Steve Tambellini is proving to be more decisive this summer. The Oilers have had a logjam up front for several years now and today he took action (with more to follow) to remove the clutter and make room for some of the young guns.By not qualifying Marc Pouliot and Ryan Potulny, Tambellini opens up some spots in the 7-14F portion of the roster and gives us a glimpse into what the team is going to look like in '10-11. In my season-ending look at Pouliot's year, I suggested the following in answer to the question "how important is he to the organization?"
- Nothing. The Oilers are free of Pouliot and the 2003 draft, the Prendergast firing establishes it. Edmonton could walk away from him, deal him or send him down during TC and lose him on waivers (or not) and no one is going to blink. I don't think he's a suspect, but he's not a prospect anymore. I bet someone will take a chance on him should the Oilers go another direction.
---
Bob Stauffer mentioned today that Mike Comrie is a possibility for this roster in '10-11, depending on what happens in regard to O'Sullivan and Nilsson. Here's the depth chart as I see it:
- C: Horcoff, Gagner, Fraser, Cogliano
- L: Hall*, Penner, Moreau, Ryan Jones, MPS*, Jacques, Omark*
- R: Hemsky, Brule, Stortini, Eberle*, O'Sullivan, Nilsson
That's 17 forwards, and the club might add Comrie, Stone and a Colton Orr-type to the group above. I think the forwards still need a RH 2-way C and a veteran RW too, but we'll see how things roll out. Here are the players impacted by today's decisions:
- Sam Gagner: Qualified and now they begin the process of finding a number. Gagner is certainly worth more than a QO but the Oilers may want more seasons in exchange.
- Andrew Cogliano: Qualified and there's a real chance he won't be here in the fall so that makes a deal early in summer more likely. His new team would probably want to have a say in contract length and dollars.
- Gilbert Brule: QO'd and now the dance begins. This is a player we should watch closely, the Oilers are in a dangerous area with his next contract. No need to overpay him, but in today's NHL does that mean he's under 2M/yr when all is said and done?
- Colin Fraser: QO'd and he is in a nice spot. The Oilers didn't have a lot of good penalty killers and lost one in Pisani through free agency.
- Liam Reddox: QO'd and I think he's earned it. Reddox has made himself into a fringe NHL player and works his bag off for everything he gets. You have to respect a player like that, even though he'll likely spend most or all of the season in Okla City.
- JF Jacques: QO'd because of his size and hitting ability. Jacques had one of the worst seasons I've ever seen from an Oiler forward, by eye and slide rule. A rather mysterious choice, unless (as speeds indicated yesterday in the post below) this is a QO in order to have him play in the AHL next season.
- Ryan Potulny: Not Qualified. I think this is less shocking because of Matty's column and the fact we kind of kind of know who this player is: a good pinch hitter on a contending club or an everyday player on a poor one. Hall, Paarjavi, Omark and Eberle all make him expendable for next season.
- Marc Pouliot: Not Qualified. I think it is a very poor decision, unless they plan on signing him to a lesser deal (say 600k times 2 years) as suggested in the spring by speeds at his blog OR they plan on finding a more proven version of Pouliot. He's a good hockey player despite the warts.
- Ryan O'Marra: QO, man they really do see something in this kid. I'll be honest, it doesn't show up in any measurable way.
- Theo Peckham: QO and in a very good position. A full tank of gas, no one else on the highway and miles and miles of blacktop straight ahead. Opportunities like this one don't come along everyday, Theo Peckham. Seize the day.
- Devan Dubnyk: QO and I think he's in a solid position. The organization will deal one of their two young goalies this summer (unless they're really worried Silent Sam is in actual trouble) but my guess is it'll be the other guy.
- Jeff Deslauriers: QO and just famous enough to be easier to deal than the other guy. Deslauriers would be a solid backup to an aging veteran and really isn't expensive.
- Josef Hrabal: Not qualified. "The Pencil" leaves the organization.
- Bryan Lerg: Not qualified. He looked good in his first training camp for a good 2-3 days.
- Geoff Paukovich: Not qualified. Not much return for Jason Chimera.
- Slava Trukhno: Not qualified. Didn't show much in the minors, but you know what? He impressed in every training camp and that's a fact.
