Jeff Petry was sent down today by the Edmonton Oilers. The "victim of a numbers game" is one of the six best defensemen available when all are healthy, but is also the one blue who is not waiver eligible. Oiler defenders who could reasonably be placed below Petry on a true depth chart would include Theo Peckham and Cam Barker.
The Oilers top 6D are probably Ryan Whitney (when healthy), Tom Gilbert, Ladislav Smid, Andy Sutton, Corey Potter and Jeff Petry. Theo Peckham entered training camp as a full fledged member of the regular rotation but has struggled and is seen by many as the 7th best available option (among those still in Edmonton).
Cam Barker's contract and Peckham's waiver status are the two items that forced Petry down the depth chart and on the plane to OKC. We know from previous experience that injuries are just around the corner and Petry is the best callup option by a mile.
This is no tragedy--Petry will be fine and play more minutes with the Barons--but like the Linus Omark demotion a year ago it goes to show that signing free agents like Barker can have a negative impact. It's early to call that signing a failure, but
we did talk about it during the summer as being an expensive third pairing addition.
*puts shoe down*
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post LT.
You nailed it.
He should be here, but is the odd man out as Peckham probably gets picked off waivers and the Barker experiment is in its early days.
He'll be back and probably play more minutes as an Oiler this year than 4-5 regular forwards.
Potter's presence makes this easier to swallow though. He's looked pretty steady out there and looks to get a ton of ice time this year.
Good decision.
ReplyDeletePetry gets more minutes and hopefully gets enough confidence to really assert himself.
While signing Barker and adding Sutton blocks Petry at this point, good teams have depth.
The surprise is how well Potter has played. I thought he would beat out Chorney for the #7 spot but he seems locked into the top 6 at this point.
And really, no one should be complaining about the defence at this point. The turnaround has been remarkable. Gilbert has stepped up. Smid was playing well at the end of last year and that has continued.
The problem has been that aside from the 3 kids, Smyth and Horc, the offence has been non existent.
5 games into the season seems a little early to be making unequivocal statements like Petry is better than Peckham or Barker IMO.
ReplyDeleteIn your Red Wing article LT, you mentioned how Detroit did this on a regular basis (i.e. signing FAs that keep the kids on the farm). Seems a sensible approach if the goal is to win some games this year. Given the choice btw Petry making rookie mistakes in the A or the bigs, the former seems the more prudent choice.
Further it seems a stretch to say a flyer on Barker isn't worth it because of the impact on Petry's development. Guaranteed, if Petry was forcing the issue with absolutely superior play, he'd be staying. Like most of the D corps early on, he's been inconsistent. With the notable exception of Tom Gilbert who's enjoying a nice start to the season, no one seems to be distinguishing themselves as yet though Potter certainly looked encouraging last night.
Cue WG diatribe now about the pathetic play of Barker to return you to your regularly scheduled programming ;)
Lee: I can say with authority that Petry has outplayed Barker. Not close. At all.
ReplyDeleteKinda torn. Kid deserves on his play to stay here. But agree with Ducey would NOT want Peckham to be exposed to waivers and believe it is way too early to say Barker did not work out. Pretty sure it will not work out but too early.
ReplyDeleteAt OKC Petry can play 20-25 minutes a night and excell.
I watched game last night and was not disappointed. We kept it real close with 3 of our 6 best forwards (and our 2 best) out of the lineup. No way in recent years we are even close without full roster. Still need some big bodies that can play but really like 7-8-9 of outr forwards. Same logic as Petry with Lander when Gags comes back
Three excellent posts. I said pretty much everything I wanted to say in the prior thread.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping the delay on fresh content was due to getting a v.Beta Lowetide this evening.
;o)
Ankinjis: what Whitney's kid said he had
The issue with Barker and Petry is not who has played better in a limited sample size thus far, but whether Barker can get his career turned around given more time.
ReplyDeletespOILer: Agreed. I think this is the season to do it, too. If he can't make it happen, then next season the Oilers will have a ready Petry to help out Gibby and Potter on the right side.
ReplyDeleteWaivers or not, Petry should be on this team over at least 4 of the guys currently here.
