Who Will Coach The Edmonton Oilers Next??

It feels strange not talking about playoff hockey in late May, but alas, there are still a lot of things floating around this team.

Who is the coach of the future? Only time can tell!

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Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:27

I think I think you need someone who can inspire confidence in the whole team. And I think at the same time, if you can be that person who puts responsibility on the rest of the team, that takes it off the shoulders of Leon and Connor. Like, imagine being like, you know, we talk about the fact that they were playing so much and are probably physically exhausted, probably why there's injuries by the time playoffs comes in. But maybe there's a mental exhaustion too, of it being like, is that what is that what the lot the thing is being told in the locker room? Is like you guys have to win it. Welcome everybody to another episode of The Tort of the Oil Rig podcast. As usual, I'm your host, FaZe, and I'm here with my co-host, Greg. Hello. Hello. Fortunately, you know, we were hoping in May we'd be talking again about the playoffs. Here we are. I mean, we're still in the news. I think the biggest thing, obviously, is uh is coaching uh and and who's gonna be behind the bench next year.

SPEAKER_03 1:30

All the drama surrounding it, you know. My God, yeah. Cassidy and the Knights and the Wrights.

SPEAKER_02 1:39

I just I can't believe that there's people saying that, you know, out of that whole situation, the Cassidy Vegas Oiler situation, that it's the Oilers that are the organization that looks looks bad in that situation.

SPEAKER_03 1:53

I don't know if you feel the same way, but yeah, I guess maybe it doesn't look strong that you want to interview someone and then you can't.

SPEAKER_02 2:03

Sure. I mean, I just I don't yeah, I I don't really understand everyone saying, like, do they think that when like a coach is hired, refired and replaced mid-season right away, that it was like they fired the coach and then called up another coach and and then they said, Yeah, okay, jump on. Like, no. The the interview beforehand, Knoblock had three years, a three-year extension coming up. Like, for all we know, it was like, hey, this there's this one guy out there, let's go talk to him, see what he has to say. Do we want him, do we not? We have Knob Block. Like, it's not necessarily we don't know. We don't know, obviously, what the line is. But I think the one that looks worse is, and we've talked about in the group chat, but like Vegas, like preventing someone from having a job. And apparently this isn't the first time they've done it. And it's not the first time they've done it to the Oilers. Which I mean, if you share if you're the Oilers, then maybe you should have learned your lesson.

SPEAKER_03 2:57

But maybe not. No honor amongst thieves, I suppose.

SPEAKER_04 3:01

Yeah, it's true.

SPEAKER_03 3:02

If there's one or gonna No, it is definitely uh there's definitely that whole side of it, like the drama aspect, which is a little like nebulous for me. Uh just not being in the room, I guess. Presumably they're gonna get to interview Cassidy at some point, whenever. Okay, here's the thing.

SPEAKER_02 3:24

Yeah, presumably, actually, who knows? I mean, because again, like McCrimin's like, we uh we wanna we're focusing on the Stanley Cup final. What what does that mean? Like on the playoffs are like what does that mean? Like, so if someone calls you about anything, like if your home were to flood today, like are you like, no, I can't deal with this. I can't pick up a phone and call someone because I gotta I gotta worry about the Stanley Cup final. What trades are you making? I'm just like it was such a BS excuse to I'm just a dick. Like, we're just dicks, like just say that then. Just say we have we have control over him and we don't want him to go to our rival. I'd just like be upfront about it.

SPEAKER_03 4:02

There'd be no kid, like uh still finding a way to rile us out thing.

SPEAKER_02 4:09

Oh my god, but I mean like but I think it also brings up the question for the Oilers, like, because I think you're reading, I was reading, I mean, it's from whatever insider is, it's like I believe that the Oilers are willing to wait on Cassidy, which is like, yeah, totally. I think Cassidy is the best choice for so many reasons. I think if you're the Oilers, Cassidy is the best choice because it's the only choice that no one's gonna critique. So if it doesn't work, there's no longer this you took a risk thing. But also the problem now is if you wait and Vegas doesn't, A doesn't give permission to talk, or even worse, does what they did with uh whoever that assistant, coach, or whoever it was a few years ago where they gave the oilers permission to talk, they interviewed, oilers about to give them a job, or said they're gonna give them a job, and Vegas was like, actually, no. Vegas does that to you, strings you along. What do you do? Like, is there you know, it's it's right.

SPEAKER_03 5:06

Yeah, it is a gamble, I guess. I think like it's interesting, like you touched on taking a risk, and the last two coaches that we've seen, like Woodcroft and Novlock, have been kind of like exactly that kind of like unproven options, and in like such a tense time for the Oilers, like where every season is a part of a cup window, and and it's produced some of the best like results the team has had, too. So it it'll be curious to see like all these names like Barube now getting mentioned a lot where they're kind of it seems like maybe they're interested in the exact opposite, like someone a bit a bit more like bigger name brand.