LT, am I losing what little is left of my memory? Shouldn't we be seeing the names of any intended buy-outs on the waiver wire first?
ReplyDeletespOILer: No, that deadline is June 30. I suspect the Oilers are still trying to make a trade.
ReplyDeleteI'm kinda with spOiler on this one...where's the real tough decisions with this lineup? Why no waiver-wire action today? I'm not convinced yet that this is a sign of decisive steve, particularly since it came down tho the wire to get these QOs done in the first place. Plus, you'd think a guy like Gagner would have a new contract in hand by now, not just a piece of paper stating that they intend to give him some money. All the talk about Tom and Taylor (good, important and difficult decisions to be sure) may have slowed things down on the really important choices that Tambo must make, particularly on contracts and buy-outs heading into July 1.
ReplyDeleteOn the subject of the wire, what are your thoughts on Vandermeer? I don't love the 2.3 mil cap hit, but he's exactly the kind of defenceman the team needs.
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ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that Pouliot and Potulny were not qualified and O'Marra was, but not that surprised.
ReplyDeletePouliot just hasn't shown enough in the 7 years (seven!!) since he was drafted. The desiccated husk of a horse that was the Parise-Pouliot trade can now finally be given final rights.
Which reminds me how grateful I am for the current scouting regime. No games or tricks thinking that they're smarter than everyone else. Just 95% adherence to a strategy of taking good value picks.
shepso: There's no reason to buy out until you have to, maybe some team calls last minute about Nilsson.
ReplyDeleteas for Vandermeer, I think the Oilers can get better for less in free agency.
I'm not exactly fond of the idea of bringing back Comrie and throwing Pisani in a ditch. Potulny and Pouliot, meh, depth forwards, time to move on. I'm not losing sleep over their departure. For the reord, I would have kept on a 1 year basis, both as extra forwards.
ReplyDeletePouliot doesn't hit and he doesn't play hard. He's not a player they want in their bottom six, and I'd say odds are good they have no intention of bringing him back in any way, shape or form.
ReplyDeleteI think Pouliot will have have a decent NHL career in Pittsburgh, Montreal or wherever.
ReplyDeleteHe really should've put more effort into his face-offs.
As for the rest no surprises except O'Marra; I see Deslauriers in OKC next winter.
I think the buyouts will be in the next couple of days, I am sure they are trying to get something/anything for those guys, maybe trying to find someone in a similar situation with a match for them - a team that needs offence but is trying to dump a third pairing Dman who makes too much might look at Nilsson in exchange, that sort of thing.
ReplyDeleteIts a start. They still have a whack of guys to whack, imo. I like Pouliot but I think that as long as they replace him (and perhaps they see Fraser as that guy already) then I certainly understand it. He never got traction, sometimes his own fault, sometimes injuries and bad luck.
Am I the only one who likes jacques? It's a nobrainer he's resigned! He fights,hits everything that moves,he's big,he defends his teammates.he's still young & really doesn't have that much experience.perfect extra/4th liner...cheap too...pouliot is ok but he's a band aid & too many guys have passed him on the depth chart.interesting comment I heard by an analyst.out of all the first rounders from pouliots draft,he is the ONLY one who hasn't made a significant impact in the league(I can't say if that's accurate).o'marra from what I understand has made strides as a faceoff/bottom 6 forward.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe they kept JFJ.
ReplyDeleteThe guy is fucking awful.
He can't shoot. He can't take a pass. He can't make a pass. He can't handle the puck. He can't get open. He doesn't forecheck well. He can't PK. He can't work the front of the net on the PP. He's a turnover machine. He's constantly out of position. He doesn't create turnovers. He is soft on the puck. He has horrible on ice vision.
... and to top it all off, his back is FUBAR.
as for signing mike comrie,I'm not sure we need him unless he's the extra forward along with jacques.now that potulny,pisani,pouliot are gone that's 3 guys not to worry about.Moreau,nilson need to go.the only way I see them resigning comrie is if they trade cogliano.comrie could fit into the#2 spot between penner & eberle.I'd rather keep cogliano but comrie will be cheaper.horcoff would be an excellent shutdown/special team center flanked by torpedo brule & already experienced defender mps.mps was a checker his first year in Sweden so he is the perfect fit in his rookie year.he'd get probably 15 minutes/night playing this role while providing secondary scoring.next year he can move to top 6.eberle & hall I don't think would be as reliable defensively.
