He's not our leader... Nuge is.. /end sarcasm
- Oilers4Life14

someone sounds jealous of Nuge

Not exactly.

I proposed above, signing Del Zotto, moving Nikitin to the right side (where he has been noted as playing quite well). It could be a sideways move on D and an upgrade at Centre.
- ystoil

that's not a sideways move at D. Schultz is better than Del Zotto, and I would consider him at this point to have a significantly higher offensive upside than Nikitin.

I think that's a downgrade on defense and an upgrade at Centre. Could be that's a net positive in the end, but it's not all sunshine and butterflies.

that's not a sideways move at D. Schultz is better than Del Zotto, and I would consider him at this point to have a significantly higher offensive upside than Nikitin.

I think that's a downgrade on defense and an upgrade at Centre. Could be that's a net positive in the end, but it's not all sunshine and butterflies.
- Morris

I'd rather have struggles at C and rely on the wingers to produce better offense and have the upgraded D than what we have had over the past couple of seasons.

Perhaps MacT will make a hockey trade to get a solid C or Marcobello steps up?

that's not a sideways move at D. Schultz is better than Del Zotto, and I would consider him at this point to have a significantly higher offensive upside than Nikitin.

I think that's a downgrade on defense and an upgrade at Centre. Could be that's a net positive in the end, but it's not all sunshine and butterflies.
- Morris

Yep there is definitely risk. No denying that.

MDZ and Schultz aren't too different defensively, similar weight too, so both will struggle with the forwards in the West. Schultz is better offensively for sure.

I think its still something you look at if there is a good chance of it being a net positive, as you said. I mean if we grab a 50 point 2 way centre and MDZ puts up 35 points playing 18 to 20 min a night, that's a good trade off for Schultz IMO.

Not exactly.

I proposed above, signing Del Zotto, moving Nikitin to the right side (where he has been noted as playing quite well). It could be a sideways move on D and an upgrade at Centre.
- ystoil

Rather Schultz than mdz. And based on macts thoughts, id guess so would he by a longshot.

that's not a sideways move at D. Schultz is better than Del Zotto, and I would consider him at this point to have a significantly higher offensive upside than Nikitin.

I think that's a downgrade on defense and an upgrade at Centre. Could be that's a net positive in the end, but it's not all sunshine and butterflies.
- Morris

Yep

Hes our Best offensive dman. Warts or not, we need him.

This would force us to play klefbom full time?? Based on his stint last year; he is not ready

We just made some moves to make our group respectable. Lets not move it back to league worst levels.
- hugefemale dog77

Agreed. Schultz is a necessary piece of the puzzle at present.

I loved what I saw with Marincin last year, but even his sample size is tiny. I'd love to see a statistical argument that suggests with high likelihood that Marincin is going to be a stud dman from now until the end of his days, because that's something many fans have in large part taken for granted.

I think there's a lot of feelings of "Schultz hasn't signed yet he must want to get paid like Taylor Hall. Also, he probably only cares about playing offense" seeping into arguments about how valuable a piece he is on this oilers team.

Rather Schultz than mdz. And based on macts thoughts, id guess so would he by a longshot.
- hugefemale dog77

I hear you and I agree, Schultz > MDZ

but I would think real hard about MDZ + NHL Centre vs. Schultz

Incidentally, I'm talking about some of the more extreme posters in regards to the Schultz character assassination, not you Ystoil

Agreed. Schultz is a necessary piece of the puzzle at present.

I loved what I saw with Marincin last year, but even his sample size is tiny. I'd love to see a statistical argument that suggests with high likelihood that Marincin is going to be a stud dman from now until the end of his days, because that's something many fans have in large part taken for granted.

I think there's a lot of feelings of "Schultz hasn't signed yet he must want to get paid like Taylor Hall. Also, he probably only cares about playing offense" seeping into arguments about how valuable a piece he is on this oilers team.
- Morris

What are the chances that Marincin is training with Chara throughout the summer? I remember Eakins calling in a favour during the Olympics.

Incidentally, I'm talking about some of the more extreme posters in regards to the Schultz character assassination, not you Ystoil
- Morris

where is that taking place?

Hes our Best offensive dman. Warts or not, we need him.

This would force us to play klefbom full time?? Based on his stint last year; he is not ready

We just made some moves to make our group respectable. Lets not move it back to league worst levels.
- hugefemale dog77

No, he's our best fourth foward. He's poop defensively...

Gotta give up value to get value.

where is that taking place?
- ChetManly

I'll point it out next time it comes up, but if I recall correctly laughs and iggy are two posters who have gone wild with speculation about Schultz being a me-first, reluctant-to-change, greedy knob.

