Fantasy Hockey - Running Out of Title Ideas

[cinch]

Originally posted by notyoueither



Heck, even now Lowe just traded a defenceman in the top 30 in goals for a guy who isn't willing to play AHL to learn the ropes in North America... so it isn't looking too good right now, unless the Oilers know they can get the guy over here.

I would be surprised if they can do that. Mikhnov had more jump than half our forwards--and we played him 2 games, 5 minutes a piece, then helped him pack his bags back to the elite league.

But, y'know, "Lupes" is a good hometown boy, a hard-workin' Albertan...

[Asher]

K-Lowe Setting the bar for incompetence.

[Sparrowhawk]

I am one Oiler fan happy to see MA Bergeron go. I am among those that blame him for the loss to the Hurricanes in the finals (not only him, but a big part of it).

/me

[Asher]

Apparently K-Lowe thinks with emotion over intelligence,too.

You haven't even traded for a player. You've traded for the rights to negotiate a contract with a player and gave up your leading scoring d-man and also a 3rd round draft pick for this guy, who refuses to even dress in the AHL.

K Lowe quote from the Canadian Press:

"We'll probably make more trades but I don't expect doing much on the back end."

In other words: The season's over, kids.

[notyoueither]

Considering they need at least 31 points in 23 games (being generous) that is looking more likely.

[Asher]

Bergeron gets a powerplay point in his first game.

[notyoueither]

I hope he kicks ass.

[Asher]

He just got another point.

[notyoueither]

... and ends up +2.

Aside from liking the guy, I've long thought 'don't trade him, he'll make you look like a fool'.

[notyoueither]

According to Lowe and MacT...

Grebeshkov has been a target of the Oilers for a long time and has more long term upside than Bergeron. Lowe also feels that Gilbert is more than ready to step up and fill the place of Bergeron. He concludes that the trade will have little if any impact on the Oilers prospects for the rest of the year and he really wanted the Russian so...

Good article on TSN about the positives and negatives.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=196845&hubname=nhl

Numbers Game: Voted onto the Island

Scott Cullen
2/19/2007 4:12:55 PM

Even though the Edmonton Oilers have spent most of the season seeking an offensive defenceman, their latest move was to get rid of the team's highest-scoring blueliner. Is is going to help make the playoffs this year, or is it a move for the future? Numbers Game breaks down the Oilers-Islanders deal.

The Islanders Get: D Marc-Andre Bergeron and a third-round pick

Bergeron, 26, shows all kinds of ability as an offensive defenceman, but there are some rough edges that need to be smoothed over if he is going to realize his potential.

First off, Bergeron is 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds, so he's never going to be physically dominant in the corners or in front of the net. The trade-off is that he is a fine skater so there is room for him to thrive in a niche role. With 16 of his 25 points this season on the power play, that niche is obviously with the man advantage.

Since the Islanders have the 27th-ranked power play, and Jason Blake the only one with more than Bergeron's 16 power play points, there's little chance for Bergeron to make the unit any worse. If he can provide a little boost over the final couple months, the Islanders just might make it into the postseason.

While Bergeron's penchant for turnovers didn't ingratiate him to Oilers fans, he also ranked fourth among Oilers defencemen in the category (with 58), so he wasn't alone in that regard. However, Bergeron's turnover total puts him clearly at the top on the Islanders list, where Brendan Witt is the current "leader" with 44 turnovers.

On top of that, Bergeron's minus-9 rating reveals issues in his own end, but it's not a chronic problem as he's been a plus player throughout his pro career.

Bergeron is under contract for two more seasons after this one, at a reasonable price of approximately $2.5-million over the next two years. Considering the Islanders have both Tom Poti and Sean Hill headed for unrestricted free agency in the off-season, getting a young mobile defenceman under contract is also a smart move in the long run.

The third-round pick from the Oilers is just gravy. While that pick will be around 80 or so, there aren't a lot of prime players coming at that point in the draft (Brian Gionta, 82nd overall in 1998, and Joe Corvo, 83rd overall in 1997, being the exceptions over the last decade).

The Oilers Get: D Denis Grebeskhov

Grebeshkov is still a strong prospect at 23 years of age. He returned to Russia this year because he couldn't get a one-way contract from the Isles, but that hasn't hampered his play. Playing with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv in the Russian Super League, Grebeshkov has 14 points and 65 penalty minutes in 40 games this season.

