If you want to identify the AHL rookie on a specific roster destined for the longest career in the group, one of the first stops should be points-per-game. It isn’t foolproof but does reveal the freshman forwards who played a lot in each game.
Things like size, checking ability, speed and passing acumen are also important and it’s possible for a lesser scorer to make the NHL (Jujhar Khaira). I’ve heard the word “conditioning” many times too, although it’s such a vague phrase and I’ve never really believed any of these kids arrive in training camp out of shape. Maybe I’m wrong, maybe Gerry Cheevers inspired several generations of athletes with his patented “throw on a Glad garbage bag, turn up the heat in the Cadillac, and drive around St. Catherine’s for a few hours a day” in the two weeks leading up to training camp.
Over the last decade or so, Edmonton’s top rookie scorer has (mostly) emerged as the NHL player with the most longevity. How can we apply this to what we’ll see among this year’s rookies?
THE ATHLETIC!
- New Lowetide: Should Jesse Puljujarvi drive his own line for the Oilers in 2021-22?
- New DNB: He’s a one-shot scorer’: Oilers prospect Carter Savoie thriving at DU
- Lowetide: The Oilers finally have an effective third line — so how should they deploy it?
- Jonathan Willis: Success or failure for the Oilers could depend on their Duncan Keith-Cody Ceci tandem
- DNB: Evan Bouchard subscriber Q&A
- Lowetide: First impressions of 2021-22 Oilers — is this strong start sustainable?
- Lowetide: Which Oilers AHL players are most likely to be called up in 2021-22?
- DNB: The Battle of Alberta gets heated
- Lowetide: Evan Bouchard is going to be the Oilers’ secret weapon in 2021-22 — and he’s already showing why
- DNB: How the Oilers’ new-look second line wears down opponents and makes a difference.
- Lowetide: Amazing opening night facts on players, past and present, from Oilers opening night rosters
- DNB: New Oilers forward Zach Hyman may have a higher pay grade, but his style isn’t changing
- Jonathan Willis: Oilers final roster cuts
- Lowetide: How Ken Holland is increasing the Oilers’ talent pool, and why fans are nervous about it
- Lowetide: When will the Edmonton Oilers fully embrace analytics?
- Jonathan Willis: How the 2021-22 Oilers mirror their coach’s best teams from the past
- Lowetide: What might Oilers do if Kailer Yamamoto’s goal scoring slump continues?
AHL LEADING ROOKIES, MOST SUCCESSFUL NHLERS
Four men, Teemu Hartikainen, Toni Rajala, Bogdan Yakimov and Cooper Marody, led their team’s rookies in points-per-game and failed to follow through with the highest GP total.
Tyler Pitlick, Andrew Miller, Anton Slepyshev, Jesse Puljujarvi and Joe Gambardella captured the most points-game and are the clubhouse leaders in NHL games.
The 2019-20 leading scorer (points-game) was Ryan McLeod (0.41 pts-game), and the 2020-21 leading scorer was Raphael Lavoie (0.53 pts-game). With due respect to Kirill Maksimov and Ostap Safin, I think McLeod and Lavoie will win the battle over the long run.
The winner this year is probably going to be Dylan Holloway or Lavoie. The AHL has him listed as a rookie again this season.
SKILLS THAT TRANSFER FROM AHL TO NHL
The forwards who succeeded over the years noted above are mostly bottom-six forwards. VandeVelde, Pitlick, Khaira, Gambardella, they’re all players who refined their games and made themselves into something close to mistake-free options.
The outliers from that job description, names like Slepyshev, Puljujarvi and Yamamoto, all possessed higher end skill. Some of the players who didn’t make it, like Hartikainen and Rajala, were also high skill but suffered due to a shuffling of management at inopportune times.
Marody is a bit of an odd duck, he’s in the “Colin McDonald” category where it’s obvious he has NHL skill but is in the wrong organization. McDonald played 148 NHL games, all but two after leaving the Oilers organization.
A player like McLeod, or Lavoie, has enough unique skills that can be useful in the NHL it’s hard to see either man missing out on at least the 102-game Slepyshev career opportunity. And when we look back on Hartikainen and Rajala, it’s important to remember the time those young men were in. Two factors had a major impact 2010-19:
- Hartikainen, Rajala and other forwards (Linus Omark etc) were actually NHL players, but the organization had high draft picks to develop every year. The talented players drafted in depth rounds like the three Euro wingers mentioned were lost in the flood of Hall, Eberle, Yakupov, Paajarvi and others. Even Paajarvi lost his way because Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was arriving the year after his fine rookie year.
- Turnover of management and coaches.
Do you remember when Todd Nelson took over the Oilers for a time? That was 2014-15. Did you ever look at the five on five pts-60 (forwards) from those games Nelson’s coached?
- Anton Lander (37 games) 1.54
- Andrew Miller (9 games) 1.48
- Ryan Hamilton (16 games) 0.42
- Iiro Pakarinen (12 games) 0.00
- Curtis Hamilton (1 game) 0.00
Nelson was replaced by Todd McLellan, general manager Peter Chiarelli arrived and the careers of the minor leaguers altered. Lander would play in 83 more games, Miller six, Pakarinen 117, and the Hamiltons were shut out.
Bottom line: The AHL forwards who succeed (Pakarinen was 1.15 pts-60 in 2015-16) bring at least some offence. So, when you look at a group of rookie forwards from a specific season, click on pts-game and chances are the cream will rise.
On the current Condors roster, bet McLeod and Lavoie, Dylan Holloway when he can play.
Leafs have been cloned with the Edmonton Taylor Hall, Eberle and other young stars documentary Oilers that allowed a bunch of essentially junior or close to it hockey players without any veteran presence aside from a sorry lot best not mentioned …
The name of the excellent at screwing up the heads of the young Oilers also escapes me as type this…
Leafs meanwhile just look like the biggest bunch of no idea how to describe human beings… either by having nothing worthwhile to say or else something is rotten in the executive/production company end ha ha
Flames remarkably are 2-1-1 by my reckoning a technically legit team.
In just over 100 minutes of 5-on-5 hockey this season Chicago has been outscored 10-0 with Seth Jones on the ice.
Wonder what mama has to tweet about this
OriginalPouzar
October 24, 2021 4:50 pm
So, after the weekend off bonding in the southwest, the boys will be on a plane back to Edmonton today and take the ice tomorrow morning for practice.
1) Staring Goalie
Initial word after his “tweak” was that Smith would take a few days off and hopefully be back on the ice for Monday. If this holds true, and he’s looking to be 100% come Wed, who starts in goal on Wed? Oilers schedule remains light for a while with games on Wed and then Saturday this week.