ReplyDeleteLT, 'outplaying' to date doesn't necessarily mean Petry is unequivocally better than Barker. It's certainly conceivable that's the case. It's also conceivable that Barker is off to a slow start, is still finding his feet with the team/org, etc. You've said it yourself that development doesn't occur in a straight line and the possibility exists that Petry could regress while Barker improves. In short, is 5 games sufficient sample size?
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love Petry's upside. It just seems a tad early to be making snap judgements on Barker's fit with the team, but then Oiler fans are a notoriously impatient lot.
Lee: Agreed. ST is in for a penny in for a pound with Barker and if it does work out then it'll have been money well spent.
ReplyDeleteBut God he's slow.
I absolutely love Petry's upside.
ReplyDeleteTom Gilbert?
Didn't that day and still don't get Tambellini's reasoning behind not using the $2.25 he spent on Barker towards a D that wouldn't carry all the ???'s he does right now.
ReplyDeleteI haven't given up on Barker becoming an asset but I think it does show that with all the assessing ST does, he doesn't even see what's right under his nose. Barker makes $1.25 more than Petry. I guess moneys no object. Reclaim away.
Been thinking about Omark's TOI last night...showcasing perhaps?
WG has hit on this in the past but it will be real interesting to watch this team when we have the luxury of playing our D in a pairing that they are very comfortable in. Eg. Gilbert anchoring a second pairing couples with 1st pairing PP. It would mean we have assembled a final 4 type team.
ReplyDeleteHopefully this is also the year that our forwards also get a sense of just how good they can become in this league. Loved watching Hall attack Weber and being a wee bit puzzled why Weber was able to stay in front of him. Weber can do that to the Sedins as well.
Just really like the high end pieces we have on the front end and eagerly await the D rising to that level
I absolutely love Petry's upside.
ReplyDeleteTom Gilbert?
I was hoping more along the lines of Erik Karlsson or Alex Pietrangelo. If you'd prefer to fantasize that he'll be another Gilbert, enjoy!
I don't have a problem with this just as long as there's a 20 game leash on say 13. I think 25's gonna stick around as a big body and PK guy who's gonna be on the 3rd pairing and from whom not much will be expected.
ReplyDeleteSo we'll say 5-6-25-77 as the first four of the top seven and then there's 13 because we paid him, 44 who's showing some early promise and 24 who I figure is 10 games away from being in the Canucks Shane O'Brien stage of his career.
A trade for another real D muddies the water's further but muddy away I say. If we pick up another real guy and 58 or 24 or 44 blossoms then all the better. Right now we've got three guys we can count on and 6 could fall apart at any minute and 5 could either get hit by the falling derrick - because let's face it he's the first guy it would happen to - or could have a 10 game stretch where he's brainless.
I hope that if Barker continues his disappointing play, at the deadline we can get as good a player as the Blackhawks did last year, Nick Leddy
ReplyDeleteI didn't want to listen to McCarver but the other guy (Sutcliffe?) thinks LaRussa invented baseball. Man.
ReplyDeleteFirst Moneyball makes a hero out of a guy who couldn't hold Earl or whitey's jock, and then this guy tells us LaRussa invented the hit and run.
Petry was reportedly very pissed he was sent down last season despite outplaying other D.
ReplyDeleteI would imagine he's even more pissed now.
Do the Oilers have a good reputation in dealing with their D?
No, no they don't.
All is lost! Hide your gold! It's the end! END!
ReplyDeleteLaRussa has been getting showered with praise all playoffs it seems like.
ReplyDeleteRe: Barker. He added experience and we're a deeper squad for him, with a chance he can bring some upside. I don't mind being deeper that that position at all and he's a dice roll. But right now his point is snake eyes (sorry if I blew the craps reference).
having 8 defensemen who need to clear waivers (one of whom was claimed) and depth are two very different things. Barker doesn't make us a deeper team when his being here results in a far superior player being sent to the minors.
ReplyDeleteI'm not worried about Petry's development being negatively affected, because it won't be. The move bothers me because of how much better off the Oilers would be if they kept him up.
