I could show you the connection between the Oakland Seals and San Jose Sharks but you'd have to pack a lunch and it would take all day. Suffice to say it involves the Gund family and a promise that took many years to deliver.
The Oilers mailed it in on the first game of the road trip and that probably means they'll play their hearts out and lose in this game. It's a process, and these kids will learn like the generations before them.
I'm beginning to wonder about Tom Renney's future. Stu MacGregor has done his job, delivering shiny new hockey players two by two, and you could certainly argue that Steve Tambellini has procured some useful players too (Smyth, this year's Khabibulin, others).
Tom Renney has done some good things this year too, and I imagine he'll get an extension at some point. Still, as the season wears along and we endure the annual winter of our discontent I wonder what kind of report card the coach will get from this season.
The #1 overall picks are doing very well, Eberle is a machine and the veterans (for the most part) are doing well. The kids who were behind some of the veterans (Paajarvi behind Smyth, Omark behind Jones, Dubnyk behind Khabibulin) have lost their way somewhat and that could cost the coach. I don't think there's enough evidence to suggest Tom Renney is close to losing his job, but getting a long term deal also seems to be a distant bell. Perhaps a one year extension?
--
It's a busy Nation Radio today on Team 1260 at noon.
- David Staples from the Cult of Hockey will talk to us about the difficulty the Oilers have been facing over the last few weeks.
- Kirk Luedeke from Redline Report will help us set the table for the WJ's.
- Jim Byers from the OKC Barons will be on to talk about OKC and their outstanding run. We'll also find out which players are carrying the mail.
- Cam Moon from the Red Deer Rebels will help us preview the world juniors and talk to us about 2012 draft prospect Matt Dumba.
- Bruce McCurdy will also chime in on the WJ's and tell us about the Oil Kings too. Bruce always has an opinion on the Oilers and we'll ask him about the Paajarvi demotion.
- Terry Jones will pop by to talk Oilers and we'll talk about his HHOF experience.
Jones had 18 goals last year
ReplyDeleteOmark had 5 goals last year
Jones had 152 hits
Omark had 13
Jones played 171:43 on the PK
Omark played 13 seconds
Yet, somehow certain oiler fans think Renney playing Jones over Omark reflects poorly on the coach. Truly bizarre.
DD got the first start of the year and has been outplayed by NK ever since. Last year Renney was a bad man for not playing the goalie with better stats and now Renney is also a bad man, this time for playing the goalie with better stats. Again, bizzare.
As for MPS, he was passed by Smyth on the depth chart and that's more on Tambellini than Renney. Every coach in the league would play Smyth over MPS.
Forget that Hall, Smid, Eberle have taken the next step. Ignore Renney found and helped Potter blossom. RNH? Meh.
Renney needs to go because he hasn't turned the 2nd tier prospects into wine.
I'm sure you would ask anyways but I'm interested in Bruce's take on Griffin Reinhart.
ReplyDeleteMy personal opinion is that he's somewhat underrated.
Jack Martin fired by the Habs this AM. Now they can get kirk muller as their next coach...oh wait snap! Cunneyworth named as interm head coach for the rest of the year.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBound to happen in Montreal where Stanley's arrive each spring. Oh wait!
ReplyDeleteTraktor
ReplyDeleteThe thing about the DD and Khabibulin thing is that last year they didn't play the better goalie AND were running around shouting "DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT!!! WE WANT DEVELOPMENT". Meanwhile not playing the goalie who is not only playing better but you are wanting to develop.
This year both goalies had a great start, you couldnt argue with the stupid numbers NK was putting up but Dubnyks were good too. I remember one commentator on TV saying they could be the best Tandem in Hockey at the time. Now they've played NK so much they put DD into a cold spell. Again, not great for development. I have no problem with them playing NK this year, he's earned it. But for all things holy I would have liked to have seem them handle DD way better over the course of the last 1.5 seasons.
Now they've played NK so much they put DD into a cold spell.
ReplyDeleteLOL.
Renney has "lost the plot".
ReplyDeleteThere is no problem playing Smyth over Paajarvi. It is 4 of the other guys he is playing over Paajarvi that is the problem. It is the lack of a clearly defined role for the prospect that needs the most coaching that is the problem.
godot10
Team Fire-Renney-Now
You don't think there is something to be said for if a goalie is playing well he should at least continue to get regular starts? Goalies don't get into or out of grooves? If you're loling that then you must also agree that there was no danger in playing DD more anyways because NK would have just continued on his streak whenever he was played.
ReplyDeleteJones had 18 goals last year
ReplyDeleteOmark had 5 goals last year
You need to tell the whole story. Jones played 81 games, Omark 51.
Here's a stat that takes that into account:
Jones 5v5 pts/60 1.38
Omark 5v5 pts/60 1.78
Jones had 152 hits
Omark had 13
Well this is just silly. Hits don't win games and Omark isn't a big player.
Checking an opposing player off of the puck with your body does help win games though.
Pavel Datsyuk uses his body to separate the opponent from the puck as effectively, or more effectively than most in the NHL, yet his hit total last year was 54.
Checking an opponent off the puck does not equal hits.
Hits are generally a useless stat, but checking someone off the puck isn't tracked by anyone who publishes it.
I wish they tracked how many times each player went into the corner, won a battle, and came out with the puck. By eye Omark is superior.
Jones played 171:43 on the PK
Omark played 13 seconds
You could also say:
Jones played 67:52 on the PP
Omark played 134:29 on the PP
Jones Total TOI/gm 13:50
Omark Total TOI/gm 15:21
There is no reason these two players can't be on the same team.
With the current roster you could run at RW:
Eberle
Hemsky
Omark
Jones
Its not that Renney playing Jones stunted Omark's development. Its that he continues to play Petrell or Hordichuck.
Renney talked in pre-season about three scoring lines, then proceeded to ice a team incapable of producing that result.
Hits don't win games...
ReplyDeleteThere's a Jason Strudwick post on ON just last night that says this sort of thinking is wrong.
Hits are generally a useless stat, but checking someone off the puck isn't tracked by anyone who publishes it.
ReplyDeleteThe NHL publishes it. Under the category "Takeaways". It is, however, one of the sketchier stats they maintain.
Ummm I don't think thats exactly what Struds was saying....
ReplyDelete"Well this is just silly. Hits don't win games and Omark isn't a big player."
ReplyDeleteBalance wins games and having players that contribute physically is part of balance.
"Pavel Datsyuk uses his body to separate the opponent from the puck as effectively, or more effectively than most in the NHL, yet his hit total last year was 54."
Cool. Datsyuk is also a PPG player. Is Omark?
"Hits are generally a useless stat, but checking someone off the puck isn't tracked by anyone who publishes it."
Players that play physical and contribute offensively are valuable. That probably why the coach plays Jones over Omark.
Goalies don't get into or out of grooves?
ReplyDeleteIf they do, how would you predict it? How would you know what to do to start or continue it without the benefit of hindsight? How will you know when these grooves will end? And by the same token wasn't Renney then right to run with the "hot hand".
