Ryan Nugent-Hopkins And The Calder

You guessed it Oiler enthusiasts, another article on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and the Calder race. It's a tough time of the year for beat writers and bloggers to find Oiler material so this Nuge thing is getting beaten to death. Well, I mind as well join the party and give my two cents worth. Nugent-Hopkins is the talk of the town, and for the first time in team history, the Edmonton Oilers have a chance to add some elusive hardware. It's hard to fathom that after all the great players in Oilers history, no one has won rookie of the year.

The run for the Calder trophy has become a three man race between Nugent-Hopkins, Gabriel Landeskog and Adam Henrique. Both Landeskog and the Nuge have turned it up as of late and unless the Devil in Henrique goes on a scoring tear, it appears we're looking at a western shoot-out. Will the Nuge slide first to the finish line or will he run into an Avalanche of Landeskogs?

Only one point separates these three players and these last few weeks in the season will decide who brings home the hardware. Many hockey journalists argue that both Landeskog and Henrique have played pivotal roles in helping their team battle for the playoffs and should therefore win the Calder. While the Oilers are not competing for the playoffs, journalists have to take in to account games missed by Nuge do to injury. Nugent-Hopkins has missed twenty games this year because of shoulder problems.

When considering who should win the Calder, voters can only evaluate the games played, injuries are an unfortunate truth of hockey. If Nugent-Hopkins played more games I wouldn't be writing this article, there would be no Calder race. True the Oilers are not a playoff bound team yet injuries played a vital role in the teams demise. The same argument could be said for Ryan, if he had not suffered injury problems, it's more than likely the Oilers would be competing for the playoffs as well.

It's a sad truth of hockey and I don not relish the voters when they decide the winner of the Calder Trophy. Unless Nugent-Hopkins is able to create some space in the scoring race, Landeskog will probably win. While the Nuge has been the talk of the town and is garnering attention; Landeskog currently has the full intention of all hockey journalist across North America. In the end the PHWA will vote on the winner and with seven games left, Ryan needs to get there full attention.

With 47 points in 55 games, Nugent-Hopkins still has a small chance and will need to finish strong. Ending the season with 57 points in 62 games, not that's a story worthy of a Calder!

Looking Forward: Edmonton Oilers 2012-13

With seven games to go until golf season kicks off, the Edmonton Oilers are now officially eliminated form the playoffs. Obviously this comes as no surprise, since all-star break it was apparent that the 2011-12 edition of this team was not a playoff team. So what changes have to be made is still up in the air, but it does appear Steve Tambellini will be busy this Summer.

This afternoon I'm going to step into Tambellini's shoes and play God with this city and team. Before I talk about the players, I first want to resolve our issue with Tom Renney. People forget that Renney's greatest asset is his teaching ability along with his patience with young players. The Oilers are still rebuilding and although they should be a better team next year, they still have to develop players. Sometimes change is needed but not in this case; not resigning Renney would only add speed bumps to the rebuild. I would sign Renney for another two years. If the Oilers don't have a winning record by Christmas, I'll be telling Tom to take a hike up Mt. Trump. Why do I care that Renney has another year left on his contract, it's not my money!

Now onto the players, who will be remaining with the Oilers:

Taylor Hall; Jordan Eberle; Ryan Nugent-Hopkins; Ales Hemsky; Teemu Hartikainen; Magnus Paajarvi; Shawn Horcoff; Ben Eager; Lennert Petrell; Eric Belanger; Anton Lander; Jeff Perty; Ladislav Smid; Ryan Whitney; Nick Schultz; Taylor Fedun; Any Sutton; Corey Potter

Looking at the players that would have a roster spot, there is only one real surprise and that's Taylor Fedun. Taylor exemplifies perseverance, heart and soul, he is exactly what this team needs on the back-end. Come training camp, a roster spot will be his to lose. Petry and Petrell will need to be signed this Summer.


Players who will be gone:

Ryan Jones; Linus Omark; Darcy Hordichuk; Cam Barker


Now don't get me wrong, I like Jones but the time has come for the Oilers to play Hartikainen and Paajarvi. I love Omark, but with the Oilers signing Hemsky, Omark is redundant. Hordichuk and Barker were experiments and this Summer the Oilers will probably try a few more.


Players with question marks:

Ryan Smyth; Sam Gagner: Theo Peckham


What to do about Smyth and Gagner all depends on how much money they want? Smyth would be a great third line player but the question is will Ryan accept third line money? Sam Gagner is a must sign but what if that 8 point game has gone to his head and he asks for the moon?  Last and least is Theo Peckham, I like what he brings to the ice but it simply isn't enough. He has played well as of late but does it warrant another contract. At just over a million dollars, it might be worthwhile to gamble on him and see what he brings next fall.

Have I forgotten anyone? Yes of course the goaltending. I saved the goaltending for last because I like where the Oilers are with Dubnyk and Khabibulin. No I haven't lost my mind and feel free to flame away, but I have faith in Devan Dubnyk. Even when he struggled in December, I knew he would bounce back and he has; the time has come to let Dubey take the reins. The Oilers will have to resign Dubnyk where Khabibulin still has one year left on his contract. Playing around thirty games, Khaby is good enough to play the back-up roll.

So there you have it Oiler fans, a brief overview of next years team. I'm not going to bother trying to anticipate the draft, free agents, trades and player values. I'll leave that to the professional arm-chair general managers, but I would consider acquiring a top 4 defenseman.

