its possible to see a 26th finish while playing 500 hockey. winning the lottery would be kinda funny. probably pretty safe to say that we'll be drafting a d-man this year.
Losing Hemsky for nothing or re-signing him aren't the only 2 options. They can actually also trade him between now and the deadline for the best they can get. No idea what that would be... probably not very much... but "something" would be better than seeing him walk away for nothing once he hits the summer UFA market.
Hemsky still has value. His numbers are down because RNH has effectively supplanted him on the 1st PP unit. A team like Nashville will cough up a 1st rounder for him at the deadline. No doubt about it, in my mind. Tambellini should have moved him last year. Probably would be able to get Goligoski plus some from Pitts.
tough sched though, january on the road, 13 games in february, 15 games in march, don't rule that 1st overall pick out yet.
What I want to know is why the Oilers had to go on a 7-game road trip because of the WJC when the last game of the WJC in Edmonton was December 31.
__________________ "He just ate up Robyn Regehr for dinner, a spectacular play by Hemsky, and Robyn Regehr has got doo doo all over his face" - Rod Phillips call on Hemsky's goal vs the Flames
What I want to know is why the Oilers had to go on a 7-game road trip because of the WJC when the last game of the WJC in Edmonton was December 31.
Same reason the Rangers go on the road when the circus is in town, the Canucks went on the road for the Olympics, etc. Why are the Jets going on the road for an extended road trip with no event in the arena. Every team goes through the extended road trip due to arena commitments. It`s really not a new thing...
I believe Katz used your post in his argument for a new arena. Curse you Northlands and your inability to make ice - you are killing my players.
I know it's just a joke.... but maybe it isn't a total coincidence that the ice in Edmonton has declined in quality over these last several years and the injuries have gone up as well over that period.
Tin foil hats for everyone.
Gagner looked really good in his rookie year... now he's crap.
Horcoff had more energy years ago when the ice was still decent... now look how much he has slowed up.
Gilbert looked like he was well on his way to being a #1 dman... now he's a decent #3.
Yep... those pipes below the ice have definitely been emitting some form of Kryptonite as well as doing a crap job of cooling the ice these last few years.
*Disclaimer: This thread is about draft eligible players for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, not to discuss where we'll finish in the standings, our legitimacy as a play-off team or anything of that matter.*
I thought I would kick off our first official 2012 draft thread with my own Top 10.
We're a mess back there. We need veterans that can actually play now or guys who are ready to play bigger minutes (Voynov).
5'11 Dumba is more likely to get manhandled on the blueline more than actually contribute anything next season.
There is no "savior" fix from the draft for our blueline. If you draft a D great, be prepare to be patient.
I think it would probably be for the best if we do have to settle on a d-man that we not play them in the NHL next year period. Let them develop properly.
The draft is not the place to look at improving our D for next season. If that's our expectation than our organization is honestly putting whoever we draft in a very, very unfair position. You cannot ask that from a kid, playing D in the NHL is a man's job.
We're going to be soft on the back end pretty much no matter what anyway. There's no hugely physical top 4 d-man available to us realistically that could be had without sending back something we don't want to give up. We might as well address the puck movement issue, because that I think is choking away our offensive potential.
The key to our D becoming physical will take time as guys like Klefbom and Teubert and Musil (perhaps) are gradually brought into the lineup.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gritzky98
Pretty sure its not. I wonder if Chicago would be thinking that if they had a top 2 pick in 04..
BPA everytime, whether its Grigorenko or Yakupov
If Tambellini had 1st or 2nd overall during the draft and decided to take Dumba he'd get run outta town.
Dumba isn't a 1st year game changing D-man, there's no one in this draft like that other then MAYBE Murray and even then the Russians are still the way to go
Quote:
Originally Posted by I am the Liquor
Maybe, maybe not, but he will help it sooner than Grigoreko will, I know that much.
Why? We arent winning anything anytime soon. If you think this suckitude is anywhere near over then you are in for some massive disappointment.
Ya right. Sure he is. Have you even seen him play? How much? Online stream? Tv? Live? With that comment right there I question if youve even seen him at all. He is VERY physical. All over the ice. All the time. He put Griffin Reinhart out of the game last weekend. He is 6'3" 215lbs or something like that.
Add to that he is a very good skater, smart, aware, always wants the puck in the offensive zone, has a good quick, hard shot and he is pretty much what the doctor ordered. Think Drew Doughty. Or PK Subban.
That's a **** of a lot better than Kaberle or even Voynov.
You have no idea if there is or isnt, and if we dont pick one up now, then we will have to be even more patient than if we do wont we?
This I completely agree with.
Most likely. But there are always exceptions. Im more concerned about three years from now than I am about next year.
We need both. Its been nice to have Sutton tbh. He has made people pay entering our zone this year. Teubert has played well and is physical.
Yes, but that doesnt mean that it cant be addressed in the meantime, which is what management should be doing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by I am the Liquor
Dumba > Murray imo.
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Nuge
Doesn't matter. Yakupov/Grigorenko>>>>Dumba
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hemskyfanboy83
Ya it isn't really close. Yakupov actually has a good chance of becoming the best forward on a team with RNH, Hall, and Eberle on it.
if oilers finish bottom 3 with Grigorenko and Yakupov gone, grab Murray or another fwd?
Really depends what's left, but if the 2 Russians are gone the consensus will likely be that the BPA will be a d-man, at least based on what most ranking services will have going into the draft IMO.
I think Murray and Dumba will be ranked in the 3-5 range with Fosberg being the only forward in that group, not sure on the order between them though.
I'm kinda disappointed that Galchenyuk got hurt and missed the entire year because I think he would have been a big player in that 3-5 range as well and would give us the option of either a centre or a D, instead of a D and a winger.
Oilers need to draft a D, and please no one under 6'.
sure, D and C are still a need, but when you draft in the top 5, you won't see the Oil draft for need, they'll take the BPA and if it's a winger like Forsberg, then he gets picked. but i would love to see d-man Ryan Murray or center Alex Galchenyk here though.
IMO if we are gonna take a blueliner I would rather that they trade the pick (among with other assets) for an established #1 D-Man. That is if they don't aquire Suter first.
They generally take longer to develop. This is the wrong time to be taking a D-Man at such a high pick.
Does a draft pick have more potential trade value before or after it's selected? The return Quebec got for Lindros was outstanding in comparison to what trading down before the draft will get. If Edmonton were to trade Yakupov instead of the pick, I think it could fill our immediate needs quicker.
Does a draft pick have more potential trade value before or after it's selected? The return Quebec got for Lindros was outstanding in comparison to what trading down before the draft will get. If Edmonton were to trade Yakupov instead of the pick, I think it could fill our immediate needs quicker.
Lindros was suppose to be another Gretzky/Lemiuex, so we won't get that much. Also draft picks aren't as valuable as they once were with the younger UFA age.
Sure, in general d-men take a lot longer to learn the position and become impact players, but we have been saying this exact same thing since the lockout and we have continually drafted forwards with our best pick.
Of course our plan is to take BPA regardless in the 1st round, but I don't think we should be afraid if that guy happens to be a d-man. Let him develop and in 2-3 years we will likely be very happy we trusted our gut and took our guy.
He may not be a difference maker next year, but what does that matter? Hall was good as a rookie and this year RNH was awesome and both Ebs and Hall were solid as well and we continue to be one of the worst teams. Do we really think Yakupov/Grigorenko will make us a playoff team?
We will only be a playoff team if we sign 2 legitimate top 4 defenders and if the 3 kids have great years.
I wonder if Chicago would be thinking that if they had a top 2 pick in 04.. 
