Yeah MacT rushing out and grabbing someone that may not be a good fit here to please the hordes of pessimistic fans isn't a good idea. It's still July, lots of time still to figure out a plan of action.
- Horseguts

Plus...there still might be something major about to happen in San Jose, Chicago and/or Philly that makes another player expendable.

For example, lets just say, for arguemets sake that Thornton gets moved to Montreal for futures....does Plekanec become available? Possibly. Or maybe Mac T is working on something big himself.

Just pissing in the wind here....but what if Thornton were to become available to Edmonton? Would Yak and Klefbom be a good gamble? Pretty nice young package of potential to the Sharks, and probably wouldn't hurt us too bad either in the long and short of it all.Of course, we will need to be restock the prospect pool fairly quickly.

Anyone bother to read Esplen's offer friday crap at puckrant? (frank) it's terrible, he always manages to outdo his own poop all the time. If you want a good laugh, go check out the offers and his responses.

Plus...there still might be something major about to happen in San Jose, Chicago and/or Philly that makes another player expendable.

For example, lets just say, for arguemets sake that Thornton gets moved to Montreal for futures....does Plekanec become available? Possibly. Or maybe Mac T is working on something big himself.

Just pissing in the wind here....but what if Thornton were to become available to Edmonton? Would Yak and Klefbom be a good gamble? Pretty nice young package of potential to the Sharks, and probably wouldn't hurt us too bad either in the long and short of it all.Of course, we will need to be restock the prospect pool fairly quickly.
- Jeropotato

Jumbo Joe won't come to Edmonton so that point is moot. I do like the rest of it though, patience is key here I believe. I'm sure MacT sees the holes in the team.

Sure, but if we're going into the year with no changes to our centres, I'm pretty sure we're (frank)ed.
- Morris

I don't know if I would say we are (frank)ed. Yes, we are weak at center but look at last year. As sad as it is to say it we were weaker on D last year then we are at center now. Going into this year we actually have an NHL d lineup and I think we are stronger on the wing then last year as well. The only change at center is possibly Arco over Gagner. I know it's not a popular opinion but I think Arco is actually better at the center position than Gagner was.

I do think MacT is looking for true fit for us at 2c but until he finds that replacement I actually think we are better off with Arco there than Gagner.

I don't know if I would say we are (frank)ed. Yes, we are weak at center but look at last year. As sad as it is to say it we were weaker on D last year then we are at center now. Going into this year we actually have an NHL d lineup and I think we are stronger on the wing then last year as well. The only change at center is possibly Arco over Gagner. I know it's not a popular opinion but I think Arco is actually better at the center position than Gagner was.

I do think MacT is looking for true fit for us at 2c but until he finds that replacement I actually think we are better off with Arco there than Gagner.
- EastCoastOiler

As do I....

Jumbo Joe won't come to Edmonton so that point is moot. I do like the rest of it though, patience is key here I believe. I'm sure MacT sees the holes in the team.
- Horseguts

I know......fun to dream and (frank) around with the line up tho.

Hall Arco Yak
Draisaitl Thornton Purcell
Poulliot Nuge Eberle
Hendricks Gordon Lander

Petry Marincin
Fayne Nurse
Ference Nikitin

I know......fun to dream and (frank) around with the line up tho.

Hall Arco Yak
Draisaitl Thornton Purcell
Poulliot Nuge Eberle
Hendricks Gordon Lander

Petry Marincin
Fayne Nurse
Ference Nikitin
- Jeropotato

I do it a lot too but what's with Nuge and Ebs on the 3rd line?


Hall/Crosby/Stamkos
Perron/Nuge/Eberle
Pouliot/Draisaitl/Yak
Hendricks/Gordon/Purcell

Weber/Nurse
Marincin/Petry
Fayne/Schultz

Price
Scrivens


I did some EA Sports NHL trades and turned off the cap

I do it a lot too but what's with Nuge and Ebs on the 3rd line?

- Horseguts

Who gives a (frank) if they all basically play the same minutes.....+ I (frank)ed up keeping Yak in the line up and leaving off Perron...since that's not the deal I made.

