Pass on Garland but I would consider the Campbell one for the return and Lavoie or Boregault.

Could probably save your retention slot and still get the same package of they want to move Campbell.

canucks shoud decline. garland is much better than labanc and this opens 0 cap space this season

Why do people think Edmonton is willing to pay a fortune to move Campbell? Its not happening.

20 points in the AHL? Labanc is toast and would be waived, so sure. No pick moves.

Edmonton doesn’t need the retention but yeah they jump all over that

How does a fortune equal out to be a late first and a second plus a 3rd and prospect for goalie who’s younger and better?

Best player in the deal -> goes to EDM
4 mil saved (nearly 20m saved) -> by EDM

Like we wanna just accept EDM should ride this out or waste money on a buyout? EDM is a win now team, dead money is detrimental.



I would love to sneak in a first and Xavier B but I don’t think Holland bites on that.

Edmonton should ride it out. Campbell has been fine this year. His numbers to start the year are heavily compromised by how awful the team started out. Patrick Roy in his prime would have a sub .900 save percentage with the quality of chances Edmonton gave up.

Yeah no chance edmonton would consider If you actually do a little bit a research u would realize that they can just buy him out and open up 3.5M

A little exaggerated.

Skinner needs help, Campbell needs help. But this team needs help on defence, and forward depth. You can win with a 1A/B - but there’s no money on this team this season unless you can move Ceci (which I mean who’s gonna replace those minutes internally?) requiring a new top 4 minute eater. Cant move much money other than Campbell.



1.5 , 2.5 , 2.6 , 1.5, 1.5, 1.5 wasted cap, another wasted year of McDavid and Leon which doesn’t exactly instill confidence in saying “we believe in you”

I hope the both stay in EDM (they just look right in those jerseys) but I mean… guys were talking years, “oh what’s one more year of making these guys play with their thumbs all summer”. for guys nearing 30 and UFA, and would make a KILLING on the market. This mentality is wack to me to accept mediocrity.

This ended up being way more of an essay than intended, apologies in advance,

So I definitely understand the mentality here, and it's really easy to look at a Vegas and equate the ruthless, do-it-at-all-costs-to-win mentality as a plausible solution to the Oilers' woes, but Edmonton is dealing from a far weaker position than Vegas ever was. Fleury and Pacioretty were both dealt with one year left on their deals at a time where cap space had not become such a vicious commodity (everyone now believes that every $2M retained/recouped is worth a first, it's nauseating). They bought Eichel when his value was at its lowest and no team ever likely repeats that kind of a deal. Likewise, Vegas has had a very complete roster since essentially their inception. They have been wickedly efficient since the expansion draft and I truly envy them for it. Edmonton has had an incomplete roster since 1990 and has almost gone out of their way to find the least efficient solutions to their roster woes since 2007.

If Edmonton uses picks and prospects to move Campbell in a way the current trade market wants them to, they lose the assets they need to improve the roster today. The depth forward scoring is still nonexistent, the blueline is half-assed, and the goaltending needs to be addressed somehow. If they buy out Campbell (which I think is the best solution of the bunch), pundits are quick to recognize that they're wasting cap space in a time when it should be a commodity. I don't think Edmonton has any choice but to ride out the wobble between Campbell and Skinner, because goaltending historically is an inexact science. We just saw the Golden Knights win it all rotating three back-ups. Edmonton needs to conserve its assets to fix the issues up front first and foremost: there is more to be gained by having better defencemen and forwards on this team than by injecting someone like Saros to the same failed lineup.

Since Dwayne Roloson left Edmonton, the list of goaltenders Edmonton has deployed (in order of first appearance) is as follows: Jeff Deslauriers, Nikolai Khabibulin, Devan Dubnyk, Martin Gerber, Yann Danis, Ben Scrivens, Ilya Bryzgalov, Viktor Fasth, Jason Labarbera, Richard Bachman, Laurent Brossoit, Tyler Bunz, Cam Talbot, Jonas Gustavsson, Al Montoya, Mikko Koskinen, Anthony Stolarz, Mike Smith, Stuart Skinner, and Jack Campbell. Not a single one of them was able to succeed in Edmonton. At least two of them found success in systems outside of whatever the hell the Oilers employ, most of them didn't play in the NHL after their time in Edmonton. Since the 2007-08 season, the Oilers have averaged under 30 shots against per game in a season ONCE (2016-17) and have only averaged below 31 shots against per game per season THREE other times (2011-12, 2014-15, 2020-21).

The amateur and pro scouting for goaltenders in Edmonton is absolutely abysmal, yes, HOWEVER, the Oilers have almost had as many <31 SA/GP seasons as there have been Stanley Cup Champions WITH >30 SA/GP seasons (BOS 2011, CHI 2013, WAS 2018, STL 2019, VGK 2023). Something has been systematically wrong with the Oilers for almost two decades now and if shooting percentages continue to climb (remember: scoring is UP) then teams need to en masse figure out how to limit the number of shots against. It's a deceptively simple philosophy.

If Jack Campbell and Stuart Skinner can only provide .900sv% goaltending, then Edmonton has to limit their opposition to no more than 30 shots against a night. Adding a goaltender that can consistently deliver a .910sv% means the Oilers can continue to play with the intention of giving up 33 shots against each night, which results in no real change and isn't sustainable: again, shooting percentages are continuing to rise, Saros would eventually look like Skinner in Edmonton without massive personnel changes up front.

