Erik Cole, we miss you already

Erik Cole is 1-4-5 and +2 in 2 games since going back to Carolina.

Since rejoining the Hurricanes, the team has gone 2-0 outscoring their opponents 15-4, one team being the lowly Lightning and the other team being the might Flames.

Cole, we miss you already.

Big win by the Oil today - but they're going to have to win more of the gimme's like the games against Ottawa and Toronto if they even deserve a shot at playing the Sharks and the Red Wings in the post-season dance.

The Other Ales

The Oilers haven't had an Ales not named "Hemsky" since the days of Ales Pisa, who departed to New York and subsequently Europe. Steve Tambellini has finally made his mark as a GM by making two seperate big deals on his first trade deadline. Seen above is Ales Kotalik, one of the new additions to the Edmonton Oilers team.

In comparison to today's deals, his acquisition of Dany Sabourin, Ryan Stone, and Steve MacIntyre were minuscule in influence. I was at first impressed that he could pawn off Mathieu Garon for more than the (at the time) market price of a 7th round pick established by Vancouver's acquisition of Jason LaBarbera. Heck, I didn't think Tambellini had the tenacity in him required to pull off some ballsy trades.

Boy was I wrong.

Sure, he didn't go the the extent of the New York Rangers and Calgary Flames, but boy, did Tambellini ever rip off the Los Angeles Kings in his trade deadline "coming out party." Maybe O'Sullivan is of little value to a team stocked full of young talent - maybe. But Justin Williams is a poor replacement for one of the leading shooters on the Los Angeles team. At age 24, he can still get much, much better. The best part is he plays both C and LW. I expect MacTavish to slot him alongside Horcoff and Hemsky. Further yet, the Oilers gave up pending UFA Erik Cole to get O'Sullivan who is signed for two more years at a contract similar to Robert Nilsson's.

It is now also clear why the Oilers didn't bite on Tuomo Ruutu, Vladimir Sobotka, and Miroslav Satan: with Patrick O'Sullivan in play, the others become secondary concerns. It could be possible that Carolina didn't want to give up on Ruutu (I know the Oilers love him) and it's also possible the Bruins didn't want to give up on Sobotka (who was not involved in deadline trade involving Matt Lashoff for Mark Recchi). With all things considered, the Oilers got the best man available from those four choices.

As for Kotalik, we got fair price for him. Early indications are that Kotalik is nothing like the European stereotype of a winger. In fact, he is often seen driving the net. We have to take it with a grain of salt, of course. He probably is a poor comparable for Erik Cole, I don't imagine he throws hits with the same regularity as the departed American winger. But can he create chances on the revamped 2nd line?

It will be interesting to see whether MacTavish keeps Penner on the Cogliano/Pisani line or whether or not he moves Penner up to 2nd line to play with the newly acquired Kotalik. I don't imagine Nilsson in a checking role, but stranger things have happened (see Liam Reddox).

I will be glad if Kotalik can keep playing his net-crashing style in Edmonton and hopefully it translates well from the Eastern Conference to the Western Conference. The last experiment (Cole) ended with limited success and hopefully Kotalik will find himself reborn in the Edmonton lineup. He is a rental player as of right now, but if things go right maybe he'll stick around.

Goaltending

One thing I felt that needed to be addressed at the deadline was goaltending and it didn't happen. Maybe the Oilers feel that DesLauriers, Sabourin, or Dubnyk are ready to take over should an injury occur to Dwayne Roloson.

I think this is ill-advised.

In 2005-06 we had Jussi Markkanen bringing in the rear, and he did an amiable job against the Carolina Hurricanes. We can only pray that one of the above have it in them to do the same.

Defense

With the quick recovery of Denis Grebeshkov the Oilers aren't in as dire a situation as would have originally been the case if he hadn't done so. Some may argue the Oilers D-core is too soft and I somewhat agree. But, we do have a couple sandpaper guys waiting in the wings in the form of AHL veteran Bryan Young, top-prospect Theo Peckham, and "give-me-one-more-chance" Mathieu Roy. My hope is that Steve Staios regains his former playoff form.

Trade Deadline - TODAY!!!!!

Boy do I feel bad for anyone with an Erik Cole jersey: no matter what happens today, all signs indicate he won't be back next year in an Oilers uniform.

Some prevalent Cole rumours:

• Boston with interest :Lashoff and Sobotka (pending RFA) in the mix
• Carolina with interest: Ruutu (pending RFA) being offered
  

If there is a team willing to give up exactly the kind of player(s) the Oilers organization is looking for, don't expect them to sit on a potential Cole trade. Whether or not a Cole trade happens depends on a couple of things. If the Oilers plan to make a push for the playoffs, somebody will have to take over that 2nd line RW spot. If the Oilers don't replace Cole, it is a good indication that the Oilers have packed up for the 18 holes already. If the Oilers don't trade him at all, they are set on making a playoff run. I wouldn't blame them, we're so close we can smell it.

Does Penner have trade value?

• Why Penner wouldn't be traded: He has a couple years sitting on his contract. He has a history of not showing up 100%, though his Corsi numbers or other stats of that variety indicate he is not among the worst of the Oilers in on-ice performance (don't quote me, go check with Jonathan Willis and David Staples). That being said, he's not our best either - so why is he on the 1st line? MacT is somewhat justified in demoting him.
  
