Support NeoGAF

[calder]

lol

on the phone with 2 of my oilers loving brothers. har har har


In 3 or 4 years? Good trade for the Oilers. Next year? No playoffs for you, bitches!


Oh god, my dad is the biggest Niedermayer fanboy of all time, cheered for the Ducks all this year and he's just annoying as hell today. :lol He called and left me a message about how the Ducks PP will have the puck for the entire 2:00 until they score every time, then went on to speculate that Nieds/Pronger will be the first pairing and will play 30 minutes a game.

 

[soundwave05]

LOL, my Flames fan buddies are *PISSED* off ... they know Calgary will not beat Anaheim now. :lol

Oh well. I never really had a problem with the Ducks either. I lived in SoCal for a while, like the way they play. Lowe f-cked the entire Western Conference by doing this, but he did get some good, very young players in return.

EDIT: Smid seems like he'll be a good prospect for us. 6'3, good passing/skating d-man. A top ten draft pick. Hopefully that takes some of the sting off.

Also Yzerman has retired. Congrats to Stevie Y for a great career, one of the true class acts of hockey. I was hoping he would have come back for one more year.

 

[soundwave05]

I still think we have a shot at the playoffs.

We have a lot of cap room now, we could sign someone like Anson Carter or bring back Samsonov and just play high-octane offense. Adding Carter + Lupul is basically like adding two 30 goal scorers to an already pretty good offense.

Then resign Spacek and maybe Tarnstrom on the D end.

The way the rules are in the new NHL ... it favors that sort of style anyway. Overall, I think we have fewer holes than a team like Vancouver or Colorado. Minnesota will likely take Colorado's spot, we could hang onto ours though.

 

[Reilly]

I still think we have a shot at the playoffs.

The AHL playoffs?

 

[Lakedaimon]

after 20 years as team captain, Stevie Yzerman has retired from hockey. Tis a sad day in Detroit.

 

[soundwave05]

The AHL playoffs?

:lol Yeah I know it'll be tricky ... but lots of teams don't have the luxury of a defensive anchor like Pronger ... Carolina certainly didn't.

I'm all for a more offense-oriented style. The more defensive style the Oilers played did work in the playoffs, but I'm not really sure such a style works without Pronger anyway and there are no Chris Pronger's on the market for us to take back.

You have to factor in the cap room we're getting also ... probably about $4 million in cap space, so it's more like Pronger for Lupul + Smid + say Anson Carter + 1st round picks in 07/08.

 

[sefskillz]

Oilers fans; the Preds welcome you to our playoff bound bandwagon... maybe next, next year huh fellas?

The classiest guy in hockey retired today, much respect Mr Yzerman.

 

[dem]

I was going to post last night that I would be happy with Lupul/dman/1st. Just found out about the trade RIGHT NOW. I'm fine with it. I'd rather have Beauchemin.. but Smid is a high first rounder. Big potential. I've had a hard on for Lupul for a few years now. Are we going to be very good this year? Meh.. we'll have to pick up another dman or 2. I'm happy we got a shitload of picks :lol

The Anaheim Ducks have traded Joffrey Lupul, top prospect Ladislav Smid, Anaheim's first-round choice in 2007, a conditional first-round pick and Anaheim's second-round pick in 2008

That said... I wonder what the conditional first round pick is. Hmm.


I'll say this.. its a lot better than what we gave up to get pronger! :lol

 

[soundwave05]

I'd probably just resign both Spacek + Tarnstrom. There aren't any really great D-Men left.

Then try and resign Samsonov. Him + Lupul will be sick together.

 

[Pochacco]

Edmonton needs to send some sl*t to Anaheim in an elaborate plan to force the Ducks to trade Neids our way.

 

[dem]

aw ****
the condition on the second first rounder is that the ducks have to win the cup..
**** that.

 

[The Internet]

I guess the first thing Oiler fans are going to do when the schedule is released is circle the first home game against the Ducks.

 

[soundwave05]

I think Anaheim will probably win the Cup.

At the very least, they will win the West this year.

 

[ForzaItalia]

I would take Lindros for 750k no questions asked. He was the best player on the ice at times last season. Plus, with all the injury plagued seasons Eric has had, you have to think that he is due for at least one season where he plays upwards of 70 games?

:lol

 

[R_GILL]

Anaheim is a very scary team now, the only weakness now just may be Bryzgalov.

Lindros ain't due for 70 games, 40 games tops this year. 40 games 12 goals and 20 assists is what i predict he gets.

 

[dem]

I hope we can sign up Samsonov now. Put Schremp in the lineup with Lupul, Hemsky, Samsonov, Smyth and thats a pretty dynamic offense.

 

[soundwave05]

WTF ... LA radio is saying Pronger is not thrilled with the trade to Anaheim. He has some problem with Burke from the Hartford days and he (or his wife?) wanted the East Coast.

