Wild at Oilers, G76/08-09
This is Jacques Lemaire as a Montreal Jr. Canadien, mid 60s. I’ve spent a lot of time reading about the history of the game and there were teams that (by design) stifled offense before Lemaire arrived in the show.
The mid-50′s Bruins teams were a bruising bunch who spent some years offensively challenged and were put together in an attempt to win games 2-1. The Bruins made the finals in 1953 with the lowest GF total in the NHL (152 in 70 games, same total as last place NYR) but they won all the close games in the quarterfinals against Detroit to make the final.
The St. Louis Blues of expansion played “kitty-bar-the-door” hockey effectively, and they used physical intimidation to do it.
Lemaire is an interesting character in that many people hate him. HATE him. I’ve heard fans say he ruined hockey, his teams play porridge hockey, his teams lack passion.
His teams also win, and Lemaire learned from a lot of people and spent time everywhere. Seriously. Many people are unaware that Jacques Lemaire has been a coach in Switzerland, the NCAA-2 and the QMJHL along with his NHL success.
The are rumblings that Lemaire may not return to the Wild next season, which would probably cause rejoicing in many NHL towns. For me, I’d like to see Lemaire as the next coach of the Edmonton Oilers should Craig MacTavish resign.
Why? Well when he coached the Longueuil Chevaliers in the Q, his club finished in 3rd place but made it to the league finals. His NHL won-loss record is 535-465, and that includes OTL’s. That winning percentage (.535) includes a Stanley and two Jack Adams, but it also includes the trials of coaching a flat out expansion team.
What would a Jacques Lemaire-coached Oiler team look like? More Jim Dowd’s, fewer Liam Reddox’s. More staying in the lane, more standing up at the blueline, more time in neutral, more 2-1′s.
More W’s, in fact. I’m a MacT backer, in my opinion he’s the best option for next year after flying so many sorties with so many kids. That aside, if I must choose another coach it would be a fellow who is even more button-down that Craig MacTavish.
Jacques Lemaire. He probably still starches his shirts.
–
I don’t have much to say about tonight’s game. It’s a must-win against a team that makes you bleed out slowly. I’ve told my wife that if grumpy behaviour rears its ugly head tonight she’s supposed to turn the TV off and take the dog for a walk.
And we don’t have a dog.
i’m not sure i can watch this game, i get too riled up and start pacing, cursing, throwing. If the wild score first, it’s over.
Too bad I screwed up in the predictions department in the last game, or else I’d happily predict an Oilers win tonight.
Like, they can’t fuck up EVERY chance like this, can they?
I agree LT, if the Oilers get rid of MacT we should get Lemaire (or someone like him). I don’t what a flashy name for a coach, but one with a handful of system that cause “death/boring/winning’. More button down and less brash.
You’ll have a lot of Oiler faithful up in arms LT
What no one seems to talk about is how the Oilers effectively used a “don’t call it a trap” trap to get themselves to the ’06 finals. So much is made of ‘Oiler Hockey’, but there hasn’t been the horses around here to play proper ‘Oiler Hockey’ for almost 20 years now. If they bring in a coach who institutes a boring/winning system, people will come around awful quick.
Minny’s loss last night should have been a back-breaker for them. Let’s hope they’re a bit spiritless tonight.
Received my Playoff Tickets via Purolator on Friday…
I always love getting them mainly to see what kind of graphics on the tickets themselves Head Office has come up with. Sometimes with excited fans, sometimes with interesting pics of players,etc. Plus you always get all 4 rounds at one go. Makes you want to believe in the dream.
This year…no graphics at all. Just a plain generic “Ticketmaster” type ticket. Maybe the Front Office knows something we don’t??
LT, with Hemsky’s comments last week, isn’t it possible and even likely that Lemaire could mean the end of Hemsky once his contract is up (or through a trade demand). There were rumours for a long while that Gaborik has been unhappy in Minnesota because of the system.
Personally I would like to see a return of the coaching style that saw the Oilers “overachieve” in the 90s with playoff wins against Dallas and Colorado.
From today’s journal
- The Oilers definitely asked the Thrashers if they’d trade Marty Reasoner at the deadline for some face-off help, but were told to forget it.
LOL. Why didn’t you just sign him in the first place, Kevin Lowe, you.
The whispering in Boston is that Bruins goaltender Manny Fernandez, 34, who formerly played for the Wild and is a nephew of Wild coach Jacques Lemaire, might retire at season’s end. From Twincities.com
Looks like Manny Fernandez might not be an option next year. I thought bringing back Roli for next season plus adding a solid vet who could get 20-30 games would be our best bet. No way in the world they give Roloson more than 1 year, that would a huge mistake because of CBA implications. ie the Andreychuk situation.
Clap Clap
LT – she could walk my dog? I’ll fly him out there.
Say what you will about Lemaire, like Hitchcock and Murray he always gets the most out of his teams. The Wild roster is always made up nearly entirely of guys just on the way up, guys on the way out and castoffs.
And they’re always in the mix.
A must-win for Edmonton or a must-win for the Wild? The Wild are three points back of the Oilers and definitely can’t afford a loss.
LT, I hope your wife doesn’t have to turn off the tv, tonight. But it could be a grumpy evening, as this Wild team is a desperate bunch.
Goilers. There, I said it.
I know!!
Let’s hire a coach who hates kids to coach a bunch of kids!
Brilliant!
Traktor: Do me a favor and find me an NHL coach who has given as many at-bats to kids with a better record than MacT since the run to the Stanley.
