Home opener thoughts

Sunday October 9th 2011,

The Oilers open the season off against a Pittsburgh team that has so far beaten 2 teams that the Oilers have had a hell of a time with over the last couple seasons, the Flamers and the nucks. They already have 4 points to the Oilers 0 and with guys like Malkin looking to take the team over in the absense of Sidney Crosby so far the penguins have been a force.

Well tonight we got a good example of what happens when an unstoppable force runs into an immovable object. There were alot of great things I saw from this team tonight but I am going to start with the goaltending.

Dubnyk got the start and he made no bones about showing the fans, the coaching and the team alike that he is here and he wants to stay. He did everything a tender needs to do a game besides score goals. He looked to be in the best shape I have ever seen him in and his speed and reaction to plays seems to have taken another step. If there is ever a time where the team is going to feel comfortable getting rid of Khabibulin the time is fast approachng.

I could sit here all night and blabber on about some of the amazing saves I saw tonight but there was plenty more to talk about.

One thing that stuck out for me was that the team as a WHOLE seems to want to be harder to play against. I think I saw a miracle out there but late in the second period an Oiler player knocked down a Penguin and actually took the puck. What was even MORE crazy about that was when the player turned around it was HEMSKY!!!  I just about died when I saw that. (yes I tuned in late so I may have missed more of that)

Then there was Smid. I dont know if maybe my eyes were giving me fits but I actually saw him being tough. and wouldnt you know it but it was BEFORE the whistle went. I have been hoping to see him do that for so long I had given up hope that he would ever figure out the difference.

Barker looked to me to be a step behind everyone else and I am still unsure what we are going to see out of him in the long term but Sutton looked to be every bit the beast I hoped he would be. Again it is nice to see some real toughness back there one the blue line and Sutton made sure he patrolled his side of the ice with authority.

RNH Looked like crap in parts, and he looked lilke a star in others. I am going to chalk it up to a steep learning curve making the jump from junior to the NHL and Ill be fair to say that for the most part he has looked like he is adjusting pretty well. What I liked the most was even though he was being pushed around a fair bit he seemed to simply focus in on the puck and just kept driving toward the play. I dont see him having to score alot of his goals in the "dirty" areas in the long term but it WAS nice to see that he is driven enough to go there if he has to.

The rest of the team as a whole seemed to be pretty well on par with what I expected to see. Again I didnt see the first period OR that first goal so I can't judge that at all. But from where I sat, the PK is miles better than it was last year. The team is using its speed much more effectively and they are actually capable of out playing the other team... something I thought was at least another year away.

Maybe its too early to say but I dont think this team is going to be sitting with a lottery pick this year. Playoffs? I doubt it, But 30th? Id bet against it. In my opinion there is too much there and they are still putting it together. They cant possibly be that bad again.

Then again, maybe its late and im just excited from the first game of the season...

Until next time.

A Cracked Crystal Ball

So there was a post up from Dangerman just a couple weeks ago (read it here) where he did the imaginable and invited me to tear him a new one if his predictions for the opening night roster were wrong.

Well guess what?? Looks like Ill be having some fun tonight. :)


So first and foremost, the one prediction most people were going to disagree with... Ryan Hopkins was in the lineup and YES he made you look like a buffoon. I wont harp on that too much cause Im pretty sure you will hear it enough and Ill be honest I didnt think he would last on the team either.

Then there was Whitney, I guess you kinda get a pass for that just cause if he WAS healthy there isnt much mistaking that he would be on the team in the exact position you had slated.

I wont give so much a pass for Gagner though. He WAS healthy when you made the prediction and Im thinking that you should have known better :P

Brule was a complete bust. He probably should have been sent down BEFORE training camp the way he ended up playing but I guess thats how it goes.

Of course its really a product of circumstance that Omark made the team but since you invited me to harp on you for the predictions thats what Im going to do. Where was your crystal ball on that one? I dont think he fits all that well but lets be honest, with any injury anywhere they are going to make a spot for Omark.

So I guess other than that you did pretty well. A "passing" grade if you will. But in the future you wanna make sure you ask the person you buy the crystal ball from why there is a big crack in it?

Until next time.

How To Fix the Forward Line Combos

After watching tonight's game against the Penguins, I got to thinking (I know, I should stop thinking), how does one team have so much individual talent but can't do a damn thing thats team oriented? They just don't have the playmaker, shooter, netcrasher setup entirely yet. At any rate, I would take the lines he drew up tonight and throw them in the garbage. No syncronicity, no role definition, just a mish-mash of players skating up and down the ice trying to will the puck into the other team's net. Since we are starting to know that the Nuge is going to be here all year, may as well start finding a home for him in the lineup.

Smyth-NugentHopkins-Paajarvi
- RNH is the playmaker, Paajarvi is the shooter, and Smyth is the net crasher. Paajarvi has shown a knack for playing the right side and its an experiment that I would try here. Let RNH's vision take over and Smyth does what he does best and thats net-crash.
Hall-Horcoff-Eberle
- Hall is the playmaker, Horcoff is the shooter, and Eberle is the stealth rogue net-crasher. Hall is the speedy puck transport being a pass/shot option, Horcoff is a straight up shooter and Eberle plays the role of hovering around the net picking up garbage. The line has the ability to improvise a bit/change roles on the fly, but this should be the template. Horcoff is keeping the seat warm until Lander can take over there full-time.
Omark-Belanger-Hemsky
- I'll admit, this line won't do much of anything, Omark is the playmaker while Hemsky is the net-crasher, doesn't do much for me either. What it will do though is allow Hemsky to be in the game, taking a regulare shift, where on the power play, hopefully the real damage will come from him. Omark will be rendered useless on a line like this hence the reason why I think its time for him to move along.
Petrell-Lander-Jones
- As much as I'd like to have Jones have a bigger role, he won't as long as Hemsky and Omark are here. All three of these guys would have huge roles on the penalty kill. Otherwise, 5-on-5, go out and be as greasy as can be.

Sutton Gilbert
Barker Petry
Smid Peckham

- This defense isn't getting any better or worse until Whitney gets back, so it is what it is. But as long as they play like they did tonight where, they block a ton of shots, get sticks in lanes, and just make life difficult for the other team they will be fine. Key is not to take any needless risks for this D unit, just keep the play in front of you.

PP1:
Smyth-NugentHopkins-Hemsky-Gilbert-Paajarvi
- RNH gets the half wall here, not Hemsky, but RNH. Smyth and Hemsky play around the net on their off wings. Paajarvi play the point on the umbrella setup and Gilbert plays across from RNH for one-timer purposes. The key is to have puck movement and one-timer options all over the ice.

