Who needs OEL?

[yave1964]

Oliver Ekman Larsson is being dangled by new Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong who is looking to put his own stamp on the organization. OEL is supposedly being dangled and his days in the desert appear to be numbered. It begs the question, who needs OEL?

 

  First, lets talk about him a bit before we get into possible suitors, he is 29 which seems impossible, it is hard to believe he has been in the league as long as he has. He specializes in offense from the back end, in the past six years only Brent Burns has scored more goals from the blueline than OEL. His defense is suspect, always has been his weak link. His contract is a heavy burden, he has seven years at 8.250 million per year. To reach the floor, if the return is high enough the 'Yotes would likely retain salary.

 

 So who needs him, who needs an elite offensive defenseman who is average defensively who has a contract that will run long past his prime? The Candidates...

 

BOSTON Krug is gone, Chara may or may not play another year, they have McAvoy and Carlo are solid but OEL would allow them to replace Krug and keep their power play among the games best.

 

EDMONTON Here is the most striking stat, the Oilers were 29th in the NHL in goals by defenseman and 26th in points from the back end and that is before losing Klefbom possibly for the upcoming year. They cannot afford 8 million for him, they cannot afford to give up a top prospect such as Bouchard, God alone knows what they could give up to add him but man would he be a great fit.

 

ISLANDERS Their one for all, all for one aproach is great and all but they need a puck mover on the back end to get them across the blueline. He doesnt fit the team game well but like Edmonton they need offense from the back end, unlike Edmonton they may be able to throw a very solid package.

 

RANGERS Rumor of an offer centered around Buchnevich and picks which may not be enough but is a good start for a team that looks rebuilt on the fly and ready to roll.

 

LEAFS They will be rumored to be in the hunt for every blueliner in the game, HFBoards has them linked to OEL with Nylander going back which makes a certain sense for both.

 

JETS A depleted blueline and a ton of solid prospects, free agents dont flock to the Peg, OEL for Laine would be a huge blockbuster.

 

KNIGHTS the offense completely went south in the playoffs, combining OEL with Theodore would be a gamechanger, but it would clost a package likely including Glass and/or Hague.

 

 A few others, Vancouver, even Pittsburgh has been mentioned. 

 

If i were to rank the top three teams that have both need and assets to make it happen i would say:

 

1) Isles

2)Rangers

3)Bruins

 

The team who needs him the most is Edmonton but i dont see how they could make it happen.

[yave1964]

OEL has a full MTC in his deal and has supposedly tied Armstrongs hands a bit by stating he will only accept a deal to the 'Nucks or the Bruins, neither of which has a first rounder this year. OEL is close friends with Zibenajad of the Rangers who is supposedly pushing him to consider New York, a few other cities are still trying to get in the mix as well. OEL is supposedly angered that the process is taking so long but i give Armstrong credit for not being rushed. He doesnt have many cards to play with moving out his disgruntled star but he is in no hurry to play them to quickly.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

2 hours ago, yave1964 said:

OEL has a full MTC in his deal and has supposedly tied Armstrongs hands a bit by stating he will only accept a deal to the 'Nucks or the Bruins, neither of which has a first rounder this year. OEL is close friends with Zibenajad of the Rangers who is supposedly pushing him to consider New York, a few other cities are still trying to get in the mix as well. OEL is supposedly angered that the process is taking so long but i give Armstrong credit for not being rushed. He doesnt have many cards to play with moving out his disgruntled star but he is in no hurry to play them to quickly.

If OEL really is "angered" the process is taking long, then I would have to question either his intelligence or his selflessness.
He has a NMC, has made very specific conditions for him waiving it....and THEN is 'angered' by the process???

This is one of those situations I am glad the Bolts are cap strapped and aren't in this particular mix, or the Wild, who are rebuilding now and have no need or place for an expensive 30 year old blue liner.

No doubt his offensive skillset is among the best in the league, but like you said before....his defense is suspect, and frankly, there are guys out there that still can provide decent offense without being complete liabilities on defense.

And also, I consider this: If OEL is such a game changer, then why does it it feel, all his years in the desert, that the team really hasn't been able to build around him?
I mean, even inept management would have accidentally found a way to get players in there to supplement a supposedly driven talent like OEL.

Despite his skillset, he seems more like the passenger type than the driver type.

Good luck to whomever ends up with him...and hope they have other drivers on the team because OEL as a guy who stirs the drink doesn't seem quite right to me.

[JR Ewing]

@TropicalFruitGirl26 I dunno... I have some empathy for Ekman-Larsson here. He's played 2 years out of an 8-year deal, and the team is already trying to move him. After a career of playing on some really bad teams, I can see why he's annoyed and wants to make sure he goes to the market of his choice.

 

@yave1964 I'm glad he wouldn't waive to go to Edmonton. From what Ryan Rishaug was saying, the ask was one of Evan Bouchard or Phillip Broberg plus a 1st-rounder. No thanks. To be honest, I think his decline has been noticeable, and that contract will be a real anchor to a team that takes it on, especially with the volatility of how Covid has affected revenue and will continue to do so. The Bubble worked well, but this is a gate-driven league, and 6 x $8.25M on a declining asset is scary, especially when the asking price would be very high.

 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

22 minutes ago, JR Ewing said:

@TropicalFruitGirl26 I dunno... I have some empathy for Ekman-Larsson here. He's played 2 years out of an 8-year deal, and the team is already trying to move him. After a career of playing on some really bad teams, I can see why he's annoyed and wants to make sure he goes to the market of his choice.

 

@yave1964 I'm glad he wouldn't waive to go to Edmonton. From what Ryan Rishaug was saying, the ask was one of Evan Bouchard or Phillip Broberg plus a 1st-rounder. No thanks. To be honest, I think his decline has been noticeable, and that contract will be a real anchor to a team that takes it on, especially with the volatility of how Covid has affected revenue and will continue to do so. The Bubble worked well, but this is a gate-driven league, and 6 x $8.25M on a declining asset is scary, especially when the asking price would be very high.

 

I don't have an issue with him wanting to go where he wants to.... that's the perk of having a NMC.
But he also needs to understand the GM will try and get the very most he can, the very best deal.... and that takes some time.

Even if the GM were strictly talking to teams OEL wants to go to, again, I will say, OEL is either dense or selfish if he doesn't realize that the GM needs to get the best possible deal for him.

[Brewin Flames]

I keep hearing he wants to come to boston...cool.

 

But, to me replacing Krug's contract with his just seems....