Monday Mailbag – Do the Oilers Need a New Backup?

Happy Monday, fine citizens. May your day go by quickly and the faces of your co-workers go un-punched. Here is another edition of the Mailbag to help you kill off some company time, and give you an opportunity to learn something at the same time. Magic, right? As always, this feature is completely dependent on you guys. If you’ve got a question you can email it to me at baggedmilk@oilersnation.com or DM on Twitter at @jsbmbaggedmilk. Until then, enjoy another free lesson from our stable of writers.

Yes, I have changed mine since the start of the season. The way Maroon and Matt Benning (doesn’t have to be protected but adds a new wrinkle) have been playing is the reason for the shift. Maroon is now on my list for the way he has played and his bargain contract.

At the start of the season, I thought they would be 4-4-1. Today, I see them going 7-3-1 mainly because of Patrick Maroon’s play and Brandon Davidson not being healthy.

No, but I am getting close. I still keep Brandon Davidson (4-4-1) but would want to find a way to protect Patrick Maroon (four Fs ahead of him: Leon, Lucic, Eberle, Nuge). Oilers could leave Eberle exposed, I do not think it reasonable (no RW of his calibre). I expect a trade will be made to go 7-3-1 and protect Maroon, I am just not there yet (in terms of giving up on Davidson). Flame away! 🙂

Haven’t made one yet and won’t until the end of the season when we see what Chiarelli has done to the roster for playoff drive. Lots of room for change between now and then.

My thinking has shifted. I hadn’t ironed out a complete list, but I was a little torn between a seven forwards/three defencemen or eight skaters approach. I’m not now; I’d take the 7-3-1 road, ideally adding a forward to the roster in the process since the Oilers don’t have that many that really need to be protected. In Peter Chiarelli’s shoes I’d be more open to exposing Benoit Pouliot and Brandon Davidson than I was in September, and far less open to exposing Patrick Maroon.

How do you not do anything in your power to try put Maroon on there now? The guy has been a stud and they should be considered trading away a defenceman (maybe Davidson) to allow the Oilers to add Maroon on the protected list.

How would Vegas possibly go without pulling a guy like Pat Maroon if the chance was there? The Oilers will need to move a forward, a defenseman, or be willing to gamble on a guy like Davidson so that they can protect Maroon. I’m guessing they’ll have to go with the 7-3-1, which could get interesting.

It isn’t easy at all to come back and play for the team that you played with for a number of years. After leaving the Canucks to go to the Blackhawks my first game back was hard. The day felt like I was on a treadmill. Everyone wants to say hi and take a moment of your time. All you want to do is have a good game!

He was fine. No different than how he usually is or most big name players who have returned to Edmonton. Speaking to media for 10-15 minutes isn’t that big of a distraction for players. They are used to it.

Very well, as expected. Nothing in his previous behaviour led me to believe we would see anything other than a first class person.

Classy. That was expected.

It looked to me like he handled it well. He had a really solid game with a terrible team (what else is new?) and mostly said the right things.

I was actually more concerned on how WE would do with his return. Whether we would cheer, or boo. But I think everything worked out nicely. Taylor looked nervous in the first period but he ended up having a half decent game. He better watch out not to piss off his own fans too much by talking too much about the Oilers.

Taylor handled the media beautifully. He complimented the city, the fans, and talked about how he had to stop himself from watching Oilers games. He’s very clearly still hurt about the trade and it was interesting to hear him try to hide it a little bit. I wrote my Three Thoughts article on Friday and while putting that together I was cruising Twitter for some reaction and it was amazing how many Devils fans hate the Edmonton storylines. I think they wish he would just get over it already.

The team has played well. No need to move anyone out unless you are replacing from within with someone as good or bringing a player from a different team. Just trading to get draft picks doesn’t work for me anymore. Wrong message to send to the players in the room.

I don’t see any reason they would trade Russell, who plays 20 minutes a night, for a draft pick. Making the playoffs is significantly more important than adding a second or third round pick. I don’t see Hendricks having many suitors. I wouldn’t trade Gryba because defensive depth is important. What if they suffer a few injuries on the blueline after the trade deadline? I’d rather have depth than a late round pick.

I think a player like Hendricks is vulnerable because there are replacements available (although with less experience). The defenders will likely stay, you need a ton of those guys for the postseason. I think we are approaching the point where we can assume Edmonton will be buyers.

Could they? Sure. I wouldn’t move Gryba or Russell, short of a team wanting them as part of a deal involving more significant players.

