Edmonton Oilers ‏@EdmontonOilers 1m
#Oilers lines today --> Perron-RNH-Eberle, Hall-Gagner-Hemsky, Smyth-Arcobello-Yakupov, Joensuu-Gordon-Jones, Gazdic-Acton-MacIntyre.

I guess it depends how you post it.
- Lahey

Big Mac is good to go? Im guessing he wont see ice until Van

Anyone notice how in a year where Dubnyk was supposed to take the next step, Eakins was supposed to make us tougher and better defensively, MacT vowed to revamp the bottom 6 and we made a major change to our leadership group, our goaltending, defense, grit and leadership is worse than ever?
- Morris

I think our bottom 6 is better, but ya the rest is quite crappy. I wasn't sure how were going to be better defensively though. Even now with Smid gone. I understand the trade, but taking him out and adding larsen makes us worse defensively.

Big Mac is good to go? Im guessing he wont see ice until Van
- doon

Flames maybe too

I hope he mugs kassian then gets waived

I think our bottom 6 is better, but ya the rest is quite crappy. I wasn't sure how were going to be better defensively though. Even now with Smid gone. I understand the trade, but taking him out and adding larsen makes us worse defensively.
- Lahey

According to Elliot Friedeman, not many GM's knew Smid was available. I don't see why Mac T wouldn't call around and ask. I think we could get a grittier forward for Smid rather than two half ass prospects. Bad management move.

I think our bottom 6 is better, but ya the rest is quite crappy. I wasn't sure how were going to be better defensively though. Even now with Smid gone. I understand the trade, but taking him out and adding larsen makes us worse defensively.
- Lahey

Sorry, I should say that our 3rd line - and especially our presumptive 3rd line when we have Perron, Gordon, Yakupov, Smyth, Jones and Joensuu all available - is much improved. The 4th line is same-old same-old, and I wouldn't say we've had an exceptional bottom 6 as MacT seem to envision.

The idea that we'd play better team defense relies heavily on touting Eakins' system 5v5 over Kruegers. I remember near the end of last season someone wrote a breakdown of the failures of Ralphie's system - in a nutshell it put undue defensive stress own-zone on our centres, and underutilized the wingers defensively. I'd be interested to see the same done with Eakins, as it seems the "systematically lazy winger" syndrome still plagues the team.

According to Elliot Friedeman, not many GM's knew Smid was available. I don't see why Mac T wouldn't call around and ask. I think we could get a grittier forward for Smid rather than two half ass prospects. Bad management move.
- ystoil

I think they wanted a solid Goalie prospect in the system, but yeah it was a weird trade

According to Elliot Friedeman, not many GM's knew Smid was available. I don't see why Mac T wouldn't call around and ask. I think we could get a grittier forward for Smid rather than two half ass prospects. Bad management move.
- ystoil

And according to Feaster, they've had that on the table for several weeks.

Doesn't make sense that they make that move then. Seems like there was another deal that fell through.

Horak scores his first goal as a member of the Barons.

I think they wanted a solid Goalie prospect in the system, but yeah it was a weird trade
- doon

Imagine if we had pressured them for Glencross or the like.

Imagine if we had pressured them for Glencross or the like.
- Morris

I thought it was to make some cap space for someting else, but nothing yet

According to Elliot Friedeman, not many GM's knew Smid was available. I don't see why Mac T wouldn't call around and ask. I think we could get a grittier forward for Smid rather than two half ass prospects. Bad management move.
- ystoil

Curious to see what actually happened. Lots of poop flying around. I wouldn't be shocked if some guys are just talking poops to make MacT look even worse.

Big Mac is good to go? Im guessing he wont see ice until Van
- doon

I won't be shocked to see him waived once off IR.

And according to Feaster, they've had that on the table for several weeks.

Doesn't make sense that they make that move then. Seems like there was another deal that fell through.
- Morris

There has to be something else. You don't clear cap space for a team way out of the playoff hunt that didn't need cap space in order to sign a sideshow goalie. If it really was for that, Lowe and Mac T are dumber than they look.

I won't be shocked to see him waived once off IR.
- Lahey

That would be the smart thing to do, but I would like to see Kassian nervous for one game.

I think they wanted a solid Goalie prospect in the system, but yeah it was a weird trade
- doon

I kinda thought Smid was available all along, him and Schultz. Something tells me that you'd have to be a moron to not know that you could get Smid if you want him. MacT wanted that prospect and paid what CGY wanted. Really what else would teams give us for Smid? Horak and a 2nd? I would've like to maybe get that pick and flip if for PK help, but in the end I don't think it was a major loss.

There has to be something else. You don't clear cap space for a team way out of the playoff hunt that didn't need cap space in order to sign a sideshow goalie. If it really was for that, Lowe and Mac T are dumber than they look.
- ystoil

Maybe they're hoping he pushes dubstwp to become a goalie and there is something much bigger happening.