Derek Zona had a great article on Barker earlier today. He's been bad, with the numbers just confirming what the eye says.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't a surprise, though - based on 2010-11 results, Barker shouldn't have been a top-seven guy in Edmonton this year and he still managed to get a big contract.
I understand sending Petry down, but there's no way it's a merit-based decision.
Tambellini did a variety of things this summer.
ReplyDeleteGot Peckham insurance in Sutton for an asset who couldn't contribute. i.e. Theo cannot just rely on his toughness to get a spot.
Went fishing for a potentially busted high drafted pick in Barker.
Went fishing for an overlooked top AHL defender in Potter looking for a chance.
All on basically one year tryouts to have no long term cap implications.
Petry is better than Barker but not clearly better than Potter, so 25 minutes doing everything in OKC is probably better than 3rd pairing minutes and only playing some of the games.
The Barker experiment will be over soon enough.
Lander is probably going down soon, too. Things are improving if Petry, Lander, and Hartikainen are waiting in OKC.
Teams tout the Detroit model until their favorite prospect gets sent to the minors for more seasoning.
ReplyDeleteMan Blake Wheeler is a wooden player. I can't believe he didn't have time to adjust to that pass.
ReplyDelete@Godot
ReplyDeleteTeams or fans?
LT: Wooden player?
ReplyDeleteHe seemed like the perfect big man. Good shot, soft hands and good skating.
A guy drafted for what he looked like, instead of what he was.
Couturier trailing RNH by 0,20 P/60 with lesser teammates.
Not settled yet =P.
FPB: I don't think that will be settled for some time. :-)
ReplyDeleteLT: Idk why but it put the image of a tombstone with ''He would have picked COuturier'' written on it in my head.
ReplyDeleteTeams tout the Detroit model until their favorite prospect gets sent to the minors for more seasoning.
ReplyDeleteThe difference between the Detroit example and this example is important.
In the Detroit example the free agent vet is actually better than the rookie who goes back to the AHL.
That's not so in this case.
Its easy to see why they made this decision, its purely based on contract status.
They already lost a player who would have been on the 1st pairing in OKC (although was no great loss to the NHL club, and I think the line is about -135 that STL waives him when they get healthy again)
They would probably lose Peckman on waivers, and they have a significant bet (a roster spot is very significant) on Barker.
So its about asset management.
This is also the reason many of us were deflated when they signed Barker as opposed to a real NHL vet who can play top 4 minutes.
No problem with Petry getting beat out of a spot (and you can argue that Potter did that, but you cannot argue that Barker did that)
I subscribe to knighttown's theory that you need 10 Dmen who can play NHL hockey to get through a season. Petry will see lots of NHL time this year and more than likely stick next year.
But God he's slow.
It looks like he's never in a hurry to get anywhere and doesn't care if he's beat to the puck. He may just be slow.
Also,
A great article by Jo Innes at Backhand Shelf about femur fractures and Taylor Fedun
Petry demotion resulted in the dust being swept away from my blog, if anyone's interested:
ReplyDeletehttp://hockeysymposium.blogspot.com/2011/10/consistency-and-fairness.html
I'm feeling a bit cranky today, so forgive me if I sound a bit sharp. My gut keeps ringing the doorbell, and all I find is the white Fedex delivery card hanging off the knob. Over and over. Meanwhile a simmering anxiety is clearing its throat to say something I'll quickly regret and so I have my fingers wrapped around its throat rather tediously. The problem with anxiety is that it offers solutions batteries not included. When the Fedex package finally arrives from the switchbacks of Gut, it will likely be something I can carry through to completion on the juice supplied.
ReplyDeleteHere's my mouldy cheddar: What do people not get about the waiver system?
I have to imagine half the work force works within some kind of seniority-based system. My squeeze recently gained permanent status in a provincial government job. However: she can be bumped by all and sundry because her seniority starts at zero. Her only defense is that A) the position has no slacker potential so it's not terribly attractive to bumpers above, and B) her office can argue that her role is too specialized to replace with Joe Random Barker.