Goalies, like all players, are responsible for their own consistency and accountable for their own play. They are not put into cold spells.
ReplyDeleteThere is no problem playing Smyth over Paajarvi. It is 4 of the other guys he is playing over Paajarvi that is the problem. It is the lack of a clearly defined role for the prospect that needs the most coaching that is the problem
Agreed.
Why is Petrell on the Oilers?
The official story is that he is a PK demon.
Let's see how much of a demon:
Oiler Forward ranked 4v5 TOI/60 (greater than 1/60)
Belanger 2.73
Horcoff 2.60
Jones 2.59
Smyth 2.11
Lander 1.78
Petrell 1.51
4v5 Goals Against/60
Jones 2.99
Belanger 3.54
Smyth 3.67
Horcoff 5.21
Petrell 11.25
Lander 10.29
So he's not a first or 2nd option and his results (mostly with Lander) are terrible.
You can make a similar argument about why Lander is on the team.
I like Lander a lot and think he'll wear a letter for the Oilers for many, many years.
He is, however, not the best option this year.
Or even you wanted him on the big club, why not run a 4th line of:
Pajaarvi, Lander, Hartikainen
My favorite 4th line of all time was:
Gelinas, Graves, Murphy
A team that can run 3 young men with top 6 potential as their 4th line (subbing in your goons as the coach sees fit) is a superior team.
The energy a good 4th line gives a team is the:
-Energy of youthful exuberance.
-Energy of young men trying to take jobs on top lines
-Energy of the owners of the top line jobs hustling their ass because the kids on the 4th are playing well enough to take their jobs
The Oilers are slightly different in that 3-4 of the top 6 players are kids too.
Also,
Playing good young players on a 4th line and making them earn their promotion always stunts their growth. Gelinas, Graves and Murphy never played much for anyone after 89/90 on the 4th line right??
Ummm I don't think thats exactly what Struds was saying....
ReplyDeleteNor did I say this.
There's a Jason Strudwick post on ON just last night that says this sort of thinking is wrong.
ReplyDeleteI read his post, you are characterizing what I said differently than what I actually said.
"Pavel Datsyuk uses his body to separate the opponent from the puck as effectively, or more effectively than most in the NHL, yet his hit total last year was 54."
ReplyDeleteCool. Datsyuk is also a PPG player. Is Omark?
Yeah, everyone who isn't Datsyuk is shit.
I used Datsyuk as an example of a player who uses his body to check opposing players off the puck without getting a lot of "hits" and you know it.
Players that play physical and contribute offensively are valuable.
Agreed 100%. Is going into a corner and winning a puck battle "playing physical"? I think it is.
Is charging a guy and crushing him that results in nothing else as valuable as winning puck battles?
No, and I know that if someone other than me stated that, you'd probably agree.
That probably why the coach plays Jones over Omark.
Then why is he playing Petrell of Omark?
Petrell may hit, but he bring a vacuum for offense.
SpOILer
ReplyDeleteIf players cannot be PUT into cold spells then why does anyone use the word development. There would be no such things. Players just are what they are and the coach has nothing to do with it. Why not just leave MP in the pressbox all year long? He'll come out of it just fine next year!
If you cannot predict the beginning or end of hot spells then there should be no such thing as "riding the hot hand" especially when you are discussing development. The kid should have got more games while he was playing well too.
God theres no such thing as being rusty? WTF is going on with Whitney then? He was supposedly 100% but hes not been playing anywhere near that... something to do with rust? I know Renee has little to nothing to do with Whitney but if Rust can exist on a player coming back from any long period of not playing for whatever reason then reason stands that a coaches decision to keep someone out of the lineup could do the same thing. As far as I've seen Dubnyk was at his best in the NHL when given the reins and getting regular starts.
Ummm I don't think thats exactly what Struds was saying....
ReplyDeleteNor did I say this.
--
Ummm what? That doesnt even make sense. I said that Struds did not say what you intimated he said.
Hey LT,
ReplyDeleteSome questions for your guests today;
- Lots of interesting cuts fom Canada's WJ team. Of McNeil, Toffoli, Murphy and Bunz who was the biggest surprise cut?
- Pysyk has drawn comparisons to Bouwmeester because of his skating, is their more offensive potential in the kid then we have seen so far?
- Is Dion Phaneuf a fair comparison for the type of D-man Matt Dumba projects to become?
- Is Kuznetsov the most dangerous forward in the tournament? How on earth did he slip all the way to the Capitals at the draft?
- Will Huberdeau play centre or LW? What is his likely position when he makes the NHL?
Have a great show!
//Pajaarvi, Lander, Hartikainen//
ReplyDeleteAnd Paajarvi's and Hartikainen's strengths and weaknesses complement each other.
Particularly. Hartikainen knows where to find "trouble" in the offensive zone. And he would lead Paajarvi there, much like Omark did last year.
Paajarvi has trouble finding the war right now, so he needs to play with someone who has a nose for battle, and will lead him to it. And Paajarvi will cover for Hartikainen's more typical prospect problem of lack of defensive awareness.
Paajarvi would follow Omark into the critical areas in the offensive zone, and he would battle reasonably hard.
That said it probably won't hurt Paajarvi getting acquainted with the next Oilers coach in OKC.
Strudwick obviously has 674 NHL games of experience, and I have 0.
ReplyDeleteBut in his 14 years of playing NHL hockey he only played 7 playoff games.
2001 Canucks - Played 2 games where the Dys get swept 4-0 in first round.
2006 Rangers - Played 3 games where the Rags get swept 4-0 in first round
2008 Rnagers - Played 2 games where the Rags win 1st round 4-1, then lose 2nd round 4-1
I'm not sure he's who'd I listen to when it comes to figuring out what a winning team looks like.
I've looked at the final 4 teams over the last 10 years or so, and there is a bunch of evidence that teams with some young offensive players on the 4th line do better than teams with 3 "energy" players on the 4th line.
One of the probable causes of this is that these teams are deep on the top 6 and they don't jam kids into important positions due to lack of options.
Beaker, I did not intimate that Strudwick wrote an article that was exactly about hitting creates wins. Perhaps you should re-read the prior comments.
ReplyDeleteAs to what development has to do with hot and cold spells, I have no idea. I'll leave you to develop and expound upon your theory.
As to what is happenin with Whitney, none of us have any idea. But there are a few possible narratives. One is that his mobility is permanently damaged.
WG...
ReplyDeleteTrust me, tongue was placed firmly in cheek. But it is an interesting notion that runs a little contrary to the accepted thinking round these parts.
This is why Babcock is such a beauty
ReplyDelete“Everybody in today’s NHL - owners, management – thinks they have a team that can make the playoffs.”
“I hate to break the news, but for some teams, it’s not true.”
Spoiler: The confusion with the Strudwick thing was that my original response was to:
ReplyDeleteHits don't win games...
