BPA regardless of position tends to work out pretty well... Pittsburgh drafting Jordan Staal 2nd overall directly after drafting 2 franchise centres.. I'd say that worked out alright. It's not like they won a Stanley Cup or anything. Oh, wait. They had full confidence in their scouts and Letang panned out and it gave them unparalleled depth at centre.
Some say you need balance, I'd rather have the best player. In the long run, he will hold much more value if he pans out. It has a history of working out.
Florida trading down to get Horton instead of Eric Staal because Weiss was their franchise centre going forward really worked out great, hey?
Be patient one more year. Take Dumba/Murray, and next year take MacKinnon/Monahan. Then going forward you have the center AND a top d prospect, both likely Canadians.
I like that model much more.
This is a legitimate point and I have thought about this a lot. If you can assure me that the Oilers will be in a position to take MacKinnon and Monahan next year than great. I'm on board. But you can't.
I don't think the Oilers are a playoff team next year. But I would suprised if they are a bottom 4 team and unless they win the lottery that is what it will take to potentially get either of thoes guys.
This is a legitimate point and I have thought about this a lot. If you can assure me that the Oilers will be in a position to take MacKinnon and Monahan next year than great. I'm on board. But you can't.
I don't think the Oilers are a playoff team next year. But I would suprised if they are a bottom 4 team and unless they win the lottery that is what it will take to potentially get either of thoes guys.
I was telling you guys we would be a lottery team this year. Not too many wanted to believe me. The team isnt changing much with the exception of possibly having the first round pick on the roster next year. Is that going to make much of a difference? I dont think so.
Same crappy defense. Same horrid goaltending. Alice Hemsky, Snowpants, Horcoff, Belanger.......... this team isnt going anywhere next year.
It's ridiculous to depend on drafting in the lottery again next year to get the center.
If the Oilers are in that position again then everybody should be and probably will be fired.
Ill bet you right now that they will be.
Name the stakes.
Management should have been fired years ago.
They arent going anywhere anytime soon. This little run at the bottom is fully sanctioned by ownership. Do you really think otherwise?
BPA, forever and always. If Edmonton is picking 2nd, they either take Grigorenko or trade down to take Murray/Dumba. Do not take Murray or Dumba at 2nd overall.
Oilers need to take Murray. They already built a young future elite top line these past years now they need to **** off and give someone else a chance.
No it doesn't and I bolded the reason for you. For the very same reason that Toronto fans here are saying they don't want Gagner we can't keep Gagner. The moment Edmonton took Nuge last year Gagner's term with Edmonton went on the clock. Edmonton needs size in their top six and both Eberle and Nuge are miles ahead of him so he needs to be traded to a team that has size and needs skill.
This sums it up perfectly.
It's clear that with Eberle, Hall, Hemsky and RNH all identified as future top 4 guys we need size and grit to go along with it. Sam Gagner isn't a big enough guy to make our top 6. We need a 2C like Couturier or something, maybe Faksa, Giregersons or Galchenyuk rather than Gagner.
There is a very good chance you see Gags dealt at the draft in a package for a D-man rather than the Oilers drafting one.
It's clear that with Eberle, Hall, Hemsky and RNH all identified as future top 4 guys we need size and grit to go along with it. Sam Gagner isn't a big enough guy to make our top 6. We need a 2C like Couturier or something, maybe Faksa, Giregersons or Galchenyuk rather than Gagner.
There is a very good chance you see Gags dealt at the draft in a package for a D-man rather than the Oilers drafting one.
I think this would be ideal, but I don't see them giving up on Gagner. He's been loyal and stuck through the lows of the rebuild. I'd hate to see him shipped off.
That said, if there were an offer like Gagner for Ellis+. I would jump all over it.
This little run at the bottom is fully sanctioned by ownership. Do you really think otherwise?
No. It is obviously sanctioned by Katz. There still exists the question of for how long. If they don't do something about the goaltending this summer then next year is part of the plan as you say.
I think this would be ideal, but I don't see them giving up on Gagner. He's been loyal and stuck through the lows of the rebuild. I'd hate to see him shipped off.
That said, if there were an offer like Gagner for Ellis+. I would jump all over it.
This has nothing to do with 'giving up on Gagner' or loyalty. This is about competition and winning and Gagner does not help this team at this time to win. Send him somewhere where his skill set does help and everybody wins.
Believe it or not a team made up of 20 Gretzky's wouldn't win anything. You need the right mix of size and talents and Sam is the odd man out.
I think this would be ideal, but I don't see them giving up on Gagner. He's been loyal and stuck through the lows of the rebuild. I'd hate to see him shipped off.
That said, if there were an offer like Gagner for Ellis+. I would jump all over it.
I agree with this also.
Giving up Gagner is something I've personally wrestled with.
He clearly loves being an Oiler and he loves the other guys on the team, he's given us a lot, but unfortunately, he just doesn't really fit.
Personally I think it came down to him or Hemsky and they chose Hemsky.
BPA, forever and always. If Edmonton is picking 2nd, they either take Grigorenko or trade down to take Murray/Dumba. Do not take Murray or Dumba at 2nd overall.
in my opinion, they will not trade down, especially if they pick at #2, they WILL take Grigorenko, if they pick #3, i feel they'll take Murray, but that is the pick i feel MIGHT be in play?