ReplyDeleteFrom the 2003 draft, Hugh Jessiman (#12 overall) has yet to play. Eric Fehr (#18 overall) has played 2 more NHL games than Pouliot, and then there are about 5 at the end of the first round in MP's range or lower.
ReplyDeletepdo: jacques isn't here to score.he was top 10 in hits I believe until he got hurt.I'm not sure how many fighting majors he got but I believe it's in the teens.he's not here to make or recurve passes...he's here to play 6-9 minutes/night & be an energy hitter.he did that well.he's not an offensive guy.he's the perfect 13-14 guy.you have him playing with stortini & you got a pretty big set of physical wingers on the 4th line.jones will be the regular 4th line lw but jfj is a nice extra
ReplyDeleteComrie may get another chance as a favour to Bill. Katz needs the entire Edmonton business community onboard to get an arena built.
ReplyDeleteJune is for signing UFA's. July is for signing RFA's. So I wouldn't fret about Gagner not being signed yet.
Not many RFA's have signed. Bobby Ryan isn't signed. Carey Price isn;t signed.
godot - I like Brule (at a sensible price) but Comrie is more effective.
ReplyDeleteI know we have a glut of forwards, but I'm still hoping they just didn't qualify Pouliot to sign him at a lower rate than the ~$900K qualifying offer.
ReplyDeleteFunny how we have all these forwards, but I'm still having a hard time piecing together a 3rd line. Pisani is gone, Moreau isn't coming back, and we haven't had a capable #3C since we parted ways with both Stoll and Reasoner years ago.
thanks lowtide.I don't have a list of first rounders from that year but that's why I wasn't sure if it was an accurate statement.just heard that recently.hugh jessiman sure was a colossal bust by the rangers I think...he may have been traded since his stint with rangers organization
ReplyDeleteSJ's gonna walk away from Ortymeyer and he's a guy I always liked and didn't he play under Renney with NYR?
ReplyDeleteComrie may get another chance as a favour to Bill.
ReplyDeleteI also think he contributes a lot to 'fixing the culture'. I think he is a well respected role model for the young Oilers. He was known a bit for attitude in the past, but has matured (and is engaged to Hilary Duff). On the ice he does his job and off the ice he acts like a responsable millionaire.
misfit:howabout horcoff/brule/mps? They would get plenty of icetime vs top fowards & horc will take all important special team faceoffs.I said before European kids start in a limited role when they break in as regulars in their home countries.they learn defence first.
ReplyDeletegodot10: great point about the new arena & having bill comrie on board...that's a very intellent point I'm sure most of us overlook...that would be a very good pr move,but let's not forget comrie is a good hockey player.he wouldve popped 20-25 last year if healthy...not bad for 1.1-1.5 million he got
ReplyDeleteOT, but whoever organized this Olympic.Military celebration is probably in some pretty hot water.
ReplyDeleteWhat a bust.
No field hockey exhibition for fun, or something...anything??? to give people a rason to come out besides, "Lots of talking and then people you see on tv will ride around in a circle."
Oh, I know the deadline for buyouts is June 30, but if players typically get waived first, and waivers take 24 hours...
ReplyDeleteThe only alternatives I can imagine is that they feel they can trade all three contracts, which makes my brain hurt. Or they're planning on keeping all three... which makes my groin hurt.
Typos indicate my frustration.
ReplyDelete;)
Iginla's a good interview, though.
ReplyDeleteYup.
ReplyDeleteFunny, I was planning on attending but thought it would be sold out.
Out of the 408 forwards who played at least 35 games in the NHL, our friend JFJ ranked 385 in terms of Relative Corsi.
ReplyDeleteOur even better friend thecaptainethanmoreau ranked #393
If thecapatin isn't bought out I will have all my glimmers of hope dashed in a matter of a week.
I had heard from more than one person who's opinion usually has fact behind it that there is no way that thecaptain is on the team next year.
24 hours to clear waivers, something's gotta give tomorrow.
