When a team is losing, there are predictable results. For Edmonton Oilers fans, trade rumours used to be an annual event by mid-winter. We’d talk about veterans from November to the trade deadline, at which point they were sent away with futures. Who can forget hits like “Ryan Smyth to the Islanders” or “Erik Cole we hardly knew ye” and “So long, Dustin Penner”?
- Elliotte Friedman on Sportsnet 650: “One other name I would throw out there – if Edmonton doesn’t get back into the race, I’m curious what they’re going to do with Nugent-Hopkins.” Source
We know from previous reporting that the Columbus Blue Jackets are a team of interest for the Oilers. Logic dictates CBJ may be a team focused on RNH as a trade target. We know Peter Chiarelli was in Boston Friday watching the Bruins and has been scouting them quite a bit recently (source: Alex Thomas).
if Nuge’s name is out there, that might be an indication the club will deal him in-season should things continue to slide. Perhaps the plan is to sign Patrick Maroon with some of the leftover money and get young, entry-level players for RNH. A young center plus a defender who can help and not break the bank?
What Does it all Mean?
If the Oilers season continues to falter, Peter Chiarelli may look at offloading some of his expensive contracts in anticipation of what will likely be an extremely active summer 2018. Nuge might be at the intersection of what the Oilers are willing to give up and what has value to other NHL teams.
One for one deals have been in fashion for Peter Chiarelli since he arrived. Perhaps we’ll see more than one asset in return for Nugent-Hopkins should it come to pass.
I’m sure Oilers fans would prefer equal or greater value. For me, I don’t think trading Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is a good idea, now or in summer. He’s a keeper.
Noooo Nuge must stay!
I think a trade might be the solution to wake the team up, but who for who. Are we looking for a defenceman or forward? Which position will make better impact?
The Nuge will go and Chia will stay, good night, sleep tight, and don’t let the bed bugs bite.
Chiarelli is the guy that has to go…..I’m just wondering how Bob Nicholson & Wayne Gretzky can continue to watch Chiarelli get his head kicked in on all these trades…
He’s traded anything that had value for pennies on the dollar, more to the point is that MSM have now started to notice and are rightfully questioning these trades openly, Edmonton’s media of course is still miles behind for some inexplicable reason?
You guys are so hypocritical. Last year oilersnation wanted pc to expose eberle in the expansion draft for nothing. Now he didn’t get enough for him. Hypocrites. Please elaborate for me which trades he got his “head kicked in”. I’m very interested in hearing more whining from you guys!
Jultzy, your blind optimism often sounds like blind stupidity:
Eberle had to go, whatever we got for him. A good GM would have cut bait before and would have got more.
The Reinhart deal….those were good picks if not to get Barzal to trade them for a better defender (dummy Hamilton was not the only defender in the world back then).
The Larsson trade….I like Larsson but this would have been a more fair deal with a pick (we could have a good prospect now). Hall after all is a fantastic player.
The Yak trade…. I don’t know you but today in which line would yak be playing? Top 9 for sure. We got an ECHLer.
So Chia did get kicked on the teeth…. or how do you see it? You like all these trades?
I have never wavered in my opinions of Chiarelli trades; I had many arguments with @Batman and @Spyder about keeping Eberle.
If Eberel HAD to be traded…. then it was best to keep him this year and trade him at the deadline while his stock was higher or get something like VALUE back.
I hated the Reihart deal.
I hated the Hall trade
I hated the way he handled Pouliot deal! Egregious CAP asset management
I like getting Lucic…….This contract alone should have gotten Chiarelli fired, it’s a buyout prof contract that is way too long at way to high of dollars.
I hated the Eberle deal – nowhere near the value back
I hated the contract given to Draisaitl, felt anything over 7.5 million and he should have been dealt to the Avalanche for MacKinnon.
NOT finding a replacement for Sekera for half a season is degradation of duty
NOT using the CAP space for trading Eberle is also piss poor asset management
This is not a small sample size; this is a huge loss of skilled assets, and this is just the OILERS, he did the same thing in Boston and left them a mess.
So, it’s not hypocritical to say he’s a very poor manager. He’s awful.
The msm is a bunch hacks. If they don’t write what the team wants they start to lose access. No one wants to upset poor PC.
Real talk –
Nuge is probably Edmonton’s second best player. He is consistent defensively and has found his offensive touch this year. He is out playing Draisitil who is costing 2 million more per year.
Hall for Larrson
Eberle for Strome
Nugent – Hopkins for … Boone Jenner?