2) Top 6 Deployment
3 games at home with McDavid/Drai together – 3 wins (1 in a shootout)
2 games at home with McDavid and Drai on separate lines (mostly) – 2 wins
I saw pros and cons to both set-up but, in my opinion, prefer the later option and the fact that each of the lines scored a 5 on 5 goal, in succession, the other night is material.
I could see Tip going back to “what worked at home” and I think that would be met with more negative than positive reaction.
3) Defense Deployment
There is no doubt that Evan Bouchard is real and spectacular and its looking like its reasonable that he will indeed be a legit top pairing point producing stud capable of playing 23-25 minutes per game in all situations. We aren’t there yet but we may be.
In the here and now, Bouch is looking like a great fit at 1RD with Nurse (at least sporadically) and, at the same time, Tyson Barrie has been struggling through the first 5 games.
Given the foregoing, one would think the decision is easy, Bouch at 1RD but I don’t think its that easy as, with Barrie struggling, its tough to throw out a Koekkoen/Barrie or Russell/Barrie pairing.
I would like to see Bouch continue at 1RD to start the next game but I presume we will see Barrie back there.
Great post O.P.
Y’know it used to make me cringe when you posted overly biased fan-boy content,
But now I’m positive you do it just to troll H.H.
That makes me Laugh. Laugh out loud.
One little quibble,
When you refer to Evan Bouchard as a:
“top pairing, point producing stud”
Would it be too much trouble to add the word ‘Big’ in front of the word Stud?
Boogie Nights is one of my favorite movies.
Thanks ?
Well…there you have it folks.
After 5 GP it’s safe to say Tyler Bertuzzi will tie for the goal scoring lead this season with 84 goals.
He will also lead the league at +131
Ties with Ovi or Capt Underpants?
Can’t see any reason he can’t keep up his 42.9% shooting percentage.
Can you?
Remember when the Kings won a game and you got all hyper like they had won the cup?
I remember when the Oilers rode a 47.1% PP to win the first 5 games of the season despite being outshot by an average of 4 shots/game.
4 whole shots!
So hockey games are won by the most shots on net and not goals. Got it.
4 shots per game over an 82 game season is 328 shots in the hole.
At an average shooting percentage of 10%, that’s giving up an extra 32 goals.
Math is fun!
You are including 5 of the 82 games where the Oilers are +11 in goal differential despite giving up an average of 4 extra shots a game.
Watching you demonstrate your poor logic and math skills is fun!
This is the part where you explain the Oilers will regress in every area but continue to give up an average of 4 shots, and we all throw our heads back and laugh.
Have you watched this power play so far? Clearly not.
I think it must have been past your bedtime when you wrote this. Following your logic this is actually the most outlandishly stupid thing that you have put in writing! You already had set a pretty high bar! You
So the Oilers are a positive goals team at evens plus have the best PP in the league.
Considering the Oilers have had the best PP in the league for the last 2 years and were all but unanimously chosen to have the best PP this year, they will probably continue to score PP goals at the highest rate in the league.
Considering their expected goal share is even higher than their actual positive goal share, they will likely start outscoring at 5 on 5 by an even larger degree.
Wait until McDavid and Drai actually start to find their offensive games.
Joe Colborne remembers!
Looks like Lehner and your knights lost another game.
Looks like you have some weird fantasy about me liking the Knights.
Aren’t you a little old to have such fantasies?
Be careful, you’re moving your goalposts so much you’re gonna forget where you put em.
wouldn’t be the first time lol ;)…
But we all know you are a douche. Here to incite. What a lowlife.
Lol,
I was told HH had decent hockey incite.
But he is only playing a 72 game season, because he can’t cross the border.
Both the Wild and the Sharks with regulation losses today.
Only 4 teams left standing in the race for 82-0.
FLA tied with the Oilers at 5-0.
STL and CAR at 4-0.
I’m not sure that Blues count though, I mean they have only beat teams that missed the playoffs last year or ravaged with injuries (COL without MacKinnon, Landeskog, Toews and Vegas recently.
http://powerrankingsguru.com/nhl/strength-of-schedule.php
Amazing what happens when you have to play teams that made the playoffs last season.
Yup, teams like:
Habs, 1-2
Vegas, 1-3
Avs, 2-3
Leafs, 2-3-1
Lightning, 2-3-1
Isles, 2-3-1
I’m sure powerrankingsguru did a bang up job.
I recall, just earlier this year, the flames poised to bolt up the standings due to their schedule but I don’t recall any such bolting.
The linked power rankings have the Oilers at #5. ?
Hardly what you would expect from a team that has already won the Pacific Division and has indestructible players. 🙂
No one has said that.
You’ve been trying to tell us the Oilers 5-0 start is meaningless since it’s comes mostly against non-playoff teams.
Yet 10 days ago I believe you had the Flames in a wild card spot and the Oilers finishing 3rd behind Vegas and Vancouver.
The goal post movement is dizzying.
You do realize you are using something that has Colorado ranked 10th Vancouver 20th and the Oilers 5th right??
You do realize the Power Rankings are based on an average of all similar lists that account for results so far this season, right?
Just like OP’s conclusions..they are based on 4-6 game sample sizes.
You do realize that Doms model has the Oilers at 98% for the playoffs 5 games into the season.
Yes…pretty solid bet.
Pretty easy to do in a very weak division.
Remember when you said the Oilers were in a weak division last year and it turned out to be the 2nd strongest division?
Dom’s model also had the Oilers at 6th (I believe) going in to the season.
Imagine, the fans of a team discussing winning 5 straight games to start the season and being one of only 4 teams that have not lost a point……… on a blog related to that team….. imagine.
Noone has not acknowledged the schedule has been favourable – of course it has – at the same time, bad teams beat good teams all the time in this league and 5 straight wins, no matter who they are against, is a good thing and not easy to do.
The team has won these games without playing near their best game and their best players, although still dominating the league, not at the top of their games.
Two of the major question marks going in to the season, goaltending and 2nd pair defence have started off with great arrows.
Oilers fans should have no hesitation to have some positive vibes, on a Oilers-centered blog and its flattering to have trolls doing everything they can to discount – every day.
Tulio finishes with a couple of assist and 6 shots. Plus 2 in a 5-4 shootout loss (missed as the first shooter for Oshawa).
Engras quiet today, no shots and just one shot attempt and -1 in a 2-0 loss (10 for 16 on the draw though).
Mazura didn’t play for Providence – Leavis advises he’s out hurt.
Looks like trading Keith did not fix the Blackhawks defensive woes after all
Jones is -9 through five and a half games.