• Why Penner would be traded: Penner has won it all before as a complementary player to Getzlaf and Perry. He has shown he has that ability to play on a high skill line if given the right line mates. If there is a team with a hole on LW that needs a Penner type player, he could be a commodity. His salary and point production comparables are guys like Scott Hartnell and Ryan Malone (though Hartnell is outperforming him by leaps and bounds in 2008-09). The difference between Hartnell/Malone and Penner is that the Oilers got the unmotivated version. That being said, there is gotta be someone out there who thinks that Penner is a good enough comparable for those two guys - isn't there? Please take him - please?!
  

Who's on the block?

• Robert Nilsson
• Rob Schremp
• If Wayne Gretzky can be traded anyone can be traded ...
  
• Correction, anyone who doesn't have a NTC or NMC ...
  

Reasons why the Oilers would make big move(s):

The Oilers see gaping holes at all positions except RW and move to rectify this by acquiring LW help on the 1st line (long term or temporary fix, who cares), acquiring a bonafide checking C to take the pressure off of Kyle Brodziak and also to get a veteran backup to Roloson. This would be the Mike Peca/Bobby Holik/Marty Reasoner type. It wouldn't hurt to add a veteran energy forward, since we have 3 bruisers playing on the bottom 2 lines (Jacques, Stortini, MacIntyre). This would be the Todd Harvey/Kris Draper/Darcy Tucker type of player. Also, Strudwick is a good depth D-man but questions surround Staios and Smid. Staios - does he still got what it takes to go through a few playoff rounds? Smid - he's been playing like a real defensive D-man, but is he ready for the big show? Acquiring a Derek Morris type may eat away some of that doubt and allow Gilbert to pair back up with Souray.

Reasons why the Oilers wouldn't make a big move:

The Oilers are happy with the team chemistry (or have deluded visions of a chemistry that doesn't exist). They decide to sit on potential trades to improve the team because they don't want to give up on the kids (who underperformed this year). And for some reason, the Oilers are happy to start the playoffs with Strudwick, Stortini, and MacIntyre bringing in the rear, with Reddox on the 1st line.

I shudder at the thought.

This day on Hockeybuzz ...

Eklund is suggesting the Oilers are trying to beat other teams to the punch by pulling a "Chris Pronger" and acquiring and signing Jay Bo long term. I think this is easily disproved:

Jay Bo would only sign long term after being acquired (if acquired) only if the Edmonton Oilers (and the City of Edmonton) can offer him the best possible deal on the market (pending whether he wants to play here at all). If the Oilers could be the team and Edmonton the city to offer that perfect deal - why try to beat other teams to the punch? That's just throwing away prospects and picks for someone who you can throw cash at on the UFA market.

Furhermore, Souray and Visnovsky have not been accounted for. If Jay Bo resigns his salary will be in their ball park or higher. That would effectively be a one way ticket out of town for either one of Gilbert or Grebeskhov or potentially even both, because of the NMC and NTC involved with Souray/Visnovsky. If the Toronto situation is any indication, these contract clauses are really blue balling a lot of potential trades.

Beyond that, would the Oilers really, really do this in the midst of a playoff push? The Panthers themselves are in the thick of their own playoff push. Jay Bo is central to the Panthers and is inconceivably important to their team right now, moreso than Cole (another pending UFA) is to the Oilers right now.

It's the same logic as with the Cole rumours: it's only going to happen if what the trading team gets back is more valuable and accounts for what they give up on the team. You know this. I know this. If not, why pull the trigger on the trade at all?

Eklund says he reports every thing he hears, however improbable the rumour. This cushions him from the blame of reporting something stupid. That's fine though, he wants to be an unbiased observer and listen in on discussion of his trade rumours. But if he's going to put out rumours, he has to have some input on the teams involved, as they do over at the rumour web site The Fourth Period, where editor Pagnotta chimes in on all his rumours.

Good on Pagnotta.

Do you want Cole-slaw with that?

On the right there is Erik Cole recieving an award from Clarkson University for playing at Clarkson University from 1997-2000. Recently an Boston Herald article has surfaced saying that Erik Cole expects to be a Boston Bruin in the immediate future. Since the Clarkson jersey looks pretty close to the Bruins jersey, I felt the picture was needed.

Cole has had a pretty terrible season in Edmonton so far. His numbers in previous seasons could easily be reflective of the piss poor Southeast Division. This year he currently has 22 Points and is on pace for a substandard total of 31. This includes having 9 points in his first 33 games, 12 in the next 11, and a total of 1 point in his last 12 games or 0 points in his last 9. What Cole has done consistently all season is hit. He currently leads the Oilers with 112 hits with Ethan Moreau in 2nd with 96 hits. This is where the dilemna comes in: do we dish out Cole for Sobotka and defenseman Matt Lashoff or keep him around for his physical play come playoff time? Also I believe that Cole will 100% not be an Oiler next season, so do we try to salvage whatever we can out of him before we lose him to free agency?

Personally I think trading Cole hinges on the decision for the Oilers to make that playoff push or not. Trading Cole could ultimately mean that we are not planning to make a push for the cup or the playoffs. Either that or Tambolowe has a preset deal in place for another gritty power forward. I would really hate to see us get into a 1st round playoff matchup with the Calgary Flames having the least physical team in the league, which would probably lead to the Oilers getting bent over and me having to deal with Flames fans for the next 3-4 months. In that case Cole becomes obselete here and trying to salvage the Pronger/Lupul/Pitkanen trades should be ideal for the Oilers organization.

