I've long since given up on hoping for some kind of grand intervention by Oilers management for this season. Ryan Whitney's in real trouble, things are unlikely to end well. Alex Plante made "face plante" an unpleasant headline and Corey Potter is doing his best to show you why he was in the minors all those years.
Ladies and gentleman, I give you Ladislav Smid and Tom Gilbert (courtesy behind the net)
QUAL COMP
CORSI REL
Gilbert's signed through 2014, Smid is free a year earlier. When we get around to talking about next season--and I think we're there--Tom Gilbert and Ladislav Smid are actual NHL players.
That's two.
This is a very cynical rebuild.
ReplyDeleteVery well-planned, but very cynical. The team clearly tanked last year, and seems to be doing so again.
Free agent signings that don't quite hit the spot =/
Really hope Whitney gets better. Not for the Oilers, for him.
I talked to Jeff Krushell on ON awhile back about athletes (in general) who lose their careers or have them threatened mid-career by injuries, etc.
ReplyDeleteKrush is a brilliant guy, he's worked with many players from different sports. He said the emotional toll is enormous, absolutely debilitating in some cases.
I hope Whitney makes it too.
Six years. Same as Doug MacLean.
ReplyDeleteSix years and not a single job in jeopardy.
Very well-planned,
ReplyDeleteThe final wall in the management castle for fans. "This is all a plan."
Repost
ReplyDeleteThis team is still poorly constructed, hell, no one has a clue. Neither fish, nor fowl nor good red meat. Other than the kids, who are all on one line, no one knows what's going on.
The Horc line - are they the checking line or the secondary scoring? Smyth's shot timed on a sun dial; cement hands Horc or softie Gagner, who can't carry the puck. I remember a sequence in the Oilers end - scrum on the boards, Gagner gets the puck and in two steps loses it, rinse and repeat.
The two kids need a boards man, a crash banger to give them room. Put a good line on the kids and the team is done like dinner.
The team still needs a second line center to go with Hall and Hemsky. The best center after the Nuge is playing on the fourth line.
He said the emotional toll is enormous, absolutely debilitating in some cases.
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine how bad it must be to lose your ability to compete at that level.
I played college basketball and was unlikely to ever make the NBA (but a decent European career was distinctly possible) and even I threw away a decade of my life after injuries cost me any future in the sport.
Making your way to the very top league in the world only to be forced out by injury is beyond tragic to the mind of someone as competitive and driven as most professional athletes.
Well Bikini Girl has become as dependable as Tambo. Nothing she says is any more of insider info that someone on this blog could guess or speculate about.
ReplyDeleteTambo is still busy thinking, analyzing, posturing, reflecting, evaluating ... My guess is nothing happens until the trade deadline. And this team will be flatlined well before then.
Six years and not a single job in jeopardy.
ReplyDeleteThis is the thing that bothers me most. Average Oiler fan is content to complain about Tom Gilbert and Ales Hemsky. Nobody seems pissed about the management. I spoke to a guy over the holidays who said that the stars of the team is so young. We have to give them 3 years to make the playoffs and 5 to be a contender. He is happy with a decade in the wilderness!
Fire Kevin Fucking Lowe and everyone of his people. Bring in new blood. FFS don't hire one of the boys on the bus again.
@ regwald.
ReplyDeleteI think the flatlining has already occurred.
As LT mentions in his post, it's another lost season.
If the playoff cutoff is the same 97 points as last season, the Oilers would need to go 30-14-4 the rest of the way to hit that level.
And even a record like that would have them fighting for 8th.
Corey Potter is not an N.H.L. defencemen?
ReplyDeleteReally?
Thats ridiculous .. no I cant math his right to be here but he is at worst, our 3rd best guy
shanetrain: Agreed. And that is the problem.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe Oilers are following the Red Wing model.
ReplyDeleteFrom the day Ilitch bought the team to the time they finished over .500 was 10 years.
10 years.
Red Wing Model.
Book it!
Well since this a lost season who you think we should draft with out 3-8th pick overall this year. I am hoping for one of Alex Galchenyuk or Mikhail Grigorenko. We need a bigger second line center and I think these guys would mold into one. I know we are still short on D big time but hopefully some of our prospects will fill those spots or we can get lucky and get a guy like Ryan Suter via free agency.
ReplyDeleteI disagree that this is comparable to Doug MacLean. This entire Oilers organization has seemed very cynical and cold from shortly after Katz bought the team.
ReplyDeleteThey rebuild the team.
They build Katz his arena that will earn him a billion in real estate deals from properties he has optioned around it.