Is the inference that stats, both traditional and advanced, for members of the Hawks D may not be fully reflective of ability?
That’s the ‘good’ Jones, right? Just to be clear. 😉
and has helped the Oilers (as far as straight LD performance over what was deployed at 2LD last season – not taking in to account what “could have been acquired” with the cap space).
Given the dearth of pro forward prospects in the organization, I have been keeping my eye on potential NCAA grads next year (they are playing their 3rd year in the NCAA this season), Skyler Brind’Amour and Filip Engaras. No guarantees of anything, but they are developing 2-way skills as we speak. Both are leaders on their teams, both take a lot of faceoffs and both play in all situations. It would be great if they add offense, as they seem to be doing this season (minuscule sample size), but where they will be valuable will be in depth roles.
I did some stat gathering, so if I am off a bit, please bear with me as I tallied everything by hand.
Engaras, Right Shot Centre, above-average skating, Listed on UNH Site as: 6’0″ 199 lbs
He is also known for his work ethic and last year was listed at 190 lbs.
2019-20 GP: 21, 17.1 Face-offs/game,48.5%, 0.71 shots per game (31.6%), 13 blocked shots
2020-21 GP: 4, 16.8 Face-offs/game,65.7%, 4.25 shots per game (11.8%), 3 blocked shots
Brind’Amour, Left Shot Centre, average skating, 6’2″ 185 lbs
He is known for his work ethic and when drafted was listed at 170 lbs.
2019-20 GP: 29, 15.5 Face-offs/game,54.1%, 1.28 shots per game (5.4%), 18 blocked shots
2020-21 GP: 5, 17.5 Face-offs/game,51.7%, 1.4 shots per game (14.3%), 7 blocked shots
Thanks for this.
I have been following Engras closer this year as his offence has popped.
I don’t consider Brind’Amour a “real prospect” and, of course, Engras is a distant bell but I think he’s got a tiny bit more of chance.
I could see the org offering either an AHL contract, can’t imagine an NHL deal would be on the table. If Graham McPhee got a pro contract (AHL deal), these two should qualify (Brind’Amour for name value alone).
So, after the weekend off bonding in the southwest, the boys will be on a plane back to Edmonton today and take the ice tomorrow morning for practice.
1) Staring Goalie
Initial word after his “tweak” was that Smith would take a few days off and hopefully be back on the ice for Monday. If this holds true, and he’s looking to be 100% come Wed, who starts in goal on Wed? Oilers schedule remains light for a while with games on Wed and then Saturday this week.
2) Top 6 Deployment
3 games at home with McDavid/Drai together – 3 wins (1 in a shootout)
2 games at home with McDavid and Drai on separate lines (mostly) – 2 wins
I saw pros and cons to both set-up but, in my opinion, prefer the later option and the fact that each of the lines scored a 5 on 5 goal, in succession, the other night is material.
I could see Tip going back to “what worked at home” and I think that would be met with more negative than positive reaction.
3) Defense Deployment
There is no doubt that Evan Bouchard is real and spectacular and its looking like its reasonable that he will indeed be a legit top pairing point producing stud capable of playing 23-25 minutes per game in all situations. We aren’t there yet but we may be.
In the here and now, Bouch is looking like a great fit at 1RD with Nurse (at least sporadically) and, at the same time, Tyson Barrie has been struggling through the first 5 games.
Given the foregoing, one would think the decision is easy, Bouch at 1RD but I don’t think its that easy as, with Barrie struggling, its tough to throw out a Koekkoen/Barrie or Russell/Barrie pairing.
I would like to see Bouch continue at 1RD to start the next game but I presume we will see Barrie back there.
Drai/McDavid/Jesse:
43 minutes
48% Corsi
49% Shots
71% Goal Share
50% Expected Goal Share
1.1 PDO
Jesse/McDavid/Hyman:
24 minutes
55% Corsi
44% Shots
33% Goal Share
60% Expected Goal Share
0.95 PDO
Nuge/Leon/Yamamoto:
24 minutes
49% Corsi
42% Shots
100% Goal Share
56% Expected Goal Share
1.09 PDO
Hyman/Nuge/Yamamoto:
27 minutes
42% Corsi
45% Shots
0% Goal Share
50.5% Expected Goal Share
0.833 PDO
OP and HH: You can talk to anyone else but not each other. Let’s give it an hour, shall we? Thanks.
Lol, and who is going to monitor that?
PS
glad you are back to using colours for your paragraphs.
Time’s up.?????
You are correct! 🙂
Release the hounds!
Borgault held off the scoresheet today for the first time since the beginning of the season. Plus 1 with 4 shots in a 4-1 win.
Hang on fellow Islanders…the Bomb Cyclone approaches.
Tess van Straaten (@tessvanstraaten) Tweeted:
It’s official… this is the LOWEST low pressure EVER recorded here. The lower the pressure = the stronger the storm. More @CHEK_News https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.1.0/svg/1f4a8.svg
#BCstorm @CHEK_media #Weather
https://twitter.com/tessvanstraaten/status/1452316289574313984?s=20
Kenneth Chan (@iamkennethchan) Tweeted:
Sunday’s mid-latitude bomb cyclone is shaping up to be a potential beast. The central pressure is expected to be the lowest ever for any low pressure system in the Pacific Northwest.
50 ft waves, 100 km/hr winds off the coast. #BCstorm https://t.co/zUo241KbWW
https://twitter.com/iamkennethchan/status/1452127061330448388?s=20
You be careful out there.
I can’t even imagine a 50 foot wave.
I was once on an overnight ferry between Greece and Italy when a storm with 30 foot waves hit.
Absolutely terrifying.
I haven’t seen a 50-foot snow bank and they don’t move!
I spent a year sailing in the Mediterranean during my mis-spent youth. One night off the coast of Tunisia we had waves that I swear were higher than our 60 foot mast.
Our electric pump died so we had to hand pump the water to keep it from flooding our engine since we lost our main sail and #1 jib with the first wind before we could get them down and the engine was the only way we could keep the boat pointed into the waves.
That was a very long night. We had to limp back to Sicily for repairs and the two days it took us to get there we were constantly being circled by search planes looking for wreckage.
On a happier note we are booked for the ferry to Naniamo on Tuesday morning. That should be interesting. 😉
Ferries cancelled for tomorrow but Tuesday should be okay.
Apparently the “bomb” took a turn north so other than periods of high winds, and intense rain and a few booming thunder claps (very rare on the Island) not too bad so far.
BTW…if you’re looking fir a dining spot in Nanaimo…check out Nori Sushi in northern Nanaimo.
Sublime Japanese cuisine with exceptional presentation.
