G38 Oilers at Hawks

I love these threads that tie the game together, always have. I wish our forefathers had documented hockey the way baseball’s lore has been so adored. Maybe it’s better, all these little threads that tie the game to communities and families and timelines. Maybe they wouldn’t be as special if everyone knew them.

But I do think it’s a shame that we don’t honor men like Johnny Wilson in the years after they pass from the game. Wonderful people touch this game and leave their mark. Len Lunde passed away over a year ago, and the things he did after leaving Edmonton were exceptional. There should be a place where we keep track of these men, tell stories, write them down and pass them along.

Oilers ripped it up in mid-November in a home game against Chicago. Hemsky scored early and then it was Mamma just wants to barrelhouse all night long. When they meet tonight it’ll be a case of both teams being quick change artists; the Oilers look like they were born on the bad side of the moon and Chicago fans are indulging in crazy talk about the 2012 Stanley.

The Oilers finally made a roster move, and it makes sense. Lennart Petrell offered this team a solid PK option early, but the 4th line is beyond bad. Adding Teemu Hartikainen is at least recognition that sending Anton Lander out with extreme role players Ben Eager and Darcy Hordichuk is not a plan.

I also think it shows good sense to place Hartikainen on the highest line possible tonight. Give the kid a whirl with some skilled men, maybe he’ll score a goal and have some chem. MAYBE he’ll help ignite one or two of the veterans, as they were a major part of the Oilers victory over the Hawks in November.

Beneath, between and behind there are some in house options for the Oilers. They’ve stopped plaiyng a clearly frail Ryan Whitney and the Hartikainen recall might be the start of something we’ll be telling stories about years from now: the day our beloved Finland gifted our Oilers with another wonderful player.

We could use a Phil Russell too.