Don't even look at trades.. Sign Schultz to 3 years... and go after either Wideman or Garrison. And you need them to about 3 year deals as well. That will give all the Oilers young dmen coming up time to be ready and our defense will be fine by then. Now just find a goalie and yer set for 10 years.

you guys appear to hold gagner in high regard but i just havent seen the production for being a high end 1st round pick....is he that good?


dont get me wrong...I have no clue as you guys play way past my bedtime haha
- HAMgerber

He is better then the leaf posters would lead u to believe.

you guys appear to hold gagner in high regard but i just havent seen the production for being a high end 1st round pick....is he that good?


dont get me wrong...I have no clue as you guys play way past my bedtime haha
- HAMgerber

Still one of the highest point producers from his draft year, consistent 45+ point guy. Would still be hesitant to trade him myself because he does improve on things every year and he is only 23. The upside is definitely there

Paajarvi for Depres

Suprised that Adam Pardy didnt make your list, hed be a perfect fit on the oilers D
- PinkSock

Hahahaha. Awful pilon....unless you want the next Commodore.

Where the f is Vetter? You have two blogs in 2 days, well thought out and articulated....ummm, dare I say I am jealous? I know more about the Oil prospects than I care to know.

I refuse to request a new flames blogger, but I feel like we are caught in an inferno of apathy.

Oil will make playoffs next yr. no doubt. go for mason.

What about Gunnar for Gagner?
- DepecheModer

Haven't laughed so hard in a long time. Thank you.

Don't even look at trades.. Sign Schultz to 3 years... and go after either Wideman or Garrison. And you need them to about 3 year deals as well. That will give all the Oilers young dmen coming up time to be ready and our defense will be fine by then. Now just find a goalie and yer set for 10 years.
- Oilers4ever2012

I hope we can get Schultz, but honestly, I would put the Oilers chances of signing him at slim to none. There are much better teams out there who could use some help on the blueline. I would also much rather have Wideman than Garrison. The fact that he is right handed is just a bonus, the Oilers shouldn't be willing to sign a one-year wonder like Garrison to the type of contract he will be looking for (something like $4 million for 4 years).

As for the goalie situation, I am content to not give anything up quite yet and see how Dubnyk does this year. He was outstanding for the second half of last season, and it looks like Bunz has a good chance to make the NHL in 2-3 years.

I hope we can get Schultz, but honestly, I would put the Oilers chances of signing him at slim to none. There are much better teams out there who could use some help on the blueline. I would also much rather have Wideman than Garrison. The fact that he is right handed is just a bonus, the Oilers shouldn't be willing to sign a one-year wonder like Garrison to the type of contract he will be looking for (something like $4 million for 4 years).

As for the goalie situation, I am content to not give anything up quite yet and see how Dubnyk does this year. He was outstanding for the second half of last season, and it looks like Bunz has a good chance to make the NHL in 2-3 years.
- dallas717

Irving and a 2013 2nd for Gagner

Still one of the highest point producers from his draft year, consistent 45+ point guy. Would still be hesitant to trade him myself because he does improve on things every year and he is only 23. The upside is definitely there
- freelancer

I honestly haven't seen much improvement from him. He's gotten slightly better at faceoffs and his blocks and giveaways have only improved slightly since his first season.

Irving and a 2013 2nd for Gagner
- FLflames34

I don't know enough about Irving. But if we are going to trade Gagner, I'd prefer it if a top 4 D was coming back!

I think Calgary is the perfect team to dump Belanger and other unwanted players to. They need depth. We have prospects like Peckham who may never be used again that they can also use. Getting rid of that salary lets them be a player in the UFA market and we can fill their wholes on their 3-4 lines.

In terms of Calgary, our lower end prospects are better than anything they have. Bouwmeister could be traded for with players we want to get rid of anyway. Lets be honest, there is no way that all these rookies will ever get a chance to play on the team. Make the hard choices now and bring in a number 1.

Also, I know that Eklund has being batting about 0% on trade rumors this year but he has us in the running for Yandle. Which means we are not but we should probably mention Phoneix's asking price for him if we are going to talk trades.

