I thought Tubert was a steal from LA and EDM won the Penner deal?

Klefbom, he is not proven, I wouldnt bring his name up.

he's a great third line centre but the cap hit does matter.. that could spent elsewhere! and most importantly it matters because it doesn't give lander a chance for three years! i don't think lander will be staying with this team as a 4th line centre for that long! and he would be a perfect fit for the 3rd line.. especially if we can maintain hartikainen on his wing! we have NO choice but to trade him.. lander is younger/cheaper/and has the same potential as horcoff..
- lovin

Well if you can find a team stupid enough to take horcoffs contract then by all means, right now it does stink, but does not hurt the team as we have tons of cap space, that may suck in a couple years but right now doesnt hurt. After his contract is up, no way he makes the same and can't deny his work ethic and leadership isnt worth a couple mil a season when the kids are all signed to big contracts.

They gave Lander a solid shot last year. If he is ready he'll be given another shot.
- ryan78

lander only got to play in the 3rd line role when players such as Nuge and gagner were injured other than that he was put in the 4th line role and he was actually sent down when Nuge recovered from his injuries! so unless there are injuries lander won't get a chance.. and fine maybe for another year i can see this work, but what about after that? so potentially we have to trade a centre!

- laughs2907

that looks too scary laughs, im not watching it

lander only got to play in the 3rd line role when players such as Nuge and gagner were injured other than that he was put in the 4th line role and he was actually sent down when Nuge recovered from his injuries! so unless there are injuries lander won't get a chance.. and fine maybe for another year i can see this work, but what about after that? so potentially we have to trade a centre!
- lovin

That's all he deserves. What do you expect? Him to get 1st line center? He's a bottom 6 player anyway. Him playing on the 4th line is all he should expect the next couple years.

I thought Tubert was a steal from LA and EDM won the Penner deal?

Klefbom, he is not proven, I wouldnt bring his name up.
- LA_Kings6720

I think the deal ended up working out pretty well for both teams. At first, it looked bad for you guys, but Penner brought it on the cup run. Could you have won without him? Definitely. But he was a useful piece for you guys in those playoffs, and hey look, he re-signed. Good for you.

If I recall, Teubert was obviously not a first choice prospect, but we'll take him. For a team lacking on D, we're not going to say no. The two picks became Klefbom and Danilll Zharkov. I feel good about what they could do for our team.

No prospect is proven. Either no one can talk about any prospect ever, or you can talk about Klefbom the way you talk about any other highly regarded prospect - a guy that figures into our future as of now.

That's improvement Richard, Gagner has been removed from the untouchable list... lol. But Gagner and spare parts still wont get you Yandle..... Nice to dream though.

I agree that Horcs contract isnt looking that bad anymore when garrison and wideman are getting crazy overpay money...Its already been mentioned that Kruger wants to try hall at centre, then horcs can slide into 3rd centre and vande velde takes 4th spot...I wouldnt be trading anything away for a blueliner till we see what some of the kids coming have to offer...klefbom,schultz and fedun will surprise next year...

I think the addition of arnott and yandle make the team better for now if you can convince Doan to come for 2 years you have a solid line up and a playoff team. That being said 2 of those pieces would need to be replaced in a year or two so is it worth giving up young players who haven't reached there full potential ?

Ive said it before and Ill say it again: this team can win a cup with RNH and Sam Gagner as it's top 2 centers.

I've also said 1,000 times that Paajarvi needs to be shipped off to Pittsburgh for any one of their 156 defensive prospects they have...

Ive said it before and Ill say it again: this team can win a cup with RNH and Sam Gagner as it's top 2 centers.

I've also said 1,000 times that Paajarvi needs to be shipped off to Pittsburgh for any one of their 156 defensive prospects they have...
- mochoson

Im happy to let RNH and Gagner continue to grow with the team.

I think the addition of arnott and yandle make the team better for now if you can convince Doan to come for 2 years you have a solid line up and a playoff team. That being said 2 of those pieces would need to be replaced in a year or two so is it worth giving up young players who haven't reached there full potential ?
- TheDyingOilerFan

The team is probably better regardless of whether or not they get Doan, especially if they bring Yandle.

Im happy to let RNH and Gagner continue to grow with the team.
- robin_steele264

I think this team needs a stud defensive center to grow with the two of them.

Hopefully that guy is Anton Lander or Tyler Pitlick.

I think this team needs a stud defensive center to grow with the two of them.

