It's even more baffling when the player who remains on a roster doesn't have strong emotional ties to the fanbase. Usually, a Stanley or an outstanding season is involved at at the very least miles and miles of quality play are often in the rear view mirror.
Jason Strudwick's 3-year Oiler career has run at least one year too long. Re-signing him doesn't improve on the replacement level player, re-signing him doesn't give rookies more time to hone their skills in hopes of passing him in abilitiy. Whatever he brings to an NHL organization should be accessed via the coaching ranks. If he belongs on the staff, then hire the man.
--
Jason Strudwick 10-11
- 5x5 points per 60: 0.22 (8th among Oil D)
- 5x4 points per 60: nil
- Qual Comp: 7th toughest among D
- Qual Team: best available among D
- Corsi Rel: -17.5 (worst among D)
- Zone Start: 54.0% (2nd best among D)
- Zone Finish: 50.1% (6th best among D)
- Shots on goal/percentage: 9 shots/0 goal
- Boxcars: 43gp, 0-2-2
- Plus Minus: -16 on a team that was -52
- What do these numbers tell us? Jason Strudwick played third pairing minutes with the best help available (he played with Kurtis Foster, Ryan Whitney, Theo Peckham, Tom Gilbert, Ladislav Smid and James Vandermeer). His CorsiRel was the worst on the team, his zone start was easy but came back below average for this team. He was -16 (expected -7) and in 43 games got a shot through to the net 9 times.
- How Could these numbers be better? He played to the level of his ability. There's no blame here.
- He brings toughness. You bet.
- He's a mentor to the kids. I don't know that there are a lot of Oiler kids in love with the idea of being paired with Jason Strudwick. If he can impart information and sees things that help young players get better, then the Oilers need to hire him as a coach.
- How many defensemen are actually ahead of him on the depth chart? Signed players? Tom Gilbert, Ryan Whitney, Jeff Petry, Kurtis Foster. Add in RFA's Ladislav Smid, Taylor Chorney and Theo Peckham. That's 7 before signing anyone, elevating anyone or trading for anyone.
- Did he do anything well? His 4x5 numbers were very good compared to other defensemen on this Oilers team. I don't know how much of the PK is personnel and how much is coaching, but #43 did play well at 4x5 this season (relative to his defensive mates).
- But he shouldn't be re-signed? Not as a player. Jason Strudwick played hard for the Oilers, balls out all the way.
- He's a perfect #7--pressbox half the time, depth minutes the other half. If the Oilers want another #1 overall pick then signing Strudwick makes sense. If they want to get better, time to sign a good team guy as an NHL coach, an AHL coach or a travelling instructor. He's squeezed every last drop out of his NHL playing career and good for him.
Prediction for 2010-11: 42gp, 0-1-1
Actual 2010: 43gp, 0-2-2
Peformed as predicted
Likeable guy.
ReplyDeleteNow that that is done, can we get a good defenseman signed that can play a competent 18 minutes a game? I have no difficulty purging 3 or 4 guys off of last years roster if we replace them with bona fide NHL players.
Nice prediction Lowetide.
ReplyDeleteBut he's good in the dressing room!
ReplyDeleteSK Oil Fan beat me to it!
ReplyDeleteThe best thing about Struds numbers last year was the # of games was way down from the previous two seasons (71 and 72).
Whether that was Renney recognizing what he could/not bring or just the commitment to losing by 3.0 I'm not sure.
But I agree 100% w/LT - if he's the kind of guy the kids listen to make him a coach. This is not the kind of vet who helps us on the ice anymore except in practice time.
Rafalski Retires!!! If lidstrom retires too the wings are not a very good team anymore.
ReplyDeleteWell maybe not a bad team but definitely not a cup contender anymore
ReplyDeleteLowetide, I was listening to segments of your radio show from ON.
ReplyDeleteYou'd make a good colour commentator for Oilers home broadcasts.
As predicted? Seriously? He outperformed all expectations by 100% - guy deserves a raise if anything!
ReplyDeleteSometimes I wonder...
I don't expect or ask a lot when it comes to our Oilers anymore.
ReplyDeleteDuring the 09-10 season, I had a few wishes and many actually came true.
My 09/10 season wish list:
1. No more being subjected to watching Moreau take offensive zone penalties.
2. No more watching Staios get pyloned.
3. Not paying good money to watch Struds step on the ice.
4. No more watching O'Sullivan man the point on the PP or whip pucks at shin pads.
5. No more watching Quinn throw Gagner over the boards to take a penalty shot.
That's all I can recall at this point, but 4 outta five wasn't bad. Best of luck to struds in his future coaching endeavors next season.
