Reasonable Trade Deadline Acquisitions (Updated)

2008-09 Wish List

• Offensive D-Man (To replace Visnovsky AND Grebeshkov)
  
• Defensive D-Man (To fill the void we've had all season)
  
• Checking-line Faceoff Specialist (To fill the void we've had all season)
• Chippy Winger (To fill the void we've had all season)
• Goaltending depth (To backup Roloson for the stretch-run AND playoffs)

Reasonable Trade Deadline Acquisitions (Updated)

1. Derek Morris (PHX) (pending UFA) * (Alberta Connection)
2. Philip Kuba (OTT) (pending UFA) *
3. Jordan Leopold (COL) (pending UFA) *
4. Jason Smith (OTT) * (Former Oiler) (Alberta Connection)
5. Marty Reasoner (ATL) (pending UFA) (Former Oiler)
6. Chris Gratton (TMP) (pending UFA)
7. Mathieu Schneider (ATL) (pending UFA) *
8. Gary Roberts (TMP) (pending UFA)
9. Steve Begin (MTL) (pending UFA)
10. Bobby Holik (NJD) (pending UFA)
11. Marek Malik (TMP) (pending UFA) *

* Guys who have played, or have the ability to play 20+ minutes in a game. This is crucial considering the injuries to Visnovsky and Grebeshkov.

Oilers Tradeable Assets

Among the tradeable assets, the assets are ranked from most tradeable to least tradeable. The list DOES NOT take into account the contribution the player makes to the team, only their relative value to another team. The tradeable assets list also doesn't take into account whether or not the player has huge plans in the organization's future, only that at this moment in time, they are most tradeable. This list does not include core players like Hemsky, Horcoff, Souray, Visnovsky, etc.

Denis Grebeshkov (most valuable asset, contract wise and value wise!)
Sam Gagner *
Andrew Cogliano *
Robert Nilsson *
Ladislav Smid
Rob Schremp
Steve Staios
Dustin Penner
Ethan Moreau **
Marc Pouliot
Ryan O'Marra ***
Zach Stortini

* Now most people will ask me, how can you trade the kids?! They are the future! This is in fact, my own opinion as well - that the future of the Oilers rests on the shoulders of one of these 3. But in reality, the Oilers will not be able to keep all 3. All this list shows is the trade value of Sam Gagner compared to Robert Nilsson.
** " You can't trade Ethan Moreau! He's our Captain! " you say?! I say nay! The fact that the Oilers have traded Wayne Gretzky, Jason Smith, and Doug Weight should say something about the job security for one Ethan Moreau.
*** Ryan O'Marra sucks. Yes, I know it. You know it. But it's all about draft pedigree for some players. The fact that Danny Syvret could fetch Ryan Potulny, and the fact that Gilbert Brule could fetch Raffi Torres - should say something about how tradeable a Ryan O'Marra type player is.

Honorable Mentions

• Trent Hunter (NYI) (he just signed a contract extension, though) (Alberta Connection)
• Yanic Perreault (UFA)
• Chris Neil (OTT) (pending UFA)
• Scott Nichol (NSH) (pending UFA) (Alberta Connection)
• Mark Smith (UFA) (Alberta Connection)
  
• Nikolai Khabibulin (CHI) (pending UFA) (G) (highly unlikely, though possible)
  
• Manny Legace (STL) (doghouse and waiver wire) (pending UFA) (G)
  
• Jeff Woywitka (STL) (pending RFA) (Former Oiler) (Alberta Connection)
• Daniel Tjarngvist (COL) (pending UFA) (Former Oiler)
• Peter Budaj (COL) (pending RFA) (G)
• Andrew Raycroft (COL) (pending UFA) (G)
• Erik Christensen (ATL) (pending RFA) (Alberta Connection)
• Martin Gerber (OTT) (G)

Ideal Trade Deadline Oilers Transactions

1. Acquire a big-minute eating shutdown D-man: Derik Morris (and NO, Strudwick is NOT an option)
2. Acquire an offensive D-man to take Visnovsky's place: Kuba or Leopold will do. Schneider has experience but he is also old as hell.
3. Acquire a faceoff specialist: Marty Reasoner, Chris Gratton, or Yanic Perreault will do fine.
4. Acquire a chippy winger: Steve Begin, Chris Neil, or Scott Nichol (who also plays C) will do fine. (we haven't had one since Raffi Torres - NO, Reddox does NOT count)
5. Acquire a veteran backup for Roloson: Budaj/Legace