Again if this is a cap dump, it’s because of poor asset management (LOL at Russel at 4 mill per year – if he makes 4 mill Nurse is going to want 6-8 mill) which sits solely on the GM.
If you want to trade for skill and a cap dump trade Draisitil – he’ll probably have more value than Nuge and his contract is a bigger hit. Nuge is a proven 2C as well, while Draisitil is not.
One thing is for sure, Drai is not worth an 8.5 million cap hit.
I am curious as to what Bob Nicholson is thinking of what to do about the state of the Oilers.
Return to the decade of darkness. Chia has destroyed this team further. The roster is bleak and the organizational depth has gotten worse or improved little with him.
If he brings back an impactful RD w offense of the top 4 variety maybe. I am disappointed in Lucic at This point. It would be a shame to have to trade him to have room for that contract.
Personally I would trade Leo before the Nuge, why because clearly RNH is the preferred 2nd line center and Leon is the worlds most expensive winger.
Trading Leon would get you the stud right d man the team needs as well as another top six player and maybe even a solid prospect.
If PC is moving the Nuge the return will be similar to the Eberle trade.
PC lost the Hall trade by a mile, gave Eberle away, gave away the pick (Barzal) as well as a top center in Boston, do you,really want him trading the Nuge .
Time to find a real GM, Toronto did it right as did Tampa , when you have solid management the team will be built proper.
The Oilers don’t have top notch coaching or management, look at the farm team , almost every team in the league has a prospect or two ripping it up and ready to join the team next year. The Oilers, not so much.
How did we end up with so many players that can’t keep up with the other teams speed and we only talk about trading one of the only players that can?
Low tide, it is getting very tiresome of listening to you throw Nuge’s name into the trade talks. You talk about how much you like him but you throw him under the bus on a consistent basis. I am starting to think Nuge might have slighted you in some way, if they get rid of him I guarantee the return will be minimal, but we do have Lucic to take over his role.
Are you that dumb? Lowetide is not the one throwing him under the bus or tossing his name out there. He is discussing the many others that are mentioning him in trades.
Something has turned this team into a group of Zombies could it be from breathing the encapsulated air in the cabin of aircraft while traveling,?
When one is infected they all breathe that contaminated air.
What does their medical staff say?
@Sammy P
Uh…what?
If he brings back an impactful RD w offense of the top 4 variety maybe. I am disappointed in Lucic at This point. It would be a shame to have to trade him to have room for that contract.
And who replaces him??? Just get buy in from the rest of these slugs and start playing some passionate games. You cannot win without effort.
I can’t wait for Chiarelli to get fleeced on another trade for Nuge. It will be just great. Get rid of Chia before he ruins the team even more.
If the city paid for x% of the rink, and the city gets its money from the people, who are the actual fans, who also fund OEG, then shouldn’t x% of The Nuge question be put to a city referendum?
Why are you fearful, O baggedmilk of little faith?
It’s kind of funny that you banned me one time for bashing Chia. And arguing with the Chia yes men on here. Good times.
I’m pleased to see a person who analyzes the team for a living make such a definitive, unambiguous statement.
Can we organize a “Nuge Must Stay” rally outside Chia’s office or actual house this weekend please?
Also, are the rumors of a locker room rift true? If yes, could we unload the not Nuge and McDavid contracts please? Am I the only one who likes Nuge as much or more than Drai?
what rumors of a locker room rift? Sources please
Likely referring to the Nurse beating up Draisiatl in a bar over a woman thangie that’s been going around
Yes
Drai screwed Klefboms girl it’s being said. Nurse punched him out over it. Roomers.
Well if they keep Nuge at least they won’t have to worry about HIM punching anybody out!
so no actual sources then. just he said she said.
something sure ain’t right in “the room”, though
Some dude on 1260
I’d rather we talk about the “Nuge Must Stay” rally… We should all be making placards right now
Anyone who has played hockey realizes that dressing rooms are never 100% unified. It’s a little like high school – small groups of close friends form and there are the leaders (cool kids), geeks, outsiders, etc. None of this matters if the guys you don’t like do their jobs. Winning trumps all. Also, I think coaches can separate small issues in the group dynamic from serious conflict that could cause irreparable damage to the team. Maybe I am too trusting, but if there was a serious issue I believe PC would get rid of everyone involved. His track record is just that; if a guy doesn’t fit, he’s gone.
Yes, and with respect, you are too trusting re. locker rooms in general. I’m not saying — because I have no idea — that this is going on with our current crew, but remember Tommy Salo? I think we all know that story.
