When we let Laraque go, I thought it was the right move. I stand by the fact that it was the right move at the time with the information available.

Now? Well, knowing Phoenix, they'd probably take him for Stortini and... I dunno... Troy Muir. So let's get him in by Friday. Hell, it's even good for K-Lowe and the EIG since he's cheap and the fans love him. Might be some number issues with Penner but we can work on that.
 

Uhhh...I vote yes.

Not sure what the deal with Georges is. Having some toughness in this lineup, given the twigs we have up front, seems to me a no brainer. And yet?

Anybody have an idea about this?
 

LeGG plays for the Pens and they love him there.
 

When we let Laraque go, I thought it was the right move. I stand by the fact that it was the right move at the time with the information available.



God, that's twice in the same night. The world is going to explode forthwith.



He's in Pittsburgh now. Personally, I'd dangle Pouliot for him. He's cheap, he'd bring people back in to Rexall, and it would send a clear message to other teams in the NW that the gravy train on smashing Oilers heads was over.

Pouliot & Crosby. Together again. That would be my pitch.
 

Good pitch Andy.

Le GG patrolling in an Oiler jersey *is* a no-brainer. Unfortunately that means it won't happen...

Le GG is the king. Vive Le GG.
 

Yes, but Lowe is as stubborn as any GM in the league.
 

Yes, but Lowe is as stubborn as any GM in the league.

I don't know what this means. What does it mean?

Anyone find video footage of the Brazilian Wax online yet? I'd even accept the Cooke hit on Langkow, so Flames fans can complain about something that has no connection whatsoever to the Regehr hit.
 

God, that's twice in the same night. The world is going to explode forthwith.

To be fair, I have had not a little beer tonight.

He's in Pittsburgh now.

As we have seen.

My problem with a Pouliot pitch is that we'd be selling way low on the kid: a young centre prospect for a bad third/good fourth-liner that's a free agent at the end of the season, and it sounds reasonable because he's at the absolute bottom of his game right now.

If you don't think he can improve, a good trade. But I happen to think that he's better than he's shown so far.

(There. Now that's more like it.)
 

If you don't think he can improve, a good trade. But I happen to think that he's better than he's shown so far.

I don't think he will improve, myself, so it's a no-brainer. But I understand your point. If it's revealed tomorrow that Hemsky has a concussion and will be out for a three weeks, though, will you change your mind?
 

If it's revealed tomorrow that Hemsky has a concussion and will be out for a three weeks, though, will you change your mind?

With Hemsky and Pitkanen out, both of the soft core players will already be hurt and Laraque will be redundant until one of them gets back!

I can't help but remember the time somebody (Marchment, I think) went knee-on-knee with Weight during the days when Laraque was on Weight's line and Weight felt obliged to go after Marchment himself, though. Certainly, Laraque is intimidating and about ten trillion miles ahead of Jacques and Stortini.

I want him. I'd flip a pick next year, for example. Or Jacques and something. Or I'd find a way to do a Pouliot-plus for Laraque and Colby Armstrong. But I doubt Pouliot's value has ever been lower than it is today, and I don't think he's going to depreciate any more. As a fan of a bottom-five team, I don't think trading a prospect for a last-line rental is currently the right move.

Regarding Lowe's stubborness, he found it in his heart to admit he was wrong about Smyth and resign Tarnstrom, so let's be fair.
 

A 60 game rental is a far cry from rentals at the trade deadline. Besides, who said Le GG would only be a rental? He was willing to sign at a reduced price last time. Is there a reason to think that's changed?

Consider these lines:
14-16-83
27-10-12
18-19-34
13-89-Le GG

I recognize a return by 34 is anything but certain. Still, Pouliot isn't likely to displace any of those guys (aside from Le GG vs. Detroit and similar...but that's what 8 and 51 can do as well).

Secondly, that's some nice protection for 13 and 89.

Seems worth it to me, even as a "rental".

Armstrong in return? No thanks. I'd keep the pick.
 

Hold on, here. We've got enough guys to make decisions on that I'd deal JFJ for BG but there's no way I'd deal Pouliot for BG.

C'mon, I'm as sick as the next guy when it comes to the Oilers getting owned in terms of big hits but Pouliot might be a decent player and if we're giving him up for BG, then Georges better be coming back with the constitution of Avery and MacT better be using him as such.

Neither's likely to happen.

BTW, Matt Cooke is a dirty fuck so who in their right mind would argue otherwise. Guess who else is a dirty fuck? Robyn Reghr. Or at least he is against Hemsky. We've seen this for three years now; he's always out to get him. As for the Flames, I think Matt's a cool guy, but when you've got Ugly Phaneuf trying to suckerpunch people in the face, ie he got away with an attempt on Nilsson tonight, sometimes what goes around comes around, I'll tell you why!!

Sincerely yours,

Stephen Piercy
 

I'm really not hung up on dumping Pouliot. I just want LeGG, and figure that might be what it takes. If we could fool them into taking JFJ, even better.
 

"Besides, who said Le GG would only be a rental? He was willing to sign at a reduced price last time. Is there a reason to think that's changed?"

Yes, and its called EIG incompetance.
 

It would be cool if BG came back and played on a line with 13-89 and protected them like Fedourik did with Perry/Getzlaf in '06, all the while also being available to goon people if the situation called for it, but, I think there's way too much water under the bridge for Georges to come back to Edmonton.

