MacK all the way.

Palat and Johnson had amazing years, but they are 5 years older than Mack and have professional experience already with stints in the AHL and minor ones with the Lightning.

MacK showed up straight from Junior and has been dynamite
- DDM-Coga

What's in the water up in Cole Harbour, NS

If not Subban the only other guy I can think of is Pietrangelo. Same scenario as the Habs
- OilerFanFromBC

Oh yes please!

What's in the water up in Cole Harbour, NS
- Erik6Karlsson5

Radiation mainly...

Let's just throw some names out there that roughly fit the bill (ignoring the proposed trade)

Goligoski, Wiesnewski, Shattenkrik, Brodin...

those four I could see being the most moveable

What's in the water up in Cole Harbour, NS
- Erik6Karlsson5

Salt

letang in Pitt

or

staal in new york

Salt
- Morris

oil, diapers, garbage....probably a few bodies.

Where the (frank) is Monahan?
- TandA4Flames

being boring on twitter?

Where the (frank) is Monahan?
- TandA4Flames

Playing golf?

Let's just throw some names out there that roughly fit the bill (ignoring the proposed trade)

Goligoski, Wiesnewski, Shattenkrik, Brodin...

those four I could see being the most moveable
- Morris

hands off, we're trading spezza for him

Where the (frank) is Monahan?
- TandA4Flames

yeah, he had a pretty decent season for sure.

Then again, you guys trashed Yakupov for scoring a bunch of points in his last 15 games last year, and Monahan pretty much did that except for it was his first 15 games.

i don't see any match with Montreal/Edmonton, not on a Subban-type scale. i don't see Montreal interested in any of RNH, Eberle or Yak for Subban, and the Oil aren't dealing Hall.
- DoubleDown

I'd like it to be Hall for Subban. I hope Montreal would not consider anything else. I doubt Montreal is in on this.

Has to be Subban. 3rd overall + Yakupov for Subban, 21st overall and a second? Canadiens thinm highly of Yak. Imagine him back with Galchenyuk. Habs will need a scorering winger again once Vanek leaves
- OilerFanFromBC

Not going anywhere.

i don't see any match with Montreal/Edmonton, not on a Subban-type scale. i don't see Montreal interested in any of RNH, Eberle or Yak for Subban, and the Oil aren't dealing Hall.
- DoubleDown

There's a big difference between Eberle for Subban, and Eberle + 3rd overall for Subban + 25th overall and 50th overall though.

But I agree with your original assessment - the deal's bunk.

Am I missing something? I don't think this is a sign of Niskanen being ready to take the reins right now

Lingering health issues would be the only reason I'd replace Letang with Niskanen
- Morris

There are more than health issues that Pittsburgh should replace Letang with Niskanen.

The third overall pick should get Edmonton any defenceman that is actually going to be available. The top three players in this years draft are all good enough to garner a defenceman that would be made available by his team. No team is going to trade their best defenceman and end up looking for one themselves. The Oilers are in as much need of a second line centreman as they are a defenceman, so why on earth would they be trading the third overall pick when the top three players are either centreman or a defenceman. MacTavish and Eakins have both said their number one need is secondary scoring after the Hall/RNH/Eberle line, so they will not be giving up two offensive pieces for a defenceman.

The third overall pick should get Edmonton any defenceman that is actually going to be available. The top three players in this years draft are all good enough to garner a defenceman that would be made available by his team. No team is going to trade their best defenceman and end up looking for one themselves. The Oilers are in as much need of a second line centreman as they are a defenceman, so why on earth would they be trading the third overall pick when the top three players are either centreman or a defenceman. MacTavish and Eakins have both said their number one need is secondary scoring after the Hall/RNH/Eberle line, so they will not be giving up two offensive pieces for a defenceman.
- Woowy

because they don't need anohter 18 year old, who's gonna need 3-4 years minimum, before he's a good NHLer. they need players to help them start winning NOW

There are more than health issues that Pittsburgh should replace Letang with Niskanen.
- Oneonta Penguin

I understand Letang is like captain brainfart, but I don't see the track record in Niskanen to be confident in that.

If you're saying you move out Letang and Scuderi and that affords you the cap space to re-up Niskanen, bring in another defenseman and grab a solid 3rd line player, than I understand the so-called numbers game.

I still think it's a downgrade though.

Hertl.

MacK all the way.

Palat and Johnson had amazing years, but they are 5 years older than Mack and have professional experience already with stints in the AHL and minor ones with the Lightning.

MacK showed up straight from Junior and has been dynamite
- DDM-Coga

Prior experience and age should have no bearing on determining who had the best season as a first-year NHL player. But it is a bit more impressive.

The third overall pick should get Edmonton any defenceman that is actually going to be available. The top three players in this years draft are all good enough to garner a defenceman that would be made available by his team. No team is going to trade their best defenceman and end up looking for one themselves. The Oilers are in as much need of a second line centreman as they are a defenceman, so why on earth would they be trading the third overall pick when the top three players are either centreman or a defenceman. MacTavish and Eakins have both said their number one need is secondary scoring after the Hall/RNH/Eberle line, so they will not be giving up two offensive pieces for a defenceman.
- Woowy

People keep saying this, but I don't think it's accurate at all. I think it's true that we've got more players capable of becoming a top pairing dman (4-5) than we have capable of becoming a solid 2C (1ish) but I wouldn't say that our lack of a top-end 2C hurts us as much as our lack of a top pairing dman.

I think both Eakins and MacT recognize that cultivating secondary scoring will come from being a better possession team as opposed to acquiring more flash.

I'm with you though. There's a very good argument for drafting Draistail or Bennett and waiting for them to come along. I think that's precisely because 2C isn't that pressing for us though.

How do you do it right?
- robin_steele264

trade both starting goaltenders, fire your incompetent gm and rot in last for the next 5-8 years

because they don't need anohter 18 year old, who's gonna need 3-4 years minimum, before he's a good NHLer. they need players to help them start winning NOW
- sensarmy_11

I think we can wait on a centreman. Ekblad would be useful to us of course in the go-ahead, but he would join the growing logjam of defensemen under 25 that project fairly well into the NHL.

i don't see any match with Montreal/Edmonton, not on a Subban-type scale. i don't see Montreal interested in any of RNH, Eberle or Yak for Subban, and the Oil aren't dealing Hall.
- DoubleDown

They had interest in Yak didnt they?? Him and Gally playimg together again?

Aaron Rome looks to be the best dman available. IT will probably be Rome, Dallas' first rounder for Hall and the 3rd overall pick.