PP2:
Hall-Horcoff-Eberle-Petry-Barker
- Hall gets the half wall here, with Horcoff and Eberle playing around the net on their off wings. Hall and Petry play pitch and catch across from each other while Barker gets the point on the umbrella style power play. The key is to have puck movement and one-timer options all over the ice.


PK1:
Belanger-Jones-Smid-Peckham
- The players that should be relied upon the most to get penalties killed.
PK2:
Lander-Petrell-Sutton-Gilbert
- The 2nd unit. Sticks in lanes and watch your area.
PK3:
Smyth-Horcoff-Barker-Petry
- The "just in case" unit.

All in all, the Oilers need some basis of cohesion on their lines, just throwing out random players together and hoping they work, just doesn't work. Find a playmaker, a shooter and a net-crasher and work from there. I will admit, a lack of right handed shots really hurts this forward unit, something I hope Mr. GM will fix in the future.

Renney - How much say does he really have?

So in the world of team building I have been wondering exactly where Renney sits in the decision making process.

What I mean is, does he have the ability to tell Tambellini that he no longer has need for a player like say Brule and that Tambellini needs to make a move to free up the roster spot for someone that fits his mold for the team Renney wants to ice? Does he have the freedom to tell his boss that Omark doesn't fit into his system anymore and they should use that player to get a big 2-way D-man that can shoot the puck?

Or is Renney forced to sit back and simply use the players he is given, in essence he has to stuff players into roles that don't really fit because that's the only choice he is given? I would love to know how manager meetings are held between the coaching staff and the GM.

I guess it comes down to me asking who to blame for mismatched lines and an incomplete team. Hypothetically speaking if Renney is telling Tambellini that he has everything he needs and the GM is managing his players accordingly then there is a problem with coaching and on the flip side of that coin if Tambellini really IS the player hoarder I think he is, then maybe its time to move on him and bring in a new GM that isn't so enamored with the current players that he is unable to part with them.  Hard decisions have to be made and it appears to me that somewhere down the line there is a disconnect and until it is rectified there will always be holes in this team.
I want to see a team that has no glaring holes in it's game. Weakness in certain areas DOES happen. It happens to all teams out there. But a GM's job is to try and get the best possible players for those roles that he can and then it is up to the coach to use those players accordingly. At the moment I still see too many players that don't particularly fit a proper mold but they are being kept either because the brass is afraid to move on a good player for fear of simply losing another good player, or because they are "fan favorites" and in a building mode they don't want to upset the fan base. In my (not always so humble) opinion I think those are both wrong reasons to keep players. I really hope I am wrong and Tambellini lets go of the players that aren't needed and starts using said players to make deals that benefit the team. He has some really good trade assets there, I think he should start using them.


I know that lately I have been spouting off about getting rid of certain players, and I haven't really ever held back my punches when it comes to management or coaching so this isn't new territory. What I am trying to do is show what I feel the direction of the team should be. I really abhor people that just say "they suck" or "Player "X" needs to go" and lets it stand at that. I think the Oiler fan base is an informed group and has the ability to think for themselves. I hope what I do here gets people thinking.

Until next rant ;)

Gagner week to week

It has been released today that Sam Gagner has a high ankle sprain and is listed as week to week.


This opens the door for Lander and/or Hopkins to stay in the lineup just a little longer. I look forward to seeing Lander a little longer as I think he can continue to produce and it is a great opportunity for him to play himself into a spot on the team.

here is the link to the Score article

Trade Bait - Lets Make a Deal

 

So as I alluded to in my last post, I want to go over some trade assets and see where the Oilers would be if they trimmed some of the fat off and focused on building a team rather than hoarding players (good players or not).

The first player on my list is Gilbert Brule.

 I like a lot of what Brule brings to the table but in the best league in the world there is one thing that matters more than anything and that is results. Brule had a great start to his Oiler career and it looked like there was a player buried in there somewhere but once the minutes got tougher and his outside life started getting in the way his results tailed off and he has slid down the depth chart to the point that there is little if any room on the roster for him over the next season or two. I don't think there is a bunch of value to Brule and I don't think they can get much for him, but moving on would be best for the team and for the player in this case. He might get a chance to be a shooter on a second line somewhere and that might be what ends up being needed to kick start his game again. I would have liked to see him as a shooter for Hemsky but I no longer believe that he will ever get that opportunity and if he isn't going to be in a scoring role I think his value to the Oilers will just get worse.

Second player on my list is Linus Omark.

Don't think for a second that I don't like this kid. I think he could be a great player and will have a decent career but after going over the lines time and again I don't see where he fits. There is simply too much size and depth in his position to see him sliding up in the lineup. He really isn't a fit on the third or fourth lines regardless of what anyone say's. He isn't a checker and in my opinion he isn't big enough to really ever learn to put some grit into his game. What he is, is a highly skilled winger that will excel on a top scoring line with cast mates that can take advantage of his slick hands. What the Oilers do not have right now is space on the top line(s) for a slick winger. So in my opinion the Oilers should be looking for a home and some good return for a player that has a promising career. 

 The next player on my list is actually a combo. Either Hemsky or Gagner.

My thoughts on this are as follows. There will be, in a very short time only room for one of these players. With the addition of Hopkins to the team there will be too many centers for the amount of positions available. Now you might ask "what does this have to do with Hemsky?" Well the way I see it, if the team is built properly there will be a playmaker, power foward and a shooter on every line. So if RNH is going to be the play making center then there is only room for one more on the top two lines. One of these two are going to go. The general direction the team is going leads me to believe that it will be Hemsky that gets the ticket out of town because the team is getting younger and Gagner has the ability to slide into a center position if there are injuries whereas Hemsky does not. 

There is something to be said about simply keeping the better play maker in Hemsky so I would not be surprised if the Oilers made the decision to keep him instead. 

But mark my words one or maybe even both of these players will be gone and it probably wont even take until next season before we see that move. 

So there you have it. I think that with the addition of a player like Owen Nolan and the removal of parts that aren't going to fit long term the Oilers have the chance to jump the curve a little and they can remove some doubt about the future and the build of the team.

Owen Nolan

So I had an interesting conversation today and Dangerman brought up a great idea (not my idea at all but I like it).
Owen Nolan was cut from Vancouver this morning, and I am wondering if Tambellini makes a call to his agent. This is a guy that can easily play on the 3rd line with MPS and Belanger, he would bring much needed grit, experience and an ability to score. (He had a beauty against the Oilers the other day)

At the moment it looks like the Oil are trying to get three scoring lines but right now the option they are looking at is Omark and I am not convinced that he can be defensive enough to make that an honest shutdown option. No matter how anyone looks at it there has to be a line on your team that can go head to head against the skill in the league and keep them from doing what they do best... scoring! As it stands in my books a line of Belanger, Omark and MPS isn't enough. Jones makes a great replacement for Omark on that line but the idea of sliding him down to the fourth line with Lander and Eager/Hortichuck would only strengthen the depth of the team and having a nightly fourth line with Lander, Jones, Eager would mean that the Oilers finally have a bottom line that can chip in goals on a semi regular basis. And they can slide Hortichuck in on any night that they feel they will need more toughness and can live with less scoring.

