he's like your komisarek!

isnt having an owner with money fun?!
- Dozzer

{Sigh} No.. Yes.. I dont know how to answer this!

Barkov!
- ChetManly

Stud

More time than I gave it rofl.
- Panthers88

{Sigh} No.. Yes.. I dont know how to answer this!
- ImThatGuy

crack a beer, let out a sigh, and just keep on cheerin.

trust me on this.. its all you can do

The whole reason Oiler fans are cautious to see ebs and hall and all of them go is because the is nobody waiting in the wings to take over for them. If we trade Hall there is no top line Lwinger to take over for him. And I think that if you have a guy like Ekblad available you take him. If there was a deal where Mac T felt like he wins outright he does it. But no point in making a deal to send away a guy like Hall, who we suffered some bad years to get, unless you win the deal hands down.
- Oilfan19

Never trade Hall. I'm a Flames fan and I know they should never trade Hall.

But package Yaks and your 1st and try there. Have to be willing to give to get.

Barkov!
- ChetManly

I wish

Very happy about that Gagner rumor. Tells me he isn't coming to Pittsburgh.
- Oneonta Penguin

unless its for Orpik

Never trade Hall. I'm a Flames fan and I know they should never trade Hall.

But package Yaks and your 1st and try there. Have to be willing to give to get.
- dal_johnson

Wrong wrong wrong, trade Hall to the Sharks

Never trade Hall. I'm a Flames fan and I know they should never trade Hall.

But package Yaks and your 1st and try there. Have to be willing to give to get.
- dal_johnson

I would completely do that but at the same time not alot of teams are looking to lose an established dman for an unproven forward.

I wish
- Oilfan19

Barkov and Bjugstad are our #1 and #2 centers. Huberdeau plays wing. Guds is our blue line staple. Markstrom is kinda sort of our future in net. Jury is still out on that one.

unless its for Orpik
- quinnjj

Martin maybe....Not Orpik.

On Vanek....

The trade market isn't what you'd expect, and while Vanek turning down the Isles offer pointed towards him wanting to sign in a specific city, I would not assume the Minnesota Wild, where he is reportedly hoping to sign, will open up the checkbook in similar ways they did for Parise and Suter....
- Eklund

Doesn't matter anyway, Minny is not going to trade for a player that already is reported to have high interest in coming here in the off season.

So even if the rumors are true to some degree, for all intents and purposes Minnesota might as well be left out of any possible Vanek trade talks.

Wrong wrong wrong, trade Hall to the Sharks
- FinAddict

For Braun, Pavelski and Hertl and your 1st...

Doesn't matter anyway, Minny is not going to trade for a player that already is reported to have high interest in coming here in the off season.

So even if the rumors are true to some degree, for all intents and purposes Minnesota might as well be left out of any possible Vanek trade talks.
- MnGump

Yup. Just like Jordan Staal never got traded to the Hurricanes even though everyone knew he was going there....

Yup. Just like Jordan Staal never got traded to the Hurricanes even though everyone knew he was going there....
- Iggysbff

Wasn't he a pending RFA though?

Yup. Just like Jordan Staal never got traded to the Hurricanes even though everyone knew he was going there....
- Iggysbff

If Vanek truly does want to come to Minny, I'm guessing the rest of this season and next off season is just a formality. Leipold will find a way to sign him.

Aside from the major obstacles, it's rare for ANY small market teams like Minnesota to have elite players wanting to come to their organization. That's why I think that if the rumors are true, whether it's smart business or not, Vanek will sign here next season.

He will probably get it. People thinking he won't are naive. FA will make people stupid.

I hope the Sabres shy away
- sbroads24

Yeah, if Gaustad can get 3+ million.......and Ville whatever the hell he got.......

Is it just me or is it really annoying that Ek keeps saying the Islanders are in on Miller? Is he doing it just to mess with us? I mean as a long time Islanders fan haven't I gone through enough?

Stop saying the Islanders are in on Miller. The Islanders are sellers, they will not be bringing in a UFA, the Isles are probably on his no trade list. What would be the point of bringing in Miller? They are no where near the playoffs.

But isn't drafting Ekblad, for example, "taking a chance on someone that might be the guy". Isn't that exactly what the draft is?

They definitely need to get value for that pick, but this is the "bold" move that was promised by management. And to get value, they have to give up value. So convince the teams to give up that kind of Dman with a significant offer. The Oilers are the team in need right now. So you have to be willing to "pay" for it.

