Jason Chimera took three full minor league seasons and 230+ AHL games before establishing himself as an NHL player. He had believers (Kevin Lowe said every summer Chimera would make the team) and detractors (Craig MacTavish sent him back every time) but eventually honed his skills into something MacT could use. Please read this.
Same thing for Kyle Brodziak; he took some time but became a useful player. Who is this year’s Chimera or Brodziak? I thought it would be Josh Samanski. Mike Babcock believes it could Colton Dach. For me, and Oilers fans who witnessed Craig MacTavish as coach, the memories come flooding back.
MacT liked players who played, well, like MacT. He was an intelligent center who rarely cheated for offense and often saved the day with an astute defensive play. He had a variety of linemates, from the redoubtable Esa Tikkanen to hard working man Kelly Buchberger, but MacTavish played a responsible game like clockwork.
Those are the players he liked, too. So Chimera was traded and Fernando Pisani elevated. There’s no hammer at the end of this verbal, the Oilers were a successful five-on-five team with MacT as coach. The worst thing I can say about MacT as coach is he did not have exceptional power plays, but he didn’t have the fastest horses, either.
Mike Babcock may look past Samanski, and another team that sees what the young German center can do could make a deal and pick the player up via trade for less than 100 cents on the dollar. Could happen. Edmonton lost Jan Hejda and Curtis Glencross during MacT’s time as coach, and absolutely made a mistake when not signing Jeff Petry to an extension all those years ago. Hockey men see things in their own way, and ‘gut feel’ married to the eye test carries the day often.
I don’t know that using Leon Draisaitl on the wing and Colton Dach at center is a bad decision. I do know its risky and not recommended by math, and for me that’s enough to call it in to question.
Why not run McDavid, Draisaitl, Jason Dickinson and Josh Samanski up the middle? That’s the play here. The good thing is enough losses will force change and I don’t see Edmonton outscoring enough with lines two through four on the ice to win enough games. If the club wins, and continues to run the McDavid-Draisaitl tandem, I would expect a deadline deal for a veteran center.
On the Lowdown today, we have the return of Rachel Kryshak at 12:40 and Jason Gregor at 1:20. Oilers news, Elks news, NFL and more! Noon to 2pm, Sports 1440 and You Tube.
Why Oilers finding a No. 2 line without Leon Draisaitl is crucial for Mike Babcock
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7613632/2026/09/21/edmonton-oilers-lines-mike-babcock-leon-draisaitl/
Jays collapsing down the stretch. Some critical injuries. Some disappointing seasons from key contributors. Some encouraging prospects. But overall, season 50 turns out to be a big disappointment for Jays fans coming off their World Series appearance.
Many overachievers last season including what are considered key contributors.
Injuries, losing peak Bo, and coming back to earth for many players. Reality hit
Its interesting that I’ve seen reports of many teams making cuts today, some up to like 15 players, but mums the word on the Oilers – I presume many are physically on their way to Bako but they just haven’t announced it yet.
Gregor mentioned on the Lowdown today that he expected cuts to come after the Vancouver away game on Thursday. Now, we should get some before then, but the ’15 cuts’ level may come Friday.
Thank you.
Interesting to me – with so few roster decisions to be made and really only deployment decisions, I thought they’d cut down early. These next two games will be slogs.
Riffing here, but what if Babs is using this as a chance to really get to surround the pecking order of the call ups and the distant bells? A way to get eyes on (new to him) prospects, and at the same time to evaluate the likes of Keith Gretzky and Colin Chaulk etc upon whose judgements he will rely on during the course of the season.
If the obvious cuts are made early there’s no track record with the guys whom he is likely to recall later, so it’s more guesswork during the season when he needs more certainty.
Sure, I guess but then you would have thought these potential call-ups would get some reps with NHL players who they’d be playing with upon call-up and, also, there are still junior players in camp and zero chancers for this year like William Nicholl and AHL contracted guys like Griffith (and Vinni).
Yeah I have been wondering about the likes of Griffith remaining this far in a truncated camp. Coach probably wants to learn more about the individual players (talent and character) first hand more, instead of 100% relying on assessments from others in the org.
This is why I’m kind of leaning toward my post above.
