This guy has to turn it around. Growing pains were expected but his decision making is poor most nights. Self inflicted loss tonight.

That last goal was pretty brutal

People will look at his 61 CF% and say he had a good game.

I like bear but this season is a pure disaster for him. I can’t see how people think he’s a better option than Barrie next year. I honestly don’t know how can even justify 3rd pair minutes over bouch right now. I haven’t even liked nurses game when they are paired together doesn’t look nearly as confident constantly feels like back peddling. Bear has a bright future just starting to doubt it’s in Edmonton.

The Oilers are in a dilemma this offseason. On the right side, I don't think Barrie is a fit long term. Unless he's signing for something like 3x4.75 I don't see how Edmonton can afford to bring him back. The problem is, who is going to play top pair right side next year? You can't bet the house on Ethan Bear at this point, Bouchard is a rookie, and Larsson is best on the 2nd pair with Lagesson, so they either have to sign Barrie to a less than great contract or go I to next season with a lot of uncertainty on the right side.

What kind of message will it send the group letting a very productive Barrie walk then play mistake prone bear on top pair. I don’t see how that won’t deflate the group. It’s irresponsible considering the competitive state the team is suppose to be in and should be in.

It's the same argument for any UFA. If Barrie is getting offers of 6M in UFA, the Oilers can't match that. It's not about sending a message to the team that they aren't willing to retain players. It's about building a team with players who's production and play fit the price you pay for them. Same thing with Nuge. If the Kraken go and offer 7.5 x 7 years, the Oilers can't, and shouldn't match that.

I really think you're all minimizing the affect his concussion had on his play.

I agree that he shouldn't be playing if he's only at 50% and that he should be given the opportunity to get reset. I wholly disagree that the Oilers should keep Barrie in favour of Bear. Ethan is a much stronger all-around player and extending Barrie takes opportunities away from Bouchard.

I'd be willing to wager that your guys' tone regarding Barrie changes comes playoff time when the powerplay opportunities evaporate and his defensive inefficiencies are more exposed.

It all depends on Barrie's asking price. Bear should command excellent value on the trade market. His analytics are not bad. Is it worth trading him this season before extending Barrie, or does that allow Barrie to leverage the Oilers with Bear gone?

I would like to see how a Jack Eichel trade could possibly be attempted??

Bear, Koskinen, Kassian, Picks

for

Eichel & Tokarski (throw-in for roster goalies)

Eichel would complicate the salary cap and result in being unable to keep players later down the road id stay far away from even thinking about adding him.
Wouldn’t trade bear until Barrie is actually signed.
Bear would hold tremendous value but I think if moving him now or before deadline going to have to accept alittle less than his truer value because of expansion most teams have their protection lists already sorted would limit the trading partners. That wouldn’t be terrible option in my opinion if the return is a player that can help now and has term or team control for a few years wouldn’t move him now just for rental. Or protect him leave Barrie as a ufa and make the move after expansion draft certainly be a lot more teams suddenly in the mix.

So ideally, Bear and Barrie playout the year. No trades this at Deadline. Barrie resigns after Expansion Draft.
Does Barrie re-sign with Oilers at a small pay increase? 3 Yrs x 4 because of having huge success.

There aren't very many big time UFA this summer to use cap space on. Dzingel, Schwartz, Hall, Saad, Nuge, Landeskog.
Dzingel is High Risk/High Reward
Schwartz is LTIR
Hall, Yikes
Landeskog - No chance

So Saad and Nuge In UFA, maybe a 3rd Line C or Holloway takes that spot.

Bear for a Goalie? Kuemper

Nuge McDavid JP
Saad Draisaitl Yamo
Archibald Holloway Kassian
Jujhar Haas Neal

Nurse Barrie
Larsson Lagesson
Bouchard Jones

Kuemper
Smith
Skinner