I’ll look forward to it. Should be, two, three pages.
San Jose has done pretty well.
I know that most of you are interested in getting a playoff spot, but my rooting interest is centered around Andrew Cogliano. Worst faceoff man of the decade is on the line here and I think he can do it!
Ron Wilson:
Michalek
Pavelski
Bernier
Mitchell
Setoguchi
Carle
Vlasic
Clowe
Kaspar
Gorges
Goc
Of course the difference is players actually developed under Wilson.
If none of your kids develop then of course your going to see a revolving door of them.
Show me the coach who’s had the most kids over his career and I’ll show you an organization that doesn’t know how to develop them.
LT, for posterity’s sake, what is a “kid”?
If MacT would have given Mikhnov more than 6 minutes on the 4th line after sitting him in the PB for a month then maybe we would not have had to send 3 picks and 20 million to Anaheim.
If MacT would would actually play Pouliot in his natural position maybe he would develop into an NHL Player.
ect..
ect..
ect..
Traktor: The favor I asked was ‘find me an NHL coach who has given as many at-bats to kids with a better record than MacT since the run to the Stanley.’
Lots of names on that list were Sharks before the Oilers Stanley run.
Coach: Let’s go back to summer 2006. The Oilers have just decided to turn back the clock on the major league cluster.
Here are minutes given out to rookies:
Defense 06-07
Ladislav Smid (1481)
Danny Syvret (295)
Tom Gilbert (241)
Mathieu Roy (226)
Bryan Young (151)
Sebastian Bisaillon (28)
Defense 07-08
Tom Gilbert (1820)
Mathieu Roy (135)
Theo Peckham (13)
Bryan Young (4)
Forwards 06-07
Patrick Thoresen (776)
Marc Pouliot (600)
Brad Winchester (476)
JFJ Jacques (293)
Zack Stortini (276)
Kyle Brodziak (103)
Rob Schremp (14)
Alexei Mikhnov (14)
Forwards 07-08
Sam Gagner (1238)
Andrew Cogliano (1120)
Kyle Brodziak (1033)
Rob Schremp (14)
Liam Reddox (6)
I haven’t included developing players like Matt Greene (who was very inexperienced during the Stanley run). I’d like a list of flat out rookies, guys like Smid and Gagner.
I’d like a list of flat out rookies, guys like Smid and Gagner.
So “kids” are rookies?
What about non-rooks under nn games played?
Well, I’m sure Craig MacTavish would have loved the luxury, but since he didn’t have it I don’t think it’s really beneficial to compare apples to oranges.
Let’s talk about guys like Lady Smid, Sam Gagner, Andrew Cogliano. Rookies. Young, mistake-prone rookies.
It’s been quite a ride.
“Lots of names on that list were Sharks before the Oilers Stanley run.”
Gagner, Nilsson, Smid, Pouliot, Cogliano were all Oilers last year.
Doesn’t mean that MacTavish isn’t still coaching kids now does it?
I’ll try to meet your criteria though. Don’t wait up.
MacT has never made the playoffs or even flirted with success since the Cup run so it shouldn’t be too hard to find someone who replicates those results.
Rookies. Young, mistake-prone rookies.
I’m not arguing your point, that’s Trak. I’m just looking for clarification on “kids”.
Rookies it is.
Now, by giving “at-bats” to the rookies, are we talking a full season or half-season?
Coach: You can use whichever criteria you’d like; my point with Traktor is that you can’t use Michalek as an example of a player who has developed and compare him to Gagner because it’s not a fair comp until we’ve seen Gagner longer.
Michalek played 81games in 05-06 regular season, going 17-18-35 +1 as a 21-year old. After that, I don’t think he should be considered a rookie.
I’ll run the Sharks as I did for the Oilers above.
Defense 06-07
Marc-Edouard Vlasic 1343
Matt Carle 1016
Defense 07-08
None
Forwards 06-07
Ryan Clowe 668
Joe Pavelski 558
Tomas Plihal 27
Forwards 07-08
Torrey Mitchell 903
Devin Setoguchi 520
Tomas Plihal 209
Lukas Kaspar 34
Tom Cavanaugh 14
Mike Iggluden 6
Final tally:
Oilers D: 4394
Sharks D: 2359
Oilers F: 5963
Sharks F: 2939
I’m just looking for clarification on “kids”.
How about
Under 100 games
Really there are 3 groups:
Kids – Under 100 games
Not kids – Over 200 games
Still kids – those in between
LT: Your list included Gilbert, twice. So it can’t just be Gagner, Smid ect..
I’ll start with the Caps
Washington since 06/07:
Dave Steckel
Played 7 career games before 06/07
Timo Helbling
No previous NHL experience
Jamie Hunt
No previous NHL experience
Jeff Schultz
38 games played before 06/07
Karl Alzner
No previous NHL experience
Eric Fehr
11 games played before 06/07
Tomas Fleischmann
14 games played before 06/07
Mike Green
22 games played before 06/07
Alexander Semin
No previous NHL experience
Jay Beagle
No previous NHL experience
Oskar Osala
No previous experience
Sean Collins
No previous experience
Nicklas Backstrom
No previous experience
Chris Bourque
No previous NHL experience
Sami Lepisto
No previous NHL experience
Michal Neuvirth
No previous NHL experience
Semen Varlamov
No previous NHL experience
So, on a tangentially Oiler-related note, I’m trying rums and coke with Coke Zero lately. Isn’t quite the same as it is with real Coke. And yet, when I have Coke Zero straight, I can’t tell the difference.