As much as the Oilers org hates Comrie, Georges has said way more about how they operate than Comrie ever has.

Laraque has:

- Gone on Stauffer's show to talk about how MacT used him in terms of settling differences and/or using his toughness

- He's talked to numerous papers about how the Oil were getting beat up last year because they didn't have a tough guy, ie specfically Boogaard's play.

- He's talked about the no-trade clause and why Lowe dealt him.

Basically, when you've had beefs with both the Gm and coach, you have no one in your corner.

And, you know what else, I think BG's too nice of a guy to go on take on Iginla because Reghr targets Hemsky. The thing that kills me about the Oilers is that other teams have no qualms about going after our star players. Boogaard has it in for Hemsky and Smid, for instance, and Reghr likes to take on Hemsky and last night, Phaneuf tried to suckpunch Nilsson in the mouth. So, while Laraque might've beaten up Reed Low a few times, when did he ever go and get in Pierre Turgeron's face just for shits and giggles? For as much as I liked Gator, for instance, he wouldn't go and drill Huseleis just because Reghr targets Hemsky.

If you want a guy who'll go eye for an eye, wait until the summer and make a play for Sean Avery. There's a guy that honestly doesn't give a fuck about breaking 'code."

And that's exactly what we need here right now.

And considering who gets gooned on our Oilers, Avery would fit like a glove. We've got a really interesting situation, here, I believe. Our star guys are the ones getting pounded so we need to retaliate in kind. If Laraque came in and beat up Godard after Reghr concussed Hemsky, who wins that battle in the war of attrition? Exactly. And the cool thing about Avery is that he's responsible enough +/- wise that we could match him against Iggy or Gaborik if you wanted to give him a chance to take a pound of talented flesh.

And that's exactly how this team needs to start operating.
 

Avery is an instigator. That is all he is. He's of no use to this team when it comes to protecting stars. And he dooesn't retaliate. He facewashes, puts his stick up like a sword, and then turtles.
 

Agreed Andy. Avery is not the answer.

Considering the alleged slur Avery aimed at Georges a couple years ago, it's kind of ironic that a thread about bringing Le GG back includes comments that Avery would be a better option.

Regardless of that incident, I don't want Avery here, no matter the price. Let someone else pay for that slimeball. His recent pre-game antics are ridiculous, and the league should be embarrassed. Avery has demonstrated a tremendous ability to destroy team chemistry (see LA, see Andy Murray). Avery agitates in the room as much, if not more, than he does on the ice. He's just not worth it. Especially on a young team. Avery needs a ton of veterans around to keep him somewhat focused. Not a chance Avery is the answer to improving team toughness, especially on this Oiler team.
 

Avery is an instigator. That is all he is. He's of no use to this team when it comes to protecting stars. And he dooesn't retaliate. He facewashes, puts his stick up like a sword, and then turtles.

Andy, you miss Dennis' point. GG is not a deterrent. When was the last time he dropped the mitts with anyone other than the other team's designated heavweight? Notwithstanding Laraque's notoriously lamb-like disposition, he's not a beat cop: he's an actor in the theatre of Rock 'Em Sock 'Em.

That's why this "The Oilers need an enforcer thing" is such horseshit; because the "enforcer-as-deterrent" theory is horseshit. Chickenshit punks like Dion or Avery don't fight heavweights, so there's no reason for them to fear the reaper or change their play. You can't stop them from taking liberties, you can only avenge their actions. Which is why I'd rather have some crazy s.ob. who's willing to do the dirty to the other team's stars. Put Kipper in traction, I say.

-Little Fury
 

Andy, you miss Dennis' point. GG is not a deterrent. When was the last time he dropped the mitts with anyone other than the other team's designated heavweight?

I understood his point, Fury. His point was that Georges wouldn't go after the other team's star or smaller players. My point was that he wouldn't need to, because the initial act of cheapshotting one of our players wouldn't happen with him around. None of the liberties that were taken against the Oilers last year (or last night) happened when Le GG was around. I also think Le GG is much different now. He's seems to have come to grips with his role. He hasn't complained about a lack of ice time in Pittsburgh (I haven't heard him say so anyway). He's also just a better option on a 4th line right now than Pouliot, JFJ, Stortini, or any of the other stiffs they keep wasting icetime on. I think Dennis' more compelling point was that he's burned bridges with management.
 

I understood his point, Fury. His point was that Georges wouldn't go after the other team's star or smaller players. My point was that he wouldn't need to, because the initial act of cheapshotting one of our players wouldn't happen with him around. None of the liberties that were taken against the Oilers last year (or last night) happened when Le GG was around.

I just don't buy it. Not one bit.
If punks like Avery or Phaneuf don't fight (as you say) why do they care of it's Georges Laraque or the Ghost of John Kordic giving them the stinkeye from the other bench? What kind of deterrent is a fighter to guys who don't fight?

It's not even about Laraque going after the other guys' superstar: it's about Laraque not fighting anybody but the other team's heavy. I can't think of a single incident where Laraque came out to avenge some dastardly deed committed against the Oilers. Can you? Anyone?

Therefore, his deterrent value to anyone who's not his designated dance partner is pretty much nil. So what value does he have?

-lf-