I agree. I wouldn't be sending assets to Seattle to take Koskinen though - he's been very good the past 2 seasons aside from the first 12 games this year when they ran him into the ground due to the Smith injury and Holland repeatedly screwing up the 3rd goalie spot. No goalie can play 12 games in 24 days and come out of the other side looking good. Aside from that though, Koskinen has been just fine.

2019-20: .917 (38 GP)
2020-21: .889 (first 24 days)
2020-21: .925 (since Smith came back)

He's got value to this franchise, but needs to be part of a tandem. He'd be a great partner for Driedger, who has never taken on a "starter's" workload either. I'd split the games evenly to keep both men fresh.

Absolutely, that deal should have been based around trading away Kassian rather than Koskinen.

This smells like it was written by one of three members of the Oilers media, which isn't a good thing.

I disagree with the philosophy entirely: there needs to be a much more dire need to win from this management group, and a majority of that is going to require maximizing what the dollars on this roster are actually doing.

I don't think Hall's the guy they need (I'd still love to have him) but a #1LW, a genuine #1G, and a viable #3C are so sorely needed. I think this year highlighted this: the duo of McDavid and Draisaitl have enough magic between them to push the Oilers to this calibre. It's the supporting cast that's going to put them over the top (rather: should more be asked of Connor and Leon to make this a cup-winning team?).

I'll echo @CD282: Koskinen's more than fine enough as a #1B. He can be infuriating at times, but I think this has more to do with the coaching staff, Holland's piss-poor handling of Forsberg, and the Oilers' goalie coach (who's survived two too many cullings for my liking). His expiring $4.5M hit makes managing contracts next year much easier, especially when the current expectation is for the winner of Ilya Konovalov vs Stuart Skinner is anticipated to be the backup on a sub-$1M cap hit in 2022-23.

Until the cap starts going up, Benson, Bouchard, Broberg, McLeod, and Samorukov have nothing in the way of arbitration rights. Shorter-term deals at lower AAVs must be used to weather the short-term pain that a talent-laden roster must endure. The worst Nurse and Bear do is in the neighbourhood of costing $4-5M extra between the two of them, which is covered by the combination of ELCs and the expiration of dead cap over the next two seasons. Walking away from the historical trend of multi-million-dollar fourth liners is something this organization needs to adopt in order to accommodate some raises too: neither Archibald or Khaira should be making more than $1M on their next contracts. The Leafs have routinely shown that you can find value contracts to play 4th-line minutes: the cost difference between three league-minimum players and the Shore-Khaira-Archibald setup Edmonton likely runs next year could be the difference between keeping Puljujarvi and having to trade him for assets elsewhere.

Burying Russell to free up an extra million dollars needs to be discussed more. Lagesson is cheaper and equally as effective.

Personally, if this is the best Holland can do over the course of the summer, Daryl Katz needs to be having conversations as to whether or not Holland is an effective GM. Leaving $11.6M on the table when you have the two best players in the league in their primes is a waste and looks even worse with the hindsight of the deadline rhetoric "we didn't have the guts/assets to make a trade at the 2021 deadline, we'll make our mark in the summer".

I don't even think the criticism of the UFA market being bad is an excuse: there are teams on the cusp of being bent over the salary cap barrel (hi Tampa, you again?). The 2021 pick, Benson, Marody, hell the Lightning probably see value in Stalock's low hit; everything that isn't immediately contributing 20 minutes or 20 goals to next year's roster needs to be put on the table. Get creative. Find a winger that teams can't afford anymore, get Neal to retire or permanently put on LTIR, and do whatever it takes to ice a contending roster next year.

I know it's all conjecture and "the sky is falling", but if Edmonton still hasn't made any real damage in the playoffs over the next three years, why shouldn't Draisaitl and McDavid start considering greener pastures at the end of their current contracts? Holland must make meaningful moves this summer in order to fuel the dividends of the next 5 years.

I can promise you my pay cheques are coming from a company with no interest or ties to the Oilers, so sorry the smell test has failed you here .

But I would like to address your response in point form:

1. "there needs to be a much more dire need to win from this management group, and a majority of that is going to require maximizing what the dollars on this roster are actually doing."
The second part of this statement is essentially the point of my AGM, EDM needs to maximize how they are spending their impending cap space. And this is where some fans want Hall @ $7M or $8M which almost certainly spells the departure of one or two of the RFAs that i listed above. I should have been more clear in my blurb I am OK with EDM spending money on Free Agents, I do have an issue with those potentially available, I am NOT OK with Edmonton buying now to the point it costs them in the future. So really all I am preaching is budget responsibility.

Winning now absolutely needs to be a focus of Holland, if its not whats he doing here? That being said I am one of those fans that really likes what is coming internally but its fair to say they may be further away than I'd like to admit and they may never pan out anyhow.

2. "a #1LW, a genuine #1G, and a viable #3C are so sorely needed."

Realistically this years UFA crop has a huge drop from the first tier to the second. I am not clamoring to see Hall back, Saad is a potential option depending on contract and truthfully I wouldn't touch Hoffman with my fantasy team. Who in your eyes would you sign to fill this role, and for how much?

As for 3C its a thin group and I know I'm not breaking the bank to sign Zajac, Hartman or Glendening. Internally Haas, Mcloed or RNH should be able to cover that position.

Even with Goalies after Grubs the list gets real thin in a hurry. In this situation I signed Drieger who realistically would make a nice tandem with Koskinen

3. " Koskinen's more than fine enough as a #1B."

I agree and as I replied to CD282, that deal should have been based around paying to take Kassian rather than koskinen.

4. "Burying Russell to free up an extra million dollars needs to be discussed more."
Agreed, I do feel like he will be dealt or retire. But under no circumstances is he playing for the team next year

5. "$11.6M on the table when you have the two best players in the league in their primes is a waste and looks even worse with the hindsight of the deadline rhetoric "we didn't have the guts/assets to make a trade at the 2021 deadline, we'll make our mark in the summer"."

As I said in my blurb "IF they can land a higher priced UFA they do it on a 1yr basis" Hall, Hoffman, Saad and Tatar are the players Im lookin gat in this scenario and I don't love any of them. Do you?

6. "there are teams on the cusp of being bent over the salary cap barrel (hi Tampa, you again?"

Agreed, but understand the second you suggest trading the 1st you're accused of cutting of the pipeline or overpaying.


Honestly, that was one of the most well thought-out responses and I appreciate the feedback.