Hell no. We have at least 2 years to nail the roster we think we need to win.Besides, I'm afarid Bozak may have peaked.
- Jeropotato

i have never been a bozak fan.... but he has improved every year. it's funny, because every year we go into the season complaining about him being our #1 centre, but by the end of the year you are commending his growth. and now you want to resign him, but the $$ is a problem.

This (frank)ing Team is giving me a headache. We're not even at the draft and we can fairly assume that close to 10 spots need filling before opening night. With the guys obviously on the outs, Harti leaving,Nuge's surgery,exactly zero resignings (I will assume Gags gets done),etc..what do we have left?

Hall Gagner Yaks
??? ??? Eberle
MPS ??? ???
Smyth Lander Brown

Smid Petry
J Schultz Belov
Potter n.Schultz
Klefbom

Dubnyk
??????

I think it's a safe bet that we trade one of N.Schultz,Smid or Petry, +plus 2 or 3 of our D prospects....

We have minimum 5 holes to fill, more like 7 if we want to have any roster depth. It's either going to be a fun summer or this team will stink like sh!t worse than last year.

If he'll sign for under 4 he'll be a Leaf.

What kind of salary warrants a 1st,2nd and 3rd? Chances are it's not going to be far off what we pay him anyway.
- Jeropotato

Just over 5 million to 6.5. It's most likely that someone would offer sheet him at 5 million (1st and 3rd), which would suck.

i have never been a bozak fan.... but he has improved every year. it's funny, because every year we go into the season complaining about him being our #1 centre, but by the end of the year you are commending his growth. and now you want to resign him, but the $$ is a problem.
- Rockhead_37

Sounds exactly like what we went through with Horcoff.

I find it odd how MacT hasn't re-signed any of the UFAs or RFAs yet. What do you guys think the deal on that is? Think he's moving all of them?
- mbxiphos1527

cant say im too concerned. be nice to resign petrell or jones cheap, but they're easily replaceable. and he might have his eye on some better options.

as far as rfa's prv and gags, im sure he's in the midst of working on it. probably wants a week to assess with Eakins and then go from there. he's got a little time

Just over 5 million to 6.5. It's most likely that someone would offer sheet him at 5 million (1st and 3rd), which would suck.
- Morris

That would suck. Mac T better get it done,pronto!

This (frank)ing Team is giving me a headache. We're not even at the draft and we can fairly assume that close to 10 spots need filling before opening night. With the guys obviously on the outs, Harti leaving,Nuge's surgery,exactly zero resignings (I will assume Gags gets done),etc..what do we have left?

Hall Gagner Yaks
??? ??? Eberle
MPS ??? ???
Smyth Lander Brown

Smid Petry
J Schultz Belov
Potter n.Schultz
Klefbom

Dubnyk
??????

I think it's a safe bet that we trade one of N.Schultz,Smid or Petry, +plus 2 or 3 of our D prospects....

We have minimum 5 holes to fill, more like 7 if we want to have any roster depth. It's either going to be a fun summer or this team will stink like sh!t worse than last year.
- Jeropotato

Why isn't MPS on the second line? And why not use Linus?? Dude has sick hands. The goalie will be Emery. Wellwood can fill the 2nd C role.

isn't that how the rangers got nash? isn't that what cbj traded for gaborik?
sj for thornton? devils for kovalchuk? etc etc

spare parts might be abit of an overstatement regarding some of those players, but certainly not core pieces. so the point remains; WE DONT HAVE TO TRADE ONE OF OUR PRIZED KIDS TO LAND A BIG FISH.
in fact, that's normally NOT the way these trades get accomplished.
- hugefemale dog77

Yes, the Oilers don't have to trade good pieces for a good player. But, this is usually the case when a player demands a trade to a certain team or teams. I don't see any player placing the Oilers on his list, so the Oilers would have to give in order to get.

This (frank)ing Team is giving me a headache. We're not even at the draft and we can fairly assume that close to 10 spots need filling before opening night. With the guys obviously on the outs, Harti leaving,Nuge's surgery,exactly zero resignings (I will assume Gags gets done),etc..what do we have left?