Now most fans wont like the idea of moving on Omark because the kid really CAN play. But if I am the GM and I am looking to build a team with a proper blend of skill and toughness, I cannot see how Omark fits in the lineup. I don't see them sending him down to the AHL because someone WILL grab him off the waiver wire AND even if he makes it down there he would the most disgruntled player they would have had to deal with. (Think Souray X 10)

It is time to assess what the Oilers have and then understand what they need. Then Tambi can make some deals to solidify the team long term. AKA: Top pairing defender!

I will be putting up a post shortly about tradable assets and I will explain what I think the Oilers are safe to move on and what they should keep but I had to say something about Nolan as I think he could be a great stop gap in the interim before a guy like Hartikainen is ready to play full time and it would be just another pile of experience to add to the team.

True Grit

True Grit. Something that has been lacking from the Oilers for quite some time now. While the Oiler fans and management have had a love affair with pure skill, and as well as they should, they have overlooked players that just flat out want the puck, are willing to do anything to get it, and have a will to win that is undeniable.

So while the Oilers' fans enjoy watching the dipsy doodles of the Hemsky's and the Omark's and the Gagner's and the Eberle's and the Nugent-Hopkins', the question becomes.....WHO"S GOING TO GET THEM THE DAMN PUCK?!?!?!?

Hockey Skill is an important facet of any hockey team, if you get the puck, you gotta know what to do with it. But since there is only one puck and ten to twelve players on the ice at any given time, the puck only comes around so often. Questions become....What are you going to do to get it? How you going to get it? What are you willing to give up to get it? These are questions Oiler players, management and fans alike all have to ask themselves.

The question is are fans willing to give up the "wtfpwnroflmaobbqsuxorz" type passes for a little more tenacity and grit. Just a player that plays up and down his wing, but when the puck goes into his corner he'll get it? Because this is the type of player the Oilers need. After tonight's game from the Oilers vs. the Canucks, the Oilers need a lot of it. I believe players like Lander and Hartikainen help their stock by not playing tonight.

Until the next time...

Oilers VS Wild post game

The Oiler site couldn't seem to get the feed working right off the bat but once it got going the picture was a fair bit clearer than the Chicago feed.

Period One: (ends 3-0 for Minny)
The swede line looked to be quite interesting and Hall took a beauty pass in the first period that sprung him into the Wild zone, it looked like a gimme but Harding stoned him at the last minute. Jones also seems to want to prove to Oiler fans he's more useful than most are giving him credit for.
Other than that the PK was very sluggish and Khabibulin was lackluster.

I hope that they come back from out in the second period and show a little resilience.

Period Two: (ends 3-3)
Lander scores to make it 3-1 Minny. Nice easy tap in for the Swede. The PK is finally taking a bit more shape in the second period. Although to be fair taking 4 penalties in less than half a game awards a bit of practice... Lander goes off for tripping, the Oil kill it nicely and then they are switching goalies in the second half.  MPS scores an a messy pass from Omark. Lots of scrambling but again quick hands and a heads up play nets another goal. There seems to be some Gel setting in the lineup. The Oil end up tieing the game 3-3 to finish the period.


Period Three: (ends 4-3 for Minny)
Back and forth period with very little happening. Again the lack of discipline rears its ugly head as Lander took another penalty. This time for boarding. The Oilers had a 3 min PP after Fedun was boarded earlier in the period (Abney came to his aid and took a 2 min roughing penalty) but they were unable to take advantage. plenty of chances but no success. It was announced that Fedun wasnt going to come back after being boarded. Hall took a high sticking penalty and on the ensuing face off Minny scored right away. The Oilers pulled Bunz for the man advantage and I would have loved to see them try to come back but the feed on the website died with some time still left on the clock.


Game Notes:

Hall seemed to be getting a little frustrated out there as he seemed to be all over the place but was unable to make anything happen. Pitlick looked good early but faded away toward the end of the game. The swede line looked pretty good. I honestly dont know if Omark has an honest spot on this team but Lander looked great out there and MPS had a tonne of jump in his game. (I will go into Omark at a later date) Bunz was very sharp, Khabibulin wasn't so sharp. Gilbert actually took control of a couple situations and wasn't inept while doing it.

All in all there was alot of positives to take from this. I expect that there will be several cuts by tomorrow morning so Renney can put together some more solidified lines to face the Canucks on Thursday.

Anyway, its time to sign off and go to bed.

Until next time.

Oilers vs Hawks

 VS

Where: Rexal Place

When: 7PM

How to watch: Oilers website

Who to watch: -Oilers: Anton Lander Cam Barker Tyler Pitlick

                       - Wild:  * The Wild website has not put up the official roster as of yet.

This is one of two preseason games on today, Dangerman will be watching the game in Sask, click on the link to see his pre/post game blogs.

I think this is an interesting lineup. They are not playing the Nuge OR Smyth in the first home game of the year, but they are going to ice a pretty strong lineup against the Wild tonight and it should be an entertaining game to watch anyway.

Here is the lineup according to the Oiler website.

Taylor Hall - Eric Belanger - Ryan Jones

MPS - Anton Lander - Linus Omark

Ben Eager - Tyler Pitlick - Ryan Keller

Ryan Martindale - Tanner House - Phillippe Cornet

Cam Barker - Tom Gilbert

Martin Marincin - Kirill Tulupov

David Musil - Taylor Fedun

Nikoli Khabibulin

Olivier Roy

 

 I think that there are a couple guys to watch that are out of the norm. 

First is Anton Lander. The reason I say to watch him is because he is going to make a real push for a spot on this team and I expect he will have a great game while trying to make a name for himself. If he is going to make this team it is probably going to be at the expense of RNH and that will mean that he is going to have to show he has more rounded tools than his counterpart.

The second is Cam Barker. I think Barker is in a "make or break" situation this year and this will be his first opportunity to show what he has to offer. There is very little room on this team for power play specialists so Barker is going to have to show that he can be a contributor from day one. I think this guy could turn out to be either the steal of the off season OR the bust of the year. Its all in his hands now. 

The third guy to watch is Tyler Pitlick. Pitlick probably wont make the team this year but he is really going to be gunning to make an impression at center and hopefully earn a job in the future as a shooting center that can check his hat and win faceoffs. I expect Pitlick will be one of the last cuts from the team and then have quite the season this year in the AHL. He will also be one of the early call ups if there are injuries and a good preseason will go a long way to ensure he is on the radar.

