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No one is going to touch reserve issues. As soon as the idea of opening up the constitution comes around politicians run for the hills because it's too much work and going to piss off too many people.

Gretzky was traded for money cause Pocklington was broke, Roy demanded a trade to get away from a coach he didn't like... That's really the point here. You don't often see teams trading players unless the relationship between the two sours and that makes it hard to get full value cause the buyer is reluctant to give up a lot. This whole idea that they can just trade Kane for big value is a fallacy because like it or not he does have some question marks with his attitude and that would give the perception they're moving a problem player.

Players without issues rarely get traded these days, it's really ******* hard to make good hockey trades anymore, that's why I keep asking it.

If I recall Chretien used to love it when his opponents made fun of his face. He always said if they have to resort to that they got nothing else.

Well it's hard to say, the Oilers would love some more size on their wings and Kane provides that. I don't like the move from an Oilers standpoint in terms of straight up value because I think Eberle is a better player without the attitude question marks, but if they get desperate to add a bit more beef might be something that could come to pass.

just because they knew they'd lose players doesn't mean they're happy about it. You know a GM anywhere who is happy to lose players for nothing just so an opponent can get stronger? No I guarantee no one is going to be looking to help Ottawa after they lost people to an expansion draft.

If he's so good why are you trading him? Jets fans are just stupid. I've seen them turn up their noses at even the thought of Eberle for Kane. Despite the fact that Eberle out produces him consistently.

ok but then they're down a centre and a defenseman that they need to replace... That's not exactly a deep and stacked playoff team there, they got lots of issues of there own and dealing quantity doesn't seem like the best thing for them to do.

If he was named Brett Smith rather than Brett Cameron I guarantee no one would have batted an eye when he was cut.

which team is going to give you a top 6 forward + for a top 6 forward though? If you want 2 or 3 pieces for Kane they are going to be lesser pieces. The best you could hope to get for Kane is a one for one swap with a guy on a similar level who has worn out his welcome on another team.

Ok, but why do the Islanders do that? That's what people always forget when they come up with trade ideas, the other team needs a reason to do it too.

Except that it really wasn't. Burke was pretty hands off which was a problem many people had. The games where he did take a more active role the defense responded but instead he focussed on being just the head coach... not sure exactly what he did when he did that, but that's the official line. Except what? That it wasn't a disaster or that it wasn't overseen by Burke? I don't know about you, but if I was a Head Coach, and had a reputation as a defensive specialist, I would be heavily involved in fixing or helping fix the problem. The fact that he didn't doesn't make it less of a disaster. My point is last year's defence was a disaster, but nobody should declare this year's D or new DC anything yet. That it really wasn't overseen by Burke. Everything you say is correct, but Burke didn't get himself heavily involved. One of the reason he got his ass fired and why he's seen as one of the worst coaches the team has ever had. That's my point.

It's not the only problem but it's by far the biggest one. Too many players took a step back with Eakins for him to not be problem #1. Nah man, the problem is in Edmonton, you can fire coaches all you want, how many coaches tho need to be fired until you look at the players on the ice? Hall had a good year, point a game player, eberle had a down year but still, he had an ok year, yakupov suffered a little bit of sophomore jinx, longer season then last year also. Im not a huge oiler fan but its pretty obvious there biggest issue is they dont have any nhl d men really. Ferrence? he's a good bottom pairing guy but he aint a top 2 guy and thats what he played this season. Edmontons problem is they have drafted skilled forwards, smaller ones at that and rushed them. Their biggest issue is D by far, They cant play D. None of them can, They just arent a good defensive. Is this not the 3rd or 4th coach this team has had in the last few years? None of them coaches could get the job done, what that means is its not the coach, its the players. Edmonton should have taken Murray instead of Yakupov and should have let a few of their guys play in the minors first (RNH for sure, dudes so small its crazy) Coaches coach man, players play. 3 4 coaches the last 4 years have had the same results really. Eventually you gotta realize its not the coach, its the players. Well let me tell you why I say the coach is the biggest problem.... the PP in the previous 2 years was a huge weapon for that team, it won them enough games in the lockout season to move them up the standings... This season with the same players on it the thing sank to a point where not only were they not scoring on it they were giving up a ton of odd man rushes and scoring chances and goals the other way. Only thing that changed was the coach. Yakupov went from leading the team in goals as a rookie after improving all season to looking like he didn't have a clue how to play hockey. RNH his first 2 years looked like a guy with incredible hockey IQ and then this season looked absolutely lost on the ice. Coach praised him for how much he listened too... It's not that the roster is perfect, it isn't, but the amount of players who regressed under Eakins is too high to keep him. Kreuger may not have been a good coach, but he did more with less. Hell firing Tom Renney was the biggest mistake I think, but just because they've fired a bunch of coaches doesn't mean they've hired better ones. I disagree with your assessment that the Oilers can't play defense well enough, the big problem is they don't play enough offense. The only line that could keep the puck in the proper end of the rink was when they put Hall and Eberle and Nugent-Hopkins together, but the coach in his infinite wisdom only put them together at the end of the year. The rest of the time they could rush the puck up once but then it would get turned over and go back the other way. Any team would look bad defensively if you can't control the puck. People like to pretend they know what's going on by throwing out the nonsense they hear on tv but those guys don't watch enough things that aren't leafs to know what they're talking about anyway. Trust me on this, there are some things the roster needs to improve on, but the biggest issue for that team is that Dallas Eakins is a terrible coach.

