Player Pts Games

Rielly 119 312
Lindholm 112 302
Trouba 105 271

Sorry Tanner - check facts before making statements that are basically bovine excrement.

Beside points, Reilly has to this point been on much weaker teams than Anaheim and the Jets. Things do change though. Trouba is huge and can hit, Lindholm is excellent and Rielly can skate circles around either of them.
- winsix

I would take Linholm #1, Trouba is close.. both are better than Rielly

And thats fine. I am happy with Rielly

Actually he said "he was put into the NHL before he should have been", meaning it served no purpose for a poop team like the past Oilers to have him in the NHL. They should've let him develop (put on more weight) for another year OR put a veteran center in front of him to insulate him.
- LeftCoaster

RNH was an ok pick - not his fault he is overpaid for what he brings. In retrospect it would have been difficult to pick any better. I believe both Gaudreau and Hamilton are superior players but it would have been difficult to go off the board to get those guys. The really horrible picks by the Oilers were Paajarvi-Svensson in 2009 at #10 and Yakipoo at 1st overall in 2012. We'll see on Nurse, Puljujarvi might be ok, but so far looks like they missed the boat on Tkachuk , Sergachev, Nylander and Keller

I would take Linholm #1, Trouba is close.. both are better than Rielly

And thats fine. I am happy with Rielly
- senstroll

Respectfully disagree, Trouba was an extra on team North America while the top three d-men on the team were Reilly, Gostibehere and Parayko. And Lindholm - didn't make the Swedish team. We'll see down the road.

have a glass of blue kool-aid and stay current. helps you forgot about the past.

leafs:
rielly>rienhart, murray
nylander > fleury, virtanen
marner > strome

nucks:
skjei>gaunce
nylander, ehlers > virtanen
pastrnak > mccann
konecny > boeser
tkachuk, keller > juolevi
liljegren > pettersson
- Tumbleweed

A little early to tell don't you think?

Respectfully disagree, Trouba was an extra on team North America while the top three d-men on the team were Reilly, Gostibehere and Parayko. And Lindholm - didn't make the Swedish team. We'll see down the road.
- winsix

Agreed I wouldnt trade Reilly straight up for either.

A little early to tell don't you think?
- BashCH

based on jim benning's 1st round draft record...no.

Wrong Pearson. That was Rob.

On a different note.....Trouba and Lindholm would challenge in the 2012 top 5 draft redo.

And on another note....pairing Zaitsev and Reilly would be a mistake. They sucked together last year, hence the terrible minus 20s they racked up in a month together. Gardiner and Zaitsev though worked well as a pair.
- mykokes

A month together? No D played as many minutes together as Reilly and Zaitsev the criticisms are way overblown, the lack of depth was a much bigger issue.

A little early to tell don't you think?
- BashCH

Yes I agree it is very early, but going by Benning's recent track record, Habs picked up Mete in the 4th round (pick number 100) who outscored Juolevi - who was picked 5th overall - not looking like a good pick - especially when Nucks need offense and grit and passed on Tkachuk who was in the Calder race. Add the pick of Virtanen - who looks like a zero at this point. But Pettersson is highly skilled - we'll see.

based on jim benning's 1st round draft record...no.
- Tumbleweed

Mike Gillis makes Jim Benning look like a genius at the draft table

RNH was an ok pick - not his fault he is overpaid for what he brings. In retrospect it would have been difficult to pick any better. I believe both Gaudreau and Hamilton are superior players but it would have been difficult to go off the board to get those guys. The really horrible picks by the Oilers were Paajarvi-Svensson in 2009 at #10 and Yakipoo at 1st overall in 2012. We'll see on Nurse, Puljujarvi might be ok, but so far looks like they missed the boat on Tkachuk , Sergachev, Nylander and Keller
- winsix

Nurse was picked ahead of Ristolainen, Horvat, Max Domi and Wennberg. Missed on that one too

A month together? No D played as many minutes together as Reilly and Zaitsev the criticisms are way overblown, the lack of depth was a much bigger issue.
- Blazed

agreed. after the top 3, who are all top 4 guys, our defense was basically 6-7 guys last year.

hopefully with hainsey in and carrick stepping up, we can see some improvement.