I am looking forward to this game, just to see who has taken a step in the offseason and who is going to need a little more seasoning before they are ready to make the big show.

So in the meantime I will tip a brew or two and just enjoy myself.

Until next time.

Training Camp Predictions 2011/2012

Hall - Horcoff - Eberle
Smyth - Gagner - Hemsky
Paajarvi - Belanger - Jones
Eager - Lander - Brule
Omark Hordichuk

Whitney - Gilbert
Barker - Petry
Peckham - Smid
Sutton

Dubnyk
Khabibulin

This is my prediction of how the team will look opening night on October 9, 2011 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. I invite Heazues to come back after opening night and ridicule the Jebus out of me for how wrong I was. I have a feeling Mr. Nugent-Hopkins will end up making me look like a buffoon, but thats the way it goes. Also, I hope Whitney and Hemsky are healthy and ready to roll at that point.

Building a team from the ground up

So the MSM has been spouting something that is driving me insane. They keep saying that the Oilers are building the team the "right way". I completely disagree.

Oh I understand that they are gathering as many high picks as they can and they are trying to groom as many players as they can but what they haven't done is build the structure of the team first and then focus on upgrades.

See, my idea of a properly built team is to start with a play maker, power forward and a sniper/shooter on every line. Yes I mean every line including the 4th line. No I don't mean that the 4th line needs to be considered a scoring line but every player should be a competent player as well as having a specific role. This is the best way to institute a proper system and allows guys to slide up and down the lineup with out screwing everything else up in the process.

Once the STRUCTURE is set, THEN the team can start looking to upgrade on the players they have on the roster. It makes it easier to draft & groom players for specific roles with out trying to force them into roles they don't really fit into just to keep a "good player" in the system. (yes I am thinking about the Pitlick experiment of having him play the wing.)

*Anger alert* If you are sensitive about the new kids in the system stop reading now!

This is why I am convinced that RNH was the wrong pick for the Oilers to make at the draft. I don't deny it, Hopkins is going to be a great player and he will probably (baring injury) have a long career. What bothers me about that pick is that he WILL play with Taylor Hall and I do not for a second feel that he is a proper fit. He shoots the wrong way to set up with Hall properly, he is a play maker so unless Hall is going to restrict himself to being a shooter it would not work. I think that having Hall restrict himself in any manner is a waste of the best talent the Oilers have and it would diminish the over all effectiveness of the franchise player. Now if RNH could play on the second line then maybe he could work but how often do you see a 1st overall pick NOT play on the top line?? My idea is that it doesn't necessarily benefit the team structure to force the "best" center to play with your franchise player.

In my opinion a guy like Pitlick fits as the shooter on Hall's line long term. But as the management has shown, they are more willing to try him at wing rather than understand what they have in him as a center. And even if they do figure out that he is a center through and through I am still not convinced that they are going to have him play in the role he should be. IMO he will end up as a 2nd line center at best but probably a 3rd line winger long term.

This is why RNH wasn't the best pick for the Oilers regardless of where he sat in the draft rankings. There is a time to take the BPA and then there is a time to take the player that will fit long term. I think the Oilers should have focused on taking a more complete 2-way center or a stud defender rather than being star struck with Hopkins.

Now it might seem like I am beating up on Hopkins and that isn't the case. In fact I am beating up on Tambellini because I think he has lost sight of what it takes to build a team and had become a hoarder of picks and prospects. Before it is too late I think he should get back to basics and evaluate what he has for a team. I think now is the time to start putting the pieces together, getting the structure together to sustain a team model long term and THEN he can start upgrading on said players.

Since I don't want to spout off all these crazy ideas with out backing up my thinking I will put together what I think the structure should look like.

Power forward-Shooter-Play maker-Top scoring line that can go head to head with any top line
Power forward-Shooter-Play maker-2nd scoring line that can eat less mins and contribute to the PP
Power forward-Shooter-Play maker-Shutdown line that chips in offence regularly
Power forward-Shooter-Play maker-Bruiser line that can hold its own defensively

Puck mover-Shutdown-big min eaters that pass the puck well and keep the GA as low as possible
Puck carrier-Big shooter-Decent min eater and PP contributors
Tough shutdown-PK specialist-PK specialists

I wont worry about goalies in this as really as long as you have a couple goalies that can hold their own everything will come out in the wash anyway.

Of course the actual order in which the lines are set up will be determined by the skills and positions the players the Oilers employ, but you get the jist of it. So having a line with Hemsky and Gagner is already broken before it is even tried. And if Tambellini figures this out he will be able to take this team far in its rebuild. If he cannot, then we are doomed to watch the Oilers become the next Phoenix or Washington. Phoenix has plenty of good prospects but they do not have the structure to sustain a good team and Washington has arguably the best player in the game today and I ask "how are they faring in the playoffs?" People compare the Oilers to Chicago or Pittsburgh but I think at the moment they are still a very long way away from being these teams simply because they have not nailed down the structure before they are relying on the prospects to take off.

I think the time is now, but the Oilers have some decisions to make on players ALOT of fans aren't going to like before they can truly take a step forward.

until next time.

Oilers / Vancouver Rookie game #1

Game one of the rookie tournament and there was a few players to watch. #1 on my list was Anton Lander and a close #2 was RNH.

the one thing that i have seen so far is that Lander is the closest to being NHL ready out of all the prospects shown tonight. Its not just the goal scoring (which i do not think will transfer over to the NHL so easily) but the over all hockey sense seems to be much higher than any of the other prospects so far.

RNH is close, he had more than a couple moments in the game that showed that he belongs in the mix even if i think his downsides should be enough to send him back to red deer.

I originally thought that the Oilers were not showing anything that said they were "dominant" and then all of a sudden they explode for a 7-1 lead going into the 3rd. With the right coaching there are several prospects there that can make an impact for sure.

The physical game seemed to be a stalemate as nobody seemed to take over and start steam rolling the other team but there was quite a bit of contact and the fights were quite entertaining. Teubert took a bad punch in one of those dustups that left his legs a little wobbly. Being early in his pro career I wonder if that will be a deterant for him in the future as he was touted as a fairly tough defender and it would be a bad thing if he held back that end of his game because he doesnt want to take a shot like that again.

Goal tending seemed to be solid from Roy. He wasnt shaken at any point and showed his athleticism and his hockey sense from the get go. I am curious just how far this kid can go and I look forward to seeing him all the way throught the main camp and into the next few years.

All in all it was a pretty good game and I am eager to see the rest of the tournament before main camp starts up.

