OILERS AT BLACKHAWKS G25 (12-13) 10.3.13
First time I saw Horcoff, he made a beautiful play in pre-season, tying up an opposition forward flying through the slot as the puck whipped past. Horcoff held his mark through the slot and out of the sequence, one sortie well defended. That was fall 2000.
Since that day, Shawn Horcoff has skated in over 800 games for the Oilers (regular and post-season) and mentored miles and miles of wingers. Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle spent their first season with him, Nail Yakupov will likely get plenty of time with the captain in these last 24 games and Drouin or Mantha could end up playing with Horcoff next year.
I don’t think he’ll be captain next year, in fact I wrote about it being possible a summer ago.
Horcoff gives the team a badly needed option at center, and puts Smyth back at his natural position. I don’t think the Oilers win today, but they should be a lot more competitive. I hope Horc can grip his stick, the Mike York memories remain.
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Oilers moved Brandon Davidson up from Stockton to OKC for today’s game, this kid is such an incredible story.
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Kevin Lowe was in OKC last night, looking at the talent on the farm. He would have seen Toni Rajala and Taylor Fedun good among prospects, but I think they are probably looking at Brett Clark who has been outstanding since coming to OKC.
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Speaking of Lowe, we’re coming up on 10th anniversary of the “Perry and a 1st” for Comrie deal that got shived because the Oilers wanted $2.5M from Comrie. Should we have some kind of event to mark the anniversary? Perhaps we meet at the Gretzky statue and play “Taps”? We have time, let’s mull it over.
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Oilers found the range at their exact mid-point of the season, which is impressive. The key is to leave it alone–someone hurt? STOP, DROP AND ROLL!–and the Oilers are experts. A well timed pickup of a veteran center and a useful defenseman might be worth a win or two, but it was not to be, and the Oilers felt they needed to replace Darcy Hordichuk’s spot on the roster more than Horcoff’s or Whitney’s.
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The Lowetide at High Noon Show is archived now at Team 1260. The podcast page is here, and the show is the last one downloaded (so #1). We talked Oiler struggles, the bottom 6 and how to fix it–at the deadline and in summer–the draft, McCurdy’s zone exits, Woodguy’s impressive defense of Paajarvi and OKC Barons with Neal Livingston from Tend the Farm. Have a listen if you have time.
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I’d like to see the following lines and pairings today:
- Nuge-Hall-Eberle
- Gagner-Paajarvi-Hemsky
- Horcoff-Smyth-Yakupov
- Belanger-Jones-Brown
- Smid-Petry
- Schultz-Schultz
- Whitney-Peckham
- Dubnyk
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In speaking to both Bruce McCurdy and Darcy McLeod on the show yesterday, I was surprised to find out both feel men like Eric Belanger and Ryan Jones will have trade value. My question to both surrounded how to fix the bottom 6, and both men felt the trade deadline was key.
So, a question: What is reasonable trade deadline value for the following players:
- Eric Belanger
- Ryan Jones
- Lennart Petrell
- Ryan Smyth
- Mike Brown
- Lennart Petrell
- Ben Eager
- Ryan Whitney
- Nick Schultz
- Mark Fistric
- Ladislav Smid
- Nikolai Khabibulin
Vollman’s latest chart, courtesy Rob and Jonathan Willis:
This reflects what we talked about yesterday: Petrell, Belanger, Eager, Hordichuk are getting beaten about the face and hands every sortie. The blue notes are the good ones in this bubble-filled graph, with the Chance trio, Magnus Paajarvi, the unrelated Schultz brothers and Teddy Peckman (very small ss) getting the blue sky checkmark.
My only concern among the younger group is the amount of playing time Schultz the younger is getting (they don’t have a number when the kid is lost, and he’s a little lost right now) and the type of minutes the Nuge is getting (tough, tough minutes every shift–he’s still a teenager, folks!).
Anyway, there’s progress and the management team looks pretty bad by this graph–all the kids who were drafted going back to Petry and Peckham are surviving. The problem is the men our GM brought in.
On TSN’s The Reporters the Oilers were discussed.
Bruce Arthur said (paraphrasing) ‘this is not a failure of the players, its a failure of management to build a team around the young core, this is the fault of Steve Tambellini and above him, Kevin Lowe’
As he tore into them they had a montage of Tambellini looking glazed over, with that dopey grin.
Was awesome.
here’s to alcohol and forgetting Daylight savings, making you late for the “gym” therefore allowing you to take your time in the morning!!!
The value of our players is I think less a question of what they bring in return but more a question of what do we gain by getting them away from the kids. I like Brown for what he is, which is a better version of Eager (who you forgot on your list LT, who may be a solid trade piece) for what they want him to do, but as have been mentioned he was not the cure for what ails us. I think you can get one or two on value deals if they fit with the kids and the locker room. Jones seems to be one you may keep, but he also is probably one who has value based on what he brings (compete, PK, timely goals, great attitude).
Eric Belanger – a team like Chicago has mentioned wanting a PK, good faceoff vet in the John Madden role. Belanger may lack some things, but his traditional stats suggest he fits the bill = 3 rd rd pick.
Ryan Jones = 3rd rd pick. But hope they sign him to a 1 or 2 yr deal for around $1 mill per.
Lennart Petrell= waiver dump. I think he gets waived before they send down a dman.
Ryan Smyth = a team like Boston would pay a 2nd, but I doubt they move him. He will be our 12th/13th forward next year.
Mike Brown = they will keep him. One thing to remember in a lower cap world is that someone who has an expiring contract has a ton of value (ala the NBA), so guys like Smyth and Brown who have a year left will not be easy to move. Oil management love him, he stays.
Ryan Whitney = expiring deal. Can QB the PP. On a good team with mobile partner he can be hidden for his flaws, and have a good impact. A team like Detroit or the Rangers would take him. = quality prospect or young NHL player.
Nick Schultz = once again, not an expiring deal, and is a solid 4/5 dman. They have to keep some vets right? He may get you a 2nd rd pick or prospect.
Mark Fistric = 3rd rd pick back. I think they like him, and if Peckham is a doughy as he seems, they sign him to a value deal (which I really hope happens pre deadline so they sort it all out)
Ladislav Smid = Most value on the team. Top 4 shutdown physical dman who is still young and an expiring deal. I actually think he gets you a 1st and possibly a prospect, or a solid young NHL player with upside. This is the kind of player the Oil used to get on the cheap (Staios, Smith) = 1st and a prospect or young NHL ready player with upside.
Nikolai Khabibulin = 3rd rd pick at best. Someone like Washington who could use a better backup to Holtby is a good landing spot. Expiring deal, vet, cup winner.
Lots to think about, but true trade currency is now expiring deals. They have more value then ever, and I believe if they target some teams who will have cap issues next year, you can deal an expiring contract, usefulesque player for a real NHL player with a bit of a contract and still get a pick or prospect. Here’s hoping somehow they make smart moves and poach from desperate teams.
Someone needs to climb up that Gretzky statue, and put a paper bag over it’s head.
That would send a message to Katz, when it goes viral.
My wife and I saw Shawn Horcoff at the Bears vs Kids game that fall way back when. He caught my eye for his awareness and positioning, and I remember saying to her “there’s a guy to watch.” Didn’t say that about anyone else on the ice.
If he hadn’t signed that fat contract he’d get a lot more love from the hoi polloilers hereabouts, but that’s an old story. Warriors with smarts seem to be important for hockey teams; I wonder whether anyone else has noticed that…
Ciao, Steve. Wish you hadn’t wasted all that goodwill, time and talent. But to be fair, you had some help, including Mr. Katz who wanted some splashy free agents instead of guys like Roloson or Glencross, and Mr. Lowe who couldn’t do anything right with any unhappy defenseman wearing 44.
Management has lost the fan room.
So it seems that #firelowe has caught on more than #firemactamblowe which is understandable.