Welcome back, Gagner and Cole

Oilers Grades for David Staples' Cult of Hockey

Dustin Penner 6 - Played a simple but solid game tonight and was willing to drive the net. He was a bit slow on puck retrieval and was beat repeatedly along the boards. He did display some finesse tonight which is a part of his game we barely get to see.
Shawn Horcoff 6 - Worked hard at puck retrieval and was willing to take punishment along the boards. Almost converted on a Hemsky set up but his 10th goal of the season will have to wait for another day.
Ales Hemsky 7 - Displayed some great heart by taking the big hit and coming back into the game right away without letting off the gas pedal. Was not rewarded for his hard work but was an important part of a relentless Oilers attack tonight.
Robert Nilsson 6 - Similar to Hemsky, Bobby was not rewarded for his hard work tonight but his unyielding attack forced turnovers and intercepted passes. He didn't react to being benched in any comparable manner to Dustin Penner but he looks as if he should be coming around some time soon.
Sam Gagner 8 - Sam fricken Gagner. Tonight, Sam Gagner really showed why he was the 6th overall pick in the 2007 NHL entry draft. It's been anywhere from a fan's worst nightmare to a slick playmaker this year. It's required a love-hate understanding so far this year. I've criticized him for being too weak on puck retrieval and on the attack. I've also berated him for his frequent turnovers at the opposition blue line. On this night, however, he worked hard on the boards, forcing turnovers, converting on his chances, and not backing down from anybody. He showed some spark tonight with both Pouliot and Cole (but moreso Cole) and it will be interesting to see what MacTavish does about that line for even strength. He also showed that he was willing to simply dump and chase when the blue line was covered and it shows that he is willing to make the safe play too. His defensive zone coverage was on par as well. I hope Sam Gagner keeps it up and proves me wrong some more.
Erik Cole 8 - Boy oh boy. He keeps playing hard and leaving everything out on the ice. But tonight, the difference was he was actually rewarded for it and perhaps MacBlender has finally fund the right linemates for the Cole-train. All aboard!
Ethan Moreau 6 - Stood up for his teammates without hesitation and was not afraid to enter the opposition zone with a head full of steam. He may have gave up the puck in a few vulnerable spots but otherwise was remarkably solid.
Andrew Cogliano 7 - May not have been as flashy as Sam Gagner or Ales Hemsky but he gets the job done. Took the puck hard to the net and was accurate with his passes gaining the zone. Worked hard and was rewarded for it.
Marc Pouliot 7 - Some guys don't get awarded offensively for their hard work. Hemsky and Nilsson, along with Pouliot, made important contributions to the team tonight and it shows in the final score, not on the statistics sheet. Pouliot adapted well despite playing on a few different lines and drove the net hard and was reliable in both the offensive and defensive zones. Solid game.
Jason Strudwick 5 - Was great in the Nashville zone tying up pucks along the boards and making the Predators' D work overtime to get the puck out of the zone. Nothing special, and another day on the job.
Kyle Brodziak 6 - Was tenacious and had a little extra jump that we didn't see in either Strudwick or Stortini, but nonetheless was an important part of stifling the Predators puck movement.
Zach Stortini 6 - Did not let up on his forecheck and actually looked up to speed tonight as he chased down forwards and D-men in the Nashville zone. Did not do anything dangerous in his own zone and landed some timely hits.
Tom Gilbert 5 - Played an intense game in the first period, and was an important part of nullifying the Predator's offense. Didn't do anything special and was caught making some dangerous passes out of the zone. Good game overall.
Sheldon Souray 6 - Was a calming presence on the blue line tonight and was never caught making any bad passes or dangerous plays. Scored a goal and he allowed the Roloson's and the Gagner's to press the attack.
Lubomir Visnovsky 8 - Great puck movement and cool under pressure. The Nashville forwards love to punish opposition D and he was able to move the puck unscathed. Stellar play tonight and he continues to earn his paycheque.
Denis Grebeskhov 8 - Like Pouliot, he did not get awarded offensively for his work tonight but don't be fooled. He was taking hits left and right to make the play and he was never caught out of position at the wrong times. His crisp passes and well-timed rushes and pinches allowed the Oilers to maintain their momentum throughout the game.
Steve Staios 5 - Made dangerous plays and blind-sighted passes that handcuffed Ladislav Smid more than a couple of itmes. However, he more than made up for it with his work on puck retrieval for the pass to Nilsson which drew the penalty that led to the Souray goal, and the pass that led to the Cogliano goal.
Ladislav Smid 5 - Played a solid, defensive game tonight. Good complement to Steve Staios.
Dwayne Roloson 6 - Made 28 saves and for once, he didn't have to win one for the Oilers as the whole team won it for themselves. Rebound control was great though he needs to work on choosing better times to play the puck as a few times during the game he almost forced some Oilers turnovers though the Oilers D recovered amiably.

Now all we need is someone to take care of Jordin Tootoo and wipe the smug smirk off his face. One of these days he's actually going to harm someone with his cheap shot style of hitting and he will not be the only one to pay dearly.

The Desire Element

So the team and its depth is supposedly the most solid at all positions that it's been in years. Probably at the defensive and goaltending situations, though we could improve our goaltending by moving a guy. But all these questions about intensity, consistency and desire. Was it a good move letting Smyth walk and taking Nilsson, O'Marra, and Plante in return? Did we ever replace that grit and desire element that Smytty brought to this team?

