The playoffs so far this year have been very physical. Gagner loses a lot of puck battles trying to defend in his own end and doesn't cycle that well offensively.
Teams like Philly, Vancouver, Pittsburgh, NYR, etc. will eat us alive if we don't have a centre in our top 6 that can win faceoffs, win puck battles consistently, and not get knocked off the puck so easily.
Bingo. This guy gets it.
Gagner has lots going for him, and he probably will improve, but he just doesn't have any of the things that this team needs. A trade is totally inevitable; he (and now with Yakapov, Hemsky) are the odd men out, and he has decent value (Hemsky @ $5M won't be trade-able for another year).
Also those saying that we would have a hole to fill, and we don't have the pieces to fill it, are correct. I suspect if he is traded, it will be him + something for another top 6 centre, with another team that missed the play-offs, also looking for change. Or maybe they just sign UFA... *throws up a little in mouth*... Jokinen.
This might not get it done but I would try getting the Islanders pick @4th if Columbus chooses Murray. 2012 2nd round pick, 2013 1st round pick, Anaheim 2013 2nd round pick, Gagner, MP, and Smid for the 4th overall pick. Take Yakupov and Galchenyuk or Grigorenko. Most likely the Habs will take Grigorenko. We then reunite Yakupov and Galchenyuk. We will be set for the next 10yrs.
Sign Justin Shultz. Go after Suter and Wideman. If we're lucky all 3 of them sign then we'll be set on D and top 6.
Hall RNH Eberle
Yakupov Galchenyuk Hemsky
Suter Wideman
N.Shultz Petry
J.Shultz Whitney
Potter Sutton
We'll finally have a NHL caliber dcore and a Very young top 6 with Size. Only Eberle and Yakupov are under 6'.
Holy crap, talk about overpayment. Are we getting Malkin, Ovie, or Stamkos at #4?
If I were serious about making the playoffs next year, I would offer gagner to montreal in exchange for bourque. They are looking to go a different direction and bourque doesnt seem happy there.
Good lord, that would be terrible.
Quote:
Originally Posted by t0nedeff
lmao. So if we're serious about the playoffs we need to lose a center and pick up a winger. Essentially moving Horcoff back to 2c. Yep, makes sense.
It shocks me how many people on here want to ruin Yakupov's first year playing him with Horcoff.
I totally understand fans wanting to get a bigger center. But trading Gagner with no viable option to replace him wouldn't fix anything. I'd rather have Gagner as our #2 center than Horcoff/Lander/whatever.
I also think Hall is best on the left wing. He gets to utilize his outside speed better.
If there was a viable option like a Berglund or someone like that, then a trade would definitely make sense. But trading Gagner for Kadri or Bourque is a dumb idea.
Gagner has lots going for him, and he probably will improve, but he just doesn't have any of the things that this team needs. A trade is totally inevitable; he (and now with Yakapov, Hemsky) are the odd men out, and he has decent value (Hemsky @ $5M won't be trade-able for another year).
Also those saying that we would have a hole to fill, and we don't have the pieces to fill it, are correct. I suspect if he is traded, it will be him + something for another top 6 centre, with another team that missed the play-offs, also looking for change. Or maybe they just sign UFA... *throws up a little in mouth*... Jokinen.
I guess my question I posed earlier, which somewhat fell by the wayside, remains: would you (open question) keep Gagner if the Oilers were to acquire a big winger to play on his line? Say, a Clowe, Malone, or someone along those lines.
I guess my question I posed earlier, which somewhat fell by the wayside, remains: would you (open question) keep Gagner if the Oilers were to acquire a big winger to play on his line? Say, a Clowe, Malone, or someone along those lines.
Personally, I would not. Simply because I don't think you can win in the playoffs if the only guy to win more than 50% of their faceoffs is on your 4th line.
If you could add a Clowe on your 2nd line, AND find a way to add a 3C that can win faceoffs and play against other teams top players that is better than Horcoff, then I would think having Gagner as your 2C would be fine.
I want no part of Gagner defending in the playoffs against other teams top lines, even with a big winger on his line. That leaves only two options, have a really good defensive 3C or go skill on skill and play RNH against other teams top line.
I guess my question I posed earlier, which somewhat fell by the wayside, remains: would you (open question) keep Gagner if the Oilers were to acquire a big winger to play on his line? Say, a Clowe, Malone, or someone along those lines.