They're using a formulaic plan to become a contender. Sad as it is to admit, I think Philly is a MUCH better franchise. One year rebuild and right back in the playoffs. Not afraid to deal guys like Carter and Richards two years after they made the Cup finals. Constantly competing and trying to make it.
WG: Agreed. It's the Red Wing model as described in the book Hockeytown. Detroit drafted Yzerman in '83 and won 14 years later.
ReplyDeleteWhich means, if Yzerman=Hall or RNH, we're looking at 2025.
Going into the season my worry with this team was the defense - and specifically Whitney. His ankle typically required about 12 months and he rushed it back too soon (10 months) - and is now experiencing more issues. Just great.
ReplyDeleteWithout Whitney everyone has to step up and play in a role that they're not ready for (after 5/77).
Your most tradeable assets right now are under-performing (83/89) and will not fetch what's needed. Consequently, it will be another long winter.
My problem w/3.2 is other than what MBS has done, what has the man really given us? Corey Potter? Smyth coming back is only because he forced himself on 3.2, not because of any grand scheme.
Admittedly, 35 is playing much better than many of us expected, but that also means that 40 is not getting enough time to develop.
I'd say at this stage of the re-build it's not clear what the plan is other than continue to be bad for the forseeable future.
Who knows what is being dreamed about in the batcave? As long as our mute owner and co-mgt dream team continue to get a free ride from the paying ticket holders, we're all just along for yet another forgettable season as 'the plan' unfolds.
ReplyDeleteI've never set foot in a Rexall store, but now half curious to see if they are run as screwball as this team? I have this image of Mr/Mrs Fawlty running the front counter, half stocked shelves.... How do so many billionaire businessmen get sports ownership management so wrong?
Anyway, resigns himself to yet another new year with any hope of play off talk dashed, to be replaced by lists and analysis of shiny new draft baubles.
Slowly places face in palm....
Woodguy, I'd bet Katz shaves a couple of years off Ilitch's record.
ReplyDeleteWe're not being denied the playoffs here. Did anyone reasonable expect the playoffs this season? What we're being denied is a playoff race. I think that's about the best. We could reasonably expect.
If this team takes steps forward... Most especially improving the goal differential number and the special team's play over last year's travesties, then this year will be an important step in the right direction. We can't attract free agents yet like Philly, so quick rebuilds aren't possible (not to mention Flyers haven't won dick doing it their way). Changing a team is like driving an oil tanker. It takes time to get them turned around.
I thought we agreed at the beginning of the year that our patience would be tested?
How do so many billionaire businessmen get sports ownership management so wrong?
ReplyDeleteThey sell out and he's getting (essentially) a free arena.
I'd say from the business side he's doing pretty good.
Well I had a post there and it disappeared.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope the brass realizes that the playoffs are gone and begins making decisions to improve the future.
ReplyDeleteMake lines that are based on the well being of it's players. Give them the best chance to get points if they are to be moved and avoid injury if not. Fully rehab the injured. If the rep of the team is going to improve, keep Whitney and Hemsky out of games until they can actually play.
The Oilers really did have bad luck with Whitney/Souray and the kicker is that Whitney might just need a half season to become pain free or not. Whitney, Souray plus the second pair is actually a pretty good top four.
ReplyDeleteIt's the half assed rebuild that pisses me off. I love Smyth but what the hell does he accomplish on this team? Is he a palliative to the fans? If Gagner is your number two center then put Hall and Hemsky with him and go. If he isn't then get off the pot.
Eager and Hordichuk signings are just mind boggling.
Fixed the PK and now the 5x5 is leaking. One checking winger and he doesn't play, on ad nauseum.
Whoa, everyone is off their meds for the holidays.
ReplyDeleteThings appear to be right on track.
The GA/GF are a huge improvement. Petry continues to show all the tools. If the team can get a consistent 30 games from Whitney, Gilbert, Smid, Sutton, and Potter, it should be even better. Big if, but most GM's are not going to have three back up D on a rebuilding team.
Injuries continue to be a problem but you have a probable Calder winner, a guy who could put up 85 pts as 20 yr old, a budding power forward in Hall, and a stocked farm system that needs some time.
Its not like Tambo went all Scott Howson.
LT,
ReplyDeleteRead Hockeytown too after you mentioned it. Glosses over a lot of horrid years and bad decisions.
The Oilers have also mentioned the Chicago model.
They drafted Toews in 2006 and Kane in 2007.
Hawks won the cup in 09/10 season.
If they represent Hall and RNH, then the Oilers better win by 13/14 to keep up with the Chicago model.
