im a big believer that mact can get this monumental task done. even with all the obstacles of a less than desirable free agent destination, so many holes etc etc
but I like everything he said there.

really like a big body on the first line left wing and move perron down to the third. provides some instant offence and grit. put him alongside a winnik or a downie and i think that makes us much tougher to match up with.

extremely hesitant to throw term at markov. still a solid, smart player, but hes lost a step. he was victimized often by nyr's speed.

im hoping hes thinking trade for the defenders and the secondary forwards through free agency
- hugefemale dog77

You are suggesting at this point that we add some size to the top 6 by moving the biggest hitter in the top 6 to the third line. A guy who also led the team in scoring despite his lack of comparable offensive ice time that the first line received. A guy that played most of the season with changing wing partners and still had the third most points on the team.

I think Perron was our second line last year and we should be looking to get a player to compliment his abilities rather than bumping him down a line.

What's your point in saying this?
- MaximumBone

just an observation. Future looks sunny in sunny florida. Can't say the same for EDM.

beats talking about if there's an internal cap

What's your point in saying this?
- MaximumBone

No random thoughts allowed! Stick to the topic!!!

When players want out, they usually get out though.

Also, at a certain point wanting something significant gets trumped by the bad contract.

Every year we talk about Campbell. I'm sure there are teams that would be interested.
- Morris

How long did it take for Lu to get out?

He's got an 8-team list I think and I guarantee almost everyone will be a contender that can't afford him without 50% retention

No random thoughts allowed! Stick to the topic!!!
- hugefemale dog77

ya geez. What's the point of being on hb at all?

We should all post the fart gif as an uprising against the suppressors!
- ChetManly

on Tanners thread....

You are suggesting at this point that we add some size to the top 6 by moving the biggest hitter in the top 6 to the third line. A guy who also led the team in scoring despite his lack of comparable offensive ice time that the first line received. A guy that played most of the season with changing wing partners and still had the third most points on the team.

I think Perron was our second line last year and we should be looking to get a player to compliment his abilities rather than bumping him down a line.
- Hall Fan

Yeah I am

I think depth through the top 9 is the best direction for this team.

Im not interested in pigeonholing players into certain roles. And I believe the entire nhl is trending this way.
This isnt a demotion for perron. In fact the guy id want in the top 6 isnt as talented as perron, but plays a much simpler crasher type game.
Its a way to make us tougher to match up with and improve our depth.
He'd still have comparable minutes.

It was the high water mark for our best player at THAT TIME. And it made sense.

Totally handcuffing yourself to not take into account; a rising future cap, the possibility of hall plateauing, the possibility of acquiring a better player etc. just makes no sense imo.
- hugefemale dog77

I do agree that if it is the case its a "loose" scenario where over time that will go up and for certain types of players they would go over. Again who knows what the actual discussions are in the front office.

just an observation. Future looks sunny in sunny florida. Can't say the same for EDM.

beats talking about if there's an internal cap
- TheNugeIsHuge

How can't you say the same for Edmonton?

We have Hall, Eberle, RNH, Perron, and Yakupov up front and Draisaitl in the pipeline to go along with Petry, Marincin, and Schultz on the big club and Nurse and Klefbom en route.

For all anyone knows, Bjugstad could top out as a 40 point C and Gudbranson could never piece together his offensive game. Add that along with the fact that Campbell supposedly wants out and their lack of future goaltending option and suddenly it doesn't look all bright and "sunny".

This whole dreary outlook on the organization amongst Edmonton fans- while not entirely unwarranted- seems ridiculous to me, especially once those same fans start pumping the tires of other team's rebuilds suggesting they're miles ahead. Teams who- in case we've suddenly forgotten- have the same history of failure as our own.

No random thoughts allowed! Stick to the topic!!!
- hugefemale dog77

Random thoughts are fine, but that doesn't mean there shouldn't be a point to you bringing them up.

I do agree that if it is the case its a "loose" scenario where over time that will go up and for certain types of players they would go over. Again who knows what the actual discussions are in the front office.
- Iggysbff

This seems alot more plausible. And agreed

Florida will have Campbell, Kulikov, Gudbranson, Ekblad on the back end with Matheson and Mccoshen soon on the way. Bjugstad and Barkov down the middle for the next decade with Huberdeau on the wing.

They'll be pretty good pretty quick
- TheNugeIsHuge

Luongo in net although getting up there in age is huge for them too. Luongo could definitely steal some games this year

How can't you say the same for Edmonton?

We have Hall, Eberle, RNH, Perron, and Yakupov up front and Draisaitl in the pipeline to go along with Petry, Marincin, and Schultz on the big club and Nurse and Klefbom en route.