Any mandatory seniority consideration directly undermines merit. It can't work any other way. Seniority functions like a penal system, where all decisions are triggered by time served, with time off for showing up.
The reason the NHL has a waiver system is so that prospects aren't stuck in limbo until they reach the age of thirty by which point they enter the broad workforce on roughly equal footing with a recent PhD in literary criticism who failed to stick in academia.
If you suck, you deserve to get a clear answer on this by the time you are 25 so you can get on with the rest of your life. How does the league bring this about? Well, you need an egg timer. Enter the waiver clause.
The egg timer expired on Cam Barker. He's going to get his answer. That's the whole point.
Imagine I have a radio of West German manufacture sitting on my desk. I spin through the dial, and pick up no radio stations. It sucks as a radio. I did this yesterday and day before, so it has an established track record of suck. But the review said it was a great radio? Is there a little black button I haven't noticed which switches the shortwave band? Was it DOA due a component failure? Did the glue fail on the hand-trimmed inductors?
Obviously the gamble here is to find the little black button. Perhaps we can already see that his circuits are fried in a way that is not recoverable. All his track record tells us is that if he has a black button, his previous employer failed to find it. This is a concern, in proportion to our regard for his previous circumstance.
Humans are a funny kind of radio, because we sometimes develop emotional responses which cause the little black button to disappear.
Wonky human radios with Bosch stamped on the bottom are usually given a second chance, just in case the little black button makes a surprise reappearance. The people who are ultimately harmed by this system are the ones with enough imagination not to wish to cling to the same tit for thirty years, but that's another story. And yeah, it does suck to have to wait your turn. Fairness postponed.
Now I can see a bit of frustration if you've been bumped, the bumpee didn't cut it, more bumpees arrive who don't cut it, and you still aren't offered your old job back.
Maybe this team has done that a bit over the past two years. DSF wishes to view this move as more of the same. Barker is a convex insurance function: a roster-spot liability when all our best guys are healthy, useful depth (one hopes) when the infirmary index begins to climb. Maybe our infirmary has a little black button that was flipped in the off season; if so, then DSF is right.
I think everyone gets the waiver rule, but the discussion surrounds the flotsam that should be jetsam.
ReplyDeleteWell DMW, I actually have a radio in my Toyota Hilux Surf which is only able to pick up the Japanese radio bands which are at a different frequency than those we are accustomed to.
ReplyDeleteIt would appear that the Oilers intelligentsia is in much the same position in that they have arranged their cap situation in such a fashion that they need to send out arguably their second best defenseman in order to keep their 6th, 7th and 8th defensemen on the roster. Tokyo Rose is singing.
It is interesting to note that three of the top ten scoring defensemen in the NHL are former Oilers who were jettisoned for used chopsticks.
Tokyo Rose reprise.
Sky is falling! Someone poisoned the waterhole!
ReplyDeleteAll of the same could be said re: Eager signing vs Harski playing. Strange summer decisions. Even the most celebrated offseason signing here at LT (Belanger) has not impressed, although it is early. But is was sure a lot of fun on July 1, even if it was only temporary.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, the one summer move that I thought would be amongst the worst has turned out to be one of the best. I think Sutton is a significant upgrade on Foster. They play different styles to be sure, and Sutton is s-l-o-w, but he seems to recognize his limitations and position himself well to defend in spite of it all. A nice trade. I'm also enjoying the puck movement on the power play. Foster was like a black hole. He always fired the puck regardless of whether there was an open lane, 5 guys in the way, or a shin pad three inches from the puck, and often enough without any players around the net to capitalize on a rebound. It must have been frustrating for the PP which looks much better this year. I like to see shots, but we gotta take ones that have a half decent chance of making it to the net, especially on the PP.
Ashley: I'd argue Belanger has been very impressive on the PK.
ReplyDeleteAs Dennis pointed out - we've got 6 for the top pair and 5/77 are fine on the 2nd pair. All the rest are 3rd pair guys right now in no particular order - and only 58 has real upside. I like 44 - give him 20 games to see if he's real and then get the guy signed before we lose a potential value contract. I'm not fussed about 13 and giving him a chance - and 20 games for 58 in the AHL is nothing at this point.