Still using the Kane-Toews/RNH-Hall model, this year would be 07/08 for CHI.
CHI finished tied with the Oilers for 9th in West to miss the playoffs by 3 points.
So v3.2 has this summer to:
-trade for Sharp
-Sign Hossa (summer 2013 is ok)
-Sign Campbell
-Trade for Versteeg
He also has to go back in time and:
-Draft Keith in 2006
-Draft Seabrook in 2007
-Draft Byfugelieninin in 2007
-Draft Brower in 2008
To cover most of the pieces that helped win CHI the cup.
Here are the Oilers draft selections from 06-08:
06
Jeff Petry
Theo Peckham
Bryan Pitton
Cody Wild
Alexander Bumagin
07
Sam Gagner
Alex Plante
Riley Nash
Linus Omark
Milan Kytnar
William Quist
08
Jordan Eberle
Johan Motin
Philippe Cornet
Teemu Hartikainen
Jordan Bendfeld
Not sure I see what they need in that list. Petry will be a player, but to keep up with Keith he'll need to play 1st pairing next year and outscore them 0.70/60 (lordy that's a big number)
I think the Oilers are lacking Dmen.
WHO KNEW????
Ducey,
ReplyDeleteThings appear to be right on track.
On track for what exactly?
Who's timeline are you using?
Kevin Lowe's 10 years of suck time line? (Wasn't it last year that he said they were 5 years away from competing? After 5 years out of the playoffs)
Can I ask why so often I read that the Oilers need a "top 4 defenseman"? I think the reality is closer to the fact that we need a top 2 AND another top 4 defenseman. As such, I think the signings of Sutton and Barker are even more damning of managents ability to assess their team and put together a roster capable of steady improvement than even the most visceral posters on the oilogosphere have been able to ascribe.
ReplyDeleteI feel sorry for Whitney, but even as a casual fan it's been clear that his foot/ankle issues are not doing to be helping the Oilers to a playoff spot this year or any in the future. It's sad but likely true.
I agree completely LT that our "top 4" consists of Gilbert and Smid. Worst yet, on a good to great team those guys would likely be your #2 and #3 or #2 and #4 guys.
Everyone on this team is batting too high in the order. It's been so for years and hence why we're out of the playoffs each December.
spoiler: You got caught in the spam filter. No idea why, but post is published.
ReplyDeleteLT, I guess Blogger didn't like what I was selling, lol. Not sure if even I buy it.
ReplyDeleteIf I was Katz I would have fired the Braintrust for not realizing the re-build had to start once Pronger demanded the trade and the FAs had blown away in the summer wind. Or at least for not realizing it by the 07 summer. If they had, we would be well on our way by now.
ReplyDeleteAnd I've maintained that stance all along.
Once the owner has allowed mea culpa for that error, he can't really keep going back and throwing it in management's face like we're doing here. The slate was wiped clean, for whatever reason, and thus the issue now is management's performance since the Fall for Hall.
And I can't say that they've hung themselves yet on the new length of rope they've been given. There really isn't anything untoward happening this year. Tambellini has stated in an interview, as repeated on ON, that when he came to this team, they had very few useful players and that it was going to take some time to properly stock the roster and depth throughout the organization. And that's really the issue: time frame. Philly can get away with it because their system was already stocked and they can attract free agents and get players to waive their NTCs. We don't havee those advantages.
Dammit! This team used to have D!! Why the hell can't they figure it out again? First D and no offense and now offense but no D.
ReplyDeleteMiddle ground please.
spOILer,
ReplyDeleteDidn't expect playoffs, but I did expect improvement.
The Oilers' record in November was 5-8-1 (0.393 pts%)
Their record in December so far is 3-7-0 (.300pts%)
Last year they were 25-45-12 (.378 pts%)
Since Khabby came down to earth (still playing well, just not unreal like he was), the Oilers show almost no improvement over last year.
I want to see improvement.
4v5 play has improved.
RNH has single-handedly improved the 5v4.
5v5 is dreck.
Actually its not all dreck.
Here's an interesting stat:
Oilers shot differential percentage (Fenwick) rankings:
1) Score Close (up1, down 1 or tied) 48.4%
Oilers rank 20th (was 29th last year with a 43.25%), so that's improvement.
The interesting part is when you break down those 3 game states:
1a) Tied - 50.9% rank 13th in the NHL. That's a good number.
Last year they were 44.9% - 29th in NHL
1b) Down 1 goal - 52.56% - 24th in league, not good.
Last year they were 46.3% - 30th in NHL.
At least they outshoot when down by 1, only horrid teams don't, but the ranking is still not good.
