Why have oilers fans given up on Bear already?

Where do you play him? Barrie is very important for moving the puck up ice and to the powerplay. Larsson has been a very effective shutdown D and he's been skating very well too. Bouchard is the future they've gotta play him he's already better than Bear. If they cant make a deal with Barrie then bear is going to stick around but if he's back they have other options which suit the team they are trying to build better. A cost controlled LW who is fast and can score for the Next 2 years is also a huge problem solver.

That trade sense for both sides. Devils accept

I don’t think it’s giving up on bear it’s just not able to count on him for the significant role competing for. Since Larsson is certainly getting extended and bouch will be a full timer next year only spot available is next to nurse. Bear will be a solid top four defender in this league but he needs time to polish his game before being trusted back into that role why take the chance when have a more polished ready to compete now defender putting up impressive points.

That's the thing there is only room for 1 developing player on right side.

Simple solution: release/trade larsson. He doesn’t have as much potential, is more of a liability at both ends of the ice and is older. Imo I’d rather have Bear over Larsson. Give Bouch the bottom pair to play with at least to start, resign Barrie to play with Nurse and Bear can hold down the second pair.

Nurse and Barrie are the offensive defensemen and Lagesson/Klefbom-Larsson are the shutdown pairing. The second pairing is doing really well you cant break that up.

Bear has more shutdown potential imo. And what exactly am I breaking up? Klefbom has been injured.

Lagesson Larsson. I put Klefbom in there for cap reasons because we cant officially count him out yet.

Bear isnt shutting down Adam Lowry or josh anderson. lagesson and Larsson did.

you are over the cap

I dont think Klefbom is ready for season opening and maybe not at all so im not going to worry about it. He will be good for 20 games of LTIR at the very least.

Khaira being taken by Seattle assumes that he wants to sign there. His RFA rights aren't worth anything so they get nothing if he doesn't want to sign. I have a feeling he stays an Oilers and resigns after expansion

RFA means if they give him a qualifying offer, which is about 1.35 Million, they keep his rights. khaira could then go to arbiration and try to get more money but thats the only rights he has.

This is the problem. Bear and Bouchard will both be excellent defensemen. But EDM isn't in a position where they can afford to go through growing pains with 2 of their 3 RS Dmen. Bouchard has the higher ceiling and pedigree. And Larsson has been very reliable back there and won't break the bank to re sign. So no brainer there. Where does Bear fit? Not on the top pair. And if they go into next season relying on Bear to play top pairing minutes, that's a massive risk they can't really afford.

Don't jump to conclusions. The bear is a great defense, I like him more than Barry, the Bear is a more classic defender, and Barry is more of a midfielder, and connections to the attack are crossed out to his own net. It would be a mistake to sign Barry for more than 2 years and in the amount of more than 3.5 million. I think Bear could be the seventh defender if Barry re-signs.

Barrie is one of the top scoring defensemen in the NHL right now, he will be expensive.

optimal for the next season, such a composition of protection
nurse bear
klefbom larsson
lagesson bouchard
k.russell

The issue with that is Nurse is the only one who can skate with the puck. Edmonton always got trapped beside their own net when they didnt have Barrie.

moreover, the oilmen do not need Barry next year. look at Kassna after signing a contract for 3.2 million a year, his performance has sharply decreased even in the link with McDee

Man that is way too much for him. Find someone else that can make a pass

Klefbom will return next year, hopefully healthy, and most of them will be occupied by Klefbom. There will be no need for Barry. The only point in Barry is if there is a short-term contract for reasonable money, but for big money and for a long time it will be a disaster for the oil workers' budget, because he is already 29 years old, after a fat contract Barry will stop playing, it will be a disaster

Columbus says "Thank you, come again!"

I’d keep and resign larsson every day

Its not just make a pass its carry the puck and skate.

I can't see another option that makes edmonton win right now. Maybe they can get Barrie on a 3 Year term.

Why? Bear has much more potential.