Oilers Playoff Lineup (After Acquisitions)

Penner - Horcoff - Hemsky
Nilsson - Gagner - Cole *
Cogliano - Brodziak - Neil/Begin
Moreau - Reasoner/Gratton - Pisani
MacIntyre
Jacques

Souray - Gilbert
Smid - Kuba/Morris/Leopold/Schneider
Staios - Peckham **
Strudwick
Roy
Grebeshkov (4-6 weeks on the IR)
Visnovsky (out for season)

Roloson
Legace/Budaj/Raycroft/Gerber/Khabibulin (here's hoping the Oilers don't go after Cujo the way they went after Nedved a few years back)
DesLauriers
Sabourin

* If the Oilers make the playoffs - that is. If the Oilers are in danger of missing the playoffs, expect Cole to be dealt away.
** Anybody who watched the Oilers play LA Kings will agree about how much better Peckham played than Strudwick did. Anybody who watched the Oilers play all season will agree that Strudwick makes a better forward than D-man.

I belive Begin could be had for Pouliot. Thickoil (Travis) believes Neil could be had for Stortini and a low pick. Guys like Rob Schremp and Ryan O'Marra could be valuable to a team with low farm team depth, so they would make good bait for pending UFA players (plus, we could use more room for signing guys like Petry, Nash, and Eberle). Mathieu Roy may be on the block but he may not fetch many takers - which would lead me to the belief that he may receive one more chance to play in Edmonton.

Both Jacques and Pisani are almost healthy, so that's good news for Oil Country.

2008-09 UFA Wish List

This UFA wish list is in order of most desired to least desired:

• Jay Bouwmeester (D)
• Ilya Kovalchuk (LW)
• Niklas Skrastins (D) (the former NHL ironman)
• Marian Hossa (LW/RW)
• John Madden (C)
• Chris Neil (RW)
• Fredrik Norrena (G)
• Jaromir Jagr (LW/RW)
• Johnny Oduya (D)

Trade Deadline Approaches

Oilers Trade Deadline Acquisition History

1. Depth players instead of superstars (ex. Dick Tarnstrom, Dwayne Roloson, Sergei Samsonov, Petr Nedved, Anson Carter)
2. Pending UFAs / RFAs or signing free agent role players (ex. Rem Murray, German Titov)

Recent Oiler Trade Trends

1. Acquiring local products (ex. Jason Strudwick, Joffrey Lupul, Gilbert Brule, Robert Nilsson)
2. Trying to develop within the system to fill organizational needs over paying a price to acquire superstars (ex. Jeff DesLauriers, Ladislav Smid, Ryan Potulny)
3. Trades involving big names have all come in the off-season (ex. Chris Pronger, Erik Cole, Lubomir Visnovsky)

Conclusions

1. Unless hell freezes over (or Tambellini is GM Christ), the Oilers will not acquire a big name before the trade deadline
2. The Oilers will acquire a depth player for lines 2-4 or defensive depth 4-7
3. The Oilers will not acquire another goaltender (all the available goaltenders are not cap friendly)
4. Possibility of a local product being acquired is high

Reasonable Trade Deadline Acquisitions

1. Trent Hunter
2. Erik Christensen
3. Mike Commodore (unless the BlueJackets are going to make a serious, serious run at the playoffs this year)
4. Doug Weight (I'm sure there is some smoke to this gun)
5. Jonathan Filewich
6. Bryan Little (I know we have a lot of small forwards, but we seem to be collecting them lately in the form of Brule, Potulny, Gagner, etc. but hey, they're currently higher on the depth chart than the Brodziak's and Strudwick's of the team)
7. Jason Smith
8. Johan Franzen (I don't know about you, but he would be a great fit on this team)
9. Steve Begin
10. Chris Neil
11. Nik Antropov (yes, it is possible even with Brian Burke)

Random thoughts and questions on tradeable assets:

1. Do we still have the rights to Mikhnov and Bumagin? I'm sure these skilled players would have some market value to teams like the Maple Laughs, the Rangers or the Red Wings
2. What is a reasonable expectation for what Rob Schremp (Hockey Jesus himself) will fetch on the open market?
3. Who is the most expendable Oiler core player (for the purposes of trading for a skilled LW)? I've heard names like Staios, Gilbert, and Penner tossed around
4. If we only get to pick one to keep - Grebeshkov (RFA) or Cole (UFA) - who would it be?
5. Do we bring in a goalie to replace Roli next year - or resign him to backup DesLauriers who might be given every chance to prove he deserves the #1 job?