The scenario where Nicholson and the new management team will claim their hands were tied by the work of the previous regime, bank on having Sekera for a full year, overestimate how much of an effect adding Brown and Connolly will have, bet high on Puljujarvi putting things together post-surgery, and claim that Koskinen will be better after more time adjusting to North American ice. Something about this being a "transition year" regarding all of the expiring dead cap will be mentioned too. Patience will again be preached as all eyes are directed to the kids in Bakersfield and Caufield in college. "Next season is the year for real change!" they'll boast.
This AGM is probably the most realistic scenario in my eyes: management, despite whatever changes happen in the coming days, is still going to take a sub-optimal approach and bank on unlikely realities. The Oilers aren't going to be a playoff team next season unless the Western Conference sees a similar collapse to what it did this season; outside of Anaheim, Los Angeles, and Minnesota, there doesn't appear to be too many "bonafide basement teams" out west. I'd project this roster to finish 20th, and maybe be chasing the final wildcard spot behind Arizona and Vancouver. Mathematically, the team is improved. Sorta? Doing nothing mind-numbingly stupid is a win in itself. If you assume having better forwards can steal them 2 more games, Nilsson stealing 2 games over the Talbot/Stolarz trainwreck, a healthier blueline accounting for another win, and an upgrade to the coaching staff, systems, and special teams eking out another win, they COULD hit or breach 90 points, but it's still so unlikely. McDavid, Draisaitl, and Nugent-Hopkins went supernova this past season. Is it going to happen two years in a row?
This approach scares me. I'd be demanding Nicholson's head on a pike at the end of the season.
I would think that Brown would get more than a third, the rest .... fingers crossed
Based on what? Toronto's not in a position to get full value for their pieces based on their impending cap crunch. The dude was invisible the entire series against Boston, and he's a skilled bottom-6 winger. Edmonton's in a position where they have to see if he clicks with McDavid or they're hooped.
No team should be paying more than a 3rd Round Pick for Brown. And if my prediction about where this Oilers squad lands true, it's a higher third at that.
Based on what? Toronto's not in a position to get full value for their pieces based on their impending cap crunch. The dude was invisible the entire series against Boston, and he's a skilled bottom-6 winger. Edmonton's in a position where they have to see if he clicks with McDavid or they're hooped.
No team should be paying more than a 3rd Round Pick for Brown. And if my prediction about where this Oilers squad lands true, it's a higher third at that.
Brown's probably worth the NYI 3rd this year. However, why spend assets on him when we could sign Chiasson for the same money? Chiasson probably gets 2.1M max and we can keep our 3rd rounder.
I never understood why Oilers fans want Brown so bad. We're trading for a bottom 6 F and expecting him to play Top 6 minutes just because he played junior with McDavid. Plenty of guys you can sign in FA without having to trade for.
Brown's probably worth the NYI 3rd this year. However, why spend assets on him when we could sign Chiasson for the same money? Chiasson probably gets 2.1M max and we can keep our 3rd rounder.
I never understood why Oilers fans want Brown so bad. We're trading for a bottom 6 F and expecting him to play Top 6 minutes just because he played junior with McDavid. Plenty of guys you can sign in FA without having to trade for.
My thought process between the two is that Brown is likely to come cheaper knowing how poorly this management handles contract negotiations. It's a matter of the familiarity with Connor as well; to say McDavid isn't pissed with how things have panned out over his young career thus far is ignorance.
In free agency however, who's available instead of Brown? A known 20 goal scorer for close to $2M is a tough ask, and a tougher sell when there are going to be guys that simply don't want to come play here. The only other name I'd seriously bring in over Brown is Maroon, and getting him at around the $2.5M mark might be difficult.
Not to discredit whoever is available at pick #84, but if Brown can be had now for that pick and wasn't purely a rental, then I'd rather take the current NHL player than the maybe. The team is desperate for quality prospects, but is equally as desperate for cheap, quality wingers. There's a chance Brown might be that, and its known that management was trying to bring him in at the deadline.
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