Glad you are safe. We are heading up to Courtney/Comox for a couple of days when we get off the ferry and then down to visit our son in Victoria so we won’t be stopping in Nanaimo but thanks for the recommendation.
Glad to hear you’re safe and it wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have Been. Also a big thumbs up for Nori sushi. I visited when I went to Nanaimo and 100% agree. I also seem to remember it was very reasonably priced as well
Just as I responded…the wind and rain hit hard.
I expect the power will go out shortly.
Man.
I assume a clairvoyant pessimist like yourself will have a genny and full jerrycan ready to go for a power outage… Shit you’ve probably got the genny attached to your panel with an auto-transfer switch so you don’t even have to leave your mother’s basement and can troll seamlessly on this blog during an outage!.
Actually I have a propane fired generator and have a Ford Lightning on order.
The power may never go off again.
Time to move out from under that bridge and head for higher ground
He just has to find that candle he’s kept lit (in secret for years) for the Oilers
Kevin Lowe and Craig McTavish pissed all over it.
Wasn’t it Mark Messier?
Quote of the year!
This article was rated a 3.6, I added a 5 star like usual and it went up to 3.9. I’m always confused to see it well anything below 4.9 tbh.
How many accounts does verdad have?
I think the rating is somewhat random and depends on many subjects. Much of the draft and prospect stuff (posts) tends to receive a low rating. It doesn’t change my plan, prospects and the draft are going to be featured on the blog, but it also helps to know what people respond to and would like to see.
How strange: the prospect and draft content is what makes this blog truly great (alongside, of course, the host’s insightful, funny and humble style).
Personally I enjoy it all. The draft and prospect posts are always great to read imo. I post 5 stars on everything just because I’m grateful there’s always another morning post with something to chew on about my favorite team, and for that you’re truly a blessing to us stooges and alike.
Imo the lower star ranking in the prospect and draft posts is due to hating the Oilers selection or who the perceived selection will be and not so much a criticism of your work if that makes sense.
I do miss seeing Nuge’s big blue circles.
Well, do I ever feel stupid. I had no idea those stars served any function. I thought they just sat there.
Moi aussi.
That’s how Galileo got his start.
More ways to enjoy the blog?
I had no idea there was an article rating system
Eagles Raiders!!!
Peace Out.
Just Win Baby!
A win is a Covid-free stadium considering the Oilers are at that game.
For anyone interested:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/mark-messier-interview-the-national-1.6221158
Thanks BB.
The line I take away from the interview that I think applies most to the current Oilers in this exact moment in time is, “And I knew that if you wanted to win, it was going to be important to have everybody buying into the culture and the vision that’s been created by the team and the players themselves. I wanted everybody to feel a part of it, no matter what role they played on the team. And everybody has to feel that anything less than their best is not good enough.”
Tyson Barrie:
The crazy thing is…..Holland can likely escape the Barrie situation at the deadline. Indeed, some GM’s May be so desperate-Holland can profit nicely from this.
Who do you suggest is our new 3RD in that case?
And what should happen in the case of injury, or if Bouchard falters at all?
What if you trade Barrie for a 3rd? Save on the cap. Go for low event d man.
I’m finding it crazy to suggest trading Barrie at all, let alone a pick and taking a replacement level D. Barrie led the NHL in defensemen points last year, and for all of his warts is an NHL defenseman capable of playing on the top pairing with Nurse, or on the 3rd pairing. Considering Nurse plays near 30 minutes a night, he could easily split that time with Bouchard and Barrie and play capably with each.
Trading Barrie for a 3rd means our RD depth chart looks like:
Not to mention risking pissing off the core players, Barrie and any future free-agent who takes a pay-cut to stay in Edmonton.
Barrie might end up being a cap casualty in the off-season. His skills seem duplicated on the team, and there are more important people and positions to care for. But for this year, he is a valuable player on the team, and I cannot see someone out there available for cheap that would be able to step into the role Barrie has.
I think Barrie trade talk is premature but this is why you look at trading him. He is not, and never has been a defensive minded enough d to pull of the top d pairing minutes required. Bouchard is already (even as a ‘rookie’) better than him at this role. Could Bouchard have some troubles- guaranteed, but even troubles for him don’t appear that he will be even Barrie’s equal in lack of defensive ability, and his match with Nurse is much better, because of his style. He is much more intelligent defensively than he has gotten credit for so far. Keith and Ceci are doing just fine on second pair, so now Barrie is slotted in at 3rd pair and pp, for 4+ million and 4 years (I think). This cost is too mcuh for that time. There is lots bubbling under that can handle 3rd pair, including Russell who is about equal defensively in the 3rd pair role. Berglund also really impressed me in a steady stay at home 3rd pair role. We can afford to offload Barrie, and should look to do it, maybe at trade deadline, if possible. We need $$$ for Puljujarvi and possibly a little more for Yamamoto. We cannot afford to overpay for a 3rd pair d.
Yes there are ramifications for free agents signing, but Holland is so well respected that I imagine he can manage the situation with grace. That said, I don’t think it is likely to happen, but I can see why fans are suggesting it!
I agree with pretty much all of this, Barrie’s 4.5 for 3 years is too much for the 3rd pairing, but trading him with two years left at the end of the year is more manageable and better for the team.
I mean I love me some Bouch and he is doing a phenomenal job, but he has played only 26 NHL games, and he has never played more than 68 in a regular season, and never more than 54 professional games in a single season. It’s fair to assume he will have some hiccups in his first full NHL season and giving Barrie 5 games exclusively on the top line is a nice luxury
Pretty much this. As you say Bouchard’s play is probably arriving earlier and better than Holland/Tippett expected and that may make Barrie superfluous to the team in the same way that Reilly did to him in Toronto.
But not yet. Not even close. Surely the mantra that young players don’t develop in a straight line has been repeated here often enough to drive that point home.
It would be somewhat hilarious & ironic if a trade happened next off season that saw Barrie return to Toronto because the cap challenged Leafs couldn’t afford to keep Reilly. 😉
I’m a huge Bouchard fan but the wise thing would be to flip flop him and Barrie with Nurse it’s a long season. Bouchard still learning and he will be all year. Barrie seems to be the new whipping boy now that Chiasson is gone.
Yeah, I agree with all of that. As I mentioned it may well turn out that Bouchard makes Barrie superfluous but I am pretty sure Holland will want to see a season of that before coming to any conclusion.
And I am pretty sure Barrie’s play will bounce back as well. For a crew here that immortalized ‘small sample size’ it sure seems like a lot of over reaction.
Due consideration of small sample size seems to have been replaced by fervid tribalism.
It is our way. 😉
Brogan Rafferty played 3 games with the Canucks and you announced he was a top 4 Dman.