SPEAKER_02 5:47

I think they're definitely interested in in that. Like I think they want someone with experience for sure. I think but I still think like I mean Barube would be I think in my mind the absolute worst choice for this team. Because you just saw what happened in Toronto. Like, I don't think Barube is actually a bad coach, but I think he's got a certain way of coaching, and I don't think it definitely didn't fit Toronto style. I don't think it would fit Edmonton's style. Like, I I just I don't think he's the right coach. I think you need a coach that's willing to understand that this is an offensive team and willing to coach it to be that way and then to, you know, when it comes defensively or whatever, to like instill a way that that type of team can play. Like, unless we there's a lot of change over in the roster. Who knows, I guess, if you do hire if you do hire Barube, and then you're like, all right, um, we're only gonna, we're gonna trade Matt Savoy for Frank Frederick Jr. Like that's like, but that's the thing, is that's what's gonna happen. Yeah. I don't think Barube is the right coach, but I do think, yeah, of course, they're looking for there's too much of a risk to go with someone unproven again, like David Carly or Carl, I can't remember how you pronounce it the word. But like, is he he's like one of the up-and-coming coaches, and he, you know, and if things weren't so tense and tight, maybe he's the guy you're looking at, right? But with it being so much pressure at this point. So Cassidy is Cassidy is the again, in every way, Cassidy's probably the best option for so many reasons, including just being the best coach available.

SPEAKER_03 7:24

Yeah, I mean, it's definitely it's interesting too, because of some comments that like especially like Connor and Leon made about coaching this season, where it seemed like, or maybe even beyond this season, just in the past, where they're saying, Oh, we feel it feels like we're doing the same thing over and over. Maybe I don't I I'm reading from that, like a they're kind of like wanting a bit more like dense tactical material or yeah, I think that's part of it.

SPEAKER_02 7:54

I think I mean I I can't remember if we talked about last time, uh, but one thing that really stuck with me and stuck in my craw, if you will, was Knobloch saying that he doesn't like when a play happens during a game, he doesn't go to the player and tell them like me should have done it in this situation or like evaluate the play because he said that play is never gonna happen again. And it's like that's that's not coaching then. Like, do you watch Marin St. Louis? Like, if I don't know how much you've been watching of the playoffs, I've gone back and forth and being like, I can't do this emotionally. But like I've been watching some of the half things and just watching Marin St. Louis, and he's talking to his players every shift, and he's having the conversation, and you know, you can see, you know, that's that's what's going on. It's like, okay, in this situation, this is what happened, this is what you can do better, this is what they're doing in that situation, that's why this happened. Like, there's like to just stand behind the bench and say, I'm not gonna be talking. Like, and I wonder if that's part of what that conversation is. Is it's like we go into the game with a game plan, and the only the only game plan or the only way that we're changing the game plan during the game is to blender the lines.

SPEAKER_03 9:04

Like Right. That's yeah, the classic.

SPEAKER_02 9:07

You know, like Noblock, we talked about, oh, I didn't I don't tell them to sit back. Well, they're sitting back, so like then go and tell them I'm gonna be like, don't sit back.

SPEAKER_03 9:18

Right, yeah. I mean, I think like definitely it's Bowman who's gonna be like making the decision on who to hire. And it's clear that he's kind of like constructed his roster in a certain way with um a priority on on skill and speed in a way, like especially yeah. So that's a lot of his gambles. That's a lot of like the maybe the next level of this team is to see more of that unlocked. So I would definitely expect a coach like if they're hiring a coach, you obviously you want someone who's gonna keep the star players happy, but also someone who's gonna elevate the rest of the lineup or be able to see kind of eye to eye with the well and again with his general manager, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:05

Yeah, exactly. It's you know, there's a comment about there being uh misalignment in terms of roster construction and roster usage. So that's not great. Um but yeah, and then I mean you go to Derek Ryan's comments from you know, the the shift from Tippet to Woodcroft, for instance, of I love playing, like now all of a sudden I have a role. Now all of a sudden I know what I'm a part of this team, blah, blah, blah. And Gnoblock, you know, again, said earlier in the season our identity is these two amazing players. And it's like, I'm sure that again, like I think I think you need someone who can inspire confidence in the whole team. And I think at the same time, if if you can be that person who puts responsibility on the rest of the team, that takes it off the shoulders of Leon and Connor. Like, imagine being like, you know, we talk about the fact that they were playing so much and are probably physically exhausted, probably why there's injuries mounting by the time playoffs comes in. But maybe there's a mental exhaustion too, of it being like, it is that's what is that what the lock the the thing is being told in the locker room is like you guys have to win it. Like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 11:16

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:17

So I think you need a coach, yeah. I think you need a coach who's gonna be able to coach. I think you need a coach who's gonna treat Leon and McDavid like they're any other player on the team. Or like they're any other star player on any other team, you know?

SPEAKER_03 11:30

Some yeah, some tough love.

SPEAKER_02 11:32

I mean I mean, not just tough love, but it's not it's it's a little bit of like because we don't know what's going on. We don't know what's going on, uh of course, but like who it's not, you know, it's this is a team and everyone playing blah, right?

SPEAKER_03 11:45

So no, I think I think that just from what I hear from them that they they accept uh being pushed that way, you know, like they seem like they're not shy to d demand more from themselves. Yeah. It does kind of like this conversation kind of doves dovetails like into some just like thoughts on on what needs to be different for for a successful season next year. It may be like a conversation that it's been in my head. Is is uh yeah, just like you were talking about, like kind of having a new group of players step up into like core roles. I think like we're seeing um Hyman and Nugent Hopkins kind of getting older, maybe they're not gonna hit their career highs anymore. The oilers probably need someone to kind of like step up and and fill into those roles, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:40

And to be fair, I think you saw that this year. You saw you saw Savoy kind of stepping up into Nug's role, and you saw Put Colson stepping up into Hyman's role. So, like again, like people talk about maybe Bowman, like I think Bowman had that plan and it's paying off, and I totally agree with you. And then, you know, hopefully Howard can get a good shot this year. Samansky. Hudson, Samansky. Yeah, Samansky takes on that uh Henrique third, fourth line center role kind of thing.