Hopefully that guy is Anton Lander or Tyler Pitlick.
- mochoson

Probably Lander, Pitlick is a better winger. I'm curious to see what VV does this year, he could very well be our 4th line center at some point this year and for the next 3+ years.

Ive said it before and Ill say it again: this team can win a cup with RNH and Sam Gagner as it's top 2 centers..
- mochoson

Of course they Can... but he question is will they.... hmmm not likely.

Ive said it before and Ill say it again: this team can win a cup with RNH and Sam Gagner as it's top 2 centers.

I've also said 1,000 times that Paajarvi needs to be shipped off to Pittsburgh for any one of their 156 defensive prospects they have...
- mochoson

Especially considering that while not lauded for his defensive play as a prospect, his smarts were enough for him to be a competent defensive player as a junior. If he goes Stephen Weiss on us (as has much been discussed), people will look like idiots for clamouring for a bigger, stupider player to replace Gags.

Of course they Can... but he question is will they.... hmmm not likely.

- gstrandberg

Odds are any given team is not going to win the cup period. The Oilers don't do a hell of a lot of harm by keeping Gagner around, especially if all we can get for him is a bag of pucks as you contend.

You've said your piece on this matter, I believe.

Probably Lander, Pitlick is a better winger. I'm curious to see what VV does this year, he could very well be our 4th line center at some point this year and for the next 3+ years.
- ryan78

I dont remember the last time a team kept a 4th line center for 4+ years.

Ill save judgement for where Pitlicks best suited when he actually makes the Oilers

Especially considering that while not lauded for his defensive play as a prospect, his smarts were enough for him to be a competent defensive player as a junior. If he goes Stephen Weiss on us (as has much been discussed), people will look like idiots for clamouring for a bigger, stupider player to replace Gags.
- Morris

If Gagner ends up being half as good as Weiss I'd be absolutely ecstatic.

One of the most under-rated players in the league. He's honestly a non-elite version of Datsyuk. Complete player.

Keep a couple things in mind:

- Arnott would be a two-season stop gap until the Oilers find/develop a quality 2nd line center with size.

- The second the Oilers can get rid of Horcoff, he's gone. His ugly contract says he's here for a few more seasons. Anton Lander will be more than ready to take him place as 3rd line center when it happens.
- Maxbone

Haven't we been looking for a 2C with size for like 4 years?

Im happy to let RNH and Gagner continue to grow with the team.
- robin_steele264

agreed, it can't be any worse than Arnott

Ive said it before and Ill say it again: this team can win a cup with RNH and Sam Gagner as it's top 2 centers.

I've also said 1,000 times that Paajarvi needs to be shipped off to Pittsburgh for any one of their 156 defensive prospects they have...
- mochoson

i don't mind that at all but i would need more size on the wings for that to happen.. and would need it immediately instead of waiting for pajaarvi, maybe we could trade for Ryan! that would be a perfect top 6, ryan, nuge, ebs, hall, gagner, yakupov!

I think Gagner is going to turn into a 60pts per season guy, and he's all heart.

Finally, a realistic ceiling for Gags. He'll be a good 50-60 pts 2nd line center.

i don't mind that at all but i would need more size on the wings for that to happen.. and would need it immediately instead of waiting for pajaarvi, maybe we could trade for Ryan! that would be a perfect top 6, ryan, nuge, ebs, hall, gagner, yakupov!
- lovin

If you aren't adding the players you mentioned, I assume multiple 1st rounders? Ryan would be a stud, but next years draft is supposed to be something special. You might want to hold off.

I don't see Arnott improving what we have right now at centre frankly, so the whole thing hinges on being able to swing a deal with Gagner to make it work. Who knows what Gagner could fetch. Obviously subtracting Gagner + whoever else and adding Yandle and Arnott puts us ahead of where we are now, but that has more to do with the Yandle-Gagner contigency than it does Arnott.

I think Horcoff's contract will go to term. No one will ever want him imo, not even for one season. Since we can't do anything about him, might as well appreciate that he's a good two-way 3rd line centre for right now. The only real knock on him in that role is his brutal contract. And I agree, Lander could very well become the future third line guy. That being said, in 2015 if Horcoff wants to re-sign as a bottom 6 centre (4th line probably) for one or two years, 1.5 mil or so, I would be happy to have him back.
- Morris

This.

I believe it goes beyond just havings gags as movable after arnott signs. It only makes sense to have a possible deal in place already for said dman.
Makes no sense to risk a glut of centers should they not be able to move gags.
Depth maybe..