We got any liquor chemists in the room?
(I was planning to save that comment until HBomb got back, but really, I wanted to get it out before I forgot.)
LB I’m no liquor expert, but it seems obvious you need to mix Coke Zero with Rum Zero.
Traktor: Alexander Semin played in the NHL in 03-04. 52 games 10-12-22. Haven’t checked the rest.
Boston has a lot of youth, and a pretty good record.
08/09
F:
Krejci: 1247
Sobokta: 237
Kessel: 1113
Lucic: 965
Bitz: 294
D:
Hunwick: 760
Stuart: 1124
G:
Rask: 60
5740 in 08/09 so far.
Stuart may not be a kid, he played 17 games in 05/06 and 15 in 06/07.
When I get back from lunch, I’m going to give Chicago a look.
I bet guys like Kane, Toews, Byfuglien, Bolland, Brouwer, Fraser, Versteeg, Skille, Seabrook, and Barker all add up quickly.
I’d have to check how much guys like Burish, Keith and Ladd have played, but they might qualify.
Stat of the day:
A division is getting close to doing the impossible. At no time in modern NHL history has an entire division made the postseason.
The Central Division is a tiebreaker away from qualifying all of its teams this year. This really startles me since I’ve always argued that Detroit isn’t as good as its record over the past decade because they’ve beaten up the weaklings. And all of a sudden the Pacific division sucks with only 1 of 5 teams likely to qualify. Weird eh?
I argued the other night that MC79 is being lenient in saying the Oilers are exactly where they were projected to be, because of the fact that there was so much turnover in the 4-8 range of the West for the first time in forever, and the Oilers are eating the dust of teams that, when the season started, were in our reaview mirrors. I think the fact that the Northwest is the weakest it’s been in ages also strengthens the argument that this season should have been 90+ and a sure playoff spot.
Firstly, great post LT. The last line was pretty much golden.
As for the kids discussion, if you move the timeline back one year then the Blackhawks would give us a good run for our money (they might anyway). Given that we’re tracking a year behind the Hawks I’d say that their success this year should be a pretty good barometer for where the Oilers should look to be tracking for next season.
I’ll concede that Edmonton hands out more spots to kids than the average team.
But that’s what I was getting at with my first post: “Lets hire a coach who hates kids to coach a bunch of kids!”
I wasn’t directing that towards MacTavish. I was directing it towards Lemaire.
You said it would mean “More Jim Dowd’s, fewer Liam Reddox’s.”
Well in case you forget, MacT wanted Marty Reasoner; what MacT and Lemaire want and what they’re going to get are two opposite things.
We know two things:
1. Lemaire has no time for kids.
2. Edmonton gives more chances to kids than most franchises.
Sounds like a disaster.
I think Lemaire is a fantastic coach. He’s meant for Jersey or Columbus though.
Traktor: If it meant winning the Stanley but having every kid in the system brought along slowly (or traded) I’d be all over it.
Clowntime is over. Developing Brad Winchester for the other guy is over.
It’s time to play to win from G1.
I could be wrong on this but it seems like because the Wild can’t or won’t sign guys from outside to bring offense, they’re always hoping they’ll get it from kids. So, hasn’t Lemaire brought along guys like Koivu, Bouchard, Schultz, Burns, Sheppard, Gillies, etc etc. I know their Pouliot hasn’t worked out but it seems like he’s given a lot of playing time to kids.
So, I’m not saying he would be the right or wrong guy to take over for MacT but not playing kids doesn’t seem to be a factor pointing toward the latter.
I think if we would’ve fired Lowe, we’d have a better idea of what MacT could still do. And, as it is, we’re good enough at EV that we should be in the playoffs for sure. So, honestly, if the guy just took his hands off the ST – or if we fired the guys who are responsible for it this year – we’re not even talking about whether the guy’s the right guy or not.
Regarding tonight, it’s noteworthy that 12′s now being listed as day-to-day. I don’t remember him getting hurt at Phx and I just thought he was being HSed.
I had a nightmare last night. I was socialising with Chris and Lauren Pronger.
Lauren did nearly all the talking, in that dream, fyi, lol.
Traktor, that is very true. There’s nothing Kevin Lowe likes better than someone with “pedigree”. The talent they had at 18 is tantalizing to him. Reclamations projects with upside off the top of my head:
-Brule
-Grebeshkov
-Sykora
-Lupul
-Smid
-Moreau
-Nilsson
-O’Sullivan (2nd rounder with 1st round talent)
-Reasoner
-Torres
-Nedved, like 5 times.
This Bouwmeester to Edmonton stuff just won’t go away….
PDO: Anything new? Or just same old.
LT: Apparently they were talking about on the Team again today, and Steve Kouleas brought it up as well.
It would probably mean the end of Gibby Gilbert, but lordy JayBo would be a nice addition.
Could the Oilers sign JayBo, deal for Spezza and unload Gilbert, Cogliano and Moreau in the same day?
Would it make them better? If so, how much?
No interest in Spezza.
I don’t think the numbers would work either.
For now, I’d imagine they’d be hoping to sign Grebeshkov to Staios’ money, and then move Staios, Gilbert and Nilsson.
I think they’d want to move Penner out during all of that as well, and you have to imagine they’d have a LW coming back with some skill in all of that…
New LW – 10 – 83
19 – 89 – 13
18 – 51 – 34
… something like that? Up front.
44 – Bouw
71 – 37
5 – 49
… a lot depends on who that LW is, I suppose. And I’d like that team a lot better with someone who isn’t 18 playing LW there.