The worst part is how the Dippers all brag about their record of balanced budgets... I have no interest in balancing the budget if it means jacking up the taxes every time you start spending more than you have.

Except that it really wasn't. Burke was pretty hands off which was a problem many people had. The games where he did take a more active role the defense responded but instead he focussed on being just the head coach... not sure exactly what he did when he did that, but that's the official line.

Enstrom - 82 games - 10 G, 20A, -9 - 5.75 mill Trouba - 65 games - 10 G, 15A, +4... yeah... we should always ignore the 50+ point seasons Enstrom has put up in the past, that makes complete sense. Enstrom got that payday because he is normally a point producing defensemen. Trouba when he was drafted was seen as more of a defensive guy, but he developed some offense in his post draft year and has shown some good offensive instincts as a rookie, he needs to keep that up though. Purely defensive guys don't get the big pay days like that.

To be completely fair though, a lot of us were throwing him under the bus before he was even officially hired.

not exactly. Sure gravity dictates that it's going to flow downwards, but it will flow in the path of least resistance which right there adds more guiding influences.

all depends on how he plays and how long the Jets want to lock him in for. If you are going to pay a defencemen 6 million a season he has to bring offense as well as defense.

If Etcheverry was some new guy coming in I'd give it more credibility than I do now, but we've seen him do this schtick multiple times before and the same problems are always there. I am not a fan of coaches who stubbornly stick to a philosophy that doesn't work in the long run. It has the making of Mike Kelly all over again.

Its just speculation... really depends on Trouba's next season - if a 21 year old defenceman, dominates - I can think of about eight teams that would give up prospects for him, starting with Edmonton All the over rating of Trouba aside (and yes he is a really good prospect, but he's not the norris winner people want to paint him as yet) The oilers are not likely to thrown an offer sheet at a guy like that, they'd be more likely to use their assets to get someone more proven.Lots of youth and potential on that team already including the defense position what they need are some veterans who can help bring the young players along.

If parties want to form a coalition it should be done before the election so voters know what to expect from a government if they're going to vote for that party. I tend to vote Conservative, but if they really ticked me off I could vote Liberal as well... but there is no way in hell I would ever vote for the NDP so having the NDP in any kind of significant role in governing is something I very much do not want to see.

I didn't like the idea of it back then either. Here's why I find the idea of a coalition between 3 parties undesirable.... They have too many differences between them and it's just a power grab. As much as the system isn't set up that way, the simple fact of the matter is people elected a specific party to govern and they did not want some amalgamation of other parties to run the country.

It's not the only problem but it's by far the biggest one. Too many players took a step back with Eakins for him to not be problem #1.

He has to want help from his coaches first. He reminds me of Burmistrov in that he works hard and has talent but won't adapt his game to what his coaches want him to do. From what I've read about him it sounds like his "people" are a little too involved with his career and it's causing friction with the Oilers' management & coaches. Maybe his agent takes too big a hands on approach, but Yakupov is coachable. The quote everyone brings up is bullshit because it's a kid without a good grasp on the language and it got taken the wrong way. What Yakupov needs is a coach who will sit him down and teach him how to work smarter not harder. Eakins obviously isn't that guy though because everyone but Perron and Hall (and even Hall at times) looks completely clueless about where they're supposed to be on the ice. It's not just defensively either, that team is so disjointed offensively because no one is on the same page. Even RNH who in his first 2 years looked like the smartest guy on the ice looks clueless this year (also praised by the coach for how much he listens) If Craig Mctavish realizes how bad he goofed hiring Eakins and fires him then those players will all of a sudden look a hell of a lot better.