I guess my question I posed earlier, which somewhat fell by the wayside, remains: would you (open question) keep Gagner if the Oilers were to acquire a big winger to play on his line? Say, a Clowe, Malone, or someone along those lines.
Yeah, I think so... if you can flip some of our winger depth [Hartikainen, Paajarvi] + other things for Malone, I would jump all over that. In my opinion, Tambellini's whole mission for the next 5 years is constantly looking for ways to make 2-for-1 trades to turn our depth into higher end players. Key in this process is being able to identify, before your potential trading partners, which prospects have "it", and which ones don't. Don't let them go stale and drop in value like Omark did, or Plante, etc.
I'd consider keeping Gagner longer because our winger depth exceeds our centre depth, especially if we end up drafting and keeping Yakapov. And I don't see anything in the works in OKC as far as centres. But, only for that reason... you really have to over compensate for his lack of ability to battle and control the puck. He's a flawed player and someone I think who will have one of those long careers without ever really doing much damage in the play-offs.
Edit: Also I've been digging for potential centres the organization could target that would bring size and top 6 skill... a realistic list (UFAs + teams that missed the playoffs). It's a short list and these guys are in big demand. Just because you want something, doesn't mean you can just go out and pluck it from the tree... the Oilers might have to make due at centre for a while. Much easier to add grit on the wings.
Yeah, I think so... if you can flip some of our winger depth [Hartikainen, Paajarvi] + other things for Malone, I would jump all over that. In my opinion, Tambellini's whole mission for the next 5 years is constantly looking for ways to make 2-for-1 trades to turn our depth into higher end players. Key in this process is being able to identify, before your potential trading partners, which prospects have "it", and which ones don't. Don't let them go stale and drop in value like Omark did, or Plante, etc.
I'd consider keeping Gagner longer because our winger depth exceeds our centre depth, especially if we end up drafting and keeping Yakapov. And I don't see anything in the works in OKC as far as centres. But, only for that reason... you really have to over compensate for his lack of ability to battle and control the puck. He's a flawed player and someone I think who will have one of those long careers without ever really doing much damage in the play-offs.
Edit: Also I've been digging for potential centres the organization could target that would bring size and top 6 skill... a realistic list (UFAs + teams that missed the playoffs). It's a short list and these guys are in big demand. Just because you want something, doesn't mean you can just go out and pluck it from the tree... the Oilers might have to make due at centre for a while. Much easier to add grit on the wings.
Yes it seems very hard to find a 2C at least better than Gagner, though of course they can be found. I am very curious and excited to see our top 6 next year and I'm not so sure that size will be as big of a factor as some people think. What I mean by that is I'm not sure that the new NHL has seen a top 6 as skilled and fast as the Oilers will have next season and going forward. So I wonder if our speed and skill in the top 6 won't be a redeeming quality that will make up for the lack of size.
Ideally, of course, you have some big, tough hombres in that top 6.
Last edited by soothsayer: 04-14-2012 at 11:03 PM.
and if the Islanders wants OMark they can have him too. Next yrs draft is pretty strong so Snow might consider it since he's getting boat load for a 4th pick.
These are the type of ballsy moves you have to start making to make the rebuild worth it. You can't just stock pile players and never trade them for something. However before I trade Smid I have a UFA contract layer out for him and let him know he's going to be the hero for taking one for the team.
These are the type of ballsy moves you have to start making to make the rebuild worth it. You can't just stock pile players and never trade them for something. However before I trade Smid I have a UFA contract layer out for him and let him know he's going to be the hero for taking one for the team.
Tambellini makes a HUGE splash at the draft.
Burke does not get his player in Galchenyuk or Grigorenko.
The 2nd round pick does not get National TV exposure, the 4th overall pick does
Smid gets his 5 yr deal next summer
Allows our D prospect to further develop in the minors, if the UFAs I mentioned are signed
Yakupov and Galchenyuk are both Happy to play together, instant chemistry.
etc...
Edit: Heck they can even have Horcoff, Yakupov gets his number 10.
Over payments out the wazoo for 4th overall have me loling! Also the suggestion that we trade our best D man so we can play TWO rookies on a line together (our 2cnd line at that!) have me loling even harder.
