There are all kinds of sublte shifts in the sand, changes to the order of things during each season. For instance, Theo Peckham appears to be sliding ahead of Ladislav Smid on the Oilers depth chart. No one has said "Smid's back on the third pairing" but young Theon Peckman is slightly ahead in both EV and PK minutes per game. If this continues, we'll all adopt that in our brains and maybe not even notice it's happening. It's actually very rare--like the time Brad Park went from being the second best defenseman behind Orr to immediately becoming the second best defenseman behind Potvin. Wink of an eye, but that one got noticed.
--
Gilbert Brule's career is susceptible to the shifting sands; in fact, he might be skating in quicksand. Brule was a very high draft pick, brought to the show too quickly (thanks Doug McLean!) and his career has suffered for it. Brule has worked hard to find a home in the NHL, but there seems to be something missing. This season began with Andrew Cogliano in the hot seat, but Brule's play has earned him a 4th line shot and that means reduced minutes tonight.
Linus (now pronounced that same way as the Peanuts character) Omark makes his NHL debut this evening. There are concerns about Omark as a player, specifically what he leaves (to quote MacT) when the puck is heading the other way. However, he's going to get a chance here and as the games and days role by the differences between "major league Brule" and "minor league Omark" may fade and the two will be viewed as similar. Quicksand is no friend to Gilbert Brule.
I've heard and read Brule's struggles are exclusively defense, but his 5x5/60 number is suffering this year too:
- 08-09 5x5 per 60m: 1.74
- 09-10 5x5 per 60m: 2.36
- 10-11 5x5 per 60m: 0.95
Craig MacTavish wasn't crazy after all. Who knew? Where have you gone, Toby Petersen. We await your return, Liam Reddox. And finally, we anticipate Linus Omark and the shifting sands.
Linus is about to get his shot at Brule's job basically imo.
ReplyDeleteHe can create offence and he's hard on the puck. If he can take care of the details that Renney is talking about then Brule is Robert Nilsson, on his way out the door.
Should be interesting to see what he makes of his opportunity. He has a month to show his stuff.
Where have you gone, Toby Peterson? Our nation turns it P.K to you, woo-hoo-hoo. What's that you say, Mrs. Powerplay, Big Sexy has left and gone away. Hey-hey-hey.
ReplyDeleteThings that suprisingly have not been talked about much:
ReplyDelete- Strudwick has not played in several games. Coincidentally the team doesn't look like a chinese fire drill in their own end anymore. He also runs a hockey school apparently: http://www.edgehockey.net/main/schools.php?id=9
- The development of Peckham has the potential to frame our perception of Smid's development. Smid has handled the puck like a grenade for most of his career and still has not learned to protect himself. Are we seeing the best of Smid? He's got almost 300 games NHL experience now, though he's posted increasing games lost due to injury in each successive season of his career.
- Taylor Hall leads the team in corsi and relative corsi. Second is Eberle (followed by Penner, of course). By my eye Hall is driving the shooting results moreso than Eberle, however. All three have a PDO below 1000 which bodes well for the immediate future, one could hope.
- On the other hand, Fraser and Whitney are both posting PDOs near 1050. Whitney taking a dip doesn't seem so bad, but Fraser seeing a drop in PDO could be downright ugly.
Omark has an inkling of his defensive zone...he's clearly no Schremp, and he engages willingly, at least in the offensive zone.
ReplyDeleteFrom limited viewing he turns over the puck, but he always wants it, and you can see that desire when he sics himself like a bulldog onto the puck whenever the opposition has it. He's also very willing to get his clock cleaned to make a play, and surprisingly effective on the forecheck and maintaining possession.
I'm interested to see if he can survive without getting decapitated in the NHL. Hopefully he backchecks like a demon as well, that would be a very nice surprise. From the interviews he also appears to be a smug little bugger, so at least he's good for a quote.
Going to a game with my wife's best friend's husband. A great guy from just outside Quebec City, this will be his first live NHL game.
ReplyDeleteKhabby starts again. After saying that he rode Khabby too hard Renney hasn't missed putting him in a game since he came back. Weird.
Interesting quote from Renney in the Sun this morning:
"You want to put them in a position to have success,” said Renney. “Linus is not going to play on our fourth line. It doesn’t make any sense at all. For that matter, he could move up in the lineup because that’s kind of what he is."
This kid has nothing but green lights ahead of him. I hope he takes this opportunity and runs with it.
Go Oilers!
*clap,clap*
Did yeti just mix up Toby Peterson and Joe Dimagio?
ReplyDelete"Going to a game with my wife's best friend's husband. A great guy from just outside Quebec City, this will be his first live NHL game."
ReplyDeleteI always considered the Nordiques' move, after years in the NHL's cellar, only to immediately win the cup in another city, to be one of the great tragedies of hockey. What a bitter pill for those loyal fans to follow.
Ranks right up there with Game 7, SCF, 2006.
swallow
ReplyDeleteComment of the month goes to Yeti.
ReplyDeleteAnother surprise is that Vandermeer looks like he could be worth a cheap contract next year as a third pairing guy.
I hear that Stamkos is an okay player.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we can trade Cogliano and a 3rd for him.
Picked up a pack of nosebleeds for tonight, though the seller split our group up into 4 and 4. So there goes the OMARK body paint I had planned.
ReplyDeleteSome of the most interesting comments from the Van Pelt kid are how he misses playing in front of a big crowd.