ReplyDeleteSo I see us being a top pair RH dman away from being very solid going forward - with 5,6 and 77. The 3rd pair and extra can be any combination of 13, 24, 44 or 58 next year - and one or two of these guys may even have 2 pair upside. All four of them (maybe not 58) and 25 are also trade bait along with a young forward and/or pick for that top pair RH dman.
Any ideas on who that guy may be?
AO.
ReplyDeleteCounting on a player who has missed 51 games out of 87 in the least two seasons and is almost 29 years of age on a team two to three years from competing for a playoff spot is likely not very wise.
The Oilers need TWO top pairing defensemen.
Had Tambleloony realized that what Souray said was the truth and leave it at that the Oil might be the beneficiary of his +6 and 6 pts. in 6 games. Instead we still have Peckham, Petry and now Barker... none of whom will be on this team when things get serious.
ReplyDeleteRenney
ReplyDeleteSounds like Gagner is imminent-he passed Renney's test
(paraphrased)
Sam is a centreman, but he's played the wing. We have lots of movable parts. Lander can play the wing and so can Horc.
When I know for sure he's gonna come in then I'll get serious at how I'm going to deploy him
I thought this exchange was interesting-
Renney:(nice comments about Potter)
MSM:plus he's right handed
Renney: that makes a big difference...huge to us...we're a little light there
Interesting comments about Peckham and his demeanour on the bench last night.
I get that discussion of intricacies is the point of hardcore fan blogs. What I don't get is that the knowledgeable commentors don't realize we aren't supposed to win yet.
ReplyDeleteThe proof is in the pudding. No backend help = lose. Petry is looking great overall, and they don't want him up yet. Lander likely, Petry, Harti will get another year of seasoning (barring the yet to come further onslaught of injuries) to develop, and by next season roster spots will be there for them.
Part of a good plan is sticking to it. Steve is going to wheel and deal this year and next summer, and right the tilted ship. I can only assume we are on track. The alternative is too ugly.
In the Detroit example the free agent vet is actually better than the rookie who goes back to the AHL.
ReplyDeleteWG: This year:
DET: Recalled D Brendan Smith from Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL). Placed D Mike Commodore on the 7-day injured reserve list.
Detroit put Smith, one of their top prospects (with the same experience as Petry) in the AHL to start the season in order that they could play Commodore. They reversed that due to the injury.
DSF
ReplyDeleteI'll settle for 1 RH Dman right now to play with Whitney.Your point is taken however..a decision on Whitney's future is going to come sooner than we think-I wanna see how that foot responds before throwing an extension at him.
@ Clarkenstein
ReplyDeletePitkanen: 6 points in 6 GP
Pronger: 6 points in 6 GP
Bergeron: 8 points in 6 GP
Souray: 6 points in 6GP
Yikes.
What was the return on all those "assets"?
@Gerta
ReplyDeleteEven if things turn out for the best for Whitney, he'll be getting close to his best before date by the time the Oilers are ready to seriously compete.
The youngsters at forward tend to deceive us that the Oilers are a young team but they really aren't.
There is still a huge gap between the future and the present.
In three years, half the current roster will be on the wrong side of 30.
I would say that 44 gets the gig on 6's right side until further notice.
ReplyDeleteIf things do turn out for the better(his feet are OK),Whitney will be fine, and I'd like him to be part of this team long term. Lidstrom is 41 and still playing so Whitney at 28(and healthy) still has lots of kms left on the odometer.
ReplyDeleteHowever,if there is any sign that those feet of his are going to be a problem,all bets are off.
and from last night 4-89 are in while 24-37 are out and 57 gets a reprieve until 83 is ready to go.
ReplyDeleteTomorrow night I expect 89 to play with either the 94-10 or 91-20 duos.
the latter would mean 23 playing down with 55-57 and I think we all know how that ends.
It would appear that the Oilers intelligentsia is in much the same position in that they have arranged their cap situation in such a fashion that they need to send out arguably their second best defenseman in order to keep their 6th, 7th and 8th defensemen on the roster. Tokyo Rose is singing.