You cannot limit the number of shots against by changing who's in net. Vegas' Cup last year needs to be studied as part of the new philosophy: stable goaltending matters only if the team in front of that goaltender can perform. In the short-range plan, Edmonton needs to maximize their roster in front of Campbell and Skinner. Once that has been figured out and cemented, then they can go out and find a proper #1 goaltender.

"Since Dwayne Roloson left Edmonton, the list of goaltenders Edmonton has deployed (in order of first appearance) is as follows: Jeff Deslauriers, Nikolai Khabibulin, Devan Dubnyk, Martin Gerber, Yann Danis, Ben Scrivens, Ilya Bryzgalov, Viktor Fasth, Jason Labarbera, Richard Bachman, Laurent Brossoit, Tyler Bunz, Cam Talbot, Jonas Gustavsson, Al Montoya, Mikko Koskinen, Anthony Stolarz, Mike Smith, Stuart Skinner, and Jack Campbell. Not a single one of them was able to succeed in Edmonton. At least two of them found success in systems outside of whatever the hell the Oilers employ, most of them didn't play in the NHL after their time in Edmonton. Since the 2007-08 season, the Oilers have averaged under 30 shots against per game in a season ONCE (2016-17) and have only averaged below 31 shots against per game per season THREE other times (2011-12, 2014-15, 2020-21). "

what a crazy timeline lol.

As for the general reply, I would argue if we follow your suggested solution:

- We ride out Campbell
- Buyout in July
- Hope to do well in the playoffs

Now this scenario I don't see a cup as theres no real improvement.
So we burned 1 more year

- Now we buy out Campbell
- Trade for Saros
- HOPE TO GOD HE EXTENDS

Now circle back to my trade (similar to LV) Hill leaves San Jose with potential and EXCEEDS expecations, reaches his potential. Currently BOTH Blackwood and Kahkonen have been the Sharks best players with Eklund (and you got a few trailers on their tails but they're the clear top 3).

Kaapo has clearly worked a lot this summer, it is very evident if you watched last season versus this season he looks different and despite the games results, both have been great (Blackwoods been fantastic). I was not a fan of the Hill trade, Hill didn't look great in San Jose but he also was behind Reimer who was playing great and clearly had San Jose's stock put into him. Very similarly, I think San Jose, if they get similar returns to the Hill trade (a 4th for Kaapo or Blackwood) (I hope they get more) are probably going to "lose another goalie trade".

Now we view the trade:
Campbell, Jack - Easily costing this dumps value
Lavoie, Raphael - a meh prospect - similar to San Joses Wiesblatt maybe
2024 1st round pick (EDM) - Should be late, and is protected
2025 3rd round pick (EDM) - nothing special
2026 2nd round pick (EDM) - nothing special

Now the cost of this trade is getting high but heres the value in the return:
Better goalie
Younger goalie
1.3m AAV in net (with Skinner; currently youre near 8m in net, now youre undr 4m in net)
A comfortable 3m+ aav gain for depth and defence.

EDM loses nothing that hurts their cup chances, and they dont really lose any real value in assets, and I would say get IMMENSE value if you include the list above.
They could easily acquire a quality defense first defender like Peeke for dirt cheap and make many more moves. (Imo you trade for Peeke get some value for Ceci making it a net gain or neutral cost).
So youre trading a first second 3rd and prospect but also getting some value for Ceci and paying dirt cheap for Peeke with money left to add some F depth at TDL.

TLDR:
Better team, better cap management, low total loss/cost, win now, team sees the intangibles in belief, large scale changes to shake the team awake, IMMEDIATE EFFECT

Now lets head back to Saros.
Simply put.
Saros is costing around 2 firsts.

Lehner, who is NOT the goalie Saros is, when in CHI cost a 2nd and two prospects.
Varlamov cost 11th OA and 54th OA, but he again was not Saros (who gets Hart votes)

So let's assume EDM picks are 19th OA just a safe throw cause they shouldn't be 11th and they could win a cup with Saros but since they ride out Campbell and burn 2023/2024 (this year). They put a protected 2025 first. I think Saros cost's 1 more asset at least. EDM, if Saros is made openly avalible will have a bidding war with:

TOR (would be a very smart move) - I'd safely say they'd move at least a first, a first value prospect or player and more, maybe two firsts
LA (WOULD BE NASTY WITH SAROS) - ^
DET (could be nasty with Saros) - not as comfortable but I think they would consider
SEA (could be nasty with Saros) - not as comfortable but I think they would consider more then DET
VGK (theyre in on everything) - lunatics
CHI (maybe they wanna speed up their timeline in the offseason with Bedard) - consider it easily
AVS (yeee a smart move if they wanna be all in) - I could see it

So I am personally comfortable with saying at least half those teams could ball with 2 picks protected up in the air. So Saros let's just say costs 2 firsts, and a prospect plus being a UFA plus dead cap so his aav will be 6.5m in net with Skinner taking them near 9m.

I personally view your suggestion just as risky, if not more costly, then moving Campbell now. Saros could also flounder in EDM due to this voodoo that you very well outlined.
Huge cost, huge UFA extension, huge risk (with that kinda value involved), and 1 more year is "wasted".