The only players truly answering the bell in the intensity department: Hemsky, Penner (at times), Visnovsky, Souray, Gilbert, Grebeshkov, Smid, Cogliano, Moreau, Roloson

We've seen starts and spurts from the other players but its coupled neither with offensive production or prolonged consistency, injury or otherwise.

And furthermore - don't you think its time to make this JDD's team? We have two starters playing like backups. They might as well be backups.

And damn, what happened to the bull in a china shop we were supposed to be getting in Erik Cole? He showed up for half a game against the Vancouver Canucks in October and that was it.

Edm @ Phi - 11:00 AM SN-W

Matinée game today - against the young, talented Philadelphia Flyers. They were the last team in the NHL to officially register a regulation win, but since gone on to a 4-game winning streak. The play of Joffrey Lupul was no small factor, despite the fact that he has spent some time on the 3rd line (can someone please confirm this for me?) and has 6 points in 10 games with a +/- of 2. He's on pace for 49.2 points so he will basically repeat his last year's performance at this rate, give or take the fluctuations of the 82 game season.

The Flyers have a vast array of weapons, from Richards, Briere, Carter, and Lupul to Timonen, Hatcher (PK weapon?), Eminger, and Alberts (claimed off waivers from Boston) on the blueline.

Erik Cole also ties into this little bonanza considering the pieces of the Lupul/Smith trade also went towards acquiring Cole. Lupul is no sure bet, but boy did he have a bounce-back season with Philly last year, with 46 points. Depending on how Cole plays in Edmonton for the rest of the season and whether we resign him, it might have been a waste to have given up on Lupul so soon.

Perhaps.

But the argument always goes, not everyone who plays in their hometown will excel under the pressure. Take all the Torontonians and Edmontonians - Peca, Bouwmeester, who would either avoid the situation or go play @ home and fold under the pressure.

Lupul was reportedly one of those players who ate up the local celebrity status as the homeboy party animal. This was the reputation: it is not necessarily true. However, this is not necessarily suggesting acquiring hometown players is a bad idea; history shows that effective recruitment of local players will actually increase the "connection" with fans.

A shortlist of prominent local players past and present:

Messier
Pisani
Fuhr
Brodziak
MacIntyre
Sanderson
Smyth

Well, the proof will indeed be in the pudding as Edmonton takes on Philadelphia. Last year, Edmonton's only meeting with Philly was in Edmonton and we took that game in Garon's first appearance (where he got beat on a beauty rush by Briere that still routinely makes it onto NHL commercials on sports networks). Evidently, Philly endedup in the playoffs - and we didn't.

Injuries might have been a factor. So far this young season the blueline has seen a rotating membership due to such injuries.

Also of interest is that the Oilers started the year on a 4-0 tear and subsequently just finished an 0-4-1 tear with a win in Carolina; whereas Philadelphia started 0-3-3 and went on to a 4-0 tear most recently.

Has the team turned the corner from that 5 game losing streak enough to halt the tide of the Philadelphia winning streak? We'll have to see.

Notes: Penner and Horpensky had big games vs Philly last year; Briere plays well against us
Prediction: Penner, Horpensky, and the offensive line with Briere will duke it up head-to-head; also, watch for MacT to throw out that Penner-Pisani-Cole line for momentum the way he did in Raleigh. I believe that line forced a Hurricane icing call at one point.

Who wins? Expect a slow start from the Oilers, as the second period will be key in back-to-back matinee contests on the road. So, I will not commit an answer at this point.

Oilers drop game 6-3; Lose 3 straight

The weather is unpredictable, as evidenced the wicked wind that swept through the city of Edmonton today. Unpredictable also is the game of hockey.

Key reasons for an Oilers' loss:
a) the loss of Strudwick and Cole (and along with him all the positive momentum)
b) not converting freebies (Nilsson, Pouliot, and Nilsson again)
c) an overall fatigue from playing 3 games in 4 nights

There were 3 or 4 times (at least) where the Oilers didn't capitalize on their chances where they should've or could've that would have totally changed the tide of the game. Not that this is trying to place blame in any way, but it is definitely a learning experience for the Nilsson's and Pouliot's for whom we have been singing praise as of late.

Erik Cole's looked really good on the RW and I think Alexander Edler agrees. After Cole and Pouliot's chances, it could easily have been 3-1 Oilers at one point. But it didn't end up that way: Cole got kicked out for a stupid jersey rule that not every ref calls nowadays anyway and Pouliot shot it off Luongo and then the post (yes, consecutively) despite the indescribable openness of the open net. It was wide, wide, wide open, and he had all, all, all the time in the world.

Playing with Hemsky, Nilsson fanned on a one-timer play, and he did so again playing with Grebeshkov. Sure, these things happen all the time in tight situations. Sure, some people will say Grebeshkov should've shot the darn biscuit. I disagree. The only thing that's hard to swallow is missing tape-to-tape plays. You gotta convert those buddy! When Grebs dekes out the whole
'Nucks squad and leaves you an empty net to convert, you gotta convert. Same with Pouliot not converting with Luongo down and out. When you have all the time in the world, you gotta roof it buddy.

Nevertheless, Nilsson and Pouliot were still among the better players out there tonight.

Also, Mattias Ohlund is a freakin' coward. He had his chance to defend his honour against MacIntyre when Steve took a run at him, but no, Davison did that for him. When Cole decided he was game to fight Ohlund, Mattias decided not to take off his helmet equipped with a face mask. For fuck's sake, if you're going to fight a guy who's game, take off your freakin' helmet.

