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WWYDW: Mortgaging the Future
Feb 8, 2017, 23:48 ESTUpdated: Oct 12, 2017, 17:16 EDT
The Edmonton Oilers find themselves in a difficult position
as the trade deadline approaches. On the one hand, the team is stocked with
younger players, whose best years are in front of them. On the other hand, the
West is weak and this is a team that might be able to make some noise
immediately.
as the trade deadline approaches. On the one hand, the team is stocked with
younger players, whose best years are in front of them. On the other hand, the
West is weak and this is a team that might be able to make some noise
immediately.
In this week’s edition of What Would You Do Wednesday, we
ask how comfortable the team should be with mortgaging futures to bring in help
in the here-and-now.
ask how comfortable the team should be with mortgaging futures to bring in help
in the here-and-now.
We should probably start by taking inventory of what the
Oilers have to offer.
Oilers have to offer.
Draft Picks
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The Oilers still own pretty much all of their draft picks
for the next three seasons, so if they want to go shopping they have some
currency to play with. All of the team’s pending pick deals are in 2017 (marked
with asterisks) and are as follow:
for the next three seasons, so if they want to go shopping they have some
currency to play with. All of the team’s pending pick deals are in 2017 (marked
with asterisks) and are as follow:
- Edmonton will lose its 2017 second-round pick to Boston as
compensation for hiring Peter Chiarelli. - Edmonton has a conditional pick coming back from the Blues
in exchange for Nail Yakupov. There’s little chance Yakupov hits 15 goals on
the year, so it’s almost certainly going to be a 2017 third-round pick and is
so marked in the chart above. - Edmonton has a conditional pick coming back from the Canucks
in exchange for Philip Larsen. If Larsen hits certain (unknown to me)
production thresholds, it will be a 2017 fourth-round pick; otherwise it will
be a fifth-rounder. I’ve marked it as a fifth-round pick above.
Prospects
Edmonton has a few prospects that might appeal to opposing
teams. It’s hard to know what another club is going to be willing to take on—recall
the Blackhawks willingly making a trade for Liam Coughlin—but for our purposes
here I’ve confined my scope to prospects I regard as potentially having value.
teams. It’s hard to know what another club is going to be willing to take on—recall
the Blackhawks willingly making a trade for Liam Coughlin—but for our purposes
here I’ve confined my scope to prospects I regard as potentially having value.
In the AHL:
- Forward: RW Greg Chase, LW Joey Laleggia, C Anton Lander, RW
Iiro Pakarinen, C Kyle Platzer, RW Jesse Puljujarvi, RW Patrick Russell, C
Henrik Samuelsson - Defence: LD David Musil, LD Jordan Oesterle, LD Griffin
Reinhart, LD Dillon Simpson - Goal: Nick Ellis
Outside of a trade involving Puljujarvi, which would be
truly shocking, most of those players fall into the category of organizational
depth or sweetener rather than primary draw. Oesterle, Reinhart, and perhaps
Ellis are the exceptions.
truly shocking, most of those players fall into the category of organizational
depth or sweetener rather than primary draw. Oesterle, Reinhart, and perhaps
Ellis are the exceptions.
Edmonton has a long-ish list of prospects elsewhere, though
it’s probably only necessary to list the standouts. Those include LW Tyler
Benson and two or three defencemen: Caleb Jones, Ethan Bear and maybe William
Lagesson. The Oilers don’t have many significant prospects at any level.
it’s probably only necessary to list the standouts. Those include LW Tyler
Benson and two or three defencemen: Caleb Jones, Ethan Bear and maybe William
Lagesson. The Oilers don’t have many significant prospects at any level.
What Would You Do?
As Oilers GM, how much would you be willing to move this
year? Would you be willing to ship out the 2017 first-round pick, or would you
limit the possibilities to lower selections like the 2018 second-round choice
or one of this year’s third-rounders?
year? Would you be willing to ship out the 2017 first-round pick, or would you
limit the possibilities to lower selections like the 2018 second-round choice
or one of this year’s third-rounders?
What about prospects? Would you be willing to move a Benson
or Jones? What about Oesterle and/or Reinhart? Does Edmonton’s relative depth
on defence make that a possibility, or is the cupboard simply too bare to spare
any of these prospects?
or Jones? What about Oesterle and/or Reinhart? Does Edmonton’s relative depth
on defence make that a possibility, or is the cupboard simply too bare to spare
any of these prospects?
Finally: With what you would be willing to trade, what kind
of return do you think the Oilers could realistically land?
of return do you think the Oilers could realistically land?
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