I'm talking about in a package deal for a current NHLer. I think that's as plausible as staying put and drafting Nurse.
- Morris

Packaged? With what?

Packaged? With what?
- mochoson

You know, players, prospects. Look at deals like the Staal deal or the Carter to CBJ deal to give you an idea.

My 12 bold Predictions:

1) Edmonton can't find a suitor for Ales Hemsky,therefore he remains an Oiler for at least the start of the season.
2)Klefbom is overwhelmed and/or outperformed by Belov and another rookie D, and goes down to OKC at about the 12 game mark.
3)Horcoff is not bought out and remains an Oiler for at least 2013-14.
4)Ryan Smyth gets off to a pretty good start,but is scratched by Chritmas...sometime in February he announces his retirement and finishes the season in another capacity.
5) Oilers use the 7th pick to take the BPA at the draft.Whomever that is, he gets sent down before 9 pro games.
6) Mac T overpays,slightly, for 2 free agents (top 6 fwd,top 4 D).
7) Oilers sign a career back up for a case of beer and 2 packs of smokes.
8)Oilers sign a couple has been bottom 6 forwards...who have huge bounce back seasons.
9) Oilers make the playoff's on the last day of the season.
10)Oilers get swept in the 1st round, and some player from the other team makes a bold prediction that praises the Oilers and where they are headed, using some standard hockeyspeak cliches.
11) Cloutier will say he predicted all of the above at some point or another.
12)Cloutier will threaten to quit hockey buzz....but ofcourse,like herpes, will keep coming back.
- Jeropotato

The only way Hemsky is leaving is if WE trade him away. Nobody is going to come ask for him or he'd be gone by now. Trade him for a second round pick. Who cares. We save 5M in cap space and pick up a decent player with that pick. Win win situation.

I think he was probably given the message that he is playing 1B. Crawford is good but how much is that to do to the team in front of him. Chicago probably likes the look of the Pens goalie situation. I agree with the signing for both parties. Emery knew he was gone. I completely disagree with the timing of the announcement. They could have waited a couple more weeks.

Who knows with Chicago. They won the cup with Niemi who I thought was amazing during that run and then just let him go for nothing that summer. Now he is arguably a top 10 tender in the NHL. At least stats wise. Maybe they are lighting a fire under Crawford now for the final push. Twisted but it is a Bowman thing to do. Always push the limits.

You know, players, prospects. Look at deals like the Staal deal or the Carter to CBJ deal to give you an idea.
- Morris

I wouldn't be too suprised if Mac T did something nobody expects, for a player nobody even thinks is on the market. I would seriously be shocked to see Gagner moved, for no other reason than we need him while RNH rehabs. As for who goes? I don't think there are any untouchables,except maybe Hall and Nuge, but more like a few "improbables".
Realistically, how untouchable is Klefbom? I keep hearing how the Oilers really like him...NO SH!T! Why the (frank) else did they draft him? And what are they suppossed to say? We think he might be an okay NHL'er one day?
If a deal comes by that makes the Oilers instantly better I can't see Mac T humming and hawing about a couple picks or prospects that haven't played a game in the NHL yet.
Here's a thought (and by zero means am I suggesting this happens), If Mac T is offered a trade for a legit proven #1 center with size,experience and leadership for Klef and our #1, why wouldn't he do it?
Or for the same return, an All-Star Defensemen that does it all?
These deals happen all the time and catch us saying WTF? I bet Mac T pulls off one this year where the best player joins the Oil.

The only way Hemsky is leaving is if WE trade him away. Nobody is going to come ask for him or he'd be gone by now. Trade him for a second round pick. Who cares. We save 5M in cap space and pick up a decent player with that pick. Win win situation.
- mbxiphos1527

I'm not dissagreeing...I just think it is likely that nobody wants him more than the Oilers do.Do I care about the return?Not really. I just don't see anyone looking to deal for him. Could happen, just don't have my hopes up.

I think he was probably given the message that he is playing 1B. Crawford is good but how much is that to do to the team in front of him. Chicago probably likes the look of the Pens goalie situation. I agree with the signing for both parties. Emery knew he was gone. I completely disagree with the timing of the announcement. They could have waited a couple more weeks.

Who knows with Chicago. They won the cup with Niemi who I thought was amazing during that run and then just let him go for nothing that summer. Now he is arguably a top 10 tender in the NHL. At least stats wise. Maybe they are lighting a fire under Crawford now for the final push. Twisted but it is a Bowman thing to do. Always push the limits.
- bsteinley

I think it's good insurance,that's all. Emery is too injury prone to be relied upon long term and there are still question marks,I suppose,about Crawford.He's been great this year but he sure sh!t the bed last year. I don't think this was all that suprising.

