Kevin Allen: Holland owes it to fans to be aggressive at trade deadline
Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland has one important mission this season: Make the playoffs.

Lmao

Owes it to fans? What can he do? Trading futures is not wise at all

Robin Rehner?

Owes it to fans? What can he do? Trading futures is not wise at all
- RogerRoeper

Generally, I would agree with you but I really think it's important for the fan base and team to make the playoffs. A third round pick only has a 30% chance of making the NHL and a fourth round pick has roughly a 20% chance. If you do it sparingly, you can move those picks for instant help without totally undermining your future.

Robin Rehner?
- cnatch

Thanks for catching my typo!

Would Holland trade for Darren Helm if Yzerman retained 50%?

Ken Holland - rather the Oilers organization - owes Edmonton fans common sense, level headed decision making unfettered by previous teams' records and irrespective of where outsiders think the team should be. We want the playoffs this year, of course, but not at the expense of what this team could be. Too many of this teams recent GM's have had to scramble and make check down trades because they promised improvement and had to back that up with 4 years of Nikitin instead of the guy that actually would have helped (for example). Holland doesn't need Edmonton fans' baggage tying his hands, the organisation has enough baggage for him to work through and around as it is.

Would Holland trade for Darren Helm if Yzerman retained 50%?
- gergeswillems

Only if he could get the Mule and Danny Cleary included.

Only if he could get the Mule and Danny Cleary included.
- shoreorrpark

Holland would trade McDavid for Danny Cleary.

Generally, I would agree with you but I really think it's important for the fan base and team to make the playoffs. A third round pick only has a 30% chance of making the NHL and a fourth round pick has roughly a 20% chance. If you do it sparingly, you can move those picks for instant help without totally undermining your future.
- Kevin Allen

What do you really think you're gonna get for a 3rd or 4th round pick?

Players that went for JUST a 3rd or 4th round pick at last year's deadline. Oscar Fantenberg (4th), and Derek Brassard (3rd - who was basically a UFA and was on his way to about a 23 point season).

Players like that are not going to get the Oilers anywhere. I 've never even heard of Oscar Fantenberg. I looked him up. 28 years old, he was undrafted, and has 17 points in 115 NHL career games....... While that may bolster your second line, in the grand scheme of things, he's not gonna matter.

Ken Holland - rather the Oilers organization - owes Edmonton fans common sense, level headed decision making unfettered by previous teams' records and irrespective of where outsiders think the team should be. We want the playoffs this year, of course, but not at the expense of what this team could be. Too many of this teams recent GM's have had to scramble and make check down trades because they promised improvement and had to back that up with 4 years of Nikitin instead of the guy that actually would have helped (for example). Holland doesn't need Edmonton fans' baggage tying his hands, the organisation has enough baggage for him to work through and around as it is.
- OilyJay

Yup, if anything, they should be using the trade deadline to see if they can rid some bad contracts, maybe there is a team stupid and desperate enough to bite on something like James Neal or something. Not easy given he's on the IR.

Nice chins 👌🏻

Nice chins 👌🏻
- CanadianBodmon

👎

Nice chins 👌🏻
- CanadianBodmon

Richard comment.

no. pushing this team into the playoffs is not the number one most important thing for Holland to do. it would be nice, the city wants it bad, but it's not worth losing sight of the long term plan for. trying to come in and finish the job in 1 or 2 seasons is what defeated every GM since Lowe. this team needs to be competitive every year, a perennial playoff team and an occasional threat for the Cup.