This is called score effects for those new to this stuff. When a team is down by 1 goal, they tend to outshoot the opposition.
1c) Up 1 goal - 41.02% - 26th in the NHL. Bleah.
Last year they were 38.90% - 30th in NHL.
So they have significantly improved when tied, and marginally improved when up 1 or down 1, but still near a lottery team.
Is that coaching or is it because many key players are kids who ride emotion much more than vets?
A rambling post.....
From now on until April this is going to be like following a terrible baseball team.
ReplyDeleteYou have a few players who are in the batting race, maybe a great rookie shortstop just up from AAA, plus that loveable oaf of a manager just returned to the lineup after getting unceremoniously canned 3-4 years earlier.
Meanwhile, the team's got a .397 winning percentage.
As per @NHL_Oilers, which is the Official Edmonton Oilers twitter feed:
ReplyDelete"I had a really uncommon injury last year and the surgery was a success, but my ankle is so weak now. It's tough to skate." - Ryan Whitney
From MVP to the glue factory in under a year.
Dammit!
Heh. Too bad about Whitney. The Oilers of course won't address it so from now until April it's 1987 and Bob Sebra starts every game.
ReplyDeleteThe worst part of the Whitney injury aside from people feeling bad for him is it gives Tambellini another excuse. The D wasn't even good with Whitney.
ReplyDeleteOur forwards aren't very good either. Its basically the kid line and Jones. Still a bunch of pushovers and changing 4th liners around is never going to address the need. Adding Belanger has helped win a couple extra draws per game but it made us even softer.
Horcoff doesn't have to be the first offensive option anymore and he has Belanger to help on draws and aside from a hot start he has been terrible. Zero goals in 13 games.. if that was Jones everyone here would be talking about it.
Gagner is on pace for under 40 points this year and the coach doesn't even see him as a reliable option anymore. Under 13 minutes last game.. its to to re-think those Gilmour comps.
Hemsky was a difference maker in the past and he could be in the future again one day but right now he just isn't helping the team. He is making plays that I have never seen Hemsky make.
Smyth is useful but for how long? Its only a matter of time before he falls off a cliff and shouldn't be counted on as core piece moving forward.
Then there is Anton Lander.. he looks like a possible two-way center that "gets it" but Renney is playing him 7 minutes a night when we could just as easily call up O'Marra and let Lander develop properly in the minors.
Personally I think players like Horti have a place on hockey teams but I understand those that have no use for enforcer types but I think everyone can agree that playing him 1:30 is a total waste of a roster spot.
Meh.. this team sucks. How much longer until Blue Jays spring training?
As such, I think the signings of Sutton and Barker are even more damning of managents ability to assess their team...
ReplyDeleteSutton wasn't a signing; he was traded to us for Kurtis Foster, which for my money was a good trade.
If true on Whitney - that's it's just a weak ankle then that is great news - if it can get stronger.
ReplyDeleteRe draft and the deep D
Anyone notice that other than Rhinehart that they are all little guys
LT, what a great song (Powderfinger). Never heard it before. Thanks for the recommendation.
ReplyDeletethis franchise is a joke.
ReplyDeleteYours truly,
Anyone Who's Paying Attention.
That's it - just to cheer everyone up - bring up the Tulip. Kirill does everything. Long road trip, boring losses, bring up some crash-bang.
ReplyDeleteAnyone that turns Eager into a choir boy is my kind of guy.
ReplyDeleteIf true on Whitney - that's it's just a weak ankle then that is great news - if it can get stronger.
ReplyDeleteUnless the surgery changed the way his tendons operate in his ankle.
He had grooves put in his bone so the tendons wouldn't pop out right?
More Whitney quotes:
"It's a tough time, because I don't know when it'll get better. I feel bad not playing at the level the team needs me."
Quote from Tencer from Whitney:
Ryan Whitney says he can't envision being 100% any time soon. Says he's as pissed off as the people watching. Says he feels average.
Nice self-defeating talk from Whitney... Dude needs to see a sports therapist.
ReplyDeleteNo, Whitney needs to sit until he feels better.
ReplyDeleteIt's helping nobody to have him put in that much ice time with such weakness in his ankle.
In fact, he could re-injure it.
As for the fact that we need Whitney at 25% since our defenseman corps is so poor, well we have a General Manager (obviously in name only) who should have done something about that already.
As for the playoffs, I could care less if we make the playoffs this year, but we need improvement. Right now we're regressing and the worst thing for developing kids is a horrible losing atmosphere.
Damn shame about the defence this year. Mostly because two of them are having terrific years that for all intents and purposes are being wasted when they're surrounded by assorted flotsam and jetsam.