Seeing it's spring, which generally means no Oilers, it's hard to get worked up over Strudwick one way or the other.
ReplyDeletesorry for #5 I meant shoot out not penalty shot.
ReplyDeleteLT says: Every once in awhile I'll wander through the old Baseball Encyclopedia or an old hockey guide and wonder why so many old timey players hang on past their due date
ReplyDeleteDennis says: it's because of the money, the women and the camaraderie.
Anything else you want to know?:)
@Jay: I wanted Moreau gone, with POS, and Nilsson especially.
ReplyDeleteThen I got all excited and hoped they'd bring in good solid players to help bring the young guys along.
Silly me.
Travel, money, lifestyle, laziness, and not having a clue what else to do after a lifetime spent playing a game helps.
ReplyDelete@hunter, same here.
ReplyDelete@Dennis from the prior thread. I think most here (plus a few Oilers who have spoken publicly) would be in agreement with you in term of the team needing to add vets for various reasons.
At this point, I would rather see the Oilers start to add some useful pieces even if they finish 25th than to have them round out the roster with flotsam and jetsam to grab another #1 or #2 pick.
As a friend of the Bucyk family I'm gonna snitch on you LT! no one disrespects Johnny B!!!
ReplyDeleteJust kidding he did play too long
wonder why so many old timey players hang on past their due date.
ReplyDeleteFor a lot of guys, especially ol-timey guys, its a better paycheck than working at the paint store. Which was the only thing they were qualified to do. (besides play hockey at its highest level available on the planet)
Ask the Smythe family or the Norris family why the players had to play in the off-season to make ends meet too.
Last thoughts...
ReplyDeleteObviously the Oilers roster is a mess right now. Sure there's some flashy kids, but other than that...
Our defensive corps is a joke as is our goaltending tandem. At center, the Oilers are "clogged up with a lot of mediocrity in Gagner and Cogliano" along with 3 more contract years of an injury prone vastly overpaid 3rd line centre.
Looking forward, we *might* have our top two lines of wingers in Hall/Eberle/PRV/Omark.
On defense, there's a bunch of rookies who can slot into 5/6 positions along with 2 more years of Whitney and 3 of Gilbert.
As Woodguy said something to the effect of, you can sit around drafting lottery picks, do nothing else, and expect to win the cup in four or five years.
I'd personally like to see some progress with building the roster up with vets to coincide with our drafting/development.
--> end of rant :P
Does anyone think NJ would move their 4th overall for Edmontons 1st in 2012?
ReplyDeleteWould they require++ ?
RNH + Couturier/Landeskrog/Larsson would make 2012 less important, with the added bonus of being able to start your hunt for useful vets a year earlier. Taking that route would require not trading Hemsky for the 2x bonus.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteNice prediction LT.
ReplyDeleteDanny, I agree with your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteOn the downside, the 2012 draft apparently has better prospects especially for defense.
However, I like the idea and have mentioned it before of hedging our bet on the Nuge by also picking up Couturier. Dmen obviously take much longer to develop and can be acquired in trade unlike #1 C's.
As for what it would take, it's anyone's guess. My guess: The Oilers first in 2012 and 2nd for this draft?
I don't know why the Devs would trade a for sure #4 for an unknown next year so they would need something extra and if it's our 2nd this year I don't know why the Oil would do it.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone think NJ would move their 4th overall for Edmontons 1st in 2012?
ReplyDeleteI don't know why they would do that. Its their highest pick in a generation and they would have to figure EDM would be planning to try and beat that #4 next year by loading up.
Add they would have to wait a year.
Plus they are most likely looking for ready players to take advantage of the Kovalchuk contract and the good second half they had.
I bet they would think about an offer of the #4 for Hamilton and Peckham/ Smid or something like that.
I guess the real question of importance, with serious implications, is which team in the east has the best chance to beat the Dys?
ReplyDeleteTampa are more like Det/Chi, I think Boston would fold under the intense forecheck quicker than Bouchers squad, so my hopes lie in Tampa. I gotta say though it's not looking very promising.
by walsha
ReplyDelete@
@walsha Craig Button just said on TSN that be he expects Huberdeau to be draft 2nd overall this June. You gotta love hearing that!
2 hours ago
I think Bos would have the better chance just because I think their best game is better than TB's.
ReplyDeleteThat being said I don't give either team has much of a chance because TB's D is too thin to compete and the Krejci line disappears at times and they'd need all hands on deck to take out Van.