Friday night game, Stamkos, Hedman (or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Larsson), the debut of the Cheer Team IIRC, and Omark's debut... If Linus goes off, I bet he goes off huge.
Conan,
ReplyDeleteOne hears the that tragic tale of Quebec fans missing out on a Cup by one year a lot, but it's a fantasy.
There's zero chance that the Habs would have traded Patrick Roy to the Nordiques.
It's been awhile since the Oilers have employed a total dickhead on the ice -- I could see Omark providing the cockiness that has been absent for so long. I mean, Souray is a primadonna, but he didn't really play with attitude. I'm thinking guys in the Tikkanen mould, or players like burrows today.
ReplyDeleteMy beer league team just played a team of cocky 19-year-olds last night, and I can attest how much that brashness can affect a team's play -- we must have spent half the game in the box.
One of the things about Smid is that when he was paired with a capable partner (Vis) he was competent. All his numbers last season (iirc) were headed in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteShows the importance of sheltering the young - a luxury we've not had given all the injuries on the backend the last few years.
I still think their's value to Smid, but it seems that he needs to be with someone good in order to be carried - that he can't carry someone of lesser ability by himself even at this stage of his career.
I have tickets as well. Hoping for a 6-5 game, don't care who wins.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Tyler Bozak could be a good buy low candidate right now. Decent on the draw and a 2-way player who could use a fresh start. Would Brule be of interest to them? I dunno. That or move Hemsky for Jon Blum and Colin Wilson. Or don't listen to my stupid trade ideas ;)
Go Oil!
Van Pelt kid
ReplyDeleteI like that a lot.
LVP for MVP
Commonfan - yes and if that would've been avoided we wouldn't have had to listen to years of bull about Roy being the "best of all time" as he wouldn't have been supported by an excellent team in a weak division.
ReplyDeleteThe whole narrative about 5 and 49 have been discussed for awhile over in the comments sections of my SC because you can see the TOI and then draw your own conclusions.
ReplyDeleteI don't have anything against 5 but he's not a guy you hang on to if he asks for real money because at this point who'd ever bet that he really becomes much more than what he is right now? He doesn't have a shot and he isn't a great passer and he still leaves himself vulnerable. About the only time he seperates himself - literally and figuratively - are the couple of occasions a game when he can carry the puck into the O zone.
Otherwise he looks like a guy who's only a 4/5/6 and who you really don't pay.
49's been yipping a little bit lately and skating and passing himself into trouble but it probably hasn't been noticed as much because 77 is putting together a great stretch of games.
Regarding 67, he was done as soon as the Oil committed to the kids and now it's just a question of whether he lasts through this season because unless he does a total revamp there's no reason to believe he's coming back for 2012.
The three kids-10-89 and whichever guy survives of the 27-89 will comprise the top six for 2012 and now we need guys in the bottom who can win faceoffs and kill penalties so that we don't have to waste too much PKTOI on our top six.
I'd be shocked if 67 finds his way into that role.
And, yeah, anyone that does a spinorama at centre on an SO is obviously a dick so there should be some decent comments afoot:)
Oh, I think by the end Craig McTavish had gone crazy. The same is happening to Brent Sutter - he ran out 5 defensman the other day on a PowerPlay. That sounds like something MacT would have done a couple of years ago.
ReplyDelete@Yeti: Brilliant.
ReplyDelete@LT: Funny how at the beginning of the year when folks assumed a 6-77 pairing, that 5-26 was most often mentioned as a second pair. But in reality they have become the third pair while both 2 and 49 have passed both on the TOI charts, paired one each with the big minute munchers. Fact is though that 5-26 make a pretty effective third pairing, far better than some of the nightmarish combos some of us had envisioned, many of them involving 43. So somehow Renney had found a fairly balanced set of pairings with no hugely weak link, and since they've been deployed in that fashion the Oil have fared pretty darn well.
@Jon K: check this out:
WOWY Strudwick:
Oilers with: 2-7-2, 28 GF 49 GA
Oilers w/o: 8-5-3, 44 GF 43 GA
Kind of tells a tale, what?
@Dennis: You're bang on - as usual if not quite always ;) - about the dynamics of the 49-77 pair, especially recently. Last game there were a couple of bad changes where 49 and 5 wound up out there together - odd since both are LD who play with actual right-shooting partners - but Vic's site had 5 and 49 out together for 2.0 minutes and in that time Anaheim scored both their goals. They weren't exactly innocent bystanders either - oops, rephrase that, they may have been bystanders but they weren't exactly innocent. Staples fingered Smid for an error on both and Peckham on one of the two and that's pretty much how I saw it too. The second one in particular was a giant clusterfuck from an Oiler perspective.
ReplyDeleteI continue to hear stray comments about the hundredpercentedness or otherwise of Smid's neck. He's gutting it out but we'll see. It may be next year before it's fully better, or it may well be never.
Still, I would argue that for what the Oil are actually paying the guy they're getting pretty good value. He and Foster combined make less than Whitney or Gilbert alone, so it's unrealistic to expect them to deliver the sun, moon, and stars. But absolutely, they should be expected to make a decent third pairing, and to my eye, they do.
Bookie: That's hilarious. Signs of the end. A great deal of coaches (Or everyone of them) goes batshit before being fired. (And give a great deal of reasons to fire them that way) Sort of ironic.
