I think as we get closer and closer to the season, I think it's becoming clearer and clearer that getting another credible top 4 RD before opening night just isn't happening. Will have to make do with what they've got already

yeah we probably aren't getting a top 4 rd this season, but next year im expecting a winger to be traded

Yeah, maybe Tanner Pearson or Jason Dickinson, but obviously those guys won't fetch top 4 RHD's. Until the market for wingers rises back up, I don't see management being very active on the trade market. They're not gonna force anything

JR can't make any moves since Benning screwed the team by getting OEL

I think the Devils are unlikely to trade Walsh anytime soon.
Walsh is waiver exempt for this year but can easily step into the lineup should injuries at RHD occur or straight up beat Smith out for the 3LHD spot.
The Canucks would have to put in a very competitive offer to pry Walsh out of Newark (or Utica).

Bear for a 2nd, take it or leave it.

Calen addison isn't available

No he didn't. Without OEL, the blueline would be in even deeper trouble, and considering the free agent options that were available in july, I'm not sure who the team could have found that is better than OEL. Benning didn't screw the team with that trade, he screwed the team by not being able to foster a winning culture to effectively bring along the younger guys

Bear isn't worth a 2nd

No, the team is better without OEL. Sure it is worse but with the 7.2 mil in cap space, surely we can fix that...

Like I said, which LD on the market was available that was better and cheaper than OEL? None, so you're wrong, the team is NOT better without OEL

It would open a spot up for Rathbone. He was literally TOO GOOD in the AHL last year. If OEL wasn't around, we would have a 2LD replacement for under 1 million dollars, giving up an extra 6 mil to tidy up our right side. If we could just make OEL dissapear from the team for nothing, I would do it. He is a good player but not a 7.2 million dollar player

Rathbone isn't ready to take the 2LD spot, don't get ahead of yourself. We would all prefer not to have OEL on the books at the number he is at. Yes, he's still overpaid, but he's on the roster, he's still a valuable contributor, we just have to take that for what it's worth in the meantime

Right but the argument is that Benning screwed us over acquiring OEL which is TRUE. Love the Garland acquisition but OEL trade was a dumb move made to try to save Bennings job.

Benning had a mandate to make, it's not his fault, and we can't ask him to resign if he's given another opportunity, no matter how much we disagree with ownership's decision. No, the team isn't screwed over by the OEL deal, OEL makes the team better, even if the contract isn't ideal. You're not thinking clearly

I'm not thinking clearly? OEL is a solid player but we can get somebody at his caliber at 3-4 million cheaper. EVERYBODY would rather have the 7 mil OEL is taking up as we could make so many improvements and not worry about the cap space. You aren't thinking clearly. I don't see why there is any reason to defend Bennings bone headed moves.

oel is a solid contributor to this team, but he is way too overpaid and his contract just cripples our team
i like oel there are so many other options we could've got if we take on his contract

No they couldn't. Chiarot, Leddy, and Gudbranson are all inferior defenseman to OEL and got 4+ million on the open market. It's you who isn't thinking clearly. I'm not saying I wouldn't have preferred that the trade never get made, but it's not going to hold the team back from contending the way some people believe it is

Exactly

Not really any other options, and the contract doesn't cripple the team. Would you rather have Ben Chiarot or Nick Leddy?

Sometimes you have to take a step back to move forward. OEL was acquired as a win now piece when clearly we weren't ready. Even if we did worse last year without OEL, we could have still let Rathbone get a chance to further develop. It was not like we were going to go on a cup run last year anyway. If we didn't acquire OEL, it doesn't mean we would have to immediately get a 2LD. I would rather have Dermott at his cheap contract than OEL there because we would have 6 mil for the next 6 years that we can use. We cannot contend when we have a player making over 7 mil who is not playing like a 7 mil player

You are acting like we had to acquire a big name d man. There is such thing as building from within

I already told you, Rathbone isn't ready to be the 2LD yet

The team is ready to be competitive, and every contending team has at least one onerous contract on the books. OEL's is simply our cross to bear. If OEL wasn't here, neither would Rutherford and Allvin if you really think about it

Benning and Green got fired because we started the season 8-15-2. Without OEL, that doesn't really change much. This team is not ready to make a cup run. We might win a round or two but I am not confident enough in our right side to make a competitive cup run