Kouleas also mentioned it yesterday on hardcore hockey talk.
He said it in the same fashion as someone who would say Sakic would like to sign in Colorado if he keeps playing. Like you can’t get any more common sense.
“1. Lemaire has no time for kids.”
I’ll jump on that one Traktor. Lemaire has over the years in Minne developed some fine hockey players. Many of whom still had junior eligibility left. He had time to convert Brent Burns to defense, he had time to develop James Sheppard into a 2-line C, he had time to develop Colton Gilles this season. All three could have played another season in Junior, but they didn’t.
To say Lemaire has no time to develop kids is untrue. He develops kids that have a future, and leaves those who don’t (Ex: 2005 4th overall pick Benoit Pouliot) to rot in the minors.
In comparison to MacT, he’s also had the luxury of developing a small group of youngsters each year. Last year in comparison, MacT was still working at “developing” Greene, Smid, Grebeshkov, Gilbert, Nilsson, Gagner, Cogliano, Brodziak and Stortini (have I missed any?). Lemaire had nowhere near that kind of growing pains season.
And for those that say Lemaire stifles offensive creativity worse than MacT, think of the offensive talents Lemaire has to work with. With Rolston gone this year and Gaborik having his traditional injury-plagued season, he has to rely on offensive juggernauts like Mikko Koivu, PM Bouchard and Andrew Brunette to lead the offensive charge. Do you think he could win games by playing run and gun hockey with that hand? I don’t.
I’m with LT. If MacT has to go (I think he does. Not because he’s a bad coach but because the team needs a change), replacing him with an old-guard goach like Lemaire (or Quinn) is the best bet.
Just say no to Kelly Buchberger.
The Oilers need to start getting some help on the out of town scoreboard…
PJO: Can you give me the link for that blurb about Reasoner? I didn’t see that today when I checked out the Journal’s site.
There’s nothing Kevin Lowe likes better than someone with “pedigree”. The talent they had at 18 is tantalizing to him.
He learned from the king of reclamation projects, Glen Sather. The 1993-94 Oilers featured the following high draft picks of other teams:
Scott Thornton (#3, 1989, TOR)
Chris Joseph (#5, 1987, PIT)
Scott Pearson (#6, 1988, TOR)
Adam Bennett (#6, 1989, CHI)
Luke Richardson (#7, 1987, TOR)
Shayne Corson (#8, 1984, MTL)
Dave Manson (#11, 1985, CHI)
Bryan Marchment (#16, 1987, WIN)
Steven Rice (#20, 1989, NYR)
Dean McAmmond (#22, 1991, CHI)
—
Jiri Slegr (#23, 1990, VAN)
Boris Mironov (#27, 1992, WIN)
Ryan McGill (#29, 1987, CHI)
Mark Laforge (#32, 1986, HAR)
Doug Weight (#34, 1990, NYR)
Jozef Cierny (#35, 1991, BUF)
Dean Kennedy (#39, 1981, LA)
Brad Zavisha (#43, 1990, QUE)
Louie DeBrusk (#49, 1989, NYR)
… and on and on it goes, although I suppose you could argue once you get beyond the first round (up to McAmmond) they’re no longer reclamation projects and more long shots. Also there were a couple of make-your-own reclamation projects in the mix, Oilers’ first-rounders Tyler Wright and the immortal Jason Bonsignore, but most of these bums were brought in after they had failed elsewhere.
A veritable murderers’ row — it fuckin’ near killed me watching them. For sure, that was the biggest, dumbest team we ever had here.
DG: Don’t forget PM Bouchard who made the jump to the NHL as an undersized 18-year-old under Lemaire’s tutelage.
Dennis:
here is the reasoner comment
http://tinyurl.com/caxhwn
Thanks Bruce, didn’t know he was a young bugger when he made the jump too. I was just running those three off the top of my head. He’s probably had a couple others if I took the time to look for them.
Colton Gillies has played 339 minutes of hockey this year.
If you ask me that’s a wasted season.
i think it’s pretty obvious that lemaire can coach young guys, but i do agree with traktor about colton gillies. as a blades fan, i was mad when the wild kept him and my anger has only grown as they have barely played him this season. put gillies on the blades this year, where he should be, and they’d be one of the favorites for the memorial cup.
oh gawd, one blender for a commercial strength blender. Both are good coaches though. The Oilers record with the number of guys who stumbled out of the gate is an accomplishment although most of the credit should go to Roli
And if the oilers can get Jbo, I’d move Vish (ntc?). Same injury as Horcoff iirc. Either way I’d move him or souray, bigger ticket plus injury risk
@Doc – I’m with you on the playoff tickets. I’ve still got old tickets for games that never happened just because the ducats for season ticket holders were so cool. I too got the package this week and couldn’t wait to rip it open to see what snazzy design they’d come up with this year. Instead, what they came up with was only moderately better than the page you print out off of Ticketmaster’s website and take to the game with you. It’s like everyone at the Oilers office forgot that they had to send out playoff tickets and panicked and just sent out regular tickets. Weird.
Name: thanks, bud.
According to the Journal’s website, the Oil are going with the same line up as Friday night in Anaheim. Jacques and Zorg in, no 12 or 85. Maybe a little surprised that 33 doesn’t draw in for 22 just in case Boogaard or Scott start running around, but tough to break up a lineup that only gave up 54 shots last game.
Rider – I think Boogard is out with an injury.
