OilFans.com :: Fan Forum: Oilers => Oilers sign Russell to an extension

Guest

This day on May 4
None

Happy Birthday To: Devan Dubnyk, Copperhead, hornblower, evaoilplc

OILERS INFO OILFANS
Saturday, May 4, 2024 9:25 AM MT

F.A.Q.

Members

Home

Oilers » Oilers sign Russell to an extension

Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension [message #766118 is a reply to message #766117 ]	Mon, 31 August 2020 12:23

RDOilerfan
Messages: 3736
Registered: January 2016

3 Cups

Adam wrote on Mon, 31 August 2020 12:03

RDOilerfan wrote on Mon, 31 August 2020 11:06

Adam wrote on Mon, 31 August 2020 10:43

RDOilerfan wrote on Mon, 31 August 2020 10:35

Adam wrote on Mon, 31 August 2020 10:28

I do not understand the deep abiding love that this organization has for all things Patrick Russell. He has played way more NHL games than I think he's deserved based on his play. Works hard...accomplishes nothing.

Over the last two years he has 51 GP, 0-5-5, -11, 11:06 per game, 73 hits, 64 shots on goal.

Big difference here is that it appears to be a one-way contract as opposed to the two-way deal he had last year (although that's sometimes the kind of detail CapFriendly doesn't have correct when contracts are first signed). He didn't spend a minute in the minors this year, but I wouldn't have bet on that happening again.

What I don't understand about this is that he's just below replacement grade for an NHLer. Virtually anyone else they sign would be better. I don't know why you give that player a one-way deal, because you should hope that he's NOT on your NHL roster. It speaks poorly to your player acquisitions if he is.

I hate this as a start of summer signing. I'd have been quite happy to see him let blow in the wind and sign him only if there was no one better to sign. Just feels like mailing it in.

That a boy Adam. Great sky is falling post already when the previous season isn't even over.

Who said the sky is falling?

I just said it's not a great idea to re-sign a guy who's scored no goals in 51 games before you have any idea who better is available, committing a roster spot and NHL money to a guy who's been below mediocre for us.

At 700K which I think is as low as you can get for NHL salary, does he crush you? No.
At 700K, does it hurt your team if he is just a pressbox guy? No.
Could you replace him for cheaper? I doubt it.
If he gets beat out, you can bury his complete contract in the minors which is good.
If he goes down to the minors, your minor coaches know him well so they can use him.
As an organization, you know he will work hard no matter where he is. You also know what kind of guy he is so there is no reason to worry about him sulking or being a bad influence or a negative presence if he gets sent down or doesn't play.
Ideally his spot is for a young player like Benson but if Benson isn't ready, you aren't forced to keep him up and you have a guy who you aren't worried about stunting his development if he ends up being a pressbox guy.

I agree with you in that he doesn't move the needle but at the same time there is value in having a guy you know very well, you know how to play him, you know how he interacts with the NHL and AHL team and you know how he will act. You could bring in a different guy and if things don't go as he expected, could be a nightmare to deal with. If you send him down, maybe he won't report. IF Russell is the only guy they bring in, then I am right there with you but I really doubt he will be.

Here's the thing. If you're 27 and not a good NHL player, then you're probably still not a good NHL player at 28. There's nothing else you need to learn about the guy. He isn't going to get better.

There's lots of players at league minimum salaries signed every year. Pretty much all of them are better than Patrick Russell. Of all the players in the league who played 45 games or more this year, there are only 5 skaters with less production than Russell's points and 515 who have more. Oh, and of the 5, three of them are defencemen.

So do I think it likely that the Oilers could find someone better for the money? Yes.

I am not going to get bent out of shape or think its an organizational fail when the teams signs a guy they know to be the 13/14 forward. This guy will probably have to sit long stretches without playing, he will probably have to deal with young guys passing him, he will probably end up playing in the NHL and AHL. So while it might be nice to go out and roll the dice on a guy you have no clue about I do get and see some value in bringing in a guy to fill that role you know and who you know will accept the role and not cause issues. While maybe you could find a guy who might be better than Russell, you could also find a guy who while saying all the right things before you signed him just to get a job, then as soon as he's with the team after a short time, he's complaining about ice time, complaining about his role or if/when he gets demoted, he refuses to report the AHL.

When I think of a 13/14 forward, I think of a guy who probably won't play a lot in the NHL, could spend time in the minors, doesn't make waves about that and most importantly does not let that impact his effort. He's busting his ass whether he is in the line up or out of the line up every day. If you can guarantee that a replacement will do that, then absolutely they should have signed someone else for that role.

[Updated on: Mon, 31 August 2020 12:30]

Report message to a moderator

Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: Pseudoreality on Mon, 31 August 2020 10:05
Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: RDOilerfan on Mon, 31 August 2020 10:12
Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: HamBlaster on Fri, 04 September 2020 16:51
Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: Adam on Mon, 31 August 2020 10:28
Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: RDOilerfan on Mon, 31 August 2020 10:35
Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: Adam on Mon, 31 August 2020 10:43
Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: RDOilerfan on Mon, 31 August 2020 11:06
Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: Adam on Mon, 31 August 2020 12:03
Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: RDOilerfan on Mon, 31 August 2020 12:23
Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: HamBlaster on Fri, 04 September 2020 16:53
Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: GabbyDugan on Wed, 23 September 2020 20:43
Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: Skookum Jim on Mon, 31 August 2020 10:49
Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: Kr55 on Mon, 31 August 2020 11:00
Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: Rocksteady on Mon, 31 August 2020 11:46
Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: mightyreasoner on Mon, 31 August 2020 13:09
Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: Adam on Mon, 31 August 2020 13:58
Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: inverno76 on Mon, 31 August 2020 13:38
Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: Kr55 on Tue, 01 September 2020 10:00
Re: Oilers sign Russell to an extension	By: oilfan94 on Tue, 01 September 2020 10:07

Previous Topic: Leon Wins the Hart and Lindsay!
Next Topic: Oilers select 2nd rd (#38) - Raphael Lavoie
Oilers NHL Minors Speculation For Sale

Copyright © OilFans.com 1996-2022.
All content is property of OilFans.com and cannot be used without expressed, written consent from this site.
Questions, comments and suggestions can be directed to oilfans@OilFans.com
Privacy Statement

Hosted by LogicalHosting.ca