Richard Cloutier: Ben, the Two of Us Need Look No More

Fist

Not to sound rude or anything but the question of why they didn't try to trade him is kind of a stupid one considering the circumstances. He just cleared waivers. That means that no one wanted him for free let alone for a draft pick...

Not to sound rude or anything but the question of why they didn't try to trade him is kind of a stupid one considering the circumstances. He just cleared waivers. That means that no one wanted him for free let alone for a draft pick...
- 22sedins33

Agreed, although teams might trade a contract for him now. We can use some help in OKC, so I'd be okay with a no name useless AHL vet for Eager.

Over Tambellinis dead body!

Can't agree more clouts, im sick of sellers by trade deadline and my only interest is knowing all the stats surrounding the top 5 picks. Meaningful games in April would be a nice change

Agreed, although teams might trade a contract for him now. We can use some help in OKC, so I'd be okay with a no name useless AHL vet for Eager.
- Lahey

I did consider that. Maybe the Oilers could move him to get a few AHL players for OKC while relieving another team of a contract or two BUT that would still mean another team taking on his salary AND the Oilers are right up by the contract limit so any dealing they do up until the deadline will be player for player or for picks. Not the most desirable situation to put yourself closer to just to get rid of Eager.

Richard Cloutier: Ben, the Two of Us Need Look No More
- Maxbone

Unfortunately for Edmonton fans in a short season this team is doing a bit too well to qualify for another first overall or maybe even a top 10 pick, yet are not doing well enough yet to warrant a playoff birth.

It's going to be a strange off season for you with no sure thing elite prospect waiting to be plucked from the draft and inserted directly into the Oiler line up. Oilers are going to actually have to develop a player or two. Might be just what they need. Let the young guys develop without inserting another wet behind the ears pup directly into the starting line up.

Richard Cloutier: Ben, the Two of Us Need Look No More
- Maxbone

My only question in all of this is, the Oilers couldn't deal him?

Well, he did clear waivers...

My only question in all of this is, the Oilers couldn't deal him?

Well, he did clear waivers...
- Cptmjl

I cleaned up the language in the blog to help you folks having a hard time getting what I was saying. It amazes me there was no possible deal for him. That's all it meant.

trade the pick(s).

1.the oil have great prospect depth
2.they have great some of the better rookies/young talent, currently playing in the league
3.they need insulation
4. i completely understand that the draft is great this year, but at some point a risk has to be taken. the nucleus is already set. if you trade some picks and it doest work out this season, theres always the ufa(s) come next season and you wouldnt be losing out to bad. is getting some more prospects this offseason going to really benifit the team in the next 1-2 years? the oil are loaded.
5. im sure theres a way to trade the oils #1 and #2 to get some 25-32 year old quality vets, and possibly get a #1 in return, just a higher one.
6. have a feeling this will be an interresting trade deadline. hope tambs makes a few tweaks.
7. what do you think of the realignement being approved?

Be happy eager cleared. He doesnt have a role with Brown in the line up but Brown gets injuried once or twice a year. The oilers need the toughness there to help the kids feel safe. He'll probably get called up and waived once again.

"My only question in all of this is, the Oilers couldn't deal him? Not even for a 7th round pick? I didn't realize the guy had so little value. "

Now lower your expectations on what Hemsky, Smyth, Whitney, or Horcoff might get you ....

Richard Cloutier: Ben, the Two of Us Need Look No More
- Maxbone

Three generally good blogs in a row.

I thought Eager showed flashes of really helping, especially early this year, but as you say, never delivered for more than a handful of games.

Is that math actually based on the ROW tiebreaker? Or do you mean more generally that we need 29 points over the last 22? Could we go 12-5-5 for example?

I too like the lines. I especially like the Paajarvi-Gagner-Yakupov. They've been at a loss with what to do with MPS and Yak for most of the year, and this looks like a good fit.