Interestingly here are some other players at the bottom of the RelCorsi pit:
Blair Betts #394
Chris Dury #400 (two more years of $7.05M.. yeessh)
Todd Marchant #401
Also,
Heard MBS on Gregor's show today and I am now convinced that he wanted Seguin. Spoke glowingly about Seguin's smarts, and basically said about Hall "well, what you see is what you get, he loves hockey"
That not a bad thing, but it puts more credence into Kevin Lowe's fingers on the pick, and his prints usually end up as evidence for some crime against hockey intelligence.
Hall will be a good player for the Oilers, not bashing him, but wary of anything Vish does.
The MBS clip isn't up on Gregor's site yet, but its worth a listen when it is. He goes over the though process for most of the picks as well.
I think Pouliot and Potunly have a chance of getting work in show if they're available on July 1...their chances are a lot worse
ReplyDeleteif they have to wait 'til October on the way down to OKC.....org did them a favour, simple as that.
Quick Relative Corsi comparison between JFJ, Poo and thecaptain
ReplyDeleteRelCor rank:
JFJ 14/15
Cappy 15/15
Poo 9/15
RelCor QC
JFJ 6/15
Cappy 3/15
Poo 14/15
RelCor QT
JFJ 4/15
Cappy 9/15
Poo 13/15
A whole lot of meh going on.
I See Steve Tambellini's kid didn't get a QO from the Islanders, either.
ReplyDeleteWoodguy said...
ReplyDeleteQuick Relative Corsi comparison between JFJ, Poo and thecaptain
RelCor rank:
JFJ 14/15
Cappy 15/15
Poo 9/15
RelCor QC
JFJ 6/15
Cappy 3/15
Poo 14/15
RelCor QT
JFJ 4/15
Cappy 9/15
Poo 13/15
A whole lot of meh going on.
That;s not a whole lot of meh, it's a whole lot of crap.
Remember these guy were playing on a team that was 30th on the league...by a lot.
They're not NHL players.
Why JFJ gets another shot is beyond comprehension...you can find superior talent living in cardboard boxes on the Stephen Avenue Mall in Calgary.
See Fleury, Theo.
ya, i thought JFJ was gone too!
ReplyDeletea little surprised they didn't qualify Potulny though.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a problem with signing Jeff Tambo if he's still unsigned in August - so long as he has to start in OKC and earn his way up.
ReplyDeleteWe have room in the pipe.
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ReplyDeletei don't want Jeff Tambo here, we don't need him, and he wasn't qualified by his team. we have enough of those kind of players, regardless of whether he's Steve's kid or not.
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly is the issue with Tambo's kid?
ReplyDeleteDestroyed the AHL from the moment he arrived and brought absolutely none of that to the show. A player like that deserves a shot with at least one more organization...if Tambo did sign him would everyone's head explode?
Completely and utterly off-topic, but here's a laugh (while it lasts).
ReplyDeletep.s. continually great work LT. I don't know how you do it.
Destroyed the AHL from the moment he arrived and brought absolutely none of that to the show.
ReplyDeleteYou just described JFJ.
"Heard MBS on Gregor's show today and I am now convinced that he wanted Seguin."
ReplyDeleteThis hurts my heart. I love everything about Seguin's statistics, skill set, and maybe most importantly, his character. He's intelligent and humble, and I think he'll just keep getting better and better. He's the guy you build a team around, like Toews, M. Richards, Matt Duchene, etc.
If Taylor Hall is Pavel Bure, (hopefully with better knees) then that's great, but I can't think of too many wingers that teams are built around - Ovechkin, Parise, Nash, Iginla - that's about it. And that hasn't worked out for any of them yet either - the only team that's close of those is Washington, which has an incredible centre in Backstrom.
The vast majority of quality teams have a franchise centre: Getzlaf, Staal, Crosby, Toews, Thornton, Kopitar, M. Richards, Datsyuk.
The last time an NHL team not named New Jersey Devils (which boasted maybe the best goalie ever, and 2 incredible Hall of Fame defencemen in Stevens and Niedermayer) won the Stanley Cup without a franchise centre was, well, let's see...