ReplyDeleteAgreed with the poster saying players are being forced to play above their current levels. For that exact reason Sam Gagner does not fit and suggestions of a pending Hemsky trade are ludicrous.
Hemsky IS a top 6 player. Gagner is NOT. Do the right thing and trade the one that doesn't fit.
Hemsky's out due to illness? Put Jones at RW in his place. Were we all having LSD flashbacks when the 94-10-28 line was contributing or just Renney and staff.
As for the ST comments about the cupboards being bare when he arrived at the crime scene? Hello Katz? Hello? Your favorite son Lowe Expectations had been running the ship. Hello? Grow a set and fire the asshole please. If it takes a call into 1260 where you state "KLowe isn't going anywhere"...we'd all appreciate you hurrying the F up.
WG re the Oiler / Blackhawk comparisons? Ahahahahahaha.
And I mean that knowing full well you spoke with tongue firmly planted in cheek. Ones a real hockey team. The other can only wish.
Traktor with the best post in the thread.
ReplyDeleteI think I've mentioned this before, but I have a friend (he lurks around the Oilogosphere, but doesn't comment AFAIK) that's convinced the Oilers were looking to tank for another top 3 pick again this season.
ReplyDeleteHis theory being that Sutton, Eager and Hordichuk were acquired to placate the segment of the fanbase that likes physical play. Barker was the biggest "name" among the UFA D, and arguably the worst player so he works as both a signing that many fans might really like as well as a player that probably won't help the team. On the off chance he does help, he's the right age going forward.
Signing Belanger can't be explained that way (except that he fills the faceoff need many were looking to see filled), but as he said at the time, how much can one 3rd line C help?
Trading for Smyth also can't be explained that way, but I think my buddy's theory on that was that they couldn't really say no to Smyth given the PR situation, and what he'd cost. I also doubt they expected he'd be as good as he has.
To his mind, the biggest kicker was that, if EDM management was truly serious about improving this year, how wouldn't they have gone after another goalie in place of Khabibulin/Dubnyk?
The idea is, they probably didn't really want Smyth, there's no way they thought RNH would be this good, it's hard to imagine they thought Khabi would be anywhere near this good (although they did sign him to begin with), and this team is still not very good even with all those things having happened.
It's just so hard to care about this team with guys like Kevin Lowe and Tambo in charge.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the point?
They'll keep being porridge for the foreseeable future, and there's a damn good chance they will fuck up some other things moving forward too with a few more boat anchors.
They're well on their way to ruining Paajarvi because his sideburns are too long, Lander is being completely misused, they cannot develop any defensemen, and glaring needs are unaddressed.
Oh, and despite new-fangled training staff... injured guys keep coming back too early and re-injuring themselves. Gee, guess it's hard to change the culture when nothing at the top changes eh?
Traktor's post sums up the forward situation pretty well too.
Hemsky isn't Hemsky, Smyth doesn't have much left, and the only guys hard to play against are on the 4th line. Meanwhile Tambo will make excuses about Whitney being out (despite the fact he traded a guy who got Norris votes last year for him without doing ANY research on his ankles), and we'll be stuck again unless 14/93/4 can get good enough to win games in spite of a lot of the roster.
Sad state of affairs.
Tendons are funny in that they don't repair themselves as you would see with muscle tissue. The best analogy I can think of is breaking a tarp strap in half and then tying the two ends together with a knot. Once the strength and flexibility are gone, there gone. Likely, this bout of tendinitis (note: different from tendonitis) will be chronic and will signal the end of Whitney's career.
ReplyDeleteFrankly I think the Oil would do well to have a D-corps like Tampa '04 or Hurricanes '06 did. A bunch of 3-4 players, like say Gilbert and Smid, who generally move the puck in the right direction and can interchange placement in the order. Easier to acquire and pay than a Weber/Suter, and less damaging to lose one or two of them too. Fortunately the Oil already have 3 of these guys (77,5,58 and Sutton in a pinch) but unfortunately they have too much of the un-helpful variety in Barker, Plante, Chorney. With a few bubbling under, this is a possible scenario in 3 years.
ReplyDeleteOTOH, those guys were available over the last couple of years, but the Oilers were in 'rebuild' so they were not interested (unless it meant swinging for the fences, a la Barker). Sooo, no Wiesniewski, no Hannan, no White and on and on (I'm sitting at a kitchen table surrounded by crayons, now is not the right time to search this theory out).
This, in my mind, is where management has gone wrong and one more argument against giving them the keys to the store once all the pieces are in place.