Guy needs to suck it up. St. Louis > Anaheim? :lol Are you kidding me?

For nightlife you really can't beat SoCal, the weather is great, and the media/population isn't obsessed with hockey so you can fly under the radar and do normal things.

 

[Crazymoogle]

I'm not about to start saying Anaheim is *that* good, but they are a playoff write-in and most likely the division champ. Bryzgalov was great in the playoffs but I'm still not 100% convinced he's their season man - Giguere has done quite a bit more to prove his worth. Either way, somebody probably has to go. I'd guess Giguere if they're feeling really confident about Bryzgalov and think they can use the 5m+ in salary towards a scorer. But trading a conn smythe player is a dangerous game... (and I'm really surprised they took the green out of their new jerseys, but I digress...)

I don't know much more about their defense except that, if you simply believe +/- like soundwave, they lost their best man in Salei. I guess for pairings they've got:

Niedermayer/Beauchemin
Pronger/Vishnevski
DiPenta/O'Donnell

Third pairing is definitely a big question mark but that's a hell of a defense to bolster good goaltending. Unless Pronger wants out again. I wouldn't put it past Burke to sit him though.

As for Edmonton, wow, I didn't know Lupul had that kind of backstory: edmonton native, but also the only player to score 4 goals in a single playoff game? Against the Avs? What a likable guy!

 

[scissorfight]

Goodbye, Stevie Y.

...

 

[calder]

WTF ... LA radio is saying Pronger is not thrilled with the trade to Anaheim. He has some problem with Burke from the Hartford days and he (or his wife?) wanted the East Coast.

Guy needs to suck it up. St. Louis > Anaheim? :lol Are you kidding me?

LOL. If thats true... hell I like Pronger as a player an awful lot, but his off-ice stuff the last little while (and during the lockout, and his contract situations in St. Louis) are tough to ignore.

Is Lupul happy to be going home? You'd think he would be, but it's not always the case - there's a long list of guys who went to their home towns only to suck on the ice or be a problem off of it.

 

[Alucard]

Hey, we'll take Giguere in Pittsburgh. Just have to bump Thibault off somewhere.

 

[dem]

Klowe - "St. Louis had MacInnis and Pronger for a number of years and they didn't win any championships."

 

[soundwave05]

Giguere in Pittsburgh would be a good fit.

 

[Alucard]

GAF RUMOUR MILL. GIGUERE TO PITTSBURGH FOR WHO-THE-F*CK-KNOWS.

Seriously, we've got nobody we could give up. The young kids are still developing.

 

[soundwave05]

If I were the Ducks, I'd dump Giguere to Pittsburgh as a salary dump, taking on maybe some draft picks.

Then use the cap space from that deal to sign Anson Carter.

The Penguins payroll is like under $12 million ... they actually need to take on salary to hit the league minimum.

 

[bishoptl]

The AHL playoffs?

:lol

When I tell you that your GM is over a barrel, you listen. I told you that if Florida didn't pony up, Edmonton wouldn't get market value for Pronger. Lupul? Great. Smid? Uh...ok, I guess. First round picks are always good, nice to have two - wait, what's that?

the condition on the second first rounder is that the ducks have to win the cup

...it will be my distinct pleasure to see dem and co. cheering on Anaheim against Vancouver in the Western Conference playoffs while the Greasers are hitting the links. It ain't quite Bouwmeester, Horton and the kitchen sink that Pronger was guaranteed to bring in, eh boys?

... :lol :lol

 

[nomoment]

Lupul is a great natural goal scorer, but he's soft as butter on his skates. I don't think I've see another player get pushed off the puck as easily.

He'd make a good replacement for Samsonov, but I'm not exactly sure if he's the type of player Edmonton wants up front. You boys better pray that Lowe somehow gets Mikhnov over.

 

[soundwave05]

If Simd pans out, the deal really is comparable to Horton + Bouwee.

So no, I wouldn't write us off just yet. It probably also brings $3-$4 million in cap space, which means Samsonov or someone like Anson Carter can be signed in addition to Lupul upfront.

 

[bishoptl]

Sure, sure. Of course.

 

[Alucard]

If I were the Ducks, I'd dump Giguere to Pittsburgh as a salary dump, taking on maybe some draft picks.

Then use the cap space from that deal to sign Anson Carter.

The Penguins payroll is like under $12 million ... they actually need to take on salary to hit the league minimum.

There's a league minimum now? That sucks. Hrm, still not sure what we'd do with Thibault. Anyway, taking into account Giguere's age (he's an oldie, isn't he?) I also don't think he fits in with the Pens' plans right now. This team needs another few years before it can think about taking a run at the cup, and signing a guy like Giguere would mean being serious about taking that run. For now, the goal is simply to make the playoffs. Who knows what can happen after that, but we still need to fill out some deficiencies.