This is actually very simple...

- Crawford is at a very cap friendly $2.9 mil figure this season & next. The Bowman's never will pay a goalie big time money - that's why Crawford's last season in Chicago will be next.

- Raanta will be Crawford's backup next season.

- He'll be playing behind the best blue line in hockey, an incredibly young blue line at that with a team that has a very real chance to compete for a Cup for the next 8-10 years.

Makes all the sense in the World to me....

You will not get Clarkson, he will resign in Jersey & if not, he's going to get a payday anywhere between 4.5 to 5 million per & I don't think the Oilers are paying him that.

Maybe Horton but highly unlikely.
- newmy

Both are unlikely to be oilers. Horton probably stays east. If we want Horton, it will cost us 6 to 6.5 mill a year minimum.

I'm not dissagreeing...I just think it is likely that nobody wants him more than the Oilers do.Do I care about the return?Not really. I just don't see anyone looking to deal for him. Could happen, just don't have my hopes up.
- Jeropotato

I think if we pursued a trade with either Florida, Nashville or Colorado they'd do it. Reason being is that they need immediate players. If that's not enough then throw in Belanger too. This is just a demonstration of how much I don't care about these players. Their future means nothing to me. But having a chance at picking Fucale (fixes the goalie situation and will be ready in about 1 or 2 years), Carrier (a two way forward who puts up great points and a complete steal) or Theodore (an extremely skilled dman who puts up points like he's playing on the 1st or 2nd line and who plays on the worst team in the WHL) would be great for the oilers. We can easily get two of them. Considering our picks would be relatively close together if we did this. Even Tristan Jerry would be great for a goaltender prospect. This is key in this draft. For too long have we picked garbage players in the second round. It's time to turn this around.

5 players NHL ready in OKC? Who?

Lander, Hartikainen and Rajala have good shots. I don't get this Fedun boner you have. You've seen him play 2 times and then look him up on hockeydb and you think he's the next Niedermayer

I'm not dissagreeing...I just think it is likely that nobody wants him more than the Oilers do.Do I care about the return?Not really. I just don't see anyone looking to deal for him. Could happen, just don't have my hopes up.
- Jeropotato

Totally agree, that's why he's still an Oiler because as much as they tried to move him at the deadline, they didn't because they found out his market value is low.

Now unless MacT is ok with getting back no better than a 3rd rounder, he'll move him but if the Oilers are still holding out hope some team is going to throw a 1st rounder or solid prospect their way, Hemsky will be an Oiler until he becomes a UFA.

It really is that simple!! The guy is a complete bandaid!!

I was born in Edmonton and raised out west but now live out in Toronto I regularly read your blogs, visit the oilers site, and am in the Edmonton Oilers fan group on facebook. I got blasted for suggesting the lines you thought up in your 'Starting to Feel a Draft?' blog. I thought they were pretty reasonable, I even added on after saying that I still think Oilers will also grab a vet left hand D ,a decent bottom six forward, and a goalie who would challenge Duby. Alot of people don't like me anymore and think I'm dumb

Totally agree, that's why he's still an Oiler because as much as they tried to move him at the deadline, they didn't because they found out his market value is low.

Now unless MacT is ok with getting back no better than a 3rd rounder, he'll move him but if the Oilers are still holding out hope some team is going to throw a 1st rounder or solid prospect their way, Hemsky will be an Oiler until he becomes a UFA.

It really is that simple!! The guy is a complete bandaid!!
- newmy

Still pretty sure Tampa, Florida or Colorado would take the trade. MacT just needs to ask. And like I said, if it's not enough and throw in Belanger or whoever. As long as they're nhl ready. All those teams have come out and said that they need NHL ready players. I'm sure they'd take two nhl ready players over a second round pick. Pretty much benifits everyone in the end.

It has everything to do with what the Oilers need and who will be available at #7.

One player in particular could slide into the Top 6: Elias Lindholm. He's a better player offensively than Monahan. The way everyone is freaking out over Nishushkin, it's pretty safe to say he'll go in the Top 6.

As much as people keep trying to force the Oilers to draft Darnell Nurse at #7, the Oilers philosophically don't see drafting defensemen using Top 10 picks as being a wise strategy. Go back through draft history and you'll see this is true.

The Oilers need to draft a big and/or physical center if Monahan, Nishushkin, MacKinnon and Barkov are gone. Bo Horvat is the best choice, but Curtis Lazar and Frederik Gauthier are viable options. It's likely two of the three will be around at the 14th overall pick.

