I remember that intermission when he said that. He makes some good points. Let's say we keep yak, nuge, hall, gagner, Perron and eberle going forward. We need a big player at each forward position to fill that in.

We would probably have to add two by free agency and use the first rounder to address the need or trade for it. Say kulemin, goc or ott. Draft draisaitl or dal colle or virtanen (depending where we land).
- ystoil

It certainly limits the kind of players we can go out and get if we keep that bunch, so maybe MacLean is underestimating the easiness of building off of them (as Staples suggests). Maybe the best thing to do is to lose a trade to make the mix better.

I just agree with MacLean that we'd be definitely losing in terms of value, something a lot people don't want to admit to theirselves when talkin about guys like Gags and Yakupov

It certainly limits the kind of players we can go out and get if we keep that bunch, so maybe MacLean is underestimating the easiness of building off of them (as Staples suggests). Maybe the best thing to do is to lose a trade to make the mix better.

I just agree with MacLean that we'd be definitely losing in terms of value, something a lot people don't want to admit to theirselves when talkin about guys like Gags and Yakupov
- Morris

That's why I was fine with a deal surrounding gagner and Clifford. I'd hope we could squeeze muzzin or toffoli out which has been rumoured. I think I'd prefer Dwight king though as Spector tweeted.

Hall nuge Yak
Clifford goc Eberle
Kulemin Gordon Perron

That's why I was fine with a deal surrounding gagner and Clifford. I'd hope we could squeeze muzzin or toffoli out which has been rumoured. I think I'd prefer Dwight king though as Spector tweeted.

Hall nuge Yak
Clifford goc Eberle
Kulemin Gordon Perron
- ystoil

I question Eberle's ability to carry a line by himself. No offense to either of those other two but neither are legit top-6 players themselves. As good as that 1st overall line has looked so far, going into next season, I'd like to see the offense spread around some more. Ideally (let me emphasize "IDEALLY"), something like this comes to mind:

Hall- Goc- Yak
Clifford- RNH- Eberle
Kulemin- Lander- Perron
Smyth- Gordon- Hendricks
Pitlick

What better way to sell Edmonton to Goc than telling him he's got a great shot at centering Hall and Yakupov? Kulemin will likely be a harder sell, but he's the guy I hope management REALLY goes after. Smyth can mentor Clifford on how to play the PP and Pitlick and Hendricks split time on the 4th. It's idealistic to assume that Lander will be at the level I'm suggesting, but in my ideal scenario, this is what happens.

I question Eberle's ability to carry a line by himself. No offense to either of those other two but neither are legit top-6 players themselves. As good as that 1st overall line has looked so far, going into next season, I'd like to see the offense spread around some more. Ideally (let me emphasize "IDEALLY"), something like this comes to mind:

Hall- Goc- Yak
Clifford- RNH- Eberle
Kulemin- Lander- Perron
Smyth- Gordon- Hendricks
Pitlick

What better way to sell Edmonton to Goc than telling him he's got a great shot at centering Hall and Yakupov? Kulemin will likely be a harder sell, but he's the guy I hope management REALLY goes after. Smyth can mentor Clifford on how to play the PP and Pitlick and Hendricks split time on the 4th. It's idealistic to assume that Lander will be at the level I'm suggesting, but in my ideal scenario, this is what happens.
- MaximumBone

Good post. And I agree. I more so threw that line combo together. I also like that goc brings an experienced defensive game to a couple offensive guys. Also can chip in offensively. He is also decent size at 6'1 200lbs.

Next is despres for Hemmer!

Good post. And I agree. I more so threw that line combo together. I also like that goc brings an experienced defensive game to a couple offensive guys. Also can chip in offensively. He is also decent size at 6'1 200lbs.

Next is despres for Hemmer!
- ystoil

Yeah, Goc would be a solid addition. Nothing world beating; just another (albeit much faster) Horcoff-clone to bolster the line-up!

Hemsky has been rumored to Pittsburgh for too many years to believe he'd garner such a return. That'd be quite the dream, though!

Congrats to Canada on the win! I'm proud that the Swedes were even able to pull of silver considering the number of significant injuries and relative size of the nation!
- MaximumBone

Go (frank) yourself two-face!

Go (frank) yourself two-face!
- Jeropotato

Your words; they hurt so good

How does Joakim Andersson and Kyle Quincey for Hemsky (half cap retained) sound to you guys?