SPEAKER_03 13:10

I I like what I see from him, honestly. And I those four, like, I mean, you don't want to just like project that everyone's gonna get better every single year, but like I think between those four, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:23

And then I mean you got guys like Quinn Hudson.

SPEAKER_03 13:25

Well, Mariala. I don't like I'm not sure how much those guys are maybe in the same class, you know. Like no, no, but like I would like to see more of Hudson, but yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:36

But I mean they're there in the sense that like, you know, you talk about not relying, but like you're so you're not fully relying on just the four that you get, I guess. You've got some other people.

SPEAKER_03 13:47

The other one is Berezkin too, apparently. Yeah, like once they see from over. Yeah, and that's like five players that I would expect to be in the opening night lineup, you know. Yeah, that's a significant portion, and it's not like they're like teenage teenagers coming in, like a lot of them are kind of entering those prime years of like your mid-20s, like and have shown a little bit, obviously, Savoy more than uh others, you know. But yeah, yeah, I think it's not it's not really outlandish to think that those five are gonna constitute like a huge part of this team's identity next season.

SPEAKER_02 14:26

Like I think I think Savoy at this point, you're like, he he's you have to put on McDavid's line to start the season, I think. You you s we saw the chemistry, and I think again, he's a young player, so you still need to give him some support. Like you could have Leon, like you can basically now have what, Hyman, McDavid, Savoy, Pod Colson, Dry Seidel. If you bring back Kapnan, you can throw Kaplan in there, or maybe Howard steps up. Yeah, and we don't know where Burroughs can sits in and stuff. So, like, yeah, I I don't think it's everyone's like, oh, the oil, it's all this dire situation. The roster needs such an overhaul, blah, blah. And it's like, I don't, I don't full I definitely don't agree with it. I don't say I won't fully agree with it. Like, I don't agree with it almost at all. Like, there needs to be changes every year. There always needs to be some kind of changes. But it's yeah, all the the doom and gloom. And, you know, I talked about it in the athletic article that Pierre LeBon writes today, and it's it's about Matthew's meeting with Toronto's new management and stuff, and then he just slides in there. Oh, and it's the same, it's the same agent as McDavid. So therefore McDavid might be leaving. Like, who knows? Like, the Oilers have to have five weeks to impress him. And it's like, no, you're just saying that for rage baiting. And it's it's annoying because it's like, I would like to hear what people actually think about the Oilers, but it seems like no no media member these days can say anything about the Oilers without rage baiting it. Like it's it's it's annoying.

SPEAKER_03 15:50

Like, I I think, yeah, it's that's probably more just about like what's being centered in in the conversation. And like for a lot of this, Matthews, McDavid, Moldover circus is really about like Toronto's insecurities more than it's about anything else. So that's that's really like the the angle that anyone's talking about. This is like they're in Toronto and they're hopeful that it means that they're all gonna meet up for the Leafs in two years' time or whatever. Yeah, I mean, yeah. Uh obviously, like, you know, McDavid is gonna have his contract's coming up soon. I mean, it's just kicking in the sweetheart deal. But I mean, he gave them a sweetheart deal. I mean, Leon is here. They're like, I don't mind him trying to keep the team honest because it is like can't get away from you quickly, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 16:44

Like, no, and I agree. I'm not and I'm just saying that it's it seems like it's like every time the Oilers make a move or don't make a move, it's it's it's this narrative that like McDavid is sitting there, sees any kind of move. Like it's like we signed that AHL player to a contract, now I have like Yeah, Ratu is like, oh I'm out. Are you serious? You sign this guy instead of bringing in uh Prime Brother, I'm going out like shut up, guys. Like, but uh but I mean hey, Raddy's another another thing that we see of like that's something that Bowman's been especially good at, or at least uh forward thinking about is is getting from Europe.

SPEAKER_03 17:23

Like Samansky, Thomas Shek, unfortunately don't work out, but I again I think that was not that sounds like maybe what this like not playing certain players in the lineup. Like I was trying to think because Noblox said there were it's been reported like that they were not playing players out of spite. Like, who was who could that mean? You know, who could that be? Is it Howard? Is it is it Howard? Thomasak, yeah. I mean Howard got sent down by Bowman, I guess. Like maybe if he's not getting used, you don't want him to, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:57

Yeah, I think Howard maybe be less of that, because again, rookie coming out of college, but it would not surprise me if maybe it was Thomasak. And like, I mean, granted, at the start of the year, Thomasek was on the the top power play line to start, but I know.

SPEAKER_03 18:10

I really it seemed like they went away from it so quickly. And and especially when we're talking about Berezkin, I've I'm kind of just it's been top of mind. Obviously, Berezkin's like way younger coming into this, and it's been like there's been a positive progression in his KHL career year over year, like maybe like at at different points over over that time. I've been watching a lot of him actually. But yeah, it's it's like when you're bringing in a player like that where they haven't played in the NHL and you're not sure where they're gonna fit, and Berezkin's coming over, he probably doesn't want to play in the NHL. Like, that's not why he's coming over. He's kind of like, I'll develop in the KHL, then when I'm NHL ready, when you're actually gonna give me a spot, then I'll come over, you know, that kind of thing. So it's like, where do you put him at the start? You don't want to put him with Connor or Leon because that's like a lot of pressure. And it's like if he doesn't score for three games, he starts feeling it. It's like if you don't put him up there.