I hate to say it but I'll be absolutely stunned if the Dys don't finally win.
My fear with Boston is that their offense is kinda meek like Nashvilles. Pretty similar teams.
ReplyDeleteWe need a Luongo implosion like years past with Chicago.
Seeing Marchand ply his trade versus Kesler would be welcome though. Chara might be effective in shrinking the sisters too.
The roof is leaking. The forecast is bleak.
The Dys seem to be good enough that they don't need Luongo to be as good as he used to.
ReplyDeleteIt kills me to type that.
Yeah, I don't think anybody can stop destiny's child. Their roster is just too good. I'm going to hate having Nuck fans rub the cup in my face.
ReplyDeleteSave for CBCs broadcast crew, there is absolutely no countrywide buzz for the Canucks playoff run. Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa were all championed as Canadas team, with ridiculous amounts of fanfare during their respective cup runs.
ReplyDeleteAlberta had to import beer from neighboring provinces in 2006.
I hope the engraver misspells burrows and Kesler.
I don't remember there being much buzz for the Sens run but most def for the Flames and Oilers runs.
ReplyDeleteBoth times I happened to be at the local airport and heard Go chants for those teams.
The thing about the Dys is that Kesler is an arsehole.
Bieksa is an arsehole who twice did in fact pick his spots with a fistfight: first vs Stahlberg and then as of late Marleau.
Burrows is still a bit of a jerk-off.
The Sedins, Erhoff, Salo, Edler Higgins are all likeable fellows.
But Luongo is a big time sook.
And you can't look past all of Hughson, Healy and Simpson cheering on the Dys from the booth.
I watched yesterday's game and was reminded of long ago when Oilers fans were all abuzz over matchups and Hughson pointed them all out during the '06 series vs SJ. At the time it was revolutionary for a PBP guy to keep up that narrative. So, yesterday he was doing it again and it's great that he does it and he has the voice for the action but he's cheering for them every step of the way.
This dude cannot abide.
Memorial Cup - Huberdeau with the OT winner locking up first place and a bye to the final for St. John.
ReplyDeleteDennis said...
ReplyDelete"The thing about the Dys is that Kesler is an arsehole.
Bieksa is an arsehole who twice did in fact pick his spots with a fistfight: first vs Stahlberg and then as of late Marleau.
Burrows is still a bit of a jerk-off."
I'm curious Dennis.
What would your reaction be if, on July 1st, you woke up to discover the Oilers have traded Hall to Vancouver for Kesler and Bieksa?
I hate to say it but I'll be absolutely stunned if the Dys don't finally win.
ReplyDeleteYou aren't wrong much, so this evokes memories of your post back in 2004, in which you declared there was little chance Tampa comes back and wins 2 straight against the Flames.
Lets hope Boston shatters some dreams out in the West Coast.
I really hope that a 6 - 7 d man at least 10 years his younger is picked up for free of the waiver wire in his stead. It's not making a great bet but it's a better use of roster space...
ReplyDeleteWas watching the wire last year and couldn't help but shake my head looking at his spot and the fact that somehow our super power management team reupped him and added a bit of cash to boot (I know small amount of cash relatively but this was a bad bet @ league minimum based on previous results)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDSF:
ReplyDeleteHall for Kesler (27 years old and coming off his best ever season; maybe has 1 or 2 of those left in him) and Bieksa (a UFA)... is a trade only a Dys fan would think would be good for the Oilers.
What's hilarious is that a guy who goes on about elite talent is here saying that the Oilers should deal the best talent on the team for a #2 C and a #4 D.
ReplyDeleteI take it you were born under a bridge DSF?
PDO said...
ReplyDelete"DSF:
Hall for Kesler (27 years old and coming off his best ever season; maybe has 1 or 2 of those left in him) and Bieksa (a UFA)... is a trade only a Dys fan would think would be good for the Oilers."
Kesler is only 26 and thinking he'll start declining at the age of 28 is just goofy.
Bieksa is just reaching his prime and obviously my question would involve a signed Bieksa.
And, you've entirely missed the point in any case.
@PDO
ReplyDeleteIs Kesler a #2C on the Oilers?
And Bieksa is a# 4D?
Phhttt.
Do you watch any hockey at all PDO?
Bieksa is top pairing on the best defensive team in the league.
"Kesler is only 26 and thinking he'll start declining at the age of 28 is just goofy"
ReplyDeleteHorcoff at 26: 79 22 51 73
Kesler at 26: 82 41 32 73
Horcoff at 28: 53 21 29 50
Horcof at 29: 80 17 36 53
Horcoff at 30: 77 13 23 36
Horcoff at 31: 47 9 18 27
oops.
