Rejoint: juin 2017
Messages: 1,841
Mentions "j'aime": 552
Absolutely, the Oilers can be fixed, but not this way. Kuznetsov adds to a team that already has way too much firepower and doesn't help fix the imbalances that plague the rest of the roster. Here are a few thoughts:
1) Keep with the plan to lose RNH and instead sign Danault as the 2C or 3C.
2) Even if you could get Palmieri, the wings are weak. Of course Draisaitl is superb and is probably wasted on the wing. Look at going 1C McDavid, 2C Draisaitl and 3C Danault. Fill out a 4th with youth, holding as much cap possible for the trade deadline, when you can rebuild the 4th with playoff-ready grinders.
3) Put your resources into upgrading and toughening the D. Take what you're offering from Kuznetsov and use it to get Seth Jones. Or, better yet, win the Dougie Hamilton sweepstakes and then use Bouchard and Lavoie to get a couple of excellent young, gritty wingers, like Alex Tuch (I suspect Lavoie might be one quite soon).
4) Koskinen is one year removed from having had a .917 save percentage. He's a decent NHL goalie with a confidence problem. Buying him out is a huge waste of money. Sure, shop him around, but there is no harm keeping him as a 1B goalie. Bernier has earned a shot at being a #1 on a good team, but signing Smith would then be a waste of $2M.