Hall Gagner Yaks
??? ??? Eberle
MPS ??? ???
Smyth Lander Brown

Smid Petry
J Schultz Belov
Potter n.Schultz
Klefbom

Dubnyk
??????

I think it's a safe bet that we trade one of N.Schultz,Smid or Petry, +plus 2 or 3 of our D prospects....

We have minimum 5 holes to fill, more like 7 if we want to have any roster depth. It's either going to be a fun summer or this team will stink like sh!t worse than last year.
- Jeropotato

its tough with nuge's injury,.but I don't think he's gonna do anything drastic as far as replacing him with a bigger type name. money wasted long term and extra forwards when he returns. I think he'll roll the dice and hope we can stay in the race till he returns.
by that I mean gags as our number #1, horcs replacement as #2, lander at 3 and someone from the system or a cheap signing at 4.

as far defence, I cant say I agree with smid or petry going. just doesn't make sense for more reasons than smid just signing and petry being our best defender.

even if we moved for a star, we're still not helping our extremely weak depth on the blueline with a quality guy going the other way.
I believe we'll attempt to move from positions of strength, not deplete an already mediocre blueline to garner one star dman.

just my opinion

Why isn't MPS on the second line? And why not use Linus?? Dude has sick hands. The goalie will be Emery. Wellwood can fill the 2nd C role.
- Jimmy_wiener

mps'll float. finally finding his game in the pros, but still got aways to go. probably a more effective 3rd liner. he may move up rather quickly though depending on who we sign and further development.

wellwood??

Are we ready to commit to Bozak as a guy who's going to permanently lock down the 2nd/3rd line centre position? Would you rather commit to 5 years of Bozak at 3.5 per or 2 years of Cullen/Zubrus at 3 per and then re-evaluate who's available?
- Morris

I think the Leafs would've signed Bozak right now if he wanted 3.5 but he wants like 5 right now.

Why isn't MPS on the second line? And why not use Linus?? Dude has sick hands. The goalie will be Emery. Wellwood can fill the 2nd C role.
- Jimmy_wiener

MPS did okay on the 2nd line with Gags and Yak, but most Oiler fans agree he is best suited (for now) on the 3rd. He has the potential to force his way into the top 6 permanantly, but hasn't really shown it yet.

Where does Omark Fit? I like him, but he another Oilers Hobbit RW.

its tough with nuge's injury,.but I don't think he's gonna do anything drastic as far as replacing him with a bigger type name. money wasted long term and extra forwards when he returns. I think he'll roll the dice and hope we can stay in the race till he returns.
by that I mean gags as our number #1, horcs replacement as #2, lander at 3 and someone from the system or a cheap signing at 4.

as far defence, I cant say I agree with smid or petry going. just doesn't make sense for more reasons than smid just signing and petry being our best defender.

even if we moved for a star, we're still not helping our extremely weak depth with a quality guy going the other way.
I believe we'll attempt to move from positions of strength, not deplete an already mediocre blueline to garner one star dman.

just my opinion
- hugefemale dog77

I have no idea who gets traded from the roster I listed above. But I garauntee that someone will in an effort to improve this hockey club.

mps'll float. finally finding his game in the pros, but still got aways to go. probably a more effective 3rd liner. he may move up rather quickly though depending on who we sign and further development.

wellwood??
- hugefemale dog77

(frank) Wellwood.

Yes, the Oilers don't have to trade good pieces for a good player. But, this is usually the case when a player demands a trade to a certain team or teams. I don't see any player placing the Oilers on his list, so the Oilers would have to give in order to get.
- RedwingsAreKHL

we're not going after a franchise player. I was just giving an example of the SUPERSTARS who got traded for far less. and gaborik didn't give a list. just sayin

we're going after role/star players the likes of Richards etc that can fill holes and get us to the next level. with the same type of trade in mind; quality prospects and a very essential young player, but not neccasarily part of the true core or indispensable. (Simmonds in that case, or like prv in ours)

and who ever said anything about the players that give a list? if buddy has a ntc and we're not on the list, we aint getting him.