Mike Gillis makes Jim Benning look like a genius at the draft table
- LeftCoaster

i've always thought aquillini is the root problem there.

Nurse was picked ahead of Ristolainen, Horvat, Max Domi and Wennberg. Missed on that one too
- PatC80

You can't just draft forwards, at some point you've gotta take some dmen and you can't use hindsight to judge given he was highly ranked at the time of the draft.

You can't just draft forwards, at some point you've gotta take some dmen and you can't use hindsight to judge given he was highly ranked at the time of the draft.
- LeftCoaster

Ristolainen?

Others used as examples of better players

i've always thought aquillini is the root problem there.
- Tumbleweed

I believe he was an issue for sure, seems to have stepped back now though???

Nurse was picked ahead of Ristolainen, Horvat, Max Domi and Wennberg. Missed on that one too
- PatC80

Good point, Nurse still could turn out ok, Oilers were desperate for a d-man and would have been hard to justify picking a forward after three straight first overall forward picks.

Yes I agree it is very early, but going by Benning's recent track record, Habs picked up Mete in the 4th round (pick number 100) who outscored Juolevi - who was picked 5th overall - not looking like a good pick - especially when Nucks need offense and grit and passed on Tkachuk who was in the Calder race. Add the pick of Virtanen - who looks like a zero at this point. But Pettersson is highly skilled - we'll see.
- winsix

Sure he's an awful GM, but he could still get lucky on this one...we'll have to wait and see.

Ristolainen?

Others used as examples of better players
- PatC80

Splitting hairs, Nurse was the 9th ranked player in 2013 and a very good junior player, Risto was 14th or something like that. It's not an exact science when you're ranked that close.

I believe he was an issue for sure, seems to have stepped back now though???
- LeftCoaster

hard to say...gagner and mdz were low risk signings. but not exactly tdl fodder either. i'm still not sure of the direction benning is taking.

we'll see what they do with the sedins. it's time to move on.

Splitting hairs, Nurse was the 9th ranked player in 2013 and a very good junior player, Risto was 14th or something like that. It's not an exact science when you're ranked that close.
- LeftCoaster

That is kinda the case with almost every team/draft. Unless, there is a consensus #1, like McDavid or Matthews

Every single time I see "Franson" posted anywhere I lose a few years off my life ffs.

Can this fat (frank) just sign somewhere with someone not within 300KM of my location immediately.

agreed. after the top 3, who are all top 4 guys, our defense was basically 6-7 guys last year.

hopefully with hainsey in and carrick stepping up, we can see some improvement.
- Tumbleweed

and the forwards being a year older/bigger hopefully will help a bit....the D get a bad ride when sometimes the forwards are just as much to blame while being hemmed in.

i've always thought aquillini is the root problem there.
- Tumbleweed

This is true, bad ownership is ultimately responsible. It is not Benning's fault that he is a moron. Leaf fans that remember Ballard will attest to how bad ownership can poison a team. Buffalo also has an idiot for an owner, we have a pool at work as to when then next coaching/GM firing happens in Buffalo. I also remember a client in Chicago used to take me Blackhawk games when Bill Wirtz Sr. was the owner - place was absolutely electric - loud, raucious fans - but he was known as dollar Bill for a reason - they never won under dollar bill. When he died, his son Rocky hired Tallon, later Bowman, Quenville and started spending money -and treating former stars like good owners should (namely Hull and Makita)- and they won cups.

Every single time I see "Franson" posted anywhere I lose a few years off my life ffs.

Can this fat (frank) just sign somewhere with someone not within 300KM of my location immediately.
- Bigzby

Ristolainen?

Others used as examples of better players
- PatC80

Risto's anchoring Buff's #1 pair and Nurse is having his own struggles on Edm 3rd' pair....I'm thinking Risto gets a bad rap due to the team. IMO