And you took me seriously.
A regular court jester you are.
Every court needs a jester.
You did BOOK IT after all
He usually BOOKS IT outta here when he is proven wrong or money is on the line.
He BOOKS IT quite often, in fact.
It seems to take a bit of the season before Barrie’s motor kicks in. Tippett knows this and will up Barrie’s minutes accordingly. I for one am glad that Holland has gone to a D by committee (excluding Nurse) with a mobile D that pushes the puck up ice and is quick to transition to our speedy forwards. We our going to score a lot of goals this year and not just from Batman and Robin.
I can’t speak for everyone, but it is less about being a whipping boy (I really hate that term) and more that many didn’t see a great fit to sign him in the first place. Bouchard is a cheaper (at least at this point) and arguably better fit for what Barrie brings. We needed a Larsson style player, not a defensively barely adequate player.
This is it from my perspective.
didn’t want him here in the first place. Don’t like the way he “plays in his own end” over the past few teams he’s been on.
I could understand the first contract, but not the second. It was Bouch insurance. Very tradable contract. I have been jesting a bit to
trade him asap. But I know that is not going to happen because he was just signed. I doubt he gets traded until the summer because they will want experienced D depth for the playoffs. That said I think Barrie is one of the worst D men you would want to play in the playoffs. Ever. And if KH were in a position to move him by the deadline for a solid RD man with some experience for less than the Barrie contract he could also probably find another nice upgrade or depth addition with the extras cap space.
I understand my position isn’t popular with many but I do think such a move would significantly increase the likelihood of post season success. Any time they make the playoffs
From now on they have to be all in…!!
I understand this perspective and agree to an extent.
I often find myself defending Barrie, but it’s usually against the extreme takes like he’s only a product of playing with Nurse, or that he’s untradeable, rather than me thinking he’s a great defenseman.
When I looked up his playoff results a while back though I was really surprised how well he’s done (granted, on mostly losing teams).
In his 5 playoff appearances (his teams only got to the 2nd round once) he’s been 23GF-17GA (57.5%GF) on ice at 5v5.
His teams overall have been 52GF-70GA (42.6%GF), which means without Barrie on the ice his teams have gone 29GF-53GA (35.4%GF).
That held last year against Winnipeg (Barrie 4GF-2GA, Oilers 6GF-9GA).
Some of that is playing with his teams best players, but I think it’s also clear that Barrie has been more the solution than the problem for his teams in the playoffs to this point in his career.
Somebody has already shown to be a better option at first pairing right D ( caveat small sample size). The dilemma is that Barrie playing with any D not named Nurse is a black hole defensively. The question is not if Barrie will be moved but with continued good play by the more defensively gifted Bouchard, when the trade will happen.
Bouchard is 6 foot 3 and 200 pounds. I feel sorry for the forward that makes him snap.
I’ve been a Bouchard fan from the time he was drafted. Very gifted athletes may appear lazy or slow to some. Some of the top players in many sports appear this way due to their ability to think the game at a superior level to their fellow athletes. See the Great One whom the puck seemed to follow around or the plethora of baseball outfielders who would merely amble after fly balls and catch the ball positioned perfectly to throw out an advancing runner. The list of players in all sports that seemingly slow their sport down or are able to play their sport very well, with what appears less talent or drive than their counterparts.
The issue with Barrie not playing with Nurse is he’s not suited for the 3rd pairing as he needs a more “stable” d-man that Koekkoek or Russell, even against what should be “easier comp”. Russell was once elite in the defensive zone (as far as preventing goals against) but he’s approaching 35 and I think his age is rapidly showing.
The 2nd pairing, getting minutes with the top 6 and with a more stable partner is where Barrie should be (if not with Nurse) but Keith/Ceci are locked in there for now and are absolutely killing it given the minutes they are seeing (15% offensive zone starts and triple the defensive zone starts of Bourchard, double that of Nurse – its amazing they have a 50% goal share and even higher expected goal share given their zone starts and “reputation”)
He needs a minimum of a second pairing D with defensive acumen partner to be an effective third pairing D. He will never be defensively sound enough to play on the PK. He can and is effective on the power play and has excellent offensive skills.
I was responding to question about the #3 Right Dman. Not trading Barrie for a 3rd round pick, but trading for a good 3rd pair right defense.
The chances that Holland trades Barrie at the deadline are close to zero in my opinion. Holland’s history shows, if anything, he will add to the D-group at the deadline.
Also, trading a player that just signed as a UFA for three years in his first season is a bit dangerous – good luck getting any substantial UFA to sign in the future without full trade protection.
Holland is faithful to his players
he Doesn’t trade Barrie until he has to
Barrie is luxury on this PP but there are teams who will desperately need PP QB help and will covet Barrie if and when Holland decides to trim some salary
I would use the terms fair and honest. Holland’s loyalty and responsibility is to the organization to build a winner. Faithful is an attribute best reserved for your dog! My personal opinion only!?
yes but that’s not how Holland works
You do not trade a player 5 games into a 4 year contract earliest he gets traded is at the deadline 2 years from now.
I personally don’t see Holland moving Barrie until he has to for cap space and or if someone comes looking to acquire Barrie for value plus. Bottom line is Barrie has value!
Has Koskinen earned the start on Wednesday?
Remember when Tippett was awarding strats based on performance? It worked pretty well. Kept both Goalies engaged.
Of course, Smith eventually won the role of starter.
Lavoie is having a very “meh” start to the season – a start one would expect in a rookie pro season but not one from a higher tier prospect in his second year pro that is reasonably supposed to be showing a pop on development. He had a couple shifts last night where he showed well but overall a non-factor through 4 games. Not on PP1 and wasn’t on the ice on the 6 on 5.
Broberg had his best game last night. His 3rd PP assist in 4 games and a couple great offensive plays in the 3rd when pressing for a goal. Solid defence and gap control. Did take a couple hits on puck retrieval and he still seems slow making decisions on that regard. It’ll take time.
Niemalainen made the play of the game as I spoke about last night. Can post the video again later if people want.
Is there an issue with Woodcroft playing Veterans in more important situations and not letting the prospects learn?
No, but the real issue is the lack of prospects. Lavoie has this season and next for his ELC, but he is not being placed in positions to succeed, that is my concern.
The season is still very young, he will get his chances, I am sure.
Safin sat, unsigned draft pick McPhee played. This sort of thing is annoying, but as I have said before, Safin doesn’t look like an NHL prospect, the best thing the Oilers could do is traded him for something. Like they should have done with Maksimov.
Also Soderlund has yet to play, I wonder if his contract will be terminated.