ReplyDeleteIf only the Oilers had Keith Ballard, eh?
@ Ducey
ReplyDeleteBallard is doing quite well playing #3 minutes considering how badly the Canucks have been playing.
Amazing what not coming back from hip surgery, a concussion and missing training camp can do.
I'd be very interested to hear the argument that Petry is the Oilers' second best defenseman. Whitney and Gilbert are slam-dunks to be ahead of him, and I think you'd be hard-pressed to put Petry ahead of Smid. On limited sample size, I'd put Sutton and Potter ahead of Petry too.
ReplyDelete@ SS
ReplyDeleteNo doubt Whitney would be ahead of him if you could rely on him to be there...but you can't.
If Smid is ahead of him, best just turn out the lights...the party's over.
Smid turns into a pillar of salt at the offensive blue line.
At the age of 25 I doubt he'll improve much on his 44 points in 336 games.
He's also a stellar -42 in his NHL career.
Yikes.
You can't put much stock in QualComp this early in the season, but Smid's facing the toughest. He's also got the third toughest zone start (behind Sutton and Gilbert). Through this he's got the third best RelCorsi (behind Potter and Gilbert), and a positive ZoneShift.
ReplyDeletePetry's facing the fourth toughest competition and the second easiest zonestart (behind Barker). For that he's got the second worst RelCorsi (behind Barker).
If you want to look at last season, in the interests of sample size, Smid faced tougher opposition and tougher zonestart, and had a better Corsi and a positive zoneshift.
If we're talking about who's the better offensive defensemen, I don't think it's much of a contest. But if we're talking about that, you're moving the goalposts. Again.
Serious question.
ReplyDeleteHas Barker ever beaten anyone ever in a touch icing race?
Wow, I can think of more than a few times where he had a 10 foot head start and was still beat.
But God he's slow.
I'm not sure that he could beat either Staios or Strudwick in the Oilers skills comp timed race.
Barker's kind of interesting. You've got to admit that he looks the part. When he has puck possession behind the net and confidently moves up the ice headmaning the play, it looks like good things are going to happen. Sadly, they don't.
@ SS
ReplyDeleteIf you need to limit a defenseman's performance to only part of the job...you're right.
If Petry's upside is lower than Smid's, then our conversation is just silly.
Neither would be anything more than a 6-8 defenseman on a good team.
If Petry's upside is lower than Smid's, then our conversation is just silly.
ReplyDeleteHey, look over there - it's the goalposts!
I agree with everyone here that our d hasn't been quite as bad as anticipated.
ReplyDeleteOdd that this is in spite of Whitney missing games and Peckman playing poorly.
Sutton's not the player I remember from 2 years ago. Back then he terrorized opponents with some punishing hits--obviously has lost a step. He's still fairly reliable, but has a few brain cramps here and there.
Most would agree that Barker's defensive play isn't as bad as expected nor is his offensive ability as good either.
Too bad for Barker he hasn't learned 2 important realities. To be revered in Oil country you have to either play physical or at least look like you're hustlin--even if you're not terribly effective. See Ryan, Jones.
Barker would've make Penner look like he's engaged in the game and hustling in contrast.
I've never been a Gilbert booster, but even I have to admit he's off to a great start this season. Even last night, I didn't see the muffin leave his stick when he scored.
Smid's been playing mostly well and looks good when paired with Gilbert.
Harry Potter's a little wobbly defensively, but he can pass AND shoot which is a rare combo on our team.
Petry's a gem and he'll be back soon, I'm sure.
Hey, look over there, it's the Parliament buildings.
ReplyDeleteIf the conversation is about the Oilers D, and if you feel a need to indicate Smid is a superior defenseman despite all the evidence to the contrary (short of comparing him to Strudwick and Foster) fill yer boots.
He's the #4 defenseman on the worst defensive team in the league.
If there isnt any hope that Petry might be a superior defenseman in the near future, there is no hope.
Pretty much every team has a passle of Marincins, Musils and Klefboms in the wings.
DSF said...
ReplyDeleteNo doubt Whitney would be ahead of him if you could rely on him to be there...but you can't.