Sorry, I meant to say Sutton works well as a 6-7, not a 3-4. Too many crayons here.
ReplyDeleteRenney on Whitney.
ReplyDeleteWhitney on Whitney.
It's pretty bleak in Oilerville right now and you try to stay positive but wow, it's tough being an Oiler fan right now.
I think they should sit Whitney until he's strong enough to play at an NHL level and if that means sitting out the rest of the year so be it.
I really wonder if Khabi is tradeable right now. I'd pull that trigger for even a seventh rounder. Get the cap space and sign another goalie in the offseason.
ReplyDeleteI doubt the return on a Hemsky rental is much of anything right now: he's injury prone, playing poorly, and brings a 4MM+ cap hit (cap-strapped, top teams might not want him), and a pending UFA. I would low-ball him on a1-2 year deal. (He might have to take it given his injuries.)
Horcoff, Jones, and Belanger might all fetch a decent return at the deadline. (The latter two are cheap PK's, and Horcoff's cap-hit is looking smaller as the overall cap rises.) Horc isn't popular amongst everyone, but he has a vlaue for a lot of GM's, IMO. I'm not saying I'd trade these guys, but we need to add D.
You might get something (crappy pick?) in return for one of the tough guys, including too. They are easily replaced via free agency.
Since thye're not winning this year, I'd avoid trading Gagner or anyone younger, but I would expect to have to give up at least one of the following -and would be okay with doing so- to get a really solid D-man for next year: Gagner, MPS, Omark, Hartik, Pitlick, Klefbom, Marincin, Gernat, Musil,
Smyth can't go for PR reasons, I suppose. Moreover, he should be signable for a decent price and can still play well enough going forward.
it really sucks that they didn't add D-men. This team could've been interesting.
Paajarvi with an assist for his first AHL point.
ReplyDeleteHarti's back and MP on a PP, amazing
ReplyDeleteApparently Paajarvi also rang one off the post on the PK.
ReplyDeleteGood to see him play all 3 facets.
Incredible analysis of an endlessly moribund hockey team.
ReplyDeleteUnless Katz wakes up some morning like Scrooge on Christmas Morning with a gargantuan change of heart, Oiler's are built to fail because this is more about real estate being driven by a desperate fan base ala any EPL team.
At least Katz has a good business, lol.
Right now, in this darkest of hours, Oilers have exactly a Kid Line and fuck all else, barring Gilbert/Smid/Khabibulin plus whichever of the developing-by-fire prospects and semi-pros that usually can be found in California Golden Seals style assclown sports team.
Yikes.
The only thing that would upset me if they brought Paajarvi back too soon. They sent him down to work on his game, give him time to do it.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing that would upset me if they brought Paajarvi back too soon. They sent him down to work on his game, give him time to do it.
ReplyDeleteHell, take it one step further and send Lander down to join him - put those two with Hartikainen, glue the three together for the balance of the season, and give them big minutes (in the meantime, O'Marra can play 4C here). Then, next fall, bring the trio back to the Oilers as a ready-made trio.
Assuming Smyth signs and only one of Gagner/Hemsky is here next fall:
Hall-RNH-Eberle
Smyth-Horcoff-(Gagner/Hemsky)
Paajarvi-Lander-Hartikainen
Eager-Belanger-Jones
Lines 2 and 4 being the "tough minute" units, obviously.
Eventually interest wanes in such a garbage team.
ReplyDeleteLately I'm only really watching the Kid Line who are always good for a goal a game and are incredible developing players but wtf, enough will soon be enough and it might as well have returned to an alternate version of the 90's.
There's always next season, October to see if I get another fun month like this season before the annual collapse by the Shawn Horcoff as utterly crappola captain of the Oilers Oilers.
Traktor is right. Horcoff stinks.
I need a holiday. Any suggestions?
With wins tonight by Tampa Bay and Montreal, the Oilers are officially in the lottery.
ReplyDeleteOklahoma!
ReplyDelete4GP 0G 1A 1P
Plus/Minus 0
Shots: 9
Shooting%: 0
After jumping from my "original 6" team to follow the Oilers from day one in the NHL, I find myself falling into the "who gives a shit about this pathetic Oilers team anymore" group. I am starting to follow the Blackhawks team that I was crazy about during the 60's and 70's. Like hunter1909 put it, the entertainment value rests with the Kid line. My solution would start with Katz cleaning house, starting with Lowe, ST and the ENTIRE coaching staff. Drastic, but needed IMO. I am just glad I only put out $225 for Centre Ice and not $thousands for season's tickets
ReplyDeleteVerification: Rambro. Maybe he could coach
HBomb:
ReplyDeleteNot shabby, but the Oilers seem to abhor the idea of Belanger or Jones on the 4th line.