SPEAKER_02 19:08

Okay, but again, that's that's I I don't and that's where the the issue lies in my mind about oh, he's trying to feel it and the pressure. That pressure shouldn't necessarily be there three games into the season. Yeah, and that's what happened to Thomasak though. Okay, and guess what? And guess who's no longer here anymore? Like I think, I think that's the whole thing that I keep coming back to is and like why I was like last time, I was like, maybe you know, if we weren't gonna win the cup this year, the best thing that could have happened was losing in the first round. It gives a whole bunch of time for everyone to calm down. And because the last two years it's just been fresh of mind of how you just lost and we were right there so quickly, and you're just thinking in the mode again, right? So, you know, maybe with an actual break and being like, okay, you know what? Let's let's change how we're doing things. We're not winning the cup from game one of the regular season. It's not to say you don't play hard, like this, because I'm sure that's how people will then twist these words, but it's like what it means is like you gotta you gotta prepare for the season, you gotta prepare for the playoffs and the regular seasons where you're doing that. And yeah, so I I don't know if I agree that you can't start Berejkin on a line with Dry Siddle or McDavid. In fact, I think again, like you actually have a great spot for him to start next to Queon. But, you know, to your point, maybe you don't want to fully rush him in and then you put him on the third line with Nuge, sure. But I just don't think there should be this thing of it's you know, three games in, you haven't scored a goal and you're getting prime ice time. Sorry, kid. Like, like if he's not playing well completely, that's a different story. But if it was like Thomas Seck, where the guy had like so many great chances and was just getting robbed or hit posts or something, it's like, ah, you're not scoring, get off the line. It's like that's that's the difference, is what I'm trying to say anyway.

SPEAKER_03 20:58

So Yeah. Yeah, I mean, it's definitely like a reminder that like I mean, we're talking about maybe these five young forwards that are gonna be in the lineup, it's like they're kind of gonna be competing for spots and not just this season, but throughout the next couple of years, you know, like uh Samansky, who I've been a fan of, you know, how does how does his role affect someone like Dickinson, you know? Is is he gonna be pushing Dickinson for minutes? Can he do that? Or if Dickinson's asking for too much money, like Yeah. Or maybe by the end of whatever deal Dickinson signs, Samansky's gonna be kind of pushing for his job, you know?

SPEAKER_02 21:41

Well, and that's the interesting thing, is because the last couple of years, you know, the oilers were again, it's the all in thing, and they're like, okay, let's get these veteran players who are willing to sign sign, you know, cheap deals or what appears anyway, so that we have all that experience, but then it it blocks these younger players. So it's Like, you know, in this case, do we learn, do the oilers learn from that mistake? Or is it too much of a risk to rely on that? So it's it's okay, yeah, Dickinson wants $5 million. Maybe that's a bit much. And so it's a question in, I think, in the mind of, yeah, it's a bit much, but we know what we get with Dickinson. He's, you know, he's good and blah, blah, blah. Or is it, well, we've got Samansky who is going to come in? If Dickinson's signing this long-term contract, what if in two years Symansky's ready to take that spot and now we don't have it for him?

unknown 22:33

Right?

SPEAKER_02 22:33

Like, is this a hallway situation with Jeff Skinner and so I I think it's it's an interesting, I think you, you know, if you're the oilers, maybe you have to look at this and be like, the last two years, we three years we tried the whole signing us a bunch of veterans to cheap one, two-year deals, and it didn't work out. And then we lost someone like Holloway, for instance, or what have you. So maybe it's why don't we start the season with some of these young guys? And guess what? If it doesn't work out, we'll hopefully have cap room to add in to make a trade and add some people in, right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 23:11

I mean, yeah, for sure. And and it's gonna be relevant to like like free agent conversations. Obviously, Dickinson, we've been talking about who, for the record, I think they should try to keep. Yeah, but I mean, Kapanin's an interesting one. Ross Levic is an interesting one where I don't I'm not sure you could overpay some of these for some of these wingers, especially the for the money reasons, but also like you're talking about for the the the just the space to maybe give someone to to prove something to you. And I guess it that is a great uh context for training camp to happen with a new coach, a power vacuum for ice time, all these kind of young guys knocking on the door, like someone who's kind of coming at everyone with fresh eyes. Like you could see how that is gonna probably like I could yeah, I can feel September in my bones already, like getting hyped up of yeah, seeing who's paired with who, who's skating with who. So yeah, it's it's it's definitely like you know, it's definitely uh like you were saying, it's it's good, it is good to kind of like maybe take a step back because every year what's been like run it back, we're so close.

SPEAKER_04 24:25

Just run it back, but don't run it back, but run it back, but run it back differently.

SPEAKER_03 24:30

Like what yeah, and trusting you that actually kind of like segues maybe into something I've been thinking about too, which is obviously the goaltending conversation.

SPEAKER_04 24:39

Right once you add a thing in your face.