It is time to take that step. This puts the capper on the rebuild, exactly like other teams have done it in their process. Chicago did it with Hossa. Los Angeles with Carter and Richards, Pittsburgh with Guerin (at the time). It completes the cycle that the team has had to struggle through.
- dal_johnson

I only have issue with 'the capper" or 'complete' part. I don't think the oilers are as far along as those teams were, but I still agree with your basic premise

I see your point, but I don't feel that shipping away one of those guys at a bargain price helps in any way.
- Oilfan19

I’m not saying just give them away. But at the same time they can’t look to always come out massively on top and pull one over on the trading partner.

Look at the Seguin trade. In the long run Dallas will win this trade from the player perspective. In the much bigger picture they got better then the Bruins did. They got the better player who will be the better player for a long time. They got a piece they needed to help continue them forward and to match up with Jamie Benn.

But in the here and now the Bruins got what they needed to impact what their team needs now. Looking at it today (and there have been injuries), Boston has won from their perspective as they are poised to make another significant Cup run. They were willing to give up a great future talent to fit their needs now.

No the Oilers aren’t the Bruins. It is a different stage for their team. But they need to make impacts and move to effect the now. I’m not saying to add a player that will only help now and next season. There has to be some continuance on that. But it needs to help now and beyond. Whoever would be that draftpick may be a superstar in 6+ years. Whoever they may package with it may be a superstar in 6+ years. But if the Oilers have to continue to wait then they have failed. But the Oilers need impact now and have to be willing to give to get it.

I only have issue with 'the capper" or 'complete' part. I don't think the oilers are as far along as those teams were, but I still agree with your basic premise
- hugefemale dog77

True it may not be "one piece" to finish it. But these are the kinds of moves that now need to be made to finish it. They have done the drafting and development part as the should have. Now it is time to spend in free agency and trade to fill it all in.

Is it just me or is it really annoying that Ek keeps saying the Islanders are in on Miller? Is he doing it just to mess with us? I mean as a long time Islanders fan haven't I gone through enough?

Stop saying the Islanders are in on Miller. The Islanders are sellers, they will not be bringing in a UFA, the Isles are probably on his no trade list. What would be the point of bringing in Miller? They are no where near the playoffs.
- cawala

Yeah, doesn't make much sense to trade for a guy that isn't going to be able to help you in the playoffs this season and cetainly not knowing if he'd re-sign as part of the rebuild for seasons to come.

I agree with you, isn't much logic that can be applied here.

As a NYI fan...I would be ok with one of the following:

Vanek to LAK for Toffoli + 1st round pick

Vanek + MacDonald to LAK for Toffoli + Muzzin + 2014 1st round pick

Vanek + MacDonald to DET for Kindl + 2014 1st round pick

I’m not saying just give them away. But at the same time they can’t look to always come out massively on top and pull one over on the trading partner.

Look at the Seguin trade. In the long run Dallas will win this trade from the player perspective. In the much bigger picture they got better then the Bruins did. They got the better player who will be the better player for a long time. They got a piece they needed to help continue them forward and to match up with Jamie Benn.

But in the here and now the Bruins got what they needed to impact what their team needs now. Looking at it today (and there have been injuries), Boston has won from their perspective as they are poised to make another significant Cup run. They were willing to give up a great future talent to fit their needs now.

No the Oilers aren’t the Bruins. It is a different stage for their team. But they need to make impacts and move to effect the now. I’m not saying to add a player that will only help now and next season. There has to be some continuance on that. But it needs to help now and beyond. Whoever would be that draftpick may be a superstar in 6+ years. Whoever they may package with it may be a superstar in 6+ years. But if the Oilers have to continue to wait then they have failed. But the Oilers need impact now and have to be willing to give to get it.
- dal_johnson

Not even close to the same scenario. Seguin was an "extra" on the Bruins. He was expendable and they got what they could for him. But they did not get full value.

The Oilers don't have that luxury. Our young guys are our best players and trading anyone of them leaves a hole in the lineup.

As a NYI fan...I would be ok with one of the following:

Vanek to LAK for Toffoli + 1st round pick

Vanek + MacDonald to LAK for Toffoli + Muzzin + 2014 1st round pick

Vanek + MacDonald to DET for Kindl + 2014 1st round pick
- kcNYI

Dream big....