Oilers Rookie Camp 2011-2012

Forwards (17)# Height Weight Date Of Birth Age Birth Place
73 Cameron Abney 6' 5" 200 23 May 1991 20 Aldergrove, BC, CAN
51 Philippe Cornet 6' 0" 196 28 Mar 1990 21 Val-Senneville, QC, CAN
71 Drew Czerwonka 6' 2" 194 1 Jul 1992 19 Wolseley, SK, CAN
69 Travis Ewanyk 6' 1" 176 29 Mar 1993 18 North Vancouver, BC, CAN
79 Brett Ferguson* 6' 0" 185 6 MAR 1990 21 Vibank, SK, CAN
70 Curtis Hamilton 6' 2" 206 4 Dec 1991 19 Tacoma, WA, USA
64 Milan Kytnar 6' 0" 190 19 May 1989 22 Topolcany, SVK
57 Anton Lander 6' 0" 194 24 Apr 1991 20 Sundsvall, SWE
66 Ryan Martindale 6' 3" 183 27 Oct 1991 19 Oshawa, ON, CAN
72 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 6' 0" 171 12 Apr 1993 18 Burnaby, BC, CAN
63 Kristians Pelss 5' 11" 175 9 Sep 1992 18 Preili, LVA
68 Tyler Pitlick 6' 2" 195 1 Nov 1991 19 Minneapolis, MN, USA
92 Toni Rajala 5' 10" 163 29 Mar 1991 20 Parkano, FIN
61 Tobias Rieder 5' 10" 180 10 Jan 1993 18 Landshut, DEU
76 CHASE SCHABER* 6' 0" 194 3 Jan 1991 20 Red Deer, AB, CAN
59 COLIN SMITH* 5' 10" 157 20 JUN 1993 18 EDMONTON, AB, CAN
75 Antti Tyrvainen 5' 10" 198 3 Apr 1989 22 Seinajoki, FIN
Defencemen (9)# Height Weight Date Of Birth Age Birth Place
82 Jeremie Blain 6' 3" 195 19 Mar 1992 19 Le Moyne, QC, CAN
88 Brandon Davidson 6' 1" 202 21 Aug 1991 20 Lethbridge, AB, CAN
81 Taylor Fedun 6' 0" 190 4 Jun 1988 23 Edmonton, AB, CAN
78 Martin Gernat 6' 5" 187 11 Apr 1993 18 Slovakia
45 RYAN LOWERY* 5' 11" 189 6 Sep 1988 22 Inverness, IL, USA
80 Martin Marincin 6' 5" 196 18 Feb 1992 19 Kosice, SVK
87 David Musil 6' 3" 196 9 Apr 1993 18 Calgary, AB, CAN
85 TYLER SCHMIDT* 6' 1" 211 13 APR 1990 21 WINNIPEG, MB, CAN
84 Colten Teubert 6' 4" 195 8 Mar 1990 21 White Rock, BC, CAN
90 WES VANNIEUWENHUIZEN*6' 3" 205 20 Apr 1992 19 Chilliwack, BC, CAN
Goaltenders (3)# Height Weight Date Of Birth Age Birth Place
50 Adam Brown* 5'10" 165 12 Oct 1991 19 Yorba Linda, CA, USA
1 Tyler Bunz 6' 2" 203 11 Feb 1992 19 Regina, SK, CAN
30 Olivier Roy 6' 0" 180 12 Jul 1991 20 Amqui, QC, CAN
* Training camp invite

Forwards - Obviously, all eyes will be on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. He's going to have to go through all the progressions (ie. rookie camp, training camp and exhibition games, first 9 games of the regular season) in order to be a mainstay on the Oilers this year....Other forwards to keep an eye on are Anton Lander, Tyler Pitlick and Curtis Hamilton. All three of them will be getting there first taste of North American pro hockey. It will be interesting to see how they are utilized by the organization, how they adapt and how long will it be before they are mainstays on the Oilers....Happy to see Brett Ferguson get a shot. "The Nuge's" teammate in Red Deer brings a feisty defnsive center style that could potentially get him a pro contract somewhere down the line....Ryan Martindale is a player yet to endear himself with the Oiler staff. He had a solid year for the 67s, we'll get a chance to see how he's progressed after having a rough go in his first rookie camp....Interesting to see Toni Rajala's name on this list. Speedy winger is a darkhorse to make some noise at camp.

Defense - Happy to see Colten Teubert's name on this list, he'll have a great opportunity to shine during rookie camp and show his wares to the masses....I wonder how much Marincin and Gernat will get a chance to play together, could be a reuniting of the twin towers....Blain is getting some buzz about a strong half-year in the Q. We'll get a chance to see how his game translates to the pros....David Musil, I'm very lukewarm to him. It will be interesting to see how his first pro camp goes. If the rookie camp games turn into a gong show like they usually do, he might have a chance to make a mark....Brandon Davidson will get a chance to continue to impress, he has a good shot of playing full-time in OKC this year.

Goaltending - Bunz and Roy will battle tooth and nail with each other. Both see opportunity to be "the next one" in line for the startets' gig. Should be interesting to see how they one up each other....Adam Brown is a solid choice to bring in as a 3rd goaltender. Backstopped some strong Kelowna teams in the past. He brings some credentials, is a battler and will push Roy and Bunz to emerge, a definite darkhorse to surprise.

Off Season Transactions Grading 2011

A look at the Oilers transactions during the offseason:

A The dealing for Ryan Smyth for Colin Fraser - This was a deal from the heavens. They essentially got Smyth for free therefore found their mentor that can still contribute. Will fill a key role for a rebuilding Oilers team.

A- Signing of Ryan Jones - 2yr/1.5 mil/yr - Ryan Jones was a pending UFA that was essential signing for the Oilers. It gives the Oilers a PKer that can play hard on the puck. Stabilizes the 3rd line with some two-way play. Price and term are perfect.

B Signing of Lennert Petrell and Antti Tyrvainen - Petrell is an experienced European hockey player that will bring a varying amount of ability to the Oilers organization, while Tyrvainen is a prototypical 4th line, in your face, pepperpot. Both of these players will help out with OKC with, perhaps, the occasional cup of coffee in the bigs. Both will fill a role, but neither will bring a lot of offense to the table.

C Signing of Ladislav Smid - 2yr/2.25 mil/yr - Ladislav Smid was a player I had pegged for the trading block. So, when he got his deal I was a little stunned by it. Term is fine, money is a little high, but overall, likely to be a signing that, eventually doesn't pan out. Smid needs to find an inkling of offense to justify this deal. All in all, he still adds to the depth on the D.

