tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17318449853895227712024-02-20T00:30:42.723-07:00OilSoupEdmontonOilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-61553938153185633572012-07-11T20:32:00.001-06:002012-07-11T20:32:08.135-06:00New Oiler Jason Arnott?Well it's been a few weeks since the Justin Schultz signing and there has been next to nothing happening on the Oiler front. Well that's about to change.<br />
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It appears Tambellini is sending out feelers about our beloved Sam "8 points" Gagner. Media hounds believe the Oilers are in desperate need for a top 4 defenseman and no team is interested in dealing for an injury prone Hemsky or even an underachieving Paajarvi. If the Oilers are serious about inquiring a top defenseman, than Sam maybe the only option. <span style="background-color: white;">These rumours have some validity, particular the rumour that involves the Oilers and Jason Arnott. If the Arnott rumours are true than one would have to conclude that the movement of Gagner is inevitable. As my friend the Architect would say, "it is the logical chain of events." </span><br />
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The possibility of Tambellini signing Arnott could very well be the best move the Oilers could make this Summer. It makes perfect sense, the Oilers need a big second line centre who can win face-offs and play against the opponent's top line. Arnott would provide much needed veteran leadership, something that the team is currently lacking. Last year I was a huge advocate of the Oilers signing Arnott, of course last year I didn't have a blog so you'll have to take my word for it!<br />
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Last Summer I was one of those fans who felt Ryan Nugent-Hopkins should have played one more year of Junior and signing Jason Arnott to last years team made more sense. This year, I can be held accountable for my actions and it makes as much sense this year to sign Arnott as it did last year. Arnott would look great playing behind the Nuge!<br />
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So if the Oilers do find that big second line centre, what happens to poor Sam Gagner? There is a lot talk that he may be involved in a deal with the Coyotes Keith Yandle or perhaps the Flames Jay Bouwmeester. Now this is where I believe the rumours are a bit of a stretch, in fact I have an insight that contradicts these rumours!<br />
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One of the reasons why Tambellini has remained quiet, is because he's waiting to see what happens to Roberto Luongo. What does Gagner have to do with Luongo? Whoever steals Luongo, cough "Panthers" cough, could be enticed to move a top prospect goalie. If Luongo does end up in Florida, than there is no need for the Panthers to keep Jacob Markstrom.<br />
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You're probably wondering what I've been smoking but I truly believe that Tambellini is waiting to see what happens to Luongo. Sure the Oilers themselves could be interested in Luongo but I don't believe Steve is willing to take on that contract.<br />
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I'll talk more of this in my next blog but for now lets hope the Arnott rumours become more than just rumours.<br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-13370357443387576522012-06-28T23:26:00.000-06:002012-06-29T00:03:08.160-06:00Edmonton Oilers: Upcoming Predictions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So the UFA frenzy is just around the corner and who knows how the Oilers will look in a few short weeks. It's possible that the Oilers are able to pull a rabbit out of the hat and soon to be UFA Justin Schultz signs with the Oilers. One thing for certain, Steve Tambellini will keep his cards close and will be very meticulous when it comes to any player movement within the organization.<br />
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I'm not going to discuss what could happen or what won't happen over the Summer, but I will have a little fun predicting players who I do know will be here this upcoming season!<br />
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Upcoming Predictions:<br />
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Taylor Hall - Will most certainly suffer from another head injury, my guess from an inadvertent flying object.<br />
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Jordan Eberle - Will continue again to show-off his phone-booth prowess with the puck but will once again be the bridesmaid at next years NHL awards.<br />
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Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Will ignore everyone's recommendations and show up to training camp faster and stronger but not bigger. Reebok will finally cave in and issue an extra small jersey for a NHL player.<br />
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Jeff Petry - Will continue to over compensate the length of his stick. Bigger isn't always better... whatever that means.<br />
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Nick Schultz - Will tally more points than Tom Gilbert.<br />
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Ladislav Smid - Will tally more points than Paul Bissonnette.<br />
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Shawn Horcoff - Will relinquish his jersey number after being offered 1000 rubles from Nail Yakupov. Horcoff misunderstood and thought Nail said rubies.<br />
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Ryan Smyth - After a long and frustrating contract negotiation, Steve Tambellini signs Ryan to a bonus loaded contract and than tells coaching staff to slot him on a line with Horcoff for the entire season.<br />
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Ralph Krueger - Will lead the Swiss National Team to its first ever World Championship Title.<br />
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Taylor Fedun - Will be this year's Cinderella story... end of story.<br />
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Hopefully this won't be the last of my off-season predictions for the upcoming year...<br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-8464008209379222192012-06-25T22:29:00.000-06:002012-06-25T22:44:52.388-06:00Nail Yakupov, Ales Hemsky and Magnus PaajarviWith the first overall pick of the 2012 NHL draft, the Edmonton Oilers are proud to select Nail Yakupov.<br />
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Despite the hockey media concocting rumours that the Oilers were skeptical of the Russian, it came as no surprise that the Oilers chose the best player of the draft. Unlike previous drafts, Nail Yakupov was the clear number one pick by all scouting agencies. The only question that loomed over the first pick was whether the Oilers were going to run with the best player available or commit to the need of the team.<br />