HALL - RNH - EBERLE
HARTIKAINEN - GAGNER - HEMSKY
SMYTH - HORCOFF - PAAJARVI
EAGER - BELANGER - PETRELL
LANDER - ???

SMID - PETRY
WHITNEY - POTTER
SCHULTZ - FEDUN
SUTTON

DUBNYK - KHABIBULIN

Time to step out of tambellini's shoes, it was fun while it lasted but I'm not fond of loafers!

Oilers Finnish Prospects

The 2011-12 NHL regular season is coming to close and once again the oilers are not invited to the party. Although our favourite team will not be playing in the playoffs, the Oilers do have prospects who will be playing some playoff hockey. One of the facets that I like about the Oilers is the diversity of prospects the organizations enjoys. Over the last few years fans and media talk about the Swedish connection but what about our forgotten Finns: Toni Rajala, Antti Tyrvainen, Samu Perhonen and Frans Tuohimaa.

Toni Rajala was drafted in the 4th round by the Oilers in 2009. Rajala played a few years for the Brandon Wheat Kings in the WHL. Rajala had one year left of military conscription so he opted to return and play hockey for Ilves Tampere in 2010-11. Now with his military duty finished, Toni was now in a position this season to focus on hockey and it has shown with his play of late. As a 21 year old, Rajala is playing against men yet he leads his team in scoring with 16 goals. Unfortunately Ilves won't be making the SM Liga playoffs but don't be surprised if you see Rajala playing in Oklahoma next year.

Annti Tyrvainen was signed as a free agent this year and has not disappointed. Playing in his first year in the AHL, Tyrvainen put up 12 points in 44 games. Annti has been sidelined by injuries this season but has shown he is capable of producing offensively while playing a shutdown role. Tyrvainen is a fearless relentless agitator and has impressed with his physical game. Still young at 22 years old, Annti could be the future agitator that the Oilers need.

Frans Tuohimaa was drafted at last years draft in the 7th round. Picking players late in the draft is more of a crap-shoot but selecting Tuohimma does show some promise. Frans played in 37 games last year while leading Finland's U20 league with a .931 save percentage and an impressive 2.14 GAA.  This year Frans has been promoted to the SM Liga which is unheard off for a 19 year old. Playing for Jokerit, Frans has played in 18 games posting a .898 save percentage and 2.65 GAA.

Samu Perhonen was also drafted last year. A 3rd round selection, Samu put up some impressive numbers last year playing in Finland's U20 league with a .922 save percentage and 2.71 GAA. Samu played at the World's Jr U18 last year for Finland but struggled in the tournament. Unfortunately his struggles have continued this year but hopefully he will rebound next year.

All in all a pretty good year for Oiler Finnish prospects. Tyrvainen could very well play some NHL games next year and don't rule out the chance of Rajala playing in the AHL next year. Tuohimaa has definitely moved up the goaltender depth chart and hopefully Perhonen will rebound next year.

If you have a Twitter account follow me @oilsoup

Sports and Politics Controversy!

There is a fair share of politics in sports these days. Whether it's teams or athletes, sports can be used as a platform to express political views. With social media, this controversy has become more prevalent on a daily basis. In the past, news would travel from day to day yet today with the internet, news can travel in seconds. Thanks to social media, people like you and I can see and hear what we want, when we want. There is no control, no policing, no regulation. The social web is one of the few remaining wonders of the world where there is no governing body.

Yes the governments have the power to intervene and yes, Facebook, Twiiter and Blogger can control the privacy; but it is in the best interest of these social engines to keep them free. For years the corporate world has suppressed the social media yet today they embrace it. The only concern about social media is with this freedom brings a lack of accountability.

There is a fine line between civic pride and extreme nationalism. I write a blog today because of info that I obtained on the social web mere minutes ago. This particular development wasn't mentioned on TSN or Sportsnet; it wasn't reported in the news. In the past this information would have been viewed or heard the next day or even ignored all together. People and Institutions can broadcast their message faster and more efficiently than ever before. Where do we draw the line when it comes to sports and politics.

Did  soccer team Montreal Impact go too far in celebrating their culture with their home opener in the MLS?

Wow!
That was the only word that cane to mind when I saw this. An international sporting event and the Montreal Impact Organization decide to deliver a knock-out punch to Canadians. Clearly the owner has a political agenda, maybe owner Joey Saputo has aspirations to be the next leader of the Bloc. Is he using the Fleur de lis to sell more tickets? I don't know if a political frenzy will result because of this but I will say that I'm tired of this and I'm embarrassed that American soccer fans have to see this!

Are we any different in Alberta, is it nationalism or civic pride that is on the shoulder patch of the Calgary Flames?

You could argue that this is political but I personally believe the shoulder patch is a marketing blunder for a team trying to find it's identity. I never did understand and still don't, on why the Flames have the two patches on the shoulder. Are the Flames the only team in Canada or Alberta? The Flames certainly aren't Alberta's team, we all know it's the Edmonton Oilers. I assume everyone knows this which is why the Oilers don't need to wear the patch. The Flames have one of the worst jerseys in the league and the Flames add insult by clashing  the blue Alberta flag with that awful red, black and yellow. Where is the fashion police?

What about the greatest sporting event in the world, is there a greater political forum?

Going back to the existence of the Olympics, there has been world defining moments. Under the circumstances the Olympic body does an admirable job on focusing on the sports and athletes and less on the babbling buffoons in the political world. I am curious to think of what political and nationalistic objectives the extremists of Quebec will try if the Olympics ever choose Quebec City.