A Signing of Ben Eager - 3yr/1.1 mil/yr - Ben Eager's signing gave me great relief, as the Oilers have finally found an agitator that can back things up. He can take a regular shift and be a 4th line veteran fixture while kids ride shotgun with him. Term is fine, money is fine. Might be a year too long, but we'll see. The PK is going to have to get better with Eager in town.

B+ Signing of Darcy Hordichuk - 1yr/825K - Initailly I thought this signing was a bit of overkill with Eager just being signed a couple of hours previous. But, nothing wrong with having two agititors if one goes down. Term is good, price is right. He'll be a good guy to have around when some vindication is needed.

B- Signing of Cam Barker - 1yr/2.25mil - Low risk/high reward signing, but unless the Oilers find another top pairing Dman and push everyone down a rung, Barker will likely drown in the deep end this year. Barker is what he is, a cannon on the power play that will survive in limited even strength time. We'll see how his year plays out, but as it stands on today, someone on the D is setup to fail.

B+ The signing of Eric Belanger - 3yr/1.75 mil/yr - If the name Eric Belanger was replaced with the name Jason Arnott, I would have given this an A. Alas, it was not meant to be. The Oilers NEEDED a veteran center that could help out in multiple areas and thats what they get out of Belanger. Money is good, term is probably a year too long considering Lander will be breathing on his heels soon. Either that or they have big plans for one Mr. Shawn Horcoff. All in all, Belanger is a player that I'm happy the Oilers have put into the fold.

B The acquisition of Andy Sutton - Kurtis Foster served a purpose as a right handed shooting Dman, but he had a bad year last year. The Oilers could have still used his prowess, but I'm guessing the Oilers want to give a bigger role to Jeff Petry next year. Andy Sutton is a large body that plays tough and blocks shots. His presence will help the PK and add to the toughness quotient. But if he playing any higher than the bottom pairing, its a mistake, much like it was for Foster last year.

B+ The signing of Corey Potter - Two-way deal - Interesting signing of Corey Potter, in the sense that the Oilers can use him as veteran AHLer or he might have a shot at making the big club, mostly because of the fact that he shoots right. Led his AHL team in +/- (+25) and led his team in playoff scoring (9 pts in 12GP) as a Dman. Two very nice achievements.

C The Signing of Josh Green - Two-way deal - Josh Green was a signing that was meant to give OKC some vet depth. Problem is he'll probably be put in a position where he will relied upon to score goals, and for him those days are long gone, if they were ever there. He's a character guy that will understand his role, so in that sense its a good signing.

B+ The signing of Theo Peckham - 1yr/1.075 mil - Good money on the signing. Was hoping for more term on this one for the Oilers, like 2 or 3 yrs, but it looks like the organization still favors Smid over Peckham these days. Peckham is a jackhammer that will keep hammering his way up the depth chart. I think eventually he can become a middle pairing Dman, paired with an offensive type.

B The signing of Yann Danis - Two-way deal - The Oilers needed a goalie that can ride shotgun with Olivier Roy in OKC. Although I'm not sure if he's going to be enough of a threat to ultimately replace Nikolai Khabibulin. He'll be an interesting observation come training camp. He has posted some real solid numbers in the past.

B The signing of Ryan Keller - Two-way deal - It will be interesting to see how Ryan Keller fits in the Oilers organization. He's likely ticketed for OKC, and will be relied upon heavily to score goals down there. The question will be whether or not he can handle the pressure of doing so. He is coming off a season of 30+ goals, a solid postseason where his team (Binghampton) won the Calder Cup. He's really the only proven AHL scorer that OKC will likely boast this season.

A- The dealing of Andrew Cogliano - It was something that needed to happen and was likely long overdue. The fact that the Oilers used a lot of resources on him and the return on it was a 2nd round pick in 2013 is a little besmirching. The good news out of all of this is....the Oilers centers are getting deeper and better.

C The signing of Ryan O'Marra - Two-way deal - OKC team is getting pretty deep and I thought it would have been a good time for the Oilers to pull the pin on O'Marra. But on the other hand, the vet depth in OKC is a little lacking. He'll be a good guy to have around, I just hope he doesn't get in the way of kids that have earned their way on the team.

C+ The signing of Taylor Chorney - Two-way deal - At this stage of the game, Chorney isn't any more than an AHL Dman and he's about to start his journey towards the NHL all over again. The Oilers could use another vet Dman in OKC, so its no surprise that he is back.

2011-2012 Predictions

 

So, once in a while I like to think I know what I'm talking about. I'm usually wrong but hey... its still fun. I am going to look at the current Oiler roster as I see it. I hope to give an accurate description of what those players are like, where they sit in the lineup and where I think they will be by the end of the year.

I will start with what I believe the roster is (should be) and once everyone is slotted I will go from there.

   Smyth    - Gagner   -  Hemsky

  Hall    -  Horcoff - Eberle   

Paajarvi  - Belanger  -  Jones

          Eager   -  Lander     -  Hordichuk

           Omark  - Brule          

          Whitney    -   Gilbert

             Smid       -   Barker

            Peckham   -  Sutton  

   

Khabibulin

         Dubnyk 

    

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Starting at the top.

Ryan Smyth: 

Good old Smyth is back and plenty of people are happy about this. He brings leadership, heart and a winning attitude. I see Smyth as a stop gap only. It is possible he would be around for a season or so when the Oilers are ready to contend but I highly doubt he will be around long enough to see the Cup come back to Edmonton. He brings an element on the Powerplay that has been missing ever since he left the first time. I for one think that he will be a mentor for one player mostly and I will get to that shortly. I think this was a good move for the Oilers bringing him back as long as Tambellini doesnt fall in love with the guy and doesnt see when its time to cut bait.

PREDICTION: Ryan Smyth will find his groove along side Hemsky and Gagner, he will hit 25 goals this year and then sign a 3 year extension at  ~$3M~

Sam Gagner:

This is a slightly tougher call to make. Obviously Gagner is the best offensive option at center right now. He is a right handed shot which is lacking on this team. But with the drafting of Ryan Nugent Hopkins, the writing is on the wall for Gagner. There is no room in the NHL for the top two centers on any team to be that small. I personally think that by drafting RNH the Oilers dont have faith that Gagner will ever turn into a solid #1 center and have hedged their bets to ensure they still have options. Now a saving grace for Gagner is the possibility that he could move to the wing in the future, the problem with that is now the Oilers have to decide who gets pushed out in favor of Gagner.

PREDICTION:  The fact that there IS a possible saving grace for Gagner will not change the outcome. Gagner will have a solid start to the year with Smyth and Hemsky but will not play far and above the expectations the management has for RNH and that will spell the end for Gagner. I see him traded at or before the trade deadline. 