There's a Jason Strudwick post on ON just last night that says this sort of thinking is wrong
and my comment came up after your second comment. Hense some confusion.
---
As per development and hot/cold spells you essentially said that player performance has little or nothing to do with the coach
Goalies, like all players, are responsible for their own consistency and accountable for their own play.
DD is still a developing player. If the coach has no accountability in his play and DD is just expected to play top notch even if he only plays 1 or 2 times a month then really there is no arguement that development even exists. If a coach not using MP is hampering his development then the exact same can be said for DD.
Given that I don't buy that the goal this year is to win and try for the playoffs, at least on a meaningful level, Renney's true job is to groom the foundation of the team for the future.
ReplyDeleteSmyth, Horcoff, Belanger, Khabi and even Whitney are not a part of the future of this team. They are carrying it until the younger guys can.
While I think Renney is a fine coach and his strategies are partly driven by things we aren't privy to, he doesn't seem to be doing well at grooming the secondary young players, at least as far as I can see.
I think this is a concern that may cost him at some point. Getting Pajaarvi, Dubnyk, Omark, Petry, etc into a good place and helping them grow is absolutely key for future success.
Opportunity and hard work are the building blocks of success in any endeavor. I think the young players on the whole seem to have good attitudes and likely put the work in, but the opportunity does seem sketchy for some.
I also think a part of Renney's problem is ST seems to want to keep all of the 18-22 cohort. I think there are just too many players in the same place in their careers - there aren't enough roster spots, and those on the outside suffer.
I think ST should make the call on a few, and cash them in for picks, parts, or even younger prospects that need a few development years outside of the NHL still. Pick your guys, and give them every chance to succeed, move the others on. You can't be right every time, but keeping everyone and seeing a bunch fall off the map seems like a waste to me. Move them while they have value still.
Roy called up to OKC, waiting on anything from the Oilers re: Danis.
ReplyDeleteKhabibulin made it farther into the season than last year and had a bigger impact that's for sure.
So.... NK still isnt worth that terrible contract?
ReplyDeleteugh. Signing anyone more than 3 years is risky unless they are special (and even then). Signing anyone over 35 who isnt god for more than 2 years is stupidity.
Best thing on a Saturday morning....get up, have a coffee and see who is irritable on Loweide on a fine, fine Saturday morning. Other task is to get my wife to give me task that gets me near radio from 12-2 so I can catch Nation radio without wife giving me chores that conflict with radio listening.
ReplyDeleteClearly few of the boys had an enjoyable Friday night such that they are a wee bit trigger happy Saturday morning. Agree completely with WG wish MPS was still here, Omark and the Finn too. But they are not.
Now I am not coaching OKC but if MPS does not play 20+ minutes a night (PP and PK) they are not as good at development as we hope they are. Josh Green, Drew Keller, Bryan Helmer and Alex Plante may help you win in the AHL but they ain't helping you succeed for a decade in the NHL. So while winning in AHL is admirable, developing kids who can play a decade in the show is MUCH more important.
WG you may not have played in the show but I suspect you skate at least as fast as Strudwick. Who I like and who made a fine NHL career out of what God gave him. Eagerly look forward to Strudwick's continued posts on the Al Gore ....very unique perspective!
Roy called up because Danis wife expecting a baby, we can all leave the cliff now.
ReplyDeleteBut the view is so pretty.
ReplyDeleteGood news. One assumes that means Khabibulin will start tonight, so we should get confirmation soon.
ReplyDeleteCurtis... I stand by what I said. BTW NK going down now would suck however, i dont think it would be the worst thing to get Dubnyk some games in a row to see if he can make it or not.
ReplyDeleteand @john Im not as irratible as i sound (look), oh well.
TOJ
ReplyDeleteI have this sinking feeling that we're all gonna be a whole lot more irritable tomorrow mornin.
Im irratible because I cant spell irritable. Also because my keyboard is not letting me half the punctuation I should.
ReplyDeleteWoodguy : But in his 14 years of playing NHL hockey he only played 7 playoff games.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure he's who'd I listen to when it comes to figuring out what a winning team looks like.
Not trying to be a dick but how many did Babcock, Trotz, and Ruff win WG? One just never knows.
As for Renney I have a tough time throwing him under the bus when his GM handed him Horcoff and Belanger ss his only two proven centres. Unless of course all of the RNH and Lander question marks during TC were complete hogwash.
On top of that the guys gifted a huge ? with Barker, a MEH in Sutton, a total crapshoot and arrow towards fail in Khabibulin partnered with a kid who'd played all of 67 NHL games, and a 35 yr old LW who for all intents and purposes came back for his swan song.
We're starting 3 raw rookies at F and 2 on D, massive question marks all over the place, and a history of injuries, and we wonder where our mojo went?
This is all on management....As Usual. Chicken salad out of chicken s*@t and then go wtf happened? Injuries blah blah blah.
Damn close to the worst management team in the entire NHL.
Turris traded to OTT as per Bob McKenzie
ReplyDeleteNo shit? Any idea on return?
ReplyDeleteNot trying to be a dick but how many did Babcock, Trotz, and Ruff win WG? One just never knows
ReplyDeleteI see your point, but Ruff played in 52 playoff games and 691 regular season games.
Trotz and Babcock played as many NHL games as me. :)
As for Renney I have a tough time throwing him under the bus when his GM handed him Horcoff and Belanger ss his only two proven centres.
As per Stauffer's tweet 10 is play LW with 20-28 tonight.
Ready to throw him under the bus yet?
As per Bob, the lines tonight:
Bob_Stauffer Bob Stauffer
Likely to see: 4-93-14, 94-89-83, 10-20-28 and 55-57-16/37 at morning skate
Renney is forcing 20 into the top 9 when his play doesn't warrant it.
Runblad and a second for Turris.
ReplyDeleteWonder why we didnt make a call to Murray and offer Hemsky for Runblad and a second?
Going back to PHX, David Runblad and a 2nd.
ReplyDeleteMurray gets fleeced again.
PHX has ridiculous amount of good young D.
Because they were looking for a C? Gagner would have been more likely, IMO.
ReplyDeleteWonder why we didnt make a call to Murray and offer Hemsky for Runblad and a second?
ReplyDelete50 games of Hemsky << 3.5 years of Turris.
Those lines are bizarre. So are 10-20-28 going to face the toughs then?
ReplyDeleteSpoiler,
ReplyDeleteI like Rundblad a lot, but if I'm trading 89 then I want an NHL Dman back.
He's a few years away from being a solid contributor, but I think he's the goods.
Philly loses Couturier to a head injury after he takes a slap shot off the temple.
ReplyDeleteWG,
ReplyDeleteOh for sure... Just thinking that Murray was after a RFA C not a UFA winger, so it would have to be Gagner's name in play. But, as you state, we would be looking for more immediate help and thus not likely as natural a trade partner.
I wonder if Murray is going to regret this trade when the Nordiques are back in his conference.
ReplyDeletespOILer,
ReplyDeleteHas to be (in terms of toughness of minutes)
10-20-28
94-89-83
4-93-14
Dregs
That line set on the road against the Sharks?