The whole not playing the AHLers with NHLers is likely more a function of seeing who rises to the occasion more than anything else.
They need bodies to populate the games because veterans can only play 2 games.
The game in Vancouver is likely to be less than a full NHL squad.
The coach again praised Dach’s line at practise. I mean that’s great if Dach takes the ball as a Cman and runs with it. You can never have enough C men.
As for Samanski, I really like the kid but he honestly needed to add some wt to that tall frame this past summer in muscle. He came into camp 4 lbs heavier, so he did add.
Does it do Samanski any good to go back to Bakersfield or stay here as the 13th forward.
No clue what they do, but Babcock early in camp has a luv on for Dach.
guess we find out in a week and a few.
I’d run Samanksi on the ‘shut down’ line with Dicky Bobby.
I was watching Detroit Highlights of Babcock Wings games and a few Leaf games. We are going to see a transformation style like we haven’t since forever. Pressure-speed-pressure-turnover-pressure-turnover-goal. I wonder if anyone keeps stats on turnover goals say in ones blue line in. I believe we are about to see double or maybe even triple goals off of turnovers by the opposition in there own zone. I haven’t been this excited about a season since last season. Obviously it’s a new coaching staff and different vibe but this team is all business you ask then a dumb question you get a testy return. No Mr nice guy. How many penalties minutes will the all-star, the great Babcock just with his stare save us this year compared to the rookie K.K dumbfounded double-glazed over doughnut look
Ha yes gamesmsnship was not a Knobby calling card. And no mistaking it matters in this league
On slicing up the ice time pie…I’ve coached high level 4-line teams and it’s not easy. It takes conscious thought and a plan or you look down and one kid is at 6 minutes.
I find it odd that if the plan is to get the entire forward group involved more the only conclusion they came to was to play 97/29 together. 97/29’s ice time at even strength is not the problem rather, it’s the guys riding shotgun. They are say, B and C level players and they get dragged along into the stratosphere of ice time by being attached to 97 or 29.
But if you have a plan you can make it so the B’s and C’s that play special teams don’t get stapled alongside 97/29 and the B’s and C’s that dont play special teams get lots of time at evens with 97/29.
Let’s say Hyman, Nuge, Podz and Savoie are your B’s and for argument, Kapanen, Formenton, Howard are your Cs. Frederic, Dach, Joseph are your D’s.
I’ll come back to Dickinson and Samanski.
Hyman and Nuge will get 5 minutes of PP time. PP2 guys will get under a minute so basically ignoring. Nuge along with Savoie, Formenton and Joseph maybe get 2.5 minutes of PK time.
So Nuge should never play with 97 or 29 as a way to control his ice time. Podz plays no special teams so should ride shotgun every time and get the load up after a PK time. Howard and Kapanen should likely get a spot up with them. And Savoie as the only B player remaining.
Over a 5 game stretch the averages should work out really nicely;
Spot in Dach, Freddy, Samanski for an extra couple evens shifts since no special teams time (at the expense of Joseph).
As for Dickinson and Samanski they’re perfect for this role. The last thing this team needs (contrary to opinion) is to enter into the Sweepstakes for a legit C when there is no room for big minutes. The cost would be insane.
If you have McDavid, Draisaitl, Nuge, Dickinson, Samanski on your roster, and you’re in need of a center, your deployment is wrong.
Exactly. This strategy creates a problem that doesnt exist
Did you steal Babcocks cheat sheet? This is a good post.
Thanks.
If you’re going to play the Twins together than Podzis the right running mate based on ice time as he gets (effectively) no special teams. You can now divvy the even strength ice time between the bottom nine, well not evenly exactly, but not too far off. Nuge, Hyman Savoie don’t need a ton at evens since they’ll play tons of special teams.
And if they separate them and are careful not to max out 93/18 they can get the same “play the whole team” without having the risk of no second line to river-push.
I disagree with the twins PKing. If the stated goal is less minutes for those two then you have to be selective on where you use them. PP, best in the world so don’t rob from there. So pK vs evens. Evens…both top 10 players on the planet. PK? Shouldn’t block shots, cheat for steals but potentially dangerous (not proven) offensively. So why trade 2.5 minutes of “best in the world” for 2.5 minutes of “mediocrity with potential”.
