Richard Cloutier: Pens Set Market for Oilers; NHL Trade Deadline

I like both penguins deals. Penguins fans like myself are used to seeing Shero getting a great deal for a guy yet these two teams I felt were fair and good for both sides.

Def. think these trades made Boston really get going with Iginla. And who knows, considering both Pitt and Bos had offers for Morrow, maybe both turned away from Iginla and now Boston is stuck.

Glad Shero paid what he did and got the guys needed. With guys like Malkin and Crosby getting in their primes, the time to win is now.

I think you will see a lot of 2nd and 3rd rounders traded. Don't think a lot of teams will be willing to part with their 1st given how deep this draft this supposed to be.

I can't see how Hemsky's value didn't just shoot through the roof! Im not saying he's better than Morrow, but they are completely different players and Hemsky brings a different dynamic. If Morrow is worth a top prospect and a minor down grade of draft picks, the Hemsky should be comparable (1st round pick or Top Prospect). I think Hemmer, if he's on the table, is probably the 3rd domino in the W position after Iginla and Morrow, and most definitly ahead of Clowe.
Speaking of Clowe, does anyone else feel something brewing in San Jose? Something tells me they are about to do something drastic and blow that mess up!

Richard Cloutier: Pens Set Market for Oilers; NHL Trade Deadline
- Maxbone

Your head is in the clouds, as usual. I have no idea how you go about valuing Smid at a prospect and a first, age is certainly not the determining factor here when they've played about the same number of NHL games (450ish). Murray is a shutdown guy, a career +32, who is a big body down low and throws huge hits. Smid isn't exactly the strongest 6'3 defenseman out there, his career hit total is dismal and his plus minus even worse. Please tell me how in the hell you think that Smid is worth even the same as what the Sharks got for Murray, let alone substantially more?

Don't tease me, Richard. If there's any way the Oil can land McNeill for Hemsky, I will dance in the streets. Part of me wonders if the Oilers would have drafted him instead of Klefbom if the Hawks didn't take him with the pick before. He's the 2nd or 3rd line big guy this team needs for the future. No quit and big body with skill.

If going all out on DeKeyser isn't enough to land him, though, I'm all for shutting down the damaged Nuge and Ebs and using that high pick on a guy who you haven't mentioned much about yet: Ryan Pulock from Brandon. I've watched him plenty this year: character guy, 2nd best Dman behind Jones in North America, open ice hitter, smart as a whip and has something I don't think the Oilers have had in a LONG time: a gun from the point (clocked at 101 mph). He's great with the first pass, too. He'd need another year with the Wheaties, but could play 3-4 pairing minutes the season after that if need be. Realistically, the Oil are still two-three years from a Cup appearance, I think. He'd be on board just in time. If landing McNeill would make me dance, drafting Pulock would make me do backflips, and my physique doesn't exactly make backflips a common occurrence.

You're my favourite Oilers blog, hands down. Being non-MSM means you can be both honest AND funny. Aside from the trolls (which the MSM guys get anyway), tell me this isn't the best Oilers writing gig a guy could ask for?

McNeil sucks. Did you watch him at the world juniors? The guy can't skate well enough to play at a high level.

"I have no issues with Fistric or the other Schultz. I don't have an issue with Smid, actually, but I just believe now is the time to move him. He's just not a $3.5mil per season defenseman."

??? N Schultz is worse than Smid and is a 3.5M dollar D man so that's wrong.

Again EDM's problem has been rushing prospects. Trading Smid because EDM signs Dekeyser would be a stupid idea.

I will say this, PIT paying 2 2nd rders for Murray raises Whitney's trade value. I didn't think EDM could squeeze a 3rd out of a team, but a 2nd rider might be likely

the next two days will go a long way in determining which way the Oilers go this year. We fans are hungry for the playoffs and you never know how far we can go if we get the chance. Who expected us to go to the finals the last time we made the dance. Go Oilers Go.

Why is it that whenever anyone else in the league does something it ties in with the oilers?

I can't see how Hemsky's value didn't just shoot through the roof! Im not saying he's better than Morrow, but they are completely different players and Hemsky brings a different dynamic. If Morrow is worth a top prospect and a minor down grade of draft picks, the Hemsky should be comparable (1st round pick or Top Prospect). I think Hemmer, if he's on the table, is probably the 3rd domino in the W position after Iginla and Morrow, and most definitly ahead of Clowe.
Speaking of Clowe, does anyone else feel something brewing in San Jose? Something tells me they are about to do something drastic and blow that mess up!
- Jeropotato

Nobody wants Hemsky's $5 million salary moving forward, including the Oilers. There's a reason we all laughed when he was inked to that deal. Good luck.

Oh god, please let's not revisit the Hemsky to LA proposals again.

I keep hearing about RNH's "health issues" but haven't heard anything more specific? Can anyone provide some info? Cheers.