The big fish the Oilers should be looking at ("Hossa") is Suter. Stud #1 D would answer a lot of questions here and be well worth backing the truck up for.
Also, Omark should be back soon... I'd like the Oilers to bring him here. He's clearly not a part of long-term plans, but at least try and maximize his value and deal him to a team desperate for offense at the deadline.
A second round pick from Nashville is better than letting him walk...
So besides Yakupov, whose worth talking about in this draft class?
ReplyDeleteYup, the Oilers season is once again over before the new year.
I don't think management *wants* to tank.
ReplyDeleteSome key players get hurt, some off-season signings don't pan out, shit happens.
Looking at a team mid-season that's roughly 12-13th in the west, I assume management has to look at their options and say, "well, that one guy is looking pretty good maybe we could stay the course and get such player at the draft..."
I've been an Oiler fan forever, probably will be.
This has been hard - not as bad as G7 in '06, but still.
The worst is that nothing seems to be happening, decisions seem to take forever. But my silver-lining is that something HAS to give, its a matter of time. Right?
Katz has to see the writing on the wall with Tambo at one point.
I still think we finish 12th in the west, but I also think we will see some players moved out.
I'm hoping Gagner and Hemsky are two of them.
I think the whole blog has been sending Lander down since November. The team - nada
ReplyDelete"Congrats Anton, you're in the NHL, now attach these dumb bells to your ankles and show us what you can do. Oh and there's a time limit per game".
The two lightweights on the kid line need Harts to work the boards, crash the net etc.
I've always been lukewarm to developing kids at the Majors level. That's what the AHL is for. Mind you, Pitlick and Hamilton as healthy scratches tonight don't contribute much to my theory. They must see good times ahead for Arcobello.
@loudog:
ReplyDeleteI'm not convinced Katz see's that 3.2 or Lowe are the issue right now. He is still taking the long-view that we're 2 years into the re-build and it's going to be ugly, we need to be patient because MBS is building a strong foundation.
His view (right or wrong) is shaped by what's been said by many here already: Chasing big fish, signing expensive free-agents did not work and the thing needed to be blown up. KP's draft record was middling for too long and so he was turfed along with the training staff. That was the extent (by and large) of the bloodletting.
While I can agree w/some of those things, the lack of accountability with others (especially Vish) is stunning, but I'll ask the question, at this point - what do we gain by canning Lowe? Or Renney?
I would like to think that if the results continue like this into next season that this won't be tolerated...but maybe I'm being naive.
I'm for Galchenyuk. We need a good Ukrainian by way of Minsk
ReplyDeleteSlovakia's PP ties it up at 1. Gernat to Marincin, off a sick tip by Jurco & in. Oilers prospects getting PP1 minutes & I spy Marincin on the PK, too.
ReplyDeleteSpeeds & PJOil - Throughout, I have been thinking the same - basically that the 'real' goal has been a 22-25th finish.
ReplyDeleteNow, with that said, maybe I am wrong and they are really trying to win and just sucking at it.
The good thing is that regardless of what the plan is/has been, next year there can be no doubt about the goal (can there?).
Who else is available in this draft that might be worth picking?
ReplyDeleteHow about Brendan Gaunce?
Pro size, pro speed, unbelievable work ethic, great at both ends of the ice and a center to boot. Not the offensive genius of some of the other guys. This year's Gabriel Landskog.
He is slowly sliding up the rankings.
Speeds & PJOil - Throughout, I have been thinking the same - basically that the 'real' goal has been a 22-25th finish.
ReplyDeleteYes.
The goal has been to achieve a balance between some improvement but still gettting the picks to assemble the boys on the bus.
By the way, if Detroit wanted Hemsky, as Lowetide suggested, I'd move him in a heartbeat. I love Hemsky, and Lord knows we need vets. But Detroit is one of the few teams with what we need, a 1-D in waiting, just ripe on the vine, Brendan Smith. ST needs to practice saying his name over and over again.
ReplyDeleteI hate this. I hate that LT just needs to copy and paste this post from the last 3 years. I hate talking about draft picks.
ReplyDeleteThe people with this plan of sucking for 3,4,5 and 6 years at a time need to go and a fresh perspective needs to see the light of day.
Until the people who fill the barn every night start demanding more from the organization I don't blame Tambi for taking the slow measured pace.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as you start trying to win you get the expectations of the fans up and if it doesn't work then you get shown the door.
I don't think there is much pressure on the coaches and management at this point to try and win.
