he had 6 fights and 80 hits this year. He's definitely a mean power forward. I'm not saying EDM SHOULD sign him, I'm saying I won't be upset if they do
- TheNugeIsHuge

We have different definitions of mean power forwards. Clarkson isn't intimidating.

Like you said over priced, yes but he will improve the team.

but he was best on the right.
- OilHorse

Yes he is

wouldn't wanna see yakupov in his off wing. keep him on the right side and use that shot. heard he CAN play it, but didn't we try it briefly at some point with little success?

Clarkson has many of the attributes we crave, but I don't think hes ever played anywhere but rw. we need a left winger for that top 6
- hugefemale dog77

We have massive amounts of cap room right now and the cap is gonna go up. If we have to overpay for someone it might as well be a LW. Clowe was injured or recovering from injury last year. If he's healthy he could put up some big numbers here. He doesn't have to be the fastest guy in the world and clearly he's not. I wouldn't mind throwing him 5.5-6 over 2 years to see how he fits in. He's tough as nails and could create a lot of room for Nuge and Ebs

We have massive amounts of cap room right now and the cap is gonna go up. If we have to overpay for someone it might as well be a LW. Clowe was injured or recovering from injury last year. If he's healthy he could put up some big numbers here. He doesn't have to be the fastest guy in the world and clearly he's not. I wouldn't mind throwing him 5.5-6 over 2 years to see how he fits in. He's tough as nails and could create a lot of room for Nuge and Ebs
- Ihatebrianburke

Yes!!!!!

Yak played LW a lot of the year
- TheNugeIsHuge

And put up way worse #s doing it

And put up way worse #s doing it
- Ihatebrianburke

I don't know about that. I'd need to see some stats to back that up

I don't know about that. I'd need to see some stats to back that up
- TheNugeIsHuge

Or you couldve just watched every game? I know what I saw. His one timer from the right side is elite. You don't want to mess with that.

I don't know about that. I'd need to see some stats to back that up
- TheNugeIsHuge

Lets agree that he can play both wings. Now the question is, who best suits this team going forward between Clowe and Clarkson?
I've heard that clowe is a lot like Backes in the dressing room. He's intimidating and ensures his teammates are accountable. In that montage, I saw him fight Matt Greene and pushed his ass around. I saw Greene Bench 425 for 6 back when he was an Oiler.
With all that being said, I think he comes at a slightly better price and shorter term.

Now is Clarkson the better fit? I honestly dont know... I really want someone who compliments our center and winger. His production isn't as important as his influence is on the other two linemates. IMHO

Yak played LW a lot of the year
- TheNugeIsHuge

?
gags at center with hemmer or prv on the left side were his most frequently used linemates by far I thought

So with all of Philly's cap woes Giroux is going to make 8.275 as of next year. After they dump all this salary this year they're gonna have to do it all over again next year. I hope Pronger's contract is declared a retirement rather than LTIR and they really get (frank)ed. Holmgren is an idiot.

Or you couldve just watched every game? I know what I saw. His one timer from the right side is elite. You don't want to mess with that.
- Ihatebrianburke

Guys, Clarkson supposedly plays on either wing. I think management is aware that Yak is better on the right side. If they are trying to sign him at a ridiculous cost, they know what they are getting into. Also, I heard that Clowe would prefer to stay in the east as he would be closer to his daughter.

the more i read and look at gordon, i hope edm can get him for 3c. hemsky for smith as 4c? emery, theodore, or khudobin as back up. gill, j.schultz, or blum as an extra d-man? i know everyone is banking on ference or scuderi.

Nice cap clearing move by the Oil, but really a nice pick up by the Stars. Couple that with the addition of Seguin and all of a sudden Dallas looking solid down the middle.

Guys, Clarkson supposedly plays on either wing. I think management is aware that Yak is better on the right side. If they are trying to sign him at a ridiculous cost, they know what they are getting into. Also, I heard that Clowe would prefer to stay in the east as he would be closer to his daughter.
- SuperM

I heard that as well with clowe.

Is zack Smith a serious option as well? We need one of clowe or clarkson financial it would hurt but we need leaders and grit that can score

Great perspective. Good post.