ReplyDeleteWell Carbonneau did play Gregory Stewart (yes the OKC guy) while we had our net pulled trying to tie the game in WSH.
Honestly if someone has the video fo that CGY PP i want to see it.
Excited to see both kids.
As Kris and I said: We the only ones surprised O'Marra actually owned his recall?
Guy went from 4th liner to call-up in one year. Jeez.
BTW: Dustin Byfuglien is for real? One of the biggest steals ever?
The guy got 10 G 19 A 29 PTS +5 on the Trashers D.
He doesn't play more than he should (23 mins), and he isn't enjoying some monster SH% (9,7).
Hardest Qual Comp on his team (D):
0.119
2nd on the team in Corsi REL (15,9) and 2nd on Corsi ON (0,50)
What is going on?
Oh and Rob Schremp. Guy got a positive REL Corsi and is -2 while having a ,857 save % behind him.
He's better than some Oilers. Yes even defensively.
It's been awhile since the Oilers have employed a total dickhead on the ice
ReplyDeleteThey prefer to keep them in the front office.
fpv,
most of Alphabet's dominance can be attributed to the SE effect. I agree he's good, but he'd be no better than Bouwmeester if he was in the West again.
I fear for the young'uns tonight. Without 10 to cover them, it may be tougher sledding than usual. But of course, whoever plays with 27 will have a good night.
Renney appears to have a heart. MacT didn't.
ReplyDeleteRenney likes his players, whereas MacT had his "pets", and the rest were left to wither and die.
So much for MacT/Renney comparisons.
Brule, as someone astutely(translated agreeing with me) said something the other day about how Brule got a few shots off last season that created cool goals, and how he was constantly trying to get goals the same way this year. Right on.
But since this season is for my money all about the top three rookies, Cogliano, Brule and even to an extent Gagner can sink or swim, according to their innate talents.
hunter1909's thoughts on winning hockey: 80% of the time the teams with the most talent wins. Therefore, get talented players. Oilers haven't had much of this forever, which makes it understandably difficult for many the perpetually suffering fanbase to grasp.
Bar: The SE is actually (now) stronger than the Oil's divison.
ReplyDeleteEast has far more weak and middling teams though.
ReplyDeleteSmarmy: Sure but the East seems to have stronger top dogs.
ReplyDeleteEast got 5 of the 6 top teams in win%. Are the lower teams that bad or by-products of behemoths crushing them?
If you look at the worst teams theyr records vs the West aren't that bad, but versus the East it's absolutely terrible.
I mean, Souray is a primadonna, but he didn't really play with attitude.
ReplyDeleteYou gotta be kidding me. Are we falling for the media narrative again?
@Pavel Bure,
ReplyDeleteSchremp's got a decent faceoff record too.
57-45: 55.3% this season
Same points as Brule in half as many games.
It's a good thing we've got Linus for those lamenting the loss of Rob Schremp hockey! :p
Coach PB: Well he's a prima donna in another way.
ReplyDeleteIf you checked out player's bios and extra stuff on the Oil site. Souray was known as the guy spending 40 minutes on his hair.
Another kind of ''Prima Donna''.
Still think the Oil should have picked up Sergei Kostitsyn. Guy plays with some extra, and was sold for 2 UFAs.
book¡e said...
ReplyDeleteOh, I think by the end Craig McTavish had gone crazy. The same is happening to Brent Sutter - he ran out 5 defensman the other day on a PowerPlay. That sounds like something MacT would have done a couple of years ago.
I remember reading about similar stunts Sutter pulled when he was coaching Red Deer. One time he wouldn't allow anyone to use composite sticks as a some sort of team punishement. During a game the supply of wood sticks was depleted to the point where players coming off their shift would have to hand their stick to the guys coming on the ice. Another time he finished a game with only a couple of players on the bench because he kept sending guys to the dressing room. Funny stuff.
fpv,
ReplyDelete6 teams in the east have a winning record against teams in the west. 9 teams in the west have winning records against the east (one of the those teams being your Edmonton Oilers).
Of the top 5 teams in the east conf, all have made hay against the SE division (with your Canadiens being the lone exception). Pitts and Wash are notable especially.
Of the top 6 teams in the west 4 have done well against the NW, with Chi and Dallas being the exceptions (Det, Van, LA, Phx).
I guess my point is, the middling teams in the east are doing well in large part because they play in the east (and feast on the SE). Sure the NW is a bit of a weak division in the west, but strong and middling teams in the west are doing well all over too. Or, if teams in the east had to compete against the west more often, they would be doing more poorly and the west would be that much stronger in the standings.
Alex: Some teams don't supply the players. So if they can't play with theyr composites, they have to buy wooden sticks. That guy is nuts.
ReplyDeleteBar Qu: But the middling teams don't ''Feast'' on the SE. It's pretty much even.
ReplyDeleteIt's only the strong teams. Then again VAN, LA, DET and PHO are all punching the NW in the balls.
NW does the same thing the SE does.
Schremp? Did someone mention Schremp?
ReplyDeleteEven if we suddendly stopped talking about Belgium as a powerhouse it doesn't mean it's vanished from the board.
ReplyDeletefpv,
ReplyDeletewell I guess we'll just have to agree that I'm right.
;-)
NW and SE stink. No getting around it. Makes it easier for those no-good-low-down-rotten Canucks to make the playoffs, for cryin' out loud. And if it gives ATL a sniff of the post season, then so be it.