Shall we greet the Oilers on Friday with chants of “Fire Lowe”?
BlacqueJacque,
How about Fire Kevin. Seems like the name has to be 2 syllables.
Side note, but the world classic brawl was awesome. I would think the one team the world should never brawl with is Canada, since most of them grew up playing hockey and have actually fought. It showed in the fact that unlike many slap fests that occur in baseball, this one had Canadians actually punching faces and using MMA ground and pound techniques on a few guys. Team unity happens, and who knows. I know I will actually tune in to the Canada vs USA game now. That would be an awesome upset.
I personally guarantee that a photograph of Gretzky’s Northland’s statue with a paper bag stuck over it’s head, sent to the news agencies who will 100% be certain to publish it(also making money for the lucky stiff who takes it) will give the arrogant Mr. Katz a kick up the arse like he hasn’t felt since high school.
“Lowe’s got to go!”
Has a nice zippy crowd cadence.
I have a modified +/- system that adjusts for context (zone starts, quality of teammates, and quality of Comp) and point production. Last season Clark was -3 vs. average and +7 vs. replacement. Considering he played all 82 games those are decent numbers for the backend of the rotation. . The Oilers could definitely use him.
Stauffer says Fistric is back with Oil. So who knows what that means for waiver wire.
Fie – Er Kev In
clap,clap
clap,clap,clap
Hers what I would do
Brown ,Schultz you keep
Whitney ,trade for second or third
Smyth Belanger Eager , all have another year of contract at unfavorable amount .Without that they have value for teams going into playoffs.Try to trade them and take back part of contract.It’s better than buyout if you can get good value in return.
Smid you try to resign before deadline 3.3 to 3.5 it’s a bit of discount but his wife and her familyare from Edmonton .He should give a home town discount.
Jones you tr to resign at 1 m or trade at deadline.
Gagner you switch to tough opposition for the rest of year to either drive price down or prove he can do it all.
I watched that this morning also. Arthur was bang on. Simmons however questioned the character and leadership of the high picks as they showed footage of Hall and RNH.Typical Simmons.
DBO, I hope you are correct on what value Belanger, Jones, Smyth, Whitney and Khabibulin have in today’s market. I have a feeling you are a bit optimistic, but if ST can get anything close to what you suggest, he has to swing those deals. All these guys are replaceable, and will need to be replaced if the team is going to improve. I know Smyth signed the contract because he wants to play in Edmonton, but I would like to think he wants a shot at the cup.
I agree with you on keeping Brown. He is the type of guy the Oilers need in their line-up. A couple of weeks ago I was sitting four rows up when, right in front of me, Torres ran RNH face-first into the glass. You could see the ‘hurt’ on the kid’s face. There is no way the Red Deer Rebels would have allowed anone to hit him like that, yet there was no response from the Oilers. I thought back to the Flyers and Bobby Clark. There was a reason Clark had room on the ice to put up 120 point seasons.
Smid is a keeper too. He is the one vet, besides Horcoff, who plays hard every night. At his age, he is part of the solution, and I hope that he is able to work out a contract that is fair to him & the team.
For many playoff teams who don’t have cap issues, they have two available compliance buyouts. So players with one year left on their contract could be “expiring” contracts because the team you trade them to, can use a compliance buyout in the summer.
So I am really hopeful that someone like Boston takes Smyth for the playoff run, and use a compliance buyout on him during the summer. Smyth on the 4th line and in the PB next year for the Oilers is a bad idea. The media made a circus out of his one pressboxing this year.
Bringing Ryan Jones back is a bad idea. The bottom six is bad. You have to improve the bottom six. Paajarvi can take his PK role. Hartikainen can do everything else better than Jones.
I’d keep Nick Schultz as the 3rd pairing mentoring type, like Buffalo did for years with James Patrick.
With MacT back in the organization, Smid is gonzo. We know what he thinks of Smid.
Absolutely. We can all see this and the Vollman chart does an amazing job of demonstrating it.
Stauffer and Tencer are doing their collective best to diffuse the disgust amongst Oilers fans by placing it on the players’ effort level etc. Stauffer had a recent discussion with someone that I caught 20 seconds of… The debate was whether or not it was the players or the coach–they both concluded that it was the players. However, they didn’t discern why it was with the players (i.e. the roster itself).
hey hey ho ho
kevin lowe has got to go.
As per Jack MIcheal’s twitter:
Jack Michaels @EdmontonJack
Horcoff, Hemsky, Potter, and Harikainen in. Belanger on IR (groin). Eager and Peckham scratched. Petrell and Jones game-time decision.
Belanger out?
Harski in?
Eager out?
Petrell and Jones GTD?
Loving me some Ralph!
Lastly, I just wrote a long post on the now dead previous thread.
“At this point, I’m not sure that it makes sense to call up Brett Clark.
Now, I’ve haven’t watched him play much, but he’s 36 years old, so in terms of his age, he’s not a solution going forward (next season).
He was -26 on a 10th in East Lightening in 2011-12, so I don’t know that he would necessarily be that much of an upgrade out of one of our 3 #7 dmen playing on the bottom pairing. I’m not saying that he wouldn’t either, just that it wouldn’t accomplish much either way.
From BTN and I don’t like advanced stats as much for dmen as forwards, it looks like he had a positive zone push, played against the 4rth toughest corsil QOC with 6h best corsi QOT. His PDO was 975, so he was a little unlucky. In spite of that, he was the worst 5v5 dman on the Lightening that season by a wide margin and he’s older now.
This season is in the books for the Oilers, so the only thing that matters now is asset management.
If the Oilers can move some of their dead wood for any type of picks, that’s a plus (Belanger, Eager, Petrell, Khabi, Whitney, Potter, Jones,Peckham..)
Along with that they have to deal with contracts for Smid and Gagner.
There are rumors that the Pens are interested in Smid. Given that the Oilers don’t have enough actual NHL defensemen, I don’t see how they can send Smid to the Pens without losing. That is unless there’s a smorgasbord of dmen that I don’t know about this upcoming free agency…
Gagner’s point production could make him expensive… All that means is the Oilers are likely to reward him with an albatross of a contract that will keep him in Edmonton until he retires and booed till he does (see Horcov, Shawn).
Next up: the draft. Would it be a miracle of SMB could find a player with our 2nd round pick who tracks towards a top 4 d or top 6 forward?
My gut tells me that the Oilers will trade their 2nd in this year’s draft maybe in a package for a guy like Clowe. Next season, we’ll see the tires are bald, but Stevie Y told Tambo to go for it.
The Oilers are widely regarded around the league as sellers already. What they will sell aside from the deadwood?
The only items on the table could include Gagner, Hemsky, Smid, PRV, and Jones. Now we all know Jones isn’t a very good hockey player (cue WG), but the Oilers like his flow.
If the Oilers trade PRV now, I think it will be a mistake unless the return is an actual NHL hockey player (top 9/4) with tread left on the tires.
Hemsky’s been dangled for years, but they have never liked the return. This year could be different.
Gagner’s been dangled too but they lose the trade unless they get a 2C with tread on the tires back in return. I don’t see that happening.”
That’s a pretty nice “settle all family business” Sunday morning!
Wow, pretty much all of Tambo’s out of system pick ups are absolute trash. That chart is the simplest way to sum up his tenure with the team. I think Lowe has to take blame, too.
I keep wondering when this team will finally hit rock bottom. We are already worse than the Islander. We are already the most pathetic team of the laat 7 years.
Who’ll stop the rain?
Ryan,
Tampa Bay played without a goaltender last year! -). They still sort of are. I don’t think the plus/minus stat is the right stat to look at for Tampa defensemen.