Just an outstanding post all around. Thank you.
Great post
👆🏻
Fill lines/pairings at practice today:
Draisaitl-McDavid-Podkolzin
Howard-RNH-Hyman
Frederic-Dickinson-Kapanen
Formenton-Dach-Joseph
Jones-Samanski
Ekholm-Bouchard
Walman-Murphy
Shea-Mukhamadullin
Stastney-Emberson
Jarry
Levi
If I was a betting man, I would bet this is the lineup for game 1, barring injuries.
Little doubt that is Babcock’s plan.
Nice to see Dickenson healthy and at practise .
So the Shea-Bouchard experiment is over already?
Babcock said straight up the other day the Ek was going to be back with Bouchard but Bouchard is going to have multiple partners given he plays so many minutes.
Bouchard needs Ekholm early as a security blanket the first 10 games.
That lineup will struggle to score enough.
This us a plan dependent on another all world PP
Plus their best center isn’t playing there and their best winger isnt playing wing either
OK I’ve tinkered with things a little & this is what I’ve come up with.
Podz-McDavid-Leon
Forman-Nuge-Hyman ( Nuge with a couple men)
Freddy-Dickinson-Kapanen
Samanski-Dach-Joseph
I think I’d go with Jones as the 13th forward.
What have you done with Howard?
Nothing.
LOL I’ve been on the phone looking for a trade.
Yep a team will lose a Clayton Keller munchkin that’s excellent on the PP. Come on down Howard. Bowman can take advantage of this and get a good player that’s a better fit especially when Savoie gets back.
He’s in goal. Oops, I think I misspelled gaol.
I actually kind of like Formenton on line 2 or 3 if he continues to look good. That combo of size and speed could help a skill line. Maybe not to start but at some point
That speed driving to the net causes so much chaos while opening up room for your linemates. Formenton is going to move up the food chain rather quickly.
I think your on to something I like this line Cowboy.
It seems that the concession prices will remain in their usual range, with packaged domestic beer (473ml) being the cheapest option for fans at $16.50. Draught domestic beer (24oz) of either Molson Canadian or Coors Light will cost fans $18.50.
Among the non-alcoholic options are fountain pop at $9.75 for 20oz or $10.75 for 32oz, as well as water bottles for $9 and Red Bull at $9.25.
https://dailyhive.com/edmonton/here-what-beer-will-cost-oilers-games-this-season#google_vignette
I think Gregor showed that despite it still being crazy, in the NHL’s almighty USD the prices are competitive. $9 for water is an actual crime.
LT I think Declan called it confirmed. I expect him and the Moose to be sacked.
The Canadian franchises (revenue related) generate 2/3 of league revenues. This coupled with revenues coming in CAD and expenses being paid out in USD means sadly there will not likely be any cheaper prices coming.
If they wanted to make more money, they would.
Sneak a flask in like the old days. The O zone at Commonwealth was so much fun.
Can confirm
I’ve been thinking about this, actually. The main issue is getting through the metal detectors.
A titanium flask, both expensive and lightweight, is non-ferrous and thus non-magnetic. Should probably get through if one was inclined.
expensive to get that pinched tho
Go look up the Atlanta Falcons and the “Fan-first pricing model”.
I continue to hope someone with any business acumen in this area works for the Oilers and can show it to the rest of them, but instead, here we are.
It makes more money. https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/atlanta-falcons-brought-back-old-202504408.html
You can get a hot dog at Yankee effing stadium for 3 bucks.
Thanks for sharing that. If only someone at OEG was actually listening or cared.
The biggest impacts of these exorbitant pricing models are downstream. Make the sport unaffordable for average families to attend and you’re killing the game with the next generation of fans. Nothing like a live game for kids to fall in love with a sport, but turn it into corporate attendance primarily and you penalize the kids.
This isn’t just inflation effects either. Hockey games were way cheaper and blue collar achievable for fans in the 80s. Went to lots of games as a teen on my own dime. What teen can afford that now? And yes, I’m old! 😆
If everyone boycotts and no one shows up at the games your new favourite team will be the Albuquerque Oilers. You and Superfan will get free tickets to the home opener.
