There's no guarantee that they get Celebrini and there's always a possibility that they could with a top-10 pick which they are in the position of having one as of now. So, it makes no sense to trade Draisaitl who is likely still a top-7 center in the League in the next 5-years, when it's possible that they could get someone really good with their first without selling off. They should obviously still try to compete and the move that they need to make is get a league average goalie and if they can dump Campbell in the process then that's great.

IMO you 100% salvage the season.

Would rather have Holland give up every future we have in hopes to make this team better for Drai and Mcd even if it means ruining our future than just lay down and die

Reimer = 3rd.

I guess trading Drai would be a “our cap is f’d, we aren’t winning this year, we need better defence, goalie, etc. where Drai is at contract wise is max trade value, maybe Drai will resign with us in a year even if we trade him, maybe he won’t even if we keep him (obviously higher chance he resigns if never leaves), trading Drai maximizes our tank, gives us a 2 year reset to ensure a better surrounding team for McDavid to ensure he resigns (even if obviously unhappy by trading Drai at first)”. I suppose maybe it needs to be a bigger offer for him, and I know in Edmontons situation it is so unlikely. But if they come around to the fact that they aren’t winning the current year, the question is can they win next year? And with only 4 mil extra in cap, idk who tf they think they’re fooling to think running it back would make better results. At which point you’ve probably poured more money into the team AND THEN need to resign Drai for there to be any point I. Keeping him in the first place. AND THEN need to resign McDavid for any of it to have a point.

Idk it’s a messy argument, and I definitely DID think Edmonton would win with these 2. Right now I don’t see how they win without a significant change to that defence, and I’m talking over the next 5 years

Yes. No 2024 third belonging to EDM.

The problem is you might fix your defense and even goalie issues with Drasaitl gone (probably 0% chance that he re-signs with the Oilers if he leaves unless it's towards the end of his career), but more than likely they have a worse production issue. The Oilers are already struggling to score 5v5 and the PP will take another hit most likely. Even if they get Celebrini or Eiserman, there's no guarantee that either make an impact in the 2-years that McDavid would have left. Then they are in a position where McDavid is probably looking to leave. The risk is just way too high, and the value that Drasaitl brings at 8.5M can only really be outdone by a player on ELC but again there's no guarantee that whoever they get would do that.

Again, if the plan is to throw in the towel, they can do that by just not doing anything as they are guaranteed a top-5 pick currently in position. Drasaitl + any top-5 selection (as long as they don't botch it) >> Celebrini + Drasaitl return at least in the near future. As for re-signing Draisaitl, the Oilers will have more than enough with the cap rise over the next 2-years, and for McDavid they can get the money from Kane being replaced by their top-5 selection's ELC. It's just Campbell which they will have to dump in that off-season or buyout, Nurse, RNH and Hyman who have contracts beyond McDavid's.

I agree with everything you say, I guess I just wonder how long you run it back before saying it’s not working. Definitely impatient to call it right now, but say this and another season of failure, idk do you just keep doing the same thing over and over and expect different results? Sure maybe they eventually win 1 cup. Out of McDavid though? Greatness is supposed to be the answer