I honestly haven't seen much improvement from him. He's gotten slightly better at faceoffs and his blocks and giveaways have only improved slightly since his first season.
- rathagor

I'd have to agree. He does have that potential because of his unreal draft year along with a solid rookie season, but the window for Gagner to prove himself as a legit #2 center is closing. He has improved very, very little since his rookie season, and consistency is just terrible.

I'd have to agree. He does have that potential because of his unreal draft year along with a solid rookie season, but the window for Gagner to prove himself as a legit #2 center is closing. He has improved very, very little since his rookie season, and consistency is just terrible.
- dallas717

I think he can be 2nd line center on the right team. I'm not convinced the Oilers are the right team for him anymore. After five seasons I would have expected a little more improvement than what he is shown.

I think Calgary is the perfect team to dump Belanger and other unwanted players to. They need depth. We have prospects like Peckham who may never be used again that they can also use. Getting rid of that salary lets them be a player in the UFA market and we can fill their wholes on their 3-4 lines.

In terms of Calgary, our lower end prospects are better than anything they have. Bouwmeister could be traded for with players we want to get rid of anyway. Lets be honest, there is no way that all these rookies will ever get a chance to play on the team. Make the hard choices now and bring in a number 1.

Also, I know that Eklund has being batting about 0% on trade rumors this year but he has us in the running for Yandle. Which means we are not but we should probably mention Phoneix's asking price for him if we are going to talk trades.
- bsteinley

-Don't count out Peckham just yet. he wasn't the same player after his concussion last season. If he can get back to the way he was in 2010-2011, he will be a useful 6-7 guy for the Oilers.

-Why is everyone so eager to trade Belanger? It's not like he is very expensive. Maybe he just a bad season last year. Even if he doesn't get back to his 35-40 point self this year, he will still a great 4th line center and PK guy. Who else do the Oilers have to fill that role? Lander clearly isn't ready yet.

-I would trust a hockey rumour from my grandmother before Eklund. He is just taking stuff that is already being talked about and trying to turn it into his own. Ryan Rishaug did say that the Oilers would have been trying to acquire Yandle on draft day, but the price was too high. the rumour currently making the rounds is that the Oilers offered Gagner and Paajarvi and were turned down.

Irving and a 2013 2nd for Gagner
- FLflames34

Brodie and Irving + for Gagner

I honestly haven't seen much improvement from him. He's gotten slightly better at faceoffs and his blocks and giveaways have only improved slightly since his first season.
- rathagor

I'd say it's some more of the little things he's improved on. Been better in the faceoff dot, improved on his skating. But I do agree his window is closing. I thought for sure if he was going to have a break out year it would've been last season. Now I'm not sure

I'd have to agree. He does have that potential because of his unreal draft year along with a solid rookie season, but the window for Gagner to prove himself as a legit #2 center is closing. He has improved very, very little since his rookie season, and consistency is just terrible.
- dallas717

Gagner has shown he can produce decent points though.. but you also have to realize that for the first 3 seasons he didn't really have much talent around him.. and the last cpl years he has been shuffled all across the lines.. if he finds consistent line mates.. he might put together a good season with up to 60 points! One thing Oilers need to do next year is not mix up the lines too much.. leave hall eberle and hopkins together.. give them a chance to develop some chemistry at least.. i mean we sucked last season and even then we didn't give those guys much chance to play together!!! those three need to develop together! and pajaarvi hemsky and gagner need to be put together swell.. or perhaps for one season jagr instead of pajaarvi!!

I think he can be 2nd line center on the right team. I'm not convinced the Oilers are the right team for him anymore. After five seasons I would have expected a little more improvement than what he is shown.
- rathagor

Exactly. The reason he will never be able to succeed in Edmonton is because of how his career here started. He was drafted 6th overall, which was the highest pick the Oilers had had in a long time. this, combined with the fact that he had a solid rookie season, made everyone believe that he could turn into a #1 center and a PPG guy. Peoples' expectations of him were so high, this is why he is going to have to leave the Oilers eventually.