Even as Individuals, Athletes now have a bigger forum to preach their beliefs and political views.

Believe what ever you want, Tim Thomas knew exactly what he was doing. He had numerous occasions to express his views but waited for the opportune time to do it. He has the gall to ridicule the Presidency with little regard to his team, league and sport. The incident did have it's moments, I particularly loved the interrogation by the media. Thomas's pathetic stance on the freedom of speech, where his actions didn't deserve any recourse. What I don't understand is how the team or the league didn't reprimand Thomas for his idiocy. I never did understand goalies.

In regards to athletes and the media, I will always give athletes the benefit of the doubt. Sports is a passionate and emotional roller-coaster, sometimes athletes act before they think. Institutions on the other hand are calculative and diligent. There is always a plan and believe me, the owner and management of the Montreal Impact have a plan.

The more politics is left out of sports the better!

Follow me on Twitter @oilsoup

What's Up With Theo Peckham?

Five frustrating years, that's how long Theo Peckham has been trying out for the Edmonton Oilers. It's been 150 games and the time has come for the Oilers to decide if Peckham is part of the rebuild. The 24 year old is in the last year of his contract and Steve Tambellini will have to determine if Theo is worth making an offer to retain his rights. Peckham made a little over one million dollars, so the Oilers will have to give him a ten percent raise so Peckham can remain a RFA. Based on his level of play this year, I can't see the Oilers offering him a new contract. Peckham has had little luck this year when dealing with the officiating. His foot speed and decision making skills is not up to speed to play in the NHL. If Tambellini does offer another contract, it will be centred on Theo's potential.

The Oilers have found themselves in this position before. It was only a few years ago that the Oilers traded a developing big punishing defender. Today that defenseman is a major piece in one of the best defences in the league. At the age of 28, Matt Greene is one of the premium stay-at-home defenseman for the Los Angeles Kings. As an Oiler, Greene had trouble staying out of the penalty box; he was reckless and struggled with the speed of the game. Greene played 150 games over three years for the Oilers, developing into the defenseman he is today.

Year	Team		GP	G	A	PTS	P/M	PIM
2007-08	Edmonton	NHL	46	0	1	1	-3	53
2007-08	Springfield	AHL	1	0	0	0	2	0
2006-07	Edmonton	NHL	78	1	9	10	-22	109
2005-06	Edmonton	NHL	27	0	2	2	-6	43

Matt Greene was a better prospect but there are similarities between Peckham and Greene. Both play the same style and both players have a niche of taking stupid penalties.

Year	Team		GP	G	A	PTS	P/M	PIM
2011-12	Edmonton	NHL	48	1	2	3	-3	80
2010-11	Edmonton	NHL	71	3	10	13	-5	198
2009-10	Edmonton	NHL	15	0	1	1	-8	43
2009-10	Springfield	AHL	37	0	6	6	-10	106
2008-09	Edmonton	NHL	15	0	0	0	-1	59
2008-09	Springfield	AHL	47	6	13	19	-7	107

Peckham brings a style of play that is needed on the Oilers blueline and it could be a mistake to let Peckham go. He is tenacious and isn't afraid to get dirty while protecting the front of the net. There is no knocking his willingness to compete night after night; a quality that is lacking on this team. Unfortunately Peckham is currently a liability on the ice, his foot speed and on ice awareness is not up to NHL standard. For a team that often struggles to move the puck, Peckham's puck moving ability goes no further than dumping the puck.

It's been a difficult year for Theo, especially since having a breakout season just last season. With defenseman Jeff Petry and Corey Potter having breakout seasons this year, Peckham will be hard pressed to play any more games this year. Although Theo brings a different element to the ice, the Oilers do have prospects moving up the depth chart. One defensive prospect in mind is Colten Teubert. The former first round draft pick brings the same moxie to his game that Peckham is well known for. The fact that Teubert is waiting in the wings makes Tambellini's decision that much easier.

The situation will become more challenging for Peckham, perhaps the Oilers will retain his rights and give Peckham a chance to compete for a spot at training camp next year. If he's unable to earn a spot, the Oilers can trade him or waive him; either way he will no longer be an Oiler. Or the Oilers will simply cut their ties this Summer and watch another defensive prospect go to the wayside. In six months, Oiler fans will hopefully know what's up with Theo Peckham.

Here's hoping that Theo Peckham becomes a little faster and a little smarter. Here's hoping the he becomes the next Matt Greene. Here's hoping that Theo becomes a shutdown defenseman for the Edmonton Oilers!

Oilers Drowned By Sharks!

Monday night match-up between the Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks turned out to be a hard fought game with the Sharks winning 3-2. Once again Joe Thorton showed the Oilers why it's so important to have a centreman with size. The Oilers were absolutely schooled in the face-off dot losing 31-23. It seemed in the final period the Oilers couldn't win a single draw. One thing is clear, if Oiler fans want to see less of Shawn Horcoff and Eric Belanger; Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Sam Gagner need to work on the puck drop. The two players were a combined 7-14, there is no way the top six can sustain pressure if they don't win more face-offs.

On the brighter side, The Oilers defence played a solid game. Jeff Petry continues to impress; the pairing of Ladislav Smid and Petry contributed to sound defence and a few bone jarring hits. More importantly tonight's game had to be Ryan Whitney's best game this season. Ryan played a strong defensive game along with showing Oiler fans a past glimpse of the bullet he used to score his third goal of the year.

