Lots of teams improve through a) maturing, b) improving their bottom 6 and c) changing their coaching. Look at the Leafs as an example of a teams that benefitted this year primarily from the addition of role players. Why's it so improbable that the Oilers could do that?
- Morris

Exactly, I think its important for Oilers to just let the kids get better and improve the role players. But at the same time, expect a good push for the playoffs.
This team should be able to make a good run for it and I think they should be in the playoffs next year. Wouldnt mind seeing them deal their 2014 1st rounder in the offseason to show they mean business. I think some smart bottom six signings and a stay at home dman upgrade over nick schultz to play with J schultz would go a long way.

Yes.
- laughs2907

what was it like ?

Don't see how EDM loses any of those deals
- muffin_man

The only one that came straight from me was the Hartnell deal. I've been set straight as to their priorities there but I saw opportunity to take advantage of a tight cap situation.

The cowen deal was from Ottawa media and the Clutter deal from Minnesota so take from those rumours what you will.

Those are (frank)ing delicious! I had one a couple of months ago, and started to go numb. Fun times.
- laughs2907

The double down is back?!?! Sweeet

The only one that came straight from me was the Hartnell deal. I've been set straight as to their priorities there but I saw opportunity to take advantage of a tight cap situation.

The cowen deal was from Ottawa media and the Clutter deal from Minnesota so take from those rumours what you will.
- Morris

If any of those trades come to fruition, they will be steals.

If any of those trades come to fruition, they will be steals.
- muffin_man

I see them slightly more plausible than Ek rumours, but no more likely. Be nice to get a banger or two for the bottom 6 though

I see them slightly more plausible than Ek rumours, but no more likely. Be nice to get a banger or two for the bottom 6 though
- Morris

Nothing about Gardiner!! No leafs fans!!
- TheNugeIsHuge

Hey Nuge
Just wondering, what are your thoughts about Gardiner and would you agree he is worth, say an arbitrary draft choice, the 7th overall? Plus something small?

With the 2 buyouts, they are several million under the cap, with only a couple spots to fill. And that's including Pronger's $5M that can be put on LTIR at any time during the season. They are plenty fine with money.

As for the defense, they have 7 defensemen. They are probably looking at trading Meszaros for whatever they can get, which adds another $4M to the cap space. (Want him?) The problem with our defense is the lack of top end skill, which obviously is an issue with which Edmonton cannot help us since you guys are looking for the same thing. As for the offense, the team is horribly thin at LW. Hartnell is really the only LW in the organization who can now or in the future play in the top 6. Sure Read can slide over, but he's a natural RW, along with Voracek and Simmonds. Hartnell's not the guy we can afford to trade right now, especially with his trade value at an all-time low due to last season. If you were still so inclined to trade for him, the cost would be that of a typical 1st line scoring winger because that is his value to the Flyers, and there is no reason to trade him for anything less.

You're probably talking MPS plus other assets. I would say MPS + 7th, citing the Carter trade as the basis, but I think we can all agree that the 7th in this draft is quite a bit more valuable than the 8th pick back in 2011, which means that comparison isn't quite right. MPS + 2014 1st + one of your defensive prospects not named Klefbom is probably around his value, but the Flyers wouldn't trade him for that when one of the main pieces is so far away from contributing.
- rhornsburg

Cap Geek shows the Flyerrs as having 4M in space, with Pronger included.

This is w/o a #1 goalie who will easily eat that first 4M. Now they need to LTIR Pronger and trade Meszaros just to provide flexibility, like replacing the skill lost from the Briere buyout.

You know your team better than I do, but from what I am seeing they are not free and clear from cap troubles.

what was it like ?
- Reveen

Kinda like (frank)ing a pie

The double down is back?!?! Sweeet
- seanjohn667

Indeed they are. They're the greatest idea ever.

With the 2 buyouts, they are several million under the cap, with only a couple spots to fill. And that's including Pronger's $5M that can be put on LTIR at any time during the season. They are plenty fine with money.

