I am amazed you came back.
- BINGO!

He just can't get enough of my knuckles.

and yakupov was still considered the clear cut 1st overall pick. It just sucks that Yak hasnt lived up to expectations...and its not like Murray is some marquee Dman living up to his draft status either.
- DDM-Coga

That's true, but as i recall the big debate was do you draft for "best player available" or for "positional need". Pretty sure they were already stacked with young blue chip forwards at that time. Murray was considered the clear cut top Dman in that draft. I think Rielly has the highest ceiling of that draft class, but Captain Hindsight would be saying "should've drafted Trouba because then we'd have that RHD and not needed to trade Hall..." despite Murray not being the best out of that class, they'd still be better if they drafted positionally.

That's true, but as i recall the big debate was do you draft for "best player available" or for "positional need". Pretty sure they were already stacked with young blue chip forwards at that time. Murray was considered the clear cut top Dman in that draft. I think Rielly has the highest ceiling of that draft class, but Captain Hindsight would be saying "should've drafted Trouba because then we'd have that RHD and not needed to trade Hall..." despite Murray not being the best out of that class, they'd still be better if they drafted positionally.
- GstrangWondah

There was that debate, however it was more the trading down to take murray vs murray going as number 1. Oilers would have been ripped a new one if they grabbed Murray over Yak based on the hype he had as that elite level goal scoring machine at the time of the draft.

at the time of the draft Yak was getting compared to Ovechkins vs Murray who was getting compared to Seabrook

The most annoying catch phrase, possibly ever.
- James_Tanner

You find something annoying ?

Fisting you was like punching the center of a rimless car tire. And that wasn't lube.
- Wildschwein

You sound incredibly gay right now

You find something annoying ?
- LittleRickyV2

stay woke

I still think they were nuts not to draft Ryan Murray instead
- GstrangWondah

This x 1,000,000

There was that debate, however it was more the trading down to take murray vs murray going as number 1. Oilers would have been ripped a new one if they grabbed Murray over Yak based on the hype he had as that elite level goal scoring machine at the time of the draft.

at the time of the draft Yak was getting compared to Ovechkins vs Murray who was getting compared to Seabrook
- DDM-Coga

I guess so... don't quite remember it that way, but i might be wrong. Also not sure if they're really afraid of being "ripped a new one" after moving Hall for Larsson, but that was a different regime....

Here's a question for you, in the latest draft, if CBJ picks Puljujarvi 3rd, who does EDM take? Do they take Dubois or do they take Juolevi? Seems if the common strategy is to draft "best player available" they kind of got pushed into drafting Puljujarvi...?

I guess so... don't quite remember it that way, but i might be wrong. Also not sure if they're really afraid of being "ripped a new one" after moving Hall for Larsson, but that was a different regime....

Here's a question for you, in the latest draft, if CBJ picks Puljujarvi 3rd, who does EDM take? Do they take Dubois or do they take Juolevi? Seems if the common strategy is to draft "best player available" they kind of got pushed into drafting Puljujarvi...?
- GstrangWondah

They were trading a fwd for a dman regardless of who they picked. They would take Dubois/Tkachuk 4th to fill the void of moving a hall/nuge/ebs for a Dman after the draft

There was that debate, however it was more the trading down to take murray vs murray going as number 1. Oilers would have been ripped a new one if they grabbed Murray over Yak based on the hype he had as that elite level goal scoring machine at the time of the draft.

at the time of the draft Yak was getting compared to Ovechkins vs Murray who was getting compared to Seabrook
- DDM-Coga

I remember Yakupov being a clear cut #1 the lead up to that draft too. The wheels were well into falling off the bus for the Leafs as usual that year, and there was a blog and fan movement that the team should "fail for Nail".. quite the ring, don't you think?

They were trading a fwd for a dman regardless of who they picked. They would take Dubois/Tkachuk 4th to fill the void of moving a hall/nuge/ebs for a Dman after the draft
- DDM-Coga

yea, that's right... i forgot Tkachuk was rated 4th, Dubois 5th... I think Juolevi was top ranked Dman though, as I recall, arguably....

Nevertheless, you're suggesting that this draft was more of a positional need based on the forecast of trading a winger and having a (potentially) NHL-ready replacement? (let's face it though, whether they're ready or not, if it's a 1st round forward pick, the oil's putting 'em in).

I remember Yakupov being a clear cut #1 the lead up to that draft too. The wheels were well into falling off the bus for the Leafs as usual that year, and there was a blog and fan movement that the team should "fail for Nail".. quite the ring, don't you think?
- leafsfann

For a bit there, I thought it would be funny if Yak played with Hamrlik so they could say something like "Hammer to the Nail..."