Yeah, but McDavid is here now. The next gen will never be in the market to watch the greatest player of this century.
They’ll lower prices again once McDavid has retired. The good people of Edmonton will always be there for the Oilers.
As the main driver of the Patty Dach supremacy, Babcock has my full support and I love the verbal surrounding the player from the folks within the building.
Do I think Dach on Samanski’ wing makes the most sense? Yes.
Maybe Samanski can play on Dach’s wing instead??
Bakersfield bound.
So, playing the winger at center and the center on the wing…
Dach is a key player he needs structure and consistency which Babcock will drive in his head. Dach unlike Samanski will use his size in a physical sort of way if you get my drift.
Agreed!
I think Dach has 3LW upside.
If Dach can get the game to slow down a bit I think he has up and down the like-up potential.
Dach is a smart kid he’ll listen to Babcock while moving up the food chain. It’s too early to tell what we have in Dach his game may progress at warp speed under Babcock. For all we know 3-W might be his ceiling or as I believe you’re lowballing him. Wouldn’t it be something if Colton ends up being the brother on a redraft that should have went top ten in the 2021 draft class.
“Maybe the best man in the middle on the PP in the NHL” – Babcock on Nuge.
Babcock also talked again about the set-up maybe being a bit different on the road but they do want to work for some consistency in the lines – it may end up just being pairs on lines that are consistent – he doesn’t know yet.
Tweaking the greatest powerplay of all time over several years is gonna be a hard pass from me dawg.
He is right though. Let the Witch Brew (cook).
Oilers over the past 3 years at 5v4
97+29 with 93: 13.23 GF/60 ** 73.2 SCF/60 ** 33.01 HDCF/60
97+29 w/o 93: 5.95 GF/60 ** 50.54 SCF/60 ** 20.81 HDCF/60
Show this to anyone who says Nuge is riding coattails and they shut up pretty quick.
Babcock not happy with practice today:
Quote per Menzies:
Gregor asked him about his impressions of Dach (interesting question given we got his impressions on Dach after the last game) and coached praised him again, saying they were the best line at practice.
I like that hes driving the compete qualities. Having those hard to play against players was a shortcoming. So some good direction here.
He knows the skill is already here.
Speed with pressure is it really surprising he’s giving Dach a whirl?
Not surprising – I’m just surprised that, if we are taking his words as face value, he was something much different from Dach and that line than I did on Saturday.
I wonder if Formenton could play 2LW with Nuge & Hyman?
He could, I’m sure, as could Dach or Kapanen or Frederic or Joseph.
Look forward to the coach’s first choice at camp there tomorrow night.
He likes Dach
I like Dach too. At this point, I like Dach as a winger. I truly hope he develops quickly in to an impact C, that would be a great options. I may be mis-analyzing but I saw a long ways to go on Saturday night.
Im very interested to see any changes in defensive structure this year. Particularly how they defend the blue line, and defend the net front.
I feel they have been too passive with the last two coaches. Blue line was given up easily and backing in common. Netfront was generally positioning and controlling the oppositions stick. I feel boxing out could be much stronger, Oilers gave up a lot of deflection and screen shots where there was little challenge.
Nurse drove me nuts of being on the wrong side of a player especially a tipper like the king Pavelski who has mentored Wyatt to become the new sheriff of tipping. Every team has good tippers the opponents all know who they are Oilers have done a half-ass job of boxing out properly with them looking so lackadaisical on the replays.It’s okay to stretch the rules and tie up the tippers stick.
As Babcock alluded to, Ek and Bouchard together at skate today. On a plus note, Dickinson taking part.
Per Rishaug
Excellent to hear Dickinson is able to skate. Any news on Savoie sightings and timeline? Just a wild guess but he’ll be back in 10 or fewer games. Before the Savoie injury I was all excited to see Savoie-Joseph on the PK. With the Formenton signing I’m pumped. All Savoie needs is open ice with a lane him and Joseph-Formenton-Dickinson-McDavid are going to get so many SH clear cut breakaways from Centre ice in. D.J may force in some cases the opponent to go with 2 D-Men besides 4 forwards. It’s a tie between Goaltending and the PK I’m most excited to see this year. Once we win our 6th Cup this spring McDavid will resign early next summer.