The momentum was not seized and the 'Nucks capitalized on their somewhat marginal chances in the 2nd. We did manage to come back to tie it 3-3, but the 'Nucks eventually took it. Why? Capitalizing on chances and playing consistent hockey.

Another dinger for me is Souray's discretion (or complete lack thereof) when it comes to shot selections. A lot of D-men will shoot or one-time shots at the net on the powerplay if it means they can get a deflection, a rebound, or if they intend to slap-pass it for a play. When it comes to Souray, he shoots everything really hard, all the time. Sure, we know you can shoot it hard Souray. But a) hitting the net is important, and b) shooting it in a situation where it's an obvious blocked shot causes turnovers and odd-man rushes in the opposite direction, where the puck shouldn't be going on your own powerplay. Visnovsky is guilty of this too, but Souray is notoriously guilty. If you're blocked, don't hammer the goddamn biscuit. You have options at the piont even if you're blocked, Sheldon! You can a) walk around the guy after faking the shot or b) slap-pass it to someone for a one-timer or c) shoot it to a marginal scoring area in the goalie's range to create a rebound chance.

And geez, if you're gonna shoot it intentionally at a 'Nucks player blocking the shot, at least break something. I'll take an ankle or knee.

Grebs had a few bad turnovers tonight too, but Mr. Lube and Tom Gilbert bailed him out a couple times - so life's good in the D-zone.

Last thought: yikes, Stortini and MacIntyre are running into each other on that line. I think it's time to split 'em up and use em as deterrents on separate lines.

Afterthoughts on Game 4, plus New Features!

Afterthoughts on the Game

(1) Physicality - The CBC Hockey Night in Canada crew noticed the same thing I noticed: Erik Cole still hasn't quite fit in perfectly with the top line as of yet. But regardless of this, he led the team in hits tonight and was a presence all over the ice.

I don't think it would matter so much where Cole plays as much as he keeps it up until he find some chemistry somewhere on the team. THE SLAW HAS ARRIVED AND HE'S GONNA HURT YOU!

Speaking of physical play - great fight between Prust and MacIntyre. Calgary's BP has got some balls and it has nothing to do with spaghetti, trust me. To go up against a guy who's got 75 lbs on you is something else. Standing in there just so he can pummel your innards is another. If BP evades the IR after this one, kudos to him. THE CAVEMAN HAS ARRIVED AND HE'S GONNA HURT YOU!

(2) Missing Sheldon - For the first time this season, Visnovsky looked very human. Grebs looked a bit shaky last game and he looked very shaky to start this game. Him and Tom Gilbert got out with their skins intact though. (phew!) For the first time, we saw what Lubo plays like without that physical presence that Souray provides. Smid played decidedly well; he made safe plays, didn't overcommit to any pinch and was sound in his own end. I think he showed why I always say he plays better without Staios. Staios and Strudwick, with the exception of the own goal (that Strudwick put through Garon's 5 hole - and then proceeded to bank off his skates into his own net...) looked good tonight from the 2nd period onwards.

(3) 3rd line versatility - The core of the Oiler's depth showed why this Oilers team was missing a beat without the Captain and Fernando Pisani in the lineup last season. Even without Gagner in the lineup, this pesky pair has forechecked the business into bankruptcy in opposition defensive zones and wrecked havoc on their outlet passes. The ability for either Penner, Pouliot, or Brodziak to slip into that 3rd line RW slot has shown how valuable this pair is to the team. What does this mean? It could mean that Erik Cole is headed to the 3rd line if he doesn't find chemistry within 2 or 3 games. If the 3rd line can find chemistry and ignite the flame under Pouliot and Penner, they can definitely do it for a crash-banger of Cole's quality.

(4) Roloson dressed over DesLauriers - As I predicted the other day, the decision to get JDD dressed as a backup could indicate that he was starting his NHL career. It happened.

This time, I'm guessing that MacT plans to start Roloson either next week in Chicago or Colorado in one of the back-to-back nights. MacT might keep going like this until one of the backups establishes themselves over the other. And plus, you can't make a move with the goalies unless they get some evaluation time.

Plus, it would be a shame if Roli didn't get a chance to don that Fuhr replica mask!

(5) Holy speed Batman! - Is it just me, or did Nilsson and Cogliano actually get better this game than they were in the previous 3? If they can play this well without Gagner, I can't wait til Samwise gets healthy and plays on the kid line again! Backchecking. Forechecking. Playing 4-on-4. Nilsson's ninja breakaway skills were wasted as he almost lit it up too. Cogliano breaking in on the RW and making Kipper look like a fool was reason enough to cream one's pants. Candy is dandy - but Cogliano's speed is godly. Move over, Matthew Lombardi!

New Features:

- Team Extra (this week, it's Minnesota and Buffalo)

- (+/-) Gold Award

- Goalies for Poolies



It's the Minnesota Machine - Move outta the Way!

Anyone who doubted that the NW division was the toughest division in hockey - has not been paying attention to the Wild starts to the season (pun intended) for the Canucks, Oilers, and the Wild. Though the Flames and Avs didn't have such a hot start, they sure put in some real battles in the last few games as well.

