If Staal is becoming an Oiler, Pens will want Yakupov coming back the other way.
- Thehabsfan93

And when I hand a cashier money for a lottery ticket, I want the ticket she gives me to be a winner.

Sucks to suck.

I don't know how credible CBC is, but they reported Tambo offered Smyth a deal exactly like Bertuzzi's, and Smyth quickly turned it down.
- laughs2907

smyth is a greedy mofo

I don't know how credible CBC is, but they reported Tambo offered Smyth a deal exactly like Bertuzzi's, and Smyth quickly turned it down.
- laughs2907

That's been the rumor for quite some time. 2 years a 2mil per. Smyth wants 3 years at a mil more.

Sounds like Staal isn't becoming an Oiler then.
- Morris

No, he likes PIT or CAR to play with bro Eric. Staal would make EDM better, but how much better compared to having Yakupov, tough to give up on Yakupov talent.

I thought Gleason was a ufa.... doubt Jackman leaves the blues though.

I doubt Smyth will be back next year. I'd have either PRV/Thor playing with Horc and Jones though for sure
- Killbot460

Jackman may not, but Colaiacovo may leave. I wouldn't mind EDM try to sign Colaiacovo and Wideman. Maybe trade away some other bottom d-mans.

Smyth is a tough one. I personally let him go. Good for PK and leadership, but I like to see more kids get the experience and chance to crack the lineup. If anything, $2-2.5M one year term to Smyth. I don't think Hemsky or PRV should be put on the 3rd line, PRV just stay in AHL for more experience and Hemsky traded for fair value.

That's been the rumor for quite some time. 2 years a 2mil per. Smyth wants 3 years at a mil more.
- Lahey

Nah, I rather just see PRV, Teemu and others get the ice time rather than 3 years and $3M for Smyth.

That's been the rumor for quite some time. 2 years a 2mil per. Smyth wants 3 years at a mil more.
- Lahey

And i want Mila Kunis

No, he likes PIT or CAR to play with bro Eric. Staal would make EDM better, but how much better compared to having Yakupov, tough to give up on Yakupov talent.



Jackman may not, but Colaiacovo may leave. I wouldn't mind EDM try to sign Colaiacovo and Wideman. Maybe trade away some other bottom d-mans.

Smyth is a tough one. I personally let him go. Good for PK and leadership, but I like to see more kids get the experience and chance to crack the lineup. If anything, $2-2.5M one year term to Smyth. I don't think Hemsky or PRV should be put on the 3rd line, PRV just stay in AHL for more experience and Hemsky traded for fair value.
- deks1

The oilers might have to just play Hemmer in order to get any trade value for him near the deadline.... who knows everyone might want him to stay

x 2.... That lineup looks refreshed and ready to kick ass... Irregardless of the name alerts....
- saskoil21

Absolutely. Could just be a titch of homerism on my part but it seems very plausible the Schultz wants to come here. The addition of one top end defense-man and someone with a bit of size to play top 6 (whether that's a PRV or Harti or someone new) and we be looking pretty good. Comments from Hall and Eberle especially make me believe they may have talked to ST, pretty much saying "we want to stay, you need to make changes this summer to show you're serious about us making playoffs"

Nah, I rather just see PRV, Teemu and others get the ice time rather than 3 years and $3M for Smyth.
- deks1

Definitely. I wish Smyth never cried to come back. He's going to be nothing but a headache.

Definitely. I wish Smyth never cried to come back. He's going to be nothing but a headache.
- laughs2907

(frank) smyth.... i'd rather bring back MacIntyre, at least he wasn't a greedy dillhole

One thing to remember with Smyth is who his agent is. Don Meehan is notorious for dragging out negotiations and trying to get his clients as much as they can.

One thing to remember with Smyth is who his agent is. Don Meehan is notorious for dragging out negotiations and trying to get his clients as much as they can.
- Jack-artist

this time it might hurt his client

A lot of Russians seem to start their careers off strong and then either die down quickly or flee to the KHL. Samsonov, Yashin, Afinogenov, Semin, Ovechkin, Radulov, Zherdev. And that's just off the top of my head.

I don't know how credible CBC is, but they reported Tambo offered Smyth a deal exactly like Bertuzzi's, and Smyth quickly turned it down.
- laughs2907

they probably had one crack at getting a contract done before tambo checked out to concentrate on the draft. It wouldn't surprise me that Smyth would want 3 million. To me the only person who should particularly care about salary is Darryl Katz. Like Hemsky, it's all about the term.

He can have 3 million if it's for one year, but as it ventures into 2-3 years, the cap hit should be at or below 2 million.

One thing to remember with Smyth is who his agent is. Don Meehan is notorious for dragging out negotiations and trying to get his clients as much as they can.
- Jack-artist

That's really Smyth's own fault. He can tell his agent what he wants. Smyth has to watch because come draft time there can be some shuffling and he could find himself without a roster spot.

That's been the rumor for quite some time. 2 years a 2mil per. Smyth wants 3 years at a mil more.
- Lahey

My compromise is that he gets 4.5 million this year and league minimum for the next two.

One thing to remember with Smyth is who his agent is. Don Meehan is notorious for dragging out negotiations and trying to get his clients as much as they can.
- Jack-artist

Then my call is to let him go.