SPEAKER_02 24:46

When it comes to the goaltending, man, I think obviously the Jari contract is what really throws a wrench into it because I would like to keep Ingram, but I can also understand that it's like Ingram maybe isn't the guy necessarily. So if you if you don't have Jari, then maybe you're like, yeah, we keep Ingram and we try and find someone else. But if you have Jari, you can't get rid of Jari and you bring back Ingram, I can understand the issues there. So it's such a tough call. I mean, and then you're hearing like the rumors about Srebas and Sebastian Casa, and it's like, yeah, that would be a great move. And you know, it's that's what you gotta do. Like you gotta find a young goalie who's knocking on the door. But then is that your big offseason move? And then if he falters, is Jari there to pick up, can Jari pick it up? So it's almost like if we had Ingram and brought in Kosa, and again, like you're saying, you're not spending very much money on a goaltending in that situation. And then if it turns out to fall flat, then you have the room. But it's like, okay, do you trade for Kosa? Let Ingram walk. Kosa starts to flail maybe a little bit because he's still a rookie. Jari is not performing well, then all of a sudden you're like it's right. It's precarious. But I mean, maybe maybe Jari again, like Jari played okay to start with the Oilers and then he got hurt. And then and then, you know, in the playoffs he had one game and he I don't think he played badly in that game. So maybe he is able to bring it back, but it's just it's it's a tough call. And I think I think what you should try to do is I think you definitely try to trade for someone like Kosa. I mean, personally, I would be trying to see if you can get Philip Gustavsson out of Minnesota.

SPEAKER_03 26:36

Yeah, you're Augusta.

SPEAKER_02 26:38

Augustus. I think I think well there's it's because there's an opportunity there to get him.

SPEAKER_03 26:42

Um you know. But yeah, like Yeah, see, I I wonder how much of an upgrade he is on Ingram, to be honest with you. Yeah, I mean, I I've like, it's not that I'm an Augustuson hater, but Minnesota has been a good defensive team. They've made a lot of goalies look pretty good. And you'd be trading probably a bunch to get him, and his cap isn't small. Like, I'm assuming you could resign Ingram for less, a cap than and probably less term than Gustafson has. I'm not sure how many years he has left.

SPEAKER_02 27:22

100%, yeah. Gustafson's at 6.8. So it's like it's I mean, you get Gustafson, you have to obviously be getting a Jari. That's yeah, that's the fit. It's to me, like never take Gustafson over here or even 800 to that.

SPEAKER_03 27:36

Yeah, I I there's definitely some interesting situations to monitor, like even beyond Detroit, where Kosa, like obviously, he was a first round pick really high, but they have Trey Augustine, who was also a high pick, who's kind of like shinier, younger, and then Kosa's not playing, or he wasn't playing in their AHL playoffs. They had he was the backup. So people are like, oh, maybe they don't like him, maybe he's gonna be private free. I mean, Devin Levi, the Sabres whole system has someone who's gonna be on the odd way out. They'll probably say the same thing about the Leafs system. Like, there will be chances potentially. Unfortunately, the Oilers haven't trusted their own goalies. Like Unger only got like 19 games in the AHL last year. He played 12 in the ECHL.

SPEAKER_02 28:25

Like, but I I don't I I think you can't rush, like it can't I don't think you can rush that. I mean, if you want to look at an example of the Oilers trusting their system and bringing in a goalie potentially too early, that's Stuart Skinner.

SPEAKER_03 28:39

Was he too early? I I don't know if I would say that. I would even say here's maybe where I think we very much disagree. Skinner is the perfect example of like of how trusting a young goalie can actually be the the most like uh upside of any option. Like if you look at the starts they gave, the wins that they earned versus every cap dollar, he was probably the best goalie of the McDavid era. I know like they didn't win the cup and people wanted him to be better, but like they undeniably got huge value from try trusting like this mid-round pick that slowly rose through the ranks, you know? And it we saw it happen with Rodrigue, where like it seems like they wouldn't really give him any playing time. They kept like a veteran backup or a veteran goalie to like take the AHL stars for him. And we saw it again this year with Tompkins coming in, and it's like Unger has to play for a different ECHL team, and Sam Janssen is like stuck in the AHL can barely even get a or he's stuck in the ECHL, he can barely get an AHL.

SPEAKER_02 29:43

Yeah, they need to stop with this getting AHL veterans. I totally agree with you. But I mean going back to Skinner, like you realize that like in the AHL, he had like the year, like his first year in the AHL, he had a 914 and in 31 games. The next year he had 920 in only 30, again, 35 games. Um, and then he comes up and plays 50 NHL games the next year. Uh like I think I think the plan was again for him to maybe come in and and be the backup at that time and Campbell take the load. And that didn't happen. And so he steps and he does that, and like you said, he did he the way it's got good value from him, especially those first couple of years. But like, I think that was a situation where you had a goalie who maybe didn't have enough, he hadn't marinated enough. He was only 23 at that time as well. Like, I think there's something to be said about being worried about that. Uh I mean, granted, yes, Kosa is also, you know, 23, but he's played, you know, he's played like a bunch of seasons in in the AHL now and everything, and he's put up good numbers, but it's the same risk. But I think it's the same risk. But anyway, I'm going back to I just don't think you can be banking on any of Unger, Day or like Jansen this year. I th I think it's if it happens, that's great, but I think you need to be in the in a situation of looking maybe maybe as early as 27, 28. Right. I think that's the earliest you should be looking at that. Because like I again, I think Skinner got a little bit rushed, and you know, I think maybe that had an effect on him. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 31:30

I mean maybe he was just always gonna be who he's gonna be, you don't know, but yeah, I mean he's he's had like a very accomplished career, uh in my opinion, you know. So I know he wasn't cut out for the Oilers' number one job long term. I don't know. He's played 50 games in four straight NHL seasons. That's that's a a big accomplishment. Honestly, if you if you're ever picking a goalie in the third round and you get that from them, I think that's that's a win, you know?