The amazing part is that the Wild have done this much so far without some key players. Thus far, the Wild have seen injuries to Marian Gaborik, Marek Zidlicky, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, John Scott, Owen Nolan, and Kurtis Foster. Tonight, the Wild shutout the Lightning and won in a shootout - a tight 1-0 decision. Technically the Bolts shutout the Wild too - but all that matters is who won the game.

How are they doing this?

Like always, the Wild have a tight team game based on a tight defensive system. The fact that Antti Miettinen and Mikko Koivu are on pace for career years doesn't hurt, either. Koivu has 9 points and Miettinen has 7 points and a shootout winner. The only tandem doing better right now is the dreaded Dubinsky-Voros combination, who have also come straight out of nowhere. But back to the Wild: I love the fact that I picked Koivu in my pool. I traded Cam Ward so I could pick up Garon and Koivu - and it's worked out dandy.

The question now is - what happens when the injured players return? I would anticipate that Jacques Lemaire will not get the itch to fix anything that aint broken - meaning he will make the most minute changes to his lineup. That could mean that Gaborik will not restart on the top line. Won't help Gaborik to sign any long-term contracts, mind you.

I wish Minny all the best because they have shown that a good team game can overcome adversity. But when it comes down to the NW division title and playing against them - I hope they goddamn well lose to us. Pretty please?



Guys who you want on the ice - even if they won't score

(1) Michael Komisarek (+6) - 1 point
(2) Dennis Wideman (+6) - 1 point
(3) Andrew Ference (+5) - 2 points
(4) Colin (John) White (+4) - 1 point
(5) Willie Mitchell (+4) - 3 points

And the winner of the very first Bi-weekly (+/-) Gold Award goes to...

Michael Komisarek
1st (+/-) Gold Award

Just because he's not gonna beam down on you on the breakaway, just because he's not gonna outskate Marty St. Louis or deke out Mathieu Garon - doesn't mean he's not gonna HURT YOU.

That's right, MK is one TOUGH CUSTOMER.

You can't hurt him, either. That's because he's GOD ON SKATES and he's gonna SMITE YOU WITH HIS DEFENSIVE PLAY.

Check us out again in a coupl'a'weeks for the next (+/-) Gold Award.



Lindy Ruff's Team Turning Heads

While Minny and the NY Rangers were ripping it up last week in the limelight, the Sabres and Oilers were slowly giddying-up for a quick start - that nobody expected!

The Sabres have lost a game now in the shootout to the Atlanta Thrashers. They're still unbeaten in regulation, but at least that proves the Oilers are better. (Take that, Darcy Regier!) Ignoring the fact that I wouldn't touch someone named Darcy with a ten-foot-pole (Tucker, Regier, Hordichuk...) I must admit that Lindy Ruff is one of the best coaches in the league. The Sabres surprise is due in no small part to him.

Credit is also due to both goaltenders, the re-emergence of Thomas Vanek, and the scoring of Kotalik and Pominville. The veteran defenseman Teppo Numminen has also found his game.

Now the question is: can they keep it up?

The disappearence of Derek Roy and Jochen Hecht is rather worrisome, but the fact that guys like Afinogenov have picked up their games means that Roy and Hecht cannot be far behind. Why do I know this? Because Roy and Hecht are historical performers.

My guess would be that this is signs of things to come for the Buffalo Sabres. When your secondary scoring is Derek Roy, Jochen Hecht, and Maxim Afinogenov, I think you're gonna be in fine shape.



Established #1's get De-established

The first couple of weeks have been a dandy. We've seen quick starts by surprising teams followed by slow starts by supposed contenders. Brodeur is looking to toy with Roy (yes, I realise it doesn't rhyme) and his wins record, and no wonder people are asking: how many shutouts would a Sawchuk get if a Sawchuk played today? Regardless, the once-thought-untouchable record of Mr. Terry God-of-Goalies is now being challenged by none other than Mr. Devil himself. Luckily, the hockey gods were kind to me in the auto-draft and they blessed me with Mr. Devil. Combined with Mathieu Garon, I'm wrecking havoc with only two goalies in a three goalie league and the extra forward Mikko Koivu is making me grin from ear to chin.

Now, who's on the way up, who's on the way down? Furthermore, what can we expect out of some goalie tandems that have faced some controversy or adversity? Read on to find out!

On the Way Up/On the Way Down



(1) Philadelphia

In a tough sports city like Philly, you cannot, I repeat, CANNOT drop the ball. When you're the goalie and the team leans on you like an old man on his crutch, you can't let the team down.

Martin Biron is letting this team down. The season's early, it's not a problem, right?

Wrong.

The Flyers have a backup in Antero Niittymaki who's stellar play in the past, who has seen some decent time since coming up from the AHL has been set back by injuries in the past. Recent play has shown that he is more than just "an option" to the team. This indicates that, at least for the time being, Biron may be backup.

If you have Biron, expect him to lose some minutes to Antero.

(2) Colorado

Thus far, Peter Budaj has been atrocious and expect him to get worse, with the Canucks and Flames clawing onto the Wild and Oilers. Surprisingly, Raycroft did pretty decent in his duties and his Avalanche debut. Until Peter Budaj can shake the questions of his #1 status, expect Raycroft to get some more starts.

(3) NY Islanders

Rick DiPietro has shown to be injury-prone in the past. Whether this is due to Wang protecting his assets or legitimate injuries - who knows eh? All that can be determined is that Joey MacDonald has made it to the NHL and he's making some noise to boot.