So, a question: What is reasonable trade deadline value for the following players:
Eric Belanger – Mid round 4th or so. Face off men get picked up at the dead line. Extra year drives price down
Ryan Jones – 6th/7th Need a team with an injury at RW
Lennart Petrell – 8th rounder in the ECHL expansion draft
Ryan Smyth – Probably have to trade picks to move 94 due to extra year at dumb $2.25MM – .i.e. Smyth + 4th for a 5th. Buyout target next summer if they can’t move him.
Mike Brown – Not going anywhere. Upgrade on Eager and Oilers want this type of player
Lennart Petrell – So nice you listed him twice?
Ben Eager – Same deal as Smyth, but much less value- Buyout target in summer if you can’t move him
Ryan Whitney – I think Whitney+Omark to Wings might be a done deal. You can get a 4th/6th Dmen, even lame ones seem to have value at the deadline.
Nick Schultz – Not trading him. Put an A on him.
Mark Fistric- I think they keep him too
Ladislav Smid – If the Oilers actually have a deal for Jack Johnson in place, they move Smid. You should get a 1st or a close D prospect + 2nd, or “gritty winger” + 2nd, or gritty winger who doesn’t have feet for hands straight up. NOTE: Oilers trading Smid and trading for Johnson is a disaster and I think its coming.
Nikolai Khabibulin – Actually showing well (besides IR time), another 5th type value, maybe as high as 3rd if the goalie market is tight and a contender gets an injury.
Rock bottom is Taylor Hall wanting out of town. Their little rebuild becomes a full circle of shit with that one.
I can almost say for sure they are looking at Clark in OKC. Hes my cousin and was told he would play for the Oilers this year when he was signed to the OKC deal. I still expect it to happen at some point.
Khabibulin-fourth
belanger-third
eager-third
jones-second
potter/peckham-third
FIstrick- second
smyth- not happening
petrell-fourth
whitney-third?
smid-first plus prospect
I want to see the oilers trade a bunch of the bottom six, and to turn it over to youth next year. I would love to see them bring penner back to add depth to lw, probably second line center. I would use the extra picks to take a run at a defenseman at the draft. Smid needs to get signed, but not overpaid. He is a second pairing defender imo, and I would actually prefer to see him on the third pairing. Jones stays. Everybody else, I don’t care. I suspect gagner and Hemsky might disappear, but I hope we don’t sell low. I have my eyes on Barkov, and jones at the draft.
Next years depth chart-
Hall Nuge Eberle
Penner Gagner Yakupov
Smyth barkov paajarvi
Hartikainen horkoff jones
Brown
Shultz Shultz
Klefbom Petry
Smid FA
Fistric
Dubnyk
FA
Hopefully the oilers are in Jones territory, as he would push everyone down a slot on defence eventually. However the oilers still need a third offensive centre, and I believe barkov is the bpa where we draft. Dealimg hemsky is the only way the depth chart makes sense if you bring in a legitimate lw. Hopefully we can get a high pick for hemsky, but failing that we need to a retourn of nhl ready prospects who can fill holes in the roster.
A compliance buyout could be used on Smyth too this summer. A team like Boston is a rich team.
If Pittsburgh is interested in Smid, one has to figure the Oilers are interested in Joe Morrow as part of the package coming back. Right?
So Smyth 4 C again with Belanger out? Or Petrell at 4 C?
Hope to see Horc with Harsky and Jones as our 3rd line. Horcoff mentioned he still can’t grip his stick enough to take faceoffs and that he is worried about his shot. Ouch, this could be ugly again.
This is a deep draft. I don’t think many 2nd round draft picks are going to be pried loose for playoff depth players. I think 3rds will be the currency.
tambellini Traded
penner 33 Evp /season
Cogliano 30 EVp/season
Brodziak 29 EvP/season
replaced with
Eager 10 Evp/season
Belanger 10 EVP/season
Petrell 9 EVP/season
that is a heck of an even G difference
today we are replacing that with
harti 25 EVP
Horcoff 30 Evp
Jones 24 EVP
Smyth, RNH, Hemsky, Eberle, are well down from there EVP averages.
godot10,
I think prices will be higher than normal this year because every single team in the league is in striking distance of the playoffs. Five points is nothing especially when every game is a four pointer. Sellers right now are probably only edmonton, columbus in the west. So slim pickings for the playoff teams.
Anyone hear anything about Lander? Is he back soon, cause we need him unless we get a waiver C or a bottom nhler in a deal. Still praying somehow we can pry Boyle from the Rangers. Belanger, Whitney and a 4th? Seems like the overpay we would make, but I would still be OK with it.
I’d dump all of the following for nothing (or whatever you could get):
Whitney, Petrell, Jones, Peckham, Eager, Smyth (might be impossible to dump), Khabi, Brown, and Potter
All of them could be replaced (unless you want to keep a tough guy) with AHL’ers without any real loss. (Dumpinng them semds a message, too.)
I’d trade N Schultz and Eric Belanger for any sort of roster player that I could get.
Then I’d use free agency and trade picks and prospects to fill in the following lineup (may have to deal one of Gagner or Hemsky for a D in the offseason):
Hall-RNH-Yak
XXX-Gagner-Eberle
MPS-Horcoff-Hemsky
Hartikainen-XXX-XXX
XXX
XXX-Schultz
Smid-Petry
XXX-XXX
XXX
Dubnyk
For fans of Tambellinii, please note that all of the forwards, the goalie and one of the three were Oiler draft picks who fell into their laps. The other D, Schultz, fell into their laps. And Smid was aquired by Lowe in a trade he got hosed on.
That is to say, all of the players that Tambellini has added by signing or waiver pickup (except Fistric, who I left out) universally, awfully suck. And that is why the Oilers can’t even compete for the playoffs with 3 first overall picks, Eberle, Schultz, Gagner, Petry, and MPS in the lineup.
Bruce has a transcript of The Reporters thing.
http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/2013/03/10/tsns-the-reporters-analyze-edmonton-oilers-theyd-better-change-the-transmission/
Steve Simmons epitomizes lazy, narrative grasping reporters with no real knowlege or value to add.
Trading Smid would be insane. The Oilers have very few good players that are older than 23. Smid is exactly the kind of player you keep if you want to have a decent team.
I don’t think they move Jones. He hasn’t been all that bad whenever his line mates have been ‘into’ the game. He is, however, a follower. He goes as his line goes in terms of energy and I think he’s a good fourth line type. Bit expensive, I’ll grant you that. But his energy, hitting and ability to get goals while also pking makes him useful.
people I’d move, or try to?
Petrell — Very replaceable. Paajarvi can take over his pk duties and that’s the only real thing he brings to the table.
Smyth — Has(d) a name, so i think you could trade him for something at the deadline to a playoff bound team. Otherwise possible buyout.
Eager — Might be able to get a low pick for him from an Eastern team. They like toughness and such. Be lucky to get a 4th or 5th. Possible buyout.
Belanger — Should be trade-able, due to the fact someone always wants a guy who can win face offs, pk and with a track record of producing some offense and can sell it as him just not able to do so here with our system. Part of a package or on his own, should get a 3rd for him.
Whitney — St. Louis might give us a bag of pucks. Make it so!
if they don’t sign Smid then Lowe and Tambellini should be lined up and shot. Johnson is not a good replacement for Smid, at all. I know he’s had a down year but the guy is the only defenseman we have that blocks, hits, can skate and seemingly can’t be hurt like he should be. He’s part of the future, and a key part at that.
Does this team know how to do anything besides burn up ELCs?
The Blue Jackets are apparently shopping Brandon Dubinsky.
26, 6’1″ 210
Cap hit $4.2M for two more seasons.
Might be a good fit.
Good points, but he ranked at the bottom of the pile among their dmen by a wide margin.
That being said, I guess he should be a solid addition to our top 4 lol!
you trade smyth guys are on…….
38 EVP points last year.
20 EVP seaon pace with dregs this year.
Can PK.
Smyth-Horc-yakupov as a 3rd next year.