I think the Leafs would've signed Bozak right now if he wanted 3.5 but he wants like 5 right now.
- mmold

Agreed, I think they'll lock him up at 4, which is good for them.

Why isn't MPS on the second line? And why not use Linus?? Dude has sick hands. The goalie will be Emery. Wellwood can fill the 2nd C role.
- Jimmy_wiener

Linus is more one-dimensional than Hemsky.

MPS could work on the 2nd line especially if he has Gagner as his centre - they worked well together. While Nuge is injured and Gagner is probably on the Hall-Ebs line, we need a more self-sufficient winger to take minutes from MPS and shelter him a bit.

I don't like it. I could easily see Gagner getting an offer sheet
- Ihatebrianburke

Yeah it's a little sketchy at this point I find.

Hartikainen = J.F. Jaques

Dominates at the AHL but can't put it together in the NHL.

i have never been a bozak fan.... but he has improved every year. it's funny, because every year we go into the season complaining about him being our #1 centre, but by the end of the year you are commending his growth. and now you want to resign him, but the $$ is a problem.
- Rockhead_37

I recall a couple years ago when MAcT was on TSN "the quiz" and they had a question about Bozak. MacT said he is a solid 3C with the ability to fill in at 2C temporarily. So unless his opinion has changed I don't see him offering Bozak any stupid contract. 3 mill per max.

Why isn't MPS on the second line? And why not use Linus?? Dude has sick hands. The goalie will be Emery. Wellwood can fill the 2nd C role.
- Jimmy_wiener

Zubrus or Antropov, not Wellwood.

Just over 5 million to 6.5. It's most likely that someone would offer sheet him at 5 million (1st and 3rd), which would suck.
- Morris

I don't see Sam signing an offer sheet for 5 from another team. It would have to be significantly more. With his GF being a local doctor he has roots in Edmonton. He would sign for 4.5-4.75 to stay rather than go elsewhere for a little extra.

Zubrus or Antropov, not Wellwood.
- Oilers4Life14

Truth be told I'd rather keep Horcoff over any of those....

This (frank)ing Team is giving me a headache. We're not even at the draft and we can fairly assume that close to 10 spots need filling before opening night. With the guys obviously on the outs, Harti leaving,Nuge's surgery,exactly zero resignings (I will assume Gags gets done),etc..what do we have left?

Hall Gagner Yaks
??? ??? Eberle
MPS ??? ???
Smyth Lander Brown

Smid Petry
J Schultz Belov
Potter n.Schultz
Klefbom

Dubnyk
??????

I think it's a safe bet that we trade one of N.Schultz,Smid or Petry, +plus 2 or 3 of our D prospects....

We have minimum 5 holes to fill, more like 7 if we want to have any roster depth. It's either going to be a fun summer or this team will stink like sh!t worse than last year.
- Jeropotato

I raised the exact same issue yesterday. It's a real eye opener and shows how much there is to do. I'm stuck on PRV playing on either the second or third line.

But lets hypothetically say we get the following players to fix the gaps here. I could see it look something like this:

Hall RNH Yakupov
- RNH won't be leaving anytime soon. Note that Yak & Ebs can be swapped.

Bickell Gagner Eberle
- I feel Bickell would be good for this line. It's likely that he wouldn't perform as well if he was on a line with a bunch of grinders. He would obviously also bring size to this line.

MPS Couturier/Steckle Horton
- This is where things get complicated. I have to wonder if Horton would be able to perform on this line. As far as Couturier goes, it's unlikely that we get him but we'll just have to see. Knowing MacT, anything can happen. Steckel is huge and can win faceoffs. But I would question his presence on the third line.

Smyth Lander Brown
- This is a disaster waiting to happen. But honestly, what choice do we have? I don't really want Smyth back this year. But that's just my opinion. If anyone has ideas with what to do with the fourth line please share.

Once again, please note this is all hypothetical.