For all anyone knows, Bjugstad could top out as a 40 point C and Gudbranson could never piece together his offensive game. Add that along with the fact that Campbell supposedly wants out and their lack of future goaltending option and suddenly it doesn't look all bright and "sunny".

This whole dreary outlook on the organization amongst Edmonton fans- while not entirely unwarranted- seems ridiculous to me, especially once those same fans start pumping the tires of other team's rebuilds suggesting they're miles ahead. Teams who- in case we've suddenly forgotten- have the same history of failure as our own.
- MaximumBone

Id assume it's a more 'objective' look at a young opposing team that he has no emotional attachments towards.
While being very 'subjective' on the team he does care about.

And after years of watching failing and getting let down, along with the obvious deficiencies anyone who sees the oilers play often, its easy to be ' glass is half empty'

How can't you say the same for Edmonton?

We have Hall, Eberle, RNH, Perron, and Yakupov up front and Draisaitl in the pipeline to go along with Petry, Marincin, and Schultz on the big club and Nurse and Klefbom en route.

For all anyone knows, Bjugstad could top out as a 40 point C and Gudbranson could never piece together his offensive game. Add that along with the fact that Campbell supposedly wants out and their lack of future goaltending option and suddenly it doesn't look all bright and "sunny".

This whole dreary outlook on the organization amongst Edmonton fans- while not entirely unwarranted- seems ridiculous to me, especially once those same fans start pumping the tires of other team's rebuilds suggesting they're miles ahead. Teams who- in case we've suddenly forgotten- have the same history of failure as our own.
- MaximumBone

I can't say the same for EDM because despite an arguably better roster, they were a worse team this year than in 2012. Stock piling 1st overall picks is a strategy that looks cool on paper but hasn't worked for EDM in the slightest way.

I love Nuge. Him and Petry are my favourite oilers. But EDM down the middle is 170lb Nuge and maybe 205 lb Draisaitl who won't be an impact player for at least another 2 seasons and by then I'm thinking Hall and Eberle will want to be long gone. FLA's got 6'6 Bjugstad and 6'3 Barkov. Weird that anyone would consider that impressive and a better situation than EDM is sitting in down the middle.

How can something be warranted and ridiculous at the same time? How can you not be dreary when EDM hasn't gotten out of the bottom 10 in 6 years! I'm also a fan of possession numbers and Florida can be fairly middle of the pack with a weak and young roster while EDM has been bottom 3 two seasons straight despite having their current coach preach puck possession. and EDM is too thick skulled to realize that employing Frasers and Gazdics won't help that!

For all we know Bjugstad is a 40P C? For all we know RNH is a 55P C

I can't say the same for EDM because despite an arguably better roster, they were a worse team this year than in 2012. Stock piling 1st overall picks is a strategy that looks cool on paper but hasn't worked for EDM in the slightest way.

I love Nuge. Him and Petry are my favourite oilers. But EDM down the middle is 170lb Nuge and maybe 205 lb Draisaitl who won't be an impact player for at least another 2 seasons and by then I'm thinking Hall and Eberle will want to be long gone. FLA's got 6'6 Bjugstad and 6'3 Barkov. Weird that anyone would consider that impressive and a better situation than EDM is sitting in down the middle.

How can something be warranted and ridiculous at the same time? How can you not be dreary when EDM hasn't gotten out of the bottom 10 in 6 years! I'm also a fan of possession numbers and Florida can be fairly middle of the pack with a weak and young roster while EDM has been bottom 3 two seasons straight despite having their current coach preach puck possession. and EDM is too thick skulled to realize that employing Frasers and Gazdics won't help that!

For all we know Bjugstad is a 40P C? For all we know RNH is a 55P C
- TheNugeIsHuge

I can't say the same for EDM because despite an arguably better roster, they were a worse team this year than in 2012. Stock piling 1st overall picks is a strategy that looks cool on paper but hasn't worked for EDM in the slightest way.

I love Nuge. Him and Petry are my favourite oilers. But EDM down the middle is 170lb Nuge and maybe 205 lb Draisaitl who won't be an impact player for at least another 2 seasons and by then I'm thinking Hall and Eberle will want to be long gone. FLA's got 6'6 Bjugstad and 6'3 Barkov. Weird that anyone would consider that impressive and a better situation than EDM is sitting in down the middle.