Lowe must go
Tambi too
Lowe must go
Tambi too
Bob Stauffer @Bob_Stauffer
Ralph Krueger mentioned a net presence for each line and that Smyth would center an energy line and that the kids might be apart..
well might as well change it up.
Harsky-Nuge-Eberle
Hall-Gagner-Hemsky
Paajarvi-Horc-Yak
Jones-Smyth-Brown
Maybe something like this, unless Brown goes up in lneup, which seems pretty crazy
Easy to blame Lowe for hiring Tambellini but at what point do we look at an owner who puts up with this crap . Enough people both today and in the past have pointed out Tambos trades / free agents and that is most of the problem . Mr. Katz if you ran Rexall like this you would go broke . Clean house and that may include Krueger & assistants NEED A NEW GM WHO CAN PICK HIS OWN COACHES .
this looks like another case of overvaluing our players.
and remember, it’s Tambi we’re talking about here.
he’s accidentally hung up on more GM’s than he’s actually talked to.
hello? hello? is someone there? hello? damn.
Gret99zky,
Yes, this management group is good at a few other things…
1. They’re apparently pretty good at ignoring a hot stick when handing out contracts.
2. I’d say they’re pretty good a spending draft picks on waiver wire calibre players.
3. The Oilers management are excellent at letting waiver-wire players that are superior to their own roster player sail thru waivers.
4. Other than that, they’re not bad at letting go of players we could really use today (Glen X, Brodziak, Visnovsky, Giilbert)
5. Let’s not forget that Tambo’s also batting 1000 at the draft lottery table.
Given the injury to 20 and 10/83/56 being back I go:
4-93-14
91-89-83
56-10-64
13-94-28
I want 13 in.
I don’t think he’ll deter Carcillo one iota
I just to see him beat the piss out of Carcillo
Go Oilers!
*clap,clap*
Pretty good at pissing off knowledgeable hockey fans.
As to the trade ideas above, I don’t understand the notion of trading Smid, regardless of the probable return. The guy brings it every night and has learned his trade the hard way. He just needs to be slotted into a level that he can succeed at.
When the stock market is dropping people who hold shares in good companies can be fooled into dumping them for much less than they are really worth, because negative sentiment takes charge. The Oilers are pretty close to bottoming here, don’t let sentiment overtake reason in terms of valuing the players on the roster.
I would think that a management change would have a positive effect on those players who today see no reason to sacrifice themselves for a hopeless cause. The players aren’t fools, they can see that successful teams manage their rosters in ways that the Oilers do not.
Agreed on beating Carcillo. Brown knows his role, is good at it, and can sort of play a regular shift. Not his fault if the coach puts him out there against the top line.
Shawn Horcoff is playing, but can’t really hold his stick because he has a broken hand.
“Slap, Slap”
Woodguy,
Carcillo did make one really late hit on Petry where I only saw Petry’s numbers last game.
Halfwise,
I never suggested trading Smid, but there are rumors of teams interested.
With the Oilers, they obviously need more NHL defensemen–not less, so like Gagner it’s a trade they’ll lose if they make it.
DBO,
Ralph Krueger mentioned a net presence for each line and that Smyth would center an energy line and that the kids might be apart..
Hope not.
4-93-14 is a very good line that outshoots the best often.
I don’t think we’ve actually seen:
4-93-14
91-89-83
As the top 2 lines in a game except when they waxed DAL
Dan Tencer @dantencer
Shawn Horcoff said today that the team is “a little fragile mentally” and he thinks that a players meeting yesterday addressed some issues.
If memory serves it was Smid that said this should happen when speaking to the media yesterday. That is leadership this team needs. And on Oil change I seem to recall Smid ranting in the dressing room. I like that kind of leadership. He better be re signed. He is a solid #4 shutdown dman. Get him signed dammit, because you just know he is the guy teams will call about.
Agree totally. And that would make Harksy-Horc-Yak our third line, with Jones – Smyth-Brown our 4th.. I’m OK with that all things considered.
I’m so into that idea
Oh LT, the Sail On Sailor post at ON for Smid? Why do you pain us so.
http://oilersnation.com/2013/3/10/sale-on-sail-on-sailor
Absolutely Goddamn Right. And QFT.
LT
The Oiler don’t require Drouin, they desperately need a Barkov, Monahan, or Mackinnon.
Centre depth is now required over a winger.
If I had the ear of Tambellini I would also tell him he has to move heaven and earth to get another pick in the first round and draft Bo Horvat.
Keep Horvat in the back of your head, this Kid IS the Horcoff replacement, this guy is everything that the Oilers don’t have and wish they did.
If you’re doing anymore draft articles this guy please, I would like to get your take on him, I’ve only seen him about a half dozen times but I’ve read just about everything I could find on him.
Just an awesome player.
Check that, just checked that DAL game, didn’t happen there either.
Did see that 24% of Benn’s icetime was against 55-54-37
Jesus Ralph. I know its the road, but c’mon.
Note: I know what you think Godot, but that match up is just not smart at any level
When you’re not giving non-goalies credit for save % I like a lot of what you write.
Wes Mantooth-11,
I’d say they need a Jones more.
Lucinius,
I don’t think they move Jones.
RK moves him down the depth chart every chance he gets.
Expiring contract.
I think they try to trade him.
It’s rally remarkable reading that article about the Comrie trade from 2003.
To think we could have had Perry….and Lowe’s ego got in the way.
The gall of asking a player to pay…after you have obviously messed up the relationship with the asset. Of course it got out in the media….because you shouldn’t have said that!
Alas, I doubt Lowe will ever be let go. The old boys club will continue to plug away with experimental tinkering, keeping this team at the bottom end for years to come. Ex players do not make great managers.
Time for some hockey men. Jim Nil, Lindy Ruff…like that idea.
Photoshopped.
http://hfboards.hockeysfuture.com/picture.php?albumid=1000&pictureid=11893
Woodguy,
Makes sense. So if we go on that assumption, and with Harsky and Paajarvi being guarantees due to waivers, we can expect our lineup to look something like this (assuming Belanger and Jones go bye bye, along with Petrell and Eager). And I do think they consider moving Hemsky for more grit (the Brouwer deal i can’t shut up about)
Hall-Nuge-Eberle
Paajarvi-Gagner-Yakupov
Harsky-Horcoff-Brouwer/Hemsky
Smyth-Lander-Brown
Woodguy,
I just listened to your segment on yesterday’s radio show. First well done. Second, I have a solution you are looking for. Unfortunately the Oilers and the rest of the NHL are wearing the wrong pair of shoes. Yes, shoes.
Nike and Reebok have made there way into hockey but not Adidas. Adidas is killing it with innovation in soccer. They have a new player tracking technology built into the shoes that is providing real time tracking data on all kinds of stats. Nike is doing something similar with basketball. Speed, impact, and jumping are all being measured. Plus Cardio data, so no more guessing if you need to call a time out for the D to get a breather.
Shame Hockey is not leading the charge here. This tech is out now and up a running, a progressive hockey team could easily have this in there equipment for the playoffs this year let alone next season. Hopefully this summer Oilers buy a new pair of shoes along with a bottom 6 and a defender or 2. More details about how this tech is already being used can be found here;
http://www.mlssoccer.com/all-star/2012/news/article/2012/07/20/armchair-analyst-how-smart-exactly-adidas-micoach
http://www.adidas.com/us/micoach/
Fire. Mr Dithers. Now.
This is Bob’s guess for the lines:
From: @Bob_Stauffer
Sent: Mar 10, 2013 11:09a
..so my best guess with Horcoff, Hemsky and Hartikainen returning is as follows: 4-10-83, 56-93-14, 91-89-64, 13-94-37/28
sent via web
On Twitter: http://twitter.com/Bob_Stauffer/status/310799689844944897
That’s kinds like 3 scoring lines.