But I still think Alphabet is benefitting more from his environment than he has improved that much as a player.
Bar Qu: Well it's still a feat transiting to D, being the D with most point and being on pace to win the Norris uncontested.
ReplyDeleteWell at least the Trashers are winning for a change. Love the NHL's bad puns with ''Trash in town'' and stuff like that.
win the Norris uncontested
ReplyDeleteSee: Lidstrom, Nik.
Bruce: Yeah, they should be able to kick the shit out of a 3rd pairing role and that's fine with me as long as they don't make any more money than what they are;)
ReplyDeleteOf course the trickledown is this sets 2 up to eventually fail in spectacular fashion
Downright: Right now Big Buff has all the edges. More points, more goals, weaker team, more physical.
ReplyDeleteDownright: Right now Big Buff has all the edges. More points, more goals, weaker team, more physical.
ReplyDeleteWhich is better at preventing opposing players from scoring? I hold this quaint view that that's part of a defenseman's job.
FPV: Oh, I can dig it. I also realize you qualified it with "on pace". But.
ReplyDeleteBut! You just can't count out Nik. That guy will be in the hunt for the Norris after he's dead.
Steve Smith: Also beating him on +- with a worst team and toughest Qual Comp on said team's defensive corps.
ReplyDelete0_0.
BQ: nice one-liner.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I don't know why in this day and age we can't have every team play a home and home against each other.
All fans all over the league should have the opp to check out all opposing players at least once a year.
Downright: Agreed. They might as well rename the trophy to his name.
ReplyDeleteIt's like the MVP trophy in the NFL and Payton Manning.
Anyone special this year? Nope. Give it to Manning.
FPV: I hate to do it again but...
ReplyDeleteBut!
See: Vick, Micheal.
Downright: Well I said if there's no one special :P.
ReplyDeleteVick might win it.
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/jay-cutler-superstar/assets_c/2010/11/nfl-mvp-flowchart-thumb-640xauto-260470.png
According to the chart the Eagles must get a Bye. Vick will have to outrun the Bears to get that shiny.
Oh and Rob Schremp. Guy got a positive REL Corsi and is -2 while having a ,857 save % behind him.
ReplyDeleteHe's better than some Oilers. Yes even defensively.
Isn't Rel Corsi relative to his teammates and the opposition? It can't really be used to compare players from different teams, can it?
hunter1909's thoughts on winning hockey: 80% of the time the teams with the most talent wins.
How does "Hunters Law" explain the fact the 2 best teams in the league have about a 66% winning percentage?
Ducey: I don't know why something tells me JFJ wouldn't be able to do that even with the Isle.
ReplyDeleteJust checked Corsi ON for the hell of it and Schremp would rank 3rd on the Oil behind Eberle.
FPV: That chart is hilarious. And frighteningly accurate.
ReplyDeleteDownright: There should be a variant exept with the Norris and Nick Lidstrom.
ReplyDeletefpv: Corsi ON really shouldn't be used to compare against different teams as shot counting is notoriously biased by arena. It is useful for players on the same team as the stats are counted by the same conditions. If it was only away games then at least it would have some merit.
ReplyDeleteAlso, without taking zonestart and qualcomp ranking into consideration, it really isn't fair to compare the stats other than to say he's earning some respect.
As has been noted, the Oil have to give youtube a shot.
ReplyDeleteBut if they decide on a player that is not in the future, I just hope they pair said player with Penner for the rest of the season. It would be nice to showcase some potential and get some return. That thought included the forbidden D word, so unlikely for Tambs to do that though.
Brule could vanish through quicksand.
ReplyDeleteOthers are unmovable.
5.5
Coach Horcoff,
ReplyDeleteIs that what happened with O'Sullivan and L.A.? Classic pump and dump playing with Kopitar?
Penner's good for that role, but even he isn't good enough to inflate the value of Brule. What does that tell us?
@ Ducey: The NHL regular season means relative squat. The dynasty Oilers used to use it as little more than a way to prepare for the playoffs.
ReplyDeleteAlso, didn't the Red Wings often used to finish first in the 6 team league in the 60's?
Somehow I doubt very much that the "best" 2 NHL teams will either 1-miss the playoffs or 2- get bounced in the first round.
Although the second does happen from time to time.
The dynasty Oilers used to use it as little more than a way to prepare for the playoffs.
ReplyDeleteBack when almost 80% of teams made the playoffs.
Also, you didn't answer his question: if the team with more talent wins 80% of the time, then the team with the most talent in the league would have a .800 record.* Why doesn't it?
*This assumes that the same team has the most talent throughout the year, which may not be true on account of injuries, player development, trades, etc. But none of those are likely to have had much effect by this point in the season, when the best teams aren't anywhere near .800.
Trak: by how much do you think 10's overpaid?
ReplyDeleteEveryone else: can someone log the game for me tonight and send the results to dtking27@hotmail.com?
DZ or DB or Bruce? First one to volunteer here can send me along the results and I'll get them up tomorrow afternoon.
Dennis: You'd think that given Bettman's rep for being a basketball guy he would "get" the idea of marketing a(n inter)national league like a National league rather than two regional associations. NBA plays 82 games too and each team visits every city, period.