In 2 games, McDicks has a .889 SV % and a 3.25 GAA. Yeah, I know: it's not stellar. But neither is Rick DiPietro. Until the Islanders can get their 15 year man in the plans, they're gonna play MacDonald.

(4) Ottawa

Yikes! Auld is already working on making my prediction come true. When I heard that the Senators had signed Auld - my first thought was "watch out Martin Gerber." He didn't perform well in Florida, it's true. But my oh my, he has shown in Vancouver what he can do if he's given a chance to shine.

And shining is what he's doing now. Expect him to take the #1 spot in the rotating door of Senators' goalie tandems.

(5) Edmonton

We love Dwayne Roloson. He took us to the Cup dance in 2005-06 and with a little bit of help from Jussi Markkanen we almost tasted the sweet victory. Darn those 'Canes. That being said, if you go to SportChek or any other place, it would seem that the managers have overstocked #35 jerseys and t-shirts. Coincidence? Hardly! We all know he's making the most money in the crowded crease and we all know that Roli the Goalie is up against the ropes.

We love Dwayne Roloson. But love doesn't win games and it doesn't ease salary cap burdens. Somebody's gonna get cut and I'm gonna bet it's Roloson eventually. It's fine and dandy that we have an experienced duo but when the team is not willing to give you the starting or backup job outright - you know something is up.

We can't blame Roli though: he's a victim of timing. He showed in the latter half of 2007-08 that he's still got the skills to pay the bills. But the stellar play of Garon and the emergence of DesLauriers means that there's not going to be much room for him in the future plans of the team. Hopefully, he gets to wear his Fuhr mask before we say goodbye.

We love Dwayne Roloson. That being said, my future-telling teddy bear says pick DesLauriers over Roloson in the long run.

Going Steady



Ranking of the steadiest goalie tandems in the league

(1) Evgeni Nabokov / Brian Boucher

The Vezina nominee has a reliable backup in Boucher. Boucher has plenty of NHL experience and knowing his role behind Nabokov will mean his brief experiences will be stellar. Ownage will ensue.

(2) Carey Price / Jaroslav Halak

I decided at the last minute to pick the Sharks' tandem over the Habs' tandem. This is due to experience points alone. Price's rise to fame last year was no fluke, and Halak has also regained his form. The Habs have always been skilled at scouting and drafting goaltending prospects and this tandem is the envy of many teams in the league.

(3) Henrik Lundqvist / Stephen Valiquette

The journeyman Valiquette has found his home - backing up Lundqvist, one of the busiest and most skilled goalies in the league. Lundqvist has had some injury problems before, so having a guy who plays well but knows his role on the team is a bonus. Thankfully, it's a good team. And Valiquette isn't a passive contributor to the team's success. He's out there stopping pucks - occasionally. The Rangers are smart enough not to let their goalie get worn down by the regular season grind.

(4) Ryan Miller / Patrick Lalime

Patrick Lalime is making a comeback in Buffalo. The season is young but he's off to a good start backing up Miller. He's already played 2 games and as of this moment is leaguing the league in save percentage (not counting Boucher, who has played only 1 game). Ryan Miller is #2.

(5) Vesa Toskala / Curtis Joseph

There are no questions who is #1 in Leaf-land, but due to the dire situation that is the Maple Leafs' season, expect CuJo to get some respectable playing time. Toskala is human, too.

Situation Pending



(1) Detroit

I've always been a believer of Ty Conklin's. I was mad when he was pulled in favor of Mike Morrison in a shootout against Phoenix a few years back. Then I was mad when Ty and Jason Smith fumbled the winning goal of Game 1 against the 'Canes in the spring of 06. But all the indications are there that this is his time.

Roberto Luongo - Schlumertoluongo: Ty Conklin has already done that whole "I'm a goalie and I'm a captain at the same time" thing. He was captain of his college team. Been there, done that. Goalie captains were SO nineties.

After leaving Edmonton with his career in shambles, he flirted with success in Columbus. It was fleeting. He had a chance in Buffalo. The time wasn't right and Miller was on a roll. He was a force along with Malkin until Fleury took his job back. It's a shame with how well he played in the Winter Classic and all. Could have been the hangover from the better version, the Heritage Classic. Bygones are bygones. For Ty Conklin, the time is now.

This doesn't guarantee that he will take Chris Osgood's job in any way. But what I'm saying is, his chances are infinitismally higher now than they were in Edmonton, Columbus, Buffalo, or Pittsburgh. No way jose, this means I think Ty Conklin, if he keeps his nose to the grindstone, may actually emerge as Detroit's #1. He is the younger and better half of the Detroit tandem and only time will tell if the gods of hockey will be kind to him - finally.

(2) Boston

The team overall - is great. The goalie tandem - not so stellar. There is no clear cut boundary between Manny Fernandez and Tim Thomas (one of my favorites). Neither of them have the age advantage (both aged 34), though Fernandez has more experience being in a 1A/1B system whereas Thomas loves calling the shots. Will Thomas retain his job? Or will Fernandez wedge his foot in the door and steal in the neighbourhood of 35-41 games?

(3) Chicago

What in the name of Jesus H. Christ is going on in Chicago anyway? Doesn't anybody want an overpriced backup who is slightly outplaying the goalie they brought in to replace him? God, the NHL can't appreciate Buhlin walls when they see them.