Heresey!!
Woodguy,
God, throw Horc to the tough minutes line instantly. Good lord, let him ease in.
FYI Nill and Ruff are both ex-players
There has been a ’3 scoring lines’ spotting in this thread. As is my custom, I have to remind all readers that this is unpossible, like unicorns, women going topless and winning a car.
Thanks for your attention to this matter.
At this point with Yakupov clearly move valuable and able on the RW, they have no choice until they off load Hemsky for grit. Be fun to see the triple H line with all the injured lads playing together, once again sentencing Hemksy to hands of stone hell.
Alright – time to take advantage of a skidding Hawks team. They’ve got a pretty good losing streak going and the Oilers can take advantage of it!
Also, is there anything scotch can’t do?
Regarding “women going topless”
I was in Rome the week Italy won the World Cup. There were women dancing naked in front of Statione Termini for **three days** after the final match. The Red Stripes “Seven Nation Army” song had been chosen by the Italians as the theme song for the World Cup, so all this time in Rome, near anywhere you went you could hear the baseline for that song.
Duly noted.
In the way of totally unrelated observations. This northern Ontario curling team looks like fourth line material. Good grief, that lead looks like he could take teddy wreckum out back and hold his own.
Three Energy Lines is a far better plan.
Energy players only cost about 1-1.5 million each. So you could have three energy lines for about $12 million total. Then you could have one Awesome scoring line.
You could run your shifts like this.
Energy Line 1
Energy Line 2
Energy Line 3
Scoring Line – BOOM GOALS GOALS GOALS.
Think about it. By the time your Scoring Line gets on the ice, the energy levels on the team would be through the roof and the other team would be haplessly demoralized. The scoring line would score so many goals it would be insane.
Somebody get me Tambellini on the phone. He could do this!
VanOil,
The technology exists and wouldn’t be tough to impliment.
Getting the NHL to agree to it and publish the data is something else altogether.
Still need give a pass/take a pass info and battle info too.
In my experience. There is NOTHING that scotch can’t make better. FWIW i have invested considerable time in the gathering of credible information related to that finding.
Quite the article using stats. Wow. Sets up our top lines as best available.
http://www.boysonthebus.com/2013/03/10/optimizing-an-nhl-roster-edmonton-oilers-edition/
Hall-Nuge-Eberle
Paajarvi-Gagner-Yakupov
Harsky-Horcoff-Hemsky
Smyth-Bleanger-Jones
From the article as our best option with the players on roster based a lot on Corsi together. Not great, but best we can do.
That game this morning was exceptional. NO was outgunned from me to you and they had Howard scratching his head pretty much every end. I like Stoughton and plenty of friends in Manitoba, but I’m cheering for NO tonight.
Don’t tell anyone, though.
VanOil,
Also, thanks!
I listened to the show, too. One caller had the audacity to question management. He said Tambellini should be fired. Tencer quickly jumped on him for a an example, and when the guy mentioned a player (I forget who it was) that was added by Lowe, he attacked the guy. “Get your facts straight…” They were all over him. It was embarrassing. The guy was reasonable and had a great point. It bothers me because a percentage of the fanbase believes the crap they’re spoon-feed by the media. It’s really bothersome that we have to rely on broadcasters in Toronto to accurately report on happenings in such a great hockey market such as Edmonton. (present company and other bloggers excluded)
I know you mentioned Terry Jones as a striaght shooter on your show LT, and I admit I was a kid in the 80′s, but I haven’t read anything by him recently that would make me think he is calling management or ownership out. With all due respect, he’s not an apologist for management, but he seems to still have their rose-coloured glasses on.
I think that any campaign to change management will have to be grassroots. And there is some urgency to the mission.
delooper,
That is so very cool. We are such prudes by comparison.
Also – Red Stripe is a beer, The White Stripes is the band. They do go well together though.
I hope the lineup changes today aren’t a knee-jerk reaction to losing badly. If all these guys come off of IR too soon, just to try and right the listing ship – well, that’s Oiler dysfunction #14, no?
DBO,
I think there are significant changes coming this summer.
Can you tell I don’t listen to their music? That said, it functioned as a lovely World Cup Theme Song. There maybe aren’t many countries other than Italy that could pull that off.
Woodguy,
I hope so but I doubt it. As mentioned, i believe they move Hemsky for GRIT and dump Belanger and Eager. Would this lineup be good enough next year if Hemsky brought us a top end dman?my answer is no, but this is what i expect to start with next year.
Hall-Nuge-Eberle
Paajarvi-Gagner-Yakupov
Smyth-Horcoff-Jones
Harsky-Lander-Brown
??-Shultz
Smid-Petry
Shultz-Fistric
If you really want the chant to sting…
“Replace the jerks! We want Burke!”
I think if you accept the premise that energy lines are as-advertised, this would be the most cost-effective way to build a winning team.
If you think you need an enforcer on your team, and scoring or ability are not part of the equation, which player is more likely to gain the opponent’s attention at 4th line RW:
Mike Brown or Kirill Tulipov?
I don’t think CHI is a pissed off team since their streak is snapped.
If anything I think it takes some urgency out of every game now that they are not chasing/adding to a record.
Oilers on the other hand should be very pissed off and adding 10-83-56 while subtracting 20-55 and 28/37 gives a massive boost to actual hockey talent in the line up.
Oilers are +190 tonight.
I don’t necessarily think they win, but I think there is value in +190 given the circumstance.
CHI is a very good team and EDM isn’t, but I don’t think they are as bad as their last 2 games.
Gonna bet a couple units on EDM.
DBO,
I don’t think Jones is here next year.
You also don”t have the Hemsky return on the line up.
JohnnyRocket,
Part of any MSM members hesitation to attack as it were is completely for access reasons. The Oilers aren’t FDR bad ( where reporters had to ask questions from the provided sheet) but the “allowable content” agreement is firmly established.
As for above notation of how hopelessly skewed the rights holders “take” is….. well, that is the way she goes. If you can imagine… calgary is as bad or worse. Objectivity from them is beyond their mandate, they are for all intents and purposes, apologists and promoters of the party line.
I agree.
It is sickening.
Personally I drive home a considerable distance and lose signal from 1260 and end up switching to 630. When the callers are especially poignant in their criticism what you find is Tencer and Brown holding forth for exceedingly long deflective answers. End result is the actual caller content is minimized and those with an incredibly strong affinity for the sound of their own voices get maximum time to sell the schlock.
It really is pathetic in it’s irresponsible predictability.
Used to piss me off no end. Now I find it humorous. Struds on the other hand….. beauty!!!
Woodguy,
The Hemsky return I wonder if it is that mythical top end dman (at this point it would be like a Mike Green – injury prone potential top end with big contract. Sounds like a Tamblowe move.).
As for Jones, if they don’t get a gritty Brouwer type of forward for Hemsky and get a dman instead, then I think they keep Jones.
While Brown might not be the best player, he’s much better than Kirill and a better skater. The other thing in Brown’s favor is that he’s an excellent fighter. He quite often rag-dolls his opponents around the ice, has a jack-hammer style of throwing knuckles, and can switch hands mid-stream of those jack-hammers. I’ve watched several of his fights on hockeyfights.com. I would suggest that he’s as good a fighter as Hemsky is a dangler.
The other thing to notice about Brown, is that coach K isn’t afraid to play him and speaks glowingly about Brown’s work ethic and hockey sense. Other pugilists that Krueger has coached all received very little ice time.
Brown isn’t the answer for what is ailing this team, and we can debate the merits of having a fighter in the lineup, but he is a definite upgrade on Hordi and Eager.
It’s not Carcillo that 13 will be engaging. It’ll be Bollig. Don’t like Brown’s chances.
Slap, Slap. Down goes Brown.
Go Hawks. Lose to this decrepit POS team and I cease to be a fan.
