This about to make several Oilers fan cry (including me). But I am going to travel back in time to the 2019 NHL Draft till today, redo every single move in Bill Zito fashion.
Why:
- It doesn't take a genius to know that Broberg was easily not the right pick. With not only Zegras but Caufield, Knight, Krebs even to name a few sitting there at 8. So this is why I go with Zegras instead. The next 3 pick are the 4 original picks. Even though guys like Hoglander were drafted right after Lavoie, without using hindsight Lavoie was a great pick. Same goes with Konovalov & Blumel. This time I would assume Zito would sign Blumel and not let him walk, and Konovalov could develop in the KHL before making the jump to North America this 21/22 season. Although there are better options than Mazura, without using hindsight, Mazura sticks as the pick. As for Bergkvist over Denezkin, you aren't getting much out of Denezkin now or likely ever. We didn't draft a dman in Broberg, so we get one here with Bergkvist. Transfers to the OHL the following season, who knows from there.
Free Agency 2019:
Original Signings:
- Alex Chiasson (2 x 2,150,000)
- Mike Smith (1 x 2,000,000)
- Markus Granlund (1 x 1,300,000)
- Jujhar Kharia (2 x 1,200,000)
- Joel Persson (1 x 1,000,000)
- Josh Archibald (1 x 1,000,000)
- Riley Sheahan (1 x 900,000)
- Tomas Jurco (1 x 750,000)
- Patrick Russell (1 x 700,000)
- Gaetan Haas (1 x 700,000)
- Joakim Nygard (1 x 700,000)
Updated Signings:
- Mike Smith (1 x 2,000,000)
- Corey Perry (1 x 2,000,000) (Taking place of Chiasson)
- Jujhar Kharia (2 x 1,200,000)
- Joel Persson (1 x 1,000,000)
- Josh Archibald (1 x 1,000,000)
- Riley Sheahan (1 x 900,000)
- Tyler Ennis (1 x 850,000) (Taking place of Jurco)
- Valeri Nichushkin (1 x 850,000) (Taking place of Granlund)
- Patrick Russell (1 x 700,000)
- Gaetan Haas (1 x 700,000)
- Joakim Nygard (1 x 700,000)
- Dion Phaneuf (1 x 700,000) (NEW)
Reasons for Change:
- When hired by FLA, Bill Zito watched 2 of their top scorers in Evgenii Dadanov & Mike Hoffman walk in free agency, although that was a year in advance from now, same principle applies, Chiasson can walk after a unusually good year. Replaced by none other than Oilers killer in the 2017 playoffs, being Corey Perry. Perry was someone Oilers were reportingly interested in come the 2019 FA as well. As for the Ennis signing, I don't see EDM taking the chance on Holland draft pick in Jurco, instead going with the hometown kid in Tyler Ennis, someone they traded for during the deadline. Also Oilers sign up forward Valeri Nichushkin. Bill Zito is famous for reclamation projects, giving once highly touted prospects a second chance, he does this with Nichuskin. Every other signing stays as is. Oilers also sign another hometown kid, defencemen Dion Phaneuf to a league minimum deal. What would start as a PTO and likely finds a spot on this team.
2019/20 Offseason Trades:
CGY - Milan Lucic & 3rd Round Pick
EDM - James Neal
- I like this trade due to the buyout-ability of Neal, but do not add the 3rd round pick
PIT - John Marino
EDM - 6th Round Pick
- Nope, we keep Marino, sign to ELC and start in Bakersfield
Midseason Moves:
- as Persson was in and out of lineup early year with injury, I see Marino coming up starting the year in Bakersfield and ending it on the roster
- Yamamoto still comes up mid season, and would hopefully regain that chemistry with RNH & Drai
- Kassian DOES NOT get extended to that deal, and likely walks in FA
- Nurse, Jones, Nygard & Haas all keep their extensions
Midseason Trades:
EDM - Andreas Athansiou & Ryan Kuffner
DET - Sam Gagner, 2020 & 2021 2nd Round Draft Picks
- No, Oilers build a solid top 6 and feel no need to go out and acquire former Holland draft pick in Athansiou
EDM - Mike Green
DET - Kyle Brodziak & 2020 4th
- No, Oilers don't frequently call up Steve Yzerman for former Wings with no Holland
EDM - Tyler Ennis
OTT - 2021 5th
- No, Oilers get Ennis for free
EDM - Angus Redmond & Conditional 7th
ANA - Joel Persson
- No, got another idea for Joel Persson
UPDATED* Midseason Trades:
EDM - Robby Fabbri
STL - Brandon Manning
- Pre racist Manning btw* Zito provides STL with some defensive depth (as we signed Phaneuf), and picks up a gamble of a player in Fabbri. Eventually becomes out 3C. STL chooses to get Manning over JDLR.