SPEAKER_02 32:03

No, totally. But I it's again, I'm just I'm just saying, like, the when it comes to the goaltending, like I think if if you're not gonna be able to get rid of Jari and get, or you're not at least able to get someone who is an extremely strong starter, like I'd almost be tempted to just re-sign Ingram and and run back tandem. But again, it comes down to Cosa if Cosa's on the table and it's not that expensive, I I don't think you think you have to almost do it for the future to a certain internet.

SPEAKER_03 32:37

Right. Or like, yeah, presumably, yeah. A lot of it does depend on what happens with Jari and what you can afford to do. But yeah, yeah. I just I just think that the theme in that I understand like you want to be like cautious with it. But like yeah, it's it's uh it's better than maybe like all the money that they're paying to the Campbell bio, and it's just like they've just been digging their old own hole, like constantly like chasing after kind of just good enough fun in net, you know?

SPEAKER_04 33:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 33:20

And and sure, maybe Skinner fells falls into the same boat, but at least he was very affordable while it was happening, you know. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:32

Well that's the one you that was the that was the reasoning, right? Was well you're getting good value regardless, kind of.

SPEAKER_03 33:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:40

Yeah, I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 33:41

I think it'll be that it's definitely a tough area to figure out, as usual. As usual, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:47

Like just rinse and repeat. I think the interesting thing is all the rumors now about Darnell Maris. Leaving? Yeah, and like that teams are interested and and it's you know, getting that contract off the books. I think I think I can't remember if it was you, like getting the contract of the books is one thing, but you still have to replace him in some manner. You do have Walman to be fair.

SPEAKER_04 34:13

It's true.

SPEAKER_02 34:14

But yeah, that's an interesting thing. Like what what I st I'm still not on the train, like of I don't agree with the thought of paying to get rid of nurse. Right. Like I don't think that makes any sense whatsoever. A lot of people would disagree with that, and I would be like, okay, well, that I just don't think it makes any sense to to pay to get rid of him. But like, you know, if you have to pay maybe a little bit extra to get rid of him and get a better return, that's a little bit of a different situation. Right.

SPEAKER_03 34:47

Packages and stuff.

SPEAKER_02 34:48

Right. So like if you're trading him and you're getting someone back, and maybe you have to throw in an enticement for a team, or maybe if it's retaining or something, that's the story. But it's not, you know, trade a third round pick to San Jose for them to take him off the books.

SPEAKER_03 35:06

Like, I don't agree with I mean, I'm definitely this is another one of our differences, is our our battlegrounds here. It's like I am against trading nurse. I think that he actually brings a lot to the team. So um, and I'm not surprised that other teams reportedly want him. Like, there's several teams around the league where if I was a GM, I would be like, you know what? Let's do it. And and one of those teams might even be Detroit. I know I'm not in charge of the wings, but they have the cast room. They're kind of like one left shot, shy of like a really good top four. Yeah. I don't know. They have a well, I know, and I think they have a goalie that the oil is playing. Yeah, would you do very much straight up?

SPEAKER_02 35:58

I guess if it's straight up and then you have a a target for another defenseman or something, like a good idea. Maybe, yeah, like maybe a good idea in terms of the money, then then yeah. But like I'm with you in the sense that I it's not surprising that you, especially with the cap going up now, his cap hits no longer like such an anchor that would be preventing a trade. And I think, yeah, if you're a GM, you're like, there's still a lot of skill there. Like maybe Edmonton, like you bring him in to a fresh start, maybe that gets it going, and you probably can get him for a cheaper price. And like the risk is probably less than what the reward can be in in that kind of a situation, right? Like barring you making a huge overpay, like for some reason Detroit sends more cider for him. Well, then that's a problem. But like, I don't know. I think the interesting one that had been floated around was like Toronto's looking to get rid of, potentially get rid of Riley. We're looking to get rid of Nurseets. What would you if it was a straight one-for-one nurse for Riley, what what would your thoughts be? If if I'm the Oilers or if I'm the least for the Oilers.

SPEAKER_04 37:10

Well, for both of them, sure.

SPEAKER_03 37:13

I I think honestly, I honestly I I think on both sides, I would rather Darnell nurse. And both of them, like, the cap difference is about two million dollars. Yeah, I think I think like I could see if I'm the leaks, how I would really like that. I would how I would like that. And Riley, I mean I just think at this point Riley just they both bring less than they used to, maybe.

SPEAKER_04 37:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 37:46

You could argue maybe Riley I don't know if some would say his career peak was better, his offensive stats are are better. But yeah, I don't know. I'm I'm maybe a bit unique though in my in my how much I like Nurse, where most like like you're saying, most of the talk is like, hey, maybe they can get rid of him for nothing.

SPEAKER_04 38:10

I'm like, wait, wait, wait, what are we doing? Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 38:16

So yeah, for me, I I would definitely it'd be interesting, I guess. Riley is a a great dude.

SPEAKER_02 38:23

It's just a matter of like obviously they play different styles of game, and so it it's Riley, you know, he's not gonna be getting power play trying when it comes to Edmonton.

SPEAKER_03 38:31

So wow yeah, he's not getting it in Toronto most of the time either. He's getting beat out by whoever every year because they're it's not working. And I mean, he's still like producing points despite that. I just for me, like Nurse plays the shutdown role on the Oilers, like swapping him for Riley. It's like, okay, is Riley playing the shutdown role now? Or is Wallman getting less offensive opportunities?