6-1 Sharks.
Glad my office X-mas party is tonight and I won't be compelled to watch this train wreck.
On 2nd thought Murray wasn't fleeced, but he didn't win the trade.
ReplyDeleteSutter officially hired in LA.
ReplyDeleteSince his players weren't playing well for a stern task master Lombardi fired him and hired a more stern, sour task master.
If they don't turn around I think you can start the count down on Lombardi's job security.
A WG
ReplyDeleteWith Erik Karlsson and Jared Cowen already looking like real NHL defensemen, you have to think Murray could afford to let Rundblad go.
If all of Turris, Zibinejad and Puemple reach their potential, Murray is looking at a pretty decent young team.
Never mind that Mark Stone is also leading the CHL in scoring.
WG: I don't think 20 is being forced as much as Renney doesn't have a lot of other options. Like many others I would have had 57 on the same plane to OKC as MPS and O'Marra up but what do I know really? I'm not a fan of Gagner's in any aspect so I just don't see him as a better option at C unless we go to 9 figure skating, offence first, soft as wet kleenex types. If that's the case then might as well reunite MPS and Pinus with Gagner as our 3rd and slap Belanger back on the 4th. We won't win many faceoffs but what the hell.
ReplyDeleteI am totally not defending Renney here tho and thought the choice of him as HC showed very little imagination. I'm actually hoping my cousins kid Hot Toddie Nelson gets the job one day so I could be a little biased...only 3 NHL games mind you :)
As for Trotz not seeing the NHL it may have been more of an issue with finding a helmet that fits. Har. Shrek on ice?
Actually, I can sort of see the logic with those lines. Key is Gagner and the two vet wingers holding off the Clowe line and the kids outscoring the 3rds....
ReplyDeleteIf we were playing at freaking home!
With these lines the Sharks can avoid both of our best two defensive Cs with one fell swoop.
This isn't a train crash waiting to happen. This is gonna be Jumbo Jet Joe taking out a Piper Cub in a mid-air collision.
I couldn't disagree more with Strudwick's post. It is frankly idiotic. Of course, playing with energy is important. However, nothing drains energy like being scored on and nothing adds to energy like scoring.
ReplyDeletePlaying guys who give up more goals than they score is always bad. It's a fundamental axiom. So I'm all for playing with energy and passion but playing bad hockey players to get it is only going to cost you games (and energy).
And don't start with the NHL experience nonsense. That's an argument from authority that should have no basis amongst reasonable people. He gave reasons for what he thought. These reasons don't hold up. End of story.
It feels like the schedule is kind of wonky this season. The last game against the Sharks was January of last year. Dubnyk made 43 saves, Hemksy with 4 asissts, Hall with 2 goals and an assist.
ReplyDeleteHopefully we can see some of that tonight. I'm not holding my breath. The Sharks are 9th in PIM/G so I wouldn't expect the powerplay to be the Oilers saviour in this one.
Interesting to see Horcoff on LW, I was thinking about that the other day, although the lines in my head were:
ReplyDelete10-93-14
4-89-83
94-20-28
In fairness to Babcock he has won everywhere. The true consummate professional coach. He won the Canadian Colleges championship at Red Deer College. He won the CIS championship at the University of Lethbridge (absolutely unheardof)! He won the Memorial Cup at Spokane and SC with the Wings and Olympic Gold. Did not check, did he win AHL? If not, freakin loser!!
ReplyDeleteCourse he, too, is faster skater than Strudwick
Actually hope when Detroit finally quits competing that he travels to Edmonton and runs our team when we compete for SC
I'll add that insofar as what Strudwick says is true it can be accomplished by players other than Eager or Hordichuk. When Omark keeps the play in the offensive zone for an entire shift that builds energy. Except Omark is sent out of town after five games because he is perceived as a one-dimensional player.
ReplyDeleteThat perception is an obvious prejudice. It's fairly obvious from outside the hockey world that there are systematic prejudices exist. Yet another reason that arguments from inside hockey people should not be considered canon. They are the least aware of the irrational dogmas that have entered their thinking.
Captain
ReplyDeleteThe argument from experience could also entail a lot of empirical observation from a proximity of which we can only dream.
There is truth in what you've written, but I don't think I can wholly discount Strudwick's points on the weakness of his authority.
And I think he's talking about times when goals are hard to come by. Why wouldn't you want some diversification in your energy sources too?
DSF,
ReplyDeleteNo question that OTT has a good stable of young D.
My problem with giving that much up for Turris is that he hasn't shown much in 3 professional seasons.
He was only a 0.83pts/gm in the AHL.
He may have been 3rd overall, but his professional resume is not exciting.
He's not a Cam Barker type bust, but he hasn't shown his potential.
The AHL numbers are particularly concerning in term of projecting him.
Would it spoil the narrative if I pointed out that Dubnyk has started (& finished) 6 of the last 11 games?
ReplyDeleteThe advantage of empirical experience is you have just that, more experience upon which to draw your conclusions. However that experience is of little value if it used to confirm preconceived notions. So, ideally the inside voice would be the best to listen to but only if the experience is combined with an account of reason that is independent of that experience. Otherwise the experience is bound to give tautological accounts.
ReplyDeleteWhich is a long way of saying the best people to listen to are those that have practical wisdom. I find Justin Bourne to be pretty good in this regard (for a hockey player).
I agree with the notion of diversification. However, it all comes down to opportunity costs. So when Eager is playing well I can see that his different kind of energy probably has some added value. However, someone like Hordichuk is always going to cost you in the long run.
What is interesting to me is that teams are willing to accept below average performance from any of their lines (lines that give up more than they give) in order to have something different. They obviously know that their fourth lines aren't good because they don't play very much but then they sacrifice better players so that they can have a fourth line. It's a contradiction in terms.
If I was running a team my goal would be to have four lines that were able to be break even or better against the opposition. That would translate on the Oilers to having Belanger--Jones--Eager as my "fourth" line. However I wouldn't call it my fourth line because all my lines would be good and I would expect every line to play like a first line (i.e. dominate their opposition). That way I'd be using the full sixty minutes to try and win the game while other teams only play 50 to 55 minutes.
I'm gonna break my usual rule about (not) promoting posts at the Cult of Hockey here, because today's detailed scouting report on Martin Marincin was provided by a fellow recuited from right here in LT's comments section, namely Crazy Coach. Ben did an outstanding job reporting on one of Oilers' top prospects, so I encourage you to give him a read.
ReplyDeleteNever worry, Bruce. You're always welcome to post links to COH stories.
ReplyDeleteTraktor: As LT can attest, live interviews are fluid things. We zipped right past the Oil Kings in the process.
ReplyDeletere: Griffin Reinhart, he looks like a total package: great bloodlines, 6'4, 200+ pounds, still only 17, seems pretty mobile and likes to get involved in the offence, especially jumping into the play.