AAARRRRRGGGGG
Less that 5 minutes in on both important games on the oots and bad news already. Nashville with an early PP goal leads Detroit 1-0 and St. Louis with an early goal leads Columbus 1-0.
@rider guy
It was very weird. My daughter has all of her tickets from the 06 run stuck up around her mirror in her room. May be worth something, someday but I can guarantee she’ll never give them up!!
As for MacT…always been a fan but maybe it is time to go. He commented after last game that he didn’t even realize that Jacques had taken a 4:00 minute penalty until he looked up at the clock and saw 3:18 posted. Wow…little things like that make you think he has just lost the edge a bit.
As for Lowe…need to travel back in time and can him after the Pronger trade. Or I guess if we are talking time travel…just before that trade!
Eberle with a goal today. 3gp, 1-2-3 +3 to start. I haven’t seen him much (just the first game) but reports mesh with the math.
Impressive.
Without getting ahead of ourselves..
What do we take from it if Eberle finishes this stint as a + player and at a PPG?
In my ideal world, the kid is dealt to a WHL powerhouse (Hitmen? Giants? I don’t follow the WHL much at all to be honest…) and absolutely rips it up and wins a championship, but would the Oilers consider having him here as a 19 year old?
… could he force the Oilers to keep him as a 19 year old?
LT: It’s been a great weekend for Eberle’s line all told. Eberle, Stone and Potulny are all at or exceeding a point-per game in the three games. This should be taken with a grain of salt however, as Potulny and Stone are on hot streaks that predate Eberle joining the line.
Of couse with the arrival of Eberle, the rest of the Falcons forwards are getting the absolute shaft from the coach. Schremp has been forced to drag along with O’Marra at C, and Trukhno and Lerg have both been watching from the PB at times this weekend.
DG, you mean to say coaches other than MacT play favourites?
Never
.
Schremp is 7 kinds of screwed in this organization. What was that shine box line? I’ll never forget how funny it was (without ever actually remembering the line or the guy who posted it).
Ah, old age. The great equalizer.
Anyone know if Bouchard/Burns are supposed to play tonight?
Anyone know if Bouchard/Burns are supposed to play?
Another drum I’ve been beating lately is this idea that the Oilers are a dominant team when leading after two periods. The Oilers (22-1- whatever) when leading after 2 periods is one of the most misleading stats of all time and here’s why.
I assume most look at 22-1-? as being an outstanding record because of the 1 regulation loss and certainly its implied when the announcers use it at the beginning of every 3rd period. Breaking it down further, about half of those games were probably leads of 2 goals (catastrophic choke to not get even a point) or more so you are left with about a dozen 1-goal leads.
Since OT losses are in that 3rd number, the only way to move that middle number is to chalk up a regulation loss. With a 1 goal lead you’d have to get outscored by 2 or more which takes alot of fucking up.
Flipping it around, 1 out of 10 times the Oilers were good enough to be ahead of a team through two periods and managed to screw it up royally to the point that they didn’t even get a point.
I only keep bringing this up because if smart people on this blog think what the Oilers are doing with a lead is good I worry MacT looks at that stat and thinks all is well too.
Schremp is 7 kinds of screwed in this organization. What was that shine box line? I’ll never forget how funny it was (without ever actually remembering the line or the guy who posted it).
Ah, old age. The great equalizer.
No question, that was slipper.
Schremp is 7 kinds of screwed in this organization. What was that shine box line?
Unfortunately for Schremp the shine box position has been locked up in this organization for the past 20+ years.
Can the death knell for a career be anymore evident than finding yourself behind Joey on the depth chart?
Unfortunately for Schremp the shine box position has been locked up in this organization for the past 20+ years.
Can the death knell for a career be anymore evident than finding yourself behind Joey on the depth chart?
Was this it? I seem to remember Gagner yelling motherfucker or something.
Apparently Burns, Gilles, Boogard and Bouchard are out.
Koivu in.
Sorry LT, I know it hurts my hockey IQ but count me among the group who hates, hates, HATES Lemaire. (See how I used the triple dog dare of internet expression, regular-italics-CAPS. That shows how much I hate him.
I’m not going to call myself a traditionalits beacause you guys will rip that apart every which way from Sunday but I’m strongly in the camp of those that feel more offense (in general) equals more fun. I’d like taller nets, smaller pads, more 4-on-4 and less roster spots.
My guess is that he’d win marginally more than MacTavish but I’d be substantially more unhappy. Win first, but entertain needs to be on the list somewhere.
Somewhat related, but I watched a Flyers/Devils game last week and talk about fantastic hockey. Those teams are talented and take chances. I expect an error free team like Detroit or San Jose will win the Cup but for the good of hockey, since success breeds imitation, I hope a team from the East wins it. Much more exciting hockey out here.
Okay, someone needs to explain this shine box business…
slipper’s shine box quote:
I kinda want to see every bubble prospect in the system called up ahead of Schremp now.
By the end of the year I want to see a second line composed of McDonald, Sesito and Trukhno… fuck that, I want three “scoring lines” with the third made up of Corzanni, Rohlfs and Paukovich; all of them will be scoring at a PPG clip and before each puck drop SaM Gagner will come out in an elf costume and announce into the PA: Merry Fucking Christmas Sugar Tits, hey Rob, go getch yor fucking shine box!!!
PDO if eberle goes ppg you give him a serious look at the show. His biggest assest is his mind so to develop that you need to play against the best competition. He already won MVP of the wjc why look for more ways to play kids?
One night we were discussing Schremp being called up and how awful it was that he had three points in 4 games blah blah blah.
