As a DET fan this makes me so conflicted.

Oilers will make the playoffs next season, no need to trade Mcdavid

Which means I probably did a pretty good job on the value.



This season or 2020-21? Because it's not happening this season.

You inspired an ACGM of my own based on this

Oh god that would make quite a wave and is actually pretty fair IMO.

This season. They added some solid depth piece and I think Neal will have a 20 goal campaign.

Based on what? Sure the bottom six isnt composed entirely of AHL players now, but I'd hardly call the acquisition of fourth liners an improvement. The blueline is predominantly unchanged with the exception that we know Sekera wont be there all season (which was relatively disastrous, he and Klefbom are the only two on that blueline that can legitimately pass the biscuit) and that Jones might be able to string a season together on the bottom pair. The goaltending is arguably just as bad, if not worse, than last season, and nothing else was done to address scoring up front.

There is no reason to assume Neal will actually perform well here. He didn't in Calgary and the biggest thing going for him right now is that he's not Lucic. I'd be happy with 15.

Do remember that last year saw everyone of our big three hit career highs. Chiasson had a bender of a first half. Is that really going to happen again or is Edmonton more likely to be a lottery team?

Reider had 0 goals last year, Brodziak had 6. Strome had 2 points in 18 games and spooner had 3 points in 25 games. I highly doubt that type of production from the bottom 6 will repeat with the additions of Granlund, Archibald, and not to mention gagner producing at a 30 point pace last season. As for Neal, even if he scores 15 goals that will be an upgrade over what lucic gave the oilers as a top 6 winger. As for goaltending, Koskinen has shown he can be streaky. He had a great stretch which led to his contract extension. Smith on the other hand had a solid end of the season and was exceptional for the flames in the playoffs. Obviously it’s not going to be pretty but I think this team can squeeze into a wildcard spot.

Whatever McDavid, Nugent-Hopkins, Draisaitl, and Chiasson losemout on production is likely to be made up by the bottom 6. You cant strictly isolate just on the bottom 6. It's so unlikely that all 4 guys have career years again. The net total is still likely to be close to zero.

Smith is 37 years old. He's on the wrong side of 35, and if you feel that you have to buy into every move the team makes, then so be it. But there were better options available on the market despite how bad the market really was. Koskinen is a seive on the road: is the expectation that he only plays at home at his price point?

Every team in the central is better. Vancouver got objectively better this summer. Arizona got objectively better. Only Anaheim and Los Angeles remained stagnant, and if Anaheim has a better season health-wise, Edmonton WILL finish 14th in the west, only ahead of the Kings. McDavid would need a 140pt+ season for this team to make the playoffs and even then, what's the point?