Island Nucklehead wrote:I'm still baffled why they didn't let Draisaitl go play for Germany at the World Juniors. He's been a healthy scratch recently, the atmosphere is completely cynical and toxic, the team is going nowhere. Let him go lead, be worshipped by the other German players, and hit the re-set button. Germany won't do any damage, but at least it's a change of scenery. The press-box is not going to help his development.
I hadn't paid any attention to that. If they do end up sending him to junior (pending trade between St. Albert and Kelowna), that should be the nail in Lowe's coffin and MacT's first warning. Absolutely stupid.
I don't think Eberle returns a package like that. Neil has a modified NTC (bet Edmonton is a no-go), and Ottawa is looking at a top-10 pick in what's likely the best draft in at least a decade. One option for them is Montreal, and a guy they might target is Tinordi. This season is a write off, but a Tinordi-Nurse pairing could be fucking terrifying down the road.
In the current market Eberle absolutely returns that when paired with a goaltender like Fasth or Scrivens. Eberle went into the season ranked as one of the top 15 RW'ers in the league (depending upon where you looked he was as high as 8th). He warrants a 1st round pick easily. Eberle and Bobby Ryan could potentially be an incredible duo.
Anderson is a starter, but he's not the most sought after commodity, and he's 33 years old playing in front of the guy that the Senators traded Bishop to make room for. At the end of this season that trade is something that Murray would probably look long and hard at, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him take it. Neil doesn't have to be included, but Eberle and Scrivens/Fasth are certainly worth more than Anderson and a 1st round pick.
I wouldn't trade RNH or Hall. They need more size up front. Purcell and Pouliot play about 5'10. If they really want to get bold, and assuming they wind up with McDavid or Eichel, would be to send Draisaitl to Detroit in a trade for Mantha. I'd be calling Columbus to see if Scott Hartnell still has a NTC after his move from Philly, move Perron and bring him in. Back up the brinks truck to Marc Staal.
If you are adding McEichel, you are making RNH expendable. He's small, he's soft, and he's not the "generational talent" that those other two are heralded as being. Yes you're banking on them not being the next Daigle. The approach you are taking is the same one that Lowe, MacT, Tambellini, etc., have all taken. No risk, no reward. Afraid of the lateral move because it's not immediately apparent that it is a forward one.
You aren't going to attract veteran free agents to Edmonton without some significant changes made to management and roster.
Adding a starting goalie. Adding a top-6 veteran winger. Adding a top-6 veteran center. Proving that you are willing to part with "untouchables" in order to force the change that needs to be forced.
Make trades like I thought up that acquire the likes of, Anderson, Hossa, Vermette, coupled with the drafting of the "Next One", and
then you can attract guys like Boychuk or Staal via free agency. You will NOT get that kind of free agent if the only changes you make are moving out a guy like Perron in exchange for Hartnell, and then swapping unproven prospects.
[/quote]
Hall-RNH-Hartnell
Yakupov-McEichel-Purcell
Mantha-Gordon-Pouliot
Hendricks-Arcobello-Pitlick
Staal-Schultz
Nikitin-Ference
Nurse-Tinordi
Fayne-Klefbom
There's just no room for Hall, RNH, Yakupov, Eberle, Draisaitl, McEichel and Perron up front there. Who does the heavy lifting?
[/quote]
Draisaitl is already listed by several sources as being 6'1" and 210lbs. Safe to assume he'll be playing at 6'2" 215-220lbs in a few years. Why is he on your list of guys who aren't big enough?
Yakupov needs to go regardless of anything else. He's been a complete bust in Edmonton, but he still has enough upside that another GM will bite on him in a headliner trade. And rightfully so, the kid has loads of talent, he's just had nobody to point him the right direction since he landed in the NHL. But if Edmonton keeps him, I don't see him being worth a bag of pucks in a few years, at which point the only thing keeping him in North America will be the abysmal state of the Ruble.
Eberle isn't tiny, but he's a soft player, move him to the east where they prefer those kind of players.
Nugent-Hopkins is 6'0", and while the NHL lists him at 190lbs, other sites list him at 79kg or 175lbs.....from what I've seen of the kid I call bullshit on NHL.com. He plays a soft game. If his value is high, trade him.
McEichel are both listed as above 6 feet tall, and 187+ lbs.....at 18 years of age they are gonna end up playing an inch taller and 15lbs heavier. They can do some heavier lifting.
It would be advantageous for them to be able to add a big bodied winger with skill.....think 6'3" 220lbs.....but not every team has that player in their top-6, and they aren't a
requirement for success.