So to recap, forward prospects in Bakersfield include:
McLeod (2nd line/PK1/PP2)
Marody (2nd line/PP1)
Lavoie (3rd line minutes/PP2 – 45 seconds per PP)
Safin (2 of 4 games played)
Soderlund (no games)
This is why dreams of guys like Kassian being replaced by the prospects bubbling under need to be tempered. It might happen but you don’t count on it.
Broberg seeming took a hit seemingly every time he touched the puck in his first 2 games. As well he didn’t join the rush and didn’t skate the puck out once that I can recall.
Last night he looked confident and did all the things that made us excited for his potential. I don’t recall seeing take any hits, either. Good to see!
He is adjusting, as we speak, to the different size of ice. He has to re-calibrate all of his moves and decisions accordingly. Give him half a season in the AHL, and let’s see what we have then.
Yup, we are on the same page – as I mentioned, last night was his best game of the 4 by far – it was the first time I really noticed his skating and he was making plays in both the offensive and defensive zone.
Truth be told, Woody has always relied on his veterans as head coach of the Condors. Even last season when the “kid line” was so dynamic, PP1 was mainly veterans until late in the year. All that talk about Benson on the PK was highly over-stated – Woody relied on Cracknell, Malone, Joe G. Esposito, etc. for his PK – Benson was depth guy and never in important situations.
Whenever I hear the talk about firing Tip and bringing in Woody (or just making the change for next season), I warn that Woody is a “McLellan Guy” and he would also have used Neal/Chiasson on the PP over Jesse last year, for example.
In any event, the kids are getting the minutes on the back-end (no real choice) but there aren’t that many “real prospects” up front. Marody, McLeod, Lavoie. Marody is the “veteran prospect” and got PP1 and played with McLeod and Schaller.
Lavoie and McLeod – no PP1 and Lavoie was with Cracknell and Griffith (which are very good AHL players).
Lavoie needs to get his feet moving, that will get him more playing time. Even when he’s on the ice, he doesn’t get close to the puck. He’ll figure it out. I expect the Oilers might get him some more PP time when he begins to play better.
On his opening shift on Saturday Lavoie burst through the D and had a grade A chance that ended up over the net, then he was basically invisible for the rest of the game, except for his hooking penalty.
In the second game of the season, he came alive during a shift close to the end of the game and in a 30 second sequence actually looked like a dominant offensive player. I didn’t see a minute of game 3, but out of the 3 that I did watch he has only had 2 shifts where he’s looked like he was more than an AHL depth player. After last season, it is easy to expect more, but as you have been telling us all these years, this is often how prospect development goes…..
Agree with this general evaluation of his season (from what I’ve seen) and this is a continuation of his issue dating back to his junior days – consistency. Not just being consistent from game to game but within a game, from shift to shift.
I would expect we’ll see him explode production wise fairly soon – something like 4G/2A in four games, or something like that.
Woody has expressed they are working with him on consistency but, well, clearly a work in progress.
Interesting you choose the original name of the band. 🙂
#?
…Chad Allen and the Expressions?
shakin all over!
When Chad Allen departed, the band became “The Guess Who?”
In 1968 they dropped the question mark and became known simply as The Guess Who.
I recall reading (this is ages ago) that the producer (Jack Richardson? Can’t remember) wanted to create some excitement and felt releasing the song (Shakin’ All Over) with “Guess Who?” might cause a stir. He was also trying to fool enough people into thinking it was an English band.
Speaking of 60’s bands, these guys never get any credit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IaRhVjjA10
“Shakin’ All Over” was released as being by “Guess Who? Chad Allen and the Expressions” (which sounds plenty English to me, frankly). So the moniker actually pre-dates Chad Allen’s departure.
And sorry, it was Chad Allan, not Chad Allen; I’ll take the blame for bringing the wrong spelling to this thread.
Yes, I think Burton Cumming joined around 1967, two years past Shakin’ All Over. Chad Allan also formed Brave Belt with Randy Bachman after he left The Guess Who, but left before they morphed into Bachman-Turner Overdrive.
Cummings. Burton Cummings. Dammit Steve Smith!! IF that is your real name.
First I’ve heard of them. Unusual…Canadian “soul music” …. who knew.
I’m channeling my inner Bruce McCurdy and re-watching some of the previous games.
I must say, to a man, everyone on the team is playing better than I realized / gave them credit for while watching in real time.
Anyone heard any updates on Samorukov? By my math his jaw should be healed enough to play – with protection around about now.
Samorukov proving NHL capable by the deadline would be a nice addition.
Was wondering the same thing???? Calling OP for an update !!!!!!
We’re only 5 weeks from the injury (and the timeline was 6 weeks).
If everyone stays healthy, it will be interesting see with Woody and Manson do with the lineup – they had 7D play last night.
Samorukov would give the 7 NHL contracts plus Deharnais plus Kaldis (who hasn’t played since game 1).
They love Deharnais in the lineup but they can’t sit a Kesslering or a Kemp for him or go with 8D.
Man. The names on those lists (current roster players aside) make me feel like that kid in the Sixth Sense.
#Iseedeadpeople
How is our old friend Jujhar doing, 5 games played, no points, minus3, 7pims, averaging about 13 minutes per night.
Decent ice time, hope he finds his way there
I believe he is now banged up as well – left the morning skate today.
So you finally acknowledge, it’s all Guessing. 🙂
At No Time have These Eyes been able to Guess Who would be the Star Baby!
No need to come Undun or reach for the Guns, Guns, Guns.
When Friends Fall Out, we can still agree to Share the Land.
Do You Miss Me Darling? #Laughing
Greatest Canadian Rock Band Of All Time.
Rush would like to have a word with you. 😀
But yes, the Guess Who were/are pretty good. Just had to have a listen to another track from So Long, Bannatyne.
BTW, Burton Cummings now calls Moose Jaw home. Might have “saw a few” there.
mmmm…. Rush is but a lyric in a Crowbar song
Hey Hey…I feel alright.
Bop bada baa, Bop bada baa,
Bop bada baa, Bop bada baa,
#CanadianYodeling
Moose Jaw! Great Canadian names. Second only to Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump and Dildo Newfoundland.
BTO?
Guess Who progeny.
Guess Who is number two.
Tragically Hip are number one by a country mile.
Tea Party third.
Raises two questions.
How many feet in a country mile?
and,
What’s in that tea your drinkin?
The Hip might have been able to claim the title had they originated in the West. 🙂
I thought April Wine was pretty good back in the day.
Coulda bin alright…
if they hadn’t lived their lives on the bad side of the moon.
#GreatCanadianBand
#RiotSquadsOnFullAlert
Loved the Habs sweater worn by the lead singer.