If Smid is ahead of him, best just turn out the lights...the party's over.
Smid turns into a pillar of salt at the offensive blue line.
At the age of 25 I doubt he'll improve much on his 44 points in 336 games.
He's also a stellar -42 in his NHL career.
Yikes.
OK, SS was clearly talking about the quality of defenseman right now. Not offensive ability, not potential. That said, I'll bite...
Petry has 5 points in 38 games. Prorate to 336 and it's...wait for it, 44 points! Petry is -10 in 38 games, which prorates to -88. Stellar! Good thing he's so much younger (23 vs 25). Except that in his first year, at age 20, Smid had 10 points, -16, 77 games. Should I prorate Petry's for comparison or can you handle that?
I like Petry, but he's no sure thing. And he's not even Laddy Smid right now.
Just to pin you down, DSF, could you fill in your version of the Oilers' defensive depth chart?
ReplyDelete1. ?
2. Petry
3. ?
4. Smid
5. ?
6. ?
7. ?
If the conversation is about the Oilers D, and if you feel a need to indicate Smid is a superior defenseman despite all the evidence to the contrary (short of comparing him to Strudwick and Foster) fill yer boots.
ReplyDeleteAll evidence? What evidence?
He has plenty of hearsay and conjecture, and those are kinds of evidence.
ReplyDeleteBallard is doing quite well playing #3 minutes considering how badly the Canucks have been playing.
ReplyDeleteAmazing what not coming back from hip surgery, a concussion and missing training camp can do.
I know that trolls don't like to stay on point but the issue was cap hit. Surely you don't think Ballard's $4.2 M cap hit for each of the next three years is a good contract.
As for him playing well, his -19.9 Rel Corsi (worst among VAN Dmean) says otherwise.
-19.9 for only $4.2 M a year? That is "amazing".
Love the Redline report on Barker. What happened?
ReplyDelete3. Cam Barker — Medicine Hat LD
Big, highly mobile defender has easily the most offensive upside of any blue-liner in the draft. Hardly had to break a sweat this year while putting up outstanding numbers. Didn’t often perform at the top of his game – played nearly 30 minutes a night and seemed to pace himself. Is most effective when he forcefully takes the puck and heads up ice, leading the break and creating dangerous odd-man rushes. Has the ability to undress opponents as he goes end-to-end. Excellent vision and can make plays at top speed. A top-notch PP quarterback with a hard shot who makes good decisions in puck distribution. Still a work in progress in own zone, but improved steadily in both physical play and positioning as the year progressed. What he lacks explosive speed, he has good agility and his overall mobility is above average. Projection: #1 defenceman for a good team. Style compares to: Sergei Gonchar
The Helsinki "Sanomat", or "Word Mat", had a full page write up on the Oilers youth movement. "Nugent-Hopkins, laiha toivo" - RNH brings hope.
ReplyDeleteDid you know the Nuge's full name is Ryan Jeremy Noel Nugent-Hopkins? Me neither.
Little write-ups on Hall, Eberle, Paajarvi, Musil, Klefbom and Hartikainen.
Takes the "not since the Gretzky, Kurri, Messier era ..." theme, but nice to see even with my limited Finnish - read non-existent. Still it was encouraging to read Steve Tambellini's comments: "En sunnittele varaavani ensimmaisena ensi kaudella.". It certainly echos my thoughts.
Jay
ReplyDeleteSometimes Redline is wrong.
Barker's face reminds me of an alcoholic's for some reason. (Note: I know nothing about him).
Maybe he has issues?
Still it was encouraging to read Steve Tambellini's comments: "En sunnittele varaavani ensimmaisena ensi kaudella.". It certainly echos my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteWow, just a brillant thought there by Tambo. And he is fluent in Finnish, too. Wow.
Didn’t often perform at the top of his game – played nearly 30 minutes a night and seemed to pace himself
ReplyDeleteAhhh...Well.There you go.
He's pacing himself.
Ducey said...
ReplyDeleteBarker's face reminds me of an alcoholic's for some reason. (Note: I know nothing about him).
