So far in this series, we have taken a look at Centers. You can check out HERE if you missed it. As well as Right Wingers. You can go HERE to see. In this STAY OR GO Series, we will be looking at Left Wingers next.
#23 Matt Hendricks
Boris: STAY
“I questioned his acquisition at the time but he is the type of player the team needs. Lots of try and no backing down. I hope his underlying numbers improve (Not playing with Gazdic would help them). Softening his time in terms of zone starts would as well.”
Dave: STAY
“Much like what Perron does for the top six, hendricks does for the bottom. He’s got all the right pieces for a gritty annoying winger that can add the odd point or two. Not to mention his apparent leadership.”
Jackie: STAY
“Matt Hendy!!! this guy does it all. He’s a leader on and off the ice and that was evident from the fist game he played for Edmonton. he’s tough, he’s gritty, he fore checks and he’s a WIZARD in the shootout. (Although only having one chance to prove it in Edmonton thus far…and failing hahaha) He’s a solid third or fourth liner.”
Alex: STAY
“Hendricks provides the Oilers with toughness, character and veteran leadership. The Oilers could use another Hendricks in their bottom six. His contract is big, but he does a lot right.”
Shawn: STAY
“I actually disagree with Hendricks on the wing. He is something like 57 or 58% at the dot. But he played all season on Gordon’s wing, and looked not bad in the process. He brings everything the bottom six has been missing. Heart, leadership and grit. He is the perfect bottom six player, especially being able to play all positions. I know this will annoy a few, but I’d ideally like to see him as the fourth line Center, behind Gordon.”
Another conscious stay vote for Hendricks. A guy who has already become a folk hero in Edmonton to say the least.
#20 Luke Gazdic
Boris: GO
“Not much to say other than he makes everyone worse at hockey when he’s on the ice. he needs to be able to play a little and by the numbers, as the season went on, he didn’t improve.”
Dave: STAY………In The Press Box
“UGH!!! So many people love this guy for what he can do with his fists. but let’s face it, he’s a terrible hockey player. He can stay around for those games where you need a fighter in, but other than that he should get a stool named after him in the press box.”
Jackie: GO
“I love Gazzer when he fights. he’s a major heavyweight and fills that role nicely. However…he’s not that strong of a hockey player. Do the Oilers really need a tough guy taking up a roster spot? yeah, I think they do…but I don’t think Gazdic is the guy. if they can upgrade his spot with someone tough that can actually play…I’d rather see that happen.”
Alex: GO
“I know a lot of people like Gazdic and I get it. he’s a tough guy that plays a very hard role and does it to the best of his ability. As a hockey player however, he simply is not very good. No winning teams employ possession black holes like this. Don’t sign him and move on.”
Shawn: STAY
“He’s only 24 years old. He is the first tough guy in years who plays the role very well. He did what was asked of him. He beat the crap out of guys who took runs at our stars. He might be only a 4-6 minute a night guy, who plays half the games in a season. But he does that role well. So why not keep him on as a 13th forward who goes in to deter dirty play.”
So Gazdic ends up with three GO votes, one STAY vote and a Press Box vote.
#4 Taylor Hall
Boris: STAY
“To say otherwise would be prerequisite for brain donation to science.”
Dave: STAY
“One of the best wingers in the league. he seemed to be turning a corner near the end of the season on his defensive game too. This kid will have it all one day soon.”
Jackie: STAY
“*Sigh*…I know Hall is a point producing machine. He’s definitely passionate and he works his ass off. I despise his cocky attitude. I despise his complaining to the refs and I think he needs to be mentored in the worst way. He’s no Crosby…but I compare the two because they’re young players that came with big expectations. Crosby had Lemieux to mentor him on and off the ice and that’s something Hall needs. I don’t like Hall…no secret there, but trading him at this point is not an option unless you get one hell of a return. The Oilers are so bad, that no one should be off limits and I hope MacT listens to and considers every deal presented to him. But Hall’s not going anywhere. Much like Eberle, I wouldn’t hesitate to trade him if the deal is right though. *yeah, yeah, yeah…you disagree…I know).”
Alex: STAY
“I’ll keep this short and sweet. Taylor Hall is the best player the Oilers have and it isn’t even close. His offensive ability and talent are through the roof and he pushes the river like no one else in Northern Alberta. Can we get another?”
Shawn: STAY
“To say otherwise would be evidence of a drop on my head or hot spike to my brain. Hall is a superstar already and he’s only going to get better. He is already a top end point producer and the sky is the limit. Plus i love how he loses it occasionally and how emotional he is. We need a little bit more of that.”
Anyone who thought Hall wouldn’t be a perfect score, should be shot. he’s the first superstar we have had since Pronger. Period. But he’s at the beginning of his career, not half way through it.
Everybody’s opinion on Joensuu was the same, and very little opinion of him was needed. Each writer pretty much put GO and his NHL career is over, so a section devoted to him was kind of redundant. Just in the interest of disclosure.
So now we have made it through the forwards on the Edmonton Oilers. next up is going to be defenders. Keep an eye out for it! But before that, let’s take a look at who the writers on theOilersrig feel are the core pieces. Also, who we feel are key pieces moving forward.
The only guys with perfect STAY scores so far are:
*Boyd Gordon(C)
*Ryan Nugent-Hopkins(C)
*Matt Henricks(LW/C)
*Taylor Hall(LW)
*Jordan Eberle(RW) (Also Eberle, even though he didn’t have five STAYS. He didn’t have a single GO vote.)
That’s only five forwards out of 12 starters, we feel are sure bets to be here next year. That’s only 41.7% of the forward group we feel will surely be back. Now lets look at the guys who got pretty close to perfect, guys who are more compliment players.
*Mark Arcobello(C/RW)
*David Perron(LW/RW)
That’s only two more guys that got a vote of confidence. Two. Looks like the writers on theOilersrig feel a major changing of the guard should occur. But what else would you expect? When your team is a bottom ten team for years, change is needed desperately. Then you have the fringe guys that had one more vote to STAY, than GO. SO guys that could be back, if an improvement isn’t available. those guys are:
*Tyler Pitlick(RW)
*Nail Yakupov(RW/LW)
That is only two more guys. that leaves a small group that we feel aren’t going to be back next year. Let’s take a look at that group:
*Sam Gagner(4 GO Votes)
*Anton Lander(3 GO Votes)
*Luke Gazdic(3 GO Votes)
That is the three guys who we feel won’t be back next year. So even though we were the third worst team in the NHL. It seems, besides UFAs, that only three roster players need to be replaced for sure. Then only two others might be replaced, if a better option isn’t available. the point is, change is needed. But by the numbers, you can’t change everything all at once.
Thank you so much for reading. Don’t forget that there will be a pole at the end of this series to have YOUR opinion heard. Please follow us all on twitter and have a great night!
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