Anyway, one or more of the kids did something this particular night and then slipper wrote this epic post (it was only maybe two sentences) that was pee-your-pants funny.
Combined Goodfellas, Sam Gagner and angel wing pajamas iirc.
anyone have a link for tonights game?
Fuck. That’s too funny. Surely that’s glossary worthy for BOA next year.
What’s black humour funny is how Rita, Mikhnov, and Schremp have all been hyped bigtime by either the fans or the organisation, only to get buttholed as soon as they meet coach/Dr MacFrankenstein.
Fast forward a couple of years and now all of a sudden Eberle is getting the exact same kind of fanboy regard.
Oh well, pretty good chance now that next season Tavares will be in the NW division. Then we all can see MacT’s face, as the Av’s resume their domination of our glorious hockey team from the city of champions.
I’m another one that dislikes Lemaire’s coaching style. He may win games, but they’re boring games. The NHL is as much about entertainment as winning and the Wild don’t entertain.
I have to put up with an awful lot of Wild games (my flat-mate watches them a lot, and despite her personal reasons for watching them, even she thinks they play boring hockey) and I’d sooner watch golf or baseball — two sports I loathe to watch because of their pace and lack of energy.
Just my opinion, and I only watch the games on TV (I can’t stand the other people at the rinks and how we’re crammed in like sardines … and god forbid you have to use the bathroom), but if the Wild get a lead I start to debate changing the channel because they choke the life from the game.
Its smart hockey, sure. Its just horribly boring.
Danny:
Link to the game.
Anyone have a link where I could watch the Bemidji State Game? I believe it’s on ESPNU, which I don’t have.
My own belief has always been that the difference makers skip the AHL and if a player is in the minor leagues they need a combination of developing their own skills, luck and timing.
Rita’s first season was probably his best, Mikhnov never did commit to an entire season and Schremp hasn’t developed. We know this from his current point total and the AHL coach saying he needed to reinvent himself.
thanks Black Gold.
Rexy: http://atdhe.net/ has both NCAA games listed for viewing.
This OOT Scoreboard brought to you by Pepto Bismol
13:29 3rd Period
DET 2
NSH 1
8:59 3rd Period
STL 3
CLB 1
This is supposed to be the ncaa midwest regionals, but it’s not showing.
(get the feeling atdhe.net is just forwarding to this link anyhow)
I am pretty sure anyone should avoid mentioning the OOTS in Lowetide’s comment section; the gods are clearly watching.
This update on the OOTSB:
3rd Period – 8:05
Nashville 3 Detroit 2
We’re not going to get any help tonite. Nuts.
Now you tell me. $#!^#$@#$#!@.
NSH leading DET.
puck me.
Go Preds!
Dennis:
Started watching Big Love last week after downloading the first 2 seasons off the internet.
Joey just had his first and Bill turned down an offer from the Utah focus group.
Still waiting for Nicky to kiss the accountant. Pretty good show.
Franzen ties it w/525 to go in the 3rd vs Nashville.
The Mesopotamian gods are in Detroit today (lousy place for a vacation though).
I hate Chelios.
Chris Chelios hates Edmonton. It’s the only answer.
It’s not in the cards boys.
Its just not gonna happen… another april without hockey that matters.
I hate Terry Crisp too btw.
The Blues sure have a nice set of young forwards.
Every team has some skilled youth but St. Louis has the character to go with it. Oshie, Berglund and Backes are all keepers
Lars Eller is supposed to be a 2way character player as well.
That’s not even mentioning Perron who is no worse than Gagner.
I was thinking yesterday that “Oiler Hockey” now means nothing…..absolutely nothing at all that’s different or special. Hiring Lemaire would make that even worse with his brand of coma-inducing hockey. I want someone who brings this team back to the kind of offensive hockey that made this franchise special….and Lemaire is the last guy on my list of people who can do that. I’d go Euro maybe – anything but another NHL retread or a clone from the minors or CHL.
One question on Lemaire. If he did not like the fish bowl that was coaching in Montreal, would we really think he’s enjoy coaching in Edmonton either?
Smaller market, true, but it’s not easy coaching in any Canadian market.
I want someone who brings this team back to the kind of offensive hockey that made this franchise special….and Lemaire is the last guy on my list of people who can do that. I’d go Euro maybe – anything but another NHL retread or a clone from the minors or CHL.
Watch the Pens new style – and grab Tom Fitzgerald.
ok. I just declared the season over… shoretly thereafter:
1) NSH play by play guy mistakenly says “2 minutes remourning“
2) They return from commercial, and the DET sound system is blaring funeral bells, as the leadin to ‘Hells Bells’ by AC/DC.
Why did nobody tell me about this OOTS gods are watching thing?
You did good, Danny. You did good.
Geez, I wonder what Nashville’s record is since Sullivan returned. Hell of a player.
I think DBO suggested bringing in Sullivan a few months ago.
I shot it down but I forget who he wanted to go the other way. Might have been Penner.
The Oilers website says Nilsson has a lower-body injury. Anyone know if he was dropped because of that, or for blending reasons?
Principe’s openings always make me think he is doing a James T. Kirk impression.
Two straight games with an early, dumb penalty for 18.
If you took the under tonite, you are a winner.
Where is everyone? Hara-kiri?
Moreau with his uncanny ability to set an example for the rest of the team. Leadershit by example.
Hate to pick on staios, but anyone notice how much time he had then he skated into traffic and hammered the puck up the boards past his outlet passes? Wild D handle it easily, come into the zone with possesion, lucky bounce, down 1-0.