But the same things we say about 23- or 21- or 19-year-old defencemen apply more than ever to 17-year-old defencemen. Very hard to project where they might be by the time they are NHL age. If young Griffin has got more than a pinch of the old man's hockey sense, he's gonna be a good one.
Sometime before the draft I'm going to take a game or two to focus specifically on him, I'm usually too distracted by Gernat and Pelss and the visiting Oiler prospect du jour to get a real good read on other guys, especially the small stuff. But my general impression of Griffin over the past two years is, he's raw but he's gonna be a good one.
@ WG
ReplyDeleteA high risk-high reward kind of deal IMO.
If Turris gets his mojo going in Ottawa, the Sens have Spezza, Turris, Zack Smith and Zabinajad down the middle.
With Michalek, Foligno, Puempel and Stone as wingers, they appear to be in pretty good shape.
...And if you want more updates to COH articles, follow Bruce, Jonathan, and David, who all post links to the same articles! Daily!
ReplyDeleteI keed, I keed. You should follow them regardless of this.
Funny how the Canes pull out a 21 year old goalie from Sherwood park to stone the Oilers in 2006, and other young goalies coming into the league, while Oiler fans are fed propaganda about how Dubnyk(who in my opinion is simply a shite goalie) needs "time to develop".
ReplyDeleteHow old is he? 26?
This kind of crap reminds me so much of the Kevin Lowe/MacT era(did it really ever leave?) days, of hyping shitty players.
Here's Hunter's Captain Obvious impression: NK+Dubnyk= guaranteed lottery.
PS: Now I'm hearing about Ottawa's and Phoenix's great young defencemen. Meanwhile, who the f--- have the Oilers got? Plante??
Bruce,
ReplyDeleteExcellent stuff from CC.
Quite the resume that CC has too.
Good work to both of you!
Meanwhile, who the f--- have the Oilers got? Plante??
ReplyDeleteKlefbom, Marincin, Gernat and whoever they take this year.
Not as good as PHX and OTT, but in a few years, they'll be closer.
Very enjoyable read from Crazy Coach. Thank you, Sir!
ReplyDelete@ WG
ReplyDeleteThat's assuming both Phoenix and Ottawa don't draft another passel of decent prospects.
Karlsson was drafted 15th overall, Cowan 9th, Rundblad 17th, OEL 6th, Yandle 105th.
With the abundance of D projected to be first round picks in 2012, it's not unlikely they can keep loading the quiver.
It's difficult to catch up to a moving target.
I will say this for the Sutter hiring in LA- he was always a far better coach than GM and former players attest to how much they enjoyed playing for him. Not a bad choice for Lombardi (although a telegraphed one).
ReplyDeleteThose lines for tonight look like a recipe for a loss. A bad one.
Keep it up Renney, it'll make it easier to see you down the river.
Repla ... Wait for it, wait for it.
I'd like to thank crazy coach for that excellent work and for taking the time for doing it. Please do it again once or twice. It's really too bad PG has such a crappy team it would be more than intriguing to see what MM would have done with some forwards to pass to on the PP. Nice to hear he is playing 30 minutes a night and that he is improving on the PK. A bit sorry to hear he is not that great on the PP,,,yet. I like the quote from Dean Clark a few weeks ago that MM reminds him of Edler the year he broke into the WHL one season after his draft year for Kelowna and was a force. Hope MM gets to the NHL that quick, halfway through next season!
ReplyDeleteBruce thanks to you too for arranging for Crazycoach's article to make its way to the COH.
Bruce do you have any like that on Gernat? If so I havent seen it.
On another topic, if the oilers were to draft today they would be 7. The direction they are headed makes it likely they will be around 4-6, if not higher. So if Ryan Murray is available, do you folks go for him or a forward or Griffin Reinhart?
Murray has been compared to a young Scott Niederamayer and even to Lidstrom. Reinhart was compared the yesterday by Craig Button to Derian Hatcher with speed, who we all know was a pretty freaking tough guy to beat.
The problem of course with picking a dman that high is they usually still take three years or more to get to the NHL, or at least to have an impact. The forwards, though, don't seem that impressive. Yakupov will be gone by then and those other two Russians one is injured and the other it hard to get a read on as he plays in the Q and generally I have a tough time drafting a Russian with a high pick after Filatov and Zherdev cost Mclean his career in Columbus.
To win a cup we need a franchise D, a good, big, two way second line center with size ala Kesler and a quality top6 winger with size who can bang ala Neal or Benn. The question is could MM or Gernat or Klefbom be that franchise center? Or do we need to draft a Ryan Murray or G Reinhart?
Seems the second line center to replace Horcoff could be found later in the first round in the 2013 draft or maybe acquired in a trade for Hemsky if he ever gets his game back. Maybe Pitlick or Harsky are the winger I talked about but who knows.
Khabi starts per Renney's pre game.
ReplyDeleteIf Ryan Murray is available I'd take him, but if Reinhart is the consolation prize that's a helluva draft imo.
ReplyDeleteWhen in doubt, go with a Ryan?
ReplyDeleteLT
ReplyDeleteIf the Oilers go for (another) dman in this draft, say Murray, that adds Murray to KLefbom, Marincin, Gernat, Musil. NOt to mention Gilbert, Smid, Petry and Teubert...lots of dmen.
Maybe Gagner can be the number 2 centre...if not, then who? Methinks either someone who has not been drafted yet or someone who Gagner or Hemsky is traded for...
Maybe Lander will be that guy. If we ever want him to be though, he needs to go to OKC pdq and learn to play a North American powerplay, get a point a game or better than come back up next year ready to challenge for 3rd line center and push Belanger back to fourth line.
Anyone know how to get the basic free channels on a newer tv? Told my buddy I'd go over and watch the game at his place only to learn that he has no cable. Do you need an antenna of some sort? Would they have them at Future Shop or some place like that?
ReplyDelete@ Ribs.
ReplyDeleteYes Future Shop and Best Buy have them.
Make sure they can receiver HD.
Hmmm. I don't know if channels are available now. I think you need a digital box now.
ReplyDeleteThanks DSF
ReplyDeleteLT- I don't think the new tvs need the boxes. Just the older analog ones.
Ribs: Ah, gotcha.
ReplyDelete@oilersfan: Yer welcome, happy to oblige. I picked up on a comment CrazyCoach made here a couple weeks ago & got in touch with him. Paid off too, cuz he came back with an outstanding report.
ReplyDeleteAs for Gernat, aside from summer camp and such I have only seen him twice so far in an actual game - he was hurt when I caught Oil Kings earlier this month - but I did give a somewhat detailed if preliminary scouting report here, and an additional paragraph here. I intend to focus on him a little more closely in a future game; in the first one in question my attention was a little more divided (read: "even more divided than usual") cuz I was trying to focus on Brandon Davidson as well.
Btw, Davidson and the Pats are back for their second and final visit of the season tomorrow afternoon.
So much for the hope that Simmer would be doing the Oiler game.
ReplyDeleteAnd Higgins stuns the Leaf crowd.