EDM - Taylor Hall & Blake Speers
NJD - Tyler Benson, Dmitri Samorukov, Joel Persson, 2020 1st & Conditional 2021 3rd
- Oilers go out and win the Taylor Hall sweepstakes. This offer I feel matches at the very least and surpasses Arizona's offer. Benson > Merkley, Samorukov < Bahl, Persson > Schnarr, the picks even out. Conditions on the picks are all the same, Hall still makes full salary
EDM - Samuel Morin & 2020 4th
PHI - Zack Kassian
- Oilers offload Kassian and get value from him as they should have instead of extending
EDM - Jacob De La Rose & Cond 2021 6th
DET - Sam Gagner
- Unfortunatley Gagner becomes a cap causality here. Fan favourite, I would be upset to see him go as well but it is what it is. After the acquisition of Hall, money needed to be moved around. Wings still have JDLR and we pick him up.
I don’t think Devils would do that Hall deal without Broberg (they really wanted size on back line). Of course, in this world, you wouldn’t have had Broberg to trade, so who knows?
I find a lot of this hard to follow without any concrete evidence as to how to justify what Zito would have done over Holland.
Of note, Marino never signs in Edmonton. He and his brother ran actual spreadsheets to find him a better fit as he was behind 2-3 names by the time he would have been leaving college. Maybe the return would be better if Zito could better evaluate Marino but he's never an Oiler in this scenario.
The results of this squad in the bubble would still be contingent on the coaching. Tippett lost both of the Chicago and Winnipeg series by being out-coached and by overclocking his top players. If Tippett is still at the helm I don't think much changes in hindsight.
You're making a lot of assumptions why does Perry sign there instead of Dallas why does nushkinen sign why does Calgary do the Lucic Neal trade without the 3 so everyone is going to do exactly as you want them to?
You're making a lot of assumptions why does Perry sign there instead of Dallas why does nushkinen sign why does Calgary do the Lucic Neal trade without the 3 so everyone is going to do exactly as you want them to?
Calgary doesn't do that trade without the 3rd. Still feel strongly that the conditions weren't met and the Oilers shouldn't have had to give the pick.
Another huge bust here was that Marino was traded because he refused to sign so the Oilers got a pick back instead of letting him walk for nothing.
Calgary doesn't do that trade without the 3rd. Still feel strongly that the conditions weren't met and the Oilers shouldn't have had to give the pick.
Another huge bust here was that Marino was traded because he refused to sign so the Oilers got a pick back instead of letting him walk for nothing.
Not sure nor do I really care what the debated questions on the deal were just this seemed a bit of unreasonable everyone is going to do as I think they should have take here.
My concerns are repeated above on Marino, Petry, Kelfbom, Larrson (left because his dad died here and family didn't visit because of it). WOuld add though:
I dont think Hall would be a good fit here.
Zegras should be a top 3 pick in hindsight and based on the top 9 projected LHD is more pressing in the near future (Broberg looks to be a top 4 behind nurse)
Athansiou trade sucks today but pre-pandemic this looked good (maybe 2 2nds is too much even then but Oilers top 9 looked dreadful) and Oilers would have kept him in 20/21
Then your Kassian trade doesnt make sense. Why would you load up for the playoffs and then trade kassian considering how well he played that year??? makes zero sense.
Oilers had lots of shots in the dark at this time: you wouldnt have him on this list even he didint stick in detroit like he has so i think this is too easy to say
Hindsight is tough to look back on but idk dont think there are that many head scratchers outside of :
Kassian contract length and $ amount
Smith term
Turris term (should only have been 1 year)
failure to properly address goaltending (not for lack of effort I believe)
We Red Wings have been lamenting Kenneth’s draft picks and signings for years. Just be grateful that Holland didn’t sign Adelkader after Yzerman bought him out.
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