Keep McJesus, Nuge, Nurse, Larrson.
lucic has a nmc and little value on the trade market; fire the gm and coach
Just to get rid of that contract would be a win.
Here is hoping we get a free buyout at the next CBA debacle.
Agreed, Nuge is a keeper. If the choice is between Nuge and Maroon then I know who I am keeping. Maroon isn’t having a great season and can’t realistically be expecting that big of a raise but for me the Oilers money is far better spent on a strong two way center then on a complimentary right winger who doesn’t do much other then take passes from Connor.
If the Oilers are nowhere near the hunt by trade deadline I could see Maroon getting traded.
Chia’s desperate … mostly about losing his job … he HAS to do something … his very last chance is to hope that Oil Nation has some more patience in them as he goes about another rebuild or cap correction, call it what you will … confirmed rumors online is he is seriously looking at bringing in two unheralded rookies from Beantown for Hyphen … Danton Heinen and Peter Cehlarik …
What say you, Oil Nation, got some more patience … or no … ? 🙂
Agreed Maroon is slow we need a better fore checker with speed in my opinion.
good thing we let pitlick go, he didn’t check any of those boxes.
Nuge is only a keeper because it would cost too much to divest ourselves of him at this point. Simply put nobody is going to take him at $6.0 million. A buyout or salary retention are the options and neither is pretty.
You’re crazy if you don’t think someone will line up to fleece Chiarelli on a Nugent-Hopkins trade. He’s on pace for 30 goals and 60 points this year. That’s a $6 million center.
Agree 100%. Nuge has slowly grown into a #1C for a bubble team, or a #2C for a very good club. The guy is just plain good at hockey. In the new NHL, players are expected to do everything, not just be specialists. RNH does almost everything well and some things very well. I’m not on the fire PC bandwagon. However, if he gets “fleeced” on any trade involving RNH that will change in a hurry (like the Ryan Murray rumor, yikes).
Well I never said Chia wouldn’t get fleeced. Having to retain salary would indicate a fleecing.
The Nuge is similar to Hall in value. Another stay at home dman should be suffice.
What ever you’re smoking I’d like some. Geez dude.
It’s gotta be hydro, at least. You don’t get that high on outdoor weed.
Agreed on not trading Nuge. But unfortunately PC is a complete idiot and will trade him as you suggest. We’re doomed with him at the helm.
I see every one is ready to burn PC at the stake and probably use TM as kindling. The season is quite likely at the point it can’t be saved but why allow these two to escape with their contracts to play golf in Arizona. The Oilers will have to pay them anyway so why not make them and their reputations suffer with the rest of us and let them go in April.
maybe someone will take lucic???…
this team has enough larger, gritty players to play a gritty and heavy/punishing style (which they did pretty good last year)
i dont think the coach is the problem, but i think changing the coach could give a boost, and i think Daryl Sutter is the type of coach that could get the most out of this team with all the bigger guys and a few highly skilled players.
I actually don’t mind the Sutter thinking, but I think it is time to go to a younger thinking coach, old school coaching is going by the wayside. I liked Kruger, Nelson type coaches, but I don’t think the Oilers are into changing coaches right now unless it is very obvious within the dressing room. It would be interesting to hear from PC on what he envisions as his team style of play, speed in my mind is the only option if you have McD as your centrepiece.
The complaint from the players during the last of his tenure in LA was that he was unapproachable and the players couldn’t talk to him.
If I was ownership, I’d be concerned about letting Chia make any more trades,
I think Bob Nicholson could veto any trade he didn’t agree with. Maybe I am wrong. Regardless, I agree that the Oilers cannot afford any asset mismanagement going forward. As for the style of play; I agree with your perspective on the size and (potential) grittiness of the team. Some of that play we saw last year has been diluted into stick-fishing in the corners vs. good body position and contact. As the kids would say we need more beast mode from our heavy players.
Bob has no say in player personnel. It starts and ends with Chia. That’s why he would only come in as dual president and gm. He has total autonomy. And from the moment this team hired him I told you all he was going to screw it all up and ruin this team.
When you have a GM and coach on different wave lengths anything can happen. Coach thinks RNH is teams second best forward. GM payed Leon to be Oilers second best forward. GM can’t fire coach because he has more respect in the league than he does, the Mike Babcock coaching fraternity is more respected than a GM that continuously loses trades for high end skill players. Two weeks ago I didn’t think RNH could be traded, but as things move along it could be either RNH moves along to make room for Leon, Leon moves along, coach gets fired or quite simply the GM is the first to go. With Katz and the old boys club in the background, nothing would surprise me right now.
