Let's shake it up first, though

Acquire Verhaeghe for a 2019 4th
Spooner, Bear and a 2020 1st for Nyquist and Jensen
Caggiula and Yamamoto for Toffoli and a 2019 2nd
Nurse for Kapanen and a 2019 3rd

Nyquist- McDavid- Toffoli
Verhaeghe- Draisaitl- Kapanen
Khaira- Nuge- Puljujarvi
Rieder- Brodziak- Kassian
Rattie, Lucic

Klefbom- Larsson
Sekera/Russell- Jensen
Jones- Benning
Gravel

Buyout Lucic (there's at least SOME savings), trade Sekera or Russell (whichever you can get the most cap space from). Use all the draft picks to stock the cupboards.
- MaximumBone

What’s the difference in savings between buying out looch and eating 2 mil (throw in a pick or prospect as well, but let’s ignore that for a second ) for the duration in a trade ?

Fair enough. I have no issue keeping Yamo and I have my concerns about Toffoli anyway; hope he can get back on track for you guys!
- MaximumBone

Yeah. He sucks at skating and it’s a terrible year for him are the only concerns

Lucic gone
Sekera or russel gone
Trade some futures for a bonafide scoring winger.


Those 3 and uve went a long way to starting the fix

What’s the difference in savings between buying out looch and eating 2 mil (throw in a pick or prospect as well, but let’s ignore that for a second ) for the duration in a trade ?
- HB77

The difference in savings is that I think only one can actually happen now. As much as I've pushed for the idea, a retained cap trade was assuming Lucic could bounce back even a little. Since he hasn't, I now have to assume the worst possible scenario. Savings in buying him out would give us 2.375 mil in savings next year, 375k the next year, 1.875 mil the next and 375k the last year followed by 4 years of 625k. I'd take those minor savings over him corrupting this team any further.

Maybe you could get a team to bite if we retained 3mil and gave em a 1st, but that's not worth it at that point.

Speaking of ownership

https://www.tsn.ca/stars-...e-f-ing-horse-t-1.1232703
- MaximumBone

I wish Katz did this with Lucic and Chia

I wish Katz did this with Lucic and Chia
- RatedR80

The fact that Lucic gets ice time at all is pretty baffling. How he continues to get PP time is lunacy. Hitch needs to adjust that. I know we're not exactly flush with talent to replace him, but literally anyone else (save maybe Kassian) would be better on the PP. Most notably Jujhar (frank)ing Khaira.

Tank nation hasn't really worked out super well for you folks but maybe if you try for another 5 to 10 you might have better luck. That or just move the team to Quebec City.
- Danny Bomber

What an embarrassment!!a once very proud franchise... deservedly so. To the embarrassment. Of all time. I don’t think there’s a nhl or any other sports franchise that has gone though a 14-15 year rebuild.....

The fact that Lucic gets ice time at all is pretty baffling. How he continues to get PP time is lunacy. Hitch needs to adjust that. I know we're not exactly flush with talent to replace him, but literally anyone else (save maybe Kassian) would be better on the PP. Most notably Jujhar (frank)ing Khaira.
- MaximumBone

Maybe I’m wrong but Lucic to me was the worst player on the ice against the Canucks.....time for tough love and put him in the press box for a few games.....sure he hits guys but do those hits generate anything such as turnovers?.....you could tape a hockey stick to a pylon strapped to skates and it will probably be less of a liability then Lucic has become.....sit the guy already it’s not going to hurt....maybe he might even request a trade....whatever would we do then?

Maybe I’m wrong but Lucic to me was the worst player on the ice against the Canucks.....time for tough love and put him in the press box for a few games.....sure he hits guys but do those hits generate anything such as turnovers?.....you could tape a hockey stick to a pylon strapped to skates and it will probably be less of a liability then Lucic has become.....sit the guy already it’s not going to hurt....maybe he might even request a trade....whatever would we do then?
- RatedR80

I don't think it'd be a stretch to call him the worst player in the whole NHL through the 2018 calendar year, so I don't think you're wrong.

Great to read some of your thoughts on how to change the team. My question for all of you.... do you believe current management is capable of making any of these changes?

Great to read some of your thoughts on how to change the team. My question for all of you.... do you believe current management is capable of making any of these changes?
- freelancer

We talking management as in Chia or higher up the food chain?

I don't think it'd be a stretch to call him the worst player in the whole NHL through the 2018 calendar year, so I don't think you're wrong.
- MaximumBone

I wouldn’t argue that at all

Great to read some of your thoughts on how to change the team. My question for all of you.... do you believe current management is capable of making any of these changes?
- freelancer

No.

Upper management is the old boys club. Same for us in Calgary. It’s just one big circle jerk. Can’t see it changing anytime soon.

I hope they do make a major change tho, it would be a shame to see McDavids career go to waste. Eventually his enthusiasm is going to wane and it will bleed into his game on the ice in my opinion..

What an embarrassment!!a once very proud franchise... deservedly so. To the embarrassment. Of all time. I don’t think there’s a nhl or any other sports franchise that has gone though a 14-15 year rebuild.....
- pzoxic

pretty sure torontos has been on going since before my great grandmother was born.

I don't think it'd be a stretch to call him the worst player in the whole NHL through the 2018 calendar year, so I don't think you're wrong.
- MaximumBone

Troy Brouwer thanks you for that statement.

