Friday, September 25, 2009

Warming to Waging War on Wasted Wages with Waivers?

I certainly don't expect the Oilers to make much use of the waiver wire this week in terms of shedding multi-year contracts, but it would be interesting to see them try. Obviously with the three players to be mentioned one would attempt to get a positive return via trade before waiving them, but if that avenue didn't result in any offers, what would your opinion be of Edmonton waiving Moreau, Nilsson, and Staois? If not all three, which, if any, would you waive? Who would be expect to be picked up?

How much worse is the team this year if those three are all claimed, and how much better/worse do you like the cap situation next season if you move all three now? Is a better plan to hope they play their value up this year, and move them next summer? Or simply to keep them for the remaining 2 years on their contracts?

Is it worth the reduction in quality of team this season to open up 7.7 mil in cap room next season*?

* - assuming all three would be claimed, a big assumption to be sure.

3 comments:

Coach pb9617 said...

I don't think that any of them are a major claim risk.

speeds said...

I would guess Moreau and Nilsson more likely to be claimed than Staios.

I think there's a better case that Moreau is worth 2 mil per year than Neil, and supposedly multiple teams were willing to go that far for Neil 3 months ago.

Black Dog said...

I think we'd be surprised as to how highly Staios and Moreau are regarded around the NHL. Remember that HNIC game where MacLean, Hrudey and Milbury gushed about them?

Now would that translate into them being claimed? Don't know about that.

But I think Moreau would be picked up. Not sure about the other two. Staios' salary is up there and Nilsson has a bad rep.

Would the team be better without them? Too late now probably but if they had brought in a cheap replacement for the two vets at ~ a million then I think its a great move.

And while I have the feeling that Nilsson could blossom (I have that feeling about every single guy who plays for the Oilers) I think that Comrie has taken his spot and that next year Eberle or another kid will take it.

I like Nilsson but I don't think Comrie is a huge dropoff if he is healthy.

So they could make it work, assuming, as you said, that they dumped these guys and had a plan beforehand.