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By choosing the best player available the Oilers have created a bit of a log jam on the right wing. The team has corralled an elite talent of forwards who posses an offensive flare but unfortunately lack a physical presence that is sorrowfully missed. Oilers right winger Jordan Eberle has established himself as a world class player and will be going nowhere but the first line. The underlining question in Oilerland is who will be playing right wing on the second line?<br />
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Rumours are swirling that recently re-signed right winger Ales Hemsky is on the trade block and teams have been inquiring about the often injured forward. With the addition of Yakupov, one has to wonder where Hemsky fits in with the 29th placed team. Although a no movement clause was not enclosed in the new contract, it is believed that Kevin Lowe deigned that he would not trade Hemsky in the first year of his contract. Of course this is just speculation, but it never bodes well when a team trades a player shortly after signing a new contract.<br />
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Unlike Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the Oilers will grant Yakupov every opportunity to make the team for this upcoming season. Nail is a natural right winger but he would not be completely out of place if the Oilers were to play him on the left side behind Taylor Hall. Don't be surprised if you see Nail playing both wings during training camp, and if so who is in more jeopardy of losing their job, Hemsky or Magnus Paajarvi? <br />
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After a strong rookie campaign, the former 10th overall struggled last year splitting the year between the Oilers and the farm team. Paajarvi will be entering his third year as an Oiler and big things are expected of him. It's still too soon to determine if Magnus is the real deal or a flop, but he still has considerable trade value, perhaps more than Ales Hemsky.<br />
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With all this talk that Ales Hemsky will be moved, hockey fans and media forget the love that Lowe has for Ales. Because of his past injury problems, the Oilers would be lucky to obtain a middle pairing defenseman for Hemsky. On the other hand, a young player with lots of promise could easily be traded for a young top four defenseman with potential.<br />
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When it comes to drafting players, the best philosophy has always been in drafting the best player available! One can always acquire teams needs through trade and free agency, that's why teams have General Managers.<br />
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So is the log jam on the right or is it on the left?<br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-43623187385751561842012-06-01T23:06:00.000-06:002012-06-01T23:24:45.549-06:00Edmonton Downtown Arena & The Missing $100 MillionIf you build it, the money will come!<br />
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Word has it the proposed downtown arena has the green light and the shovel should be hitting the ground before hell freezes over. In all seriously though, the released video and pictures of the new arena look promising and in a few long years the City of Edmonton will be the envy of all municipalities in Alberta. Edmonton will be basking in it's glory of potholes and higher taxes while Calgary, Red Deer and Lethbridge will have fresh asphalt roads and new community centres.<br />
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Does this rant sound familiar?<br />
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I truly don't understand why people are so afraid of spending money! So what if it means Daryl Katz will collect $200 without passing GO! Or a new building will make Northlands obsolete!<br />
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Most people who are opposed to the new arena hate the idea of tax payers money being used to support a hockey team that is owned by a Billionaire. Sure Daryl Katz could build his own rink, but why should he! Any smart business man uses other peoples money to create opportunities for his business, it's called using your brain. Katz orchestrated a sweetheart deal with the city but lets not forget the benefits that will be enjoyed by all Edmontonians and Albertans.<br />
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This is a classic case of the rich getting richer, but I have sneaky suspicion that if the Oilers were still owned by the EIG we wouldn't be seeing as much opposition. This idea of a downtown arena is nothing new, before Katz the EIG were researching about building a new barn in the downtown core. For some unknown reason a few people in Edmonton are uncomfortable with a Billionaire residing in this fair city; for me we can't have too many.<br />
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It's no secret that there is no love between Katz and Northlands. When the new arena is completed, Northlands will be left in the cold and will have to find new and creative ways to utilize the old barn. Northlands will be without a tenant along with the $35 Million they receive from the city for maintaining the arena. Is Edmonton big enough to sustain two NHL size arena's? I guess we'll find out.<br />
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So we know the new arena is going to cost no more than <a href="http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/projects_redevelopment/agreement-framework.aspx" target="_blank">$450 Million</a>. As of today, $350 Million is accounted for but there is a question mark on the remaining $100 Million. From the get go, the city was hoping the provincial and federal government would help with the funding of the new arena. Neither government wants any involvement with any project that benefits wealthy sports philanthropists. Fortunately for the city, the Alberta government has created a loophole that will allow the city provincial funding without political repercussion.<br />
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This loophole was created a few years ago known as the MSI. The Municipal Sustainability Initiative was designed to spread provincial money to all municipalities in Alberta. The money is allocated based on population and area of the city. This year, Edmonton will be receiving $167 Million from the MSI fund; based on the last few years, the province has set aside 18% of the MSI for Edmonton.<br />
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Now here's the kicker, the city has already budgeted the next few years to use the MSI for projects across the city. The money has already been accounted for, but what hasn't been accounted for is the 56% increase in the fund by 2016.<br />
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The provincial government allocated $896 Million across Alberta and have decided to bump the MSI to $1 Billion in 2 years and $1.6 Billion by 2016. Edmonton should continue to receive 18% of the fund and by the time the arena is finished the city will have an extra $150 Million from the MSI.<br />