Who gives a (frank) if they all basically play the same minutes.....+ I (frank)ed up keeping Yak in the line up and leaving off Perron...since that's not the deal I made.
- Jeropotato

Pretty decent 3 pronged attack tho.

I don't know if I would say we are (frank)ed. Yes, we are weak at center but look at last year. As sad as it is to say it we were weaker on D last year then we are at center now. Going into this year we actually have an NHL d lineup and I think we are stronger on the wing then last year as well. The only change at center is possibly Arco over Gagner. I know it's not a popular opinion but I think Arco is actually better at the center position than Gagner was.

I do think MacT is looking for true fit for us at 2c but until he finds that replacement I actually think we are better off with Arco there than Gagner.
- EastCoastOiler

That's an incredibly popular opinion.

I tend to agree, but I still think that all things considered Gagner is likely the better hockey player, and maybe the hockey player that gets us more wins. I don't think it's a mistake to have traded Gagner, I just don't think it's because they think Arco is better.

I think the reasons are this:
Gagner is expensive and they wanted to spend money on defense and Pouliot
Purcell is fairly useful
They wanted to make conceivable room for Draisaitl
Arco was in the vicinity of Gagner's talent

That's an incredibly popular opinion.

I tend to agree, but I still think that all things considered Gagner is likely the better hockey player, and maybe the hockey player that gets us more wins. I don't think it's a mistake to have traded Gagner, I just don't think it's because they think Arco is better.

I think the reasons are this:
Gagner is expensive and they wanted to spend money on defense and Pouliot
Purcell is fairly useful
They wanted to make conceivable room for Draisaitl
Arco was in the vicinity of Gagner's talent
- Morris

So how do you see the opening night roster shaping up without the addition of a new 2/3C?

They had no plan to replace Sammy. Doesn't mean it wasn't time to move on, but they definitely don't have backup.
- Morris

I think the plan was a UFA but MacT couldn't convince any of them to join this phase of the re-build

So how do you see the opening night roster shaping up without the addition of a new 2/3C?
- Jeropotato

Arco at 2 and Draisaitl at 3, if Draisaitl outplays Arco, he'll move into 2.

He's not Sam Bennett
- Reveen

So how do you see the opening night roster shaping up without the addition of a new 2/3C?
- Jeropotato

I'll just do the top 3 lines because I don't see the Hendricks-Gordon-Scrub line being anything but the 4th.

Hall-Nuge-Eberle
Perron-Draisaitl-Yakupov
Pouliot-Arco-Purcell

OR

Pouliot-Nuge-Eberle
Hall-Arco-Yakupov
Perron-Draisaitl-Purcell

Neither are bad, I just feel like I'd rather send Draisaitl back to Jr.

- whipper334

If the Oil had drafted Bennett, how much do you think Flames fans would have blasted him for not being able to do a pull-up?

If the Oil had drafted Bennett, how much do you think Flames fans would have blasted him for not being able to do a pull-up?
- Morris

It probably would have made the front page of the Calgary Sun.

If the Oil had drafted Bennett, how much do you think Flames fans would have blasted him for not being able to do a pull-up?
- Morris

Probably as much as you a$$es did...

Probably as much as you a$$es did...
- whipper334

100% Bubba. So what do you think of Draisaitl? Would you have drafted him if the Oilers took Bennett?

100% Bubba. So what do you think of Draisaitl? Would you have drafted him if the Oilers took Bennett?
- Jeropotato

Of course they would have

100% Bubba. So what do you think of Draisaitl? Would you have drafted him if the Oilers took Bennett?
- Jeropotato

Of course they would have

100% Bubba. So what do you think of Draisaitl? Would you have drafted him if the Oilers took Bennett?
- Jeropotato

Absolutely! They're both going to be very good imo.

Of course they would have
- Reveen

Do you stuttttter...

Was three seconds from getting out of my car and strangling the a-hole in the lane next to me...

Was three seconds from getting out of my car and strangling the a-hole in the lane next to me...
- laughs2907

What stopped you? Fear or common sense?