Gagner has shown he can produce decent points though.. but you also have to realize that for the first 3 seasons he didn't really have much talent around him.. and the last cpl years he has been shuffled all across the lines.. if he finds consistent line mates.. he might put together a good season with up to 60 points! One thing Oilers need to do next year is not mix up the lines too much.. leave hall eberle and hopkins together.. give them a chance to develop some chemistry at least.. i mean we sucked last season and even then we didn't give those guys much chance to play together!!! those three need to develop together! and pajaarvi hemsky and gagner need to be put together swell.. or perhaps for one season jagr instead of pajaarvi!!
- lovin

Don't forget Yakupov! I'd rather see Paajarvi in the lineup improving than pay out the ass for Jagr to come here when we most likely won't be making the playoffs anyway. But, I do agree that Gagner is capable of having a 60 point season. But it's time for him to show it.

I think Calgary is the perfect team to dump Belanger and other unwanted players to. They need depth. We have prospects like Peckham who may never be used again that they can also use. Getting rid of that salary lets them be a player in the UFA market and we can fill their wholes on their 3-4 lines.

In terms of Calgary, our lower end prospects are better than anything they have. Bouwmeister could be traded for with players we want to get rid of anyway. Lets be honest, there is no way that all these rookies will ever get a chance to play on the team. Make the hard choices now and bring in a number 1.

Also, I know that Eklund has being batting about 0% on trade rumors this year but he has us in the running for Yandle. Which means we are not but we should probably mention Phoneix's asking price for him if we are going to talk trades.
- bsteinley

Who is calgary the perfect place? they don't need depth they need first line players (and as always a centre). They're full of 2nd. 3rd and 4th line players. You're a a couple years late saying they don't have depth in prospects. Reinhart, Ferland, Brossoit, Gaudreau are coming along nicely.

1st line stars yes. Only Baert is potential maybe the new kid in 3-4 yrs.

Jbo for teubert/Jones would work

Gagner has shown he can produce decent points though.. but you also have to realize that for the first 3 seasons he didn't really have much talent around him.. and the last cpl years he has been shuffled all across the lines.. if he finds consistent line mates.. he might put together a good season with up to 60 points! One thing Oilers need to do next year is not mix up the lines too much.. leave hall eberle and hopkins together.. give them a chance to develop some chemistry at least.. i mean we sucked last season and even then we didn't give those guys much chance to play together!!! those three need to develop together! and pajaarvi hemsky and gagner need to be put together swell.. or perhaps for one season jagr instead of pajaarvi!!
- lovin

Getting Jagr makes absolutely no sense. We already have 3 top 6 right wingers (Eberle, Hemsky and now Yakupov), we don't need another. In fact I think we should get rid of Hemsky.

Still one of the highest point producers from his draft year, consistent 45+ point guy. Would still be hesitant to trade him myself because he does improve on things every year and he is only 23. The upside is definitely there
- freelancer

nice point...i always forget that hes so young seems like hes been in the league for a decade

Getting Jagr makes absolutely no sense. We already have 3 top 6 right wingers (Eberle, Hemsky and now Yakupov), we don't need another. In fact I think we should get rid of Hemsky.
- rathagor

I think the Oilers will be forced to play Yakupov on LW this season because I don't see anyone trading for Hemsky until he shows he can have a healthy and productive season.

Don't forget Yakupov! I'd rather see Paajarvi in the lineup improving than pay out the ass for Jagr to come here when we most likely won't be making the playoffs anyway. But, I do agree that Gagner is capable of having a 60 point season. But it's time for him to show it.
- dallas717

Yeah forget Jagr and some even still suggest Smyth to be back. Forget them both. Let Yakupov, Hemsky and PRV fight hard for the 2nd line winger positions.

Oh and I think Justin Schultz just became a UFA...

Yeah forget Jagr and some even still suggest Smyth to be back. Forget them both. Let Yakupov, Hemsky and PRV fight hard for the 2nd line winger positions.

Oh and I think Justin Schultz just became a UFA...
- deks1

Actually, that was last night. He still can't sign until July 1, but teams are free to talk to him. Apparently, he is meeting with his agent tomorrow and they will not be talking with anybody until wednesday.