Not really but somebody here has to stir things up.
Boo Oilers. You Suuuuuucccckkkk
There should be zero issues with Brown being onboard as long as Eager is scratched. Pains me to say but he’s the worst player on the team right now. Just an RCH lower than Petrell.
Alan Hull over at CopperNBlue came up with the idea of all the bloggers calling for the firing of Tambellini and Lowe en masse simultaneously with well worded and thought out articles. Alan and Derek Zona have already posted theirs.
Any chance of you joining in on this LT? The idea is that if enough non-MSM types make enough nose maybe the media will have to notice. At the very least the mob might at least start directing their ire at the proper targets instead of the players.
Alan Hull’s excellent post:
http://www.coppernblue.com/2013/3/9/4084286/can-you-hear-the-people-sing-singing-a-song-of-angry-men
Derek Zona’s more direct post:
http://www.coppernblue.com/2013/3/9/4084072/fire-steve-tambellini-say-the-optimists
Word out of Chitown is the Blackhawks are going to emulate the Oilers rebuild plan.
Bowman, Quenville, etal will step down and be replaced by Bobby Hull and Jim Pappin respectively.
Chico Maki comes in as Head Scout.
That’s not really what I do with this blog. I kind of sit down and type what I feel. Good luck to those who are doing it, though. Hope it goes well!
I should add how I feel: I would very much like the Oilers to give MacT an opportunity to be the GM. I believe his thoughtful approach would perhaps be a better fit for the job than Kevin Lowe’s emotional approach.
I would also love a Jim Nill hiring, talked about that yesterday iirc
They should start a Facebook page and organize a “Fire Tambellini and Lowe Rally” at Rexall!!
Not a big fan of the management.
Tanking for four years seems to be the M.O. though.
Setting these guys up for four years is a disgrace to the colours.
Trying to keep down with Columbus and Florida is slapping and spitting in the face of loyalty.
As far as Katz goes, you have to wonder whether he just wants a cash cow, or a winner.
I wish the NHL had folded.
justDOit,
Also, is there anything scotch can’t do?
I know of one thing scotch can’t do.
Taste as good as Irish Whisky.
Lowetide,
Just read your sail on post at ON.
re:Smid
His agent said publicly (think it was in the Sun) that they are ready to deal, but have had no contact from the Oilers.
I’ve heard this song before and you can’t dance to it.
I would like to publicly invite you, Woodguy, to write the piece here at Lowetide the day the Oilers trade for Johnson. Use all the words, I won’t change one.
I’m all for better players. There is no deterrent possible in fighting now because players can opt out of a fight. Fighters battling fighters is pointless.
Why I posted that is it would be nice to see some good old Sather style thinking outside of the box. Tulipov is not a good hockey player, but he is a devastating athlete. And he absolutely destroys guys in fights, like Semenko or Dave Brown did at one time. When you have the worst team in the league it can’t hurt to try things like that, like the Jets did with Buf, not that they are in the same league as players.
He might do better (as in not appalling) in an easier position, and he would be a beast on the forecheck. Talk about a net presence. He may be able to do what Georges did, hold the puck in the corners because he is such a behemoth, and nobody wants to piss him off. Sure the puck isn’t going to go to or in the net, but at least it won’t be near ours.
Tulipov is extremely mean while seeming to be a decent guy from that interview he did. And I think if instructed properly, would be willing to do what is necessary, if your going to carry a guy in that role – have one that will grab a guy that is running an Oiler, willing participant or not, and change his mind about what he is doing in a definitive way. If anything will deter, being tuned by a guy like that, without a choice, might do the trick. It would be tradition, the Glory teams usually had a maniac or two.
He’ll take a suspension, but who cares? M Brown might be tough, but I don’t think he’s in that class, the Chara / Lucic / Sutton gigantic and nasty class. The team currently recycles other team’s cast offs too much. They are always “good guys” blah blah. RK was saying the same things about Hordi and Eager to try to motivate them I would think.
Let’s have some fresh thinking. Utilize what is in your system in a creative way. As fans we see other teams having good contributions out of players it may not be expected from.
For this summer’s UFAs, I hope they resign Jones and Smid. Undecided about Fistric. Hope the rest are gone with something to show for them.
Woodguy,
So the scenario you speak of includes Paajarvi+ heading to Columbus – only adding to the mistake.
Do I have that about right?
Few random thoughts.
The team looks like they are playing very individually lately and trying to do everything on their own.
Smyth is being asked to do too much. Didn’t see anyone suggestting him as the answer to the Oilers Center problems prior to the start of the year and yet there he is. The old warhorse is trying but doesn’t have the legs. Park his butt in front of the goalie and let him deflect shots. There is no one better at doing that. I feel sorry for the guy everytime I watch him take a faceoff. Thought he was mugging the goalies quite well the past several games though.
You can’t trade Smid when your biggest hole on the team is Defense. You just can’t.
I think they have been handling Paajarvi correctly. Reward him when he is playing well and sit him when he is overwhelmed and over his head. A few other guys could use that treatment. It’s not about just scoring goals, it’s about doing the right thing when the situation demands it. If he figures out that he needs to head to the net and battle it out he will play.
Penner is not the answer here, sorry. He’s an enigma wrapped up in a pancake. One awesome game followed by 4 lousy ones. Coaches love his size, love his ability when he decides to switch it on for a game, then rip their hair out with his indifferent play for 4 games. No consistancy.
Young teams lose and win, in bunches. A few wins and the complaining stops and people start to jump back on the bandwagon. A brutal road trip doesn’t help either.
Katz had better figure this out or he’s in trouble. If he waits until ticket holders stop coming then it will be too late.
I pray to a variety of gods that I never have to write that.
Yes.
I’m not as sure as I was before about it, but it was Paajarvi +2nd for Johnson.
I’m more sure that Omark’s rights end up in DET.
Call the Jack Johnson one 30% and Omark 75%.
I’m using mostly inference and some info, but the info is kinda vague.
If they trade Smid, we’ll know a lot more.
I think they have Klef penciled in as 3LD and Shultz (elder) at 2LD next year.
I think they want a better 1LD than Smid.
I would have Smid penciled at 2LD and Shultz at 3LD and give Klef an opportunity at camp.
Klef will be without playing a game for near a year come next training camp, but he will still make the team Because Oilers.
Ralph needs to be able to bring in his own assistant coaches. Our assistant coaches need to be shown the door, with all of upper management of course.
Until the Oilers lose the “Old Boys Club” banner that is attached to them.. we’re screwed. The organization needs new blood, not a Brian Burke blood either. And if it turns out to be Howson, I’m finished with this team. I’ll burn everything Oiler that I own and send them the video link of it.
We can’t again change the Head Coach at season’s end or middle summer or whenever whatever dumb ass timing they decide. We need to get Ralph the proper help he needs, a few actual hockey players, and a few actual NHL level assistant coaches. Ones that may be like “hey ralph, I know you’re not a fan of line matching, but we’re uhhh.. getting killed”..Bucky and Smith are.. well there are no nice words for it.
After 24 games, all the video footage in the world, you would have to think they could figure out how to develop a transition game.
Screw it, the amount of ranting and complaining about everything they’re doing wrong is endless.
Fire Everyone
WG: So the top 6D next season is:
Johnson-Petry
Schultz-Schultz
Klefbom-Potter
Eskimos training camp is what, 100 days away?
Johnson-Petry
Schultz-Schultz
Klefbom-Potter
That is gross.
Could we get say a Ian White out of the wings for Omark’s rights?
Streit – Schultz jr .. Streit on a short term deal some how some way? Dreams!
Smid – Petry .. How do you trade the one D man your goalies love more then any other.
Schultz sr/white/Klefbom/Fistric/Potter.. with Potter being the very last option..