Hall-RNH-Eberle
ReplyDeleteSmyth-Horcoff-(Gagner/Hemsky)
Paajarvi-Lander-Hartikainen
Eager-Belanger-Jones
That's what I was hoping to see start this year,
Also,
I don't think Ken Holland gives up a D ready for the NHL for a rental. He's too longsighted for that.
Until team management figure out that they can't have poor Horcoff and Smyth be the checking line, second scoring line, PK, PP, max minutes at their advanced age, that the two ran out of gas ten games ago, the prognosis is bad. Hell they should tie cans to their asses so the two can water the ice.
ReplyDeleteThen put all your offense on one line so they can be easily covered.
Then there comes a stupid comment "Smyth looks tired", no shit.
Then there is the klutz line that plays five minutes and poor Lander feels guilty.
Number one management dictum is put the assets in a position where they can succeed. The devil is in the details.
Not happening
Overall, in this discussion:
ReplyDelete- I agree with most of what is being said, even Traktor's post. Although he might be being generous when he says it's "the kids and Jones" doing the scoring lately. Taylor Hall has looked "off" on several occasions since his injury return - I'm willing to give the kid a pass there, because as we saw with Gagner, it can take 10+ games to get back up to speed after an extended injury absence (or, in the case of Hemsky/Whitney, much longer...we're still waiting).
- The improvement from the forwards can be an internal solution. All of Smyth, Horcoff, Gagner, Hemsky, Hall and even Paajarvi (when he returns from OKC) can show better than they have this month. We know this.
- The blueline issues, which directly impacts the forward concerns (hard to score when you can't execute a breakout without Gilbert/Smid on the ice), that my friends is going to require an external solution. As in the actual acquisition of a top-four blueliner or (more preferably), two.
- I've heard some people advocate for tanking this year to draft a Murray, Dumba or Reinhart to help the blueline out. Well, news flash - as much as it would be nice to add one of those kids to the prospect stable, it's going to be 4-5 years before they're playing top-four blueline minutes, in all likelihood....
Bottom line, the current struggles have a lot to do with the inability of Steve Tambellini to properly address the concerns regarding quality defensive personnel this past summer. Barker and Sutton simply doesn't "cut it", and with Whitney basically unable to contribute in a meaningful fashion right now....the Oilers are where they are. It didn't have to be this way, however. And for that, Steve Tambellini and Kevin Lowe are to blame.
Until team management figure out that they can't have poor Horcoff and Smyth be the checking line, second scoring line, PK, PP, max minutes at their advanced age, that the two ran out of gas ten games ago, the prognosis is bad. Hell they should tie cans to their asses so the two can water the ice.
ReplyDeleteBos8: you've hit on an interesting point here. Veteran quality and depth.
Last season, it was lamented by several that, past the five-some of Penner/Horcoff/Hemsky/Whitney/Gilbert, this team didn't have much in the way of experienced quality. Well...
- Penner has been replaced by Smyth
- The Oilers added Belanger, and while he's been OK, whether or not he's "lived up to expectations" can be debated (depends on one's expectations - personally, I don't think he's been awful, because I didn't peg him for much in the way of offense, but he's struggled lately overall - no big deal, still a positive addition)
- Hemsky's been a non-factor due to injury, same with Whitney - the only two guys on the roster that should be high-end players in their "prime" (age 26-30) have been basically non-factors this year.
- Smid has taken a step forward to offset the Whitney issues.
- The impact of the likes of Sutton, Eager and Hordichuk has been minimal, but that's not surprising either. 4th liners and 3rd pairing deal are of marginal consequence compared to guys higher in the lineup.
Add it all up, and when it comes to veteran content, are we really better off than last year in terms of skaters? Obviously, in goal, Khabibulin has bounced back, but blueline out? Not much better.
If they're going to stick with the approach as-is, the team is going to grow as the kids improve, and that's fine...but it's not going to happen overnight, either. A more pro-active and aggressive organization might recognize this and attempt to accelerate the process, but apparently what Woodguy coined as "Management by Magnificent Bastard" is their approach. And by that, I doubt Tambellini (and Renney) are around when the fruits of the labor are ripened and ready to truly be enjoyed...
Lots of grousing in here but no thanks to LT for the music picks.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard Southside Johnny since..., well since I worked in Edmonton at 'The Library', he was on one of the mixed tapes in the restaurant.
That was 30 years ago.
Then, if you happened to watch 'Adventures in Babysitting' (only 24 years ago, I looked it up) you'd hear this band at a frat party and think, "Gee that guy sounds a lot like Southside Johnny," - mostly because it was.