Recently the play of Whitney has left us wanting to say the least. Ryan himself has been disappointed with his play as of late. Since coming back from injury, Whitney has shown flashes of his old brilliance and at times looks reminiscent of Cam Barker. Tonight, Whitney was able to push past his struggles and played his best game of the season. Pairing with Nick Schultz will certainly help, what a difference it makes to have a partner who is always in position; whether it's for a defensive play or puck support. Schultz continues to surprise with his offensive outburst with his fourth assist as an Oiler.

The Sharks are currently battling for a playoff spot and played a game that they had no intention of losing. Give the Sharks credit, they kept the Oilers to the perimeter and the Sharks scored on the few chances they had. The Sharks did all the little things better.

Get Tweeting: Oilers Jordan Eberle and the Lady Byng

Friends, fans, writers, lend me your ears.

We are well past the three quarter-mark of the NHL season and it's time to talk about possible award winners. For the first time since the dynasty 80's era, Oiler fans have a chance to see one of our heroes take home the hardware. Not one but two Oilers have a real chance this year to have their names embedded in NHL history. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins can become the first Oiler ever, to win rookie of the year and the Calder Memorial Trophy. The other Oiler is of course Jordan Eberle who should garner some interest for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. While Nugent-Hopkins is almost a shoe in for the Calder, Eberle is more of a long-shot.

It's been an onerous journey for Eberle this season, one in which he should receive some deserved recognition. The Lady Byng is awarded to the player who displays sportsmanship along with a high level of hockey skill. In the past the award usually goes to a player who finishes high in the points standings and low in penalty minutes taken. Players Pavel Datsyuk and Martin St. Louis have been the lone recipients over the last six years. There are not many players more well known than Datsyuk and St. Louis.

When it comes to popularity, Jordan Eberle is relatively unknown out east. This was prevalent at this years All-star game. With both of the teams captains playing out east, neither one had seen Eberle play more than a few times. Jordan wasn't used in the skills competition despite having arguably the best hands in the league. It's only Eberle's second season in the league and many players out east have yet to play against him. Eberle needs more exposure to both the fans and the media out east.

The Lady Byng is determined by the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA). The PHWA consists of 180 notable hockey journalists some of whom I follow on a regular basis. The problems is the PHWA consists mostly of eastern based writers who don't get the chance to watch teams that play in the west. It's not surprising that Joe Sakic is the last western based player that won the Byng back in 2001. I don't fault them, it's easier to vote for a player you see often as oppose to one you rarely see. Eberle's numbers warrant consideration with a 30 plus goal season and a mere 4 minor penalties. Oiler fans and hockey fans across the country need to inform all hockey journalists of Eberle's impressive season.

In the past there was little we could do about the lack of media attention form eastern sports journalists. Today we live in the Social Age, we now have the power to voice our opinion. A few weeks ago, Oiler fans showed their displeasure to TSN about delaying the Oiler/Blues game and Oiler fans used that social technology to change the decision. Why should we stop there?

No one this year has shown more perseverance and commitment to their team than Jordan Eberle. Let it be known that Jordan Eberle is deserving of the Lady Byng. Facebook your friends about Eberle. Tweet every hockey journalist you follow and get the name Eberle trending on twitter.

Oilers Drop 5-3 To The Habs!

It truly was a "Battle of the Lottery" tonight at Rexall Place. What started tonight as the marque match-up, ended up being just what many anticipated;. a game that neither team wanted to win. You guessed it Oiler fans, the game was tied 1-1 at the end of the first period and deadlocked at 2 after the second. There was no way either team was going to allow their opponent to fall behind by more than one goal. The best way to describe the first two periods is to use the words of Louie DeBrusk, "even stevens."

Fortunately for viewers hockey games consists of three periods and not two. It was only a matter of time before someone decides to take the plunge and gut it out for the team. The stalemate finally surpassed when the Oilers Theo Peckham and Nikolai Khabibulin made the ultimate sacrifice. While being a healthy scratch for the last few weeks, Peckham felt it was in his best interest to take dumb penalties. If Theo's three brain farts wasn't enough, you can always count on Khabby and his signature weak goal. The Canadians simply succumb to the pressure with the end result of two unanswered goals.

The Oilers only have themselves to blame for tonight's lack lustred effort. The only Oilers that decided to show up was an AHL call-up, Hall's spider sense and Horcoff's butt. I suppose the officiating was a little one sided but this time it was the Oilers who were the benefactors. Apparently the officials for tonight's game didn't receive the memo.

It was three periods of bad hockey and poor defensive decisions. How many goals have been scored lately against the Oilers due to untimely pinches by the defenseman. You would think the coaching staff would have solved this by now. The defence wasn't the only culprit, two of the goals against was a result of poor defensive zone coverage by the forwards. There was simply too many Habs parked in front of the net for the defence to handle.

With the Habs up 4-2 late in the period, the two teams swapped goals with the game finishing 5-3. Oiler fans can be consoled in Ryan Nugent-Hopkins continued point streak and Nick Schultz's three assists in five games as an Oiler. Ol' Steve Tambellini has to be feeling pretty good about that trade right now. Let's just hope his luck doesn't run out this Summer.

The Oilers and Habs ended up splitting the season series, with the Canadians earning their first win at Rexall since 2000. It's been a long eleven years for those annoying chanting Habs fans. But don't worry, we'll get the last laugh when the Oilers win the lottery.