Great to read some of your thoughts on how to change the team. My question for all of you.... do you believe current management is capable of making any of these changes?
- freelancer

Its been a merry go round of ineptitude. They keep the same old boys club in the organisation. Regardless of how inept they proved at there job, they have been kept in various capacity around the franchise. They need to clean out the top. The whole boys club mentality that runs the organisation has proven disaterous. The on ice product is directly representative of the problems up in the offices. Its not a coach problem, it is clearly a management problem.

Troy Brouwer thanks you for that statement.

- Flamin_Irishmin

He has 11 goals and 11 assists in the calendar year. Not even close to as bad as Lucic.

Troy Brouwer thanks you for that statement.

- Flamin_Irishmin

#BringBackBrouwer

Maybe I’m wrong but Lucic to me was the worst player on the ice against the Canucks.....time for tough love and put him in the press box for a few games.....sure he hits guys but do those hits generate anything such as turnovers?.....you could tape a hockey stick to a pylon strapped to skates and it will probably be less of a liability then Lucic has become.....sit the guy already it’s not going to hurt....maybe he might even request a trade....whatever would we do then?
- RatedR80

I have been a huge Lucic fan for a large part of his career. He is a huge part of the problem, hes making the David Clarkson contract look like a value contract. He is style of play has caught up with him, and apprently, his offense didnt dwindle slowly, just disappered.

I have been a huge Lucic fan for a large part of his career. He is a huge part of the problem, hes making the David Clarkson contract look like a value contract. He is style of play has caught up with him, and apprently, his offense didnt dwindle slowly, just disappered.
- herecomesGUMP

I gave it a chance and didn’t say anything about it but this year is the year that I have had enough.....when he was signed I thought ok the back end of this contract is going to be a fail but it should be ok for the time being....well he certainly went above and beyond to prove me wrong

Got to love thoughtful, insightful, even brilliant commentary like this blog.

Because I'm sure you missed it that's sarcasm.

Handed the keys to the Ferrari... A perennial bottom feeder team with THE worst defense in the league, an aversion to systematic play, and weak goaltending to boot. If that's your idea of a Ferrari God help you.

This team does not need more lottery draft picks. This team needs playoff experience. Whether they get into the playoffs by one point or leads the league that does not matter.

Put your Chiarelli hate back into your pants and just try to use your brain. The Oilers have more elite picks than any 2 franchises should. Missing the playoffs for any reason is extremely counter productive.

On top of that. Chiarelli for all his many faults has a far better success rate than anyone else in a decade.

I also personally fear what joker the OBC come up to replace Chiarelli with to somehow actually make the team worse. As is thier track record.

I also notice that commentary like this is always suspiciously lacking on what actually can even be realistically done to change the team to magically restore the Ferrari level that Chiarelli somehow demolished.

One thing history has taught me in this organization is that change for the sake of change can make a bad team even worse.

I gave it a chance and didn’t say anything about it but this year is the year that I have had enough.....when he was signed I thought ok the back end of this contract is going to be a fail but it should be ok for the time being....well he certainly went above and beyond to prove me wrong
- RatedR80

I was really excited, but told my self the last two years would be bad, I was wrong. When they signed him , 4 good years for 2 down years was okay with me. This is unacceptable. You sign a contract, you dont deliver. There should be consequences. Like the real world.

Got to love thoughtful, insightful, even brilliant commentary like this blog.

Because I'm sure you missed it that's sarcasm.

Handed the keys to the Ferrari... A perennial bottom feeder team with THE worst defense in the league, an aversion to systematic play, and weak goaltending to boot. If that's your idea of a Ferrari God help you.

This team does not need more lottery draft picks. This team needs playoff experience. Whether they get into the playoffs by one point or leads the league that does not matter.

Put your Chiarelli hate back into your pants and just try to use your brain. The Oilers have more elite picks than any 2 franchises should. Missing the playoffs for any reason is extremely counter productive.

On top of that. Chiarelli for all his many faults has a far better success rate than anyone else in a decade.

I also personally fear what joker the OBC come up to replace Chiarelli with to somehow actually make the team worse. As is thier track record.

I also notice that commentary like this is always suspiciously lacking on what actually can even be realistically done to change the team to magically restore the Ferrari level that Chiarelli somehow demolished.

One thing history has taught me in this organization is that change for the sake of change can make a bad team even worse.
- Aerchon

Won’t argue much with what you said here but saying Chia has had more success in this case isn’t a good argument.....in 4 seasons he will have had made the playoffs once maybe twice depending on how the season goes but for now we will say once.....1/4 years.....25% success rate.....I don’t know what you deem to be successful but this certainly cannot be it....he certainly wasn’t gifted a Ferrari as far as a team goes but he was gifted the opportunity to build a team around the best player of this generation and has failed miserably at this task so far

I’m concerned about what he will do to save his job if our slide continues....nothing good has ever come from Chia trying to make a major move
- RatedR80

McDavid for Sequin and Benn

Won’t argue much with what you said here but saying Chia has had more success in this case isn’t a good argument.....in 4 seasons he will have had made the playoffs once maybe twice depending on how the season goes but for now we will say once.....1/4 years.....25% success rate.....I don’t know what you deem to be successful but this certainly cannot be it....he certainly wasn’t gifted a Ferrari as far as a team goes but he was gifted the opportunity to build a team around the best player of this generation and has failed miserably at this task so far
- RatedR80

Chia rolled the dice... Expecting Lucic could contribute close to Hall, hence Larsonn and Lucic to replace Hall could have been a good move...
He failed .....