Comments on: Oilers Looking For Top Scorer Still?

By: DropIt

DropIt — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:32:53 +0000

Ya, Gagne is definately a different story. Solid goal scorer, real soft hands, Hemsky’s dream linemate.

Still the mystery would remain… Who leaves town? Gagne I would imagine may even take more that Kessel and the Oil would have to shake things up this next month to arrange for something like that. Well worth the price however if it could be done. I doubt Coggliano is the biggest name leaving if Gange is the case, but for anyone short of Hemsky, the gambe will likely pay off.

By: Racki

Racki — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:51:16 +0000

Yah you’re right, DropIt. That’s my big worry – the Bruins want to move Kessel for cap space reasons, so they’re not going to do anything to absorb more back. So you got it.. that means cheap but talented players like Cogliano, Gagner, MPS, Eberle, etc. O’Sullivan might be a bit too high a price tag for them, same with Gilbert (although either player would still save them a bit on cap, from what Kessel is rumored to be looking for). I don’t see the Oilers biting on this one if they have to give up Cogliano, sadly. Between Kessel and Cogliano, it would be hard to argue that Cogliano is a better player.. but he does fit in our system, and we’ve seen here how hard it can be for players to fit in here despite having successful years elsewhere.

Gagne is a different animal though. For him, I think the Oilers could part with Cogliano or one of the other big name prospects. His concussion issues are always going to be a worry though. But I would still take the chance.

By: DropIt

DropIt — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:28:10 +0000

Yeah, Kessel may command a lot coming back to Boston, and for the cap situation, you know it has to be cheap. Which, in my mind at least always puts up names that Oiler fans probably don’t want to hear come up. Gagner, Coggliano, Gilbert, O’Sullivan… Even big prospects (Eberle, MPS) could be mentioned. This may actually be a rare instance where it may be a sigh of relief for Oil fans to see Coggliano as the only casualty leaving town on that list.

By: Racki

Racki — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:18:47 +0000

Yah really I’m treating the Renney stuff as rumor right now. But if it’s true, then Tambellini would be wise to heed the warning. You don’t want to shove players down your coaches throat, or you end up like what we had last year… players being publicly humiliated by the coach

But for sure Kessel seems to be > Zherdev. Even just in his second full year, he’s already put up good numbers (and at age 21, to boot). I just fear the type of player that we’d have to give up to acquire him. I have big hopes for Cogliano… not Kessel-sized hopes, but still would hate to lose him. O’Sullivan is one of few shooters on this team. Fat-chance (pardon my pun) they would take Penner. It might be wise to move one of the d-men though (Gilbert always comes to mind), along with a lesser prospect. I don’t know if that would be enough, however, nor if Boston is interested in another D-man.

By: DropIt

DropIt — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:09:47 +0000

Hmm, really? Well I guess we wait for a reason as to “why not Zherdev?”

I hate-to-love-to say it, but the Oilers sure seem to be the offseason punching bag this year.

Your right though, all signs seem to point to Kessel now. Unless Tambellini is working something out that hasn’t been leaked to the media, which seems highly unlikely.
But hey, Kessel>Zherdev right? This could maybe be the Oilers’ second “blessing in disguise” this summer. Let’s just see if they could make something work. Kessel is a stud on the ice and would improve any team, it would just be pretty interesting to see who gets put on the next plane to Boston out of Edmonton. They are in Ideal trade positions with each other right now. Oilers with seemingly a lot of cheap, young, upcoming talent… While the Bruins are in cap trouble but aren’t going to let Kessel go easy.

Unless of course Tambellini just decides to sign Zherdev regardless, I mean he is the GM and really does not have to listen to an “associate” coach who hasn’t been to as much as a team practise yet.