When combined with his previous work in the American Hockey League (85 points, plus-34 in 166 games), there seems to be a very good chance for Grebeshkov to be a solid NHL defenceman. He handles the puck well enough and plays with an edge to his game, but he has yet to show it at the NHL level, where he has six points and is minus-16 in 33 games with the Kings and Islanders.

A restricted free agent at the end of the season, the Oilers will have control over whether Grebeshkov is going to be in the NHL next season.

Over the rest of this season, the Oilers can give prospects Mathieu Roy and Tom Gilbert the chance to prove they belong and that will tell Edmonton just how much they do or don't need Grebeshkov next year. Gilbert, who has 27 points and is plus-10 in the AHL, might be the best option.

The loss of Bergeron will force the Oilers to get creative on the power play. His 16 points led Edmonton's defencemen by a landslide. Daniel Tjarnqvist, currently injured (though expected back soon), is next with six. After that, it's Steve Staios with two.

Recently, the Oilers have tried Toby Petersen on the point with the man advantage and Jarret Stoll, when healthy, can be a triggerman on the blueline too. In any case, without making further changes, the Oilers power play will be even more questionable than its current ranking of 26th in the league.

It's possible that Bergeron just wasn't going to fit with the Oilers, particularly under Craig MacTavish, with whom he had clashed earlier this year. Nevertheless, Edmonton sure seems to be waving a white flag for this season, which means even more deals could be coming before the February 27 trade deadline.

In the short-term, there's no doubt the Islanders get better value with a flawed but proven NHL defenceman. As a fan of Grebeshkov's potential, though, I think the Oilers have a chance to turn out alright from this deal. I'd like it even better if they weren't throwing in an additional draft pick.

Scott Cullen can be reached at scullen@tsn.ca

We'll see.

I think Bergeron's problem in Edmonton this year are coaching and personnel, more personnel.

The Oilers 'system' didn't favour his skills. Watching the Oilers all year long, it is clear the defence are being coached to be very conservative. Many the time I watch the oppo break out easily from their end because the Oiler D back off the blue line way early. They never seem to be there to contain the breakout. Also, it seems the D are not to skate the puck out of our end if at all possible. End to end rush? We've seen it once or twice from Smid and Bergeron, but a skater like bergeron should be doing it every game, not twice a season. I suppose this is the Oiler answer to a young, inexperienced D corps, but I still don't like it.

Mostly it's personnel. He's been paired with Greene who has even less experience than he does. Meanwhile Smid drew Staios. Switch the two and Bergeron's numbers would be a lot different. In short, the Oilers are mssing 1 experienced Dman to guide the younger ones and Bergeron drew the short straw.

Very unfortunate for the Oilers in the long haul. Bergeron is very capable of making an impact in the right system with the right partner, and it is likely that the Island will give him those things... but then again, if Grebeskhov works out as the Oilers staff believe this trade could well be win-win long term. IF...

[Asher]

I think it's a huge stretch to think Grebeskhov will want to play for a cellar-dwelling North American team, and a huge stretch to think he's going to be an impact player of any kind.

The Oilers are so fond of Grebeskhov, in fact, that they drafted the legendary Jesse Niinimaki infront of him...

[notyoueither]

From what I've read since first hating this trade, what kept Grebeskhov in Russia this year is that the Isles wouldn't give him a one-way contract. That's a bit different from not being able to make the Islanders starting squad.

And since he was willing to play for the Islanders, I doubt your point about the prospects of the team are all that important if he was willing to play in the Gong Show of a club that the Islanders seemed to be last off-season.

As for the draft... you take your list and prioritise it. Sometimes your lower priorities aren't there, especially when they get grabbed in the 1st round. Long term, if the Oilers turn an undrafted walk-on and a third rounder into a 1st rounder who proves worth the pick, I'd have to say the Oilers did well. Again, IF...

[Asher]

But at the same time you're trading away your most offensively productive d-man on a team with pathetic defense, and a third round draft pick...

So you're not just giving up Bergeron...

[notyoueither]

True, but I think the 3rd rounder will turn out to be Anaheim's (pretty low, almost 4th round). IIRC we got 1st round 07, 3rd round 08 and conditional 1st round 08. The Oilers will still have a 3rd round pick in 08.

I think anyone would count it a win to turn a 3rd rounder and an undrafted player into a legitimate 1st rounder.

[notyoueither]

Oops. The Oilers got the Ducks' 2nd round in 08, so the Oilers will have 3 or 4 picks before the one traded away.