Is it possible, omg, that the old boys are getting closer and closer to Katz ear again with this sheet show going on? Say it ain’t so Joe.
Agreed they appear to be on different wave lengths. Don’t think that McL believes Nuge to be a superior player to Drai. He just believes that Nuge is a centerman and Drai is more versatile. And c’mon ON – geez, if McL would play Drai consistently in the middle with 2 decent wingers, it would soon be no contest as to who the better centerman and player is. Drai is the consumate natural centerman for crying out loud and has been a c man his whole life. Only a moron would waste his natural c man abilities for much longer. Which leads me to McL. Anyway – PC is right, Drai is a c man, not a winger and Nuge is in the way. Nuge has trade value and if PC can get the right return – its the right thing to do. The only thing that would change my mind is if somehow there is truth to some of these rumors about Drai and Nurse and whoever else may have been involved. If Drai really screwed up – well, he has trade value and he is worth the contract.
I think LD and RNH are better fundamentally at centre than Connor. If the Oilers were to put Connor on RNH’s wing and set him free I think it would be magic. Let the trashes begin. Lol
I don’t understand all the Ryan Murray trade talk. First of all he is a LEFT HANDED D-MAN. That alone should nix that trade (unless they are trading a LD). Second of all RM would be third on the depth chart. Trading a 2C for a 3LD (when we already have enough) is ridiculous.
If Chia trades Nuge for Murray I think a lot of fans will be done with this team.
If PC actually signs Maroon for more than a million he is without a doubt the worst GM in the league. Maroon is a disposable part, easy to find a big body with marginal talent to play wing for McDavid. For god sakes Oilers do not do a Russell deal for Maroon we are going to be in cap hell soon enough and you can’t have a slug making 3 or 4 million a year
Prepare yourself. It’s going to happen.
So excited for next year when we have zero cap and have to start letting good players walk.
Nuge stays, McLellend goes
I’m surprised by the idea that it should be Leon going instead of Nuge. Do we think Leon will never live up to that $8.5 million in the next 8 years? Are we suggesting a successful Nuge will have more of a positive impact on team success than Leon? Of course it would be great if some of the other contracts could be moved out instead, but i have little faith in the GM right now.
I would hate to see Nuge go.
But…. I would focus on the return, not “who can we get” but “who we want”.
Who we want?
– Karlsson
– Doughty
– OEL
– Ekblad
So on, then we see what we need to get one of those superstars, if the answer is “McDavid “ that’s a no go, but as we go down the list if the answer becomes “Draisaitl “ or “nuge” we centre the trade on those, try to get something more, give something else more, etc.
Nuge for Murray is idiotic, makes the team worse.
Drai for Ekblad + ….. maybe not too bad
Oh and our first round pick will be high this year (lottery high) so we don’t deal that one until we know if we are first overall or 4th.
I was thinking about this trade the other day and it may be need for need.
if you are trading Drai, you need to accept it isnt going to be for “Ekblad+” or OEL+
Drai had one good year, not hittinh that level this year, raises concerns. not saying he isnt awesome, he is, but how much can he carry a line and how much did McD carry him? legit questions…
and to get a proven #1 D for Drai and expect more, not going to happen.
Plus, Drai is over paid by 2 mil. full stop.
I would try to get a Drai for OEL, plus whatever it takes. this team needs a defense that can support the rush and cycle
This talk about Nuge being better than Draisaitl is stupid. I like Nuge but he has never played to the level of Draisaitl. Draisaitl is averaging just under a point a game and this team has played like sh/t.
The position they are in is on Chiarelli not making the moves this past summer to fill a couple of holes.
When has Nuge gotten to play in a line with McDavid it PP with McDavid and rack up points? He hasn’t. Why? Because he is the only one that can handle his own line. Drai has shown time and again that he is no where near the same production with out being with McDavid.
Draisaitl looked pretty spectacular in the playoffs last year didn’t he!?
Drai that one game he played in a line without McDavid? Yes. The rest of the time playing with McDavid. One big game does not make the difference.
I don’t think the talk is about nuge> Drai.
I think it’s about Drai gets us more in a trade than Nuge and the trade might actually be good because as long as we have nuge, we Know we have a decent 2nd C.
Drai could get you A LOT, and yes we would miss him. But… Patti Kane anyone?
Until the coach plays Leon at centre – the message is clear RNH is more respected as a two way centre by the coach. So far it looks like the coach may get fired before that changes.