I hate losing to the Habs!

Oilers vs Habs: The Battle Of The Lottery

Get thee to a lottery.

With only two points separating second and third last, the Oilers and Habs meet for the second and last time this season. This is a pivotal match where the outcome could very will dictate who will be picking first overall. Normally at this time of year the games of interest involve teams vying for the playoffs. Well not tonight, the feature game on Thursday night will be the Canadian match-up of Montreal and Edmonton.

These kind of match-ups is nothing new to the Edmonton Oilers. There's a lot of pressure in games like these but the Oilers can draw on the experience of the last two years and they should be considered the favourite. Unfortunately for the Montreal Canadians this is uncharted territory for them. They can't be comfortable going into this game, in fact the last time the Habs played in a game of this significance was way back during Confederacy.

The difference between second and third last is 4.6%, that's right a meager 4.6%. But you have to take into account that Scott Howson is the most cursed man in the NHL. Even though the Columbus BlueJackets have a near fifty percent chance of winning the lottery, they won't. Teams finishing second to sixth last will win the lottery and pick first overall. That is why this game is so important; that 4.6% could very well be the difference between selecting Nial Yakupov or not.

So Oilers and Habs fans cheer on your team, and may the best team lose... I mean win!

Oilers Need To Stay The Course!

I have been reading a number of articles and tweets over the last few days and there appears to be a consensus that the Oilers need to make some significant changes for next year. Oiler fans have conveyed their displeasure in coach Tom Renney, the defence and inconsistent goaltending. These are some drastic changes that can not be easily solved with exception to the first one.

Yes, the "fire Tom Renney" chants are currently being tweeted in the social world. Renney is in his last year of his contract and can be easily released. Not renewing his contract could be justified since the Oilers have finished at the bottom of the standings under his two years as coach. Many fans question his time management of players and the sheltering of our young stars. I empathize with Tom`s predicament of developing players and at the same time trying to win games. Fans can not argue the progress our young Oilers have made this year; Tom Renney has to earn some of that credit and the sophomore jinx was not prevalent this year.

Perhaps fresh ideas and a new face is needed next year but keep in mind that Renney is well liked by both players and management. In most cases coaches are fired when players have lost faith, Tom doesn`t have this problem. When it comes to the coaching, the Oilers need to stay the course and give Renney one more year.

The defence is entirely a different animal. There doesn't appear to be any immediate help available this Summer with this years' crop of UFA defenseman. Ryan Suter and Dennis Wideman would definitely help out our defence but do the Oilers want to get involved in a bidding war. Anyone else would just be bottom pairing defenseman; this would probably explain why the Oilers chose to sign Andy Sutton instead of trading him. The only real viable option for the Oilers is to trade for a top pairing defenseman.

The team does have a few Kings and Queens that could be dealt to attain a current or future top pairing defenseman. The question is are there any teams out there wanting to go fishing with the Oilers. I'm not crazy about moving Sam "wise" Gagner and even less crazy about dealing a top three pick. Yes, Gagner is not a big player, but he's only 23 and has proven this year that he can produce points.

The only other high card is our draft pick for this upcoming year. Steve Tambellini is not a gambler and nor am I when it comes to playing with a lottery pick. We have the potential of selecting another superstar, a team can't have too many of those. The only justifiable reason to trade a top three pick is if the team has a legitimate chance of making a Cup run. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, the Oilers can position themselves for the playoffs next year but not for the Cup. Picking up or trading for a depth defenseman seems like the most logical course for the Oilers.

The last of the Oilers problem is of obviously the goaltending. Nikolai Khabibulin and Devan Dubnyk have been inconsistent to say the least. Khaby is on his last leg and Dubnyk doesn't appear ready to take over the reins. Devan has much to prove, but he is only 25 years old and just playing his second full year in the NHL. Dubnyk is the sixth youngest goalie in the league with modest NHL experience.

The big question that enters our mind, is what should the Oilers do about Khaby? We can't trade him, we could bury him in the minors or ship him to Europe. Tambellini could try to replace him with Evgeni Nabokov or Josh Harding who are UFA's this Summer. The only concern is neither goalie has any winning experience. Nikolai has one year left on his contract and is currently the only player with a Cup ring. If you want the Oilers to develop a winning attitude, you need players like Khaby. If you want Devan to develop into a number one goalie, we need players like Khaby.

The Oilers have invested a fair amount of time in Dubnyk, it wouldn't make sense to throw that away. The Oilers goalie situation is less than idea yet we've put the building blocks in place. Lets give the mortar time to solidify and stay the course.

The Oilers do not need mortgage the future to make the playoffs next year. With a few depth moves and a little less time in the infirmary, the Oilers will challenge for the playoffs next year.

Brian Burke Succumbs To Pressure!

Lord, what fools these Leafs be.

Well it's official, Brian Burke has lost his mind. First he fires Ron Wilson and now he's signed Mikhail Grabovski to a five year deal. Yes, Wilson should have been fired, but the timing was all wrong. A few weeks ago Wilson was given a vote of confidence from management. Nothing like patting a guy on the back and than kicking him to the gutter. The unflappable Brian Burke allowed Leafs fans to bully him into a decision that he didn't want to make.

