A gentleman named "Regulator" posted an item on Oilfans this afternoon. I quote: "Was driving into work this morning and heard Rob Kerr's draft report on the Fan 960 in Calgary as he is in Columbus right now. He said the main topic of conversation within all media folk is what Kevin Lowe is going to do. He said every time a trade rumour comes up, it always involves the Oilers. He began his segment by saying 'at least one Alberta team is going to be busy on draft day', alluding that the Oilers will be very busy, while the Flames are standing idle.Anyway, he stated that the Oilers have tentative deals worked out with 12 teams! I find that hard to believe, but looks like there are quite a few offers on the table, just up to Lowe to pick one if he in fact decides to.Also said that Horcoff is all but gone from the Oilers, and deals involving him surround trades with Chicago (Seabrook maybe), Tamba Bay (Richards maybe) and Ottawa (Redden maybe).Anyway, make of it what you will, but I cant wait till tomorrow, its like Christmas Eve today, and I cant wait to open the presents tomorrow!!"
Regulator has 32 messages and is termed a "junior prospect" at Oilfans but that's no sin (I believe I'm still a junior prospect there unless they've deleted my account and I haven't been ID'd since the 80s) and he writes a nice piece (with 42 replies it's received a lot of interest today).
I think this is probably spin from the Oilers. When you don't have much going on, there's nothing like a fantastic "12 deals at the ready" rumor. It was followed by "Redden may be coming here" and "Richards likely" throughout the day. According to Bob Stauffer on his show today on TEAM 1260 Lowe has been out of contact with the media which builds suspense as well.
Nothing's changed, folks. Kevin Lowe CAN make a big trade in the next 24 hours, but he's going to be trading Shawn Horcoff, or Dwayne Roloson, or Jason Smith. Or the pick at #6, or the Oilers first rounder in 2008.
I mean, if Kevin Lowe could trade Matt Greene, Rob Schremp and the pick at 30 for Wade Redden why hasn't he done it?
Because it isn't there. And Marc Pouliot doesn't turn heads when Scott Gomez is one week away from being available.
I suspect the Oilers might do some kind of a deal, like the pick at 15 and the rights to Alexei Mikhnov for the pick at 14, but I can't for the life of me imagine a trade that brings in an NHL veteran for very little (unless he decides to take on an Aucoin-style contract).
Here's hoping I'm wrong.
Haven't you heard? Aucoin is going to Calgary.
ReplyDeleteI still think Lowe will make some sort of deal on draft day.
Apparently Stauffer has reported that Pitkanen's time in Philly is up. They need the space for their #1 centre and they know even through arbitration he's not going to get anywhere near the 2.0 million they want him for. I'd wager that some team will get him soon, for the highest bid obviously.
ReplyDeleteKyle: Yep, Aucoin just went to the Flames. I'm not anti-Aucoin but lordy 4M this year and next is steep.
ReplyDeleteWith the luck the Oilers are having lately, Aucoin is going to become a bloodly 30 goal scoring, hard hitting, somewhat poor man's MacInnis like he did for a bit a while back.
ReplyDeleteIs this the happy optimistic LT we were promised come draft time you promised? ;)
ReplyDeleteof all the so-called rumours i've read today, i think i like the 'trade-and-sign' for Gomez the best. although i have no idea what it would take for that to happen - would the 15th pick to NJ get it done? or is that too much?
ReplyDeleteas for some of the other speculation - Richards i DON'T want, at any price. i've never liked the guy, and i'm not convinced he's nearly as good without a certain #4 and #26 around.
heck, i'm not even sure it's worth over-paying for Redden either (and now he doesn't want to leave Ottawa anyway). stick with the kids, make a final offer to Smytty July 1st, and scoop up some mid-rangers like Corvo, etc.
The Copper and soon to be Booed had better drop the cheap talk for some expensive walk. They are fast becoming the new pothole framers who lay down, regularly, to become that wimpy new skid mark in the the NW division.
ReplyDeleteThe Battle Of Alberta will soon shrivel to just a Burnt Oil-slick Afterthought. Maybe the EIG want to sell the Oilers franchise to Balsillie so he can move them to southern Ontario.
The difference between U$150 million and U$238 thousand thousand greenbacks? Does that divide up 36 ways more easily? Hard to tell what Edmonton's fractured ownship group is about except milking the Golden Goose.
Personally, I think the Aucoin deals works nicely for Calgary for the reasons I noted @ HF-Oilers. Four million U$ respresents only 12.5% of a projected U$50 million dollar CAP for 2007/08.
Risk vs. reward and bigtime bragging rights to electrify that Saddle-Doomed fan base for years to come. That currently, "one trick pony" moniker, finally, put to rest.
Calgary becomes Alberta's true new hockey city of champions. But come next spring and if the discount Soilers get embarassed for 6 or even all 8 divisional games, the gig will be up. Massive numbers of boomer supporters will speak in a silent majority at their final exit.
The only positive "buzz" then will be coming from those moth eaten red ledger insectoid beancounters, as the EIG watch their equity fat-calf develop the mad cow wasting disease. Yep the we shoulda' shot the works lament will mutter. Sure pass the shovel and please shutup Mr. Katz, and yes we'll galdly accept your U$75,000,000.00 counteroffer.
Shoot, shovel, and shutup will find it's own lexicon as we get Ralphed-on - one more time. Just Alberta south exerting its doodoo right of passage! How flaming redfaced will our very own Cal MacNichol, Dime & Co. be then?
Yes, to the BS the EIG adds the E-Town extension, and 'Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo' their wish will be granted: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy of the Oilers' bum-steered-fan-base. BSE - Bull Shit Electrified!
OYLer has almost left the REX-aLL
"Calgary becomes Alberta's true new hockey city of champions."
ReplyDeleteLOL!
LT, the Aucoin deal is only feasible if he stays healthy.
ReplyDeletevoxel,
ReplyDeleteWhen inflicting advice, I always defer to the ice pick assassin:
A quick decisive thrust through the tongue or up the nose works, and an ear or eye stab is always good, but best–Is to go directly to the heart of the matter.