No update on Savoie – he wont’ be skating at camp (even by himself).
Near the end of the October continues to be the general timeline, alluded to by Bowman and expressed by Stauff over the last little while.
If that’s the case then around 15 game were coming of a long road trip so then we’re looking at a half-dozen games to get up to speed. So he’ll have 3/4 of a season hopefully 100% for the 1st time in while if it’s been a nagging injury. Is it too much to ask with the time missed for him to score 20?
Condors camp opens with 8 forwards and 4D – many names most of us have likely never heard of.
Got to assume some cuts are on their way. No need for Nicholl, Michaels, Griffith, etc. to not get to their club team. The likes of Tralmaks and Raty to join, perhaps Tuesday night if they get the Jets road game first.
Losing Dickinson to injury may throw the biggest wrench into Babcock’s deployment plans.
That third line at present only works with Dickinson driving it. Coach would be wise to have Samanski on the wing with Dickenson so he can learn and can step in, as it looks likely Dickenson will not be 100% healthy.
Dickinson participated at skate today…..
Dreger saying that there was lots of interest in Formenton – in particular Carolina and Vegas wanted to sign his. His friendship with Bouchard and relationship with DJ Smith were main factors in him choosing Edmonton.
Yep just as we thought DJ and the coach lured him into signing for less in a much hotter market. It’s not going to take long before this kid speed is loved.
No indication any team was offering him more money.
I guess will find out at a later date once the dust settles.
Babcock doesn’t love Samanski obviously because he didn’t help grow him. People like to take ownership of something. And to envision themselves as smarter than the next man, discovering something (somebody) and showing how they grew them to success.
Formenton is one. (who somebody will get huge credit for, likely Bowman-Babcock)
Its easy to be a Dach supporter as well, we all want him to develop for the Oilers. Babcock wants to show he is discovering Dach’s potential.
It should not come at a cost to Samanski.
Yet we see it all the time. New regime has no loyalty. We are lucky at the moment because Samanski does not have to clear waivers, otherwise hed be gone soon.
In any organization, change begets change. When a new leader steps in, they must oppose the previous regime’s strategy and tactics (at least in part), do things differently and make their own mark on the organization. Babs has a massive ego and something to prove. He will be bullish and stubborn with his choices, some of which will make fans scratch their head if not drive them to distraction. We are here. I’m ready for this and accept it because, as I said last week, I was not at all happy with Knoblauch’s deployment choices. Time and wins will tell. We wait.
Babcock has 3 months to show progression in the key areas he has addressed. All that matters to him is getting the team firing on all cylinders. I don’t believe the narrative around favorites at this stage in the game.
Babcock is going to instil his own system not K.K-Tippett etc. A new coach will fade players and elevate other players. Every coach in the history of the game has done this. I really don’t think Samanski engages along with his foot speed enough for Babcock.
Agreed but that is not about favorites. That is about performance within the new system. That is all that matters.
You cannot keep these two things completely separate.
Who will perform the best? This is linked to who receives the most opportunity.
Do not mistake Babcock for a guy who puts himself or his opinion second.
I will say that there’s way less politics once players get to this level of hockey yet players still have a say on the selection process. Well liked team players usually get the job look at Pickard. I will say this till the day I die without Hertl unintentionally intentionally sitting on Pickard legs we win the Cup. Pickard was in the Bill Ranford zone before the injury.
The Chimera yo-yo routine was ridiculous. He was ready in 00-01.
Meanwhile he’d rather run Pittis, Lacouture, Swanson and Kilger out there. Yuck.
Shhh, you’re revealing some of my favourite Puckdoku players that have the lowest usage percentages haha
Chimera was a great test as to whether someone understood an excellent skater who was also fast (he was both) or just looked quick.
The amount of people getting paid to know the difference who still miss this is absolutely crazy.
I think MacT’s issue was Chimera’s defensive work. The player could fly, no doubt about it.
That’s probably how he justified it – yes. His calculation on how much the defensive skill of a forward mattered was always far too tilted in that direction. It was one of his main flaws as a coach and teacher of the game.