Circa 1965 Gordie Howe, making an appearance Easter week in Edmonton's Hudson Bay store, in a disused Santa's grotto situation - I guess this counts as working offseason.
ReplyDeleteI heard he was there all week too, lol.
I'm saying the Bolts are still in their series.
ReplyDeleteNot so much for the Sharkies.
Traktor: Does this mean Horcoff is Kesler's mentor?
Now that was an amazing piece of work by Traktor. A simultaneous slapdown of DSF's bizarro trade proposal and an anti-Horcoff tirade, all done without hyperbole. Veteran move.
ReplyDelete"Traktor: Does this mean Horcoff is Kesler's mentor?"
ReplyDeleteI doubt it.
But if PDO says Kesler is a 2C, what does that make Horcoff?
@hunter1909
ReplyDeleteI still have a black and white autographed photo from Gordie Howe from 1965,but mine was from a promo he did for Eatons.
I never met him.I had an uncle that was an exec for Eatons that got the pic and autograph for me.
hunter1909 said...
ReplyDelete'Circa 1965 Gordie Howe, making an appearance Easter week in Edmonton's Hudson Bay store, in a disused Santa's grotto situation - I guess this counts as working offseason.
I heard he was there all week too, lol."
How was the veal?
The thing about the Dys is that Kesler is an arsehole.
ReplyDeleteBieksa is an arsehole who twice did in fact pick his spots with a fistfight: first vs Stahlberg and then as of late Marleau.
Burrows is still a bit of a jerk-off.
The Sedins, Erhoff, Salo, Edler Higgins are all likeable fellows.
But Luongo is a big time sook.
haha, Dennis, I'm with you man for man on that list. Once you peel off a few layers there actually are a few likable players on the Canucks. :)
But you nailed Luongo with the perfect pejorative, at least from a fellow Newfoundlander's perspective. Now that I think of it, I'm sure that Vancouver crowd actually says "Soooooooooooooook" when the guy so much as handles a shoot-in. (They just don't know how to pronounce it properly on the left coast, is all.)
But Luongo is a big time sook.
ReplyDeleteI admit going to the urban dictionary for that one. I like the Australian Definition
Blogger not liking me today.
ReplyDeleteReddox to Sweden, per reports.
DSF: I guess you're coming at it from the angle of if I would like these guys if they were Oilers?
ReplyDeleteAnd the answer is most likely:)
but I'm just saying that being outside of it all these aren't guys you find it easy to cheer for.
In regards to that trade, if you also deal 14 for two of those guys and 91 for two more, then I'm in:)
PJO: well, I'm wrong a lot more than that:) and I should have amended that statement to say there was little chance that TB would come back because I wouldn't say more than four or five teams have been able to scare off two straight elim games; I think the Bourque Avs did it in 2001 and those guys and the Bolts are the only teams that I can remember.
Also, Gelinas scored the cup winner in G6 anyway;)
In any case, it seems like the Dys always have the answer when presented with a different question and that's why they're my pick. I bet a lot of money on them on the road this year and I know how good they are the truth looks to be that the Bolland-included edition of the Hawks had the best chance to take them out. Only a couple of shitty goals from Luongo made it look like the Preds were in the 2nd round series and you have to give the Dys a tonne of credit for coming out and killing off the first five penalties on the road in G4.
When the Sedins couldn't do it, kesler did. And now that he's not doing it at EV those guys are driving the PP.
Balance.
In fact, it's now only Luongo's penchant for bad goals that stands in their way.
According to Rishaug Reddox wanted 1 way money, Oilers said no.
ReplyDeleteSail on Wellington Duke.
Bruce: I think the lesson is that you should pay more attention to my posts;)
ReplyDeleteJust kidding:)
Regarding 85, unless he was a super PK results driver - which I honestly can't say either way - this isn't a big loss.
I think his dye's been cast awhile when it comes to EV play.
Reddox did make the PK better, but it was still brutal last season.
ReplyDeleteToo bad he's gone, but if management can't find a way to replace the Ginger, then we've got much bigger problems (as if we all didn't know that).
Getting paid a minimum of, what, $500K a year to do something that he's only nominally qualified to do.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's a mystery why Jason Strudwick would try to remain a player until he was about 72.
I wish Reddox all the best, and I'd have taken him back on our fifty contract list in a heartbeat, but I can't get too outraged about this decision. If you're that size, you're either going to make your living with pure skill, or you're going to be pretty marginal your entire career.
ReplyDelete