Some possible reasons they recalled another checking C:
- This move was made as a reward for all the hard work. As you may remember, O'Marra spent a long time in the outhouse with this organization after coming over in the Ryan Smyth trade.
- The organization is serious about players spending years in OKC before getting a callup. This was a featured item in the first Oil Change episode this fall, the organization feeling they needed to impress on young players that the AHL was part of the plan.
- They aren't going to use Sam Gagner at center in the Renney regime.
- Anton Lander is going to move to the wing for awhile
- A center is injured and we haven't been told about it.
- A trade is coming (hey, at least I'm consistent).
- They aren't that high on Phil Cornet as an NHL player.
- They are worried about Gilbert Brule's waivers.
Hey, maybe THIS time O'Marra won't look like a sub-NHL talent who's in way over his head.
ReplyDeleteKeep calling him up! It's gotta happen eventually.
Not enough Ryan's on the big club, duh.
ReplyDeleteNow all we gotta do is trade for Bobby Ryan and Ryan Suter.
Lander is hurt or sick
ReplyDeleteProbably - he missed practice.
Suter would be a fine addition indeed!!
ReplyDeleteI saw the Barons the first Abbotsford game a month ago, O'Marra was all over the ice, corners, screens, seemed to be working hard. Went to the game only to see Omark, meh, same with Hartikainen, who had a hilarious standing alone at the point on the power play sequence shuffling his feet--seemingly lost. Hope to see him better.
ReplyDeleteThe Red Sox have chosen Bobby Valentine as their next manager. Definitely wouldn't have been my first choice. Going to be an interesting couple of years in Beantown.
ReplyDeleteI hope it means that Lander is going down to OKC for a while once they are sure about injuries and illnesses to other guys. I like Lander a lot, but he isn't helping the big club a lot and his development would be enhanced by some PP time and extra minutes and responsibility in AAA.
ReplyDeleteI've seen O'Marra with Reddox in the A as penalty killers and they were really good last year. O'Marra can replace Lander as a PK option on the big club for a few weeks. If he is up to slug it out why do we have the other fighters?
I'm going with gr8one - not enough Ryans! Sounds like a 'Kids in the Hall' skit.
ReplyDeleteWorried about Brule's waiver status? One question: Why?
Don't want another team to pay his remaining salary? Don't want to get farther away from the 50 contract limit? Help me out here!
Oops - meant to say HALF of his salary...
ReplyDeleteSo it sounds like if I officially change my name to Ryan Ryan Ryan I get a contract with the team.
ReplyDeleteBe right back, (runs to the courthouse).
A common theme around here is that you can never have too many good players. I would argue that its more important to have players that can actually fills roles.
ReplyDeleteO'marra is everything you want in a 4th line C. Wins draws, plays physical, kills penalties and perhaps he has adding fighting to toolbox like LT indicated.
Hopefully this means Gagner is done here. As LT often says and what Gagner proved last game he has 1 year experience 5 times.
Do we really need to get swept in the playoffs before people realize this team is still too soft to win? Playoffs?! Playoffs?!?
Could also be that they are trying to build his value as a valued prospect for a trade later on. He's not seen as a desired commodity right now, but a nice showing now would help his value in Feb - esp. if the team is not going to be retaining his services.
ReplyDeleteO'Marra can PK, is big, is a RH centre good on draws, and can sit in the press box if necessary.
ReplyDeleteA RH draw for the home stand, PK help, eases the workload on Horcoff.
Brule is providing necessary offence in OKC with Omark and Hartikainen hurt, and his skills basically duplicate Gagner's. And one might lose him on recall waivers.
I liked the part where Traktor suggested that O'Marra made Gagner excpendible.
ReplyDelete(I didn't really.)
JustDoIt
ReplyDeleteKids in the Hall
That might have worked as an upgrade on the name, "the kid line."
Pre-injury to Taylor Hall, maybe the "Kids on the Hall line" or something. :P
@Traktor,
IIRC, Lowetide used to say that about Cogliano not Gagner.
Regardless, I do agree with you about Gagner which won't make me popular around these parts. :P
Gagner's lost half a step from the high-ankle sprain that he didn't have to spare which has rendered his effectiveness extremely low.
One problem with Gagner is that most here tended to float around his boxcars in discussion offering that they were good numbers for a 2nd line center.
Problem being that he isn't capable of repeating those numbers without playing the softs with the best available linemates.
I don't follow other teams very closely but I don't imagine too many 2c's get to chew on the softs with the best available help and nearly 3 min pp TOI/g--not to mention zero pk time.
What happened to VV? Last season he looked better than ROM by my eye in his cup of coffee.
ReplyDeleteGranted I was probably squinting if I was watching at all by that time in the season.
Vande Velde would be better off playing a lot and regularly (in OKC) and he is not a RH face-off guy, like O'Marra. O'Marra is probably the better penalty killer.
ReplyDelete@ SS
ReplyDeleteLots of things make Gagner expendable,
O'Marra is just one of them.
I hate Gagner - for one thing, he is a God hating Communist!