ReplyDeletePisses me off how rarely we get to see the eastern players, it's just stupid and wrong. A couple years ago they "fixed" it so we see teams every second year instead of every third, but that's only halfway in my opinion. But the unbalanced schedule is part and parcel of Gary Bettman's unbalanced regime, which also features unbalanced standings and unbalanced statistics. The only balance that matters is the bank balance.
But you'd think they could actually improve on that by marketing their own fucking assets a little more wisely. That e.g. Sid Crosby has only ever played two games in Edmonton six years into his career is a god damned disgrace.
re: 5 D on the PP, that's a variation of an old stunt I recall Punch Imlach using with the '60s Leafs. I recall one time in particular he started five defenders, and in those days they only dressed five. Would have been Tim Horton, Allan Stanley, Bob Baun, Carl Brewer and the fifth guy was I believe Larry Hillman. Unfortunately in those days TV joined the games in progress, so we only heard Bill Hewitt tell about it rather than seeing with our own eyes. But apparently it was not at all a fun shift for the opposition, and got the attention of Imlach's own forwards to say the least. As I recall they'd played a couple of soft games just before that and so Punch had to get their attention. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Traktor,
ReplyDeletePopped in to drop Horcoff's cap hit eh?
Well done.
Look forward to seeing you post again in two months.
Regards,
Woodguy
Dennis:
ReplyDeleteThat's a hard question because there is 100's of factors.
How much would Detroit pay Horcoff vs how much would Edmonton would pay Horcoff?
The Nationals just signed that scrub for 100+ million but I think there's a difference between market value and a valuable contract.
Anything under 2.5 million and Horcoff is giving his team good value (assuming he is healthy).
Bruce when we talk about things like scheduling we can see how little power the commissioner actually has. The parochial interests of the owners take precedence over the good of the league. It is a crying shame and one more blight on GB's record.
ReplyDeleteIt will be nice to see Stevie Y's new team in town and see how well that Stamkos kid plays. I hear he might not be too bad.
fpv - 22 games does not a season make, and while Alphabet has done it great so far, I won't be giving out any trophies just yet.
That's right. You heard me. I'm giving out the awards this year.
Another thing that probably gets forgotten but when guys like Hemksy or Penner want an extension how do they take less than 5.5?
ReplyDeleteReturn of the Poo? He was recalled on the 10th....
ReplyDeleteNobody cares Traktor.
ReplyDeleteGo somewhere else.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTo answer my own question... The Poo is in.
ReplyDelete..Also interesting that there will be a Omark vs. Harju battle tonight.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, Zack Stortini draws the short straw yet again. I'm not going to beat this one to death today cuz I had my say not that long ago, but will clear my throat for this one comment.
ReplyDeleteConsider that the last time the Oilers played the Lightning Zorg had the Gordie Howe Hat Trick and was named first star, and now he can't even get a fucking game against them.
Meanwhile, JFFJ - who would consider it a GHHT if he had a goal, an assist and a fight in the same fucking season - keeps his spot in the lineup despite a complete line of zeroes in his last game.
You can bet there's quite a few Lightning players who won't be disappointed not having to play against Stortini, who was a total pain in their side last time.
I just don't understand Renney's thinking here at all.
Love the crazy Sutter stories. It's like he's officially becoming the new Bill Brasky.
ReplyDelete"Brent Sutter is the father of every kid in this town!"
"Brent Sutter once showed me a video of him making love to my wife, and it was the most beautiful thing I ever saw!"
"Did I ever tell you about the time Sutter took me out to go get a drink with him? We go off looking for a bar and we can't find one. Finally Sutter takes me to a vacant lot and says, 'Here we are.' We sat there for a year and a half and sure enough someone constructs a bar around us. The day they opened we ordered a shot, drank it, and then burned the place to the ground. Sutter yelled over the roar of the flames, 'Always leave things the way you found em!'"
"He once punched a hole in a cow just to see who was coming up the road."
"He once ate the Bible while water skiing."
"Sutter once hosted the Grammys and gave every award to Corey Hart."
"Sutter once got his wife pregnant and gave birth to a delicious 16 ounce steak. The after birth was sauteed mushrooms."
"Sutter's family crest is a picture of a baracudda eating Neil Armstrong."
"Did I ever tell you about the time Sutter was in a production of, 'The King & I?' On opening night, Sutter chloroforms the entire cast and slowly eats them in front of the audience for two hours. The production got pretty good reviews."
"If you drop a phonograph needle on Sutter's nipple, it plays the Beach Boys' 'Pet Sounds.'"
"Did I ever tell you about the time he taught his son how to drive? He did it by entering him in the Indy 500. The kid wrecked and died. Sutter said it would've happened sometime."
Bruce: You're right, 46 should never sit instead of 22.
ReplyDeleteNever.
But 46 is also gonna somehow have to learn to win a faceoff - not gonna happen - or kill a penalty or he's likely not long for the Oilers; at least come 2012.
Linus (now pronounced that same way as the Peanuts character)
ReplyDeleteI liked it better when it rhymed with the Leaf's GM.
"The dynasty Oilers used to use it as little more than a way to prepare for the playoffs.
ReplyDeleteBack when almost 80% of teams made the playoffs."
@ Steve Smith: What do you suggest the 80's Oilers should have done? Lobbied for more teams?
@ Steve Smith: What do you suggest the 80's Oilers should have done? Lobbied for more teams?
ReplyDeleteHunter, meet the point. The point, hunter.