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Mayor Stephen Mandel has already anticipated the increase in the fund and has not designated this money to any future budget. Let's be honest, city council would not have agreed to the framework if they didn't have the $450 Million accounted for. The MSI is the perfect solution for the city and the province where both parties get what they want.<br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-59323613681585328802012-05-02T15:11:00.000-06:002012-05-02T15:11:35.407-06:00Jay Feaster Ignites Another!There are NHL general managers and than there's Jay Feaster. The Flames GM has manoeuvred the team one step closer to becoming a Cup contender for next year. The Flames have gone ahead and signed Czech UFA Roman Cervenka to a one year deal. The 27 year old has never played an NHL game but obviously Feaster felt that he was an essential singing for the team. At a mere $3.75M, Czervenka will be the Flames sixth highest paid player making more money than Alex Tanguay.<br />
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With 16 players signed at a total of $50 Million dollars; that leaves the Flames with roughly $14 Million dollars of cap space. Feaster will probably need to sign eight or nine more players to fill out the roster.<br />
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Now in all serious I don't know much about Czervenka, but has Jay "Gongshow" Feaster lost his marbles. What on earth is bouncing around inside his head. $4M for a player who has never played an NHL game; sure he's a point per game player in the KHL but Jaromir Jagr put up more points and signed for less with the Philadelphia Flyers. Yes Roman is a younger player but with Jagr you know what you're getting.<br />
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Is this summer's UFA crop that poor that Feaster can justify signing players from the KHL? At $4M dollars, UFA's Jason Arnott, Ray Whitney, Brad Boyes and Milan Hejduk could easily be had at that price.<br />
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Say what you want about Kevin Lowe and Steve Tambellini, Oiler fans should be thanking their lucky stars that we don't have Jay Feaster as GM.<br />
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Jay Feaster ignites another flame fart!<br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-48037550347677695982012-04-27T20:16:00.002-06:002012-04-29T10:18:33.056-06:00Oilsoup: NHL Playoffs 2012 Second Round Predictions<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Well hockey fans it was a crazy first round to start off the 2012 NHL playoffs. I wish I could say that the first round was brimming with excitement but I must say the Pens / Flyers series was by far the best of the bunch. There was a number of upsets and I believe Wilson was able to predict a few of them. Wilson went 5-3 which isn't too shabby in comparison to many other predictions by the almighty hockey insiders.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Second Round predictions:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Washington Capitals over the NY Rangers in 6 games</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">- It's going to be a close series but Wilson believes that the Caps have what it takes to go far this year.The Caps have more playoff experience and have finally bought into Dale Hunter's defensive system. Only way the Rangers win this one is if Gaborik wakes up, which isn't going to happen.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Philadelphia Flyers over the NJ Devils in 5 games.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">- Wilson loves the compete level of the Flyers and the Devils will be in tough with a more physical team. Like the first round, the Devils will be relying on Brodeur's stellar play.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">St. Louis Blues over the L.A. Kings in 5 games.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">- It's hard to ignore the Kings stingy defence and strong goaltending but Wilson just doesn't see the Blues losing this defensive battle. The Blues will continue to play the same style of hockey from last round where the King's will be playing an entirely different team. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Nashville Predators over the Phoenix Coyotes in 7 games.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">- This one is a crap shoot which has Wilson bouncing of walls. Neither team has much playoff history and the two teams are exact replicas of each other. The Yotes have home ice advantage but the Preds have Trotz. Wilson gives the series to the team with the better coach, no offense Tippet.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Don't forget to follow me on twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/oilsoup" target="_blank">@oilsoup</a> and make sure you checkout more Oiler and Hockey Articles at <a href="http://oilersarmy.com/" target="_blank">Oilers Army</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-71602587187478008292012-04-12T20:14:00.000-06:002012-04-12T20:14:56.500-06:00Nail Yakupov And The Oilers<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once again the Edmonton Oilers will be selecting first overall in this years draft. It will only be the second time in NHL history that a team has selected first in three consecutive years, Oilers and the defunct Quebec Nordiques. The Oilers will be the first team since the introduction of the lottery; while the Oilers have been unlucky these past years with the injury bug, they have certainly been lucky with the lottery ball. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unlike the previous two drafts, this years draft truly has an undisputed no.1 ranked player. There continues to be some debate on whether Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was the best player in their class, there will be no argument when it comes to Nail Yakupov at this years draft.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How good is Nail Yakupov, well can you say Pavel Bure! That's right, he could end up being the next "Russian Rocket." In 65 games this year he has put up 101 points in the OHL. He has lighting speed and a goal scorer instinct that will be prominent in the NHL. The only concern with Nail is his size, at 5'11 he won't be bulldozing over players but 190 pounds he won't be pushed around either.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The question many Oiler fans is where does Yakupov fit into our line-up? With Jordan Eberle and recently signed Ales Hemsky, there is no room for Nail in the top six forwards. Fans and hockey media are suggesting the Oilers may very well trade their first overall pick to acquire a much needed defenseman; even Steve Tambellini commented that with winning the lottery, more options have presented itself this summer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having the first overall pick does present the Oilers a number of options, but the best course of action is to keep the pick and draft Nail. Oilers need to continue the rebuild without pressing the fast forward button. Next year the team will be more experienced and with a little luck, the team will not be injury riddled. A more experienced healthier Oilers will contend for the playoffs next year regardless of what changes we make. With the addition of Yakupov, the Oilers should be a handful at even strength and the powerplay as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hopefully the Oilers are able to sign soon to be UFA Justin Shultz. With these two young additions to the team, the future will be set and we will be contending for the Cup sooner than you think. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't forget to follow me on twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/oilsoup" target="_blank">@oilsoup</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-56050960896641443282012-04-10T13:09:00.001-06:002012-04-11T16:39:28.600-06:00Oilsoup: NHL Playoffs 2012 First Round PredictionsWell TSN has Maggie the monkey, well I've decided to use Wilson the ball; and no he's not related to Wilson from Cast Away. Here are Wilson's prediction for the 2012 NHL playoffs starting with the first round.<br />
