Off-Season Update

Alright, I've been really sporadic with my posts, and I pledge to be more regular from now on.

Wow, what an off-season? I knew Lowe would make changes, but not so many!!

Re-signings
Gilbert's signing was a shocker for me. He was the Oilers' most steady defenseman last season, but I never anticipated making him a franchise defenseman. 6 years, 24.6 million is a hefty, hefty amount to pay, but if Gilbert can continue to develop and dominate with his 2-way game, this contract is going to turn out to be a bargain in the near future. ESPECIALLY with the way contracts have been dealt out with ridiculous amounts of money this off-season (Jeff Finger, what the hell?)

Grebeshkov's re-signing was smart. Keep it short and simple. This team has an influx of puck-moving defenseman, and the last thing Mac-T needs is not enough physical, shutdown defenseman. Consider this an audition for Grebeshkov. If he continues to show he can be a solid offensive defenseman, it makes him prime trade bait heading into next season. Hell, if he's good enough, maybe we'll re-sign him.

I was shocked at the amount Nilsson took to stay. I guess he really loves the city, and wants to stay. I thought he'd be looking at Torres-like salary, but the 3-year deal seems like a sure-fire bargain. Nilsson is essentially Hemsky-lite, and it'll be interesting to see how he further develops over the contract. Hopefully he emerges as a 2nd-line version of Hemsky. His shifty play and brilliant passes really powered the "Kid Line" this past season.

Trades
Syvret for Potulny was a great move by Lowe. He got rid of an obsolete player in Syvret for a Pouliot-like kid in Potulny. It'll be interesting to see Potulny fight for a spot come training camp.

Lowe shocked me when on June 29 he dealt for....another puck-moving defenseman. Stoll's future was never in doubt for me, there was no reason to keep him when he was struggling so much, especially with Brodziak ready to make the jump to 3rd-line center. It's sad to see Greene go, but Lowe essentially had to choose between him and Smid, and it was a no-brainer to keep the former 22-year old Czech 10th overall pick, purely for his potential.

But wow, Visnovsky! This guy has been on my top-5 list for offensive defenseman since the lockout. On a terrible, terrible team in Los Angeles, he was able to be a plus player for 2 seasons, befor shifting to the right side to play with Rob Blake. Blake really pulled down Visnovsky's output this past season, and he ended up a minus player, with a respectable 41 points.

A great pick-up by Lowe, Visnovsky is 3rd in total points among NHL defenseman since the lockout. His presence will be felt on the powerplay, where he will share QB duties with Hemsky. He has a ripper of a slapshot (looks like Lidstrom's), and makes quick smart passes down low to open up space for the forwards to set up. He really adds some stability to the backside, especially with the tumultuous Souray manning the back. It's going to be fun to watch him dictate our break-out next season. Visnovsky is a great talent, and kudos goes to Lowe for managing to grab him when his value was lowest.

With the trading of Stoll, it didn't take a genious to tell that Torres was next up. He simply didn't have a role to play on the team with his heavy $2 million salary and a 4th-line LW spot open with the departure of Glencross.

Gilbert Brule, a former 6th-overall pick in the Crosby draft, has seriously disappointed since entering the NHL as an 18-year old. It's true that the Jackets rushed him in, but his numbers since have been very poor, especially with the opportunities he has recieved to play with the likes of Nash and Zherdev.

Regardless, the scouts obviously saw something when they hailed him as a sure-fire top-10 pick. He is small, quick as hell, and possesses the skills and shot to be a star in the league. With the right amount of cultivation in the AHL and by the NHL coaching staff, it's not impossible to make him undergo a Nilsson-like transormation.

Both Torres and Brule needed a change of scenery, and this trade provides a chance for both to fulfill their potentials with new teams. Not to mention, Lowe managed to open up cap space for a certain other "venture".

Now, with the arrival of Visnovsky, the writing was on the wall for Joni Pitkanen. He was our other minute-eating offensive defenseman, the only one without a contract, and rumors had it he was asking for money in the $5 million range. With Visnovsky's $5.6 million and Souray's $5.4 million cap hits already emptying Lowe's wallets, it was a no-brainer that he was looking to trade Pitkanen.

With the departure of Torres earlier that day (July 1), the Oilers were left with a hole at the LW position. Instead of simply filling it with a 4th-line winger to replace Glencross, Lowe went for a bigger fish.

Erik Cole brings another much-needed power presence to the Oilers forward. Like Penner, he's a swift big man capable of putting up 30 goals in the NHL. Unlike Penner, this guy isn't afraid to hit. He is well known for getting his nose dirty when the time calls for it, however this style of play has given him much injury troubles in the past.

Giving up on a talent like Pitkanen really pains me, especially when it's for an impending UFA like Cole, who's not guaranteed to re-sign. But the move needed to be made, and Cole should really bolster our top-6 forwards heading into next season.