And what exactly is a hand basket that you go to Hell in?
Or, for that matter, why isn’t the word “palindrome” a palindrome?
Phhhttt…
The Band blows them all out of the water.
have to agree there….no question!
”Hit The Road Jack” it was the Stampeders
Yup.
Old Guy Talking.
Brain Cramp.
ID10T Error.
#FlipFlopper
No.1 The Band.
… Now where did I leave those glasses?
… Honey!? Have you seen my keys?
… What’s the name of our middle child?
I love the Guess Who–they were my first concert–but the best Canadian rock band of all-time is Neil Young and whoever happens to be on stage with him at any given time.
(I’d also have the Hip ahead of them, but that’s a recent-ish shift in my views.)
Yes. I was listening to a version of “Hold Back the Tears” the other day that sounded like it had been recorded at a book store on Whyte avenue in 1975, but it was pure and the fiddle was gorgeous. Creaky as hell, and beautiful. The man can’t fuck up. It’s impossible.
Ah, if we allowed to move from bands to individuals with back up bands I would also go with Neil Young although Leonard Cohen is pretty close. Two completely opposite and unique voices.
I love Leonard Cohen too. But
1. That might strain the defintion of “rock” a little.
2. This is an odd thing to say given that Leonard Cohen was the best concert I ever saw (better than either time that I’ve seen Neil), but his greatest strength was as a songwriter, not a performer; his original studio version of “Hallelujah” was perhaps the worst of the 6.2 million recordings of that near-perfect song (he subsequently recorded some far better ones, it must be said). Whereas Neil Young, despite <i>also</i> being a legendary songwriter, could bring magic on stage to even the most pedestrian of his compositions (see Lowetide’s comments about that version of “Hold Back the Tears”, <i>supra</i>).
Put another way, can you imagine Leonard Cohen elevating the likes of Crazy Horse to international stardom?
(Tangential side question: has there ever been a song that better served as an anthem for the band performing it than “Prisoners of Rock and Roll” for Crazy Horse?)
(Correct answer to tangential side question: No.)
That’s all fair although I have to admit I have always been fascinated by how Cohen could get so much power out of so few octaves.
Now I have to go find & listen to Prisoners of Rock and Roll.
I’m currently burning my brain with this version of my favourite Neil song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJPq4daZKEk
That one never even ranked among my favourites until I read you writing about it, I don’t think (and when I say “among my favourites”, I mean that it’s now probably among my fifty favourites, which is still pretty elite company, considering). So props to you for that.
Long ago, I read some article about bad lyrics in Neil Young songs, or bad lyrics by otherwise great songwriters, or bad songs by otherwise great songwriters, or something like that, and the author cited the lyric “Big John’s been drinking since the river took Emmy-Lou” as being a bit…maudlin, or something? I wish I could find that article.
Anyway, somebody in the comments section took the author to task for that remark, saying something to the effect of “Are you fucking kidding? That’s a novel in one sentence: you’ve got great characterization of Big John, a moment of high drama in the river taking Emmy-Lou, and you’re left with enough questions about it that you want to read the whole novel, and Neil just tosses it off as an aside. That, right there, is Neil fucking Young.” It was one of those remarks that puts so perfectly what you’ve so far only known in visceral, unarticulated form.
Anyway, I wish I could find that article.
I love that song so much, and for me the lyrics are delightful because they’re both specific and vague. He describes the boat and rider in detail (‘big red beacon, a flag and a man on the rail’) and says he’s now legal everywhere (‘just turned 22, wondering what to do’). The BEST part of the song, aside from the searing guitars, is the main character and soul is dead! Can’t give that fucking song to the Archies!
such a great song. such an underrated musician in the sense of putting emotion through the strings of that guitar. Beautiful story. So well told. Thanks LT
Great version. Thank You.
Talk about melancholy and dying young.
Just read on Wiki, “Young recorded a solo acoustic version of “Powderfinger” at Indigo Ranch Recording Studio in Malibu, California in September 1975, and intended it for his unreleased mid-70s album Chrome Dreams. He later sent the tape to his friend Ronnie Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd who were to use the song on their next album.[However, Van Zant died in a plane crash in October 1977, and Lynyrd Skynyrd never recorded the song.[
The Band.
This…and it’s not even close.
From backing Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan to sublime albums that influenced many 70’s rock icons , The Band stands alone.
The quirky Tragically Hip caught the imagination of a generation but will likely fade and the others were nothing more than pop hit machines.
When I lived in Kingston they were Tragically Hip crazed about their home town band. I never got it.
I tried…I really did.
Bought 3 of their CDs for a long road trip and listened to them all twice.
Have never listened to them again.
It took me a while to get it; both my siblings, generally less into the Old Man Rock than I am, were big Hip fans, and I just didn’t see it. I honestly don’t know what did it for me, but one day I realized that my views on them had, over the past six months or so, gone from indifference to reverence without my having even noticed.
Try them again next road trip, I guess is what I’m trying to say.
Their lyrics are a lot smarter than most Canadian bands, and they are uniquely Canadian. Not just “You were loosening my grip on Bobby Orr” but also “Late breaking story on the CBC, A nation whispers, “We always knew that he’d go free”
I think the closer to your front door that music reaches out to you, the more credit it earns if it lands. I’ve never been a Hip fan, never bought one of their albums, but have maybe one dozen songs that move me, that stay with me. Bobcaygeon, that song might be a throwaway, but I’ve been there and felt that melancholy. So, they matter. They just do. I don’t like New Orleans is Sinking though.
The criminal defender in me has to adore any song about (or partially about, or obliquely about) the Milgaard saga, so there’s that, for sure. Agreed on “New Orleans”, mostly; it’s a good enough straight-ahead rocker, but they have songs that are both more successful in that respect and have better lyrics (“Courage” and “Fireworks” being the ones that spring immediately to mind…”Little Bones” too, I guess, though it’s lyrics are better in the sense of “fun wordplay” than in the sense of “smart Canadian poetry”).
I don’t understand how “Bobcaygeon” could be described as a throwaway in any sense.
Another song the Hip recorded was this tribute to Dan Snyder. It also happens to be one of the hardest-rocking songs in the Hip catalogue.
Klaatu. The next Beatles band.
Great now I have the song “Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft” stuck in my head for the next 3 days. I just start humming it for no apparent reason.
Want to get “Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft” out of your head?
Go on you tube and lookup/play Klatatu “Sub Rosa Subway”
#HarpsicordAlert
We seldom agree, but when we do….. 🙂
Is your darling an American Woman? Or is she a Bus Rider, Running Back to Saskatoon?
