ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE ON OPENING DAY
The Edmonton Oil Kings enter the 12-13 WHL season as a strong contender to repeat as WHL champions. Do team repeat in the dub?
The answer is “not often, and lately not at all.” The last champions to repeat were the mid-90s Kamloops Blazers and they were a loaded club, featuring Jarome Iginla, Shane Doan, Darcy Tucker, Brad Lukowich, Jason Strudwick and others.
This Oil Kings roster has some outstanding young talent, but there are also concerns. The blueline lost Mark Pysyk and one of the players likely to fill the gap (Martin Gernat) is “day-to-day” with a shoulder injury that could develop into a longer term worry (the vague words coming from the Oil Kings on this matter have me in the fetal position–this kid is a good prospect). Is he gone for a long time? Half a season? Why are they being vague?
I was talking about the OK the other day on Oilers Nation, and specifically about Mitch Moroz. Poster Tha Legion chimed in with “just heard bob green I think on Gregor’s show say he’s gonna play with foster and st Croix, pretty good company.”
If the kid can keep up with those two, 30 goals might be possible. I don’t know if he has the hands for it, but he’s either turned a corner since last fall, the Oilers are pressuring a push, or both.
The Kootenay Ice are up first for the Oil Kings and the game is tonight. I’ve heard that as many as 10,000 will attend and honestly the excitement level for this team is incredible. Game is on Team 1260 with Corey Graham and Kent Simpson this evening, 7pm.
Hockey!!
Oil Kings are arguably the best team in the entire CHL this year. I hope the fans step up and fill the building for them. This could be a special year for junior hockey in general, and Edmonton in particular.
Speaking of junior hockey, how about that prospective WJC lineup? A team with RNH, Scheifele, Huberdeau, and Strome down the middle should be fun to watch…
T.J. Foster holds his stick wrong.
I know Griffindor Lionheart (that’s his name right?) is still on the EOK roster, but when the lockout ends, are the Islanders likely to call him up? I don’t think he’s eligible for the AHL yet… nice piece of the team to hang on to for an extra year.
I canceled my cable today. I usually only use it to watch hockey so I have no need for it anymore.
I know the lockout is between the owners and players but what it really comes down to more than anything is they both assume that I’ll be waiting for them when they return and that rubs me the wrong way.
I bought a gym membership last week and I’m going to start focusing on things that actually matter. I hope the NHL turns into a ghost league.
Strong, muscular thighs!
If the NHL lockout/strike lasts the whole season the Oilers will receive another lottery draft pick…. Yay! sigh..
That’s NOT the way it worked last time. All 30 names went into the hat. The Oilers ended up losing 15 spots or so and drafting around 25, and having T.J. Oshie being stolen from them with the pick before they took Cogliano.
Last time the entire season was lost they had a special lottery where each team started with 3 balls, and had one removed for each playoff appearance or first round pick from the prvious 4 years.
So the Oilers would be stuck with one ball.
But Steve Tambellini might be lucky enough to win it again.
“You see, you’ve got your ‘ma-’ and you’ve got your ‘nure.’ Ma-nure. See, it’s really quite simple.”
“Oh George, how is it that a man so short, so bald and so sexy isn’t married?”
“Well, about that….”
Acknowledge and bow down to the might of the Blades LT. Acknowledge their might.
I used to listen to the Blades on the radio. CFQC I believe. Federko, Blair Chapman, that team. Loved the Blades as a kid, used to cheer like hell for them. Delivered the Star Phoenix in Maidstone and saved the Saturday feature that listed them all. Federko was insane his final year of junior.