What does Burke do next? He signs a soon to be free agent to a 27.5 million dollar contract. The diminutive forward will now be the highest paid forward on the Maple Leafs. After an uneventful trade deadline, poor Brian had to do something to get the hockey media to care about the Leafs. Here's a quick flash for you Burkie; Toronto is the centre of the Universe, you don't need to do anything to be front page news.

Poor Brian, did Don Cherry get into that kitchen of yours. Please don't tell me that you were concerned that losing Mikhail would increase the American ratio to your hockey team! All you have to do is sign one Ontario raised player and Don would stop bullying you.

I hate to point this out to you Brian, but Grabovski is not your type of player. Since when have you've ever been interested in small, fast and skilled centreman. Every team you have ever coached or managed has been based on size, speed and brute force. Sure the Leafs are a fast team but they are small and will continue to be pushed around by the Bruins and Flyers.

What happened to Brian Burke?

You just fired your best friend, give in to fan and media pressure, and somewhere along they way you changed the whole philosophy of your team. By the end of the day, the name Grabovski will be trending on Twitter.

It's not that you signed Mikhail to a ridiculous contract, some dumb GM would have over paid for him this Summer. It's that you signed a player that you have never wanted. Since the first day you were GM of the Leafs, you were adamant about making the team bigger.

It appears that Burke has abandoned ship and just like his predecessors, Burke has finally succumbed to the pressure of being the GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

You Better Duck Oilers, Refs Have Your Number!

The Oilers doth protest too much.

It appears our young Oilers are a long way from garnering any sympathy from NHL's best. By best I mean the men dressed like zebras. When it comes to officiating, one must earn the respect before they reap the rewards. Surprisingly Joanne Ireland recently wrote a piece about the Oilers venting at the officials. Ireland's article was published interesting enough before the game between Edmonton and the Dallas Stars. Going into the game the Stars were the second most penalized team in the league. That night for the first time this year, the Dallas Stars did not take one single penalty. Just goes to show you that zebra's literacy scope goes further than reading comics.

Everyone who has ever played hockey knows that venting at the officials will accomplish nothing. Hockey is an emotional sport; in the heat of the moment the refs are known to receive unwarranted abuse. It's a tough job and a lonely one as well. But heated discussions between players and officials is part of the game. The officials are supposed to be unbiased professionals who have no stake in the result of the game. Unfortunately this isn't always the case.

The National Hockey League is very much a "big boys club." You will find this among management, players and the officials. You have to put in the time before they give you the keys. In the eyes of the official, the more games you have played, the more favours we shall grant. No player has held that key longer than Ducks star Teemu Selanne. It was laughable how infuriated Selanne was when the refs called him for tripping with three minutes left in the game between the Ducks and Oilers. Teemu knew it was a penalty, he had no stick in his hand as evidence. He was upset over the defilement of the sanctity of his club.

The inconsistencies of officiating in the NHL will always exist, it's an unfortunate fact of hockey. What is unacceptable the echelon society that exists between players and refs. A penalty is a penalty, it shouldn't matter which player incurred or received the infraction.

Brighter days are just ahead for the Oilers. Our young stars will get better and the injury bug will be cured. But understanding the refs, well that is a mystery in itself. It's just a simple fact of the NHL!

Oops! I forgot, the Oilers lost 4 - 2 to the Ducks.

The Oiler Rebuild: The Nightmare Is Nearly Over!

Get thee to the promised land!

I found myself reading an article the other day written by Ken Campbell of The Hockey News. It was a short article about the Oilers rebuild and the long road ahead. A road that Ken believes will take another five years. He made some valid points: our need of a top defenseman and our lack of goaltending. Where Ken lost me was how long the Oilers have been in this rebuild. While most believe the rebuild only started a few years ago, Campbell goes as far as saying the Oilers have been rebuilding since the lockout. He does mention our '06 Cup run, but for the most part the team has been in turmoil for the last six years.

To be honest I have only read a few articles by Ken Campbell so I know very little about him. I'm going out on the limb here assuming that Ken probably hasn't watched that many games involving the Oilers. Unless they are games involving the Leafs. Usually teams who are in a rebuild, do not spend to the cap except for the last two years the Oilers were up against the cap. The Oilers have made big offers to UFA's and have tried to pull off trades that involve marque players. For the most part the Oilers struggles have been related to injuries. It is those injuries that forced the Oilers into the rebuild two years ago. Injuries is the premise of this article.

It's safe to say that ever since game one against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Oilers have suffered through a heavy dose of the injury bug. When Dwayne Roloson went down, so did the Oilers. You can call it the Roloson curse. I like to call it the Pronger curse, "The Lauren Pronger" curse.

Unfortunately the curse has continued including the last two years during the rebuild. Injuries to Ales Hemsky and Ryan Whitney last year, were the reasons why we won the lottery and Ryan Nugent Hopkins. The Edmonton Oilers are not a last place team! With eighteen games left, forsaking a miracle, the Oiler will have another chance at winning the lottery. The month of December was a nightmare for the medical staff. December is the reason why Edmonton isn't challenging for the playoffs.