Incidentally, I'm talking about some of the more extreme posters in regards to the Schultz character assassination, not you Ystoil
- Morris

That's what I figured, you're not usually a poster to attack another

What are the chances that Marincin is training with Chara throughout the summer? I remember Eakins calling in a favour during the Olympics.
- ChetManly

If that boy can hit 200-205 this year and maybe 215 next off season, we may have a real force of a dman.

If that boy can hit 200-205 this year and maybe 215 next off season, we may have a real force of a dman.
- ystoil

Johnny hockey will be no more..

No, he's our best fourth foward. He's poop defensively...

Gotta give up value to get value.
- Oilers4Life14

There's a lot of work to be done there. And there was an interesting article by Dellow about Schultz being an offensive dman (with all of its defensive pitfalls) without even being a true "puck-moving dman" as a guy like Subban is: a true QB at ES, not just on the PP. As the article notes, Petry has shown himself to be a better puck-mover despite being less of an offensive talent. It was pretty damning of his on-ice skills frankly.

http://www.mc79hockey.com.../06/points-arent-offence/

Now, I agree with a lot of what he says. Even looking at a few of the gimmies he dialed up for Hall in that goals video I posted a few pages back, and it's him skating in deep AFTER someone else has made the zone-entry. Don't get me started on zone-exits, which he and the rest of the team are pretty poor at.

I've commented in the past on how hard the Oilers make moving the puck look in the defensive and neutral zones - especially compared to how easy they can make tic tac toe passing in the O-zone look. Many a time, you see three passes just to accomplish a dump-in, and you can count the number of times a dman skates the puck accross his own blue-line into the neutral zone on one hand.

It got me thinking though, as this is a long-standing issue. I wonder if he's been hampered in moving the puck because the system has been set up to so long accommodate guys like Nick Schultz, Smid, et al who had no hope of moving the puck from their red line to the blue line. We've had a few guys that if nothing else should have looked great moving the puck but didn't show anything. By all accounts that was Belov's strength, and Grebs had great possession stats, but looked like garbage with untimely giveaways. Were they all his fault, or could it be in part that the rest of the team was not used to having a dman hold on to the puck?

I'll be interested to see with a faster and just plain more poised dcore this year, and Eakins becoming more comfortable with the group, whether they'll let Schultz skate the puck up the ice like a Subban or Karlsson, and whether he'll be up to the challenge.

Incidentally, for anyone claiming he's a stat-junkie who needs to "watch the game" (as people are wont to do on Twitter) just get a load of how many screen-caps he's looked at there in his analysis!

Johnny hockey will be no more..
- Oilers4Life14

He is too fast and too skilled!!!!

I'll point it out next time it comes up, but if I recall correctly laughs and iggy are two posters who have gone wild with speculation about Schultz being a me-first, reluctant-to-change, greedy knob.
- Morris

I can see Jultz being "greedy", but technically, Jultz is still only a rookie in the NHL, he still has solid potential.

I can see Jultz being "greedy", but technically, Jultz is still only a rookie in the NHL, he still has solid potential.
- ChetManly

The thing about the long negotiation is that they're trying to anticipate a cap number that facilitates 4-5 MAJOR future negotiations

1) Whatever happens with Petry
2) Perron's pending UFA status
3) Yakupov's an upcoming RFA
4) both goalies are coming up to the ends of their contracts
5) If it's a bridge deal, they need to make sure they've got room for him in 1-2 years

that's setting aside austerity measures in case Arco has a legitimate 2/3C season and they need to give him a 2+ million dollar raise.

I think there's a lot of franchise-building calculation going on here that's slowing the process rather than the two sides digging their feet in about how much money he's worth. Then again, it wouldn't be fair for me to speculate if I'm chastising others for it.

He's not our leader... Nuge is.. /end sarcasm
- Oilers4Life14

- Yeti1181

well that didn't take too long

No, he's our best fourth foward. He's poop defensively...

Gotta give up value to get value.
- Oilers4Life14

People that actually think this should give their heads a good shake. He has some improvements to make but he is far from acting like a 4th forward out there. Especially in this past season. He jumped up more in the previous season.

I can see Jultz being "greedy", but technically, Jultz is still only a rookie in the NHL, he still has solid potential.
- ChetManly

He is waiting for the other RFA coming of ELC Dmen to sign

Barrie 64Gms 13G 25A 38Pts
Krug 79Gms 14G 26A 40Pts
Schultz 74Gms 11G 22A 33Pts
Gardiner 80gms 10G 21A 31Pts

As soon as 1 of them sign, the numbers will be set and rest can sign accordingly

People that actually think this should give their heads a good shake. He has some improvements to make but he is far from acting like a 4th forward out there. Especially in this past season. He jumped up more in the previous season.
- Iggysbff

hmmm. Maybe it wasn't you that was so anti-Schultz