Matt Henderson: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: Not Dead Yet

1st suck it oilhorse.

Suck it Scott cullen

Suck it Jero!

3 comments, no Oilers fans...

I hope we can keep Nuge and get rid of Eberle, and 4th overall for defencemen, but if it's a dealbreaker for a #1 then we have to do it.

I think the team in perfect. Don't change a thing!

Suck it Jero!
- smellmyfinger

Is it true that he is alive?

Here is the thing:
You trade Hall, you create a huge hole,
You trade RNH, you create a hole,
You trade Eberle, you create a hole,
Hard to fix these holes.

You trade the 4th, no effect to team
You trade Yak, no effect (no return)
Maybe you trade Draisaitl (huge return)(not a huge current effect)

Tough decisions

Draisaitl probably has more value to the team despite being less proven in the NHL. Size is at a premium and Nuge doesn't have it.

That being said, it scares me like crazy to think about our top 2 centres being 19 each. If Nuge is traded, you HAVE to have a replacement for him

Sarcasm aside,

what would Eberle AND RNH get us if if they were packaged in a mega deal?

McDavid and LD play centre (Risky since LD has only 1 year of actual NHL experience, plus I think he is better on the wings), but you could sign a depth centreman from FA or try to acquire the likes of Marcus Johansson (Might cost a bit) or Brad Richardson.

You still have Pouliot, Maroon, Kassian, and Yakupov (McDavid's sniper) on the wings.

You can still use the 4th to either draft and develop Tkachuk (Winger depth) or trade it.

This team needs a #1 defender more than anything. We have a fair amount of Top 4's (Klefbom, Sekera, maybe Nurse) and ton's of Top 6's (Reinhart, Davidson, Gryba, Fayne, etc) , but we lack that #1, #2 bonafit defender. We could also try to acquire Demers who is probably the most realistic pickup I could see happening.

Hall-LD-Maroon
Pouliot-McDavid-Yakupov
Korpi-(Johansson/Richardson/FA signing)-Kassian
Hendricks-Lander-Pakarinen

Sekera-(Top #1 or #2 guy)
Klefbom-Demers
Davidson/Nurse/Reinhart-Fayne/Gryba

Talbot
Brossoit

I'm only doing this since its been quite quiet lately, plus I'm just trying to think outside the box and see what other options could be explored.

Draisaitl probably has more value to the team despite being less proven in the NHL. Size is at a premium and Nuge doesn't have it.

That being said, it scares me like crazy to think about our top 2 centres being 19 each. If Nuge is traded, you HAVE to have a replacement for him
- 6ringslowe

Marcus Johansson or Brad Richardson might ring a bell. Both are logging 3rd line minutes on teams that have massive depth at centre...

Marcus Johansson might cost more but he is definitely worth it. He has a built in frame that can definitely handle the west.

You'll trade for Wideman, problem solved!

Eberle makes the most sense to move for a asset. He has the shortest contact. He is the weakest defensively. He is the smallest Least physical of the group.

However. He is also our best pure goal scorer and one of our only right shooting players period.

I think those aspects combined with the fact Eberle may not be good enough to get back what we need in trade... Will mean Rnh or possibly even Hall end up being traded.

Our right side had become a massive black hole and moving Eberle out to bring in defense might well end up being a sideways move instead of the gain we really need.

It sure would be nice to make the playoffs next season.

Still no goals for McDavid in the World Championships. Seems like he never wants to shoot, always wants to pass. He should shoot a little more.

It sure would be nice to make the playoffs next season.

Still no goals for McDavid in the World Championships. Seems like he never wants to shoot, always wants to pass. He should shoot a little more.
- Oildrum

Playoffs next season is a bit over the top. But not being eliminated by new years would be nice.

On another note, I mentioned the idea of moving Leon back to the wing about a month ago. If the Oilers lose both Eberle and Yakupov in an effort to improve defence it's not impossible to see Leon as the #1 RW and adding someone like Brouwer to take the 2nd or 3rd RW. Adds a lot of size and grit over Eberle.

Something like:

Hall-RNH-Drai
Pou-CMD-Brouwer

Wouldn't be a bad top 6 combo of skill, speed, size, and grit. As long as they do some work to upgrade the bottom 6 and defense it should be a team that can tease us with flirting with a playoff position. Would also give them a 2nd face off option when RNH gets kicked out of the dot. Not a horrible option.

You'll trade for Wideman, problem solved!
- K-man25

Ference for Wideman. Done. Plan the parade.

1st suck it oilhorse.
- batjester

Well done.

Pretty safe to say that after Yak and Schultz, RNH has certainly so far left us wanting more. At least on the scoresheet anyway.

Suck it Jero!
- smellmyfinger

No.

I hope we can keep Nuge and get rid of Eberle, and 4th overall for defencemen, but if it's a dealbreaker for a #1 then we have to do it.
- Ihatebrianburke

I'm starting to get the impression you're not an Eberle fan. Which by the way, clouds your judgement on who would actually help us long term as Oilers.

Here is the thing:
You trade Hall, you create a huge hole,
You trade RNH, you create a hole,
You trade Eberle, you create a hole,
Hard to fix these holes.

You trade the 4th, no effect to team
You trade Yak, no effect (no return)
Maybe you trade Draisaitl (huge return)(not a huge current effect)

Tough decisions
- ifiwasgm

Nope. RNH doesn't leave much a hole you can't fill in free agency. 3C's are easy to find and they don't cost 6m a year.

I think the team in perfect. Don't change a thing!
- DuranDuran

So do a lot of Oilers fans. They want to trade the least impactful players for really impactful ones. If it works on the XBox....

Eberle makes the most sense to move for a asset. He has the shortest contact. He is the weakest defensively. He is the smallest Least physical of the group.

However. He is also our best pure goal scorer and one of our only right shooting players period.

I think those aspects combined with the fact Eberle may not be good enough to get back what we need in trade... Will mean Rnh or possibly even Hall end up being traded.

Our right side had become a massive black hole and moving Eberle out to bring in defense might well end up being a sideways move instead of the gain we really need.
- Aerchon

Suprisingly good post!

Leon's gonna be a center going forward

It's great that he can play wing, and I think he will from time to time, but the organization is looking at him as the big 2c we want going forward. His size and ability to outmuscle opponents down low makes it almost silly to not play him in his natural role.

And I'd bet the organization puts more pure value in him than rnh going forward. And probably rightly so. The blog mentioned proven track record a few times, but the thing is rnh's track record has never put up jaw dropping numbers. Or even anything impressive enough to consider him a great 2c just yet.

I think it's probably prudent that we deal eberle or the 4th before nuge. But if we've dealt yakupov, I keep ebs and look to move Rnh

The best thing about keeping nuge is the depth factor he gives us. But then we dont wanna use it and just try and stack a line while playing him against all the toughest competition? Weird