How can something be warranted and ridiculous at the same time? How can you not be dreary when EDM hasn't gotten out of the bottom 10 in 6 years! I'm also a fan of possession numbers and Florida can be fairly middle of the pack with a weak and young roster while EDM has been bottom 3 two seasons straight despite having their current coach preach puck possession. and EDM is too thick skulled to realize that employing Frasers and Gazdics won't help that!

For all we know Bjugstad is a 40P C? For all we know RNH is a 55P C
- TheNugeIsHuge

My point is you're suggesting that Florida as a team is better off than Edmonton without evidence. Florida certainly seems better set down the middle, but Edmonton is FAR deeper on the wing and equally set on D in the future. Goaltending is also pretty close. I just think you're giving Florida's rebuild too much credit and not giving our own enough.

You think Florida doesn't employ a bunch of useless players? They've employed Parros, Gilroy, Barch, and Jovo over the past few seasons.

I havent heard this.

Ive heard hockeybuzz posters say such, which I think is ridiculous."hall would be pissed cause player a gets more money"
If that were even remotely true, trade the fuker, cause hes holding us back from being a better team.

thinking we'd balk on toews cause he gets more money than hall is ludicrous.
- hugefemale dog77

That and in 3 years from now when the market is 10mil for a guy, do we say nope 6mil is the max?

My point is you're suggesting that Florida as a team is better off than Edmonton without evidence. Florida certainly seems better set down the middle, but Edmonton is FAR deeper on the wing and equally set on D in the future. Goaltending is also pretty close. I just think you're giving Florida's rebuild too much credit and not giving our own enough.

You think Florida doesn't employ a bunch of useless players? They've employed Parros, Gilroy, Barch, and Jovo over the past few seasons.
- MaximumBone

Now with a stronger starting goalie, stronger depth down the middle, more NHL quality talent on D, a coaching staff that knows what they're doing, and the division they play in, Florida can challenge for a playoff spot in the next 1-2 years with some signings here and there.

EDM's got about 6 holes to fill, 3-4 of which are pretty substantial and even when they reach that peak point I still don't know if they'll be able to compete in the pacific. I'm easily more optimistic for FLA's rebuild than EDM's

How long did it take for Lu to get out?

He's got an 8-team list I think and I guarantee almost everyone will be a contender that can't afford him without 50% retention
- TheNugeIsHuge

This is going to sound silly, but did Lu ever publically say he wanted out?

just an observation. Future looks sunny in sunny florida. Can't say the same for EDM.

beats talking about if there's an internal cap
- TheNugeIsHuge

Disagree. Can't see how if that collection of players makes Florida's future bright then our collection of players doesn't do the same for us.

This is going to sound silly, but did Lu ever publically say he wanted out?
- Morris

Not sure, but he sure as hell never denied it.

How can't you say the same for Edmonton?

We have Hall, Eberle, RNH, Perron, and Yakupov up front and Draisaitl in the pipeline to go along with Petry, Marincin, and Schultz on the big club and Nurse and Klefbom en route.

For all anyone knows, Bjugstad could top out as a 40 point C and Gudbranson could never piece together his offensive game. Add that along with the fact that Campbell supposedly wants out and their lack of future goaltending option and suddenly it doesn't look all bright and "sunny".

This whole dreary outlook on the organization amongst Edmonton fans- while not entirely unwarranted- seems ridiculous to me, especially once those same fans start pumping the tires of other team's rebuilds suggesting they're miles ahead. Teams who- in case we've suddenly forgotten- have the same history of failure as our own.
- MaximumBone

Not to mention verbally fellating dime a dozen players that happen to play on great teams.

Not sure, but he sure as hell never denied it.
- Lahey

Come to think of it, how many guys that have supposedly asked for a trade ever came out and made it public before hand.

Yeah I am

I think depth through the top 9 is the best direction for this team.

Im not interested in pigeonholing players into certain roles. And I believe the entire nhl is trending this way.
This isnt a demotion for perron. In fact the guy id want in the top 6 isnt as talented as perron, but plays a much simpso match up with and improve our depth.
He'd still have comparable minutes.
- hugefemale dog77

Exactly.

If Sharp can play on Chicago's 3rd line with Bryan Bickell on the top line, Ditto for Dustin Brown playing behind Dwight King, and Brandon Prust can be shifted up while Brendan Gallagher is shifted down, it should be clear it's all about depth and matchups.

And I can all but guarantee none of these "demoted" players give a poop while they're winning.

Come to think of it, how many guys that have supposedly asked for a trade ever came out and made it public before hand.
- Lahey

Probably not many. Spezza just did it, but it's likely the exception as opposed to the rule.

My thought on Campbell is that if he really wants out, he'll get himself traded. Once a player really wants out GMs generally push hard to get them gone.