Skip to main content

Oilers Playing with Fire Following Buyout

The Hockey Writers

Bluntly speaking, $3 million in cap space is probably all Holland was after. Darnell Nurse is up for a new contract next season, and a few extra million will aid in getting him re-signed. The Oilers are not in position to be thinking about the playoffs this season. If they make it, then fantastic, but they don't have the depth to compete, and are in salary cap hell due to Lucic's contract. The Oiler's first order of business is acquiring young players and draft picks, and somehow magically moving out unmovable contracts.

The Edmonton Oilers aren't just one or two parts away in free agency away from being contenders. They need top tier defenders, and top tier scoring wingers. Those aren't found in free agency. They're drafted.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The poor philosophy of the Canucks: rant

In all honesty, I'm fairly ambivalent about the choice for the Canucks first round pick, this year. In fact, I'm a bit hesitant. Juolevi may, and, in fact, probably will become a fine defense-men However, let's disregard what Juolevi may become, and concentrate on whom the Canucks didn't pick. They didn't pick Tkachuk, who was the consensus number five, overall, on most draft lists. Whether he'll become a star like his father before him is also unimportant, at this moment. As of this moment, Tkachuk was the best player available at number five. It's a simple argument. He's a forward, and we can guess at a forward's potential much more easily than we can a defense-man's. He scored metric tonnes in junior. He's a known commodity. Defense-men, on the other hand, are becoming a bit voodoo in the first round. We may or not get a player who'll play up to his potential. But that's unimportant, right now. Instead, let us consider the Ca...
Post a Comment
Read more

Canucks free agency, 2018

It's six am. I'm still flummoxed by the recent free agent signings by the Canucks, nearly two full weeks later. Two fourth liners signed for four years. One for $3 million, and the other for $3.25 million. Fourth liners. Four years. Both for $3 million or more per year. Ah well. It ain't my money. But still, one would think the Canucks front office would have someone to tell management that maybe signing two players for term who are likely to begin slowing down sooner rather than later at this stage in their careers probably isn't a good idea. Didn't they learn with Dorsett? With Prust? Gritty fourth liners don't last long playing into their thirties -heck, even into their late twenties- just because of the style of play that got them to where they are is high risk. Honestly, it's just bad business. The Canucks had the luxury of waiting through the summer before picking up the phone to bring a veteran leader or two. Canucks management coul...
Post a Comment
Read more

Penguins Forced to Trade Kessel to Keep Malkin

The Hockey Writers Kessel's definitely on the wrong side of thirty now. He's probably going to end up much like Vanek: playing contract to contract. Not a bad end to a career, but still. The writer to this piece did sneak in what seems like Penguins side-talking to justify the trade. I honestly dislike that. Just thank the player, and move on. There shouldn't be any need to drag names through the mud. Diplomacy is an art, and a necessity.
Post a Comment
Read more