In the olden dayes I would be rooting for a tie so that neither the Canucks or Leafs would win.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm rooting for anything but a tie.
Thanks for nothing, Bettman. Your sytem is garbage.
Wonderful reception for Teemu in Winnipeg tonight. Cheer loud every time he touches the puck!! Good for him... 41 yrs old!
ReplyDeleteVery disappointed that Bruce didn't write 10,000 words on the old Newfoundland Senior Hockey League.
ReplyDeleteAlso, shocked.
Outside of personnel moves, I don't think Renney can consistently motivate this group, either.
Also, wouldn't shock me to see the old Lowe/MacT tandem back in charge come next year. Lowe always calls the shots no matter who opens their mouth and Renney isn't long for this team.
after that last post about preferring Murray, I think if the Oilers get a top 5 pick and he is available i for for Grigorenko from the q. 6'3 , 200 on pace for close to 50 goals and 110 points, being compared to Thornton. Experts always say to build a team from the centre out so RNH then Grigorenko then Lander will be the 123 punch for 10-15 years.
ReplyDeleteSpend this year and next playing Gagner and Hemsky with RNH and Hall to pump up their stats and trade them for the best 26 year old dman they can get.
as good as Murray sounds, there are too many Cam Barkers out there and just as many Keith Yandle/Weber/Chara types found in the last rounds .
No one pulls off crushed red velvet like Don Cherry.
ReplyDeleteNo one can pull off saying "December 25th, the day Baby Jesus was born" on CBC except Don Cherry.
LAK look exactly like a hockey team heading for a Turkish prison.
ReplyDeleteLAK look exactly like a hockey team heading for a Turkish prison.
ReplyDeleteThat's only because they are.
At least Sutter might put both of the best faceoff men actually in the center position.
They have that up on the Oilers.
WG: Did you hear Terry Jones reaction today?
ReplyDeleteStamkos becomes first player to hit 20 goals.
ReplyDelete3 goals in first 8 games.
17 in the last 20.
This VAN/TOR game is entertaining.
Yes.
ReplyDeleteWas exactly mine.
And yours apparently.
Thanks for bringing that up with him LT.
ReplyDeleteSounds like Large will be going after Renney a bit more. Will be nice to see someone hold him to account.
Jones killed me today. As soon as he said that part about the Oilers flying out of both airports it came flooding back (the Messier suspension) but I honestly didn't remember it.
ReplyDeleteThat's an amazing memory.
Was a good story.
ReplyDeleteSounded like Jones thought it was a pretty convenient excuse for Messier.
Edmonton was about 500,000 people back then and two airports with almost equal service.
Oh yeah, Messier was ripping through the available vices at the time. I think Murdoch didn't help, although I might be getting my years mixed up.
ReplyDeleteColes Notes on the story Jones told?
ReplyDeleteYeah, Murdoch was here for 10 games.
ReplyDeleteProbably got shipped out right after the airport thing.
Might have saved Messier's career, or even life.
my verification word is: cocar
Cocaine and cars.
Apropos.
I asked him about the most famous demotion in Oilers history (Messier) and he recounted the story with Matheson covering the team and jones covering the Edmonton story.
ReplyDeleteHe reminded us that Sather thought the world of Messier but had to do something becuase the kid was running wild.
what i found incredible was that he remembered the details about Oilers routinely flying out of both airports at the time. Messier clearly screwed up, but it wasn't like he just made up an impossible story.
Small item, but for Jones to remember that detail was impressive imo.
I will take a listen to that.
ReplyDeletefirst job for Sutter in LA will be to beat each players' foot sole with a Sherwood 5030.
ReplyDeleteI suspect they'll tar the roof first.
ReplyDeleteWell the first two shifts went as expected.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, a little life from the kid line at the end of their semi-shift.
ReplyDeleteEdmonton has to be the worst team in history at line changes.
ReplyDelete...what time does the game start...?
ReplyDeleteffs
Why in Christ did the show Potter with his head hanging after the goal. He was the only guy on the play who didn't change and it was interference on the play against him.
ReplyDeletedid I miss something?
Fk. Where have I seen that before. These teams aren't in the same league.
ReplyDeleteI'm going drinkin. Merry Xmas and to all a good night.
Oilers can't make a pass.
ReplyDeleteAh lovely change. Hard to assign blame on that. Was it the coach not making it clear who was going ahead of time, or players half asleep on the bench. Either way, it just looks like crap
ReplyDeleteGroundhog day for this motley crew. Same thing every Sat night. In pee wee the kids are taught that the D man furthest from the bench changes when it's ABSOLUTELY safe. Not these fucking stooges.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'm drinking out of anger tonight. Any volunteers to drive my wife to the hospital if she goes into labour?
ReplyDeleteThat's gonna leave a mark
ReplyDeleteMore than anything else, Hemsky looks like he's running set plays no one else read.
ReplyDeleteWow, Eberle.
Eberle had no right to score that kind of goal.
ReplyDeleteJordan Eberle is some kind of demigod.
ReplyDeleteAir Jordan. Wow.
ReplyDeleteGoal of the year by EBs, again.
ReplyDeleteEberle's lucky this isn't the 17th century, because I'd burn him for being a witch.
ReplyDeleteshootout winner for MPS and 1st star.
ReplyDeletepj stock with the nitpik of the year.
ReplyDelete1 lost faceoff in the Nuge-tral zone.
Stock's not smart enough to get a barber with eyes.
ReplyDeleteEberle is unreal. This team is insanely frustrating to watch at times, but some times they show such flashes of brilliance and skill.
ReplyDeleteHearing PJ Stock talk about RNH is akin to a fly inside an elephants ass with intentions of rape on its mind; great ambition but its not going to happen
ReplyDeleteGuess PJ Stock has to take over as the village idiot on CBC now that Milbury is gone
ReplyDeleteReally nice PK there by Jones et. al.
ReplyDeleteJones is worth the money so far.
ReplyDeleteJust when you think you've seen every thing from these fucking zebras!
ReplyDeleteWow.. the Sharks are.. special on the powerplay tonight.
ReplyDeleteI think that was the first time a play didn't die with Hemsky, all game.
ReplyDeleteMark Lee just said "the shot doesn't get through, it does." He's the Lonnie Smith of pbp.
ReplyDeletemore slumpbustin by the Oilers.
ReplyDeleteDid Petry ever play hockey before he became an Oiler?
ReplyDeletewhitney looking like shitney
ReplyDeleteJust finished rebooting here. Thanks Oilersfan, and Woodguy, and a very big thanks to Bruce for givng me a chance to write the report. Marincin appears to be a very good player on a very poor team. If the Oilers were smart, they'd let him develop in the AHL for a season or two.
ReplyDeleteAlways glad to help out fellow Oil fans hear about the prospects.
Khabi looks solid tonight
ReplyDeleteIf we could clone Eberle we'd be set.
ReplyDeletepeckham taking another worst timing penalty.
ReplyDeletegeez.