(4) Atlanta

Let's be honest, so far, Lehtonen has sucked. When are we supposed to see the superman version of the goalie the Thrashers drafted instead of this pretender in his place? So far, he has been outplayed by Johan Hedberg. He hasn't done anything this season to indicate that Hedberg shouldn't get more starts. Could this be bad news in Atlanta?

(5) 3 headed monster (aka 3 way tie between Tampa Bay, Anaheim, and Florida)

On none of these 3 teams have we seen any starters or backups establish themselves. The teams are hanging on by a thread and the goalies have been dragging them down. Avoid these goalies at all costs.

Expect the Nod



Due to start a game soon:

(1) Dwayne Roloson
(2) Kevin Weekes
(3) Erik Ersberg
(4) Danny Sabourin
(5) Pekka Rinne

Oilers drop pre-season tilt to Canucks by score of 4-3 (SO)

This is Cory Schneider.

He played tonight, and with the exception of looking confused after a few Sheldon Souray point shots, or out to lunch on Sam Gagner's moves on the breakway/shootout, was very calm and composed, and played his angles very well.

On some occasions, he was the only thing going for the Canucks. He probably is the best reason why the Canucks stuck around 'til OT where they won it in the shootout.

One day (if he isn't traded before then), he could be the reason the Canucks can afford to trade Bobby Lu the Saviour.

Quote me on this.

Post-game thoughts:

It looks as if the Oilers won't be relying as much on the shootout this year for wins. It could be that Garon was just warming up after a long summer... or it's an indication that the Oilers have moved beyond reliance on the shootout as a means to win games.

The powerplay looked deadly tonight even though they scored only one goal. The penalty kill also looked deadly - in the sense that it had trouble keeping the Canucks from driving the net. For the first time this training camp, Peckham looked a step behind, perhaps the sign that he is still a bit away from being ready for the NHL. Chorney, however, looked very smart, despite the questionable call at the end of overtime.

It always seems to me that Visnovsky is in the right place at the right time to one-time the puck. When the season rolls around I will be expecting to see all kinds of goals resulting from his shot or a rebound resulting from his wicked shot.

Last but not least, who is Dan Gendur and why is he scoring goals on us? We need to put the Hans Benson radar on this guy. Seek and destroy.

A few points I would like to make:

(1) Shooting tendencies: Since the shootout was instated, it always seems that Hemsky often shoots over the net wide on the right side.
(2) The wizard without a wand: Robbie Schremp looked very nervous on the shootout. If he gets another chance before (a) getting assigned to Springfield, (b) getting traded, or (c) making the team, look for him to be more controlled in what many rightfully attribute to be Robbie's domain.
(3) Comfortability in the lineup: Gagner looks even better than he did last year at the end of the season. Whether it is making Cory Schneider look foolish or little dangle plays that prevent plays from going offside, Gagner has shown that he can play on any of the top 3 lines with any combination of forwards and feel comfortable. Cole, on the other hand, has looked good but not in any way in-sync with the other Oilers forwards. Hopefully, that happens sooner than later.
(4) Watch out for that tree!: Is it just me, or did the Canucks get a lot bigger over the off season? We're gonna have to dress guys like Strudwick in those games.
(5) Like winning the lottery: The Canucks gambled on a castaway and signed a guy with major AHL success in Wellwood and Krog respectively, and it looks good now. Whether it translates to regular season success is yet to be seen.
(6) Heat seaking missiles: At least that's what the point shots on the Oilers PP looked and sounded like - things going really fast and exploding off of stuff. Somebody gonna get a hurt real bad. Thank you Russell Peters and Kevin Lowe.

New Oilers' nicknames:

Jason Strudwick - STUDwick
Rob Schremp - Lowetide calls him Sugartits, I think Wizard or Bubba Gump would be more befitting
Marc-Antoine Pouliot - Friendly Fire (he needs to stop running into his own team mates)
Lubomir Visnovsky - Mr. Lube

Oilers Training Camp Update

After watching much of the Oilers' training camp, including rookie games and Joey Moss Cup, I thought it would be appropriate to think about some fun ways to refer to our players. Thus, I have some Oilers' jokes and nicknames.

Newest Oiler jokes:

1. What did the coach say when he wanted the rookie to be a better team player?
Answer: Make like the Cogs in the machine!

2. What did the coach say to the player heading to the press box?
Answer: Don't make me Paukovich!!!

3. Who in the Oilers' organization has the least funny name?
Answer: Phillipe Cornet

I have come up with some nicknames for some of the Oilers and Oilers' hopefuls:

David Rohlfs - Rohlfcopter (or ROFLcopter, for those of you familiar with Internet Lingo)
Erik Cole - The Slaw (as in Cole Slaw)
Geoff Paukovich - The Headhunter, or Highlander
Marc-Andre Bernier - A.L.I.A.B (At Least I Aint Bergeron!)
Toby LaFrance - The Revolution, or Viva Toby, or Wine and Cheese, or Cup of T, or French Fry
Phillipe Cornet - The Comedian (see Oilers' joke #3)
Glenn Fisher - The Apostle (refer to the gospel)
Ales Hemsky - Hemmertime
Shawn Horcoff - Tuberculosis (I don't want to explain this one... but jesting and jokes aside, I believe Horcoff is the future captain after Ethan Moreau)
Sheldon Souray - S-squared
Lubomir Visnovsky - V-Nov

...

I'm out of ideas.

Just a thought: If Gilbert Brule were female, and he married Tom Gilbert, wouldn't his name be Gilbert Gilbert?