I'll see myself out.

yea, that's right... i forgot Tkachuk was rated 4th, Dubois 5th... I think Juolevi was top ranked Dman though, as I recall, arguably....

Nevertheless, you're suggesting that this draft was more of a positional need based on the forecast of trading a winger and having a (potentially) NHL-ready replacement? (let's face it though, whether they're ready or not, if it's a 1st round forward pick, the oil's putting 'em in).
- GstrangWondah

Juolevi was reaching at 5, however nucks really needed top end D prospect in their system so you can argue it was ok.

I dont know, I think they wont rush Puju...I wouldnt be shocked to seee him in the AHL to start, go to world juniors, then start to get a call with the Oilers after 60 some games down on the farm.

Unless he is hands down one of the top forwards at camp, why rush him.

Eberle, Lucic, Yak, Pouliot are still there, plus you have McDavid, Nuge, Drai (could be shifted to the wing).

They have plently of guys to plug into the Top 6 out of camp. Dont discourage his development by playing 3rd line minutes

I do get that logic, but Yakupovs recent bad seasons have made you forget how purely talented he is. If he gets it going, which I think he's too good not to, he could score 30 w/ anyone. So McDavid makes him good for an extra 10. Ideally.
- James_Tanner

Robbie Schremp is a very skilled played, full of talent but never managed to make it in the NHL and he is one out of a lot players who failed to make his magic happens in the NHL so predicting 30 goals based on pure talent is not a good argument.

Juolevi was reaching at 5, however nucks really needed top end D prospect in their system so you can argue it was ok.

I dont know, I think they wont rush Puju...I wouldnt be shocked to seee him in the AHL to start, go to world juniors, then start to get a call with the Oilers after 60 some games down on the farm.

Unless he is hands down one of the top forwards at camp, why rush him.

Eberle, Lucic, Yak, Pouliot are still there, plus you have McDavid, Nuge, Drai (could be shifted to the wing).

They have plently of guys to plug into the Top 6 out of camp. Dont discourage his development by playing 3rd line minutes
- DDM-Coga

I agree completely about his development and would be a nice shift to see the Oil take their time instead of rushing things.

So who's EDM top end D prospect? Reinhart? Haven't heard much good about him, really, though I haven't seen him play much so I wouldn't know. I guess Nurse is younger, but how GPs until they're no longer a prospect? Cupboard looks pretty bleak on the defensive end to me:

http://www.hockeysfuture....om/teams/edmonton_oilers/

I just don't get why they seemingly refuse to draft a Dman early in the 1st while the Nucks do it no problem (despite Juolevi being "a reach" at #5). Oil clearly could use a top end Dman in the near future and it usually takes at least a few years for that position to develop compared to forward.

You sound incredibly gay right now
- LittleRickyV2

Its what I do.

For a bit there, I thought it would be funny if Yak played with Hamrlik so they could say something like "Hammer to the Nail..."













I'll see myself out.
- GstrangWondah

We had Klinkhammer. Don't know if they saw ice time together however.

I agree completely about his development and would be a nice shift to see the Oil take their time instead of rushing things.

So who's EDM top end D prospect? Reinhart? Haven't heard much good about him, really, though I haven't seen him play much so I wouldn't know. I guess Nurse is younger, but how GPs until they're no longer a prospect? Cupboard looks pretty bleak on the defensive end to me:

http://www.hockeysfuture....om/teams/edmonton_oilers/

I just don't get why they seemingly refuse to draft a Dman early in the 1st while the Nucks do it no problem (despite Juolevi being "a reach" at #5). Oil clearly could use a top end Dman in the near future and it usually takes at least a few years for that position to develop compared to forward.
- GstrangWondah

I heard that we planned on drafting Juolevi if the Finn wingers were gone

I heard that we planned on drafting Juolevi if the Finn wingers were gone
- Xaos22

yea, that would've made sense to me

I heard that we planned on drafting Juolevi if the Finn wingers were gone
- Xaos22

I heard you guys are sending us Draisaitl for Merrill.

I heard you guys are sending us Draisaitl for Merrill.
- Mr.Bobby

And you're sending us Henrique for Lander.

And you're sending us Fiddler for Lander.
- Wildschwein

Sure, why not.

Sure, why not.
- Mr.Bobby

Actually I'd totally do that trade.

Its what I do.
- Wildschwein

That's why we love you (no homo)

I mean, if the team had taken Murray over Yak, I don't think anyone would've ripped them a new one. I think everyone thought that's who they should've grabbed. And it's not like Yak was miles ahead in projections either. Murray was pretty close and ranked at #2.

Had they drafted Murray, perhaps the team would've also drafted Ristolainen the following year instead of Nurse to balance the pairings. Klefbom- Petry and Murray- Ristolainen wouldve been a good looking D corps.