'10
Chicago - Toews, Sharp, Bolland
Pittsburgh - Crosby, Malkin, Staal
Detroit - Datsyuk, Zetterberg
Anaheim - Getzlaf, McDonald
Carolina - Staal, Brind'amour, Weight
Tampa Bay - Richards, Lecavalier
*NJ - Niewendyk, Gomez, Madden
Detroit - Yzerman, Fedorov
Colorado - Sakic, Forsberg
*New Jersey - Arnott, Gomez, Holik
Dallas - Niewendyk, Modano
Detroit (back-to-back)- Yzerman, Fedorov
Colorado - Sakic, Forsberg
'96
...So I guess we'll just get a franchise centre through trade/free agency. Or hope that Sam Gagner becomes a better version of Scott Gomez.
@Vince...we just don't need Jeff Tambo, and i doubt you'll see him here. the Isles didn't qualify him, and we're trying to rid ourselves of some of his type of player from our own organization. if he was that good, the Isles would have qualified him!
ReplyDeleteVince, JFJ did pretty well in the AHL too...
ReplyDeleteThis hurts my heart. I love everything about Seguin's statistics, skill set, and maybe most importantly, his character. He's intelligent and humble, and I think he'll just keep getting better and better. He's the guy you build a team around, like Toews, M. Richards, Matt Duchene, etc.
ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone will confuse Seguin with Toews, or even moreso with Richards. I probably leaned towards picking the centre too, but I think Seguin is known as being a softer player than 2 out of those 3 guys. No way did I think we were missing out o a Toews or a Richards. If Seguin played with that kind of truculence and toughness, he would've went 1st OV.
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ReplyDelete@Dug...I don't think we need him either, can't imagine where he'd fit on the big league roster (that pouliot and potunly wouldn't). I was just wondering if he was signed to a two-way deal say in the 1st week of August would everyone freak out just to have a reason to crap on Tambo all summer?
ReplyDeleteI know JFJ was good in the AHL too, but I've seen him play enough and know what his problems are at the big league level are....I don't what Jeff's issues are and I'm curious....that's all
ReplyDeleteBuyouts depend on what throw-ins can be done via trade.
ReplyDeleteTrades center around Souray, whose NMC is gone July 1.
Oilers are either waiting for that to lift, or are hoping for a higher offer after the UFA's are snatched up.
Only after Souray is dealt I think we will see some action on the buyouts (I read at C&B that there were 3 exemptions allowed outside the buy-out window... hoping that is true).
I also think Nilsson is kept around as talent forward to push the rookies. He's got skill and has potential to improve his value significantly more than the other two candidates.
Darren Millard is reporting that Katz just took control of the leasing rights at the Copps Col. in Hamilton.
ReplyDeleteThe Hamilton Oilers are a possibility
Be sure to thank your Mayor and city councillors!
//Darren Millard is reporting that Katz just took control of the leasing rights at the Copps Col. in Hamilton.
ReplyDeleteThe Hamilton Oilers are a possibility
Be sure to thank your Mayor and city councillors!//
Wow! he's really playing hardball...well I'm sure you don't earn a Billion dollars playing nice.
Ducey said:
ReplyDeleteBe sure to thank your Mayor and city councillors!(sic)
...for not spending your tax money on enriching a billionaire?
Deano: Maybe for keeping the only thing that makes other people recognize Edmonton aside Oil?
ReplyDeleteIdk. Tourism and shit.
On a sidenote i really hate the CFL. Can someone explain me the fun they get? It's like we have an AHL league of hockey (Maybe even ECHL)
Sweet Jebus. This old move?
ReplyDeleteYawn.
FPB,
ReplyDeleteI don't get the CFL either, I think it's a regional thing...I'm 30 years old and from the Maritimes and I've NEVER met a CFL fan in my entire life, no even mentions it in passing.....but if Halifax had a team maybe people might take a bit of notice, I'd probably go to few games a year.
Vince: The Alouettes just won the grey cup and it still bores me. It's just so supbar compared to the NFL.
ReplyDeleteThere are stud players in the NFL that would suck donkey balls in the CFL.
ReplyDeleteIt's a very different version of the sport that's easy to appreciate...
Neither does Montreal.
ReplyDeleteSo... in this World Cup thingy.
ReplyDeleteNigeria played Germany.
Nigeria was on the left side of the scoreboard.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs020.snc4/34347_407043869868_514184868_4201715_5168307_n.jpg
I don't get the CFL either, I think it's a regional thing...I'm 30 years old and from the Maritimes and I've NEVER met a CFL fan in my entire life, no even mentions it in passing.....but if Halifax had a team maybe people might take a bit of notice, I'd probably go to few games a year
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, people from the Maritimes are pretty much only fans of things like fish and boats, etc.