I think it is a little more critical to reach the playoffs now that slightly less than half the teams don't make it. Making the regular season rather significant.
Which bolsters my point about why it is important that all teams get an equal crack at the low-liers and the top-flite teams every season.
Also, you didn't answer his question: if the team with more talent wins 80% of the time, then the team with the most talent in the league would have a .800 record.* Why doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteHe's busy working on his subterranean supercomputer and refining the theory to include luck, effort of multiple players, home ice advantage, goaltending, referees, strategy used, and most importantly defining what "talent" means.
Once he figures it all out (tomorrow) he is going to clean up in Vegas, buy the Oilers, fire Tambo, install himself as GM/owner/player-coach, steal away Hillary Duff, and lead the Oilers to 10 consecutive Stanley Cups.
Then, and only then, he will unveil his theory, making all sport redundant, as it will be all completely predictable.
Like a few of my recent posts, a random thought for the "what if" folks:
ReplyDeleteWhat if Bettman/the NHL are getting exactly what they want by having Crosby play here just 2 times in 6 years? Rexall sells out - it's places down South that need the help.
You lot are turning into a high school girl style gossip clique.
ReplyDelete"Hunter, meet the point. The point, hunter.
ReplyDeleteI think it is a little more critical to reach the playoffs now that slightly less than half the teams don't make it. Making the regular season rather significant."
Why is it any more critical to reach the playoffs in the 30 team league, than in a 21 team league?
@Showerhead: I'm not just talking about here. Sid has played 2 (or maybe 3) games in Phoenix or Nashville or Denver in that same time. Not enough.
ReplyDeleteThe flip side is that when Gretzky was coaching in PHX they had the biggest name in hockey going into Florida and Atlanta once every three years. It works both ways, no matter where the big attractions are they should be on display around the league.
Wow, Bar Qu, you have a little barque today, nice to see. You have me chuckling away.
ReplyDeleteYeti, I think I would pay good money for a full version of your cover of Mrs. Robinson, complete with music and harmonies.
Bruce: Gretzky attracted people? Seriously? Wasn't a cat around in PHX.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it any more critical to reach the playoffs in the 30 team league, than in a 21 team league?
ReplyDeleteNot more critical, more difficult. Still as critical as always.
@spoiler - a head cold and a day at home with the boys (and out of the classroom) did it for me.
Bruce: yeah I don't really buy my "what if" as a legitimate explanation either, but I appreciate that you would humor me. I posted something similar a couple days back along the lines of "what if our 2010 draft picks are tearing it up more because the 2011 class is so weak?"
ReplyDeleteI guess I like hypotheticals this week?
@FPV: Gretzky got to be old hat in PHX, but any town that the 'yotes visited he was a, if not The, story. I'm not talking so much about being a draw, but about marketing the game, and there are a lot of cities that need help in this respect and in both conferences.
ReplyDelete@ Bruce: It's sad when a washed up former star(Gretzky) has to be constantly dredged up to bring interest into any market. It also seems pointless, considering he's never going to play again.
ReplyDeleteNow in the 21 team NHL...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete"Nobody cares Traktor.
ReplyDeleteGo somewhere else."
@ kinger: Who do you think you are? The internet school monitor?
Go back to HF Boards where your kind thrives.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWow, Bar Qu, you have a little barque today, nice to see.
ReplyDeleteFPV: "Une Barque Sur l'Ocean", peut-être?
Horcov's making 5.5???
ReplyDeleteThank God!
I heard he was making as much as Jarmoe.
Bruce you are a man of class and taste.
ReplyDeleteAre you saying Bruce is the Devil? No wait, he's a man of wealth and taste.
ReplyDeleteAll about the new kids tonight. Interesting to see how they do.
I have a feeling Comrade Putin may be penning a missive to Horcov right now, lamenting the latest twist of fate.
@Dennis: Did you find a SC counter yet?
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to this game. Knowing that Ales Hemsky isn't going to play for the Oilers AND looking forward to the game hasn't happened in a long damn time.
ReplyDeleteThanks Stu.
@LT: Ales Hemsky is an irrelevant, irrelevant man.
ReplyDeletePS: j.k.
ReplyDeletePS: j.k.
ReplyDeleteI take back what I said.
Bruce: I'm quit buggered at how you swapped me and Spoiler there.
ReplyDeleteBack to the Alphabet argument;
ReplyDeleteI just noticed that he is only 2 points clear of Liles (who has a better +/- for those who pay attention to that) and before tonight only 8 up on the old man from across the sea. And only 3 goals up on Leopold.
BTW, Whitney is up there with 21 points too, despite them being all assists. I hope he assists on three goals tonight, and continues on his record-breaking quest.
Fpv,
ReplyDeletehow buggered are you?
Bruce is a nice guy. I'm sure he didn't mean to bugger you.
ReplyDelete... or if I had, I would have done it nicely.
ReplyDeleteFPV: Sprry, you're right, that was Spoiler. Stuffed up to the ears, brain isn't working too well today.
ReplyDeleteJk.
ReplyDeleteWell i didn't checked JML's background stats and yeah he's in his range of SH%. Well surprise, surprise I guess.
Bruce: If you want to see clear cut incompetance, look no further that Katz's Oiler's production of NHL hockey.
ReplyDeleteTalk about small market production values...think Hooterville!
