That didn't take long, did it?
Speculation that the Oilers could be trading down their pick started mere minutes after the draft concluded when Edmonton G.M.Steve Tambellini, after being asked whether he'd be drafting Yakupov, trading the pick for a much needed defenseman, or maybe even not selecting Yakupov at all, responded "all of the above."
So he's an open-minded guy. Rational, even.
Still, Yakupov makes no sense to Edmonton, a team whose brim has overflowed with excellent young offensive talent, but has very little on either the blue line or between the pipes. Even if three or four of these young guns score 40+ goals in future years, if Edmonton doesn't have the means to keep the puck out, they'll struggle to make the post-season next year (and beyond), which would render their rebuilding experiment a failure.
Today, the navel gazers are out in full force, lobbying Tambellini to unload the pick for a number one defensemen or goaltender.
But what exactly would it take to pry that pick out of Edmonton's mitts? It's a question on the mind of many Habs fans today because Montreal is faced with an almost inverse challenge - its defense and goaltending are relatively deep, but its offense has some pretty gaping holes that need to be filled immediately.
Yakupov, who will almost certainly be playing in the NHL next season, fits the Habs desperate needs. An amazingly skilled and agile winger who would match up perfectly with playmaking centres like Desharnais and Plekanec (or perhaps even Eller). Yakupov would be the best potential candidate to fill the void that has dogged the Habs organization for years - a forward with the potential capability to dominate a game. It's an essential element for all championship hockey teams - that one guy who can take the game into his hands, and push his team to victory.
So what now? Well, if the Oilers do trade away their top pick, it's not going to happen any time soon. Certainly not in the next few days. Tambellini is no dummy - he'll be weighing options, fielding calls (he'll certainly get many inquiries), and making a move only if it fits the immediate needs of the Oilers, as the pressure is beginning to mount in Edmonton for the Oilers to make the playoffs next season. Anything less will not be acceptable.
I cannot envision the Oilers entertaining a draft swap with the Habs involving one of Montreal's young defensive prospects, either Nathan Beaulieu, or Jarred Tinordi, both of whom have great potential, but are by no means proven NHL-capable defensemen. Certainly not proven #1 capable defensemen that the Oilers need so badly next season.
Ergo, The Oilers will almost certainly not be returning any calls by the next Habs G.M. that don't involve either P.K. Subban or Carey Price as part of the conversation.
That's a pretty hefty price tag - from all rational perspectives, far too pricy. Subban and Price represent the future of Habs fortunes - they are irreplaceable commodities.
So with the draft lottery behind us, and a night's sleep to mull over future possibilities, Habs fans can probably only dream about somehow wrenching away that number one pick from the Oilers' grasp.
The reality is, what the Habs need to offer to land Yakupov is something they simply can't afford to surrender.
Showing posts with label Edmonton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Edmonton. Show all posts
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Game Sixty-Eight: Habs v Oilers
Happy Game Day! Anything happening? Pretty quiet this morning. Let's check the twitter feed. OH GOD. Markov absent at team practice. NOoooooooooooo ....
Actually, he's out with the flu. Reportedly. Hopefully. He'd better be.
TONIGHT: Will Price start? I'm thinking .... no? We'll see.
More later(s).
UPDATE: As suspected, Price will rest, and Budaj will start. The race for 29th is ON tonight!
First Period:
- Good first two shifts for Pacioretty.
- Gomez a whisker away from scoring a hat trick - for the entire season.
- Yup. The game so far very much looks like the 28th vs 29th ranked team. Zzzzzzz ...
- Maybe the officials are trying to generate some action, but that was a pretty marginal roughing call on Subban.
- And Edmonton capitalizes, Horcoff with a nice little deflection off a point shot. Advantage Edmonton (another small step towards 29th!)
- Canadiens defense must be the worst in the League for finishing great scoring chances. Campoli and then Kaberle two minutes later unable to bury the routine.
- Another very marginal penalty call, this time Campoli for "tripping".
- As usual, quite a few Habs fans taking in the game in Edmonton, starting to get vocal and antsy with the officials.
- Subban with a blast from the line that Khabibulin really ought to have stopped with 16 seconds left in the frame. Rare PP goal to boot. And the game is tied.
- To understate, the quality of hockey played in the 1st was pretty low - both teams' offenses looking more AHL than NHL capable. Oilers are a bit of a mystery - so loaded with young capable talent, yet for the fifth consecutive season, still terrible.
Second Period:
- Dammit Gomez. Now you start playing like an NHL centre??! Pacioretty now just one away from 30. Drive for 29th takes a big hit.
- I ain't saying that the Oilers are sitting back here, but the Oilers sure look like they're sitting back here.
