Racki: To be honest, I wasn’t really sure and I think an injured player was traded not all that long ago. But I can’t remember who, if it did happen.Anyways, I was only kidding about Malkin for Hemsky and our 1st.. no way would the Pens do that.

Racki I called the a fellow that my family knows very well and has been heavily involved in the NHL as a coach and GM. and asked the question about weather injured players. can be traded?
The answer he gave is this: “according to my understanding,there is no injury based restrictions on trades in the CBA. So even a player on the LTIR can be traded as long as there is a clear understanding of the players condition among the trading partners.”
It does fly in the face of what I “thought” I knew on the subject. It opens up a lot of trade posibillities I didn’t think could be done.

However if the Oilers get a blue-chip D player and possibly a pick, that *could* go farther in the long run than hanging on to Hemmer. It’s hard to say though.. there’s a lot of unknown to either side. If we keep him, will he stay healthy? Is he going to be OK taking a bit of a backseat to Hall/Eberle? If we trade him, can we fill that scoring gap? Will it put too much pressure on the young kids?

One thing I can say is that after a couple of years or so, it won’t be the Ales Hemsky show here anymore (at least solely), but I’m sure he’d be willing to accept that.

On our forward lines, we’re definitely better here with Hemsky than with out. I think the team really desperately needs some D help though, and would really, seriously benefit from a home-run, complete D prospect. There is a chance we’ll land that in this year’s draft though.

Anyways, HL, Steve-O and all the others that don’t want to see Hemmer gone (which I somewhat include myself in, albeit to a lesser extent), I can all but guarantee that if Hemsky is traded, it will be for a very solid package. I think proof of that is that we’ve heard a couple of GMs now say that the asking price is too rich for them.

Racki: I think it was Steve-O that mentioned it, and this is the way I understood it too, but I don’t think the Oilers can actually extend Hemsky until he’s in the final year of his contract. As for talking about it early, I don’t see why they couldn’t do that.

At any rate, it sounds like Tambellini is playing hardball with other GMs with Hemsky trades. So if he does get moved, it sounds like it will be a hell of a deal anyways. Hemsky is a great player, but he isn’t Gretzky. If we can survive that trade, we can survive a Hemsky trade. I’d say it’s on par with a Smyth trade though, so I can understand the hurt.. as that one stung for me too!

well we survived the Smyth trade, but is it really surviving when you’re locked in the dingy basement of the NHL for the past 5 years? (Not saying Smytty’s trade is solely responsible for our suckage) The fans will survive if we trade Hemmer, I’m not talking about disappointment. I want to ask: is trading Hemmer the best move for the team? I don’t think it is. He’s too valuable.

victoriaoilerfan: I hope this calms your anixiety Hemmerlady. Has anyone ever discussed sitting down with Ales and extending his contract? I don’t think there are many that want him gone really, but we are all nervous about his looming UFA status.
So how about we offer to extend him, give him a raise and see how Ales/his agent react.
If they balk at it, I think then it is the signal to look at moving him.

I think it was Steve-O that mentioned it, and this is the way I understood it too, but I don’t think the Oilers can actually extend Hemsky until he’s in the final year of his contract. As for talking about it early, I don’t see why they couldn’t do that.

At any rate, it sounds like Tambellini is playing hardball with other GMs with Hemsky trades. So if he does get moved, it sounds like it will be a hell of a deal anyways. Hemsky is a great player, but he isn’t Gretzky. If we can survive that trade, we can survive a Hemsky trade. I’d say it’s on par with a Smyth trade though, so I can understand the hurt.. as that one stung for me too!

hemmerlady: Have to agree with you Racki. If Steve-o is a crybaby then put me in a high chair next to him… From a practical standpoint, I just don’t see what good it would do for us to trade Hemsky. How would we make up his share of the offense? I don’t see us coming out on the winning end of a deal, as has been usually customary for us. We could get a couple mediocre players for him (“mediocre” always sets my toes a-tappin’), or possibly gen up on the defensive side, but Hemsky plays a role we desperately need, and if we got rid of him, I think it would only cripple us. (perhaps a poor choice of word in his case)I don’t think my opinion can be seen as neutral in any way, but I honestly believe that, whether or not I have a monumental crush on him. I’m threatening a filibuster on the Hemsky trade issue.Could we please change the subject, (okay that’s never going to happen) or at least act like Hemmer being traded isn’t a foregone conclusion? That would really do wonders for my mental health.

I hope this calms your anixiety Hemmerlady. Has anyone ever discussed sitting down with Ales and extending his contract? I don’t think there are many that want him gone really, but we are all nervous about his looming UFA status.
So how about we offer to extend him, give him a raise and see how Ales/his agent react.
If they balk at it, I think then it is the signal to look at moving him.