ReplyDeleteI heard, and please don't quote me, but I heard that Sam Gagner's nickname in the room is "little bad man."
ReplyDeleteTrue story. They cut his stilts in half after every game and laugh.
Anyone else get the image in their head of Patty and Selma Bouvier smoking cigarettes with their arms crossed when Traktor and DSF get to ganging up on players? Funny stuff.
ReplyDelete@ Ribs
ReplyDeleteAnyone have an image of Dorothy in mind when LT and his troupe are defending Gagner and Paajarvi.
Just click your heels boys.
How bout that Wellwood kid?
Pretty good?
ReplyDeleteWouldn't his accomplishments give you some hope for a guy like Gagner?
@Ribs
ReplyDeleteWell played :p
@ Ribs.
ReplyDeleteThat's likely Gagner's upside.
He's no Doug Gilmour.
The EDM-CGY HNIC game this Saturday is going to be interesting.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteHow bout that Wellwood kid?
Still kicking Kesler's ass in 5v5 pts/60
If DSF was a car his gas cap would say "SCHADENFREUDE ONLY"
"The EDM-CGY HNIC game this Saturday is going to be interesting."
ReplyDeleteHow so?
You expecting something if we get blown out?
Nah, nothing like that. I think coach Renney would start feeling some pressure though. Oilers are already on a small losing streak and if they don't close tomorrow or Friday then CGY will be much closer.
ReplyDeleteIt was a real nice start, but if they lose SAT and the Flames win gets them close then I think the Oilers will begin to look at some options.
I mean, if what they said in the fall (playoffs are the goal) was in fact the priority.
I'm not convinced Renney's the right man for the job, but if ST thinks so maybe he'll get the coach some help.
@ Woodguy
ReplyDeleteKesler with 1G and 1A tonight.
Coming hard.
15P in 19GP coming off surgery and no training camp.
Of course, he wasn't a top 10 pick like Gagner so I'll have to defer to your vast superiority.
"Steve Smith" said...
ReplyDeleteI liked the part where Traktor suggested that O'Marra made Gagner excpendible.
Sammy doesn't need O'Marra or Traktor's help there. Quite capable all on his lonesome it would seem.
Lowetide said...
ReplyDeleteThe EDM-CGY HNIC game this Saturday is going to be interesting
Hopefully Eager's ready to go and Renney takes the reins off and rolls him out with Hordichuk and O'Marra. Time for a mid 80's flashback.
Do you think MacTavish would have put MPS, Gagner and Omark together?
ReplyDeleteThat's what this is all about, right?
Wellwood one of the highest points per 60 among regular forwards this year.
ReplyDeleteWellwood is shooting at 23%. If Gagner shot at the same percentage, and had the same number of games, he'd have more points.
This is the smoke and mirrors of box cars without context in small sample sizes.
I am feeding the troll.
That's what this is all about, right?
ReplyDeleteThat's a small problem.
The bigger problem is the relative absence of excellent D-men and inconsistent own-zone play.
I'm not convinced Renney's the right man for the job, but if ST thinks so maybe he'll get the coach some help.
ReplyDeleteSome things bug me about Renny as well, but a lot of players on this team are playing above expectations this year - some of that has to fall on Renny?
Also, I don't really believe that the playoffs are a priority - I think in a deep draft, ST is fine with moderate improvement (i.e. keep the wolves at bay).
I agree completely. I'm sure the team thinks the playoffs would be great, but I don't think they're going to rush "the plan". The goal seems to be: good enough not get fired. That 7-11 slot.
ReplyDeleteWellwood one of the highest points per 60 among regular forwards this year.
ReplyDeleteWellwood is shooting at 23%. If Gagner shot at the same percentage, and had the same number of games, he'd have more points.
Dammit kris, stop bringing context and actual intelligence to the discussion, you're wrecking whatever racket DSF and Traktor have going here. Shame on you!
O'Marra plays well against Calgary and you can bet he is going to be flying around Saturday night.
ReplyDeleteHopefully there is no Giordano to deal with.
Although still slightly outclassed, Calgary played Nashville harder than Edmonton.
I am all for being harder to play against. BIGGER BODIES.
I am all for being harder to play against. BIGGER BODIES.
ReplyDeleteI am all for being harder to play against. MORE ABILITY TO SCORE AND PREVENT GOALS.
[quote]I am all for being harder to play against. MORE ABILITY TO SCORE AND PREVENT GOALS.[/quote]
ReplyDeleteQuoted for truth. Unless "roles" somehow lead to more goals for or less goals against I don't understand why people think they are important.
You know what is better than having a good fourth line center. Having four actually good centers.
I have liked O'Marra since he came to us in the Smyth trade. He is a smart guy, and I think that smart people are smart(er) players.
ReplyDeleteO'Marra is a hard working player and I'm glad to see him called up. I expect results from him on this call up.
Hey LT,
ReplyDeleteThe real reason is the oilers want to set the record for players with the name Ryan. I think Ryan Keller is somehow going to get an emergency call-up