If CFL football landed in Halifax it would be the biggest thing in town, much like the RR in Sask.
On a sidenote i really hate the CFL. Can someone explain me the fun they get? It's like we have an AHL league of hockey (Maybe even ECHL)
The talent is lower, but the game is different due to the different rules.
I think that dissing a sport like that shows immaturity. Its like when rednecks say 'Soccer sucks cause there are hardly any goals'. The problem is that they just haven't taken the time to appreciate it. A real sports fan realizes that these are rules that have evolved over decades or centuries and appreciates each and every game and league for what it is.
People go to CFL games because it is a great sport with some of the best players in the world and it is a lot of fun.
Just to be clear I've no opinion on the CFL one way or the other I've just never paid attention or met anyone who had even a passing interest....the fish and boats thing was a joke right?
ReplyDeleteI'd guess that getting control of another arena is 1) about the Rexall brand in Southern Ontario and 2) freezing Northlands out of a downtown Edmonton project. The argument would be we don't need Northland's experience. Rexall does this already elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteVince - It was FPV who slammed the CFL.
ReplyDeleteIts probably tough to be a fan of a sport that happens more than a 1000k away.
Yes, it was a joke, Maratimers are also fond of things like Lobster, Celtic music, and Fort MacMurray.
Thanks Bookie.
ReplyDeleteI damn near wasted beer on that last line.
For some reason I read this ... it would be the biggest thing in town, much like the RR in Sask.
ReplyDeleteas railroad in Sask. Which seemed perfectly logical.
Don't even need locomotives in Saskatchewan. Just give the boxcar a push. She'll roll. Aint's nuthin to stop'er.
It's so flat, they play snooker outside on the front lawn, using the gopher holes for pockets.
Sorry, this isn't Region-bashing 101?
ReplyDeleteThat's Room 124, up the hall?
Well I'm off then, right-o.
//Yes, it was a joke, Maratimers are also fond of things like Lobster, Celtic music, and Fort MacMurray.
ReplyDeleteIts probably tough to be a fan of a sport that happens more than a 1000k away.
//
haha...unfortunately everything but the Q happens 1000k away from here...and I assume the Q doesn't get much interest in CFL country... (outside of checking Cornet's and Roy's boxcars anyway;)
From LT's topic thread...
ReplyDeleteBob Stauffer mentioned today that Mike Comrie is a possibility for this roster in '10-11
We know that Mike Comrie is linked to Katz through Comrie's Dad - and that Katz has buddies willing to invest the other $900 million of the $1 billion entertainment district...
I heard tonight (from someone I trust - a lot) that Stauffer & Katz were drinking buddies at the University of Alberta...
And that is why Stauffer was chosen over more talented candidates & that is why Stauffer has "the leaks"...
Can anyone here verify whether Katz & Stauffer attended the U of A during the same years?
TY in advance...
Joe Strong: I heard by an analyst.out of all the first rounders from pouliots draft,he is the ONLY one who hasn't made a significant impact in the league(I can't say if that's accurate
ReplyDeleteIt just seems that way Joe based on the colossal FU that was Kevin Lowe and the entire Oiler scouting staff that day. It's surreal if you will. 2002 looks magnificent with the Jesse Niinimaki pick by comparison but only because that was a pathetically weak draft. It's best to just think of it one way. Suck a Super Large 7-11 Slurpee up your NOSE in under a minute. Feel better? Me either.
Here's a rundown of major FU day. One of the best drafts ever IMO but as is thwere fashion the Oilers managed to F it up.
#12 Hugh Jessiman (huge specimen) - NYR - BUM
#15 Robert Nilsson - NY Islanders - BUM
#16 Steve Bernier - SJ Sharks - Pretty much a BUM
#17 Zach Parise - Oilers on the clock, Lowe chokes, trades down?? the best GM in hockey rapes him in his dreams for the rest of his living days - Lowe goes from being a hero for signing 8 RFA's a couple of years prior to being the NHL's class buffoon - the tradition continues
#21 Mark Stuart - Made the bigs but pretty much just a serviceable BUM
#22 - MAP - after a tradedown the Oilers get their man - Vomit if you feel the urge - BUM (made particularly even-more-so if you consider the obvious choice available at #17
#23 Ryan Kesler - feeling that vomit urge yet?