Who the best is is really a personal choice and is heavily impacted by the memories they invoke.
My brother and I listened to my uncle’s copy of American Women over and over again in his basement every time we went to Winnipeg to visit in 1969/70. Once we starting getting an allowance it was the first album my brother bought. In 1975, it was the first concert we ever attended when they played for K-Days at Northlands Coliseum – though by then Bachman had long left the band and was at that time replaced by Hall of Fame guitarist Dominique Triano. Got to listen to and meet Burton Cummings a few years ago at an event in Toronto.
I did get to see Rush play live in Edmonton in 1977 as well and they were great but that doesn’t make them Closer to the Heart. And if I include in my deliberations Geddy Lee’s guest appearance on The Great White North and the song “Takeoff” from the Strange Brew sound track (charted higher on the US top 40 than any Rush song) it gets really close for me especially with the hockey theme part of that movie.
Speaking of Strange Brew – in my scatter brain stream of consciousness, Strange Brew would have been a great title for an LT article when discussing the impact of the Edmonton water on the Oiler’s performance.
I get your point.
But the Analytics beg to differ. 🙂
Look at the charts, awards, and record sales. 🙂
You won’t have to guess who the winner is. 😉
I mean my Mom loved Nana Miskouri. Doesn’t make her better than the Beattles does it. 🙂
Come on Rush supporters. I just tee’d up a softball for you. 😉
Hint: Awards and Record Sales
Which charts determine the best? Songs or Singles? Analytics depend on which ones are important. Does corsi really matter more than goal for and goals against?
Rush over their careers produced one single that entered the Canada top 10 and O singles on the US Billboard top 100. The Guess Who had 14 top 10 singles on the charts in Canada and 7 in the US. Rush wins the Juno awards, 9-2, but in fairness to the Guess Who, they didn’t start until 1971 after most of the Guess Who’s best albums. Rush had way more albums and charted very well with many of them.
I sort of accept analytics for hockey if done well and properly understood, but I refuse to let it tell me who I should like for music
Well Played Sir! Well Played.
(unlike my Rush albums….KIDDING! just kidding)
I can never decide between American Woman, with its epic first side, and Wheatfield Soul. Both have No Time, my favourite song by the band, but Canned Wheat has so many great ones. Songs like the re-worked “Of a Dropping Pin” and the fun piano on “Undun” are so good.
The greatest Canadian band was unequivocally The Band.
While the group had one American member, it was formed in Toronto and is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honouree.
Great thread!!!
Neil Young, Rush, the Hip. Brilliant Canadian artists covering generations!
The Guess Who were the first real concert so ever went to, around 2000 in Grande Prairie, great time
“The Doors? Jim Morrison is a drunken buffoon, posing as a poet! Show me the Guess Who, they’ve got the courage to stand up and be drunken buffoons and it makes them poetic.” – Lester Bangs (Almost Famous)
If they weren’t boozing it up pretty good when they recorded this track, then they deserved an Academy (Juno?) award.
Tonight’s the Night was and will always be may favourite substance induced album.
Agreed.
Neil Young. Canada’s greatest musician / songwriter. (Gordon Lightfoot close second)
Captain Jack by Billy Joe.
Yes. That and Dr Hook Bankrupt. 🙂
Kidding, not kidding.
How about everything produced by Eric Clapton in the 60’s and 70’s
It’s alright, it’s alright, it’s alright….
#NoIt’sNot.
Man. For a half a second there, I thought you were referencing Rod Stewart’s rumored predilection for swallowing substances he shouldn’t have.
#darkturnapology
Awesome. Sounds like an homage to Newfoundland. 🙂
April Wine kicks ass!
Live! At the El Mocambo Baby!
Headlining with the Cockroaches!!!
I prefer the first April wine live album (“Live!”) because:
a) The first two songs “Mama (It’s True)” and “Druthers” were never released on a studio album, and
2) Jerry Mercer’s drum solo (“Good Fibes”) is outstanding. For my money, the second-best drummer Canada ever produced (next to The Professor, natch).
April Wine early is fantastic and when they had Goodwyn and Clench writing songs their albums were very strong. Once Goodwyn became the primary writer (Whole World’s Going Crazy on) the albums were hit and miss. Still had great songs, but not as consistent.
Haha nice. Doors were long gone by my time (not that it stopped me from being a fan though)
Burton Cummings played Keyano Theatre Gala in McMurray several years ago, after the show he famously jammed with the band playing at one of the hotels.
Legend that I have heard is that in the early days, the band was supposed to play some small town in Saskatchewan and were late to show up, when the did, they exclaimed “Guess Who”
It took overtime and a shootout, but with 3 of them on the schedule
Knights + Avs + Kraken + Kings reached a season grand total of 5 wins last night.
Real. And. Spectacular. lol.
Wins against non-playoff teams last season don’t count. Losses against non-playoff teams last season count. What does that mean? I don’t know.
You’re forgetting to add in what cycle the moon was currently at. Need to make sure it’s all lining up with the tides.
These are my favorite posts lol
If you’re going to put great weight on 5 game sample sizes, you will have to acknowledge that San Jose and Buffalo are powerhouses and the Islanders are trash.
Pro Tip: They aren’t.
1) I would like to see the manual on when small samples can be used as evidence and when they can’t – is it only when they support your narratives that they are permitted or is there more to it?
2) SJS lost
3) Oilers were pretty much unanimously picked as a playoff team prior to the season and, in many (the majority) of the models/predictions, a top 10 team. While 82-0 is probably unlikely, the Oilers having success seems more sustainable.
You didn’t even have the Oilers 2nd in the Pacific IIRC.
It is unfortunate the disarray and turnover of coaches we were in. I believe a few careers were ruined due to poor development and poor coaching. I hope we have turned the corner.
Back then the calls were for the Detroit model of prospect development.
Well, it’s here, and some of the more ornery voices amongst the crowd are panning the model because their pets aren’t playing in the show.
Can’t please everyone, I suppose.
Not me … I’m grateful for a GM who doesn’t elevate young players into the NHL until they’re ready.
And a coach who shelters the young players until they’ve shown that they don’t need to be sheltered anymore.
Vets like Perlini, Shore, Scevior are always available for cheap to play thankless minutes in the bottom 3 … though they tend to gravitate to more stable organizations that don’t have a lot of drama.
When your given 5 years with a shit-load of money and your dealt pocket Aces it does make the job easier.
Chia was dealt the same hand, together with cap space and a full deck of draft picks and damn near almost drove the bus off the road before it had left the station.
whoops
Steve Tambellini didn’t do much, but I think one of the most important thing he did was get the Oilers back to having their own AHL team again.