Teddy Peckman has to be trying the patience of the coach. Right?
ReplyDeleteBad penalty but Horcoff was dogshit on that whole play. Way to go captain.
ReplyDeletePeckham continues to be a detriment to the team this year. Retarded penalty.
ReplyDeleteAre you sure refs? the first pp for oilers tonight.
ReplyDeletethis young #93 is a dream come true. absolutely wonderful to watch.
ReplyDeleteI would never compare the Nuge to "he who must not be named" but has anyone seen his equal?
ReplyDeletemy bet is the nuge has the brother wand.
nerd alert.
Weird tweet from fussy britches...
ReplyDeleteTabellini trying to convince Lowe that Hemsky should be traded.
Would the real GM Shady please stand up
Mr. Dithers will take about 6 weeks to figure out to do with the former #49.
ReplyDelete@ Danny.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who has watched Oil Change will know that Dr.Moriarity is still ruling the back streets of London
If you didn't know any better, you'd think his name was "Hemsky lost the puck (again)". At least, if you're listening to the HNIC game.
ReplyDeleteNow really why would you have Whitney out there in the last minute?
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for the re-sign Hemsky because of past performance press.
ReplyDeleteHe's a beauty, one in a million girl.
That Peckham penalty hurt. Oilers had a chance to pick up at least a Bettman on the night.
ReplyDeleteTime to start making decisions. I know, I know.
A couple of nice things tonight but a loss nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteSee you Monday.
I dunno LT, is it time to call out Tambi? Or celebrate another #30 finish?
ReplyDeletePlease do an piece on how Tambellini is not capable of doing his job because Kevin Lowe is running the entire operation.
What do you do with Hemsky? By my recollection, he had less impact out there than Jones did tonight and that seems to be a trend lately.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you get for a magician with Petr Klima desire and shoulders that are like like Orr's knees.
Teddy Peckham needs to hire a nutritionist and a personal trainer. He is Rick Middleton-in-September fat right now, and he can't even plead the Jules Winfield Samoan line right now.
At least it was nice to see the team press in the end. Almost had it a couple of times there against a tough sharks team.
ReplyDeleteI was waiting for the 4-2 goal into the empty net but I was pleasantly surprised.
If they could play at least that hard every night then this team would be worth watching every night. Even though, the truth is, that they didn't play very well at all. I'd give the effort a 6 out of 10.
Swap this effort with the one against Phoenix and we're .500 in the last two games.
ReplyDeleteThis team is in big trouble.
ReplyDeleteHopefully so is Lowe, Tambi, and Renney.
Accountability is sometimes more important than a new arena.
To be honest I didn't feel as if that Peckham penalty should've been called. He was just finishing a check on Thornton, as he should be doing. Was it a bit late? Yeah, but just a bit. I know the outcome was bad for the Oil but I don't really feel as if it was interference. Am I out to lunch?
ReplyDelete@Crazy Coach: Due respect to Hemsky, he was one of a lot of Oilers who looked less good than Jones tonight. But 83 was further from 28 than most.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Dennis, the 94-89-83 line all had the big doughnut for scoring chances-for. Matched up against Justin Braun and Colin "Free For The Taking" White.
FFS.
I know the outcome was bad for the Oil but I don't really feel as if it was interference. Am I out to lunch?
ReplyDeleteRT40: Not as far as I'm concerned, you're not. Of course I was born with two recessive "hate the refs" genes, but I thought that call was mighty thin in the third period of a tie game especially. Thornton dropped the puck off, Peckham took him to the boards and bumped him, and that was the hockey game. Seems a little bit harsh to me.
Peckham probably feels hard done by, especially after the coincidental penalty in the second when Havlat butt-ended him in the back of the neck. Somehow that one was two and two.
Three interference penalties to Edmonton, zero to San Jose, who got away with a few including Pavelski's blatant faceoff interference on the draw Immediately after Peckham's cheapie.
Not real thrilled with the stripes tonight. Not gonna rant about it (at least unless you consider ^^^that^^^ mild comment a rant), but not happy about it either. The veteran team got the calls, and one of them was instrumental in the outcome.
As much as nobody here has been talking about it, I don't think it is too early to start looking at next year's top 10 players to be drafted and discussing which of them best fits the Oilers' current needs if they want to win the cup in the next 5 years or so.
ReplyDeleteI stated above they need (at least) the following: at least a legit top pairing dman like Edler/Boyle/Hamrlik, if not a franchise player like Pronger/Chara/Weber/Lidstrom. A 1a/second line center like Yzerman/Fedorov, Lemieux/Francis, Gretzky/Messier, Sakic/Forsberg, Crosby/Malkin. Hell even Nieuwendyk/Modano or (gnash my teeth) Sedin/Kesler is necessary to be a dominant team for a few years. The Oilers also need a top 6 forward with grit that can win battles, intimidate the other team through either dirty play or toughness like a Burrows/Kesler or Chara/Horton. Hell the Flames have 3 of them in Iginla/Bourque/Glencross.
Now of course good teams have at least one top pairing quality dman, if not 2 or a franchise dman. Pronger, Niedermayer, Potvin and Doughty were lottery picks that come to mind as the franchise type. However as we all know, franchise types like Lidstrom, Weber, Chara, Yandle and Keith were drafted in the second round or much later. It must be pointed out too that many lottery pick dmen come to be legitimate top pairing players if not perennial allstars. Hamrlik, Jovanovski, Phillips, Pietrangelo, even Cam Fowler. The risk of course is the obvious fact that many more busts or average dmen are picked high than forwards. Cam Barker, Eric Johnson, Bouwmeester are examples of disappointments if not outright flops.
So if the Oilers have a lottery pick this summer, say number 5 for arguments sake, should they go for another center like Grigorenko/Galyshnyuk or shoot for the franchise dman/top pairing guy like Griffin Reinhart/Dumba/Ryan Murray??
I have been thinking about this all day and think if it happens I would prefer the center, especially if for some reason like Couturier last year Grigorenko falls to that spot. We can see this year that as bad as the Oilers' defence is, secondary scoring is as much of an issue.
I am of the belief/hope that one or two of Gernat/Marincin/Klefbom/Musil will be legit top pairing options. If only one does then the other will have to be found via trade or free agency.
Gilbert/Smid appear to me to be good enough to be legit top 4 dmen. Whitney was last year, who knows if he will be again. Those three are all young enough they could play another 7-8 years each, so to me if one of the young men mentioned before can be a top pairing option certainly the rest of them along with Petry, Teubert and Peckham can fill out the bottom pairing and subs.
It is interesting that at the beginning of this season many here opined that the Oilers should go after a franchise type dman if they get a lottery pick again, but Speeds pointed out that outside of the players on the active roster, their forward prospects are quite thin. This is now more evidenced by zero forwards in the WJHC this Christmas represented as Oilers' draft picks.
I for one will be watching Magnificent Mikhail Grigorenko this Christmas, hoping he will fall below Yakupov, Ryan Murray and some stealth as of now unknown forward ala Huberdeau, Strome and Zibanasjad last year, to fall into the Oilers' lap.