The injury bug effects all the teams in the league and no team goes unscathed. The NHL unofficially records man games lost due to injury. What the records don`t take into account is the players who are injured. I'm a firm believer that good teams play good defense, with the key being defenseman. Yes goaltending can win you games yet defenseman solidify the team. Key injuries to goalies or defenseman can kill your season. I believe  these numbers will help prove this:

Team	# of Defenseman	# of Defenseman
	Played	Played Over 20 Games
Rangers	11	8
Canucks	9	8
Blues	9	6
Wings	9	7
Predators	10	9
Penguins	11	7
Bruins	9	8
Flyers	11	8
Blackhawks	9	8
Devils	10	8
Senators	8	7
Coyotes	10	8
Stars	8	7
Panthers	9	7
Sharks	8	8
Kings	8	7
Avalanche	8	6
Jets	11	8
Flames	10	7
Capitals	11	7
Lightning	9	8
Sabres	10	7
Leafs	9	7
Ducks	7	6
Wild	9	7
Islanders	10	6
Hurricanes	8	8
Canadians	9	7
Oilers	11	9
BlueJackets	10	8

Every NHL team has their seven defenseman on the roster to start the season. Their top four defenseman usually eat up most of the minutes with the other three playing a limited role. The numbers above reflects the roster movement of each team. The teams highlighted in yellow have lower numbers thus reflecting a sturdy defence. The two teams in red have unfortunately suffered injury problems to their defence.

Six teams in the league have played eleven defenseman so far this year. That's four different defenseman who  are AHL calibre playing in the NHL. Only two teams have played nine blueliners over twenty games. The Oilers are the only team to have played eleven defenseman along with nine who have played over twenty games. That is a staggering statistic.

The Nashville Predators find themselves near the top of the league despite their injury woes on the blueline. The Preds have built their team from the backend out and these numbers reiterate the depth of their Defence. The Oilers on the other hand are building their team from the front to the backend. The Oilers simply do not have the depth to sustain four or five injuries on the blueline. In actuality not many teams do. It's hard to win games with key injuries to your top four defenseman. In the month of December, the Oilers had three NHL regulars and three AHL defensemen in their line up.

The injuries that the Oilers have suffered will only make the rebuild faster. The team will finish lower in the standings resulting in a better chance at a top prospect. The Pronger Curse has to end eventually and when it does the Oilers will challenge for the playoffs. We are not the Islanders, who are out of the playoffs despite having an injury, bug free defence. Both the Oilers and the Islanders are rebuilding. With a little luck and perseverance, a healthy Oiler blueline will end this nightmare.

Now if only we had a No. 1 Goaltender!

Is The Oilers Tom Renney Next?

Well once again the Edmonton Oilers were outclassed by the Dallas Stars. The game was another snooze fest with the Stars sleepwalking to a 3-1 win. I shouldn't say the Stars were sleepwalking, they played a solid game. The Oilers just didn't seem to be all that interested in playing hockey. The Oilers were definitely dreaming of somewhere else, Palm Springs perhaps!  I've seen PeeWee players move the puck with more zip than what I saw tonight. NHL stats record hits, shots and even blocked shots; it's a shame they don't record incomplete passes like they do in football.

I think the NFL has something there; usually teams with the best pass completion ends up winning the game. Don't forget about the running game; it's not pretty but it works. Oh wait, I almost forgot about the defense. Rumour has it that playing a strong defensive game will result in more wins. I didn't realize that there was so much strategy involved with such a brutish sport.

Hang on, isn't hockey played by a bunch of brainless brutes? Perhaps there is some sort of relationship between hockey and football. If the Oilers could complete passes while moving up the ice they might be able to enter the other team's zone. Stretch and drop passes would work and so would running the ball. Whoops, I meant dumping the puck; even Tim Tebow has to run the ball once in awhile. That's right Hallsie and Hemsky, dump the puck. I'm fairly sure your comrade Horcoff could show you how.

I almost forgot about the defense. It would be nice if the goaltending could win us a game from time to time. Maybe goalie coach Freddie Chabot could strap on the pads, he's not much older than the Bulin Wall. Why stop there, blueline coach Steve Smith would be a great addition. The backend would certainly be meaner, didn't they use to call him bone crusher? Tape to tape passes would be nice. Just make sure Steve doesn't handle the puck behind the net. Keep those passes short and let the forwards do the work with the occasional stretch pass. That's right Jeff Petry, not every pass has to be a thing of beauty. Tonight, we certainly missed Tom Gilbert's passing ability, but then again there would have been more defensive miscues. Defense isn't just defenseman, it's the whole team, coaches included.

So let's get those coaches involved!

I realize this is a young team and we have some serious deficiencies in the lineup, but who doesn't? Tom Renney knows far more about the game than I do yet I can see the breakdowns occurring before they happen. If I can see them, you better believe the Hitchcocks and Babcocks of the hockey world can too. These boys have been around for awhile and continue to be the innovators of the game. For the Oilers to be successful they need to be creative, instead of succumbing to knee-jerk, reactive type moves like firing Renney and going out and hiring another hockey coach. Think outside the box and hire someone who doesn't coach hockey. I hear John Madden is looking for a career change.

What does this article have to do with the firing of coach Tom Renney? Not much really, it has more to do with how often the Oilers are out-coached. I'm not advocating that the Oilers should fire Tom Renney; but I am suggesting a change in coaching tactics. Play to your strengths tailored to your opponents game. Change it up with different forechecks or breakouts. These guys have played enough hockey to handle more that one system. Simply changing up the lines doesn't change the way your opponents play the game.

Taylor Fedun And Why The Oilers Traded Gilbert!

The most unkindest cut of all.

In a previous post I talked about the trade between Tom Gilbert and Nick Schultz. Now I'm going to reveal to you why the Oilers did it!