Your head is in the clouds, as usual. I have no idea how you go about valuing Smid at a prospect and a first, age is certainly not the determining factor here when they've played about the same number of NHL games (450ish). Murray is a shutdown guy, a career +32, who is a big body down low and throws huge hits. Smid isn't exactly the strongest 6'3 defenseman out there, his career hit total is dismal and his plus minus even worse. Please tell me how in the hell you think that Smid is worth even the same as what the Sharks got for Murray, let alone substantially more?
- alcatrazhockey

That same train of thought that has a perennial last place team with 6 untouchables and has a frail, perimeter playing Hemsky signed at $5 million worth a quality prospect and a 1st.

I keep hearing about RNH's "health issues" but haven't heard anything more specific? Can anyone provide some info? Cheers.
- dawgzhouse

Like anybody else playing in the NHL with an 18 year old girl's body, he's struggling to stay healthy.

Nobody wants Hemsky's $5 million salary moving forward, including the Oilers. There's a reason we all laughed when he was inked to that deal. Good luck.
- golfingsince

Semin gets $7mm per season and you don't think Hemsky is worth $5mm .He will be in demand if the Oilers don't make the playoffs

Nuge is back in tonight against Preds.

Whoa!

Like your story but data is way off. Oilers are not youngest NHL team by a long way according to NHL.com.

1 Columbus. 26.120
2. Winnipeg. 26.402
3. Ottawa. 26.483
4. Toronto. 26.522

14 Edmonton. 27.357

Semin gets $7mm per season and you don't think Hemsky is worth $5mm .He will be in demand if the Oilers don't make the playoffs
- aaglass

I don't think Semin is worth $7 either.

I don't think Semin is worth $7 either.
- golfingsince

Not to the rest of the NHL. For them I think it does bring a bit more value.

DeKeyser... seriously, he's not solving immediate problems. Sure bring him in, but if thats the mentality in town... we're still 2 years out on playoffs. Have we not learned that throwing prospects at a glaring problems solves very little?

Whoa!

Like your story but data is way off. Oilers are not youngest NHL team by a long way according to NHL.com.

1 Columbus. 26.120
2. Winnipeg. 26.402
3. Ottawa. 26.483
4. Toronto. 26.522

14 Edmonton. 27.357
- spatso

Edmonton has Happyboozin skewing that stat

Your head is in the clouds, as usual. I have no idea how you go about valuing Smid at a prospect and a first, age is certainly not the determining factor here when they've played about the same number of NHL games (450ish). Murray is a shutdown guy, a career +32, who is a big body down low and throws huge hits. Smid isn't exactly the strongest 6'3 defenseman out there, his career hit total is dismal and his plus minus even worse. Please tell me how in the hell you think that Smid is worth even the same as what the Sharks got for Murray, let alone substantially more?
- alcatrazhockey

For his entire career Smid has been playing on the pretty darn bad oilers, so the world's most reliable stat ( ) plus/minus speaks mostly to that.

As for the "dismal" career hit total: he sits 17th in the NHL in hits currently. He was 38th last year and 80th the year before that. The conclusion there is that he's actually among the more physical players in the NHL and is only getting moreso.

When you make things up, people will discredit you.

Not to the rest of the NHL. For them I think it does bring a bit more value.

DeKeyser... seriously, he's not solving immediate problems. Sure bring him in, but if thats the mentality in town... we're still 2 years out on playoffs. Have we not learned that throwing prospects at a glaring problems solves very little?
- Eersel

If we sign DeKeyser say goodbye to BBC.

I can't see how Hemsky's value didn't just shoot through the roof! Im not saying he's better than Morrow, but they are completely different players and Hemsky brings a different dynamic. If Morrow is worth a top prospect and a minor down grade of draft picks, the Hemsky should be comparable (1st round pick or Top Prospect). I think Hemmer, if he's on the table, is probably the 3rd domino in the W position after Iginla and Morrow, and most definitly ahead of Clowe.
Speaking of Clowe, does anyone else feel something brewing in San Jose? Something tells me they are about to do something drastic and blow that mess up!
- Jeropotato

Just curious what hemskys playoff stats are ? Has he ever done much ? He strikes me as a guy that should be close to point per game in reg season but come playoffs he might disappear .... Clowe has had a very dismal year but he seems to always bring it come playoffs

Edmonton has Happyboozin skewing that stat
- Reveen

Pointless stat anyways

Whoa!

Like your story but data is way off. Oilers are not youngest NHL team by a long way according to NHL.com.

1 Columbus. 26.120
2. Winnipeg. 26.402
3. Ottawa. 26.483
4. Toronto. 26.522

14 Edmonton. 27.357
- spatso

Wait two months. Bye bye Smyth (37), Danis (31), Whitney (30), Khabbi (40), Sutton (38) and Belanger (35). How many of those can you say play an integral role on the Oilers right now?