Thought you guys were tired of losing?! Yak & Gally dominate together at the jr level, they will get eaten alive at the NHL level. Anybody expecting anything different should put down the Xbox controller.
Let Smyth walk if he doesn't want to sign at 3rd line money short term.
Sign Peckham to a 1yr deal and see if he can turn it around and give you some depth
Sign Petrell to a 1yr deal
Trade Belanger for Garrison's rights resign 4x4(they have tonnes of young talent at the C position and they may need someone to provide a steady influence)
Trade Gagner+2nd+Marincin/Musil or Gagner+1st 2013+ 2nd for Hanzal. IMO he could be a perfect fit here long term, but he is going to cost a tonne most likely.
Next year
Hall Hanzal Hemsky (head2head line)
Harski RNH Eberle (good mix should be a solid line next year if Harski struggles try PRV)
Jones/Eager Horcoff Petrell/Jones (shutdown PK line)
PRV Lander Yakupov (soft parade and PP/PK time)(yak gets the Seguin treatment till TD)
Eager/Petrell
Ideally I would like to upgrade the D a little more but with who we have signed and what is coming up I honestly don't see more than a tweak and I'm not going to just pencil in J. Schultz but that would change the Peckham resigning.
Playoffs maybe not but this would set us up well for the future and still have a chance to compete for the playoffs next year.
Over payments out the wazoo for 4th overall have me loling! Also the suggestion that we trade our best D man so we can play TWO rookies on a line together (our 2cnd line at that!) have me loling even harder.
Thought you guys were tired of losing?! Yak & Gally dominate together at the jr level, they will get eaten alive at the NHL level. Anybody expecting anything different should put down the Xbox controller.
QFT our best dman our best winger prospect and our number 2 Center for a guy who played less than 10 games this season in junior Oh and dont forget the 1st in 2013 and the two seconds Pitch that around the Nhl and watch what you get 4th overall geeez
Over payments out the wazoo for 4th overall have me loling! Also the suggestion that we trade our best D man so we can play TWO rookies on a line together (our 2cnd line at that!) have me loling even harder.
Thought you guys were tired of losing?! Yak & Gally dominate together at the jr level, they will get eaten alive at the NHL level. Anybody expecting anything different should put down the Xbox controller.
Yakupov and Galchenyuk equals instant chemistry
IMO Gagner is worth only a 5th.
Snow is looking for a top 4 dman, Smid gets Snow to listen
We are loaded with 2nd tier prospects.
Wang wants signed short term players with cheap contracts
This will only work if Howsen takes Murray with the 2nd pick.
Yakupov and Galchenyuk equals instant chemistry
IMO Gagner is worth only a 5th.
Snow is looking for a top 4 dman, Smid gets Snow to listen
We are loaded with 2nd tier prospects.
Wang wants signed short term players with cheap contracts
This will only work if Howsen takes Murray with the 2nd pick.
And lets move Hall our 2014 1st Petry for Gardiner so we can for sure sign Schultz they are buddies and equals instant chemistry
Two guys who I think would be a help on this team defensively are playing tonight, both are slated to be UFAs July 1st. Johnny Oduya and Mikael Roszival (sp).
Two guys who I think would be a help on this team defensively are playing tonight, both are slated to be UFAs July 1st. Johnny Oduya and Mikael Roszival (sp).
Any interest in going after one of or both?
For sure Oduya no thanks he make atrocious plays at times.
Two guys who I think would be a help on this team defensively are playing tonight, both are slated to be UFAs July 1st. Johnny Oduya and Mikael Roszival (sp).
I should have worded the question differently-haha. Schultz I think has to be the marquee target so these guys are more of a Plan D & E.
I can't help but wonder if Schultz is using this year's playoff success or lack thereof in regards to the Canucks (Seabrook just tied it up AGAIN with less than 10 seconds to go-haha) as one of the factors who he signs with in the summer IF the rumors he was either going to sign with Edmonton or Vancouver are true. If they go out quietly against the #8 seed, I'd see this as a team who is going to start going down the standings bit by bit and may see limited playing time on their d-line. Gillis and AV also seem hellbent on playing the big money guys, versus an upcoming team loaded with youth and three (and likely four) of the games next big stars and lots of icetime.
Last edited by Fuhryous: 04-14-2012 at 11:42 PM.
Reason: Holy run on sentence.
Pitch that around the Nhl and watch what you get 4th overall geeez