There has to be something else. You don't clear cap space for a team way out of the playoff hunt that didn't need cap space in order to sign a sideshow goalie. If it really was for that, Lowe and Mac T are dumber than they look.
- ystoil

Could it be that he wanted to get rid of the contract before it becomes a burden?

Being a third pairing guy on the Oilers wouldn't be an easy sell in the summer.

There has to be something else. You don't clear cap space for a team way out of the playoff hunt that didn't need cap space in order to sign a sideshow goalie. If it really was for that, Lowe and Mac T are dumber than they look.
- ystoil

I think we knew that we weren't going to be able to afford Petry (re-signed), Justin Schultz (re-signed), Ference, Smid, and have the opportunity to re-sign Belov/Nick Schultz and improve the team with that primo #1 defenseman.

A lot of the fans have said as much that it didn't make sense to have someone so expensive on the bottom pairing.

Still, if they're trading Smid so they're not handcuffed later, that's not the return you're looking for. To put it in perspective, they were more handcuffed with Horcoff both in terms of dollars, NTC, and wanting to move him immediately, and they arguably got a better return.

I think we knew that we weren't going to be able to afford Petry (re-signed), Justin Schultz (re-signed), Ference, Smid, and have the opportunity to re-sign Belov/Nick Schultz and improve the team with that primo #1 defenseman.

A lot of the fans have said as much that it didn't make sense to have someone so expensive on the bottom pairing.

Still, if they're trading Smid so they're not handcuffed later, that's not the return you're looking for. To put it in perspective, they were more handcuffed with Horcoff both in terms of dollars, NTC, and wanting to move him immediately, and they arguably got a better return.
- Morris

It will take years to see if we lost that trade. We got a solid young goalie, but who knows about them?

I kinda thought Smid was available all along, him and Schultz. Something tells me that you'd have to be a moron to not know that you could get Smid if you want him. MacT wanted that prospect and paid what CGY wanted. Really what else would teams give us for Smid? Horak and a 2nd? I would've like to maybe get that pick and flip if for PK help, but in the end I don't think it was a major loss.
- Lahey

It wasn't a major loss but we didn't overpay in order to improve, which is what some people here have come to terms with. "We may have to lose a trade to improve the team." As it stands now we lost a trade for really nothing.

If I remember in the past (and I hope my memory is not being clouded by Cloutier's garbage) but wasn't Carolina looking for a Dman, such as Smid? Would Smid grab the struggling Tuomu Ruutu?

Philly is always looking for a Dman, how about Tye McGinn?

I don't think those are outlandish trades.

It will take years to see if we lost that trade. We got a solid young goalie, but who knows about them?
- doon

This is the concern with goalies.

This trade kinda reminds me of Salo for Gilbert for some reason.

This is the concern with goalies.

This trade kinda reminds me of Salo for Gilbert for some reason.
- Lahey

I never got the whole "building around goalies" idea. People talk like it's building around a quarteback, but with how flash-in-the-pan they are it seems more like building around a kick returner to me.

Could it be that he wanted to get rid of the contract before it becomes a burden?

Being a third pairing guy on the Oilers wouldn't be an easy sell in the summer.
- Lahey

Fair point.

I never got the whole "building around goalies" idea. People talk like it's building around a quarteback, but with how flash-in-the-pan they are it seems more like building around a kick returner to me.
- Morris

This is true. Its basically luck with goalies.

It's everything. Management hiring a coach who doesn't fit the players we have, a coach not adjusting the small things that were successful last year, but aren't anymore.

I just find it hard to blame the players because they can't play defense. MacT and Lowe should know that you just don't learn over night. We are seeing what happens when you put guys into the NHL at such an early age and don't surround them with proper vets and then go with some sort of defense that resembles the Ukrainian national team.

There is blame to be given to a lot, but at some point if these kids aren't going to play the system you want them to then you better change the system or change the kids.
- Lahey

I think this is what management needs to ask themselves. 1. Are they happy with Eakins system\vision going forward? If answer is No, get him to change that system or get New coach with a system you believe in. If the answer is yes, figure out who is having an issue with the new system and why. If its a matter of the player trying but is having a hard time adjusting to the new system that is one thing but if it is the player just doesn't like the system or won't follow it, it is time to trade that player.

I really think no matter what system we were running it wouldn't work with our current roster makeup. Besides the issues we have had with goaltending and the obvious issues on D with not having a true #1 (and maybe #2) Dman that is strong defensively as well, our forward core just doesn't seem to be working. We have too many perimeter players and it just isn't working. Thank God for the Perron trade as he is one of our only skilled players that will consistently go to the net, we need more of that from our players or trade some perimeter players for ones that aren't afraid to go to the net.