Chimera was also physical and could shoot.
Whether you graded Dan LaCouture or Jason Chimera as the better bet for a true NHL test drive in 2000 was a great test. Many in the organization failed at that one.
I used to work with Chimera’s brother-in-law in the early 2010s. He told me that Chimera’s version of things was that he laid a big hit on Hemsky during practice and never got out of the doghouse. I always kind of figured that was a young guy looking to justify rather than solve a situation. Guys that don’t want to listen to the coach always have some reason that isn’t “I don’t play defence the way the coach told me to”.
I think there’s a good chance that incident happened and could have been the catalyst for him getting a permanent spot on the naughty list but believe his poor defensive play (and penalties) was the reason that MacT didn’t play him.
The dates only sort of add up for that.
Hemsky was drafted in 2001. Chimera should have made the squad in both 2000 and 2001.
Now, once he was there that may have happened and impacted his role and such.
And of course if you have a coach holding grudges over playing hard trying to make the team…that’s its own additional problem. Would it shock me if that were true based on the random stories from the time? No.
After all, you’re talking about the coach who couldn’t handle the press Rob Schremp was getting while not even on the squad and turned that into a grudge.
That’s essentially what I’m saying though. Did he hit Hemsky and go in the doghouse? Probably. Would he have gone in the doghouse and stayed there if he could play defence? No. I believe that he was talking about his last year here and he believed it was the reason he was traded.
I believe that LT is right. He didn’t play defence well enough for the coach so he didn’t play. MacT showed us who he was a lot. You can’t just work hard, you have to work “right”. Chimera didn’t do what MacT asked him to do. Cleary did, Pisani did, Horcoff did and they played. Hard work wasn’t scarce on those early 2000s Oilers. He needed to listen to the coach.
Chimera-Cleary-Cogliano-Maltby all had speed to burn. I would add McLeod but we did seem to get a return in Savoie even though he’s a smallish winger. McLeod would have been our 3-C for 10 years plus.
Cleary just plain wasn’t that good in Edmonton. Lacked hockey sense mainly. I still remember a night where he was rushing the puck through the neutral zone trying to make a play…going backwards by choice…UGH.
Cogliano was a winger and they realized it far too late. Wanted him to be a C so badly for some reason.
Maltby for McGillis was a good deal. If you check that 96-97 roster, Sather had loaded up the team with players legitimately above Maltby.
I really liked McLeod and consider his handling and the subsequent trade a coaching screw up more than anything.
Holloway-McLeod-Puljujarvi could have been one hell of a 3rd line. And then no Frederic stupidity. No wasting assets and money on Dickinson. And other moves.
You do know these 4 players have 4411 between them. That’s crazy!!! The only trade that made sense was the Maltby trade. I also think Maltby pissed off Sather hence the trade either that or it was over money which we had none of Not like Detroit Pizza Pizza money. Speed-speed-speed Formenton-Joseph-Dach-Dickinson the fading Samanski. Bowman wants big skilled fast team Babcock wants a skilled pressure-pressure-pressure capilize on turnovers team.
Babcock is just like all the other new coaches. Will take him a few weeks into the regular season to have a plan. Everything else is just talk.
This, however, is part of the problem. In this day and age, there is more than enough data to support the eye test and establish the 90% line up on day one. The final 10% is open for discussion/injury related.
The 4 centers listed by LT don’t require further experimentation. Play them as is and find the wingers that fit best.
It’s a long season and the coaches will want multiple line up options. Eg. having 3 or 4 lines for 97 which give flexibility, but also have familiarity. Safe to assume they have an 84 game plan for the season which is designed to achieve playoff success. There will be tinkering and not all of it will work as expected
Once you factor in Babcock’s ego, that 10% open for discussion jumps higher, and can be a suprise.
Possibly. But, related to ego, this may represent his last chance to win a cup. And the best path to that outcome is having McD and Drais on separate lines for most of the season.
Lowetide, I have been a faithful reader (rarely post, but I read daily) and always will be. But you’ve been repeatedly hammering the same point over and over and over about the Cs. We understand your concern and many of us share it. Just would like a lens on something else from you please.
lol if you don’t like the content read something else.