I totally agree. Can you actually name one center that is a pure shooter? Putting hall at C is like Kings moving Carter to center because he's solid on draws. If anything, he practices his draws to take some pressure off gags, allowing Gagner to be more aggressive in the circle. ( If they're still line mates)
- JShack

Carter in Philly - had the right wingers for him though. Played with Briere and I want to say Hartnell but I'm not sure. But Briere's playmaking worked exceptionally well with his shooting and they kind of rotated who was centre on that line.

Kesler - ever since the Sedin's banked 20 of his 40 goals off his shinpads he thinks he is the greatest shooter on the team and it turns his wingers into black holes. The second he has the puck its pretty well game over for any moment that shift gets because its such a strange dynamic having a shooting centre that most wingers don't know how to play it.

Jokinen - his time in Florida was great and he gelled quite well with a number of the wingers Horton and Stumpel but after since has been a decent #2 but his shooting prowess has gone away.

Stamkos - has St.Louis making life easy.

There is an argument to be made for Malkin but he's just good at everything.

I can't really think of any other effective shooting centres because they're pretty rare. You could say Lecavalier but he wasn't as much a shooting centre during his best years as he was just really good at everything for like 3 seasons.

his most frequent line combo by far was hemmer with gags in the middle. and then prv on the left with gags in the middle. which are the 2nd and 3rd most frequently used line combination for the oilers this season behind the combo of nuge, hall and ebs

yaks on the left side with nuge and ebs was like the 23rd most used line combo on the oilers. and that also happens to be his only left side appearance on any line that even qualified for the stat

I heard that as well with clowe.

Is zack Smith a serious option as well? We need one of clowe or clarkson financial it would hurt but we need leaders and grit that can score
- Killbot460

I think Zack Smith would be a good pick up. Big body, gritty, decent at face offs....the only down side is that supposedly he is not a good pk guy, but if Gordon is here too, we can live with that.

where's the invite?
- deks1

Fly your ass to Thompson mb and we get loaded lol

I think Zack Smith would be a good pick up. Big body, gritty, decent at face offs....the only down side is that supposedly he is not a good pk guy, but if Gordon is here too, we can live with that.
- SuperM

gordon as 3c, smith as 4c.

Or you couldve just watched every game? I know what I saw. His one timer from the right side is elite. You don't want to mess with that.
- Ihatebrianburke

Just like Ovechkin and Kovalchuks were from the left side until they moved over. I think its always better for wingers to play on their natural side. You can mix it up for the powerplay and they can have the freedom to move around in the o-zone but defensively it makes passing and chip plays a lot easier when you're making those from your forehand and not your backhand

yaks did not play much left wing at all.

his most frequent line combo by far was hemmer on the left side with gags in the middle. and then prv on the left with gags in the middle. (which are the 2nd and 3rd most frequently used line combos this season respectively)

yaks on the left side with nuge and ebs was like the 23rd most used line combo on the oilers. and that also happens to be his only left side appearance on any line that even qualified for the stat
- hugefemale dog77

Hemsky was the RW on that line. Yak was a LW for predominantly the whole season. It was the only way to get him into the top 6.

?
gags at center with hemmer or prv on the left side were his most frequently used linemates by far I thought
- hugefemale dog77

Yak-Gags-Hemmer was 2nd line for like first 18-20 games

Hemsky was the RW on that line. Yak was a LW for predominantly the whole season. It was the only way to get him into the top 6.
- DTF69

I thought it was the other way around for the most part...
gonna look into it more. found a site that I thought showed it.

http://www.leftwinglock.c...playertype=F&gametype=ALL

and I assumed the columns just followed left, center and right wing respectively from left to right (which would make sense) but upon further investigation the columns are just forward 1, 2 and 3 with no discernible position

Yak-Gags-Hemmer was 2nd line for like first 18-20 games
- TheNugeIsHuge

Glack City only got on the right side when Hemsky was hurt and the like 10 games he played with Horcoff and Smyth or whoever it was.

Or you couldve just watched every game? I know what I saw. His one timer from the right side is elite. You don't want to mess with that.
- Ihatebrianburke

I did watch every game, save 3 or 4. I didn't see his production as being "way worse" on the left side. He scored a lot on the PP where he'd return to RW