Good point. That move drastically impacted our fortunes.
- TheTaoOfSemenko

Trading away top 6 forwards doesn't make a team better and would be considered tanking by most. It was the right move for the oilers based on the current system.

I hope Buffalo drops in the lottery, EDM gets #1, PHO #2, TOR #3. Tanking frankers.
- VanHockeyGuy

I would be ok with this scenario

If Buffalo's tank strategy fails this year they may have to go to option #2....Develop 2014 #2 OA Sam Reinhart!!!

...to the KHL
- glove_was_stuck

That is dumbest thing I have ever heard. No two draft are the same. According to Eklund, if my team sucks and I end up getting a Patrik Steffan (who was the consensus #1, that year) that I am screwed for the next 5 years. That is BS.

I agree that the teams who miss the playoffs all have a better chance at capturing the first overall, but not allowing a team to draft multiple first overalls is just dumb!

Ek, this is a ridiculous suggestion.

What if a team that really sucks gets a draft year where Phillips or RNH are the consensus #1 pick?

That means they get a decent, but hardly a franchise-type, player and are stuck without a first overall (regardless of how much they suck) for the next 4 years?

Not every draft has a Crosby, Ovie or McDavid as the first overall. In fact, the last four years have been less than impressive for 1st overalls.

MacKinnon and Ekblad are good players, but hardly guys that will turn a garbage franchise around by themselves.

I would be ok with this scenario
- gzatron

Better the Devil you know

I bet the Wild wish that too instead of Benoit Pouliot at 4th
- DDM-Coga

Trading away top 6 forwards doesn't make a team better and would be considered tanking by most. It was the right move for the oilers based on the current system.
- Feds91Stammer

He wanted to be traded, what is the team to do

I bet the Wild wish that too instead of Benoit Pouliot at 4th
- DDM-Coga

Trading away top 6 forwards doesn't make a team better and would be considered tanking by most. It was the right move for the oilers based on the current system.
- Feds91Stammer

We aren't worse.
We're better.

The point you're trying to push doesn't hold any water in actual tangible standings points

I dont think you can argue that teams arent tanking...and i have absolutely no problem with it.

I dont think the oilers are but buffalo, arizona, and even toronto to some degree are. It's just good asset management and it helps to improve your draft pick - in buffalos case its a little more extreme though. The Kane trade shows they dont care about this season, moving both goalies for a career backup, trading anyone they could basically to make the team worse and improve their draft options.

I think its smart - they arent gonna come close to winning so why not set the team up to lose now and draft well and win in the future.

But lets be real - the GM's are 100% making their current teams worse to improve their draft chances AND to get picks for the future. I think that can be called tanking and i think it's always happened - its just that now we have social media, a million commentators, and a generational talent coming through. Perfect storm.

Thats about it
Edmonton in the last 5yrs
2014 3rd
2012 1st
2011 1st
2010 1st
- cabin

The 2004 to the 2008 Pittsburgh Penguins!

Ek, this is a ridiculous suggestion.

What if a team that really sucks gets a draft year where Phillips or RNH are the consensus #1 pick?

That means they get a decent, but hardly a franchise-type, player and are stuck without a first overall (regardless of how much they suck) for the next 4 years?

Not every draft has a Crosby, Ovie or McDavid as the first overall. In fact, the last four years have been less than impressive for 1st overalls.

MacKinnon and Ekblad are good players, but hardly guys that will turn a garbage franchise around by themselves.
- Charliebox

nice troll try.

The changes for next year are perfect.

Three lottery balls picked and anyone outside the playoffs has a chance (even if small) at picking in the top 3.

That means the last place team will only be guaranteed a 4th overall. In fact, a team that finishes last will have almost a 50/50 chance of not picking in the top 3. Pretty sound system in my opinion.

He wanted to be traded, what is the team to do
- DDM-Coga

This part is merely an inconvenience to his argument. I can see why there's no point in addressing it.
So I just stuck to actual wins and losses.

So what if a team trades for the first overall a year after winning the lottery?

What happens if during that five year period a team that won the lottery trades for anther teams first rounder and then that team wins the lottery?

This part is merely an inconvenience to his argument. I can see why there's no point in addressing it.
So I just stuck to actual wins and losses.
- Ihateallofu

Not to mention he was playing awful this year.

nice troll try.
- Oilfan19

Troll? What? You think RNH is a franchise player?

I'm not trolling the Oilers. In fact, I think they've gotten pretty screwed when it comes to the talent available at the drafts they've picked early. They've sucked for 4+ years and got high picks and the only franchise type player they got was Hall.

But he's still not even close to the same level as some of the 1st overalls in the past couple decades.

Shorter and sweeter than I was able to accomplish.
And effective
- Ihateallofu

I have my moments

Troll? What? You think RNH is a franchise player?

I'm not trolling the Oilers. In fact, I think they've gotten pretty screwed when it comes to the talent available at the drafts they've picked early. They've sucked for 4+ years and got high picks and the only franchise type player they got was Hall.

But he's still not even close to the same level as some of the 1st overalls in the past couple decades.
- Charliebox

I can see your argument with Yakupov cause he's been a work in progress. Nuge has been our best player.

We aren't worse.
We're better.

The point you're trying to push doesn't hold any water in actual tangible standings points
- Ihateallofu

So getting rid of Perron made the impact? I thought it was Eakins.

Troll? What? You think RNH is a franchise player?

I'm not trolling the Oilers. In fact, I think they've gotten pretty screwed when it comes to the talent available at the drafts they've picked early. They've sucked for 4+ years and got high picks and the only franchise type player they got was Hall.

But he's still not even close to the same level as some of the 1st overalls in the past couple decades.
- Charliebox

RNH is a good player, hes the new Spezza, highly skilled but under appreciated by the media bc hes articles about his are not sexy sellers

Trading away top 6 forwards doesn't make a team better and would be considered tanking by most. It was the right move for the oilers based on the current system.
- Feds91Stammer

We got a physically impactful player on a wussy team and a 1st to boot for a player that wanted out and was playing like crap. On any other team it would be considered sound thinking but since it's the Oilers it's "tanking". I would argue that keeping Scrivens in net most nights is more of a tanking move than trading Perron.

So getting rid of Perron made the impact? I thought it was Eakins.
- Feds91Stammer

You seem like one of those guys that jumps on the good team bandwagons and acts like they know everything...