As for the defense, they have 7 defensemen. They are probably looking at trading Meszaros for whatever they can get, which adds another $4M to the cap space. (Want him?) The problem with our defense is the lack of top end skill, which obviously is an issue with which Edmonton cannot help us since you guys are looking for the same thing. As for the offense, the team is horribly thin at LW. Hartnell is really the only LW in the organization who can now or in the future play in the top 6. Sure Read can slide over, but he's a natural RW, along with Voracek and Simmonds. Hartnell's not the guy we can afford to trade right now, especially with his trade value at an all-time low due to last season. If you were still so inclined to trade for him, the cost would be that of a typical 1st line scoring winger because that is his value to the Flyers, and there is no reason to trade him for anything less.

You're probably talking MPS plus other assets. I would say MPS + 7th, citing the Carter trade as the basis, but I think we can all agree that the 7th in this draft is quite a bit more valuable than the 8th pick back in 2011, which means that comparison isn't quite right. MPS + 2014 1st + one of your defensive prospects not named Klefbom is probably around his value, but the Flyers wouldn't trade him for that when one of the main pieces is so far away from contributing.
- rhornsburg

Good breakdown. Question for you is what do you think they will do next year when they have to resign giroux, couturier and schenn. Especially if the latter two have somewhat breakout seasons? I see meszaros and timmonen would be doen their current deals, but it looks like you could have some cap trouble. Also, what is your goaltending situation going into this season? Mason and who?

Clouts there are always guys on a team that the GM doesn't want to move. You do need to relise that to get something the oilers will have to give something and yes we've reached that point where the oilers need to be better or risk lossing fans. People are mad here and runnin out of rope for the oilers. It's going to be start winning soon or people will tune out. So if giving up say eberle to fill a need and get a superstar D back then thats what MacT has to do weither you like it or not. The oilers maybe still be bad next year but fans need to see something to keep them on this teams train.

First rumor, though i like ganger i tbelieve we need a big center if RNH is number one then ganger needs to go.
Clutterbuck sucks that will be all. He won't get along with hall either. No thanks give me matt cook instead if possible.
- deadsector

Concur. Enough promises. Enough futures. Enough fracking patience!!! There has been a lot of talk, well talk is cheap.

I am nolonger a dieheard. There is a case that the die hards r part of the problem. This organization needs to be shown that it is time to compete.

I need to see, for real, with my eyes, all these socalled easy acquisitions that actually improve the team. Cause I was cheering for Chicago last nite and it felt pretty natural.

Hemsky for Clutterbuck and Heatley?

Concur. Enough promises. Enough futures. Enough fracking patience!!! There has been a lot of talk, well talk is cheap.

I am nolonger a dieheard. There is a case that the die hards r part of the problem. This organization needs to be shown that it is time to compete.

I need to see, for real, with my eyes, all these socalled easy acquisitions that actually improve the team. Cause I was cheering for Chicago last nite and it felt pretty natural.
- seanjohn667

Improving the roster to a point that we can compete for a playoff spot and blowing our wads on high end help are 2 different things,tho.

I want this team to win championships. I think "quick" fixes can result in short term success, but hurt the long term outlook of the teams future as well.
I admit, at seasons end I was a huge supporter of the idea that we should trade the #7 pick. Then I looked at what I think this team has currently for depth, the sadness that is this years UFA market and overall concluded that we have almost enough high end talent.

The biggest issue I have with trading roster players is the lack of depth in our system ready to move up. There will come a time when we can afford to trade some good guys away for upgrades in other areas, but not yet.
As soon as a year from now, I feel Klefbom and Marincin will both be NHL players. Right now? I doubt either of them can slot into the line up effectively, and we would be remiss to move any of our current top 4 (if you can call them that) D.
The situation is even more dire up front.Lander is the ONLY AHL forward capable of playing in the NHL, and even then it's hard to project him as anything more than a 4th liner.

