The majority of the pieces were there when he got there, he just lucked out and had a legit franchise defenseman on the open market the moment he got there.

Peter Chiarelli traded Taylor Hall for a #4 defenseman and signed Lucic to what will quickly become a regrettable contract.

But yeah, he's the GM of the year because prospects he didn't draft took a further step and McDavid was healthy all year.
- BINGO!

Personally I feel either of the other guys deserves the nod, but don't you think you're oversimplfying what he's done just a bit? and Larsson/Klefbomb were the Oilers top pairing. Forget looking at TOI and watch a few games.

Bad trade yes. Worst ever? No.

Chiarelli is a bad gm. Everyone says we'll he won a cup...he was given a pretty good roster and got very lucky on two things. 1) Chara. Basically one of the only UFA signings be to live up to his contract. 2) Tim Thomas went otherworldly in those playoffs.

Chia is a bad gm. Anyone say he turned the oilers around is ignoring the fact that all of the core was there before him.
- Iggysbff

Hello iggy.

There is still a ton of room for an NHL team to always be good by making smart value trades like the one Carolina made for Liles. Teams will over pay big time for guys with certain characteristics and I strongly believe there are real GMs running actual teams that will over pay for block shots, faceoffs, leadership, toughness and size.
- james_tanner1

those are moves that give you the depth to build a winner.

but without top players, those moves are meaningless.

Not when they are references to Happy Days.
- james_tanner1

Hah. Alright good enough

He had one really good year, a cluster of pretty good years,was a defensive liability, got hurt all the time and never cracked 30 goals, but yes equate him with Malkin lol and equate shutdown Larsson with offensive specialist Visnovsky.

I watched Hall for years. Every game, and he's not as good as you confusingly keep saying he is and he certainly isn't a (lol) franchise player. What Edmonton gained on the blueline was far more valuable to the team than what they lost.

You were wrong about the trade. You'll always be wrong about the trade. You're also wrong about Chiarelli and you really are starting to approach Cloutier territory. Just stop.
- TheTaoOfSemenko

Since he came into the league in 2010, Hall is 31st among skaters in points, 37th in goals, and 28th in points per game.

If you only go LW he's top 10 in all of those.

That's pretty good.

who cares.

cycle of teams in a cap world: suck ---> get good ---> suck again

if you win cup in the get good phase, all is forgiven about the suck again phase.
- Tumbleweed

So he comes to the oilers after they get a bunch of good draft picks and are in the "get good phase" and he deserves praise to that?

Personally I feel either of the other guys deserves the nod, but don't you think you're oversimplfying what he's done just a bit? and Larsson/Klefbomb were the Oilers top pairing. Forget looking at TOI and watch a few games.
- TheTaoOfSemenko

Larsson was 4th among D in average time on ice this season.

Klefbom, Sekera and Russell all averaged more time per game.

I dunno how else you determine who is the top pairing....

The majority of the pieces were there when he got there, he just lucked out and had a legit franchise defenseman on the open market the moment he got there.

Peter Chiarelli traded Taylor Hall for a #4 defenseman and signed Lucic to what will quickly become a regrettable contract.

But yeah, he's the GM of the year because prospects he didn't draft took a further step and McDavid was healthy all year.
- BINGO!

I’m no fan of Chiarelli, i think he’s at best at average GM. He had some good pieces to work with in boston when he got there.

But he basically brought in the whole cup winning defense – chara, boychuk, siendberg, ferrence, mcquaid, kaberle and a good number of forwards – Horton, marchand, lucic, peverly, recchi etc.

The majority of the pieces were there when he got there, he just lucked out and had a legit franchise defenseman on the open market the moment he got there.

Peter Chiarelli traded Taylor Hall for a #4 defenseman and signed Lucic to what will quickly become a regrettable contract.

But yeah, he's the GM of the year because prospects he didn't draft took a further step and McDavid was healthy all year.
- BINGO!

Larsson was 4th among D in average time on ice this season.

Klefbom, Sekera and Russell all averaged more time per game.

I dunno how else you determine who is the top pairing....
- BINGO!

I already explained that to you, and specifically said to pay no mind to the TOI #s. If you like though, look at the qualcomps and see who was usually on against other teams top lines.

So he comes to the oilers after they get a bunch of good draft picks and are in the "get good phase" and he deserves praise to that?
- Iggysbff

no. i don't think he's gm of the year.

but he's the guy that will make moves to try turn a team from good into stanley cup contender. he's willing to sacrifice the long-term to win now.

I’m no fan of Chiarelli, i think he’s at best at average GM. He had some good pieces to work with in boston when he got there.

But he basically brought in the whole cup winning defense – chara, boychuk, siendberg, ferrence, mcquaid, kaberle and a good number of forwards – Horton, marchand, lucic, peverly, recchi etc.
- Tumbleweed

Nope. Do more digging. He was not allowed to participate in the draft the year they hired him because he was still under obligations to Ottawa. Gorton drafted most of those guys.

And it still took an otherworldly performance from Thomas to win that cup.

I’m no fan of Chiarelli, i think he’s at best at average GM. He had some good pieces to work with in boston when he got there.

But he basically brought in the whole cup winning defense – chara, boychuk, siendberg, ferrence, mcquaid, kaberle and a good number of forwards – Horton, marchand, lucic, peverly, recchi etc.
- Tumbleweed

I was just getting to this. Pastrnak was also a draftee of his.