As for the #19 pick, that's the perfect time to take a defenseman. The more I read about Mirco Mueller the more I think he's the perfect target at that point in the draft. Kicked serious ass at the Combine.
- Maxbone

wow, you're so right. Doughty, Pietrangelo, Ekman-Larsson, Bogosian, Hedman, larsson, Hamilton, Cowen, Alzner, Schenn, J. Johnson, Suter, Coburn, and Phaneuf all suck.

EDM can just sign Scuderi and everything'll be solved instead

You know, players, prospects. Look at deals like the Staal deal or the Carter to CBJ deal to give you an idea.
- Morris

I'm not (frank)ing retarded

I literally ment specifically with what

Totally agree, that's why he's still an Oiler because as much as they tried to move him at the deadline, they didn't because they found out his market value is low.

Now unless MacT is ok with getting back no better than a 3rd rounder, he'll move him but if the Oilers are still holding out hope some team is going to throw a 1st rounder or solid prospect their way, Hemsky will be an Oiler until he becomes a UFA.

It really is that simple!! The guy is a complete bandaid!!
- newmy

I think it's a question right now of whether they want to trade him for a lower pick, or another team's bad contract. There are a couple players around that like Hemsky have zero trade value that might actually be kind of useful to us (and Hemmer to them).

A few years ago we traded O'Sullivan (who was a disaster bottom 6er) for Vandemeer (who filled in well enough as a #6 dman). Not saying something like that definitely happens, but it might be more preferable than the 4th rounder we'd get for Hemsky.

I think it's a question right now of whether they want to trade him for a lower pick, or another team's bad contract. There are a couple players around that like Hemsky have zero trade value that might actually be kind of useful to us (and Hemmer to them).

A few years ago we traded O'Sullivan (who was a disaster bottom 6er) for Vandemeer (who filled in well enough as a #6 dman). Not saying something like that definitely happens, but it might be more preferable than the 4th rounder we'd get for Hemsky.
- Morris

Only reason POS was dealt though was because his buyout was 1/3.

I think it's a question right now of whether they want to trade him for a lower pick, or another team's bad contract. There are a couple players around that like Hemsky have zero trade value that might actually be kind of useful to us (and Hemmer to them).

A few years ago we traded O'Sullivan (who was a disaster bottom 6er) for Vandemeer (who filled in well enough as a #6 dman). Not saying something like that definitely happens, but it might be more preferable than the 4th rounder we'd get for Hemsky.
- Morris

Keith Ballard.

Did Cloutier really say "the Oilers draft philosophy is to not take dmen with top ten picks" and supported it by saying "history has proven this right".

Welp, I guess (frank) the 08' draft....just for starters.

This man clearly has MPD and thinks he's one of the Oilers scouts.

I'm not (frank)ing retarded

I literally ment specifically with what
- mochoson

I honestly thought you were asking a pointed question (as in, "who could you possibly trade that other teams would be interested in?").

How about Gagner + the 7th + Gernat? I feel like that could get a defensemen that could immediately help the Oilers out. It would necessitate a centre signing, but I was hoping there'd be some changes there anyway.

I have no idea who other teams would be interested in moving, but that's an example of a "draft day splash" package.

I honestly thought you were asking a pointed question (as in, "who could you possibly trade that other teams would be interested in?").

How about Gagner + the 7th + Gernat? I feel like that could get a defensemen that could immediately help the Oilers out. It would necessitate a centre signing, but I was hoping there'd be some changes there anyway.

I have no idea who other teams would be interested in moving, but that's an example of a "draft day splash" package.
- Morris

I still think Petry+ would have a lot of value around the league because of his contract. Issue would be making sure we actually get someone better than him back.

Only reason POS was dealt though was because his buyout was 1/3.
- Lahey

That might be mitigated by the fact that it would cost them nothing on the cap to buy him out, if we take on a guy who has more than 1 year left.

Besides, just like we might be able to use a bad contract player if he played a more team-need position (bottom 6 winger or dman), I think there could be a team that would benefit from Hemmer's skillset, despite his bad contract.

I still think Petry+ would have a lot of value around the league because of his contract. Issue would be making sure we actually get someone better than him back.
- Lahey

Yeah I was thinking about that. That would be good since we don't further cast uncertainty on our future centres, but only IF this was our trade for a top 4 dman. Not to say MacT is going to rattle the cages saying "what would you give us for Gagner + picks and prospects", but such a package does offer the flexibility to be "spent" on either a forward or a defenseman.

Yeah I was thinking about that. That would be good since we don't further cast uncertainty on our future centres, but only IF this was our trade for a top 4 dman. Not to say MacT is going to rattle the cages saying "what would you give us for Gagner + picks and prospects", but such a package does offer the flexibility to be "spent" on either a forward or a defenseman.
- Morris

I think the simple fact is we have a lot of assets. We also have 2 firsts this year to go along with next year's picks which should be on the table.