Maybe he has issues?
Subtle Ducey. Coffe thru nose subtle.
cativent: failed experiment just prior to the catapult
Everybody forgot today's anniversary?
ReplyDeleteHappy 30th...Blue Monday
There's no rush really.
ReplyDeleteLots of die hard fans. Lots of cap space. new arena on the horizon.
wait and see for me.
WV: lyzed: What Hemsky did why they asked him if he was healthy.
Seems like Texaco may already be in Barker's rearview. Let's hope he filled the tank.
ReplyDeleteDucey,
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I have no idea if Commodore is better than their rookie, but its probably a solid bet he isn't given Commodore's recent track record.
Good stuff.
Also,
Rowbear Nilsson is on waivers in the KHL.
Showing up for too many practices is the same clothes he had on the day before again?
I'm too young to remember Blue Monday, but I can still feel the pain of the 94 strike and the wheels coming off of my beloved Spos. Manges la merde, Rick.
ReplyDeleteHe's the #4 defenseman on the worst defensive team in the league.
ReplyDeleteDSF
The Oil are tied for the 3rd best goals against/ game in the league (1.80). VAN is 24th (3.17)
"Had Tambleloony realized that what Souray said was the truth and leave it at that the Oil might be the beneficiary of his +6 and 6 pts. in 6 games. Instead we still have Peckham, Petry and now Barker... none of whom will be on this team when things get serious."
ReplyDeleteSouray is a douche and is good for nothing. He'll injure himself soon enough and then will be a non-factor in Dallas.
re: Souray
ReplyDeleteOnce he threw the management under the bus (regardless of whether or not he spoke 100% truth), he was never going to be an Oiler again.
As a manager you just can't have those guys in your organization. He may have highlighted some problems that were true, but if any of my staff called me out in front of my customers, he's gone, regardless of his results.
Any of my employees can come to me and tell me what I'm doing wrong privately, but publicly is simply unacceptable.
Souray asked for a trade earlier in the year (2009), and the proceeded to be on the IR for most of the year. Frustrated with what he saw as inaction, he went public to speed up the process.
He misjudged Katz/Tambellini's willingness to punish him by keeping him in the AHL.
He also misjudged his perceived value in the NHL as every single team passed on him at 1/2 price at the beginning of the 10/11 season.
Every team.
Probably was a wake up call for him.
Couple that with being healthy from dogging it in the AHL for 1 1/2 years, probably having a burning desire to prove the Oiler's management wrong, and being on a contract year for what is probably going to be his last decent NHL contract, and Souray may have a great year.
None of that changes the fact that if an employee shit talks an organization publicly, they have cut themselves off from that organization.
Ashley: I'd argue Belanger has been very impressive on the PK.
ReplyDeleteLT: I hadn't noticed. Maybe because I'm too busy watching Smyth. In awe.
I'll watch for Belanger on the PK.
Wow, 30 year since the Rick Monday 9th inning homer. Man I feel old, remember running home from school to catch the last few innings. Hugely dissapointing. That game was a rainout, happened on a MONDAY (should have been Sunday)- where was the bloody roof on the Big O, geez it was 5 years after the Olympics.
ReplyDeleteThis from an article on the home run..."He reported, in an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation,
that when he was a broadcaster, years after the homer, he was unexpectedly held up at Dorval Airport by Canadian immigration officials, missing his connecting flight. When he inquired about the reason, he was asked if he was the former Dodger player, and got a smile"
Jim Fanning--who used to stand in the dugout in a gunslinger pose--had taken over from the vastly superior Dick Williams down the stretch.
ReplyDeleteFanning brought in Steve Rogers, who was a starter and ALWAYS took time to warm up but that day dummy Fanning brought in Rogers.
Ron Cey hit a massive fly to deep left, it was caught right at the wall. Rick Monday steps in and that's all she wrote.
I say this and there's no real reason for anyone to believe me, but that play was the single most devastating thing I've ever been through as a fan.
Fuck. It still hurts. Why in hell did he bring Rogers in? Damn.
Oilers need a new coach for years they've need new coach but there blind in front office;
ReplyDelete