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Vancouver in 5 games over Los Angeles<br />
-It pains me to say this but Vancouver is a far better team and the Kings simply don't have the depth to compete against the Canucks.<br />
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St. Louis in 7 games over San Jose<br />
- This will be a close series but I do believe Halak will be the difference.<br />
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Pheonix in 6 games over Chicago<br />
- I've been extremely impressed with Yotes this year and although Toews is a game time decision I just can't see him dominating in the first few games. With home ice advantage the Yotes will win their first ever series.<br />
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Detroit in 4 games over Nashville<br />
- Yes Wilson has lost his mind but he's a huge Wings fan. Wings have played well all year with Howard in net and shouldn't have any problems keeping the Preds of the scoreboard. Games will be close but I believe Zetterberg wants to send a message and he will be the difference.<br />
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New York in 4 games over Ottawa<br />
- the Sens Cinderella season will come to an end in the first round. Rangers are a better team in all positions and shouldn't have any problems dispensing the Sens.<br />
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Washington in 6 games over Boston<br />
-This is the big upset. The Caps are a better team than what they've shown this year and have all the fire power to counter the Bruins. Tim Thomas has been inconsistent and I don't see that changing in the playoffs. Bruins had a short Summer last year and the grind will take it's toll.<br />
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New Jersey in 6 games over Florida<br />
- It will come down to goaltending and Brodeur has a couple of levels on Theodore.<br />
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Pittsburgh in 5 games over Philadelphia<br />
- The Penguins have too many offensive threats for Flyers D to handle. Unless Pronger comes back from the dead, Bryzgalov is going to get peppered or will it be Bobrovsky?<br />
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There you have it Oiler and hockey fans; Wilson seems to be on the ball and I'm looking forward to see how the first round pans out.<br />
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Don't forget to follow on twiiter <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/oilsoup" target="_blank">@oilsoup</a><br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-56251595428225042022012-04-09T21:47:00.001-06:002012-04-10T07:09:14.398-06:00Oilers Questions?With the season over and another six months until the puck drops for next year, Steve Tambellini has a lot of questions he needs to answer. The first question on his list is who will be steering the ship for next year? Steve likes to keep his cards close to his chest and has given no evidence whatsoever what will happen to Tom Renney. Steve has a few months to decide about who will be coaching the Oilers, it would be unorthodox to go to the draft table without a head coach! My question is what is the deadline for Renney? If he`s not signed by the end of the month than there`s simply too many questions and management will look elsewhere for a new coach.<br />
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The second question is of course Ryan Smyth, my understanding was Ryan was supposed to have been signed shortly after the trade deadline. That was a few months ago and it's pretty clear the two parties can't come to an agreement. Similar to the Hemsky negotiations, Tambellini is sticking to his guns and won't offer Ryan anything more than an one year deal. We all know that Smyth wants to remain an Oiler but how much of a home-town discount is he willing to surrender. Tambellini is playing a dangerous game with Ryan Smyth and Oilers fans; let's hope the two parties come to an agreement before the draft.<br />
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The final nagging question that has to be on Steve's mind is the forever injury problems that has plagued the Oilers these last few seasons. Something needs to be done, injuries is an unfortunate part of hockey but could injury prevention be the problem. Training staff can only do so much, could it be the players aren't taking the necessary precautions. Maybe the training staff need to babysit the players and make sure they're prepared for each game. Obviously there are more questions to ponder but Tambellini definitely needs to address these issues for next year.<br />
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For me, I only have one question for Steve Tambellini, what the F is going on with Linus Omark? Why was he called up if Renney had no intention on playing him. Why isn't there better communication between management and coaches. With the call-up, Omark can no longer play in the AHL playoffs and the end result has only diminished his trade value. In typical Tambellini fashion, every time I start believing in him, he goes ahead and dreams up a bone-headed scheme.<br />
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Steve Tambellini has a lot of questions and with typical Oiler fashion, Oilers fans find themselves asking too many questions as well. Oiler management do like to keep their fans guessing, I suppose it keeps the team in the limelight during the Summer.<br />
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Hopefully next year we will all have fewer questions!<br />
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Make sure you follow me on twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/oilsoup" target="_blank">@oilsoup</a><br />
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And of course if you're looking for more material on the Oilers checkout <a href="http://oilersarmy.com/" target="_blank">OilersArmy</a><br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-41389178173974833212012-04-07T23:03:00.001-06:002012-04-09T19:05:17.732-06:00Hockey Night In Florida EH! Oilers Style!Well here I am writing this blog from sunny Ft. Lauderdale where there is no snow and no sign of hockey. Work has kept me busy this week in Florida and it's been difficult finding time and news about hockey; if it wasn't for the internet I would be completely disconnected from the game I love. Ft. Lauderdale is the home of the Florida Panthers yet there is no news or talk about the Panthers and their turn-around season. You wouldn't know that the team made the playoffs and may possibly finish first in their division.<br />