I think I replied reasonably respectfully actually. I just pointed out that in my opinion, he has hit the same point too often lately. I noted that I’m a devoted reader and will continue to be so. I don’t think it is unreasonable at all to suggest he take some new angles. If I were to hazard a guess, I think Allan would probably suggest that this is the kind of reasonable disagreement he prefers (no mocking or insulting) actually. He also of course, doesn’t need to listen to me and I get that.
You’re a guest here. Act as you would in another’s house.
You are fine.
I get your point and I believe you when you say you don’t mean to be disrespectful. In a situation like this it’s useful to understand that summer/early training camp is a period where not a lot is going on. We talk endlessly about each year’s Josh Samanski or Raphael Lavoie or Robbie Schremp or Jani Rita. The conversation doesn’t change because the facts don’t change either.
We’re all in a similar boat, we want to talk about new and next and what’s coming but hockey moves slowly. We have the same things to say about a Hellebuyck trade on September 21st as we did on April 17th. It’s an example because he’s not an Oiler but that’s five months of daily conversations with nothing new. Do we feel frustrated that there is nothing new? Yes. Is that on LT? No. He does a daily tap dance from Mid-July to Mid-September every year and we’re grateful to him for it.
Other commenters are going to see it as disrespectful because LT has been providing a free service daily for decades and criticizing the repetition during a period where he doesn’t have a lot of choice isn’t exactly fair. Centres happen to be relevant in the now as we’re seeing Babcock begin to develop lines and the summer rumblings of Samanski not being a full-time centre while Dach might be have been confirmed. Dickinson might be hurt. It’s new even if it feels old.
My recommendation going forward is to ask a question. What isn’t LT talking about? What do you want to see tomorrow? It isn’t super helpful to say “something else” and not really consider what that is (this puts all the work on the writer). It is helpful to a writer to say something like “What about the goalies?” or “How are the coaches getting along” or “how are the prospects doing in European training camps?”. A comment thread 15 posts deep can signal “maybe I should write an article on those Nova Scotia Oilers” or “It seems like these younger guys would like to know more about Mike Bishai getting tossed into the bench during a fight and then continuing the fight from the bench” or “How did Toby Peterson and Corey Potter end up on the power play?”
LT has been doing this a long time and has a vast wealth of knowledge and stories to pull from. Don’t passively criticize. It doesn’t really help and comes off as impolite whether intended or not. Actively contribute. What do you want a lens on?
Well put. Thanks for the articulate constructive criticism.
I agree, LT should give this guy his money back….
This is the challenge of an everyday blog on one team – there’s only so much left to say 5 days & 1 pre-season game in. We don’t know what the coach will do, there is not really a lot of space for roster churn (4 or 5 bubble guys this year?) and nothing actually learned in ice. Give it a week and there will be more to discuss.
For the rest who don’t want someone to speak their mind here, where do you think you are? Yeah, we are guests here, but this was not a dink comment.
I understand, but the team comes to us at its own pace. I’ll have plenty of goalie articles as time goes by. And if the wingers are shy, that too. I apologize for the repitition, will work on other things soon.
I usually just check in for the ongoing Reja OP Howard debate myself 🙂
Respectfully disagree. I’m interested to read LT’s ongoing opinions on the new coaches lineup decisions and performance of the players.
Jets with a solid lineup for their game tonight against the Avs so it’ll probably be crappy tomorrow which sucks.
Maybe will get Skinner unless they’re saving him for a regular season game against us.If Cheveldayoff thinks he’s going out wait Hellebuych is mistaken. The Jets will get 65 cent on the dollar the longer they wait. How has Cheveldayoff had a job this long?
When Andy Moog held out at the end of his contract, Sather didn’t trade him until March 8th. He waited until he got what he wanted.
While holding out and suspended a player does not count against the cap and he doesn’t get paid.
From what I’ve read from Winnipeg, Chevy is of that mindset. He can hold on until the contract expires, if he wishes.
Come the trade deadline, a trade may be very lucrative for the Jets.
I don’t really care about the goalie the Oilers play against tomorrow, I care about the oppositions skaters.
