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.