I get that it's hard to defend against the Seguin trade et el but right before that everyone kissed his sack after the Kessel trade.

Bad trade yes. Worst ever? No.

Chiarelli is a bad gm. Everyone says we'll he won a cup...he was given a pretty good roster and got very lucky on two things. 1) Chara. Basically one of the only UFA signings be to live up to his contract. 2) Tim Thomas went otherworldly in those playoffs.

Chia is a bad gm. Anyone say he turned the oilers around is ignoring the fact that all of the core was there before him.
- Iggysbff

That is so untrue. If you look at the Bruins Stanley cup roster there are only 2 players he didn't have his hands involved in by trading, drafting and FA/UFA signing and that is Bergeron and Thomas. All of the other players were not with the Bruins before he got there.

no. i don't think he's gm of the year.

but he's the guy that will make moves to try turn a team from good into stanley cup contender. he's willing to sacrifice the long-term to win now.
- Tumbleweed

That's only good IF you actually win the cup. Easier said than done.

Nope. Do more digging. He was not allowed to participate in the draft the year they hired him because he was still under obligations to Ottawa. Gorton drafted most of those guys.

And it still took an otherworldly performance from Thomas to win that cup.
- Iggysbff

and the meat of that team was there because of him, or did Thomas score all the goals too?

He had one really good year, a cluster of pretty good years,was a defensive liability, got hurt all the time and never cracked 30 goals, but yes equate him with Malkin lol and equate shutdown Larsson with offensive specialist Visnovsky.

I watched Hall for years. Every game, and he's not as good as you confusingly keep saying he is and he certainly isn't a (lol) franchise player. What Edmonton gained on the blueline was far more valuable to the team than what they lost.

You were wrong about the trade. You'll always be wrong about the trade. You're also wrong about Chiarelli and you really are starting to approach Cloutier territory. Just stop.
- TheTaoOfSemenko

Hall is one of the fastest players in the NHL and his scoring rates for the four years before this one put him in the top three or four in the league. He is also a dominant driver of possession making his defense completely irrelevant.


After McDavid, Eichel, Matthews, I'd say Hall might be the best young player in the NHL - he's still only 24, and could easily finish #2 behind McDavid in the scoring title next year.

That is so untrue. If you look at the Bruins Stanley cup roster there are only 2 players he didn't have his hands involved in by trading, drafting and FA/UFA signing and that is Bergeron and Thomas. All of the other players were not with the Bruins before he got there.
- EastCoastOiler

They were brutal when he took the helm. As were the Oilers, yet both teams that suddenly became much better with him running things were just gifts. He sure is a lucky guy.

Hall is one of the fastest players in the NHL and his scoring rates for the four years before this one put him in the top three or four in the league. He is also a dominant driver of possession making his defense completely irrelevant.


After McDavid, Eichel, Matthews, I'd say Hall might be the best young player in the NHL - he's still only 24, and could easily finish #2 behind McDavid in the scoring title next year.
- james_tanner1

Tell you what Tanner, if that happens write a blog and I'll publicly come in here and call you hockey knowledge god and vow to never disagree with you again.

EDIT: and he's 25, turning 26 this year.

Nope. Do more digging. He was not allowed to participate in the draft the year they hired him because he was still under obligations to Ottawa. Gorton drafted most of those guys.

And it still took an otherworldly performance from Thomas to win that cup.
- Iggysbff

lol. i didn't know that.

well, he's pretty terrible at drafting then. Might as well just trade all your picks for players with him at the helm.

I’m no fan of Chiarelli, i think he’s at best at average GM. He had some good pieces to work with in boston when he got there.

But he basically brought in the whole cup winning defense – chara, boychuk, siendberg, ferrence, mcquaid, kaberle and a good number of forwards – Horton, marchand, lucic, peverly, recchi etc.
- Tumbleweed

I may be off base on that one, I'll admit. Was quite a while ago.

those are moves that give you the depth to build a winner.

but without top players, those moves are meaningless.
- Tumbleweed

Totally agree. Which is why as much as you want a level playing field and want to think skill (even in team building) is important, winning a Cup basically comes down to two things 1) getting a franchise player either #1 or through a total fluke (say Kopitar or Karlson fall to #12) and 2) being healthy during the playoffs.

and the meat of that team was there because of him, or did Thomas score all the goals too?
- TheTaoOfSemenko

Kessel, Lucic, Marchand were already drafted before him. Others were already in the system. Bergeron was there. They had just traded Thornton for a bunch of players. So no. You are wrong again. As usual.

That is so untrue. If you look at the Bruins Stanley cup roster there are only 2 players he didn't have his hands involved in by trading, drafting and FA/UFA signing and that is Bergeron and Thomas. All of the other players were not with the Bruins before he got there.
- EastCoastOiler

Bergeron was there, Chara made the choice to go there, Thomas became a hall-of-fame style goalie suddenly after being a career backup.

You could literally fill out the rest of the team with any breathing NHL players and be a Cup Contender with those three.

That is so untrue. If you look at the Bruins Stanley cup roster there are only 2 players he didn't have his hands involved in by trading, drafting and FA/UFA signing and that is Bergeron and Thomas. All of the other players were not with the Bruins before he got there.
- EastCoastOiler

Wrong.