With this season for the Oilers essentially being a wash we can look ahead to next season and see what the team might look like on opening day. Let's start with the leaving players.
Departures
Jordan Eberle
This will by far be the most controversial trade among Oilers fans, if Mactavish does this he absolutely has to get something good back. The reason I believe he does it is because the Oilers need pieces in key positions, and Eberle is the only piece of the Oilers core that is expendable. Of all the pieces on the trade block for the Oilers, Eberle is also the most valuable. I believe a deal gets done.
Justin Schultz
His game has improved under Todd Nelson, and this is part of the reason why I believe he's being shipped out. I believe some team will see Schultz's upside and ask for him in a trade. I think Craig Mactavish sees this and uses it to his advantage. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Schultz is gone at either the trade deadline or in the summer.
Jeff Petry
Man, I am a Jeff Petry fan. He's one of the most established defenders the Oilers have, however, with his contract being up and with hearing almost nothing for new contract talks it seems inevitable that Petry is done.
Martin Marincin
It seems odd to me that Marincin hasn't gotten more chances this year. I believe he's done and I think he is a fairly valuable trade asset. A team will see the time he's had here and see what he could potentially do if given a chance and will ask for him in a trade. The right deal will come a long and Craig Mactavish will pull the trigger.
Ben Scrivens
It's clear the Oilers need a legitimate #1 goalie and need to quit rolling the dice on young back ups who've had a promising start. Because of this Ben Scrivens is very likely done as an Oiler in order to make room for a new goalie Scrivens will either be traded in a package for the new goalie, or the new goalie will come as a free agent and Scrivens will be used in another deal. Either way he's done.
Arrivals
This is where it gets fun. Who will be entering the team via free agency or trade for the Oilers? Let's have a look at what I think Mactavish may have up his sleeve.
Keith Yandle, Antoine Vermette
You know how I said Mactavish trading Eberle would need to be something big? Well I believe he does with this deal. Yandle would definitely help stabalize the back end, and Vermette would be a nice addition at centre. I realize Vermette is a UFA and there's no guarantee we keep him, for that reason the Oilers might trade for Hanzal instead in this case as well. Or to guard against that risk they can have a conditional draft pick coming back. Or they could just ask for a third piece, that isn't a UFA so that then they have two pieces to stick to the team. There are ways around Vermette's pending UFA status, and he is the better player than Hanzal. Who knows? Maybe Vermette resigns here if traded, or maybe the Oilers do this trade for Yandle and another piece and sign Vermette in the off season. They do have options. If the Oilers are going to give up Eberle, a pick (likely Pittsburgh's first rounder), and likely another piece (this could be where Marincin goes), I want them getting back the best players possible.
Eric Gryba
The Senators reportedly have an interest in Jeff Petry, and the Oilers are almost certainly going to trade him. However, they would likely need an established defenseman in return. Gryba is twenty-six years old and plays about sixteen minutes a night. That sounds like something that could help the Oilers. Gryba does only have a short contract, but his numbers don't scream that he's deserving as a massive long term deal. The Oilers should be able to lock him up on a reasonable deal when his current contract expires if they were to land him.
Cam Ward
I think Ward comes as a trade. I know, I'm usually the one saying Oilers won't land a good player, however, I think there are reasons he would come here and resign. Sometimes good players do want to help a young, struggling team improve. I think Ward might want to do that. The fact that he's originally from the Edmonton area doesn't hurt either. And he's 30, he's not likely to land a massive record breaking deal anywhere so he should be affordable for the Oilers. For once a star player willingly coming to the Oilers makes sense. As for who is traded it could be an interesting package. I'm not totally sure who it would be. Maybe some picks or prospects, or Ference might be a possibility.
Karl Alzner
The Oilers may want to lock up a winger with Eberle now gone, and Washington could use a back up goalie. So could Scrivens, and a piece for Alzner potentially work? I don't see why not, Washington needs a goalie and Alzner would be a welcome piece on the Oilers. I doubt it would be Scrivens for Alzner straight up, this could be where Schultz goes as well. In Washington Schultz could get to play behind some veteran defensive defenseman, he would have a chance to work on his defensive game without always being in the spotlight.
Intorducing the starting lineup for your 2015/2016 Edmonton Oilers
Taylor Hall-Ryan Nugent-Hopkins-Nail Yakupov
Benoit Pouliot- Antoine Vermette- Teddy Purcell
Matt Fraser- Derek Roy- Iro Pekarinen
Matt Hendricks- Boyd Gordon- Rob Klinkhammer
Keith Yandle- Mark Fayne
Oscar Klefbom- Karl Alzner
Erick Gryba- Andrew Ference
Cam Ward
Victor Fasth
-Darren
What do you think of my roster for the 2015/2016 Edmonton Oilers? Let me know by either commenting below or find me on twitter @thewildman111
photo taken from hockey30.com
No comments:
Post a Comment