Lines for #OKCBarons, LW-C-RW: Cornet-Arcobello-Cheechoo; Rajala-Hunter-Stretch; Green-VandeVelde-Byers; Hordichuk-House-Hamilton
Defence pairings: Clark & Fedun; Davidson & Teubert; Marincin & Hotham for #OKC Barons
Olivier Roy in net.
The 1line has been on fire, as has Rajala no matter where he’s playing. I think Clark might get a callup here at some point, nice to see Davidson get back to the AHL.
Any chance your producer can get the show listed on the podcast page with an RSS feed like the other shows? Can”t get to that long recent show list from phone or tablet due to it being only in Flash.
Even if you like Johnson, I don’t see why Smid has to move to make room for him. God forbid we carry six capable defenceman…
On the note of Smid, I think you guys are overestimating his price tag. He has nine career goals. Being drafted in the first round is all well and good, but nine goals in 433 games tops you out at 4 million, and that’s if your agent is good.
Especially if Getzlaf contracts are going to be the norm for your team’s best players.
Stretch (Cornet, Clark)
I you ever find your self in County Antrim I recommend the Bushmills tour. If you are lucky, or do some significant campaigning during the tour. You can become involved in a special tasting at the end. It runs along the theme you suggest. As Bushmills bottles all or most Irish whiskeys at this facility they give you a selection of Irish whiskey’s and you taste them head on against Scottish and American whiskeys. The contest is of course rigged with the Irish whiskey in each class tasting better.
I pleasantly pointed this out to them (or what one assumes is being pleasant when drinking whiskey in the morning). I challenged them, armed with knowledge gleamed from years of working in Scotland and heavily reinvesting in the local economy. A lively debate ensued, more whiskey was drunk. On most points I had to concede the argument. They were very knowledgeable and had access to fabulous spirits. My only trump card was there limited knowledge of Canadian spirits which I claimed were much better than they actually are. More whiskey was drunk. They were very generous, but mind you so was i when I excited through the gift shop. Make sure you have a very tolerant designated driver.
I still prefer a good Spey Side whiskey to Irish whiskey but do concede they put on a better distillery tour. Most in Scotland are quite poor except for the nice little Oban distillery.
3rd pairing veteran defensive D have been signing in the $3-3.5 million range for the last two years.
2nd pairing defensive D with a home town discount, Josh Gorges 6 years, $3.9 million. Jason Garrison is pretty much bringing only defense at $4.6 million.
Even mc79 was suggesting on the open market, Smid could command 5 year @ $4.5 million per season because of the lack of defensemen on the market.
MacT is back in the organization. He coached Smid. Moved him to LW, and preferred to play Strudwick. In the management group, who is going to stick out their neck for Smid, if MacT is extremely unlikely to be high on making a long term investment in the guy.
from stauffer:
Ken Morrow of the NY Islanders was in Nashville Friday and is here tonight in Chicago
let speculation begin. what would we need to get Nino? Hemsky? skilled vet RW to play with Tavares for a young power LW who requested a trade at season’s start.
Might be a balance the roster hockey move that could work for both
Streit, the kid who wrecked Hall at the Mem Cup, hell they have all kinds of nice things.
The Oilers need two top 4 defencemen. Hopefully Stauffer’s rumour of going after Grebeshkov in the off-season has some merit to it.
Then they need to add another via trade of free agency (unlikely).
VanOil,
My personal fav is Glenrothes, but not the cheaper 10 yr bottle – it’s not that special for the price point. Their best is either a 12 or 15 yr bottle that ran for about $90 in 2005. Because of the $$ involved, that was the last time I purchased some.
@WG: I’ve never tasted IW – always assumed anything the Irish can do, the Scots have already perfected. Any suggestions for a < $50 brand?
In fairness, Smid is a radically different player today than he was when MacT was coaching him, when he clearly belonged in the minors. I don’t have the intense love for MacT that a lot of the people I agree with on most things seem to, but I think he’s smart enough to realize that Smid is one of, like, three NHL-calibre defencemen we have right now.
Lowetide,
So do Smid and Hemsky get you Nino and Strait? fair for both?
“Steve Smith”,
Guess it comes down to value for your dollar. It is way irresponsible to not at least start negotiating. If he takes 4 yrs $3.5 per, that is a solid deal. if he wants over $4, then you explore moving him, but the freakin return better be really good.
MPS, Whitney – Nino, Streit?
I would rather move MPS still before Hemmer leaves town.
Canada vs USA – World Baseball Classic…….good game, Canada leading….. scratch that, a 2 run double late in game by US. *&^%
I wouldn’t do that, no. If Hemsky’s going I want a sure thing, Smid too. Streit’s a rental and Nino isn’t established. Who else do they have?
Still want Paajarvi to be our 3rd line anchor on the Nordic line. I think Hemsky has more value, and based on economics you have to consider him way more tradeable to a team like the Isles, who need someone skilled to play with Tavares and have loads of cap space and money (but who are super cheap). And Nino has the “grit” and size the org loves.
I like these lines. This give Ralph 2 vets lines that he should be able to use in defensive situations. Then use the other 2 lines in the offensive zone. This would take some pressure of the kids and put them in a better place to excell with lighter minutes and softer zone starts.
Strait is a younger stay at home dman, not Streit the older dude. Signed for 3 more years at $775k per. Vet AHL guy who is 25, big plus AHL player with Pens org, just breakin into the NHL. Believe some folk mentioned trying to find these kinds of cheaper diamonds in the rough.
That’s my guess.
I think Fistric sticks around.
Edmonton man and they like what he brings.
I like him too for what he is.
Gene Principe @GenePrincipe
Lennart Petrell going out for warm up looks like he’s in and Ryan Jones is out.
Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but I tend to agree with this. Both Georges and Garrison appear to bring considerably more offense, with Garrison having more career points in fewer seasons played. Both those contracts were signed under the old CBA as well.
I think Smid still has a little chaos in his game and has room to grow as a top 4 defender.
I think Smid wants to be here and will give us a hometown discount. Again, wishful thinking, but I’m hoping for 5 years in the 3 to $3.5M range.
Ah, sorry. Strait isn’t someone I know about. I think I’d rather get a pick for Smid than someone along those lines.
DBO,
Oh. Joy.
I’m not a huge fan of Jones, but he’s better than Petrell.
Lowetide,
Agreed, just thought that was who you meant earlier. More about getting Nino then anything. Physical 2 LW. Would you do Smid for Neiderreiter?
Edmonton Oilers @EdmontonOilers
#Oilers forward lines in the warm-ups: 56-93-14 / 91-89-64 / 4-10-83 / 37-94-13 & defence pairings: 5-2 / 19-6 / 15-44
Stauffer was right
Do my eyes deceive me or is that 3 scoring lines? Say Whaaaaaaaaa
DBO,
Poor Justin Schultz.
Who’s dog did he run over?
Hemsky has more value in trade then these possible NYI suggestions, and most importantly more value to the Oilers as it stands. Hemsky’s contract isn’t scary for any team trying to get his services, so I think you could get far far more for him. Lets trade our only proven still playing at a high level player for another youngin.. no. This trade is a younging for a younging, or it isn’t the trade for the Oilers to make.
We’ve seen the Oilers play now without Hemsky in the ranks.. it’s brutal. If he’s traded it better be for a robbery or equal return or it just doesn’t make sense. Now trading a player like MPS, for a player like Nino.. does make sense.. MPS with Tavares, he could score plenty.
Yet if we could move Teemu for Nino that would be best as they both have similiar skills. Hemsky and MPS can stay where they belong and the universe is happy.
stevezie,
Even if you like Johnson, I don’t see why Smid has to move to make room for him. God forbid we carry six capable defenceman…
Because Oilers.
Same team that moved Gilbert to make room for J.Shultz because according to them you CAN have too many Dmen.
I mean, imagine Petry/Gilbert/Shultz instead of Shultz/Petry/Various.