#24 Mike Richards - if you haven't yet you will now
#25 Anthony Stewart - BUM
#26 - Brian Boyle - pretty much a BUM
#27 Jeff Tambellinni - Total BUM
#28 Corey Perry - STUD - Only Lowe and his massive ego kept this kid off the Oilers roster - If Lowe didn't deserve firing over JN and the JP fiasco's he certainly deserved it for this move - Start of the end of everything Oiler respectable - piss on a Comrie and anger a fellow GM - whatta putz
#29 Patrick Eaves - BUM
#30 Shawn Belle - BUM
So there you have it. 20 of 30 first rounders are bums. Lowe had a 66% chance of getting it right (discounting the draft order), and still managed to F it up so badly it's beyond description.
Kevin Lowe = BUM - underlines - bolded - large font - the only person more surprised he still has a job with the Oilers is Ryan O'Marra
Sorry, That should read 20 of the the 30 first rounders in 2003are/were/will be STUDS. Red wine + beer after reno"ing a house can impair anyone.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSee my disclaimer SpOiler. Been up since 6:30 and slaved til 9 PM, and if I never have to drywall again I'm a happy guy. Lowe had a 66% chance of getting it right. He f'd up beyond ALL reasoning. Would that be where the acronym FUBAR comes from??
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how useful that 20 out 30 stat is because 16 players were gone by the time Edmonton's pick came up.
ReplyDeleteAnother way of looking at it is that there were 4 future stars available in the last 14 picks of the draft, which is great because based on other drafts you're about 50/50 to get a serviceable NHL player in the second half of the first round, let alone a star.
10 teams had a shot at getting one of these 4 stars (LA and Anaheim had two shots, Ottawa and St Louis had no shot because they were all gone by the time they picked). Of these 10 teams, Anaheim hit twice and Philly and Vancouver got the other stars. 7 teams missed. The Oilers were one of them.
It was a poor performance but they weren't alone and they didn't have the benefit of hindsight.
Florida has just done exactly the same thing that Edmonton did in 2003 - trading down from 15 to 19 in exchange for a late second round pick (which they then turned into a third and a fourth round pick).
Can you say conclusively, without a shadow of a doubt that Dale Tallon is a prime idiot who as screwed his team for the next decade by making this move? Are you absolutely certain that Forbort is a guaranteed NHL star for the next 15 years, while Bjugstad is a bum who will struggle to be a fourth liner and Basaraba and Donskoi are scrubs that will never be NHLers?
I's a lot harder without the benefit of hindsight.
Spoiler, your list does more to prove that picking 18-year-olds is mostly a roll of the dice that some GMs win and some lose.
ReplyDeleteIf there are any geniuses out there - and maybe Ken Holland is one, I don't know - they'd pretty much always be right, adjusting for things like career-ending injuries.
But nobody has that track record. Solid NHL talent always gets by somebody.
So either they're all clueless, or maybe the draft is just one big crapshoot and scouts are just over-paid, free-sandwich-eating, can't-let-go-of-the-game, fat old men.
Good for Bryan Lerg, All Edmonton did is waste a skilled goal scorer and tried to make him a fourth line grinder.
ReplyDeleteBuyouts depend on what throw-ins can be done via trade.
ReplyDeleteTrades center around Souray, whose NMC is gone July 1.
Oilers are either waiting for that to lift, or are hoping for a higher offer after the UFA's are snatched up.
Only after Souray is dealt I think we will see some action on the buyouts (I read at C&B that there were 3 exemptions allowed outside the buy-out window... hoping that is true).
The buyout window closes June 30.
A player must be on waivers for 24 hours in order to buy them out.
Today is June 29th.
In order for the Oilers to buy out a player this year they must be waived at some point today.
You know what's awesome about Sutter? How he can go on record saying how wonderful Kotalik is and how he led the team in hits and ostensibly that it was a good trade and it's just that the media and fans can't see his brilliance in bringing in 3 million in cap hit for 2 more years to come. Yet he still waives him yesterday =).
ReplyDeleteSather must have pictures of the Sutter boys doing something.