No no no
31 games in a row… i guess they start to break down eventually
It’s well past time for Ethan Moreau’s reign as captain to end.
Did the rest of the posters forget there is a game? or just anticipate the shitanus performance..
Just to recap for those who arent watching…
Edmonton with about 4 good scoring chances, Backstrom large.
Gaborik loses the puck, 1-0 minny.
Skoula shoots the puck from the point with as much velocity as a 1982 Chevette, 2-0 minny.
Roloson has been good for a soft goal against for quite some time. The Oilers handling of the G this season has been epic.
Tuned in just in time to see the Oil down a goal but with some decent pressure, then a stupid bit of “play the body, not the puck… or the body of a dude who actually has the puck or is even involved in the fucking play that just led to a goal!!”
Are they playing as badly as the score indicates? WTF is going on here? They don’t look all that bad…
Oh god. Another scoring chance for the bad guys. This is scary.
Why the hell is 21 back on the 1st line… seriously
Don’t you just hate when their PBP guy uses nicknames?
“Gabby shoots it!”
Amateur Hour.
win -> zorg
That Paul Bunyan guy has a temper.
Huggy Bear with the drop. Oh yea.
win? u sure?
Stortini isn’t dead. He won.
touche, haha
Roloson has been good for a soft goal against for quite some time. The Oilers handling of the G this season has been epic.
Heh. Interesting framing.
Why the hell is 21 back on the 1st line… seriously
Lol. The Sabres have to be laughing every day about that trade.
These announcers suck…
//Lol. The Sabres have to be laughing every day about that trade.//
Coach, I’m not saying 21 should be on the first line, but he’s scored and helped with 2 shootout goals too. We’ve had lots worse trades.
Lots.
I read someplace it was Carolina’s 2nd rounder to buffalo, not Calgary’s.
Anyone know for sure?
Now that I think about it, I’m not rly sure which pick I’d rather have..
Kotalik is good on the point. Worth that second rounder.
The Oilers vets are really coming out for this one, huh?
Gagner has great vision…
If we had the 2nd best PK in the league than we’d be in 6th place, 2nd in the West. Lemaire? Yes, please.
Man JFJ looks effective on the forecheck, if only he got more than 2 mins a game.
Hemsky, Gagner, looked a little dangerous there.
Kotalik looks like a good compliment on paper, but I’m not it’s translating well.
Jesus. Edmonton is so done. I’m starting to wonder if they will even finish in the top ten.
Another great home period.
This team should ask for the remaining home games to be played at a neutral site. Bolivia, maybe.
I wonder what Katz is thinking about now.
“Shoes goes on, shoe goes off.”
I’d say this is the most important period of the season for this group.
If they go into the 3rd down 2 or more, it’s game over.
Yikes.
Just talking to my wife’s cousin and he asked me what I was up to.
Listening to the Oilers lose, I said. Losers who lose. They do it quite well.
Two weeks ago or thereabouts they were up on Anaheim, the Blues and Nashville. Anaheim sold at the deadline and the Blues and Preds have been ravaged by injuries and had brutal schedules in front of them.
And at the end of tonight the Oilers will be behind all of them.
Very very poor.
Yup
I’m ready to be dragged back in.
Please
Home ice “advantage” strikes again. Funny how Detroit can walk in here and win, but lose at home against Islanders and Nashville.
I don’t think there have been more than 2 or 3 home games all year where Oilers have just come out and taken over from the beginning. Falling behind these guys is death at any time, let alone by 2.
Oh well, I’m off to work. “Enjoy” the game, everybody.
Chances: 6-7; all at EV.
Vic and I have talked about this since he was Igor;) but that first goal’s basically a PP marker for Min because the penalty had just expired and the Oil are still trying to get their bearings. So, once again 18 takes an O zone penalty and we pay for it.
I am beyond sick of this guy and all the employees who pimp him.
Great chance but O’Sullivan thru it right into Backstrom’s glove.
Anaheim must be enjoying this Backstrom performance.
Anyone have a working feed?
I have gamecenter and tried usstream but both aren’t working for me.
Kotalik looks like a good compliment on paper, but I’m not it’s translating well.
JW snuffed that “good on paper” out awhile ago.
In regards to the Bouwmeester stuff, is it possible that the Oilers could partner with Columbus yet again next year? The Jackets’ power play is abysmal and the Oilers have both Vishnovsky and Souray to deal if Bouwmeester becomes reality. Would Souray for one year of Klesla @ 1.6 million as the main pieces of that deal work?
Gilbert – Bouwmeester
Vishnovsky – Grebeshkov
Smid – Klesla
Peckham
That ain’t a bad lineup.
Also, I’m rooting against acquiring Bouwmeester because I don’t want to read the words “Jay-Bo” eleventy billion times in the next six years.
Is the second line now 27-10-19?
Gogliano:
Gamecenter hasn’t worked for me either. Usstream just died on me a couple minutes ago.
Edit- Now it’s cutting in and out.
This team should ask for the remaining home games to be played at a neutral site. Bolivia, maybe.
Do you REALLY want Gene to be able to make Lake Titicaca jokes? Think man, THINK!
Gene is a menace no matter where he is. You can’t slow crazy.
Gogliano, the ustream feed is back up
This period has nothing resembling urgency or desperation from the Oilers.
I cannot for the life of me understand why people can’t even get behind change for the bloody sake of it.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been so discouraged watching this team.