Ales Hemsky:

What can be said of the man that the Oilers have touted as the "go to" guy for several years now? Well for starters you can say that his time might be up. Or that his status on the team is at the very least about to take a hit. Hemsky has yet to really take on any type of leadership role, his attitude has been up and down for years now. He claims to be happy here and that he is excited to be a part of a young talented team but I am not completely sure. Exactly how happy is Hemsky going to be if he is suddenly given a 2nd line role? 

PREDICTION:Hemsky is going to come out of the gate flying with his new shoulder and old line mate. The choice between him and Gagner will be made early and he will be given his extension. He will sign for 5 years with a minimal raise. 

Taylor Hall:

The new face of the franchise is going to be one of those players that makes people come out of their seat for years to come and this upcoming year will be no different. It takes a special player to avoid the sophomore slump and this is a special player. Hall should be looking at that top line with a little hunger by now and it wont surprise me if he takes it shortly. 

PREDICTION:Hall will show this year why he is a special player by hitting the 30 goal mark and will be very close to being a point per game player. 

Shawn Horcoff:

The captain of the Oilers is a lot more important to this team than most people give him credit for. when he was injured the team fell apart and rather than being with in spitting distance of a playoff spot they fell all the way down to 30th. With Belanger on the team Horcoff will no longer be the only face off option, or PK option. With a healthy year and less defensive responsibility he may even find his offensive game again.  

PREDICTION: Horcoff will look like he is having a career year along side a blazing Taylor Hall, his reduced defensive minutes will allow him to stay healthy for the first time in a while. I see a 20 goal season out of Horcoff and a plus year. 

Jordan Eberle:

Eberle is an odd player. He doesn't buckle under pressure, he gives everything he has on every shift and he seems to truly love playing the game. he shows enough defensive awareness that he fits anywhere in the top three lines. He can do just about any role asked of him. He isn't "over the top" exceptional at anything but he is decent at everything.

PREDICTION: Eberle is going to have a slump year. He is going to bounce around the lineup while Renney tries to find a way to kick start him again. 12-15 goals and 20 assists. and this is with PP time. He WILL get better in front of the net with Smyth as a mentor though and most of these struggles will be attributed to him focusing on this newer style.

Magnus Paajarvi:

The speed of MPS is going to be a defining aspect for his entire career. Similar to when  Pavel Bure was ripping up the ice, defenders will know that they have to respect MPS due to sheer speed. He is going to have a long career burning defenders over and over. So far MPS has had an up and down time trying to adjust to the smaller ice in north america. Once he catches his groove he is going to be dangerous game in and game out. Add this to the fact that he can play in a defensive role and use his speed to check as well as drive the opposition's ice and you get a hell of a well rounded player. This is a player that will be a teams playoff dream.  

PREDICTION: Paajarvi is going to have a breakout year. He is going to figure out the ice here and he is going to be solid all year. He will spend most of the year on the 3rd line but will show he is just as capable on the PP as he is on the PK.

Ben Eager:

Eager is going to have a large impact on this team. Think Stortini that can skate better, hit more, agitate just as well, fights and can play. There is a question as to how much he will draw compared to how much he will take but he will be an effective enforcer that can take a regular shift. When the TDL came around last season he was the biggest guy that was moved that I thought the Oilers could use. Good on Tambellini for recognizing his worth and taking a run at him. 

PREDICTION: Eager is going to become a fan favorite because he is going to honestly protect the kids. I see his average 15 points for the year, 150+ PIM's and 1 major suspension. Nothing overly special about his year except that what he brings will have an immediate impact on the team.

Anton Lander: Lander is going to be a much larger piece on this team than most people give him credit for. In my opinion he will eventually become the 3rd line center but even if there ends up being better choiced on this team for that position he will not be out of place as a 4th liner. There isn't alot known about Lander other than the fact that he has made strides in the SEL over the last couple years. He has some defensive capability showing through already and according to reports from the media lately his skating has gotten much better since the last time they had seen him. 

PREDICTION: Lander is going to fulfill his destiny right out of training camp. He is going to steal himself a spot on the roster on the 4th line. He is going to show his tenacity and willingness to do what it takes to make an impression and Renney simply wont be able to send him down. 

Darcy Hortichuk:

Hortichuk is an interesting pick up from Tambellini this summer. There is no doubt that he is one of the premier heavy weights around the NHL today, and he can play a little as well. (at least he isnt going to hurt a team if he takes a shift) the reason its interesting is because they already picked up Eager and really didnt need a second enforcer. I think this is a move that allows Renney to slip him up higher into the lineup if he needs to protect any of the kids. 

PREDICTION: Hortichuk will have 15 fights, 100+ PIM's and will become a regular contributor for Renney.

Ryan Whitney:

Ryan Whitney is the rock that the entire defense is built from. Although he hasn't turned into some sort of superstar he is a hugely valuable piece to the Oilers. This is a guy that can be relied upon in every situation from quarterbacking a PP, solidifying a PK or working his magic 5V5. Renney runs the risk of burning out his #1 defender but so far Whitney has not shown that he can be over used. 

PREDICTION: Whitney is going to have a healthy year. He was snake bitten in the goal department for a long time last season but this year he is going to come out of the gate with a mission and he will go on a goal scoring streak before slowing down and getting into a groove. He will score the first Oiler goal of the season, and that will set the tone for him for the entire year.

Tom Gilbert:

Tommy Tommy Tommy... first and foremost WOW!!! This is a guy that broke Paul Coffee's record for point scored by a rookie, and then damn near fell off the map. I dont have his quality of competition handy but it was obvious that he has faced much stiffer opposition since then. Regardless, he got his payday and it is past time that he makes the most of it. As I understand it he has gotten better in the defensive zone (even if its still not enough) but what the fans (and I am sure management) expected out of him was offense. Gilbert will need to show that he can bring that before he will find himself a frequently relied upon player.

PREDICTION: Tom Gilbert will put up slightly higher numbers this year 10G 25A but it will be his defensive game that will end up standing out for him. Although most people will want to see more points out of such a highly paid guy, we will instead see a plus year for him. I'm going to call a +15 year playing along side Whitney.

Ladislav Smid:

The player some people love to hate, and the player some people so over rate they pay him over $2M.... Smid is a growing defender that has toughness. If he ever figured out how to use that toughness during the play rather than after the whistle he could become quite the shutdown defender. As of right now I am not convinced that he deserves the pay he has been given. I had thought that last year was Smid's year to break out and be the guy he has been touted to be but he did not pull it off. 

 PREDICTION: Smid is going to go another year with out a goal but I see him gathering a few assists playing with Barker and finishing off the year at a smaller minus rating. (-5) and I see him showing his ability to defend is getting better.

