Richard Cloutier: UFA Day Two

Dan Cleary? Newfies love Alberta

well apparently Richard Bachmann has been signed to start things off...

If you don't want to deal anyone of value, how do you expect to get anything of value? Your center depth is extremely weak, so dealing Gagner (outside of contract issues) is probably not a great idea. Which means someone else has to go, doesn't it? If you're exploring the trade route.

Richard Cloutier: UFA Day Two
- Maxbone

As I said on the last blog. MacT should just sign Ron Hainsey.

Big, pretty decent possession guy. Plays tough minutes. Left shot.

Give him 2 yr 7-8 mill. He's an upgrade over Smid and N Schultz. In 2 years Nurse and Klefbom are full timers.

Would you guys be interested in Chris Kelly?

If you don't want to deal anyone of value, how do you expect to get anything of value? Your center depth is extremely weak, so dealing Gagner (outside of contract issues) is probably not a great idea. Which means someone else has to go, doesn't it? If you're exploring the trade route.
- LeftCoaster

Lander is one of the best centers in the world.

ryan jones
nuff said

I would say the only guys for sure not getting dealt this summer are hall Eberle nuge yak and Justin

Klefbom petry Maggie and gags could all go if the deal is right but I would be surprised if that were the case.

Anyways we signed Richard Bachman to be our AHL starter. So we filled that gap for now.

I still think Jagr and Cleary are good fits with us, and them the rest will have to be done in trade.

Nick Schultz and Hemsky are guys I would be surprised if we have come training camp

Dan Cleary? Newfies love Alberta
- thundachunk

I like Cleary. We don't need Gilbert now that we have ference. Prospal might be okay as he would probably do a one year deal. He would be a band aid that can play numerous positions. However Grabovksi would be ideal as a 5th center helps us at the start. If he is good he moves to Gagners spot and Sam takes the wing. If not then he bumps Gordon and lander goes to the AHL. Boyes has to be a thought on a short term deal as well. He is one of the few people on that list that is a legitimate top 6. He is not ideal but he would work.

Also Antropov would be great. Offensive ability and hitting. He could play top 6 minutes as well as a line three center/wing. He allows us versatility as we can put him in numerous roles.

As I said on the last blog. MacT should just sign Ron Hainsey.

Big, pretty decent possession guy. Plays tough minutes. Left shot.

Give him 2 yr 7-8 mill. He's an upgrade over Smid and N Schultz. In 2 years Nurse and Klefbom are full timers.
- Iggysbff

I agree. I still think smid is better but we can move Nick then. Plus Hainsey has some experience. He would be a good asset. However I want to see our second line fixed and a trade made for someone with hemsky. I am thinking Vanek. Both are on one year deals that have them over paid. We would have to add to that but I think that should be the target.

Edit. Can you imagine Vanek, Gagner and Eberle and Hall, RNH and Yak? Hall and yak need the play maker of RNH more than Vanek and Eberle do. Plus taking RNH off the first line might allow him to develop and have a whole year. Less pressure.

Richard Cloutier: UFA Day Two
- Maxbone

Again, I don't see how Nik Antropov doesn't make that list. A lot more skill than most of those guys, and while not a mucker per se, uses his gigantic body fairly well. He plays centre and wing, and you're going to see.

No one answered yesterday the last time we didn't have at least one centre miss 10+ games of injury. we're going to need to keep looking for centre depth.

I agree. I still think smid is better but we can move Nick then. Plus Hainsey has some experience. He would be a good asset. However I want to see our second line fixed and a trade made for someone with hemsky. I am thinking Vanek. Both are on one year deals that have them over paid. We would have to add to that but I think that should be the target.

Edit. Can you imagine Vanek, Gagner and Eberle and Hall, RNH and Yak? Hall and yak need the play maker of RNH more than Vanek and Eberle do. Plus taking RNH off the first line might allow him to develop and have a whole year. Less pressure.
- Hall Fan

Evander Kane instead of Vanek

Dan Cleary? Newfies love Alberta
- thundachunk

Yeah he can put a big Newfie sticker on the back window of his truck, just like the rest.

Hall Fan:

However I want to see our second line fixed and a trade made for someone with hemsky. I am thinking Vanek.

Good idea. Unfortunately, that is a straight out good hockey trade, and NHL GM's don't do any trade unless they're totally fleecing the other guy.

I agree. I still think smid is better but we can move Nick then. Plus Hainsey has some experience. He would be a good asset. However I want to see our second line fixed and a trade made for someone with hemsky. I am thinking Vanek. Both are on one year deals that have them over paid. We would have to add to that but I think that should be the target.

Edit. Can you imagine Vanek, Gagner and Eberle and Hall, RNH and Yak? Hall and yak need the play maker of RNH more than Vanek and Eberle do. Plus taking RNH off the first line might allow him to develop and have a whole year. Less pressure.
- Hall Fan

you're confused, it's the other way around.

yaks and hall like to carry the puck and use their speed and power to back up defenders while vanek and ebs (who can also carry the puck, but for the purposes of this post..) are more true one shot snipes.

3rd RW/ 4th Line winger could be filled by Joensuu. He's on a one-way I believe.

Evander Kane instead of Vanek
- Oilers42

Neither.

Vanek would be gone in a year. Kane would cost a fortune.

We'd be better off to sign a UFA for a year (like Jagr) and see where things go over the year.

Here's what our team might have looked like if everything went according to MacT's precious plan:

Hall-Gagner-Yakupov
Clarkson-Nuge-Eberle
MPS-Gordon-Jones
Joensuu-Smyth-Brown

Schultz-Coburn
Ference-Smid
Petry-Schultz

Schneider
Dubnyk

far fetched but good looking team. Probably would have seen Smid and/or MPS gone too, as well as Nurse and our 2nds.

3rd RW/ 4th Line winger could be filled by Joensuu. He's on a one-way I believe.
- Salvo

I honestly think they're leaning towards Joensuu on the wing and Ryan Smyth as our 4C as of now. Maybe not night in, night out, but something like that.

For those of you who don't follow prospects and are looking for a bit of information, I find that this guy provides a solid summary along with NHLE (NHL Equivalent) production stats:

http://lowetide.ca/blog/2013/07/summer-top-30.html3

Who knows, we may actually see Marcobello or A. Miller in the bigs this season.

As I said on the last blog. MacT should just sign Ron Hainsey.

Big, pretty decent possession guy. Plays tough minutes. Left shot.

Give him 2 yr 7-8 mill. He's an upgrade over Smid and N Schultz. In 2 years Nurse and Klefbom are full timers.
- Iggysbff

Yeah man, wtf is up with Hainsey?

A serviceable top four...you have to start thinking, like Campoli, he was deep in the CBA trenches, that perhaps he's having a tough time gettin managers and more importantly owners to express any interest.

Who knows, but we certainly aren't hearing his name much...

Neither.

Vanek would be gone in a year. Kane would cost a fortune.

We'd be better off to sign a UFA for a year (like Jagr) and see where things go over the year.
- Iggysbff

I would welcome jagr here, cant hurt anything.
plus hes a class act guy, and would be good for ths Oilers dressing room.
I have always liked jagr..

As the Oilers stand today they will get pushed around and beat up too much. Guys like Nuge and Lander and Gags are in for a pounding in the corners and along the boards. Hope MacT gets some grit and toughness pretty quick or it could be another injury plagues season for us.

I say we sign Brunner and Armstrong. They'd be good additions.