I think this team can make the playoff's this year, but it's going to have to be done by adding depth players through free agency, or by accumulating assets through trade of our most expendable assets.

Seriously, all we have to do is upgrade on the 7 departing players. They are sh!t. It shouldn't be that hard.

Hemsky for Clutterbuck and Heatley?
- Byfuglien Ate Me

Only if the Oilers have the right host a public stoning of that piece of sh!t.

Mac T said that he would welcome him back (and Hemmer) if he couldn't find a signifgant return in trade.
These guys are pro's. If Mac T sat down with him and said he couldnt get a good trade,I'm sure they could work it out. They're not Women.
- Jeropotato

Great point! You might get more at the trade deadline this season, especially if you're wanting picks. Every team over-values draft picks this time of year, but at the trade deadline, they throw them around like loonies at the peelers.

Only if the Oilers have the right host a public stoning of that piece of sh!t.
- Jeropotato

(frank) heatley!

Great point! You might get more at the trade deadline this season, especially if you're wanting picks. Every team over-values draft picks this time of year, but at the trade deadline, they throw them around like loonies at the peelers.
- unkydav

I saw some dudes throw nickles on the stage. Ever see a stripper stop the show to slap and dump drinks on a guys face. It's more entertaining than watching her flick the bean,I tell ya,

Only if the Oilers have the right host a public stoning of that piece of sh!t.
- Jeropotato

Best Response I have Ever Had!

I saw some dudes throw nickles on the stage. Ever see a stripper stop the show to slap and dump drinks on a guys face. It's more entertaining than watching her flick the bean,I tell ya,
- Jeropotato

Eff me. No I've not had that pleasure.

Cap Geek shows the Flyerrs as having 4M in space, with Pronger included.

This is w/o a #1 goalie who will easily eat that first 4M. Now they need to LTIR Pronger and trade Meszaros just to provide flexibility, like replacing the skill lost from the Briere buyout.

You know your team better than I do, but from what I am seeing they are not free and clear from cap troubles.
- OilHorse

Those numbers are for 23 players, and only 1 of them is a goalie, which means there are not enough roster spots to fit everyone on the big squad. Just looking at it, there's McGinn and Akeson at 900K a piece (no way both are on the roster to start, if either make it), plus Bourdon at 600K+ (multiple major concussions, so he's either going on LTIR or to the minors), and Gervais, who at this point is the #8 defenseman and will makes little enough to bury in the minors without cap repercussions. That $4M in space is probably closer to $6M, even without Pronger's space. And that's under the assumption that Laughton makes the team, which is not a given since there really isn't a whole lot of space for him. The only roles to be filled are 2nd line winger (Gagne or 2nd tier UFA) and bottom 6 winger (Zubreus?) along with a 1b goalie (Theodore? Thomas? Emery?). In any case, all of those options can be filled with $6M. It'll be tight, but even if they do go over, they still have LTIR to dip into.

Just to get back on the Oilers track, what is the consensus for the #7 pick, assuming it's not traded? From my perspective, it seems like it's whoever is leftover from Lindholm, Monahan, and Nichuskin. Is there a defenseman in the mix as well?

Just to get back on the Oilers track, what is the consensus for the #7 pick, assuming it's not traded? From my perspective, it seems like it's whoever is leftover from Lindholm, Monahan, and Nichuskin. Is there a defenseman in the mix as well?
- rhornsburg

I'd say Darnell Nurse would be in the mix. I might even put him ahead of Lindholm in terms of how he'd help the team, but MacT is apparently interested in centres.

Obviously if something stupid happens like Jones or Barkov slips, we'd take them ecstatically. If Drouin slipped, we'd probably trade the pick.

Just to get back on the Oilers track, what is the consensus for the #7 pick, assuming it's not traded? From my perspective, it seems like it's whoever is leftover from Lindholm, Monahan, and Nichuskin. Is there a defenseman in the mix as well?
- rhornsburg

Nurse