Ban Price trades
Joined: Oct. 2017
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Between the two of them, you have Ovechkin and Tuch at a combined $16.25M. I doubt Alex actually ever leaves Washington, and I don't see how Vegas really benefits from that deal. They're already pressed against the cap and Bear is likely not going to come cheap when they have to resign him.
Regardless of that signing and trade being good/bad (hint: latter, definitely the latter), a solid plan for next year's Oilers - who akin to Oilers rosters of yesteryear are routinely plagued by subpar defence and goaltending - would be to shore up said blueline and netminder responsibilities with that money.
I agree to an extent that Koskinen has been brutally overworked this season. I also believe that despite posting okay numbers since coming to Edmonton, that he's not that great of a goaltender, and very much isn't what Edmonton needs. Need that timely save? Koskinen can't deliver. Edmonton needs a strong starting goaltender: the forwards don't really play well in their own zone and Edmonton doesn't have the horses in its six defenders to be content with league average. 0.917sv% goaltending when you surrender 40+ shots per game still means you're giving up 3.32G/game. You're hooped if the offense runs cold or if the opposing goaltender runs hot. You can't exactly prepare for either of those scenarios, sometimes it just happens, but you can plan for giving up 10 goals every three games. Edmonton, especially if Smith flounders, is in a situation where the 100% must chase either Binnington or Grubauer in free agency. Ullmark would be a gamble and an Andersen would be irresponsible. I don't trust old goalies. If Holland had balls, looking to price Demko, Hart, Samsonov, Shesterkin, or Sorokin out of their current clubs would probably be the best thing for the Oilers over the next decade, but counting on offer sheets is like praying for rain in a desert. Any upgrade to Edmonton's netminder likely requires Edmonton to burn assets on moving Koskinen; you've used a lot of those here in trades I don't agree with, and I feel that if you pulled some of those picks into a Koskinen trade they'd be better used.
I think Konovalov is capable of adjusting to North American ice in the NHL, but I'd wholly prefer it to happen - at least for the first half of the season - at the AHL level. Lots of Russian prospects coming over, more playing time, easier competition. It's all a win for him. Trading Rodrigue is stupid.
Do you look at that blueline and think you've done a good job? I doubt the Oilers will ever feature a Norris-calibre defender, but Samorukov in the top-four? Bouchard already the #1RD? A bottom pairing that can't play defence yet is paid as such? Irredeemable. I don't need the Oilers to try and convince Hamilton to come to the other Albertan team, but no genuine attempt to strengthen the blueline (look at how much this club is already missing Klefbom, and you're trading him!) is foolish at best. This club needs one strong, competent RHD (also, don't trade Bear for Pete's sake) and for Klefbom to come back healthy. It's not the sexiest collection of defenders, but it is competent. Nurse's growth in this season has really opened me up to the guy.
If Edmonton goes into next season with a back end like:
Nurse - Bear
Klefbom - Bouchard
Samorukov - Savard
Lagesson
Grubauer
Reimer
they'd honestly be set for the season. Assuming Turris plays #4C next year (if at all) and Kahun is paid more realistically ($2.25M-ish?), there's still money left over to address the continuously piss-poor bottom-six depth Edmonton keeps icing.
McDavid, Connor
$250,000)
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