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Despite having a good team, the Panthers are struggling at the gate and will probably be one of many American NHL teams to finish in the red. If the proposed realignment of the divisions goes through, it should help attendance with Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa in their division. I'm sure Gary Betman is thinking that hockey fans will schedule holidays in Florida around their teams visits to the state. Most Maple Leafs fans don't get a chance to watch games in Air Canada Centre so it conceivable that fans will travel to Miami or Tampa Bay to watch their team. Unfortunately it's a sad dilemma that the two Florida teams have to rely on fans from visiting teams for financial support.<br />
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Glad to see Betman using his creativity and thinking outside the box yet I don't see the realignment solving the financial woes of Florida. To put it bluntly, the only thing that is going to save these struggling markets in the U.S is a lucrative T.V. deal. If Canadian hockey fans are the answer to failing U.S markets, would it not make more sense to move a struggling American team to Canada? With no T.V. deal in sight, it would be in the league's best interest to have nine teams in Canada over the next few years.<br />
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Enough about Florida and a little talk about the Oilers!<br />
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The play of Dubnyk as of late has definitely convinced me that he is a bonafide starting NHL goaltender. Of course I'm not really all that surprised since I've been advocating Dubey these last few months. Oilers can go into the the Summer knowing their goaltending situation is perfectly fine.<br />
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I'm not that concerned about the defence especially if the Oilers are able to sign soon to be unrestricted free agent Justin Schultz. Regardless of what Anaheim does, Schultz will choose his final destination. The Oilers do need a top pairing defenseman yet they can afford to wait one more season to see if anyone develops in the system. Oilers should try to add some depth on the back-end but their number one priority is finding some size in the top six up-front. I'm not completely sold on Hartikainen and it may be a smarter move to have him playing in the bottom six. I kind of like the idea of having a fourth line of Paajarvi - Lander - Hartikainen. I know it won't happen but it would be an interesting line of skill and speed. If my memory serves me right, both Zetterberg and Datsyuk played bottom six minutes for their first year in Detroit.<br />
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With the season over, the Oilers will be finishing 29th overall. It will be an interesting draft because after Yakupov, it's anyone's guess who goes second. There is talk that the Oilers may trade their first round pick or even possibly move down the draft. I honestly don't see it, the team is still rebuilding and moving out of the top three in the draft often back fires.<br />
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Well time to finish up, I believe the beach is waiting for me!<br />
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Make sure you checkout a new blog consortium called Oilers Army or follow on twitter @OilersArmy<br />
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And of course you can follow me on twitter @oilsoup<br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-13280840751701789912012-03-25T10:34:00.001-06:002012-03-25T11:15:09.492-06:00Ryan Nugent-Hopkins And The CalderYou 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.<br />
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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?<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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!<br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-53002636703505776562012-03-24T14:38:00.000-06:002012-03-24T14:38:55.849-06:00Looking Forward: Edmonton Oilers 2012-13With 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.<br />
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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!<br />
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Now onto the players, who will be remaining with the Oilers:<br />
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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<br />
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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.<br />
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Players who will be gone:<br />
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Ryan Jones; Linus Omark; Darcy Hordichuk; Cam Barker<br />
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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.<br />
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Players with question marks:<br />
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Ryan Smyth; Sam Gagner: Theo Peckham<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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HALL - RNH - EBERLE<br />
HARTIKAINEN - GAGNER - HEMSKY<br />
SMYTH - HORCOFF - PAAJARVI<br />
EAGER - BELANGER - PETRELL<br />
LANDER - ???<br />
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SMID - PETRY<br />
WHITNEY - POTTER<br />
SCHULTZ - FEDUN<br />
SUTTON<br />
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DUBNYK - KHABIBULIN<br />
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Time to step out of tambellini's shoes, it was fun while it lasted but I'm not fond of loafers!<br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-84610198469987075072012-03-22T14:50:00.001-06:002012-03-22T15:17:12.397-06:00Oilers Finnish ProspectsThe 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.<br />
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<b>Toni Rajala</b> 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.<br />
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<b>Annti Tyrvainen </b>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.<br />
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<b>Frans Tuohimaa</b> 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.<br />
