Good morning and welcome to the Oilers Trade Deadline Day Live Blog.
Today I'll be updating this post constantly as we get more news on Trade Deadline Day so keep coming back to see my opinion about Random NHL happenings.
9:30 - Shaw Cable started my day off poorly by borking my feed. I was forced to watch Sportsnet 1, which is not sufficient for anyone who has completed their time as a starving College Student. Sportsnet 1 is the Ramen Noodles of the Sporting TV World.
9:33 - The Oilers missed their opportunity to put Shannon Szabados in the game yesterday but this morning they are definitely doing their best to make up for it as she is participating in Practice. Yes, being in a game would have been really cool, but thats just sitting on the bench. This way she actually gets to show her stuff to the guys. A nice gesture.
9:39 - the St Louis Trade is perfect because it clears out 2 quality forwards who were available on this market. Yes, St Louis was only going to go to Tampa, but Callahan was an unknown. Cross them off the list and Hemsky starts looking better to the clubs still looking for offense.
9:43 - Thinking back to yesterday, I cant help but really love the way MacT fixed the Goaltending situation here. There are still risks, but how can you look at Scrivens/Fasth and not think it's lightyears ahead of Dubnyk/LaBarbera? Without Goaltending in the NHL you have nothing. If Winning is built from the Net Out then the Oilers finally have the foundation to start winning.
9:54 - TSN talking heads continue to beat the "Trade Yak" drum. I can say, with all honesty, that I think whoever the Oilers can get for Yak today will be the 2nd best player in the deal within a few years. Yak is an incredible talent who is struggling to learn how to play the way the coach of a 29th placed team wants him to play. He goes somewhere else and turns into the star he's capable of being.
If Yak gets traded for Weber, that's one thing. But that isnt going to happen. Yak today doesnt get you that top tier Defender.
10:08 - As per Dreger and others Hemsky's frontrunners are Pittsburgh and Ottawa.
Corey Potter has been claimed by the Bruins. I know Schultz wanted to end up there so that might take some wind out of the sails
10:12 - With Chris Phillps re-signing in Ottawa that's one more name ahead of Nick Schultz off the list. If someone wants a stay at Defenseman with a ton of experience and no term left on the contract then Nultz could be their guy. Does he look bad because Edmonton lacks structure? Thats the question the 29 other teams are asking.
10:33 - It happened. Hemsky is gone to Sens for a 3rd in 2014 and a 5th in 2015
I cant help but HATE this deal. The Oilers have as snowball's chance in hell of finding a real NHL player with those picks. I need some time on this.
I miss Hemsky already.
10:47 - This year more than any the price for Rentals is crazy low. The Sens just paid peanuts for a player who can impact the game in extremely positive ways. It is what it is, I guess, but man this is going to hurt for a while.
I'm not happy with the return and i'm not happy with the trading partner either. I wanted to be able to cheer for Hemsky deep in the Playoffs. That's just not going to happen. I guess we have to just turn the page on the Hemsky era here in Edmonton. His long run in Edmonton (2001-2014) was incredible.
10:51 - Dubnyk to Montreal? Go home, Canadiens, you're drunk
10:54 - To quote Rob Tychkowski of the Sun:
"Oilers 3rd Rounders since 2000: Liubimov, Smith, Radunske, Joukov, Stortini, Syvret, Dee, Peckham, Hesketh, Martindale"
Not promising.
11:02 - As per Dustin Nielson neither Ryan Smyth nor Nick Schultz are on the ice for practice right now
11:22 - if Gaborik can be healthy then I really think the Kings can be THE team to beat in the West. That team is built to take the puck away and keep it from you forever. Lets see what goes the other way.
11:26 - In an interview with Ryan Rishaug 83 said he knew Michalek and hopes that he gets to play with Spezza. He's driving out to Calgary today to play in tonight's game.
11:33 - What a buyer's market this is. Gaborik is gone to LA for Frattin and a couple of non-1st Round picks PLUS Columbus eats Salary. It's a great day to add quality players for almost nothing. If you're a seller this is terrible.
11:41 - With prices as low as they are I would be all over Winnipeg trying to pry Byfuglien away. I dont know what the price would be but outside of the 1st or one of the Super-Kids I would be willing to pay. The Oil need size and offense from the backend. Thats your guy, if he's available.
11:45 - As per Renaud Lavoie of TVA in Montreal, Dubnyk is going down to Hamilton in the AHL
11:53 - Marcel Goc got the same return as Hemsky in the market. Goc is a center and he's having an OK season offensively. If Sens fans are wondering, they got the better player for the same price. Sigh.
12:08 - About an hour left before the Trade Deadline. This is when things usually get crazy.
12:23 - Nick Schultz has been traded to Columbus! No word on return.
12:32 - As per Dreger, the Oilers will receive a 5th round pick for Nultz. The defenseman did not work out as an Oiler and compared to what Gilbert has done over the same time its easy to see that the trade was a complete failure. I hope he can find a better fit somewhere else but the Oilers managed to get something for him and thats more than i thought.
12:37 - Ryan Smyth is the only name we're really waiting on right now. Lets see if he leaves to play for that Cup. Answers coming soon enough.
12:47 - Jonathan Willis of the Journal suggests that the Fedun should be OKC call up to take Nultz' spot. Willis has spent the last several months in OKC watching and covering the Barons. He has a good eye for talent and a solid background in analytics. If he says Fedun should be the guy then I'm inclined to believe him.
That means Klefbom stays down in the minors and thats not a bad thing at all. He's still a quality prospect but he lost a year of development due to injury. Fedun is smart, mobile, and brings a little offense. We shall see what the Oilers do.
1:00 - DEADLINE
1:04 - TSN panel talking about Pittsburgh being in on Stempniak. No disrespect to Stempniak, but the Pens really missed an opportunity with Hemsky if THAT is their answer on the Wing.
1:10 - Rishaug reporting Oilers are done. No more deals. That would mean Smyth stays an Oiler.
1:20 - The Flames have reportedly failed to trade Cammalleri. For a club in a rebuild that is a huge blow, but with prices where they are it doesnt sound like the Flames would have received the return they needed.
The Leafs apparently did nothing. This pleases me.
The Canucks failed to trade Kesler who did or didnt request a trade depending on who you ask. This pleases me even more.
1:30 - The Islanders traded Vanek to Montreal for a 2nd Rounder and a Prospect.
Just to put that into perspective, the Oilers got a 1st and a Prospect for Dustin Penner having a down year just a few years ago.
Unbelievable.
1:40 - I'm tapping out. I'm hungry and tired and kinda down about Hemsky even though it was inevitable.
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