Exceptions to buy out window?
ReplyDeleteI don't feel a tremendous need to defend Stauffer (he's been very successful) but he is a talented guy. I've been in broadcasting 30 years and can tell you real personalities are very rare in the radio industry.
ReplyDeleteTo the individual asking of Stauffer and Katz went to the University of Alberta together, I gathered the following:
ReplyDelete- Bob Stauffer started calling Golden Bears games in 1989-1990. He probably was at least a sophomore at that point.
- Katz graduated from high school in 1980 and formed the Katz group after graduating from law school in 1990. Anything I could find was not more specific than that, but the timelines do seem to overlap a bit.
To be honest though, the prospect of the sports-obsessed Stauffer and the nerdy law student Katz hanging out drinking together on campus seems pretty remote. The law students at the U of A pretty much stay segregated from the rest of campus for various reasons, valid or otherwise.
Katz has buddies willing to invest the other $900 million of the $1 billion entertainment district...
ReplyDeleteSure, what's a spare 900 Million between friends?
If Katz has any person or organization willing to invest its because he has sold them on the viability of the investment.
Uber-rich might throw around a million here and there, but you are talking serious coin at $900M and those investments do not get taken lightly.
Marc, very well stated. I'm sick of people coming out of the woodwork to pontificate on Pouliot over Parise when the results of the hand played have already come in.
ReplyDeleteThere were a few that really thought it was a mistake passing on Parise and I'll give them their due; but the hindsight savants should show some restraint.
I don't think the question in 2010 is if Lowe might the right call that night at the draft because he clearly didn't.
ReplyDeleteI think the question is if 78 at this price could possibly be a value contract in 2011 and I think the awnser is yes.
Joe Strong, if you can somehow show that hitting helps you win hockey games while you are bleeding goals against and getting constantly hemmed into your own end then you've found a reason to keep Jacques.
ReplyDeleteHitting is just one aspect of hockey and that ability shouldn't come at the complete expense of every other skill (which it does with Jacques).
What Dennis said, along with my usual comment about injuries having an impact on career progress.
ReplyDeleteDerrick, if Corey Perry and stud belong nowhere near each other in the same sentence, unless you are describing a guy on guy porn scene.
ReplyDeleteHe's a good player, but he's no fucking stud.
I think the question is if 78 at this price could possibly be a value contract in 2011 and I think the awnser is yes.
ReplyDeleteIts also a matter of sending away two players who are fairly close to being actual NHL players and keeping a guy who is as far from an actual NHL player as you can get, who actually plays in the NHL.
Like we have said for the last 4 years, that's ok if you replace them, but I have my doubts it will happen.
Neither Poo or Potulny will equate to a big loss, but giving up on Poo who was one of their best players down the stretch, is disheartening.
Maybe we are going after Adam Larsson.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if it was LT or someone else but it was called that 16 was done as soon as Fraser showed up and though I was an early fan of his -- he worked from the slot which is something not nearly enough Oilers do -- he faded down the stretch and he was alright for last year but going forward it's nice to have guys in the bottom who can defend a bit and 78 was always like that and then last year he started driving the net and showed all elements.
ReplyDeleteI think 78 was just a victim of change just for the fuck of it and I wonder if he'd still be here if 13 had been dealt to Fla for their 15ov and I wonder if he'll be back here once the decisions have been made on 12-18-19 though I don't think history would support that scnario.
Anyway, I think it's a mistake any time a team throws away a guy who's potentially value and when a shitty club with a lot of shitty players does it then it looks even worse.
BTW, I didn't get upset with the 22 reup because it makes such little sense that it wasn't worth even talking about; here's just a case where an org has a blindspot for a guy and it can't be cured.
Yeah...to hit the homerun in the 2003 draft all the Oil had to do is take the BPA. Rolls eyes bangs forehead against desk and then finally puts an end to the travesty that was 2003 draft. The two BPA available on CSB were Getzlaf at 5NA and Parise at 9NA.
ReplyDeleteDucey said...
ReplyDeleteDarren Millard is reporting that Katz just took control of the leasing rights at the Copps Col. in Hamilton.
The Hamilton Oilers are a possibility
Be sure to thank your Mayor and city councillors!
If this is true, that's a very easy bluff to call. Stupidly easy.