headpushslap writes "Oilers re-sign Smith, lose Swanson. Smyth to arbitration, Salo moving?
All the Oiler news fit to print...including UFA's, trades, RFA's and arbitrations.
Jason Smith, the Oilers Captain and powerhouse of masculinity, signed a qualifying offer on friday for $2.3M US, the same amount he earned last season.
The remaining RFA's to be signed by the Oilers are Mike Comrie, Shawn Horcoff, Brad Isbister, Georges Laraque, Ethan Moreau, Fernando Pisani, and Marty Reasoner. All of the RFA's have recieved qualifying offers from the club and must respond by July 31st, 2003. Ryan Smyth has filed for arbitration and his case goes before the NHL next month.
Ryan Smyth will get a raise and the Oilers will trade someone to afford it (see 'Tommy Salo'). Good for Ryan, but he will have to earn his money this season and break the 40 goal mark.
Brian Swanson, fifth line centre and equipment mule, has signed with the Atlanta Thrashers. His 12 points in 44 games last season will be missed greatly by the Oilers, but his departure opens up another spot on the roster for an Edmonton team which is very deep at centre.
If I were K-Lowe...
Reasoner-Keeper
Comrie-Keeper, but not for more that $3M US
Horcoff-Keeper
Isbister-Keeper
Moreau-sign and trade ($1.5M US 2003)
Pisani-Keeper (26 years old and peaking this year)
Laraque-Are you kidding? This guy is the premier heavyweight in the NHL making ~$1.4M US a season. Not really worth the money, except that the fans love him, and he is a true professional. Shows up at every event he can, helps out good causes, and is very community minded. That $1.4M salary of his should come from the Oilers PR budget.
Ty Conklin, the Oilers next starting goaltender, will be backing up Tommy Salo next year, until a good enough offer is made to trade Salo. Sorry, but Salo has been too inconsistent over the past two years and Conklin needs to play now before the Oilers overdevelop him and he warms the bench for the rest of his career. Also, Salo makes almost $4.0M US, this money can do more good elsewhere. Conklin is ready, he just needs a backup who can help him along (I heard Steve Shields at one point)
Expect to see Salo go for Cash and an older backup. Also, Salo is a Russian smoked or pickled fish eaten as a snack.
The Oilers star goaltending prospect, Jeff Deslauriers, will not be ready for the show for at least one more year, but we might see him in preseason action.
So, quickly, my feelings on the Oilers. Once again the Oilers struggle with money to bring together a team of young talent who can hope to go seven games in the first round before bowing out to the first or second seed in the west.
LATER THIS WEEK-OILER PREDICTIONS FOR THE YEAR (if anyone cares)
The previous information was gathered from numerous sources, including the Edmonton Journal and edmontonoilers.com"
Re: Oiler News and Views (Score: 1) by Kewl on Saturday, July 26 @ 16:17:43 CDT (User Info | Send a Message)
I'm not thinking of Comrie as a keeper. He does show promise, but he seems to only want the money. Once he gets all his bonuses he stops playing his best. Trade him off.
Re: Oiler News and Views (Score: 1) by aaron on Saturday, July 26 @ 16:19:57 CDT (User Info | Send a Message)
Salo has the potential to seriously screw things up for the Wings' Cujo dumping hopes...(any chance you guys want him, btw? no? didn't think so).
Re: Oiler News and Views (Score: 1) by Octopus on Saturday, July 26 @ 16:55:55 CDT (User Info | Send a Message)
Sure we care - especially if you are the first, who got notice of a trade gets worked out!
Are you the only EDM-fan left out there after all those winnings seasons in the 80's?
Thanks anyway!
Re: Oiler News and Views (Score: 1) by vendre20 on Saturday, July 26 @ 17:00:45 CDT (User Info | Send a Message)
I think sooner or later Ryan Smyth will be "too good" (read:expensive) for the Oilers. He will be a perfect fit in red wings second line. Except another center Detroit really need to land a goalscorer. I can see Dandenault and a prospect (Williams?) or perhaps even Legace (if Salo moves) in Edmonton.
to Red wings: Smyth
to Oilers: Dandenault, Legace, draftpick/Williams
to Bruins: Salo, draftpick
to Oilers: Huml/Hilbert/Girard, draftpick
This probably won't happen unless Smyth moves. But if the Oilers need to move him, I think this is a possible scenario were they can get something good in return, get rid of inconsistent Salo and make their team deeper.
Re: Oiler News and Views (Score: 1) by MossRocks on Saturday, July 26 @ 17:53:43 CDT (User Info | Send a Message)
Laraque made $1.0million last year. He'll be looking for more whether he deserves it or not. I can't see Lowe giving him more than $1.2M that's for sure.
Moreau made $1.45M last year and he was qualified at $1.6M, so he won't get paid any less than that.
This might sound like nitpicking but we are talking about a team that gave away Markkanen because they were paying him $400K and didn't want to qualify him at $760K. Every $100K counts. They're throwing nickels around like manhole covers.
No way Lowe pays Comrie more than $2M/yr base salary. The kid has no arbitration rights, played like crap last year and was even worse in the playoffs. Comrie has NO leverage. Zero. He played hardball with Lowe on his first contract, this time Mikey gets bent over. (no word on the hole filling d-strate)
Smith is going to steal another $2M out of the Oilers' pockets. He's a good captain and a solid d-man, but the Oilers could do better and younger for cheaper.
Salo might be expensive and I agree the Oilers should trade him, but Conklin?!?!?!? As the starter!?!??!?! You are nuts. The Oilers are going to have to deal Salo for a young d-man and then they will have to deal some left wing depth and a prospect for a younger, cheaper starter like Biron or Noronen.