Here's the ES TOI for our top 3 lines last game:

Player	ES TOI
Eberle	15:14
Nugent-Hoppkins	13:25
Paajarvi	13:20
Gagner	13:09
Jones	13:03
Yakupov	11:57
Hall	11:24
Horcoff	11:05
Hemsky	8:29

Notes:
-All pretty close together actually. Shows a willingness to roll three, and even four lines evenly. Obviously the Horcoff line less because he, Hall and Hemsky rack up a lot of PP (and in Horcoff's case, PK) time.
- I like the spread of scoring resources. Though Hall is a huge offensive threat, he creates a lot out of nothing, so you could see it being actually viable to send him out with Horcoff and another two-way winger longterm. It's a kind of a top shutdown line to counter the PJ-Gags-Yak line, which is all flash.

Unfortunately for Edmonton fans in a short season this team is doing a bit too well to qualify for another first overall or maybe even a top 10 pick, yet are not doing well enough yet to warrant a playoff birth.

It's going to be a strange off season for you with no sure thing elite prospect waiting to be plucked from the draft and inserted directly into the Oiler line up. Oilers are going to actually have to develop a player or two. Might be just what they need. Let the young guys develop without inserting another wet behind the ears pup directly into the starting line up.
- MnGump

Dripping with condescension, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

If I was a betting man, I'd put the chips on that pick getting traded.

I can;t help it... I remember almost spitting my morning oj out when I read you thought you could get a mid-round pick for eager. so... who else on the team are you overvaluing? sorry nobody likes someone who gloats, but I couldn't resist

In other news, Clouts, did you know that you have become an overnight celebrity over at HFboards?

Dripping with condescension, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

If I was a betting man, I'd put the chips on that pick getting traded.
- Morris

Wasn't trying to be condescending. As someone else pointed out, the nucleus of the team is set. I think now is the time to surround it with some quality depth guys and continue to develop other prospects. All I'm saying is having a top pick is obviously great, but not one that gets thrown right into the NHL every year. Even the high talent or elite prospects benefit from playing a year or two in the AHL.

I can;t help it... I remember almost spitting my morning oj out when I read you thought you could get a mid-round pick for eager. so... who else on the team are you overvaluing? sorry nobody likes someone who gloats, but I couldn't resist
- ChrisMS

Eager is the kind of guy that one game is totally invisible and the next has 5 hits, a goal and a fight, and you wonder why he can't do that more often.

I'd like to see him land somewhere and make good on his tools.

In other news, Clouts, did you know that you have become an overnight celebrity over at HFboards?
- oilers2k14

Ummm, how? Why? When?

Wasn't trying to be condescending. As someone else pointed out, the nucleus of the team is set. I think now is the time to surround it with some quality depth guys and continue to develop other prospects. All I'm saying is having a top pick is obviously great, but not one that gets thrown right into the NHL every year. Even the high talent or elite prospects benefit from playing a year or two in the AHL.
- MnGump

I'm with you. Even if we traded a pick that ended up being really high, and it became the second coming of the Kessel trade, we'd still get a player we needed, so it would be a loss on value but a win on moving the team forward.

Oh, and sorry I had my guard up. There's a pack of trolls that insist that all oilers players not taken 1st overall are busts.

I said this two weeks ago and you all thought I was nuts, saying eager will fetch a fourth at least. Lol!

Next I'd like to see you get a 1st and more for Hemsky.

I said this two weeks ago and you all thought I was nuts, saying eager will fetch a fourth at least. Lol!

Next I'd like to see you get a 1st and more for Hemsky.
- BodyCheckRadio

You might have a point, but at least with Hemsky we're talking about a player that there's no questions about his level of talent. Might be questions about his level of desire or health, but not about skill.

Be happy eager cleared. He doesnt have a role with Brown in the line up but Brown gets injuried once or twice a year. The oilers need the toughness there to help the kids feel safe. He'll probably get called up and waived once again.
- 10in_soft

That's a good point. Next to Brown, Eager is still among the most physical of our forwards. We've got Jones, and Harti and Petrell are getting there, but it wouldn't surprise me to see Eager back here in the case of an injury, if we can get him.

Dripping with condescension, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

If I was a betting man, I'd put the chips on that pick getting traded.
- Morris

good bet