 

[Alucard]

And why is everyone so high on Anson Carter?...Seriously.

 

[dem]

:lol

When I tell you that your GM is over a barrel, you listen. I told you that if Florida didn't pony up, Edmonton wouldn't get market value for Pronger. Lupul? Great. Smid? Uh...ok, I guess. First round picks are always good, nice to have two - wait, what's that?

Meh? I think the deal is on par with Bouw/Olesz.. which I said I would be perfectly fine with.

...it will be my distinct pleasure to see dem and co. cheering on Anaheim against Vancouver in the Western Conference playoffs while the Greasers are hitting the links. It ain't quite Bouwmeester, Horton and the kitchen sink that Pronger was guaranteed to bring in, eh boys?

... :lol :lol

Yeah because the Canucks look real good on paper :lol :lol :lol
Better sign up some more AHL fodder quick. Roberto isnt going to know he left Florida once the season starts.

 

[soundwave05]

Basically it's

Lupul + Simd + Samsonov or Carter + 1st round pick + other picks

rather than

Bouwee + Horton

We wouldn't have had $$$ to sign Samsonov or someone else, because both Horton and Bouwee would have to be re-upped at $3 million/per.

 

[soundwave05]

There's a league minimum now? That sucks. Hrm, still not sure what we'd do with Thibault. Anyway, taking into account Giguere's age (he's an oldie, isn't he?) I also don't think he fits in with the Pens' plans right now. This team needs another few years before it can think about taking a run at the cup, and signing a guy like Giguere would mean being serious about taking that run. For now, the goal is simply to make the playoffs. Who knows what can happen after that, but we still need to fill out some deficiencies.

Giguere only has one year left on his deal. He would give you guys a shot at the playoffs perhaps, and then your youngsters could gain experience. Then, perhaps you let him walk and hand over the reigns to M.A. Fleury.

You can't have your entire roster be 20 years old either ... you gotta have some veteran presence.

 

[Wolf]

One of the best players to ever play retired today. So long Stevie Y.

It sucks that after an extensive search, this is the only picture I can find of "the goal".

If someone can find a better shot of it, do the thread justice and post it.

 

[Alucard]

Giguere only has one year left on his deal. He would give you guys a shot at the playoffs perhaps, and then your youngsters could gain experience. Then, perhaps you let him walk and hand over the reigns to M.A. Fleury.

Except that Giguere himself probably wants a real shot at the cup if his career is winding down anyway.

 

[Crazymoogle]

If I were the Ducks, I'd dump Giguere to Pittsburgh as a salary dump, taking on maybe some draft picks.

Why? Even if the league were to allow it, Giguere is making 5-6m in the upcoming season, which almost demands a certain value in roster players up front. He would be worth the max in RFA terms and I'm sure Burke would demand value (he got Beauchemin and more for Federov, for instance).

If Pronger decides Anaheim is A-OK long term, Burke still has to deal with the problem that Bryzgalov is an untested regular season goaltender who couldn't even keep his AHL job previously. If he's great, it's a good move...for a couple of seasons (then he gets his big contract). If he's not...they've given up a franchise goaltender without much in the way of options to get one back.

I think given time Burke has a problem on his hands if he doesn't trade one of the two, and maybe cap space has already forced his hand. But it's not a slam dunk by any means.

 

[soundwave05]

Except that Giguere himself probably wants a real shot at the cup if his career is winding down anyway.

I'm not sure he has a no-trade clause though ... so tough cookies for him.

The guy is only like 29 years old too ... :lol , he's not going to retire for another 6-7 years. You guys are talking like he's headed to the geriatric ward or something.

 

[Crazymoogle]

And why is everyone so high on Anson Carter?...Seriously.

Mostly just soundwave. Carter had a career year offensively, but he was playing on basically the new top line with both Sedins. Put on another roster I think it's entirely possible he turns into a Cassels type that suffers a downturn in point production.

Oh, and Giguere is 29, so oldie he is not.

 

[Alucard]

29? In that case, SHERO NEEDS TO GET ON THE PHONE.

 

[scissorfight]

One of the best players to ever play retired today. So long Stevie Y.

It sucks that after an extensive search, this is the only picture I can find of "the goal".

If someone can find a better shot of it, do the thread justice and post it.

not a pic, but here's a vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJTAnyLn_RI&search=yzerman

 

[Wolf]

If that goal isn't the most craziest, exciting, thrilling, just god dam unbelievable game 7 winner that there's ever been, then I don't know what is. The way he jumps up and down after it's gone in, the atmosphere, the commentary, the fans... just a priceless moment in hockey.

 

[Kingpen]

Hey, we'll take Giguere in Pittsburgh. Just have to bump Thibault off somewhere.