Riley Nash is 5W/2L in the Cornell game with 2 SOG. Cornell is much bigger than Bemidji and are clogging the neutral zone with football players.
Nash, to me eye, is the most skilled man on the ice for either side.
Edmonton are going to have to start activating their D. This team isn’t good enough up front to generate offense.
MacT will have no part of that though until its 3-0 with 4 minutes left and hes double shifting Moreau.
LT I dont think the separation between Lemaire and MacTavish is that wide (if at all). Very similar, except one has a team that suits his coaching style.
Edmonton either needs to give MacT a team like Lemaires, or bring in a coach that can utilize this roster effectively.
Dennis: I think there’s lots of urgency out there. Horcoff is playing with heart, I think Cogliano and Pisani are too. This isn’t a 5-0 game, and should the Oilers score the next goal well then we’ve got a ballgame.
Is there a reason why Edmonton allows the opposing team to gain the red line so they can safely dump the puck?
Traktor: They like Roloson handling the puck more than they like Strudwick or Staios starting the break out.
LT: Maybe in the first period but not in the second.
About the only real positive I’ve seen is that 22′s finally figured out how to get on the forecheck in time to actually check a guy. That seems like it would be a given but it’s taken this long for him.
I was thinking about 18′s penalty and it came to me that his problems in that regard and the way he’s revered and played are really symptomatic of the whole org: guys who are living on past laurels.
Lowe used to be good and he fools Albertans like nobody’s business so he stays.
MAcT is good when he’s got the horses so we’ll remember that no matter what and he stays.
There was a time when Moreau was a bargain so he stays.
Nash, to me eye, is the most skilled man on the ice for either side.
For the second game.
Well this might do it.
I think when Hemsky wanted to be “the guy” this isn’t what he had in mind
I wonder what the Wild’s record is when leading by after two?
Interesting comment by Stauffer on the radio – he pointed out that Moreau took the penalty in the “offensive zone” in the first period.
In case the yahoo’s in Oiler’s management missed it, the rest of us did not.
Chances for the second period: 5-8; 2-3 ST
I wonder what the Wild’s record is when leading by after two?
Min leading after 2:
23-1-1 (6th)
Oil trailing after 2:
2-24-2 (25th)
we got ‘em right where we want them
Trak: Yeah, I really like the show and I think it gets glossed over because the golden age for HBO’s pretty much past and now the other cable networks get all the buzz; Showtime, FX and now even AMC’s getting some praise.
LT: they go into the second period knowing there’s no way you even get a point from this game if you’re still down by two after 40 min. So, they come up with five scoring chances and three of them at even strength and just two in the last 13 min.
How is it that Ethan Moreau can take another fucking lazy stick penalty in the wrong end of the ice, that results in a PP goal for the other team and not have his ass pinned to the bench???? This guy is now all alone in 3rd with 43minor penalties on the season. Penner,Nilsson,Pouliot,Smid or Garon make one fuck-up and not only do they see their icetime reduced, more than likely there is a write-up in the local paper about how these guys need to “get going” or “buy in to the team philosophy”.
Either MacT is blind or he is stupid or he simply doesn’t give a shit about accountability anymore or he is going to ride the guys who have done it for him in the past regardless of whether they deserve their playing time, who knows anymore. It’s time for a change behind the bench and the sooner the better.
Don’t worry Dennis. MacT’s been saving the speech of the season for this period.
Back in the good old days of Monday Night Football, I always got a good laugh out of Don Meredith singing, “turn out the lights, the party’s over” when the game was out of hand.
This one is very close to that same point.
This is disgusting.
Somethings gotta give, and the most logical is we need a new perspective running the team, preferrably one with a track record of working with this style of roster, and one with a history of good special teams.
Edmonton tells the press they tried to get Reasoner but were shot down… they however traded a 2nd pick for Kotalik.
Dominic Moore was acquired by Buffalo for a 2nd round pick a couple hours earlier.
I just don’t know anymore… its all confusing as hell and im exhausted.
This guy is now all alone in 3rd with 43minor penalties on the season.
I think he’s first in taken/toi
Pies! Clutch player as always.
LT’s right. San Fernado has laid it on the line and got to the net.
Any chance of a miracle tonite?
That was nice hustle by Moreau there.
Vets really showed up for this one.
Gaborik scores. Is there still a chance of putting two more away in regulation? I know they are good defensively and Edmonton is scoring-challenged, but surely there is SOME spark left in this team…
Not sure that Roli saw that or if it was soft, but that one kills.
why was the whistle blown there?
I forgot what finishing a check looked like until Jaques came back…nice to see at least one line forecheck hard
And yet another bright penalty that lead to the 6-on-5 goal for Gaborik which was a soft effort from Roli.
5′s hand is broken so he’s most likely gone for the season.
We’ll miss his offensive upside,.
6 games re-mourning
Turn out the lights, MacT’s got 6 games left…
Is Grebs the Adam Oates of d-men…twice he was wide open for a shot and held on for pass that didn’t culminate in anything too special
Good news, we’re officially in 10th place.
Who’s projected to go in that range in the draft this summer?
Beauty.
Kotalik is the king of ‘almost there’ goals.
JW – add another one-timer from the point to Kotalik’s totals.
kid should be a scout.
That’s my boy!!!
You know what I want to hear Ice
That was a straight up geno.
Wow.
Don’t be fooled, Kotalik’s better on paper.
I’m sorry hockey gods. Sincerely.
Has Kotalik ever scored a goal outside of the shoot out and his office at the top of the circle there?
That’s huge either way.