Absolutely. Could just be a titch of homerism on my part but it seems very plausible the Schultz wants to come here. The addition of one top end defense-man and someone with a bit of size to play top 6 (whether that's a PRV or Harti or someone new) and we be looking pretty good. Comments from Hall and Eberle especially make me believe they may have talked to ST, pretty much saying "we want to stay, you need to make changes this summer to show you're serious about us making playoffs"
- freelancer

I like the idea of acquiring his rights. If he wasn't seriously considering the Oilers before, he would when we trade for him and tell him we believe he's the real deal.

Nah, I rather just see PRV, Teemu and others get the ice time rather than 3 years and $3M for Smyth.
- deks1

I would rather that too, but that's not a roster consideration, it's a pure cap consideration. I would take Smyth at any contract within reason over those two.

My compromise is that he gets 4.5 million this year and league minimum for the next two.
- Morris

That doesn't do us any good on a three year deal though. I question whether or not he will be in the NHL in 2 year let alone 3.

Ok don't get me wrong I like Staal and would want him as one of my Top 2 Centers but...

I notice how you ignore the UFA status of Staal.
You call him one of the best in the game is more of a tire pumping.
Staal is also proving to be slightly injury prone (100 played of 160 in the past 2 years).
He has not overly out produced Sam Gagner even though he plays on a much, MUCH better team.

I won't deny that a trade that includes Sam and Jordan will require additions from the Oilers side, but their worth is closer than what you may think. Thing is though, Sam is not a 3rd line center, which is where Staal is in Pitts, so in that context he doesn't fit but he can convert to winger and play in a top 6 role.

Staal + 2012 1rnd pick: Gags + prospect + 2013 1st pick.
- OilHorse

When you look at their respective games, its not close. Staal blows away Gagner. Gagner was a scorer in juniors; Staal wasn't really. He scored 29 for the Petes as a high. So, now we are in the NHL ... Gagner, a goal scorer in juniors, can't manage to put 20 goal seasons out there - not even one of them. Most of his points this season came in a two-week period.

Staal had 25 goals this year and missed 20 games. Basically, he would have had 32 to 34 goals. He has already had a 29-goal season, something Gagner hasn't and its not like he is playing with Crosby and Malkin. Not only does Staal produce more points, he is one of the premier two-way forwards in the game. That is what makes this a complete mismatch here.

Gagner is not a fit in any deal for Staal, even if he only has one year left before going possibly UFA. There isn't a fit here at all involving Staal to Edmonton.

And while Gagner isn't a third line center like Staal ... he also isn't playing behind two of the premier centers in the game - Crosby and Malkin. Agree to disagree.

That doesn't do us any good on a three year deal though. I question whether or not he will be in the NHL in 2 year let alone 3.
- Lahey

I don't think a 2 million cap hit on our roster will be that devastating for 1-2 years after he retires. I also think that if Smyth wants three years, it's because he wants to play for three years. But say he retires: I don't think it's perfect cap management, but it won't in and of itself mean the loss of one of the kids.

My point is simply that he can pretty much name his price over 1 year, but if he wants 2-3 years, the cap hit needs to be 2 million or lower.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnus_P%C3%A4%C3%A4j%C3%A4rvi
- Morris

pass on him ... showed promise one year and then sucked ass the next? Cool name though.

I don't think a 2 million cap hit on our roster will be that devastating for 1-2 years after he retires. I also think that if Smyth wants three years, it's because he wants to play for three years. But say he retires: I don't think it's perfect cap management, but it won't in and of itself mean the loss of one of the kids.

My point is simply that he can pretty much name his price over 1 year, but if he wants 2-3 years, the cap hit needs to be 2 million or lower.
- Morris

I don't think ST wants to just blow money on whatever Smyth asks for. I don't even know that Katz would give ST the go ahead either. At some point Katz has to ask if spending 4mil on a 3rd liner is really such a good idea when you already have a 5mil center on that line.

When you look at their respective games, its not close. Staal blows away Gagner. Gagner was a scorer in juniors; Staal wasn't really. He scored 29 for the Petes as a high. So, now we are in the NHL ... Gagner, a goal scorer in juniors, can't manage to put 20 goal seasons out there - not even one of them. Most of his points this season came in a two-week period.

Staal had 25 goals this year and missed 20 games. Basically, he would have had 32 to 34 goals. He has already had a 29-goal season, something Gagner hasn't and its not like he is playing with Crosby and Malkin. Not only does Staal produce more points, he is one of the premier two-way forwards in the game. That is what makes this a complete mismatch here.

Gagner is not a fit in any deal for Staal, even if he only has one year left before going possibly UFA. There isn't a fit here at all involving Staal to Edmonton.

And while Gagner isn't a third line center like Staal ... he also isn't playing behind two of the premier centers in the game - Crosby and Malkin. Agree to disagree.
- Oneonta Penguin

Your depiction of Gagner as a failed goal scorer isn't terribly accurate. He's always been regarded as a playmaker, better known for his passing and vision. Lots of people score 30 goals in the OHL - two people have topped 80 assists since Gagner's draft year.

You needn't keep insisting on your preference for Staal over Gagner - It's not one many disagree with. Consider it more pure skepticism of the return for a pending UFA unlikely to sign with his destination team than a player-for-player comparison. Not that I agree with it anyway.

pass on him ... showed promise one year and then sucked ass the next? Cool name though.
- Oneonta Penguin

I suppose you're spoiled by prospects immediately panning out and becoming instant NHL superstars.

He's really the kind of prospect the penguins could find useful.