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<b>Samu Perhonen</b> 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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If you have a Twitter account follow me <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/oilsoup" target="_blank">@oilsoup</a><br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-83597680460896452432012-03-17T16:00:00.001-06:002012-03-17T18:56:58.431-06:00Sports and Politics Controversy!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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Did soccer team Montreal Impact go too far in celebrating their culture with their home opener in the MLS?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEgAsnCuyjH02mAM8KiTTRJTSlKcVLtF6jE-sq58zjfuXpxBlnAn3yRxcYAgsuobfVuOWjYoEIicrVWzfcPJj1bwHsNt9aNPAgiQ0lwh92g4J-7dRs-NAk3MSuZt68LhxHn2ydk5pIzNb/s1600/Poor+Quebec.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEgAsnCuyjH02mAM8KiTTRJTSlKcVLtF6jE-sq58zjfuXpxBlnAn3yRxcYAgsuobfVuOWjYoEIicrVWzfcPJj1bwHsNt9aNPAgiQ0lwh92g4J-7dRs-NAk3MSuZt68LhxHn2ydk5pIzNb/s320/Poor+Quebec.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Wow!<br />
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!<br />
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Are we any different in Alberta, is it nationalism or civic pride that is on the shoulder patch of the Calgary Flames? <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-ezyrWhHjW7oef-7h_WgG6GjqjK7W3Yq645-yNsrXiHWdy2IGL_c70cw9MgJR5gpaKPpzClepM8GwUKJjiT2AFlGpenzrH_c8a_YCKjj2pXdWugsT2KwK7QoeA40bMhriRtlChavGDZh/s1600/12_Iginla_OCT21_0409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-ezyrWhHjW7oef-7h_WgG6GjqjK7W3Yq645-yNsrXiHWdy2IGL_c70cw9MgJR5gpaKPpzClepM8GwUKJjiT2AFlGpenzrH_c8a_YCKjj2pXdWugsT2KwK7QoeA40bMhriRtlChavGDZh/s320/12_Iginla_OCT21_0409.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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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?<br />
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What about the greatest sporting event in the world, is there a greater political forum?<br />
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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.</div>
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Even as Individuals, Athletes now have a bigger forum to preach their beliefs and political views.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SSclsSwRQ-H0LobrFp9hs-OdoTMGWs_rvgWsQBc6d46vkkDyjsRJvsmtnJ0p6BVsT5mk8WRdZLTxxVekKNfoiYi6YM4pBPB1TUm8PL-T40Wa5y7Js9TTYr-6zth5CE99DYiRG-_DcCdp/s1600/oilsoup.blogspot.com.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SSclsSwRQ-H0LobrFp9hs-OdoTMGWs_rvgWsQBc6d46vkkDyjsRJvsmtnJ0p6BVsT5mk8WRdZLTxxVekKNfoiYi6YM4pBPB1TUm8PL-T40Wa5y7Js9TTYr-6zth5CE99DYiRG-_DcCdp/s320/oilsoup.blogspot.com.22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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The more politics is left out of sports the better!<br />
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Follow me on Twitter @oilsoup<br />
<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-38250016324325158832012-03-14T01:41:00.000-06:002012-03-14T01:43:02.901-06:00What'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.<br />
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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.<br />
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 444px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 2267; mso-width-source: userset; width: 47pt;" width="62"></col>
<col style="mso-width-alt: 3730; mso-width-source: userset; width: 77pt;" width="102"></col>
<col span="7" style="mso-width-alt: 1462; mso-width-source: userset; width: 30pt;" width="40"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 47pt;" width="62">Year</td>
<td style="width: 77pt;" width="102">Team</td>
<td style="width: 30pt;" width="40"></td>
<td class="xl63" style="width: 30pt;" width="40">GP</td>
<td class="xl63" style="width: 30pt;" width="40">G</td>
<td class="xl63" style="width: 30pt;" width="40">A</td>
<td class="xl63" style="width: 30pt;" width="40">PTS</td>
<td class="xl63" style="width: 30pt;" width="40">P/M</td>
<td class="xl63" style="width: 30pt;" width="40">PIM</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">2007-08</td>
<td>Edmonton</td>
<td style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">NHL</td>
<td class="xl63">46</td>
<td class="xl63" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">0</td>
<td class="xl63">1</td>
<td class="xl63" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">1</td>
<td class="xl63">-3</td>
<td class="xl63">53</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; height: 15.0pt;">2007-08</td>
<td>Springfield</td>
<td style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">AHL</td>
<td class="xl63">1</td>
<td class="xl63" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">0</td>
<td class="xl63">0</td>
<td class="xl63" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">0</td>
<td class="xl63">2</td>
<td class="xl63">0</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; height: 15.0pt;">2006-07</td>
<td>Edmonton</td>
<td style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">NHL</td>
<td class="xl63">78</td>
<td class="xl63" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">1</td>
<td class="xl63">9</td>
<td class="xl63" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">10</td>
<td class="xl63">-22</td>
<td class="xl63">109</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; height: 15.0pt;">2005-06</td>
<td>Edmonton</td>
<td style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">NHL</td>
<td class="xl63">27</td>
<td class="xl63" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">0</td>
<td class="xl63">2</td>
<td class="xl63" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">2</td>
<td class="xl63">-6</td>
<td class="xl63">43</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
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.<br />
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<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 444px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 2267; mso-width-source: userset; width: 47pt;" width="62"></col>
<col style="mso-width-alt: 3730; mso-width-source: userset; width: 77pt;" width="102"></col>
<col span="7" style="mso-width-alt: 1462; mso-width-source: userset; width: 30pt;" width="40"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; height: 15.0pt; width: 47pt;" width="62">Year</td>
<td style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; width: 77pt;" width="102">Team</td>
<td style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; width: 30pt;" width="40"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; width: 30pt;" width="40">GP</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; width: 30pt;" width="40">G</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; width: 30pt;" width="40">A</td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 30pt;" width="40">PTS</td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 30pt;" width="40">P/M</td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 30pt;" width="40">PIM</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">2011-12</td>
<td>Edmonton</td>
<td style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">NHL</td>
<td class="xl65">48</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">1</td>
<td class="xl65">2</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">3</td>
<td class="xl65">-3</td>
<td class="xl65">80</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; height: 15.0pt;">2010-11</td>