SPEAKER_02 38:57

Like, well, I mean, to be fair, like that what that can be then is is you you know you move Ekholm again. If you can move Ekholm and Bouchard, like what if Riley and I don't know, would Riley and Bouchard work? Would Wallman and Bouchard work? But I mean, I think I think if you can bring back Murphy, then maybe you you'd hold on to nurse barring a trade that you can't say no to because you know they were looking good and they were a shutdown pair, and and maybe like maybe that's all you need.

SPEAKER_03 39:27

Yeah, and and also Murphy and Wallman did not look together. It was just a short time though. I don't say it's never gonna work. But yeah, that this is yeah, this has been my my very pro-nurse hour as usual on the program. Greg would just say it wasn't a stomach. I'm sorry to tell you guys. No, I think, yeah. So if I think if I think like, you know, I could see the reasons why you would want to get rid of a nurse, just mostly the cap room. But yeah, you would need to be bringing in someone who can handle the shutdown, who's gonna do it instead of him. Obviously, that comes there, but yeah, he's getting older. I mean, yeah, so it's a it's a doozy, it's a tricky one. I guess presumably like it would help you improve in other areas to offset that. But and and probably nurses' haters would say, well, he's not doing a good job shutting people down, anyways, but no.

SPEAKER_02 40:29

I mean, it's it'll be interesting. I'm with you. I don't know. Like, I I think I think it it's also it's all on what's actually out there. Like, I don't think this is a situ I don't think there's a situation in Edmonton right now where it's like you have to get rid of X player or Y player. I think it's very much is something, and I think you know, same thing with what the coaching was before it got leaked and they felt they like, you know, maybe it was very much what's out there. Do we bring Knoblock back? I don't know. But in any event, I think it it really is because I think that changes so much of the strategy. If if it's like Gustavson or an established goalie, like let's say like Gustavson on the table versus a prospect like Casa, okay. That's gonna change how you want to deal with the goaltending, right? Because again, you get someone established, then you're like, okay, well, now we need to get rid of Jari, essentially, probably from a cap perspective, right? You don't want a six million dollar backup when you're paying a six million dollar starter, right? Right. But if it's Casa, then you're like, maybe we keep, maybe we we can look, but we're not we're not then therefore trying to just jettison Jari, right? Right. Or spending them. We maybe we do keep him and we see if he can bounce back and hope that like whatever as a backup plan. Like, so I think that's for instance, and it's the same thing with like nurse. It's like, okay, well, maybe we can have a deal for like if Detroit wants him for Cosa. Again, it's okay, well, we can make that trade, but now we gotta figure out what's our plan for the defense then. And if we don't have someone that we think we can bring in, because at the end of the day, I don't think it's gonna be fully internal. I think if you send nurse out, like you said, like you have to bring someone in. So, okay, Detroit wants nurse for Cosa, okay. Now we we have we'll keep Jari, I guess, in this situation. But now, okay, who do we go out and get to replace nurse? And it's like, is there anyone out there? Like, it seems like it's just gonna be such a domino effect, and I don't think you can just rush necessarily one move over the other. That makes sense.

SPEAKER_03 42:31

Right. And then it's gonna unfold kind of slowly in layers, you know, as we get like to the end of the playoffs and the draft and then the start of free agency, like the further free agency goes, obviously, all the trades within that. But yeah, I mean Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 42:50

It's and I mean, yeah, we're still so far away from that, right? Like, this is all speculation. We've gone another month until anything happened.

SPEAKER_03 43:00

Yeah. I mean, it is part of like the conversations that we're expecting the warlers to be having right now, though. You know, it's like they've gotta somehow come up with a plan to get through all, have some targets, some ideas, some possibilities. I mean, to be fair, that's not unique to others, that's what every team is, most of them already, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 43:25

It's a time to scheme and dream. That's it.

SPEAKER_04 43:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 43:28

So but yeah, I mean, we'll see. Yeah, there's there is a lot. It it'll be very interesting to see where this team is come September, because there's gonna be I mean, there's gonna be a new coach, and there's definitely gonna be changes. It'll be yeah, we'll we'll see. I don't know. If Cassidy's not available, I think that's I'm sure that's what the oilers, like their management's focus has to be right now is like what do we do about coaching.

SPEAKER_03 43:53

Yeah. And I mean, probably having a lot of like discussions sorting through some of the minus show, like these players. in in regards to that, what these coaches think of them and how their kind of what their hope for the roster would be heading into next season. Like I don't they're probably not like well versed on the depth options, like the AHL options, not not saying, but eventually, you know, those details, like their philosophies on that, are going to be relevant, you know?

SPEAKER_01 44:25

No, totally. It'll be Yeah, so I don't know. We'll we'll just have to see.

SPEAKER_03 44:32

Yeah, I don't know. Do you have anything else, Faze, or are we done? Have we said everything we needed to say for now?

SPEAKER_02 44:37

We said I can't think of anything else. Oh jersey.

SPEAKER_03 44:41

And if you want to talk about the the uh the uh rumored like the the City Connect jerseys that right yeah so the Florida and the Islanders ones are the only ones we've seen right that have been like leaked yeah yeah I kinda I like the I kind of like the Florida one as much as it made me so good.