We have to all remember that the Oilers are not just trying to build a winning team for three years from now, rather the end goal of a painful rebuild like this is a perrenial Stanley Cup contender like Detroit has been. That is why you pick BPA every single year with your top draft pick. Trying to fill holes is what free agency and trading is for. You draft the best player available. After the first round you can start to draft by organizational need because there are only so many spots on the farm to break in young players. Also, the talent D vs F becomes very difficult to judge at that point in a draft because those players won't step right into your lineup, they need to be developed. We drafted David Musil at 31 last year. There were forwards like Khoklachev, Jenner....that could have been taken, but in the end, its a crap shoot at that point.
I honestly don't think there is a clear BPA between Grigorenko, Galchenyuk, Forsberg and Murray. Just take who you want. They all have their question marks and high upside.
BPA. If that happens to be a forward, so be it. Forwards taken at the top of the draft seem to develop more consistently and bust less than their defensive counterparts. If the team really needs defensive help down the road, flip one of the young offensive players (hopefully this year's pick).
Cant take a defenseman and assume that he's going to step in next year, or the year after, and make a difference.
Optimal situation would be for the Oilers to trade their 1st pick in a package for a young #1 D (or potential #1) from a team with a plethora of young defensemen.
I also think the Oilers need to find a way to get a physical, young top 6 forward. How is the real question though.
BPA. If that happens to be a forward, so be it. Forwards taken at the top of the draft seem to develop more consistently and bust less than their defensive counterparts. If the team really needs defensive help down the road, flip one of the young offensive players (hopefully this year's pick).
Cant take a defenseman and assume that he's going to step in next year, or the year after, and make a difference.
Optimal situation would be for the Oilers to trade their 1st pick in a package for a young #1 D (or potential #1) from a team with a plethora of young defensemen.
I also think the Oilers need to find a way to get a physical, young top 6 forward. How is the real question though.
Great post.
At the top of the draft, all the good teams either take BPA or trade up/down to recoup the value of the pick.
BPA. If that happens to be a forward, so be it. Forwards taken at the top of the draft seem to develop more consistently and bust less than their defensive counterparts. If the team really needs defensive help down the road, flip one of the young offensive players (hopefully this year's pick).
Cant take a defenseman and assume that he's going to step in next year, or the year after, and make a difference.
Optimal situation would be for the Oilers to trade their 1st pick in a package for a young #1 D (or potential #1) from a team with a plethora of young defensemen.
I also think the Oilers need to find a way to get a physical, young top 6 forward. How is the real question though.
I agree that they best case for the Oilers is if someone like Phoenix will trade one of the young D for the #2. I just don't see it happening. BPA will be the way they go, and I think Murray has as good a shot as being that guy as anyone, and could probably be in the NHL next year.
I don't think another young physical forward for the top 6 would be ideal. A veteran physical top 6 guy would be better so that they have a better mix of youth and vet's. Someone like a Smyth from 6 years ago would be ideal.
I think Edmonton should be banned from picking in the top-5. I'm sick of crap, incompetent teams like them and the Isles hogging all the top guys.
There was a TSN panel proposal recently about that, suggesting rules be put in place to prevent any one team from having top-5 picks in consecutive years. Simple rule to make and I think a valid one.
No disrespect to Oil fans. Believe me, I want them to be good as much as anyone, but this is getting stupid. At some point it clearly becomes rewarding incompetence.
Melrose: ''Let's say you have the #1 pick, do you take the best player available or do you draft for position?''
A: ''We're at a spot here right now, if we needed to make that decision to pick by position, we'd be OK doing that.''
Rare to hear a GM say that.
Interesting. I suspect that idea would come the speculation that if they trade down, the guy they want wouldn't make it to where they trade down to.
I would think Murray is the guy they want. Who would be possible trade partners? Toronto for sure, maybe Carolina? I suspect Murray would be gone by that point. I doubt NYI passes him up. So what to do? Grab Murray.
I'm not a fan of either of these teams, but I'd be thrilled if Carolina, NYI or Minnesota (or whoever finishes in the bottom 6) won the lottery, making the #2 pick Columbus' chip to play.
It would just go to show you that teams outside the top 3 can actually win the lottery in consecutive years like New Jersey did last year.
Interesting. I suspect that idea would come the speculation that if they trade down, the guy they want wouldn't make it to where they trade down to.
I would think Murray is the guy they want. Who would be possible trade partners? Toronto for sure, maybe Carolina? I suspect Murray would be gone by that point. I doubt NYI passes him up. So what to do? Grab Murray.
I could see them trading down a spot or two with a team looking for a forward, and that team would agree not to pick whomever Edm is targetting.
I think Edmonton should be banned from picking in the top-5. I'm sick of crap, incompetent teams like them and the Isles hogging all the top guys.
There was a TSN panel proposal recently about that, suggesting rules be put in place to prevent any one team from having top-5 picks in consecutive years. Simple rule to make and I think a valid one.
No disrespect to Oil fans. Believe me, I want them to be good as much as anyone, but this is getting stupid. At some point it clearly becomes rewarding incompetence.
Why don't you ***** about Pittsburgh, Chicago and Washington too? That's right, now they're succesful and everyone forgets how bad they were too.