No we won't... we already have an albatross in Gonchar for 5 mill the next 4 years... We don't need another. Fleury is the franchise goalie and will prove it this year. You guys just want us to take a huge salary now so we don't have enough money to pay Crosby, Fleury, Malkin Stall when all of their contracts come up at once....


By the way, nice signing of Eaton by the pens... inexpensive, and an upgrade over anything we had that could be called a 'defensive' d-man

 

[Crazymoogle]

If that goal isn't the most craziest, exciting, thrilling, just god dam unbelievable game 7 winner that there's ever been, then I don't know what is. The way he jumps up and down after it's gone in, the atmosphere, the commentary, the fans... just a priceless moment in hockey.

Well, I tend to prefer the Bure 2OT winner myself in 1994, but there was definitely more crowd excitement in this particular clip (the vancouver game was at calgary).

Man, I remember feeling sad for Gretzky though. He found some way to buck it up and give it everything he had, dragging the Blues kicking and screaming that far into the playoffs, and he never had that sort of chance again (well, he made the conference final the next year with the Rangers, but they got smoked by an ill-fated Flyers team). The 1-0 gretzky game was seriously one of the best games I've seen.

 

[Alucard]

No we won't... we already have an albatross in Gonchar for 5 mill the next 4 years... We don't need another. Fleury is the franchise goalie and will prove it this year. You guys just want us to take a huge salary now so we don't have enough money to pay Crosby, Fleury, Malkin Stall when all of their contracts come up at once....


By the way, nice signing of Eaton by the pens... inexpensive, and an upgrade over anything we had that could be called a 'defensive' d-man

Funny you should mention Gonchar. I had totally forgotten about him on the blueline. @_@

 

[FightyF]

Carter is an average player. I don't understand the fascination with him. He had some good chemistry with the Sedin Sisters but apart from that he isn't the #1 center the Oilers should have looked for.

They have a lot of scoring depth, with Pisani, Horcoff, Stoll, Smyth, Hemski, and Moreau...but they need a guy who's really hungry for goals and is a puck hog. Schremp might fit into that bill...but Carter definately won't.

Pronger was a factor in every Oilers game. He made a difference in every shift and every game. I'd liken him to players like Jagr, Forsberg, Ovechkin, and Zetterberg as being big factors in games. Whereas these other players were threats from an offensive POV, Pronger was a threat from a defensive POV.

So IMO the Oilers didn't get what they needed. Their roster is already packed with a lot of talent at the moment, players like Laraque are getting the short end of the stick (and maybe even players like Harvey). The Oilers are almost back where they were before they signed Pronger...a team with a lot of great talent but not one stand-out superstar.

If Pisani can keep things rolling, they may already have one. And Schremp is going to be an exciting player to watch and perhaps the puckhog, goal-hungry player they need.

It's sad to see Stevie Y retire...but I'm so glad I got to watch his last game. It's dissappointing since last year's Detroit team were gunning for the finals and had an incredible roster with an incredible record (especially considering the impact of the new rules and how they were able to come up with amazing stats like the lowest shots against in the league). I would have liked him to win another Cup, but he has had an amazing career and has proved himself to be one of the NHL's top players.

 

[soundwave05]

I would rather have Samsonov rather than Carter, given the age difference, but scoring is scoring.

Lupul is a sniper, Schremp is a sniper-type ... but if you also had Carter ... that's a lot of friggin' scoring.

If Spacek + Smith + Rollie could be decent on the back end we'd be similar to the '97/'98 type Oiler squads, except with a better offense.

 

[Barrage]

If Spacek + Smith + Rollie could be decent on the back end we'd be similar to the '97/'98 type Oiler squads, except with a better offense.

Sweet. So you're gonna start losing to the Stars in the playoffs again?

Speaking of Oily bastards, thanls for dropping PeerongO into our division, you worthless Staal bitches. As if the Stars didn't have enough to deal with having Thornton dropped into their laps last year. Oh well. The Stars will overcome and win the NHL's toughest division again this year.

In happier news, it looks like hometown boy Mike Smith might be the Stars backup this year. Good to see him finally get an opportunity.

 

[soundwave05]

If there is something about this deal that makes me laugh, it's that Dallas/Calgary/Detroit/Vancouver/SJ/Nashville, etc. are all now f*cked in the West while we develop our young core.

You guys all should've been praying for a deal to Florida where Pronger/Bertuzzi would've been no.7/no.8 type seeds in the East.

 

[KilledByBill]

On JSG

If he's not...they've given up a franchise goaltender without much in the way of options to get one back.

Giguere is not a franchise goalie; one good season and playoff run 3 years ago (in the old NHL) does not establish that. Anaheim tipped their hand by letting him ride the pine much of the playoffs. He would be able to perform on a good two-way team like the Red Wings but would be terrible playing on a team with a shooting-gallery-defense like Pittsburgh. Besides, the new limited goalie equipment rules were practically designed with him in mind, no more Michelin man.