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"This page is all about the Edmonton Oilers"
Boyle, AB • Canada • 40 Years Old • Male
Here’s a question for the die hard fans of NHL hockey: Am I the only one who feels like trying to understand the undercurrents of the league is more like studying economics than following a sport? Since I am the unofficial wannabe Oilers blog writer guy, I will use my team as an example to illustrate my point.

It is widely accepted and agreed upon that the Edmonton Oilers are not a threat to win the Stanley Cup in the 2009/2010 season. Oilers management, and perhaps more specifically team owner Daryl Katz, have expressed their dedication to developing a franchise capable of challenging for the cup every single year. Conventional wisdom suggests that the Oilers team, should they wish to challenge this season, need to make a few roster changes. And we’re not talking small, minor deals here folks. We’re talking about acquiring and/or establishing two star Top 6 forwards, a shutdown defensive pairing, and a shutdown forward line with a center that can consistently win defensive-zone face-offs.

Being able to trade for all of these players is one thing, but NHL Economics 101 dictates that every team must live within a salary cap. What this means in Oilerville is that if the team makes a bad signing, chances are they will be married to the player until the end of the contract, because other teams living under the cap will be unwilling or unable to trade for him. Meaning no disrespect to these players or the team, but Shawn Horcoff and Dustin Penner are two examples contract signings gone wrong.

What further complicates matters is that there are over 200 players in the league who have No Trade Clauses, or No Movement Clauses in their contract. Players, and we’re talking primarily about the best 200 in the league, have earned the right to determine their own fate. For the Oilers, this means that the majority of the top players will never agree to go to Edmonton because it is seen as the Siberia of the NHL. A great place to visit, but you wouldn’t want to live there.

There has been plenty-o-frustration this off-season expressed by fans in regards to the apparently lack of activity coming from team management. Khabibulin signing aside, not much has changed. Oilers brass must be aware of the discontent, and have began putting out the word that the team going into the season will likely be featuring the players currently on the roster. Translated: No cup and likely no playoffs in 2009/2010.

The Oilers roster could be broken into two groups: Players to keep, and players to move. I certainly am not the GM, but if I were, the list would be broken up as follows:

Players to keep: Hemsky, Gagner, Cogliano, O’Sullivan, Moreau, Storini, Paajarvi, Eberle, Plante, Petry, Nash, Brule, Chorney, Souray, Gilbert, Grebeshkov, Peckham, Khabibulin, DesLauriers

Players that could be moved: Horcoff, Penner, Nilsson, Jacques, MacIntyre, Pisani, Pouliot, Visnovsky, Smid, Strudwick, Staios, Schremp, other prospects and players not mentioned.

Out of those players on my “could be moved” list, I believe Horcoff, Penner, Pisani, and Staios are all players who could not be moved for much return due to their contracts. They simply get paid too much for what they can contribute to a team.

Nilsson has a reputation for being lazy and uncoachable, so his return would be small. Jacques, MacIntyre, Pouliot and Schremp are all questionable as NHL players, so their potential return would be small as well.

After all of that, what do we have left? Visnovksy, who could be moved to bring in a Top 6 forward, but the move would have to be with a team that had enough cap space to absorb his salary. Smid, who could bring an okay player, but nothing more. And prospect Linus Omark, who’s agent, for some reason, seems to have a hate for Edmonton. Linus has signed in the KHL, and won’t be in the NHL for at least two more seasons. That’s it, folks: Three moveable players, with only one capable bringing in a strong return. Hence the current gridlock situation. Management's hands are tied.

The conundrum Oilers management faces with immediately improving the team is that they would be forced to part with quality prospects or draft picks in order to do it. If the purpose of making deals is to improve the team’s long-term prognosis, it would be wiser to hold on to youth and potential. Once again, Oiler fans will given a bucket of magic beans, and be asked to be patient a little while longer.

This could be a long, frustrating season in Edmonton.
July 21, 2009 3:02 PM ET | Delete
I like the list of players that we can move except Visnovsky. Visnovsky is an incredible D man who also adds an excellent offensive punch. He plays the game like Lidstrom.
July 21, 2009 3:15 PM ET | Delete
See Smyth, Ryan. Gomez, Scott. Richards, Brad. Like most things, "no movement" for high priced players is blown way out of proportion by fans.
July 21, 2009 3:32 PM ET | Delete
July 21, 2009 4:18 PM ET | Delete
In respect to Visnovsky being the player I recommended as being movable, the Oil have four puck-moving d-men, and arguments could me made for or against moving any of them. Vis is the most expensive, and with cap issues being what they are, he is the most expendable.
July 21, 2009 6:40 PM ET | Delete
I hear what you're saying Maxbone, and mostly agree. However, out of the 4 of them, Vishy is by far the best one. Best skater, best passer, best vision, and top 2 in shooting. Grebs signing was great today. He is my 2nd favorite Oilers puck moving D man. Grebs, Gilbert, Vishy, and ... who is the 4th puck moving D man? Souray?
July 21, 2009 8:02 PM ET | Delete
I think the oilers may be in a spot of trouble, alot of players don't want to sign with them. The prospects haven't been developed well (please note Schremp) due to not having there own farm team. Kevin Lowe lucked out with the 06 cup run, but has made the organization undesirable and lacking a clear direction. . . enough on the Oilers rant.Very solid blog, one of the best I've read in awhile.
July 21, 2009 11:59 PM ET | Delete
Agree with all you say Maxbone, except moving Lubo. Move Souray instead of Lubo almost the same cap hit, and he's a superior player, ya he's not as big but he plays as big, his shots not as hard but it's close and far more acurate. Maybe Penner would even stand in front of the net on the powerplay if the bomb's coming off of Lubos acurate stick instaed of Souray's. And on the open market Souray has all sorts of value.
July 22, 2009 1:20 AM ET | Delete
Good blog. How about the Oil do nothing and see if we have a new coaching style that works and see if after last year's debockle we have chemistry back again. Cause last year nothing was clicking and Mac T's constant line changing for the sake of change never worked. So instead of doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results why don't we stop the insanity and see what happens? If we're healthy and this doesn't work then blow it up and start over.
July 22, 2009 2:17 AM ET | Delete
definitely move Lubo before Souray... Lubo is soft and at times lazy. He takes too many penalties instead of moving his feet and playing defence. Souray brings more intensity and physical presence that is lacking on our blue line. And seriously, he was second in points last year! Visnovsky is expendable. Move him ? for the rights to Kessel and Sturm (to free up cap space for the Bruins)
July 22, 2009 2:18 AM ET | Delete
the last line was supposed to read: move him plus ? (an unknown player) for the rights...
July 23, 2009 12:07 AM ET | Delete
Visnovsky lead his team in points the last time he was the #1 defenceman on a team. Everyone has a man crush on Souray so of the two who's going to get you more in a trade when you're essentially trading the same level of player. It's like a stock, sell high buy low.
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