Look Forward to These Oilers Rumours in 2016

Before we get into the nitty gritty of this post, I want to talk shop about the World Cup, then we’ll delve head-first into the rumours.

Wow! Taylor Hall passed over for a FOURTH TIME!!! How did Twitter react?

Ryan O’Reilly over Taylor Hall. At this point I’m just curious as to how many players would have to get hurt before Hall gets the nod.

— @ryanbatty.bsky.social (@ryan_batty) September 14, 2016

Do we know for sure that Taylor Hall is actually Canadian ?

— Morley Scott (@Morley_Scott) September 14, 2016

The "Taylor Hall is one of the Top 3 LWs in the game" crowd must be really confused right now. 🤔🙃😏 #WCH2016

— Ryan Robinson (@BlogManRy) September 14, 2016

I feel genuinely bad for Taylor Hall. But again: Adds to the narrative of what return Peter Chiarelli got for him. #Oilers

— Kurt Leavins (@KurtLeavins) September 14, 2016

So there you have it. Opinions vary but if you’re still confused as to why Hall was left off, consider these factors:

• Hall won’t play centre. Hockey Canada wants players that are versatile.
• Hall doesn’t play C, therefore, he can’t take draws. O’Reilly is outstanding on the dot.
• Hall’s off-ice attitude is well-known throughout the league. Maybe Hockey Canada would like to stay away players throwing hissy fits on the bench when their coach sets them straight.
  • O’Reilly did drive a truck into a Tim Horton’s though… So there is that.
• The quality of competition between the World’s and this World Cup isn’t exactly equal. So throw that out the window.
  • Easy for Hall to put up points versus international powerhouses like Germany, France, Hungary, or Belarus but what about the games where it mattered? Where was he then?
• Lastly, and most importantly, Taylor Hall picks his nose and eats it.

When Taylor Hall figures out that this is a TEAM game and it’s not all about him, be it on the ice or where ever, he’ll become the player that Hockey Canada calls on. But until then, I think we can stop caring about if he ever makes the national team. He’s a New Jersey Devil now.

THE WORLD CUP

The first two games versus Team Europe were something to behold. The speed and skills were on full display. McDavid didn’t pick up any points but he opens up space for his linemates, who’ve been plenty so far. I think it’s funny that the media is starting to compare him to Crosby in that it’s hard to find a linemate that can play with him. It’s not really, find two guys that don’t need the puck all the time. Eichel and Gaudreau need the puck all the time. I thought Scheifele did okay with 97 in the first pre-tourney game and I was impressed with how Connor played with Auston Matthews in the 3rd period of the game versus the Czechs. But ultimately, maybe it’s Drouin and MacKinnon that will be the best linemates for him.

Yesterday was a helluva day for Oilers and former Oilers as Ales Hemsky had a superb outing versus the North American team. Made me fawn over days past when Hemsky’s hands were as soft as a cloud and of course, I wondered if he’d be a player the Oilers would be interested in but then I thought better of that because we know Chiarelli is not a fan of “soft” players…

Neon Leon Draisaitl… A hat-trick versus the Swedes and we’re not wondering if he can do it without Taylor Hall, are we?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UigWUfg3SII

The Oilers Rumours We’ll Be Hearing in 2016

I believe that the Oilers will unload another $6M man by the start of 2017 and that man will be Jordan Eberle. The reason I believe that is because I’m not sure how much Chiarelli and McLellan enjoy Eberle’s lack of a two-way game and his lack of intensity. Not that he needs that to be successful but show a bit of sandpaper from time-to-time, right?

Now, what will make dealing Eberle easier is Brad Marchand coming onto the market. Does anybody believe in what the Bruins are doing over there? They look like a sinking ship but lucky for them they’ve got Marchand, Bergeron and Rask holding things up.

I reckon that the Oilers will be very interested in adding a player like Brad Marchand. He’s got the edge that Chiarelli loves and he scores goals. But the kicker here is, when he’s not scoring goals; he’s helping the team in other ways whether that be on special teams or just annoying the other teams. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t want him on the Oilers and what happens when Eberle or Yakupov stop scoring?

*This is just an aside, a personal thought if you will, but I wonder what happens if Philly or Boston starts slow, do you think they’d be willing to get together with Edmonton and Boston for a 3-way? Maybe Simmonds to Boston, Ebs to Philly and Marchand to Edmonton?

Simmonds has three seasons left @ 3.975M and has a modified NTC. Marchand is making $4.5M right now but is a UFA after this season coming up and Eberle has three more years @ $6M. So obviously there’d have to be some more to the deals. (source)*

That $6M on Eberle next to Simmonds’ and Marchand’s salary looks bloated eh?*

The other rumour I believe we’ll be hearing is the Oilers going after Brent Burns.

How much do you think adding Burns and Marchand will cost the Oilers in straight up cash? $15M?

Brent Burns is making $5.76M right now and he’s 31 years old. Could we shoot that up to around $7M or $7.5M per year on the open market? I think those would be reasonable numbers but the term… THE TERM!!! If I were Chiarelli, I’d need him to sign for 5 years maximum. Getting up there around 36/37 years old is a dangerous game. But it’s quite possible that Burns’ next contract will be his last, so… Bump that term up to 7 years and maybe he goes the way of the Ference… Er I mean the dodo.

What about Marchand? He’s making $4.5M this season, so do you give him Eberle’s $6M for 7 years? Surely, that’s what he’d be looking for. Something along the lines of what Lucic signed for.

Yup, I’m saying that Chiarelli will be looking at adding his coach’s former team’s best defender and his own former team’s best scoring winger. How could it be any other way? Isn’t that how things work?

Of course, everything is dependent upon where the Oilers are come trade deadline. If they are in a playoff spot or fighting for one, expect some of the defensive depth the Oilers have accrued through the draft to be used as well as 1st round picks.

Would it be smart for Edmonton to add those two players? I think it would be but they’d have to be clever in how they do it. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Darnell Nurse are all players that will be putting a major dent in the Oilers’ salary cap sooner than later.

Maybe we say goodbye to Nuge and Sekera too? Shall we take a look at a modified pre-2017/18 roster?

Lucic-McDavid-Marchand
Pouliot-Draisaitl-Puljujarvi
Maroon-Cagguila-Slepyshev
Khaira-Letestu-Kassian

Klefbom-Burns
Davidson-Larsson
Nurse-Fayne

Talbot
Brossoit

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!

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