It’s a case-by-case thing because the team can and should make the playoffs this year, but also needs to keep one eye on winning the Cup in the near future. If Hendricks can be dealt, by all means go for it – his on-ice contributions can be replaced internally. Normally I’d be more skeptical about moving Gryba, but Edmonton also has a ton of defencemen in the system and Matt Benning has done a good job seizing a regular spot. Russell’s situation is more difficult. He has real value to the team, but that value has been exaggerated – his 0.941 on-ice save percentage at 5-on-5 is far-and-away the best total of his career and is giving an impression of defensive invincibility that isn’t warranted. My guess is that the Oilers could cash him in for something really significant, and if that’s the case they should.

Depending on the circumstance, I think you should try keep your depth players and worry about them in the summer. UNLESS it works out nicely that we get a good return. Chiarelli and the Oilers have to make the playoffs this year or else the city will burn down. That would be my main focus, not next years’ contracts.

If the Oilers are going to make the playoffs this year they’re going to need depth. That means getting out of the habit we’ve formed over the last decade of trading expiring contracts for magic beans. Matty Hendricks may not be what he once was but he’s still a veteran presence that would be useful down the stretch.

I agree. I would prefer to see Brossoit continue to play. The problem is good backups are hard to find and you have to pay for them midseason with draft picks. I am greedy and don’t want to give those up.

They have six weeks to find out. If Brossoit struggles then Chiarelli can add a veteran at the deadline. They need to find out what they have in Brossoit, and maybe even Ellis, if Brossoit falters.

Great question, and I think the next several weeks will give us our answer. Edmonton has kept Brossoit in the minors and he has worked on his consistency. At some point, you have to give a man his opportunity, and I think we are here with Brossoit.

I would lean toward a more experienced back-up and that’s something Chiarelli could focus on if he doesn’t like what he sees from Broissoit during the regular season.

Brossoit needs to clear waivers next season, and he’s on a one-way contract. I don’t like that he needs to win the job right now – ideally he’d be at the top of his game in the AHL rather than a prolonged slump – but this was always going to be a make-or-break season for him and the Oilers. But I don’t have any problem with giving him a shot and seeing what he can do with the minutes.

Yeah, I agree, especially since Brossoit’s not having the greatest year right now. If Brossoit was putting up last year’s numbers I would be content with him riding the pine, but his numbers in the AHL this year, and how he played in the NHL last year make me nervous.

Yes. Full stop. No offense to LB but he’s rocking a .908 save% in the AHL this year and that’s nothing to write home about. I think it would be better for his development to play every game in Bakersfield rather than watching Talbot from the bench. Get a backup, Chia. Do it now.

Consistent. He needs to be the same every night. Be physical, cycle the puck and take it to the net. Simple game plan that can be hard to do every night when you are tired or sore.

Khaira needs to just be consistent. He played well in his first six or seven games last year and then it tailed off a bit. Which is not a surprise, many young players, and even some vets, struggle to find the zone where their effort is consistent every night. He has all the skills to be an effective NHL player.

If he plays well, Matt Hendricks is the veteran most in jeopardy to loss ice time.

I think he has a great chance to stay. The last item on the list was offense, and he has improved markedly since his rookie pro season. I think Khaira is going to be a strong candidate for an NHL career, but do worry Las Vegas may also feel this way.

Nobody should be nervous. Competition for jobs is part of the game. Jujhar has to keep his feet moving and take the body. His size and speed for a bigger player are assets he absolutely has to use. Play a simple, consistent game.

He needs to earn the trust of the coaching staff. Todd McLellan has made it painfully clear that he will sit players indefinitely if he’s not convinced of their utility, an experience that Anton Slepyshev and Taylor Beck and Jesse Puljujarvi have all gone through. Matt Hendricks is the obvious player for Khaira to displace on the roster. Drake Caggiula probably should be in some danger – he’s the only forward on the team averaging less than a point per hour at 5-on-5 – but judging by how the coaches have used him he isn’t.

I think less is more with Jujhar’s situation. He just needs to play a solid, mistake free game, and throw around his body. I guess Anton lander should be the nervous one as he got replaced with Jujhar. Other than that I think Jujhar may have a spot until Puljujarvi or Pakarinen, (after a conditioning stint) are good to come back up.

JJ is a big boy and he needs to consistently use that big frame to cause mayhem out on the ice. As for stealing a job, I’m looking at guys like Hendricks that could be beaten out by a younger, cheaper Khaira.

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