<td>Edmonton</td>
<td style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">NHL</td>
<td class="xl65">71</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">3</td>
<td class="xl65">10</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">13</td>
<td class="xl65">-5</td>
<td class="xl65">198</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; height: 15.0pt;">2009-10</td>
<td>Edmonton</td>
<td style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">NHL</td>
<td class="xl65">15</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">0</td>
<td class="xl65">1</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">1</td>
<td class="xl65">-8</td>
<td class="xl65">43</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; height: 15.0pt;">2009-10</td>
<td>Springfield</td>
<td style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">AHL</td>
<td class="xl65">37</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">0</td>
<td class="xl65">6</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">6</td>
<td class="xl65">-10</td>
<td class="xl65">106</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; height: 15.0pt;">2008-09</td>
<td>Edmonton</td>
<td style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">NHL</td>
<td class="xl65">15</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">0</td>
<td class="xl65">0</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">0</td>
<td class="xl65">-1</td>
<td class="xl65">59</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; height: 15.0pt;">2008-09</td>
<td>Springfield</td>
<td style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">AHL</td>
<td class="xl65">47</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">6</td>
<td class="xl65">13</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial;">19</td>
<td class="xl65">-7</td>
<td class="xl65">107</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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!<br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-67976390074200511282012-03-13T00:34:00.002-06:002012-03-13T08:26:33.371-06:00Oilers 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-55268244406499702652012-03-10T15:01:00.001-07:002012-03-10T15:19:00.818-07:00Get Tweeting: Oilers Jordan Eberle and the Lady ByngFriends, fans, writers, lend me your ears.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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?<br />
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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.<br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-83870277934721753422012-03-08T23:26:00.000-07:002012-03-09T00:18:14.498-07:00Oilers 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."<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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I hate losing to the Habs!OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-48918234613890732232012-03-07T23:42:00.003-07:002012-03-08T00:37:41.474-07:00Oilers vs Habs: The Battle Of The LotteryGet thee to a lottery.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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. <br />
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So Oilers and Habs fans cheer on your team, and may the best team lose... I mean win!<br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-39091330525436679072012-03-07T20:26:00.001-07:002012-03-07T21:16:57.928-07:00Oilers 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-90972643980388766102012-03-06T10:08:00.000-07:002012-03-06T16:50:28.314-07:00Brian Burke Succumbs To Pressure!Lord, what fools these Leafs be.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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What happened to Brian Burke?<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-35632098099408574222012-03-06T00:43:00.000-07:002012-03-06T12:34:13.742-07:00You Better Duck Oilers, Refs Have Your Number!The Oilers doth protest too much.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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!<br />
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Oops! I forgot, the Oilers lost 4 - 2 to the Ducks.<br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-64038584719819061852012-03-05T15:19:00.000-07:002012-03-05T15:19:52.184-07:00The Oiler Rebuild: The Nightmare Is Nearly Over!Get thee to the promised land!<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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:<br />
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 448px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 5485; mso-width-source: userset; width: 113pt;" width="150"></col>
<col style="mso-width-alt: 5412; mso-width-source: userset; width: 111pt;" width="148"></col>
<col style="mso-width-alt: 5485; mso-width-source: userset; width: 113pt;" width="150"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 113pt;" width="150">Team</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 111pt;" width="148"># of Defenseman</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 113pt;" width="150"># of Defenseman</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"></td>
<td class="xl64">Played</td>
<td class="xl64">Played Over 20 Games</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"></td>
<td class="xl64"></td>
<td class="xl64"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Rangers</td>
<td class="xl64">11</td>
<td class="xl64">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Canucks</td>
<td class="xl64">9</td>
<td class="xl64">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><span style="color: yellow;">Blues</span></td>
<td class="xl64"><span style="color: yellow;">9</span></td>
<td class="xl64"><span style="color: yellow;">6</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Wings</td>
<td class="xl64">9</td>
<td class="xl64">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><span style="color: red;">Predators</span></td>
<td class="xl66"><span style="color: red;">10</span></td>
<td class="xl66"><span style="color: red;">9</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Penguins</td>
<td class="xl64">11</td>
<td class="xl64">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Bruins</td>
<td class="xl64">9</td>
<td class="xl64">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Flyers</td>
<td class="xl64">11</td>
<td class="xl64">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Blackhawks</td>
<td class="xl64">9</td>
<td class="xl64">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Devils</td>
<td class="xl64">10</td>
<td class="xl64">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Senators</td>
<td class="xl64">8</td>
<td class="xl64">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Coyotes</td>
<td class="xl64">10</td>
<td class="xl64">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Stars</td>
<td class="xl64">8</td>
<td class="xl64">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Panthers</td>
<td class="xl64">9</td>
<td class="xl64">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Sharks</td>
<td class="xl64">8</td>
<td class="xl64">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Kings</td>