Everytime Skinner is confirmed the starter I will concoct a beef goulash turn the lights down then light some candles. I will thoroughly enjoy oilers lighting up Skinner every game we play against him.
I would prefer they split by the time I leave the Black Frog for Rogers (Arena!) on the 1st but it’ll be fun to see those 2 fill the net against…Lankinen?
By the Sharks game (first potentially real matchup) the 2 will be split. We talk about this literally every year and they put them together and break them up ad nauseum. They’ll rack up some wins against lesser lights then experiment throughout the year.
They believe this is the best way to get a good start. Based on competition, they’re not wrong.
Yes! Shout out to the Black Frog, what a great hidden oasis of Oilerdom smack in the middle of Nuckville. Say hi to it for me!
The duo could be split for game 2, on the road.
Babcock has been clear they may do things differently on the road than at home and DJ has been clear it’s much easier to play against them at home (i.e. when the Oilers are on th road).
Of course, at this point, the duo have not skated apart…..
If we had no Samanski, we’d probably be ok with giving Dach a spin at 4C.
We/they wanted different….. this is what it looks like. I have time for it.
We won’t know if Dach is trustworthy at center until we trust him.
And we don not know about Dickenson’s health. We might need to ready another center.
True – he is at skate today though.
Yup, give him some reps and evaluate.
My concern is “the first rep” over the incumbent Samanski, and its been for all of camp and, importantly, his effusive praise of Dach at center which didn’t line up with my eye test when the line got caved by non-NHLers on 4 shifts (at least).
why is Babcock set on playing 97 & 29 together?
They reportedly want to keep the other lines active and in the game. That’s a worthy goal, but does it lead to winning? That’s the important item.
I do not know that answer. I have always been against playing 97 & 29 together since Todd McLellan days … but it seems ALL of the coaches have gone that way …
It’s because 97 and 29 are otherworldly on the same line. The line gives coaches a cheat code. Thats why they always go back to the forbidden fruit.
I think having them together is great if you have sufficient forward depth. Which the Oilers never have.
The theory is that Its tough to fine 2 other lines enough 5 on 5 minutes if the first two lines are each playing 16-17 minutes. I get it, 34 minutes leaves 10-16 minutes at 5 on 5 total for the other two lines with special teams/
Condors’ camp opens today. I presume it’s off ice stuff but they will need players soon. I expect many cuts official today.
I’m sure we’ll see plenty of McDavid and Drai on separate lines as centers. Likely even in game 2 in Vancouver. Who knows who the other two centers will be in that set up.
At the same time, even with those two loaded, there is clear room for Samanski at 4C. Sure, fine, give Dach some reps there and see how it goes but here is hoping that Samanski, the incumbent 4C, who showed well as a rookie, gets his real opportunity as well.
Here is hoping that coach doesn’t move forward solely on a dream of what could be if Dach can perform as a center. Give Samanski his earned chance. Evaluate with a clear head and move forward.
I expect coach wants both Formenton and Joseph in the lineup due to PK and speed and Dach is a lock to play so he doesn’t see room for Samanski with the current healthy group. For me, those two speedsters, with quite a bit of replicated skills, don’t both need to play if it forces a wonder at center. I’m not sure Dach played the position nearly as well as Babcock’s verbal supposes and I don’t think he believes his own words. I saw that line being a mess on the defensive zone, again non NHL players.
I read Babcock’s verbal as not wanting to throw a player under the bus on day 1. He knows he put Dach in an uncomfortable position to try something out – he said pretty much all you can say in that position withiut coming off as a jackass. He also said something along the lines of “at least I know all the guys’ names now” in that interview, so it’s clear he is still figuring out what he’s got with this team. In my opinion, it’s going to take a couple weeks into the regular season to really get a sense of where the coach sees things, and that will be based moreso off of what he does vs what he says.
I definitely think that the shortened preseason favours teams with continuity, which obviously isn’t us. So I agree that it is unlikely Babcock will have his finger fully on the pulse of the team by puck-drop of game 1.
I’m not sure I agree with this – his praise of Dach and the line itself was very very strong – it was the opposite of “not throwing under the bus”. He showed “honesty” with the Howard and Samanski and their tough game (which I agree with).
He’s buttering Dach’s toast.