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GermanGretzky

Oilers Fan
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May 29, 2021
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Forum: Armchair-GMJul. 29, 2022 at 2:10 p.m.
Thread: New idea
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>BestGMBenning</b></div><div>Edmontons biggest problem last season was literally goaltending and defence. The acquisition of Campbell isn’t going to matter much if he doesn’t get that defensive support in the playoffs. You just completely ignored the Ruhwedel addition. He played 78 games this season and was easily one of Pittsburghs best defensive defencemen. He plays the top 6 very well and a strong penalty killer. That’s the guy to replace Barrie with. I don’t get why you’re so high on Barrie. It’s so funny it’s sad.</div></div>

<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>GermanGretzky</b></div><div>That's exactly why Pittsburgh won't trade Ruhwedel for a 4th.
While I agree that Barrie isn't the best fit hockey wise and we need more of a shutdown dman for a smaller cap hit, I don't think he's gonna be traded anytime soon. If you deal Barrie you have to replace him and a replacement isn't easy to find at this time of the year (or do you think Subban is an upgrade over Barrie?). So you probably downgrade the blueline if you're not ready to pay up for a quality (and cheap) replacement.
And Barrie seems to be well liked in the locker room and brings post season experience and arguably a history of elevating his game during the post season. Foegele is more expandable given the depth of LWs.</div></div>

I "ignored" the Ruhwedel addition because he's about half the defenceman Edmonton actually needs right now. Edmonton's true need is a top-4 RHD. Adding a third-pairing guy isn't actually improving the Oilers if he's only playing 15-17min per night. The current structure of the Oilers' blueline needs to be considered within the context of itself:

1. Nurse is Edmonton's best defenceman.
2. Cody Ceci is a second-pairing RHD that can move up or down the lineup as needed.
3. Barrie, while really good offensively, is a poor-man's top 4 RHD.
4. Kulak should be paired with an offensively-minded puck-moving defenceman as it complements his skillset.
5. Bouchard is not currently ready for top-pairing 5v5 minutes but may get there by season's end.
6. Broberg and Samorukov are rookies and will need some early sheltering until they emerges as bonafide NHL talents.
7. Barrie and Bouchard should not be paired with Broberg/Samorukov as they cannot shelter either man adequately.

With consideration to these points, logic forces us into these pairings:

Nurse - Barrie
Kulak - Bouchard
Broberg/Samorukov - Ceci

It's not that I believe that Barrie is an excellent top-4 RHD nor do I believe his placement on the top pair is warranted, it's simply necessary. Ruhwedel would be able to pair alongside one of the rookies but it still leaves us running the suboptimal Nurse-Ceci pairing. It also forces the rookie to be the primary puck-mover on that unit as Chad is neither an excellent skater nor puck-moving defender. He's your meat-and-potatoes stay-at-home defender. You haven't improved the roster, you've merely exchanged player deficiencies.

If Edmonton moves Barrie, it should be for another top-4 RHD to strengthen the core as a whole, not merely to swap one-dimensional talent for another. At best in what ultimately amounts to a Barrie-for-Ruhwedel swap, you break even. Flipping Foegele is easier to accommodate and the incumbent winger may even outperform ol' McLovin. Higher chance to wind up better in that deal than merely shipping a vital part of the locker room out for another warm body.
Forum: Armchair-GMJul. 12, 2022 at 9:20 a.m.
Thread: Thinking up a storm here
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>BestGMBenning</b></div><div>As said, Barrie’s defensive incapabilities. Soucy being a cheaper defencemen on lesser term would be more valuable than Barrie. Carson Soucy has the versatility to play on both Left side D and Right side D and obviously much more better defensively. Not to mention Soucy is a big physical guy. If Edmonton really wants to get better, Carson Soucy is a guy to target in the trade market. He may haven’t racked up a lot of points but he was still able to put up 10 goals and 11 assists but his two way game I think makes him all the more valuable at his cap hit.</div></div>

Barrie defensive issues are heavily overblown sure he takes chances it's because he's good at it and gets paid very fairly for doing so but come playoffs his risk vs reward game is very different was one if not the most consistent d on the team for two years in a row during playoffs. If oilers move a right shot out and bring in a lefty what does that do for woodcroft and his ability to run a 11-7 system doesn't work with 5 lefties and 2 right shots. Doesn't matter if he has experience on the right side still upsetts the balance and removes a tool the coach tends to turn to regularly. In my opinion Seattle would need to sweeten this fairly significantly to even consider.
Forum: Armchair-GMJul. 12, 2022 at 4:09 p.m.
Forum: Armchair-GMJul. 4, 2022 at 4:24 p.m.
Thread: Pain Gain and No Kane
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>Boltsradynasty</b></div><div>i can think of a ton of really good players who were thirds really don't think it was an overreaction nevermind a "strong overreaction . hopefully you are having an awesome day</div></div>

"but you expect Nashville to add a 3?!!!!!!!!! really??!!!"

Well, if this is the tenor of your normal responses, I'd suggest you'll be better received without all the extra punctuation- or the exasperated "really" ;)

Sure, plenty of good players have come from the 3rd round, but the likelihood of getting such a player is rather low (sub-10% iirc). Further, the trade value of a 3rd is generally a bottom-of-the-roster player when moved at the deadline or a fading/boom-bust prospect. I'm not saying your conclusion is wrong- it may well be the majority opinion- but that's what these things exist to discuss: the relative values or assets and the merit of trades conceived around them.
Forum: Armchair-GMJul. 1, 2022 at 12:48 a.m.
Thread: Pulijarvi Value
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>JustanIdea</b></div><div>That's the big problem with this site. Is that there are very few trades where that people agree on because you love every player on you're favourite team and don't want to see them go unless it's for an offer that's to good to ignore which is the bias in a lot of posters as they want to get an outlandish offer rather than look at reality and see the value as it means one of there favourite players is going.</div></div>

Yes 100% agree. I try to stay positive for the most part. But there are always those people on here who just comment and say "EDM says no, he's with a 1st, not even close". Then proceed to have pointless arguments lol. Personally I would love to somehow see EDM sign Kane, trade for Brown, and trade for D Strome's rights and sign him. That would be an unreal forward group, like wow haha.
Forum: Armchair-GMJul. 30, 2021 at 11:53 a.m.
Thread: Greiss is Nice
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>Timmah007</b></div><div>Besides the issue of greiss apparently not wanting to play in Canada don’t really see as an upgrade worth pursuing. Kosk isn’t nearly as bad as people around here make him out to be. He’s overpaid but is capable of the job that’s where I think people get mistaken viewing as if just a cap dump.</div></div>

Fancy stats show Koskinen to be a middle of the road NHL backup goaltender. For those who watch the Oilers, the eye test suggests Koskinen is good for between 25-30 starts and will be outstanding in 2-3 of those, average for most, and absolutely atrocious (single handedly lose the game) on occasion. His last season exemplifies both measurements. He had to carry the load for the first dozen or so games and he was brutal, when Smith returned Koskinen's stats were close to the top-end among NHL goaltenders, then after a lengthy period without play he faltered and cost the Oilers a few games. Its his inconsistency that concerns fans, but by and large he is not as bad as most people make him out to be. I think his cap hit, and the availability of comparable talent make it very difficult to move him.