Because Oilers.
I heard some chatter a while back that Okposo might be available.3 years left at $2.8m
VanOil,
I pleasantly pointed this out to them (or what one assumes is being pleasant when drinking whiskey in the morning). I challenged them, armed with knowledge gleamed from years of working in Scotland and heavily reinvesting in the local economy. A lively debate ensued, more whiskey was drunk. On most points I had to concede the argument. They were very knowledgeable and had access to fabulous spirits. My only trump card was there limited knowledge of Canadian spirits which I claimed were much better than they actually are. More whiskey was drunk.
That’s awesome.
We may be related.
I don’t know a lot about Scotch Whisky or Irish Whiskey, I just know I prefer the triple distilling of the Irish.
I don’t mind the many scotches and some are very good, but the after taste of peat dried spouted barley whisky is not my first choice.
Oilers trying to get Reinhart?
They LOVED him.
Who did what to whom?
Forgot about the Grebs rumor.
Adding him helps.
Niedereiter is about where Torres was when we got him, so yes.
First thing RK did last year when Renney was out from his concussion was scratch Jones.
You must back check to play for RK, especially in Jones’ spot.
Loving me some Ralph.
Woodguy,
so
Greb-Shultz
Shultz-Petry
Fistric-Klefbom
Potter
There is that.
I too prefer Jones over IsMental.
RK using the HS as a teaching tool.
Arcobello (rajala, Cornet)
Arcobello has finally tied Eberle. Seriously.
I would take that over Johnson every day of the week.
I don’t think they bring Grebs over to play 1sts.
x-Petry
Grebs-J.Shultz (new acid twins)
N.Shultz-Klef/Potter/Fistric
If x is Johnson then be prepared to pray the Oilers make the playoffs until the end of that contract.
I think if the Oilers trade for Johnson the NHL will be out of General Managers who would trade for Johnson.
Maybe CAL would do it….
Lowetide,
SO if it was Smid for him
Hall-Nuge-Ebs
Nino-Gagner-Yak
Paajarvi-Lander-Harsky
Smyth-Horc-Brown
Greb-Shultz
Shultz-Petry
Fistric-Kelfbom
Way more depth and the 3 and 4 lines will alternate roles i’m sure. More balance, more “grit” with Nino and Harsky and Brown, but much younger. Fits the whole 2015 cup thing I guess.
Well we know the Islanders aren’t following us for Ryan Jones.
I worry they’re after Gagner.
Second game in a row I have noticed OKC being badly out shot. Maybe it is the Oilers way. Kind of like OTT we use the same system in the minors.
I don’t know if I like that idea.
If you keep trading vets in their prime for futures, this rebuild will turn into the construction of the sagrada familia–not that it isn’t on pace for that already.
After watching a few pre-game video interviews with different Oilers, I’ve gotta say – I’m no fan of the touque with a suit.
Anybody in BC with Shaw cable have the game on..?…it is a 5pm MT start yes..? I’ve got nothing in the guide at the moment…
The Al Gore is amusing me. Tried to find out about this Greb character mention above found this instead in the Urban Dictionary. Was this what you were meaning and I was just not cool enough to catch on?
Greb
A superior species to the townie.
Named after this theory, matching their psychological makeup
G = Genuine
R = Respectful
E = Educated
B = Befriending
Grebs enjoy a highly comunistical society all are equals, status is gained by friendlyness or individuality rather than random muggings. Most grebs will stay with a sexual partner for years, seeing the bond of friendship to be more than just the sex.
There have been extreme circumstances where grebs have been forced into agressive reactions towards townies, but these are easily won due to more muscular mass in case of males, and increased mental capacity in females.
In greb circles it is cool to express yourself, it is uncommon for a group of grebs to have not formed a band at some point. Most have excellent art or design skills, but would rather have fun producing random films.
Typical conversation between greb and townie;
Greb – “Iguana!”
Townie – “Wot da fook was dat abt man? u wants to have a go? iz gonna kick da shit out of u”
Townie proceeds to punch greb. Greb returns favour.
If Grebs chuck punches I am sure the Oil are interested
They’re still in this.
Oh for Christ’s sake.
we missed you Harski.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Oh good god, now the MSM will all be salivating over Brown and how he solves all the team’s problems.
Oh for Christ’s sake
And…Paajarvi!!!!
Nice fucking start, for once!
Awesome.
Has anyone suggested that a big reason for the implosion in the last 5 games has been the loss of Fistric?
It deserves some thought. He had a great game in Dallas before getting hurt.
I’m with Cherry in that I think he provides a highly effective physicality that we ordinarily lack.
What’s going on?? I’m scared!
This is AMAZING!!
Still.. Fire em all!
Could this be another Hawks blow out? Dare to dream? Is it because I’m not at home watching the game? Is it my lucky hat? Or is it Mike Brown’s competitive fire?
Yes. Ricki has attributed at least the first bit of the losing streak to the loss of Hall and Fistric, THE BEST DEFENSIVE DEFENCEMAN IN THE LEAGUE.
Numenius,
same with Hartikainen.
the Oilers don’t need thugs but they do need strong bodies like Fistric and Harski. invaluable.
This 3rd line is good.
ch 350 just changed from baseball to the Oilers game…it’s still listed incorrectly in the guide fyi…
striatic,
Yeah, Hartikainen too. Agreed.
The Oilers have made more tape to tape passes and skating more this period than they have in ages. A big part of that is the insertion of Horcoff and Harski, but also Paajarvi’s increased role on the team.
How many slow player’s in tonight’s top 9? How many can’t make/take a pass?
I wonder what kind of player Paajarvi will be when in 4 years when he is 25 and hopefully puts on another 15 lbs. Hope he takes it out on all the players that pushed him around the last couple years. He will be a handful if he wants to.
It’s nice to see MPS playing like he belongs.
Lowetide,
If the Oilers hold on for the win, I’m looking forward to Hunter’s rationale for how it was despite the return of the “putrid” Horcoff.
(I’m being sincere in saying this: I fully expect that Hunter will come up with such a rationale, and that it will be awesome. Although perhaps not quite as awesome as his paper-bag-on-Gretzky’s-head idea, which is genius.)
,,,,
wow
And Whitney stops sucking.
My favorite thing though is the fire that Gagner and Magnus are showing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ZIie9OosnEM#t=3s
Oh for Christ’s sake..
what is happening
i thought for a moment that PRV had grown some massive sideburns.
http://striatic.net/jing/IMG_6414-1.jpg
Have I ever mentioned what a completely idiotic bloody hockey team this is? Just completely fucking stupid. Man.
Wow
The Oilers are the bestest team ever!
If they do nothing else, management needs to trade Whitney before the trade deadline. The return will never be higher.
I have to say that there have been times hunter has posted things that I find outside the line, but that Gretzky bag statue thingy is a high water mark for the blog. Seriously.
…this is the start of a 24 game losing streak for Chicago…
If Paajarvi makes Gagne responsible enough to handle Yak lookout world. But not for long because if Brown and Whitney both score 5v5 in the first period the end of the world is nie.
Whomever in the last thread suggested they were going to bet the farm on a blowout Chicago win, man I hope you didn’t follow-through.
That said, I haven’t bet anything and I’m scared! What the hell? I thought the Oilers were going to stink out the rest of the season.
This is why I get frustrated when they don’t add depth to bridge the gap between injuries and struggles. This has happened two years in a row.
All the people out there calling for a horcoff buyout, please take note. He is the heart of the team even if he is not the hands.
ffs – just found out Sportsnet West, in all their wisdom, were showing Can vs. U.S. in baseball. So much for having fun catching up on the PVR!
A week ago, I was expecting this. By now I had given up.
The thing is, those are good goals. The face off wins are due to secondary support. The passes are NHL quality.
Maybe Batman flipped the batswitch from ‘tank’ to ‘compete’?