SPEAKER_02 45:00

So good man they're awesome. I try to see if I can find everything about them basically yeah yeah so like they're pretty sweet. Uh I mean I just think you know for the Oilers one because I did you see what the rumor is for the Oilers one?

SPEAKER_03 45:17

It's like the it's gonna be like black and like the two tone ones the dark blue and orange ones that's what it is. But it's black and orange.

SPEAKER_02 45:27

Yeah and I'm just like that is the stupidest stupidest thing I've ever seen or ever heard I guess haven't seen it yet but I've ever heard it in my life. Because it's just like I mean again we'll see what it is if it is in fact how it's rumored that it's essentially a copy and paste but black instead of like one of the biggest critiques of that jersey initially was that on TV it looks black instead of right but it's like you gotta in person and everyone's like yeah this is actually really it's different. It's nice the colors mesh well like it's good. You change it to black it's just okay this is a Halloween jersey like and like I'm I mean I'm gonna be writing an article about like what I think about the jersey what I think about what the oil should be looking at. Because there's just so many other ways to deal with it. Like again first of all every it seems like there's so many black jerseys in the City Connect thing. So okay and black's not like an it's not an Edmonton color like if you know if it's City Connect and you're connecting to the city hey green and gold is right like that's that's the the U of A, that's the Elks like why not that or you know go to copper and copper and blue. I mean all the people who are buying like the majority of the people with the money and the age group that they're at that are spending money on the oilers right now are people who grew up with that jersey or people at least who remember the 06 run and it's you know like capitalize on that a bit. Like you you capitalized on the the first third jersey and the reverse retro and it did pretty well and I think it's yeah I just I don't understand going to the black going to the black especially but I just don't understand like there's options there. I mean maybe if it's something really cool that's fine. But like you know it you know it would be cool like why not do if you're gonna do the black and orange I'd almost say like do an orange with like a black oil drop. Because then you know oil's black like that would be cool you know doing orange with that like that could be cool.

SPEAKER_03 47:27

It's yeah at least a bit different.

SPEAKER_02 47:30

But yeah if it's just if it's really is just I I I really hope it's not because then that's it's just so uncreative too. Like I I have I have one of the the navy ones like I'm not gonna get the exact same one in black. Like I just I don't I don't see you're not selling that jersey I don't as much as like right like that was the one thing with this new jersey this year was maybe some people had critiques but it was different.

SPEAKER_03 47:55

So it was like yeah okay but yeah I mean I would say just to be the opposite of you I would say I would say that like it's at least encouraging that I think I I somewhat like the two jerseys that we've seen look leaked, you know?

SPEAKER_04 48:13

Right.

SPEAKER_03 48:14

So you know we'll see who knows who knows what it will actually look like. Obviously some people are gonna like it anyway, you know, never regardless. But yeah I I I definitely agree with you on the the like I know it's a thing like all these teams getting black in their jerseys and like the teams that are supposed to have it like the Tampa Bay Lightning don't yeah. I don't know what's up with that. But yeah but yeah at the very least like this new what is it hometown remix it's somewhat reverse retro like where it's like maybe some familiarity with like some kind of different twist to it than normal. Seems like they're doing okay so far so I'm gonna kind of I'll be excited to see the rest of them.

SPEAKER_02 48:57

I'm sure that I'm gonna like a bunch of them I think you know yeah I think so maybe even if it's not the Oilers ones but yeah again I think I think for me it was more just I heard like initially black and you're like oh okay and then just seeing what it's like there's it that it's oh it's literally just an old jersey switching blue with black and it's what hearing that and I'm like are you are you are you serious? Yeah you know which ones I kind of liked were the uh the the in the North division the reverse retro with like the orange pants yeah that was so sad I thought those were really actually good yeah honestly like I think I was like those are so nice I would love for those to even just be like the regular wagers like they're those were yeah it's unfortunate it was during that year because they didn't like produce a lot of them so you can't even you could never you couldn't find them like no one even saw them just on TV.

SPEAKER_03 49:58

Yeah exactly oh yeah those were a good one that was a good series in general I think it's like fanatics now this is their kind of like introduction to that series right so yeah yeah it's cool I do I do think that like there is a sweet spot of like you don't want to have like seven or eight jerseys. I think having kind of like one cool different one is enough. Like maybe there's like circumstantial exceptions where you know like I know like there's a ridiculous one where teams will wear like certain jerseys for St. Patrick's Day or something. But yeah that's like you know tradition.

SPEAKER_02 50:41

I feel like third jerseys and these kinds of jerseys they need to be the point of it is to be a little bit more different. Like I I think that's the point of it. So you know I think again like I I think it's technically I guess this would be different. I guess technically it's different than the ones they have if it's especially if it's in black but you know it's I yeah I don't know we'll see we'll see I I hope the report of it being that similar to to the original one if it is not true. If it's black but it's something a little bit different then I probably will live with it and frankly probably yes we'll we'll end up buying it one again. Oh no I mean like that but like if it really is just that full on Redux then no like that's a yeah so we'll we'll we'll be anxiously awaiting if it's a nice enough one like do that let me get a cosa of that uh that jersey okay there that's I was gonna ask what the wish list or if it is do you want to call it there? Sure yeah yeah all right everyone well thanks again to listening for listening to mine and Greg's rambles and rants and once again greg's defense of nurse and I didn't get into any defense of Bouchard today actually so we won't we won't go there. But yeah so thanks everyone for for joining in and we'll see you next time next time we have an episode of the Torp.