Not with that goaltending.

Did ya miss the news that we wont have Klefbom for pretty much all year?

And what's up with that Bear contract lol.. a legit top 4 option on our weak blueline and you bench the guy :/

Except we already know that Klefbom is going to miss the entire 2020-21 season, and may possibly even retire, so he's not an option for this squad moving forward.

Bouchard is likely not playing a full season in the NHL this year: Barrie's skillset is almost identical. If the whole Canadian division and their AHL franchises playing in Canada ordeal is true, he'll play big minutes for the Condors and be one of the first call-ups. Bear and Jones are bona-fide NHLers at this point: scratching them makes the team objectively worse. Jones is miles better than Russell. Bear on a one-year deal is easily a million-dollar contract, and I think both sides are going to fight like hell for a 2 or 3 year deal.

I'm not a huge fan of the lines, as I don't believe Neal should be playing above 4th line minutes at even-strength. Top powerplay minutes until he falters sure, but he's an anchor for 48 minutes a night.

Kassian probably starts the year beside McDavid, and likely finishes it where you have him on the third line. I suspect Puljujarvi replaces him by about game 15.

If I were Tippett, I'd be pleading with Holland to find one more goal-scoring LW: breaking up the trio of RNH-Draisaitl-Yamamoto diminishes Edmonton's chance of coming out on the top-end of an all-Canadian division. Duclair - in my eyes - is a perfect fit for McDavid; it makes the Oilers' top-six all that much more of a scoring threat and may force McDavid into some defensive responsibility without sacrificing his offensive production.

I think Chiasson is still going to get moved: his calling card with the Oilers was to be a net-front presence on the power play (either unit). The Oilers are now tasked with finding utility for Neal (who's basically a PP specialist now) while finding power play time for Puljujarvi and Yamamoto. The Turris signing also tips us off to the idea that Tippett is going to use his fourth-line as a tough-minutes shutdown unit, and Chiasson's skillset provides little to no defensive utility.

I don't think your powerplay is set up optimally either: Draisaitl is a stronger faceoff man than McDavid (who prefers playing along the wall and up high as a distributor) and Barrie on his natural side limits his ability to distribute and put shots on net (you'll sort the forwards by optimal shooting for their handedness, but not the blue?). Te second unit - if they get any time at all - probably works as you have it, but I'd personally have Turris taking draws and use RNH in a similar fashion as McDavid on the top unit. Minor stuff though.

Well said! I agree! Now on Duclair, I would like him if he came for cheep, then again I don’t think Holland is gonna go after another UFA this year. I personally think that Bouchard is gonna okay on the NHL, and maybe move Russell with the addition of Barrie.

Friedman's sources on the most recent 31 Thoughts have alluded to Russell staying. The Oilers upper management love the guy.

If Duclair wanted to sign cheap, he'd have a team already. I think the man - deservedly so - wants to get paid. I'd suspect somewhere around $3.5M/3y.

That’s what I meant by cheep. Supposedly he got offered a Dadonov deal by Ottawa and obviously declined. Well let’s say Bouchard comes up, then Russell would be the seventh with the addition of Barrie. I could then see him getting traded, but if Bouchard doesn’t come up, then I see us keeping Russell.

I'd love a source for that Duclair offer, as most projections have him going at my price. Seems foolish to not take $15M/3y...

Lagesson's already the 7th, and if the preference is to have him in the minors for the year, then I really like Koekkoek as a rotating #6/#7 to split time with Russell.

I think Ol' Cowboy has some limited utility, and cap space - especially if Edmonton isn't looking to add up front - really isn't an issue for this team. I don't think I'd want Russell in a premier role, but I'm more than comfortable with him playing bottom-pair minutes. I actually really liked his game during the play-in series.

I'm ready for Bouchard to play 20 some-odd games only if he needs to (like injuries). Otherwise, I still really want him playing 22-25 minutes a night refining his defensive game. I recently read a comparison to Shea Weber and I want nothing more than that to happen, but for that to happen, the defensive acumen needs developing. He's more apt to find that in a bigger role than in sheltered minutes. I'm very content with a Barrie-Larsson-Bear right side for the condensed season: I think the left is where another small addition is needed.

Let’s just say that there is a reason why Duclair hasn’t gotten signed. He either has trash team chemistry, and brings down the morale of players, or he wants way too much money. If he only wanted 3.5M then a lot of teams would be jumping over that.