I couldn't agree with you more re what you said btw. The NHL is a joke.
30 odd seconds away from the greatest spectacle in the world...Oilers hockey!
ReplyDeleteI'm drinking beer.
Anyone with a working link for the game?
ReplyDeleteI'm drinking beer.
ReplyDeleteThe games get alot more interesting when you combine that with Ephedrine-based cold medication.
http://www.alpha2zulu.net/a2z_channel_2.html
ReplyDeleteThanks!
ReplyDeleteWide. Open. Net.
ReplyDeleteCan't defend down low. Every team in the league knows it, it's just some are better at remembering it and exploiting it.
ReplyDeleteO'Marra getting himself noticed early. :(
ReplyDeleteUh oh. Stamkos on the PP.
ReplyDeleteJust count a goal.
Ultramagnus!!!
ReplyDeleteHe won't score many like that, but it's nice to see.
ReplyDelete.. quoth a wise man
ReplyDeleteI wish to see U2oob on the PP.
ReplyDeletePoo on the powerplay. Good to see, unless you're a Lightning fan.
ReplyDeleteTim Peel strikes again.
ReplyDeleteOh no. Feed is dead... stuck listening to Jack McYells until an online stream returns. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteThe drunk mound of rebound gives up another fat rebound and a goal.
ReplyDeleteHaving trouble finding a link...the last one posted appears dead.
ReplyDeleteAny help?
Some odd line matchups for a home game. 3/4th lines with some big mismatch against players like St. Louis and Stamkos
ReplyDeleteOh well, this is going to be some damn ugly Oilers hockey to watch till Horcoff returns. Looks like we could take a run at locking in 27/28th in the league.
ReplyDeleteI'm counting scoring chances in Dennis's stead (I think ... anyway, I'm counting them) and that wasn't a good period for the Oil. 5-11 overall including 2-7 at evens.
ReplyDeleteBrutal period by the stripes who called two lame penalties on the Oil, and the offside call on Smid was just ridiculous, no part of the puck went outside the line and linesman three feet away called it dead. Terrible. I could see Woodguy standing up in his seat over there to give buddy the gears.
Back to the Oil, the Omark-O'Marra-Jones line had a horrid time of it, with EV shots on goal being 0-6 or 0-7 for each of the three. I have no fucking idea what O'Marra thought he was doing trying to deflect that shot out of midair but it was a great deflection, so let's hope he remembers how it's done when he's at the good end of the ice. If he ever gets it down there, that is.
Back up: http://www.alpha2zulu.net/a2z_channel_2.html
ReplyDeleteThis one is working right now as well:
ReplyDeletehttp://atdhe.net/30332/watch-tampa-bay-lightning-vs-edmonton-oilers
gagner with 'the gagner' move.
ReplyDeleteHaha the US feed colour guy had just been talking about how the dynasty Oilers used to dominate in 4-on-4 and 3-on-3, then a pair of odd-man rushes and Hall pots one. Beauty.
ReplyDeleteHall is a beauty. Should have taken the shot there, though.
ReplyDeleteRyan O'Marra gets his first point of the season on the Hall goal.
ReplyDeleteA bit surprised he saw some PP time.
The pp only lasted for 2 seconds so I don't thnk that's really pp time.
ReplyDeleteHall is a beauty though. LT is right he should never pass up a shot to pass to Cogs.
Just checking in, how is 23 doing?
ReplyDeletePenner???
ReplyDeleteAtta boy Penner sticking up for his team mate. Great to see.
ReplyDeleteLazy fighter.
ReplyDeleteLaziest beating ever.
ReplyDeleteYou ever notice all the fights Penner wins are meaningless ones? This is why stats don't work: they fail to reveal how useless he is in Big Fights.
Bad for Poo: Selected to go on the bench.
ReplyDeleteRyan Whitney almost broke his shot at the record!
ReplyDeletethe swedes!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSick move.
ReplyDeletePPB: I know. I was about to be severely disappointed in the goal.
ReplyDeleteNo wimpy sitting on the half-wall like the player who will not be named.
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell is Gilbert doing scoring goals? He's a defenseman: he should be hitting somebody.
ReplyDeleteOmark...small guick move breaks down box and leads to goal. Excellent...I was entertained!
ReplyDelete@Dennis or @Bruce,
ReplyDeleteI always get you two mixed up for some reason anyway...
How many players sailed through waivers that would be an upgrade on 22?
love when ohlund got RIPPED on there!
ReplyDeleteto add, imagine ohlund to be pissed off and will cheap shot someone next period.
ReplyDeleteJay: Count the names on the list.
ReplyDelete3-2 victory Rob? how did this guy get this job?
ReplyDelete@Jay: Thanks for the compliment but Dennis is gonna be pissed when he reads that.
ReplyDeleteQuite a feat by the Oilers to score on a 3-second powerplay, O'Marra now has a PPP/60 rate of 3600.0 which is the first time I've ever seen that particular figure.
On the scoring chance front I had it at 8-9 that period including 4-8 at evens, but the Oil generating a 4-1 edge on the PP including the 2 PP goals. The one play was pretty odd in that O'Marra's shot was at evens but Hall potting the rebound was technically on the powerplay.
I'm tempted to score a chance every time Oilers get a shot on Ellis cuz he looks real shaky in there.
That one sequence of three odd-man rushes in 20 seconds was pond hockey with a vengeance. Hall had three 2-on-1s in all and passed each time, definitely should have shot the third time.
