Buying out Sekera makes complete sense for the Oilers. He is replaceable by someone who makes $1-2M AAV. Even if he is replaced by someone with a 2M cap hit they are still saving cap room. With Klefbom and Nurse there is no reason to keep Sekera. If they can trade him great, I'm just not sure that will happen. Or trade him with 1.5M retained.
Sekera is a top-4 defenseman. Please name all the UFA top-4 defensemen that can be signed for $1-2M AAV.
No reason to buy him out or trade with salary retained at all - this team NEEDS him.
I'll say they wasted 2.5 on a potential backup/failed experiment, but 1.5 for young forward with good skating ability and decent offensive upside/potential? No.
He will continue to add energy to their bottom 6, something that was severely lacking before he joined the club. With him, Slepyshev and Khaira adding jump to the bottom 6, the Oilers at least have potential to improve going forward. I'd agree that it would be nice if they could have filled this spot with a minor league development project, but lets be honest here: the Oilers don't have any of those.
For a guy who calls himself "oilersfan" you don't really follow too closely: Slepyshev is heading back to KHL. Here's what LT* had to say about Caggiula signing:
"Via NaturalStatTrick, here are the 5-on-5 offensive numbers for Caggiula with difference centers this past season.
Caggiula with McDavid 2017-18: 2.05 (3-2-5 in 146:16 minutes)
Caggiula with RNH 2017-18: 1.25 (1-1-2 in 96:22 minutes)
Caggiula with Strome 2017-18: 0.87 (1-2-3 in 206:49 minutes)
Caggiula with Draisaitl 2017-18: 0.66 (2-0-2 in 183:37 minutes)
Caggiula with Letestu 2017-18: 0.00 (0-0-0 in 89:52 minutes)
He is not strong in possession, the only center he flourished with is the guy who hammers the league every game. The Strome line is his most likely destination and that’s not a strong number... The real problem is the Oilers re-signed Caggiula instead of finding the next Andreas Johnsson, who has a much better chance to move the needle in the NHL. Everyone makes bets that don’t thrive. Very few general managers double down."
Caggiula's 0.87ppg (5v5) with Strome (his likely center) puts him at 430th best forward in the league this year... and there are only 372 full-time positions available (12 x 31).
His 1.16ppg total (including significant time with McDavid and Draisaitl) put him at 350th of 372 - so BELOW AVERAGE 4TH LINER PRODUCTION RATE. And he isn't good at defence either - his 3.09 GA/60 was 443rd for forwards this year.
He's a 4th liner, but not a good one. $1.5M is simply too much.
* If you don't know who this is, then please change your username.
You competely - and deliberately - missed my point.
I'm not really sure how I "deliberately" missed your point. You made a statement about how people are making team with everyone resigned. I made a statement about how people are doing so.
I'm not really sure how I "deliberately" missed your point. You made a statement about how people are making team with everyone resigned. I made a statement about how people are doing so.
I personally have made several 23-man rosters with everyone re-signed, and not necessarily to "team-friendly" contracts. I know its possible because I've done it.
Russell plays on the right side and isn't a top-4 d-man, IMO. Sekera was injured last year and his absense was a big part of why the team fell so far from 2016-17. Oilers top-4 are Sekera, Klefbom, Nurse and Larsson. All these guys are legit top-4 players. If you want to talk about trading Sekera for an equivalent RHD that's fine, but nobody exercises a buyout clause on one of their top 4 defenders.
I personally have made several 23-man rosters with everyone re-signed, and not necessarily to "team-friendly" contracts. I know its possible because I've done it.
So what you're saying is I didn't "deliberately" miss your point. Am I getting this right?
So what you're saying is I didn't "deliberately" miss your point. Am I getting this right?
No, you aren't. I stated that it is possible to sign all RFA's without a buyout, you said 'only if you do a 21-man roster' (not true) and 'only if you sign them to team-friendly contracts' (also not true). You are being deliberately misleading.
No, you aren't. I stated that it is possible to sign all RFA's without a buyout, you said 'only if you do a 21-man roster' (not true) and 'only if you sign them to team-friendly contracts' (also not true). You are being deliberately misleading.
Watch the Oilers every game, I don't see the potential. And $1.5M is $1.5M, could be better spent elsewhere. Why is this the first RFA signing of the summer anyhow? Shouldn't Chiarelli get the more important ones done first? You know, Nurse, Benning, Strome. He's going to get into July and find that he doesn't have enough cap room to sign a core player because he wasted $2.5M on a backup and $1.5M on a 4th liner.
I watched every Oilers game as well, I would say at the end of the year especially he was one of the most energetic and noticeable players on the team. I expect Caggiula to be a middle 6 energy winger with Zucker like potential.
I watched every Oilers game as well, I would say at the end of the year especially he was one of the most energetic and noticeable players on the team. I expect Caggiula to be a middle 6 energy winger with Zucker like potential.
Oh, he's energetic all right, but energy doesn't score goals nor prevent them. He like a guard dog who barks incessantly, then when an intruder comes he races over and begins furiously humping his leg.