I can see the fourth line but not the third. We need someone that can keep up with Paajarvi.
- Hall Fan

So we sign him for the 4th line then. Have an actual 4th line with good hockey players.

I'd love to have Clowe or Clarkson if you buy low on either but that's not going to happen so I'm pretty skeptical of dishing out pretty big contracts to them. Might as well just sign penner on the cheap and get eakins to take him on bike-a-thons all summer.
- Jack-artist

He's not mean enough. We need a pure bad ass

The real value is the cap savings for the next two years
- ystoil

And the real detriment is no one on the Oiler's is reliable at 50%.

Its nice to have cap savings but this trade has not made the Oiler's a better hockey team. To win you have to be good down the middle and right now the Oiler's are worse off than they have been in a long time.

Everything Hall does well would be negated by a move to centre. He's great because he backs off the opposing defence with fast breaks and FINALLY last year he learned to mix up his zone entries so he wasn't so damn predictable. Moving him to centre could negate that quite easily as he is starting deeper in his own zone.

Plus, there aren't very many lines in the NHL that have shooting centre's that aren't blackholes for linemates.
- DTF69

Well it worked for Messier. He moved from LW to C.
Hall is a great passer and has more than his fair share of assists.
His FO% last year was 0.547.
And playing center keeps him from going too wildly into the corner and getting hurt.
Having him injured hurts us bad so overall might be a serious option especially if we can'y sign Gags at a reasonable price. And since we haven't already signed Gags...

So we sign him for the 4th line then. Have an actual 4th line with good hockey players.
- Jack-artist

BLASPHEMY! THE 4TH LINE IS FOR FACE-PUNCHERS AND GUYS WHO HIT PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T STICK HANDLE!

- Mark Spector

He's not mean enough. We need a pure bad ass


- Killbot460

This video is hilarious. Clowe's San Jose career highlights set to Goo Goo Dolls.

Well it worked for Messier. He moved from LW to C.
Hall is a great passer and has more than his fair share of assists.
His FO% last year was 0.547.
And playing center keeps him from going too wildly into the corner and getting hurt.
Having him injured hurts us bad so overall might be a serious option especially if we can'y sign Gags at a reasonable price. And since we haven't already signed Gags...
- redwolf

Completely agree. Trade Gags for a big LW

Good trade for the Oilers.

. How much would Bogosion cost?

. How much would Bogosion cost?

So the Oil are going hard for Emery. He has the best stats from last year of any goalie available with 17 wins and 1 loss. How much of that is because of CHI D? Is he actually a better goalie than Dubey? I must admit I haven't followed Emery ever.

Just don't see them putting a $3.5MM Dman on the 3rd pairing, or Klefbom
at Benchwarmer.

Smid/ J.Schultz
Ference/ Petry
Belov / Klefbom or N.Schultz
Potter

Or some combo of this group. Young, fast Defense that will take time to work.
- Oiler4Ever

Smid and Shultz both make 3.5 mill. Don't see them keeping both and neither belongs on the top pair with J Schultz. I think one needs to be moved.

Edit: I could see them putting Smid with Belov. They would be able to communicate best since Belov likely isn't great at English yet.

Well it worked for Messier. He moved from LW to C.
Hall is a great passer and has more than his fair share of assists.
His FO% last year was 0.547.
And playing center keeps him from going too wildly into the corner and getting hurt.
Having him injured hurts us bad so overall might be a serious option especially if we can'y sign Gags at a reasonable price. And since we haven't already signed Gags...
- redwolf

Didn't work for Alex Burrows, Chris Higgins or any other the winger the Canucks have tried to convert because they had good FO stats in limited tries. Wendel Clark moved from D to forward and was the player the Oilers really need. Should the Oilers try and convert Petry into a powerforward?

Jamie Benn was a winger turned center because lack of depth. What did Dallas do? Acquire like 16 centres today because they want him back on the wing.

I just think any benefits as far as lineup balance are outweighed by all the benefits he brings to the wing position.

So the Oil are going hard for Emery. He has the best stats from last year of any goalie available with 17 wins and 1 loss. How much of that is because of CHI D? Is he actually a better goalie than Dubey? I must admit I haven't followed Emery ever.
- Hall Fan

i don't mind him, but he is going to get overpaid. rather look elsewhere.

Pretty much. He is Taylor Chorney. It seems like he was more of an add in because MacT let half the farms defence (frank) off because they (frank)ing sucked
- DTF69

SO happy that Plante is finally (frank)ing gone.

Soooo is mac t still as bad as tambellini or has clouts flip flopped from his earlier blog today???

Completely agree. Trade Gags for a big LW
- theireland

We would then need 2 big LWers...

SO happy that Plante is finally (frank)ing gone.
- TheTaoOfSemenko

I was disappointed he never amounted to much. I saw him play a hell of a preseason game a few years ago against Florida. Dude was unreal.

Clarkson was in Edmonton all day. Id say thats expressing interest in the money.
- TheTaoOfSemenko

Fix

And the real detriment is no one on the Oiler's is reliable at 50%.

Its nice to have cap savings but this trade has not made the Oiler's a better hockey team. To win you have to be good down the middle and right now the Oiler's are worse off than they have been in a long time.
- DTF69

Not for long. I dont anticipate a tonne of difficulty in finding a 3rd line C lol.

What time does free agency begin tomorrow, Edmonton time? Noon?

I was disappointed he never amounted to much. I saw him play a hell of a preseason game a few years ago against Florida. Dude was unreal.
- DTF69

A man-beast, but about as mobile as a three toed sloth.

Anyone know what time tomorrow that free agency starts?

Not for long. I dont anticipate a tonne of difficulty in finding a 3rd line C lol.
- TheTaoOfSemenko

I've heard the Canucks say that since Malhotra became Scott Summers.

Fix
- AlEx_OiL

same difference