Cam Barker:

Whats the one phrase that can be said to describe a guy that has been bought out this early in his career? Bounce back. Cliche I know, but really. This is a guy that got 40 points in his rookie year and not only hasn't hit that again he hasnt even come close. He has the talent but much like Gilbert something happened and he just cant take that step to put up the points he was expected to. I think this is his year. He knows that even the Oilers wont put up with another shitty year out of him and if he pulls out another 5 point year and a -10 will spell the end (or at least suspension) of his NHL career. 

PREDICTION: Cam Barker is going to show signs that he can play in the NHL but it is not going to be all points based. He is going to rebound somewhat but he wont get more than 30 points. he will end the year a minus player (-5) along side his line mate Smid. He will not be offered an extension before the end of the season and will not be back if there are more consistent options available.

Theo Peckham:

Theo Peckham is the toughest defender the Oilers employ and he seems to relish the role. He isn't feared in the league yet but he is well on his way to making a name as a guy that is hard to play against. I still think that his upper limit is a 3rd pairing defender but I do think that he has the potential to be a stay at home guy that on a good team will end up being a 7th defender.

PREDICTION: Theo Peckham is going to feel a little threatened by the presence of Eager and Hortichuk so he is going to pick fights every chance he gets. It is going to be to the detriment of the team though as he is going to take more penalties than he draws.

Andy Sutton:

Sutton is an under rated stay at home defender. With only 4 points in 39 games last year people think right away that he cant generate points. I honestly do not know what situations he played in last season, but what sticks out for me is that in 39 games he had only 4 points and is still a plus player. To me that means he simply focuses on the defense side of the puck and he is good at that. I dont think Sutton has alot of room to grow and he is what he is. He does have the potential to bounce back points wise if given the opportunity and he could be a good mentor to a guy like Smid in regards to the defense first game.

PREDICTION: I see Sutton coming out and showing the Oiler fan base that he is not done in this league and can still contribute. Sutton is going to end the year as a +5 guy with 15 points.

Nikolai Khabibulin: 

Khabibulin has disappointed from the moment he got here. He has not been the tender the Oilers thought they were getting and I don't see how he can bounce back from that. At the moment he has the reins as the #1 but it wont take much (especially if the rest of the team is flying) for Renney to bench him and either run Dubnyk or maybe give Dannis an opportunity. This is it. If the Bulin Wall cant pick up his slacks and show that there is a little something left in the tank he is done. 

 PREDICTION:  Khabibulin does not show anything that makes the Oilers want to keep him. Either Tambellini finds some sucker willing to take a flyer on him (maybe as a temporary injury replacement) or they bury him in the minors to wait for a buyout. Regardless, he will be gone before the end of the season.

Devon Dubnyk:

Dubnyk is the prime example of a guy that cant seem to get his feet under him. He shows brilliance in small flashes but the consistency is very lacking. Dubnyk is very much a Roloson clone. As a young goalie he is going to struggle to make a name for himself and he wont really take off until he has learned how to be a fighter rather than relying on his skill alone.

PREDICTION: Unfortunately Dubnyk does not have a place on this team when they are ready to compete at the highest level. There are other prospects on the outside looking in and there are always more goalies on the market than there are jobs. Dubnyk will be given this year to show what he is capable of but he will be moved at the trade deadline for a draft pick.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Extra forwards:

Linus Omark:

Omark is a flashy player with quite a bit of skill. He doesn't really fit in this lineup due to the fact that the guys playing in his position are simply better. It really has little to do with him not being good enough but that he wont be given the same opportunities some of his peers have been given. He doesnt belong on the 3rd line as he has little to no checking ability. and so far he isn't beating out his competition on the top 2 lines.

PREDICTION: Omark will be moved as early as possible. More than likely in a deal to get themselves another goal tender prospect, or as a package to get a top end defender. 

Gilbert Brule:

Brule is in a bad position. He has been traded...then not... then it was shown that he was being sent so he could be bought out and nothing more. The Oilers obviously dont believe in him or they would have let the problems heal and they would have more patience. I don't know where Brule can fit in the lineup anymore as he has been passed by everyone in the center position and the only wing position available might be Hortichuk's. Unless he comes to camp and literally beats the living crap out of all the competition he see's he wont get another shot.

PREDICTION: Brule spends some more time on the IR, gets Eberle's spot while Renney tries to get him fired up (see Eberle's prediction) and then eventually gets buried in the AHL.

Just a little rant

 
Well here we are again. Bottom of the standings, out of the playoffs and about to draft  #1 again.

Not impressed would be the first thing to come to mind.

This was supposed to be the season that we saw some improvement. Tambellini brought along all his top talented kids to bolster the lineup and to give the fans something to cheer about. Instead what we saw was a waste of the first year of 3 entry level contracts. We saw no work done on Tambellini's part to bring in the supporting staff that the kids would need if they were going to grow into their role's. Jones might be an exception here but lets be realistic, NOBODY thought he was going to be what he turned into. he was a spare part at most. (on that note, the Oilers should be glad to have him and they better not "glencross" him)

So at what point are we to look at our GM and ask "what have you done for us lately"? I am usually the type to give players the benefit of the doubt as circumstances can alter a year pretty quickly. But there really is no excuse for a GM to build a shit team. If I had the success rate at my own job I wouldn't HAVE a job. Did anyone really think there would be playoffs this year?? I doubt it. But who exactly was cheering loss after loss all the while thinking "we will get the chance to draft #1 again"?

This was a disgusting season and in my honest opinion there is only one person to blame, its not the players and its not the coach. it's the GM. By this time next year if the Oilers aren't playing meaningful games to the end of the season then at least some of that blame must be passed along to the owner as well. It is up to Katz to recognize that his golden boy isn't preforming and should be replaced. This is something that should be recognized as early as mid July. If Tambellini doesn't get the job done. If he cant make the right moves to put a competitive team together it will be time to replace him and give the new GM time to put something together.

And while I'm on the "bitching about Tambellini" bandwagon. I'll take a shot here too... WTF was going on in the war room on T.D.L.??? Penner was realistically only trade-able IF a Penner type player was coming back. To me it looks like they made that trade just to say they made a trade. Worthless and careless at best. Pointless comes to mind, but worse is that it is going to hurt the team more than they think when they get rid of one of their largest players. gathering a low end 1st round pick in a weak draft was NOT worth trading a player of that size. sure they got a defensive prospect back as well, but he's a guy they will see in 2-3 years at best. They needed to get return that they would see right away and that to me is just another example of something that Tambellini has failed to do.

July 15th, that's my cutoff. if there isn't a team in place that can be respected it should be time to say goodbye to the current boss and bring in someone that doesn't have the same lack of foresight.



until next time

Heazues