Sn360 3:00 okc vs Toronto just to let you guys know

the neighbour part. Learn how to spell you looser...
- ImThatGuy

looser? lol

Ruttager you female dog ass, tell us all to get up then fall asleep...
- HouseArrest187

Fack that. I told you I was heading back to work, and get a 35% discount.

looser? lol
- ItsMeBoo

Boo!!!

That's why I was fine with a deal surrounding gagner and Clifford. I'd hope we could squeeze muzzin or toffoli out which has been rumoured. I think I'd prefer Dwight king though as Spector tweeted.

Hall nuge Yak
Clifford goc Eberle
Kulemin Gordon Perron
- ystoil

If Clifford's in the top 6 I'm becoming a flames fan. Clifford plays the 12th most minutes among Fs in LA. If he wasn't big he wouldn't be in the NHL.

I question Eberle's ability to carry a line by himself. No offense to either of those other two but neither are legit top-6 players themselves. As good as that 1st overall line has looked so far, going into next season, I'd like to see the offense spread around some more. Ideally (let me emphasize "IDEALLY"), something like this comes to mind:

Hall- Goc- Yak
Clifford- RNH- Eberle
Kulemin- Lander- Perron
Smyth- Gordon- Hendricks
Pitlick

What better way to sell Edmonton to Goc than telling him he's got a great shot at centering Hall and Yakupov? Kulemin will likely be a harder sell, but he's the guy I hope management REALLY goes after. Smyth can mentor Clifford on how to play the PP and Pitlick and Hendricks split time on the 4th. It's idealistic to assume that Lander will be at the level I'm suggesting, but in my ideal scenario, this is what happens.
- MaximumBone

Eberle gets 40P playing on that line.

I'm serious if EDM turns Gagner into Clifford I'll start watching basketball or soccer

Eberle gets 40P playing on that line.

I'm serious if EDM turns Gagner into Clifford I'll start watching basketball or soccer
- TheNugeIsHuge

C'mon Mac T, get Lombardi on the phone!

This is Bullpoop!!!1 Where is the new OILERS blog for (frank)s sake?

Henderson is still celebrating Canada's win.

Good evening, female doges.

This is Bullpoop!!!1 Where is the new OILERS blog for (frank)s sake?
- Jeropotato

Garners too busy copying it from the Terry Jones

Eberle gets 40P playing on that line.

I'm serious if EDM turns Gagner into Clifford I'll start watching basketball or soccer
- TheNugeIsHuge

Eberle gets 40 points playing with RNH? Somehow I doubt that.

And at what point did I state that Gagner went for Clifford? As you said, he's a 4th liner in LA so he could likely be had for a middling pick somewhere in the next couple years (and if not, LA can (frank) right off). I should've specified that I was more offering my opinion on line combinations assuming those players were what we had to work with. I'd MUCH rather sign a guy like Winnik for that spot, but in that scenario I see no one else to fill that role unless we were to force Smyth back into a top-6 role.

Back on the note of Clifford, he went a 10 or so game stretch last season playing with Kopitar and Williams and performed admirably. As such, I don't think it's completely out of the realm of possibility that he MAY be able to operate as functional size on a line with a C like Nuge.

At the very least if we have Clifford and Kulemin, Kulemin is a better 2nd line candidate with RNH and Ebs than Clifford.

Then again, it's all about chemistry. Doug MacLean, while not that successful a GM, was right on the money when he said the Oilers should roll three even lines and improve their forwards by adding to the core before they think about replacing players.

Two things. Wow on St.Louis being a little female dog after not being named to Team Canada originally.

Second I have to admit that I never thought Price would step up and do that well for this club.

Oh and (frank) you Glen Healy. At the end of every game I watched he said something stupid and there was a pause. Why did he have to be a jackass and bring up Backstrom at the end yesterday? Trying to be the first to get the news out?

At the very least if we have Clifford and Kulemin, Kulemin is a better 2nd line candidate with RNH and Ebs than Clifford.

Then again, it's all about chemistry. Doug MacLean, while not that successful a GM, was right on the money when he said the Oilers should roll three even lines and improve their forwards by adding to the core before they think about replacing players.
- Morris

It's not like we haven't tried that. Maybe not fully, but it always reverts back to the Hall-RNH-Eberle.

It's not like we haven't tried that. Maybe not fully, but it always reverts back to the Hall-RNH-Eberle.
- Lahey

Yeah we've certainly tried that, but I'd love to see guys added that push Smyth permanently to the 4th line, Jones on the 4th/off the roster and a different skillset coming as Hemsky comes out.

C'mon Mac T, get Lombardi on the phone!
- Jeropotato