<td class="xl64">8</td>
<td class="xl64">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><span style="color: yellow;">Avalanche</span></td>
<td class="xl64"><span style="color: yellow;">8</span></td>
<td class="xl64"><span style="color: yellow;">6</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Jets</td>
<td class="xl64">11</td>
<td class="xl64">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Flames</td>
<td class="xl64">10</td>
<td class="xl64">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Capitals</td>
<td class="xl64">11</td>
<td class="xl64">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Lightning</td>
<td class="xl64">9</td>
<td class="xl64">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Sabres</td>
<td class="xl64">10</td>
<td class="xl64">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Leafs</td>
<td class="xl64">9</td>
<td class="xl64">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><span style="color: yellow;">Ducks</span></td>
<td class="xl64"><span style="color: yellow;">7</span></td>
<td class="xl64"><span style="color: yellow;">6</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Wild</td>
<td class="xl64">9</td>
<td class="xl64">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><span style="color: yellow;">Islanders</span></td>
<td class="xl64"><span style="color: yellow;">10</span></td>
<td class="xl64"><span style="color: yellow;">6</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Hurricanes</td>
<td class="xl64">8</td>
<td class="xl64">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">Canadians</td>
<td class="xl64">9</td>
<td class="xl64">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><span style="color: red;">Oilers</span></td>
<td class="xl66"><span style="color: red;">11</span></td>
<td class="xl66"><span style="color: red;">9</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">BlueJackets</td>
<td class="xl64">10</td>
<td class="xl64">8</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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Now if only we had a No. 1 Goaltender!<br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-83951035332392972092012-03-03T11:29:00.000-07:002012-03-03T11:36:23.265-07:00Is 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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So let's get those coaches involved!<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731844985389522771.post-75766414671382014152012-03-01T18:46:00.001-07:002012-03-02T20:55:10.397-07:00Taylor Fedun And Why The Oilers Traded Gilbert!The most unkindest cut of all.<br />
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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!<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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So here's my question! Why did Steve Tambellini trade Tom Gilbert?<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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<br />
<span style="color: orange;"> Season<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>GP<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>G<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>PTS<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>PMIN</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">2007-08 Princeton<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>32<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>4<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>10<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>14<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>32</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">2008-09<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Princeton<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>35<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>3<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>12<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>15<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>50</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">2009-10 <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Princeton<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>31<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>3<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>14<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>17<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>34</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">2010-11 Princeton<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>29<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>10<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>12<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>22<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>38</span><br />
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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.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"> Season <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>GP<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>G<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>PTS<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>PMIN</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">2002-03<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> Wisconsin<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>39<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>7<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>13<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>20<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>36</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">2003-04<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> Wisconsin<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>39<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>6<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>15<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>21<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>36<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">2004-05<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> Wisconsin<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>41<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>8<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>9<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>17<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>48<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">2005-06<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> Wisconsin<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>43<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>12<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>19<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>31<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>32</span><br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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Here's hoping that next season is a kinder one for Taylor and the Oilers.<br />
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<br />OilSouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03656029033008687968noreply@blogger.com4