis were both flames ... Continually buying high selling low ... just think where this team might be right now if they traded regher, iggy , kipper sooner .... Got value for an overrated phaneuf ...and don't get me started on NTC ... those things were given to anyone with a pulse

That is an apt description of Hemsky.
- golfingsince

That must have taken allot of energy to come up with that one.

No I've been pulling my hair out for a while now ... scouting and sutter attitude has been a problem for far too long ... Iggy never given a decent center .... Amazing considering Marc savard and Martin st.louis were both flames ... Continually buying high selling low ... just think where this team might be right now if they traded regher, iggy , kipper sooner .... Got value for an overrated phaneuf ...and don't get me started on NTC ... those things were given to anyone with a pulse
- Redmile247

Part of me hopes that Feaster doesn't botch this trading of Iginla thing. The other part of me knows he will.