Someone’s In Big Trouba

Okay, before you beat me up and take my lunch money for that pun that doesn’t even really work if you read it out loud, let’s just talk about a few things. A recap, if you will, of a rather eventful few days at a point in the offseason not really close to any major events, when we as hockey writers have to just take it upon ourselves to manufacture controversy wherever we can. I will gladly shoulder that burden.

Oh hey, Sexbom
Oh hey, Sexbom
  • By now, we’re all painfully aware of the comments made by Klefbom in regard to Hall and his play against tough competition, and how it was in all likelihood someone in the Oilers organization who made him “clarify” those comments the next morning, when they became a whole lot more politically correct and a whole lot less about Hall

  • Tyson Barrie is going to be an Avalanche… Avalancher?.. for the foreseeable future and not, in fact, an Oiler. Boo-urns.
  • Jacob Trouba and Winnipeg management are “far apart on money, term, and usage”, according to comments made by TSN’s Gary Lawless on “That’s Hockey” on Tuesday

But what does it all mean, man?

Well, a few things, maybe:

  • The Cubs are still not going to win the World Series
  • If one more goddamn Pidgey breaks out of one of my pokeballs, I’m deleting Pokémon Go for good
  • Maybe Klefbom gets traded to Winnipeg for Trouba?

I know, I know, that’s ridiculous. I’ll never delete Pokémon Go. So let’s talk about why the Oilers and the Jets do this trade.

Anyone who’s been paying attention the last few years knows that Peter Chiarelli absolutely does not care at all about your opinion when it comes to who he gets rid of from an organization. Phil Kessel, Tyler Seguin, and Taylor Hall can all attest to that. He also has no time for guys who he feels are sources of “character problems” inside or outside the locker room. Do Klef’s comments put him firmly on Chia’s shit list? Who knows. But if the rumours are true that he was the one who got on the phone and laid down the law, you’ve got to think there’s tension there.

Enter, the Winnipeg Jets and their inability to retain young talent long-term. There’s an argument to be made that the Jets are under-utilizing one of their best defensive assets, and it’s probably pissing him off, especially if they’re trying to lowball him on his well-earned bridge contract. Jacob is watching Dustin “The Brandon Davidson Killer” Byfuglien lumber around with a $7.6M contract until 2021 and he wants to get his, too. I reckon he’s asking for something like a $6Mx4 and guaranteed PP minutes, and the Jets don’t want to pony up just yet, on term or price.

I hate this guy
I hate this guy

Maybe a guy like Klefbom, locked in at under $4.2M for the next 6 seasons looks pretty appealing to Winnipeg right now. Maybe the Oilers take a shot on Trouba (who is pretty much a known quantity at this point, who stays healthier than poor Klef has historically) and give him the $6M he wants for a few years. We’ll be shedding some anchors soon with all the money tied up in Ference and Nikitin, and we have almost $8.5M in cap space left as it is. Woodguy (one half of the very cool WoodMoney stat co-created by BLH’s own G Money) loves the guy, and he’s a lot smarter than me and has the fancystats to prove what an asset Trouba would be. The Oilers so desperately need defencemen who consistently maintain possession and drive offense, which is Jacob’s specialty. Now, that’s not to say the numbers indicate that Klefbom doesn’t do that — because he definitely does — but what I’m saying is that we wouldn’t necessarily miss him all that much. (I mean, I would miss just looking at him at the very least, and these top Google suggestions would seem to indicate the Edmonton area would share my pain.)

Screen Shot 2016-08-03 at 5.20.40 PM

 

But we’ll plop BDavey on the top line on Larsson’s wing and let them just be awesome and rock solid together and out-Corsi everyone in the Pacific. Look at what it does to our defensive lineups:

Davidson – Larsson
Sekera- Trouba
Nurse – Fayne/Oesterle

Holy smokes, right? That’s an objectively awesome defensive lineup. And cheap, too! Dare I say it, that’s a playoff d-core.

And all because Klefbom shot his mouth off a bit to the Swedish press. It sure is nice here in perpetual optimism land, where the glass is always half full and this year is always our year!

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6 Comments

  1. Matthew
    August 3, 2016

    Well I agree with what you said. Oilers and Jets would make great business partners. But to say Klefbom shot his mouth off. I don’t see it that way. He said what everyone I the NHL has been thinking for years. Yes I know it was lore than Hall it was the whole 25 man roster on a night in night out basis. Thus we are always in the bottom 5 of the league. I hate to see you go Oscar but glad to see Jake come.

  2. Gordoil
    August 3, 2016

    Don’t disagree with the potential of a move like that, however & I hate to be a downer but I would lighten up a bit on the Davidson being a top pairing and all. How many times have we as hockey fans let alone Oiler’s fans been let down by putting an individual to high after a small sample size. Lets let Davidson be what he performs to this coming season and not expect too much from him.

    • Beer League Hero
      August 3, 2016

      Oh no doubt Gord! But here’s the thing, Davidson isn’t a spring chicken. He’s been brought through the system unlike players in previous regimes who’ve had 20 or 40 games of AHL. Plus Davidson was thrown right into the deep end filled with piranhas, great whites, and starving crocs… He came out just fine before meeting with Byfuglien’s huge ass. Would I start him at the top pairing? Probably not.

      If Trouba holds out, he’s not going to be in game shape until the 2nd half of the year anyhow. So we’d have to wait until next season anyhow to make a true judgement of his impact.

      • Gordoil
        August 4, 2016

        I just keep hearing (from all media) how Davidson is the real deal and a guarantee to be what we have seen so far. The Oiler’s of the last several years have shown us that this is never the case. I hope I am wrong but am prepared myself for a drop off.

  3. Joe
    August 4, 2016

    Trading Klefbom destroys the Swedish connection. Ethnicity matters — look how hard Olympic teams battle. Klefbom healthy is possibly left shot Seabrook.

  4. Kane Adamson
    August 6, 2016

    I honestly hope theres a little bit of sarcasm going on in this, as Klefbom would be a frankly foolish piece to move. He’s our best defenseman, Davidson has every possibility of regression, AND we dont have depth anymore. You need a player that can play a pair up on each healthy pair, Klef-Larsson, Sekera-Fayne (Sekera), Nurse-Davidson (Davidson). I have no issue putting Nurse on the trade block for a Troub (Resulting in Sekera-Trouba, Davidson-Fayne) a but we need to add to the top 4 without removing from it or we just dont solve anything.

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