With this game in the bag, I look forward to reasoned commentary on this topic from the many insightful people who fill this blog every day.
Time to send an email to Kerry "the officiating is never at fault" Fraser over at TSN blogs.
ReplyDeleteYeah Bruce that line just looked lost tonight and they produced absolutely zilch on the offensive side of the puck and I've grown so tired of Hemsky's turnovers. It bothers me so much because its one of the things I track with my own teams. 90% of turnovers happen within 10 feet of either side of the blue line, and a ton of goals are caused by a turnover on the offensive rush.
ReplyDeleteMake two of those in a period on my teams and you will ride the pine.
There's a huge difference between "Can't", and "Won't", and right now Hemsky looks like the "Won't" category. Time to become a HS for a game or two.
Two other points I am surprised has not been made here.
ReplyDeleteThe Oilers drafted David Musil #31 last year, leaving Ty Rattie. Rattie is now on pace for a 65 goal, 125 point 18 year old in the WHL. That my friends is better than Jordan Eberle. Even Chaser on the team 1260 ranted about the Oil missing out on a potential top line player in Rattie.
Second, the Oilers in the fourth round picked Dillon Simpson when their own Michael St. Croix was available.
In both cases I would have argued at the time to take the forward. 6 months later it appears both Rattie and St. Croix would have been the better pick.
@oilersfan: Let me start by picking nits and saying Oilers have Latvia's Kristians Pelss as a forward at the WJHC.
ReplyDeleteAlso Cam Fowler was not only not a lottery pick but another example of a good defenceman going in the 10-15 range of the draft. (See also: Brent Seabrook, Marc Staal, Kevin Shattenkirk, Tyler Myers, Erik Karlsson, Dmitri Kulikov, Brandon Gormley, and Ryan Murphy for other examples since 2003; obviously the last few involve some blue-skying on my part, but they're tracking well).
Oilersfan, I saw Rattie here, and he does play on a line with Sven Bartschi and Joe Morrow.
ReplyDeleteI can't for the life of me remember who Eberle's linemates were
Uh, the Oilers now have a #3 pick on their blueline now.
ReplyDeletePicking #1-5 or 111-117 is not easy.
Macgregor is the least of this franchise's worries right now
Bruce
ReplyDeleteI know about Fowler being 13 but he was supposed to be a lottery pick...
I think we all have to wonder too about MP. If we could do it over would we prefer the Oilers take Ryan Ellis or Rundblad? I have to say, I think I would rather have either of them as they will both likely be ready to play and be impact players next year. Not so sure MP will be better than Dvorak as has been mentioned here before.
On the topic of the power forward, that Backes in St. Louis is a hell of a player. And the good ones seem to be diamonds in the rough more often than Iginla or Horton. Lots of good second or later rounders turn out to be good power forwards. Lets hope Hartsky or Pitlick can be that for the Oilers.
@CrazyCoach: The Hemsky turnovers that got to me was one that nearly led to a 150-foot breakaway going the other way early in the third, and one where he tried to juke Pavelski one-on-one and I wrote on our live blog that Pavelski was one of about 700 NHLers who would have expected Hemsky to try to slip that puck between his feet. He's just too easy to trap, and once he's in a one-on-two and tried to stickhandle his way out of it, the puck is going the other way. Happens multiple times pretty much every game.
ReplyDeleteApologies for the horrid syntax in the foregoing, that was lame even for a late night comment.
ReplyDeleteWord ver: "incolost" - Bruce trying to spell "iconoclast" after 3 or 4 fingers of Highland Park.
Punjabi
ReplyDeleteIf you could pick between Grigorenko, Ryan Murray and G Reinhart who do you take?
I am assuming the Oilers don't finish DFL this year so Yakopov will be gone. Who knows Grigorenko may be gone by 5 anyways but I am sure someone will come out of nowhere and move up like Huberdeau and Landeskog did last year as the season went along.
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=980633&page=30
ReplyDeleteMP first star in OKC game tonight and scored on a shootout above. I still would like to know what it is about MP that is bad, to the point, trade him anywhere. He has been the redheaded stepchild with Edmonton since he got here. He got a few shifts with a RNH in two years and no, Horcoff is not an offensive center. Soft Gagner was hell on wheels with that line until reality set in.
I really question the decisions by Oiler management. If MP was going to OKC what the hell was he doing as HS and why is Lander not down there with him instead of playing with two anchors for mini minutes.
"It took alot longer than last year, but I'm in tank mode"
ReplyDeleteI never left tank mode after zippo ding ding was done to de-clutter the roster or fill holes. In fact they cluttered the roster up more.
I did manage to hold out some hope that we would see something done during the season that would indicate a plan moving forward, other than to only tank.
There has been a lot of rumours of the Oilers trying to move players and getting nowhere. Either ST is asking too much or nobody wants to give anything to him, both of which are bad signs. I don't know what makes a good GM on the phone, but ST doesn't seem to have it.
I am becoming suspicious that they are eyeing up having a shot at MacKinnon or Monahan - I don't know if we've seen players like that at centre coming up in a few years. Which means 1.5 more seasons of this.
If we all agree that the primary goal of sending down MPS wasn't to teach him anything so much as let him regain confidence, and we all recall that last year he seemed to really turn it up getting the chance to play with a fellow Swede, might I suggest that now is the perfect time to send down Lander as well?
ReplyDeleteI've liked Lander, we all have, but clearly he's still a very young borderline NHLer who sure wouldn't suffer from some time in the minors, and might be key in helping MPS really fly. Maybe I'm the idiot, but I didn't think Omarra was a significant step down, especially when neither o them would play ten minutes. Or you could put both Gagner and belanger at C at replace him with another winger.
MPS's after-game interview was quite cute. I like the moment where he was about to say something negative about the opposition goalie, then he caught the moment and said something about himself instead. Thoughtful young man.
ReplyDeleteHemsky has got to be the most over-rated "star" I've ever seen hyped on the Oilers. Turns the puck over endlessly after trying ridiculously cute stick moves(which 9 out of 10 times he loses) at the blueline no less - if this isn't the sign of an idiot I don't know what it is. Talk about a poorly developed forward, but, MacT was in charge back then so this is a given.
ReplyDeleteTerrible shoulders from getting pounded endlessly over the year, while the morons running the team yakked it up arrogantly about 'team toughness'.
Jones on the other hand is fun to watch. Gives it every shift, scores(unlike 'superstar' Hemsky who has never scored more than 20), and you actually enjoy watching his effort.
Hemsky's no more than a precious breakable toy that you wish had been made better - but 1 week after Christmas he's already in the broken toy box.
Just a waste of time, really.
So my buddy ended up shelling out $70 for a digital antenna to get the some channels. I thought maybe the reception would be better than the old bunny ears but not so much. It was watchable though, and the sound was clear.
ReplyDeleteAs for the game...It was nice that it was close in score anyway.