2012-2013 Season FINALLY for the Oilers???

[judge301]

Originally Posted by syz

They need both offense and defense from their blueline. Their defense can't get it out of the defensive zone, and should they ever find the offensive zone the play dies as soon as it goes back to the point.

And the cap is a concern until we know what the new CBA is actually going to be.

The cap is a concern for 29 other teams as well. My point is that the Oilers will be at no dis-advantage to resigning those players who will only earn what the market will bare. ST has done a good job of making sure the new contracts are expiring as the kids need to be re-signed and thus ensuring the flexibility that will be required at that point.

[judge301]

Originally Posted by B Boarding

Sorry, I meant to trade HEMSKY for a goalie or top goalie prospect. Not Eberle. A little typo there...and I would also think trading Eberle would be an overpayment. As you can see I had Eberle listed as one of the future core players.
I am not an expert on Oliers and do not know all of their prospects. But I do know that you cannot only draft your way to the cup. Well, maybe if you get your hands on a generational talent like Crosby. If you should start drafting top d-men now, they wouldn't be ready to contribute to a cup contending team for another 3-5 years. I'm not sure about your current young stars contracts, but my hunch is that they would be too expensive to keep by then. The more you develop, the better you want to get paid. You would also need some veteran presence in the back end and I think a guy like Suter (or someone not even that good but still top-pairing) would be worth a first round pick.
Rundblad was drafted mid-first round and it's quite possible he will turn out being a lot better than a mid-first round pick. Oilers will probably improve next year and draft around, let's say #5-10. Why not getting a defenseman with about the same talent that could probably help you out faster than an 18 year old?

I don't think anyone ever suggested that the Oilers shouldn't be looking to upgrade at the defense position or any other for that matter. Hemsky alone is not going to get that top goaltending prospect based on the perception that he is injury prone. A strategic trade or FA signing of a good d-man would be perfect for sure.

[Jepprey]

Oilers aren't going anywhere next season. Yes, they're that bad. Maybe 13-14.

/thread

[judge301]

Originally Posted by Jepprey

Oilers aren't going anywhere next season. Yes, they're that bad. Maybe 13-14.

/thread

/Jepprey

Any other predictions Nostradamus? I can't wait to bump this thread on your foolish predictions a year from now when the Oilers are within a point or two on either side of the playoffs. Dismissing the team a year in advance without knowing about FA signings, trades, acquisitions, player development and draft picks in the off season is brutally foolish and should be embarrassing to your reputation in these parts.

[Alberta tough]

As an Oiler fan I do not see much out of them next year. The vets are really holding them back.

[Roof Daddy]

Originally Posted by massivegoonery

Not sure exactly what he's proposing - he trades Eberle and then goes ahead and puts him in the lineup. Maybe there are two Eberles.

But of course. This is after we draft Tanner Eberle this year. We'll phone a GM, say Eberle is on the table, negotiate a trade, and then cross our fingers that GM isn't big on minor details like a players first name.

In all seriousness, really not sure what to expect of this team next year. We need a lot of things to go right just to be an 8th seed contender. We're starting to put the pieces together, but it still seems to be a few short, namely on the backend. Whitney-Schultz and Smid-Petry are both very good 2nd pairings, unfortunately by default one of them gets nominated as a 1st pairing. Which is survivable (hell, Carolina won a cup without a legit 1st pairing group, but they were also ridiculously deep up front), but your bottom pair better also be real solid (ours aren't) and you better have a ton of depth at forward (nope) and All-Star goaltending (nope).

I don't think our hope for next season is as bleak as some like to suggest, but it will take a lot of things going right for that to happen, namely some luck in the injury department (its as though Fedun's injury was a precursor of things to come). Resurgence from some veterans as well as continued development from the young guns could make it all a possibility. I mean, St.Louis has been acquiring pieces for a while, had some key pieces in place, but did anyone see them doing much more than challenging for the 8th seed? Cue a coaching change where its a perfect fit for their style and you transform a pretender to contender practically overnight. We could use something like that as well.

[Jepprey]

Originally Posted by judge301

/Jepprey

Any other predictions Nostradamus? I can't wait to bump this thread on your foolish predictions a year from now when the Oilers are within a point or two on either side of the playoffs. Dismissing the team a year in advance without knowing about FA signings, trades, acquisitions, player development and draft picks in the off season is brutally foolish and should be embarrassing to your reputation in these parts.

I'd welcome you to bump this thread. Don't matter to me. If they make the playoffs, so be it. I'll be there at Rexall like every other game supporting my team, but to blindly say the Oilers should make the playoffs every damn year and see them draft in the lottery every summer, it sure gets old. lol. I remember saying this same crap before the '11-'12 season, then some Oil fan told me I was a fool and Belanger himself would net a +20 point differential.

It sure seems to me that Tambo is planning to ice the same defensive corps that has led them to another lottery pick. I do understand it's early and we haven't been gone through the off-season. But at this point in time, the OP asked if the Oil will climb out of the basement next season, and I chimed in and said NO. You can disagree, that's fine. I'd be more happy if I was wrong on this. Like I said, maybe year 2013-2014, they start getting in the playoffs and staying there.

[loadie]

I can see the Oilers picking in the top 10 for the next two seasons until their younger players develop and stay healthy. They really need a stud dman, whether they draft one or trade for one, it's a real need.