The trade was a result of dealing from a position of strength while shoring up some weaknesses. Many observers believe that the rise of Jeff Petry brought about the exit of Gilbert. Oilers and fans have been waiting patiently and it appears Petry has emerged as a top pairing defenseman. Yes, he still needs to move the puck a little faster but that will come with experience. Petry's biggest stride is his greater awareness in the defensive zone. With his size and speed, Petry is no longer a defensive liability. A fast, big and physical defenceman that can quickly move up into the play. And lets not forget about his booming shot that the Oilers can use on the point. This sounds a lot like a top pairing defenceman to me.

The emergence of Petry means the Oilers won't be desperate to sign a Ryan Suter or trade for a Shea Weber. I'm still not against the Oilers acquiring a top pairing defenceman but it's no longer a number one priority. Even more promising is the Oilers won't have to rush the development of highly regarded prospects: Oscar Klefbom and David Musil will now have to compete for an NHL job. There is a forgotten man that I believe the Oilers will be slotting into the line-up next year.

Taylor Fedun will be next year's Bill Masterton Winner. He will be at training camp this fall, barring any more unforeseen mishaps. Just a few weeks ago Taylor started skating again and has now started his training. Fedun is now working with the Oilers skills and skating coach which means he's in the last stage of rehab. No he won't be practising any time soon but he has six months to get ready for camp.

So here's my question! Why did Steve Tambellini trade Tom Gilbert?

Tambellini believes Fedun is that prospect already in the system that is NHL ready. In fact, Taylor Fedun was pencilled in for the home opener before his season ending injury. Steve must have received some promising news from the doctors and training staff last week to go ahead with our only deadline trade.

The free agent signing of Taylor last year was originally a depth move for the organization. Nobody, including management, expected him to compete for a job at training camp. Fedun did more than compete, he won the job.

It really isn't all that surprising when you look at his past accomplishments. Taylor came into camp as a four year graduate of the Princeton Tigers. Over four years Fedun had twenty goals and sixty-eight points in the ECAC. That's an average of 0.54 points in 127 games.


 Season GP G A PTS PMIN
2007-08   Princeton 32 4 10 14 32
2008-09 Princeton 35 3 12 15 50
2009-10   Princeton 31 3 14 17 34
2010-11   Princeton 29 10 12 22 38

These numbers are pretty similar to Tom Gilbert's when he played college for Wisconsin. Keep in mind that Gilbert played in a stronger conference but he did play on a championship team. Tom was an impressive 0.55 points in 162 games.


 Season GP G A PTS PMIN
2002-03 Wisconsin 39 7 13 20 36
2003-04 Wisconsin 39 6 15 21 36
2004-05 Wisconsin 41 8 9 17 48
2005-06 Wisconsin 43 12 19 31 32


By the numbers the two players are quite similar. They play the game with an offensive flare. They can skate and move the puck. Where they are different is Fedun has a nasty streak that Gilbert never developed. Of course the biggest difference is Gilbert has six years of NHL experience.

The jury is still out on Taylor Fedun. There is a chance his injuries may never fully heal. And there is the possibility that Fedun may never develop into a top four defenceman.

Tambellini is a calculative person. He's not a man who will take a risk without calculating all the possible scenarios. Taylor Fedun is one of those scenarios.

Here's hoping that next season is a kinder one for Taylor and the Oilers.

Yann Danis: Life As A Hockey Professional

Parting is such sweet sorrow.

Well the Edmonton Oilers lose to the St. Louis Blues by the score of 5 - 2 Wednesday night. The Blues got of to a great start scoring the first goal before the first minute. Exactly what you do not want to happen against the leagues stingiest team. The Oilers failed to show up until halfway through the second period. Unfortunately the game was already over with St. Louis and their three goal lead.

On the brighter side, Yann Dennis played his first game as an Oiler. Ryan Nugent Hopkins also scored his second goal in three games since coming back from injury. The Nuge is now only three points back of the rookie leader. Kids, can you say Calder.

On a sad note, besides losing the game: Yann Danis has been shipped back to Oklahoma. After Dubnyk was pulled, Danis played thirty-two minutes as an Oiler. By any means, it wasn't a memorable performance, Yann only faced twelve shots. He let in two goals, one being a penalty shot which he didn't look to comfortable. I have a feeling that Danis first game will also be his last game as an Oiler.

With almost fifty NHL games under his belt, Danis is primarily a minor league goalie. The Oilers signed him this year to be a starting goalie for the Oklahoma Barons. With Khabibulin's injury history they wanted a goalie with some NHL experience. I'm sure in the back of Yann's mind, he thought there would be an opportunity. Unfortunately it was something that never transpired. Despite his stellar play for the AHL leading Barons, Danis will most likely not get another call.

Now it's hard to feel sorry for any individual who makes a good living playing top-level professional sports. What I wouldn't give to play professional hockey or teeing it up in the PGA. My dreams never came to pass but Danis has. For three days he had the best seat in the house watching NHL hockey and getting paid to do it. Finally the Oilers gave him an opportunity to play, and play he did. While Hall, Eberle and the rest of the Oilers are disheartened from the loss. Yann Danis probably had a sweeter experience, well perhaps bitter-sweet. I wonder how long Tom Renney waited to tell our dreamer that tonight's dream was over.

Everyone knew that Khaby was ready to return, so the demotion would come as no surprise. Perhaps Renney told Danis before the game and by chance he ended up playing, a bonus.

A professional athlete has to deal with the ups and downs, wins and losses. Yann Danis took more than one to the stomach.

Sometimes it just...