STILL LOOKING
On Friday last week, Mark Spector spoke to Oilers GM Steve Tambellini on a variety of topics. The one I’m most interested in is adding to the defense. Are the Oilers searching for veteran help even this late in the summer?
- Tambellini to Spector on Justin Schultz:“Once we got to that day where it was decision day for Justin, he started calling different teams. He was calling teams personally, calling people to thank them but he’d made a choice. You know what that feeling is like, you’re just thinking well the phone’s gonna ring and we’re one of the teams it’s gonna be ‘thanks but no thanks.’ It was a real interesting situation, he called when we had pro scouts, goaltending consultants and MacT and everyone was in the room, and we were actually going over free agency. He came in with that call and told us he had selected the Oilers. Well there was an eruption in the room, it was like a big weight off our shoulders.”
- Tambellini to Spector on adding after Schultz signing: “We continued to look for a veteran D if he was available but it was going to have to be through a trade with us. It’s just not there right now and it wasn’t there right then. We’re always looking for a way to maybe add (a defenseman).”
I feared they would overpay for Marc Methot, and the price as it turned out was way too dear. The Oilers have some good news (possibly) on the Ryan Whitney front but that’s not something they can count on. Tambellini did say that if the club entered TC with their current 8 all healthy (Smid, Petry, Whitney, the 2 Schultz men, Sutton, Peckham, Corey Power Potterplay) then they would have no problem proceeding into the season.
I’m encouraged they are still looking. I’m of the belief that a former coach now in the management triangle might be pushing for a reliable veteran who can move the puck. Can Steve Tambellini pull the trigger?
#Shultzforcalder
It’s encouraging they’re looking, and equally encouraging that they didn’t overpay.
There’s a part of me that thinks they’re hoping some valuable players shake loose after the new CBA. Sort of a repeat of 2005.
Unfortunately for MPS fans if the oil are to trade for a D he will be part of the deal.
The oil feel he does not use his speed to creat offense and he is timid.
I guess they feel that he is not going to improve on his deficiencies .
Is there any significance to there being “goaltending consultants” in the room? Looking for the Khabibulin replacement?
Hey LT, this is off topic but I’m looking for that book written byJimmy D’
If any one could help me with the title I woul greatly appreciate it.
Trav:
The Road to Hockeytown: Jimmy Devellano’s Forty Years in the NHL
Jim Devellano, Roger Lajoie, Mike Ilitch (Foreword by), Marian Ilitch (Foreword by)
http://ca.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470155523.html
It doesn’t seem likely that there will be any trades, of anyone, by any teams, until we have a lockout and resolution sometime in December.
Then Luongo, Ryan, JBo, Doan all will have to be traded/ sign. Then trades will go down for mid level guys the Oilers will be looking at.
It will be chaotic and GM’s will have hours, not days to pull the trigger on trades and signings. This type of senario doesn’t seem like something Tambo would excel at.
I expect they do nothing. I am fine with that. I’d rather have MPS and Marincin than some moop who is going to play 3 or 4 D for 2 yrs and just improve the team marignally.
Anyway, Tambo needs to save his bullets until he sees how DD responds to being the #1 guy. If he craps out this year, the GM is going to have to go get a replacement next summer.
Like Ducey I still think there is apt to be a highly-priced but proven d-man or two available once (if?) the CBA is resolved and teams will know what they’re up against. A couple of those types moved at the draft (Zbynek Michalek) for reasonable returns mostly involving cap relief. His former teammate Paul Martin is one such possibility, though the Jordan Staal trade may have relieved the pressure there in Pittsburgh. But there will be others, guys with a year or two to run for $5 MM-ish that will be down the priority list for their current teams and available for a reasonable price.
Lowetide,
Thanks! I live in Northbattleford and there’s not a very good selection of books.
If Walmart doesn’t have it then we’re out of luck.
I’ll have to make a trip to Saskatoon to pick it up I guess. Thanks again, I’ve been reading
Your work for years. Keep it up
They sell books on the internet now and will deliver them to your home.
Even to Northbattleford.
Even to Cochin.
True story.
http://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=The+Road+to+Hockeytown%3A+Jimmy+Devellano%E2%80%99s+Forty+Years+in+the+NHL&x=10&y=21
I think we will be pleasantly surprised with DD. his play was excellent towards the end of the season, and with an improved team in front of himm I think he’s poised to prove he’s a legit #1. I also think the teams defense is really going to surprise this year. ( in a good way)
Thanks for the advise. I’ll look into that Internet thing.
Woodguy,
Alternatively you can also go with the Canadian option for the same price:
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Road-Hockeytown-Jimmy-Devellanos-Forty-Devellano-Lajoie-Ilitch/9780470155523-item.html?ikwid=the+road+to+hockeytown&ikwsec=Home
Add another book to get over $25 and shipping is free!
(I swear I don’t work for Chapters, just prefer their ship times over Amazon.ca)
Also available on iBooks for iPad users..
ASkoreyko,
Supporting Canadian businesses is always a good thing if they are competitive.
Off topic, but the Avalanche have made Gabriel Landeskog the youngest captain in NHL history. As per TSN
The guy was a hard minute destroyer at 18.
Great choice.
One of the few guys I’d trade Hall straight up for in the NHL.
Woodguy,
A Cochin reference on Lowetide? Hilarious! This site never ceases to amaze me.
Some 19 year olds may play in the AHL in the event of a lockout:
http://goo.gl/ebxRW
Bruce McCurdy,
Bruce,
Wasn’t Paul Martin part of the oops quote by Ray Ferraro this past winter. He forgot to turn off his mike and blurted out how awful Martin was.
DSF,
So would Landeskog be the captain of the Av’s AHL team as well if that happened?
So what is Matt Duschene’s fit in Colorado in terms of leadership group? Interesting choice Landeskog.
Would that give the NW division the oldest and youngest captains in the league? Landeskog and Iginla? I guess not as Alfredsson is older and captain of the Sens, but the juxtaposition in one division is interesting. I’d love to see some data comparing the play of the two when they were on the ice together.
Someone could do a full data comparison of every NHL captain 1-30.
How do people feel about Colaiacovo? I feel like he would be the best fit on this team at this point given his age. I realize his last year he played with Pieterangelo, which made him show well, but from the current pool of UFAs, I would think Carlo would be the best available pickup.