Good to see Penner stand up for a mate, I'm not one that likes to see afight every time there's a hit but that was a wicked dart with Omark hitting his head on the boards so Penner didn't hesitate. Refs even got it right that time.
Started watching just in time to see Hall score, and that Gilbert from Omark's rebound on the powerplay was pretty sweet.
ReplyDeleteMissed UltraMagnus's goal, was it a gooder?
On a side note, Kevin Weekes has no business being an NHL commentator, to quote: "Especially with injuries to their key players...from their player er personnel."
Weekes works for SNW now?
ReplyDeleteBruce: Gotta wonder what Renney is doing not cloning him and playing him at every position on the PP and have him Punt for the Eskimos.
ReplyDeleteOkay, you know the ice is bad when the T-Bay commentators mention the puck has been bouncing around quite a bit all night.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to the best ice in the NHL...sigh.
Tampa is owning this period. Time to wake up boys.
ReplyDeleteThe Line of Bad Decisions.
ReplyDeleteWow, are 16-67-22 bad.
Omark's buddy and former running mate is playing for the opposition, in Omark's first NHL game. Ah the drama.
ReplyDeletemother...
ReplyDelete4 minute miss zebras.
ReplyDeleteThere really is no upside to 67 is there?
ReplyDeleteHow do the Oilers get rid of that guy.
I got a bunch of us to chant "Escrow" at Dan Ellis as he circled the blue line during TV time outs.
ReplyDeleteI'm just going to say it -- Cogliano is a fucking lost cause.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome Woodguy =).
ReplyDeleteThe stage is now set for a dramatic Omark goal...if it's in the shootout so be it.
Also the Oil look like they've been on the PK for the whole 3rd so far.
13's Dzone coverage resembles old people fucking.
ReplyDelete49 having all kinds of trouble with St Louis tonight. Finally cost him.
ReplyDeletePenner's playing like 45 minutes tonight?
Omara looks decent.
Can someone explain to me how it is a great save when the puck hits you when you haven't moved?
ReplyDeleteWoodguy's hot.
ReplyDeleteOilers are not.
13 needs to look around -- your mark is basically the 2nd deadliest player in the world, and you let him right into prime position! and then he gets mad after the fact ... well shit, do it right the first time.
ReplyDeleteHe'd look mighty good in TO right now, or any other team.
Well St. Louis is going to beat Peckham a high percentage of the time (even though he's 90) but the BEST scenario is 49 forcing him wide. 13 HAS TO USE HIS POSITION.
ReplyDeleteMan.
Isn't it time for Lowetides son to score?
ReplyDeleteOT
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking about it. How good will Canada's hockey team be at Sochi (assuming the NHL goes) with vets like Crosby and Stamkos, young guys pushing like Hall and Eberle all backed up by a D led by Doughty.
And I am through caring about Cogliano's defensive shortcomings; his offensive shortcomings are what is driving me mental.
I'd be okay with that. Honest. :-)
ReplyDelete23 better be warming up in the bullpen - shootout looming
ReplyDeleteRemember when I was against the Heatley trade because it included Cogliano? Strange days.
ReplyDelete(It was a rhetorical question; I'm not quite so narcissistic as to believe that people pay attention to, and remember a year and a half later, what I think about specific abortive trades.)
Cogliano just played the worst period of hockey in his NHL career. Not a clue.
ReplyDelete"SS"
ReplyDeleteWe all have that page bookmarked.
That was borderline interference there no?
ReplyDeleteWhy is Cogliano playing in OT?
ReplyDeleteShouldn't 4 be in Windsor this year?
ReplyDeleteOur '10 lottery pick is going to single-handedly ruin our chances for a '11 lottery pick.
ReplyDeleteBecause Omark is better.
ReplyDeleteGood choice not to pass to 13 there.
Broadcasters mentioning Gagne need to decide between the French and English pronunciations of his first name, and stop hybridizing them to "Simone".
ReplyDeleteIf I have any additional opinions, I'll keep you all posted.
Traktor can do drive-bys all he wants regarding the cap hit of our best (and currently injured) center, but I'd like to hear his expert opinion on why Cogliano still hasn't figured out how to play defense at the NHL level after close to 3.5 NHL seasons.
ReplyDeleteIf Horcoff's only worth 2.5 million, Cogliano's worth about 250k. Good grief, he looks awful out there.
Taylor Hall, meanwhile....wow. He's a threat to score every damn shift and has played what, 30 NHL games now?
''Cogliano will take this critical faceoff against Stamkos''
ReplyDeleteLOL Cogliano.
13 out for the PK.
ReplyDeleteObviously Renney is drunk.
Tim Peel strikes again. Thrice.
ReplyDeleteI'm also gonna say that regardless of the shootout, Khabi has made me eat crow. The guy is making really nice saves out there...
ReplyDeleteObviously Renney is drunk.
ReplyDeleteSomeone is...
Pouliot? Really?
ReplyDeleteAll rookies?
ReplyDeletecool
Against Poo?
cooler
Condolences, LT.
ReplyDeleteHahaha, silliness.
ReplyDeleteJust had to do the spin.
ReplyDeleteCocky little bugger.
ReplyDeleteOmark is smoking the drapes!
ReplyDeleteThat made me lol, I gotta say.
ReplyDelete