RE: 09-10 Oiler Forwards

The current group of forwards on the Oilers depth chart is capable of exceptional beauty and moments of extreme consternation. Last season during my reasonable expectations posts I suggested the Oilers forwards would score 215 goals; the idea was that with two scoring lines Edmonton would rip up the NW division offensively.

Last year’s list featured one 30 goal prediction (Penner) and three 20+ scorers (Hemsky, Horcoff and Cogliano) while in reality the team could manage only one 20-goal forward (Hemsky) and the forwards scored only 181 goals. This season I’m just a little more conservative.

1. Ales Hemsky 75gp, 24-66-90 (1.20)
2. Sam Gagner 78gp, 20-40-60 (.769)
3. Patrick O’Sullivan 78gp, 28-28-56 (.717)
4. Shawn Horcoff 71gp, 18-29-47 (.662)
5. Andrew Cogliano 82gp, 22-25-47 (.573)
6. Dustin Penner 80gp, 20-21-41 (.513)
7. Robert Nilsson 70gp, 11-19-30 (.429)
8. Fernando Pisani 60gp, 14-14-28 (.467)
9. Marc Pouliot 70gp, 10-15-25 (.357)
10. Ethan Moreau 65gp, 12-11-23 (.354)
11. Ryan Potulny 66gp, 9-12-21 (.318)
12. Zack Stortini 70gp, 6-10-16 (.229)
13. Gilbert Brule 55gp, 7-8-15 (.273)
14. JF Jacques 50gp, 3-7-10 (.200)

Oiler forwards scored 181 goals a year ago, this time I’m predicting 208. I’m also going to predict that Ales Hemsky drags this team into the second season.