- Kaberle is what ... nearly 35 years old and he still doesn't know not to toss the puck blindly up the middle deep in his zone? Oy. Game tied.
- What the heck did Gomez eat for breakfast? Sheesh.
- Cole given two minutes for bodychecking ... sorry, "tripping". The zebra crew has made some interesting calls tonight.
- Gomez on fire, at the worst possible time. I think he may have just scored to give Habs a 3-2 lead. Under review.
- The puck was ON the line, nobody around, and still, somehow, Bourque still could put it in. The guy is a piece of work. Wow.
- For those keeping track, Bourque is -13 since coming over from Calgary. Not quite ready to call the trade a disaster ... yet ...
- Another sloppy period by both teams. One of the worst games I've seen in quite awhile. Whomever wins tonight will have done so by playing terribly.
Third Period:
- Desharnais is gone for the night with an injury. Add 'em to the never-ending injury list.
- Kaberle trying to make amens with a wrister past Khabibulin, and Habs take very big step backwards in their fight for 29th. 3-2 Montreal.
- Eller putting nail in the Habs coffin. We can't win for losing.
- Hall giving us some hope. Oilers just one down.
- Weber's skated barely deflect a cross-ice pass that would have tied the game.
- 60 seconds left. Will Edmonton pull this one out?
- Pacioretty scores his 30th into the empty net, and Habs win. /sad
- One year since his incredible injury that nearly took his life, Pacioretty's two goals tonight giving him 30 on the year is a wonderful story.
Actually, he's out with the flu. Reportedly. Hopefully. He'd better be.
TONIGHT: Will Price start? I'm thinking .... no? We'll see.
More later(s).
UPDATE: As suspected, Price will rest, and Budaj will start. The race for 29th is ON tonight!
First Period:
- Good first two shifts for Pacioretty.
- Gomez a whisker away from scoring a hat trick - for the entire season.
- Yup. The game so far very much looks like the 28th vs 29th ranked team. Zzzzzzz ...
- Maybe the officials are trying to generate some action, but that was a pretty marginal roughing call on Subban.
- And Edmonton capitalizes, Horcoff with a nice little deflection off a point shot. Advantage Edmonton (another small step towards 29th!)
- Canadiens defense must be the worst in the League for finishing great scoring chances. Campoli and then Kaberle two minutes later unable to bury the routine.
- Another very marginal penalty call, this time Campoli for "tripping".
- As usual, quite a few Habs fans taking in the game in Edmonton, starting to get vocal and antsy with the officials.
- Subban with a blast from the line that Khabibulin really ought to have stopped with 16 seconds left in the frame. Rare PP goal to boot. And the game is tied.
- To understate, the quality of hockey played in the 1st was pretty low - both teams' offenses looking more AHL than NHL capable. Oilers are a bit of a mystery - so loaded with young capable talent, yet for the fifth consecutive season, still terrible.
Second Period:
- Dammit Gomez. Now you start playing like an NHL centre??! Pacioretty now just one away from 30. Drive for 29th takes a big hit.
- I ain't saying that the Oilers are sitting back here, but the Oilers sure look like they're sitting back here.
- Kaberle is what ... nearly 35 years old and he still doesn't know not to toss the puck blindly up the middle deep in his zone? Oy. Game tied.
- What the heck did Gomez eat for breakfast? Sheesh.
- Cole given two minutes for bodychecking ... sorry, "tripping". The zebra crew has made some interesting calls tonight.
- Gomez on fire, at the worst possible time. I think he may have just scored to give Habs a 3-2 lead. Under review.
- The puck was ON the line, nobody around, and still, somehow, Bourque still could put it in. The guy is a piece of work. Wow.
- For those keeping track, Bourque is -13 since coming over from Calgary. Not quite ready to call the trade a disaster ... yet ...
- Another sloppy period by both teams. One of the worst games I've seen in quite awhile. Whomever wins tonight will have done so by playing terribly.
Third Period:
- Desharnais is gone for the night with an injury. Add 'em to the never-ending injury list.
- Kaberle trying to make amens with a wrister past Khabibulin, and Habs take very big step backwards in their fight for 29th. 3-2 Montreal.
- Eller putting nail in the Habs coffin. We can't win for losing.
- Hall giving us some hope. Oilers just one down.
- Weber's skated barely deflect a cross-ice pass that would have tied the game.
- 60 seconds left. Will Edmonton pull this one out?
- Pacioretty scores his 30th into the empty net, and Habs win. /sad
- One year since his incredible injury that nearly took his life, Pacioretty's two goals tonight giving him 30 on the year is a wonderful story.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)