"Final Curtain Call"

What a night! Unfortunately none of us Oiler fans were able to watch this pre-season game on TV as it was only streamed via the Oilers website. However, good ol' Jack Michaels and Bob Stauffer had the call on the dial. (radio that means)

I was driving on the highway last night, so listening to the radio broadcast was good enough for me. My heart goes out to Taylor Fedun and his family. Sometimes, life is just not fair. Here is hoping that in some way, some form, his recovery is a quick one and not a career ending one. The card up Taylor Fedun's sleeve? He has a degree from Princeton. This is one great reason to have a already established education on top of a hockey background. Anyway, good luck to Taylor as he recovers.

Tonight is the "Final Curtain Call" for pre-season. Last night was to be a curtain call of sorts for some blue liners but two of the three auditioning went down with injury. The blueline looks set for opening night with the exception of any new face that Tambo may be able to wrangle up last minute. It was also a opportunity for that extra centre position that may have a opening coming up. I am looking forward to seeing a real telecast once again on the 'Big Screen' but more then that, I am mighty curious to seeing what line combinations we end the pre-season with. I am intrigued by a few things that may be happening in regards to assignments to OKC and how things are handled with some of the young guys like Nugent-Hopkins and Lander

REV'S HOCKEY THOUGHTS OF THE DAY

1.LINE COMBINATIONS: How many different line combinations is Renney going to continue trying? Hall has had almost no consistency with anyone. Hemsky has played two games with different players, Nugent-Hopkins has played with at least 3 different line combinations and the list goes on. Players will always tell you they would rather use the last couple games of the pre-season to start building chemistry with linemates before going into the season. Makes sense, or doesn't it? I know we finish the year with back to back games and they are meaningless and the management and coach's want to do some final evaluations before sending players to their respective teams but c'mon! I know Eager has been hurt, but why not then have Belanger playing with Jones if he is going to be playing your 4th line? If he will be your 3rd line Centre then have him with Omark and Paajarvi. It's just a personal frustration cause it usually means we need 10 games into the season mixing line combo's. I know it can't be fixed as easy as I make it sound but there can be a little more stability for some combinations.

2.BELANGER: Call be cynical and I know it's pre-season but last night was a opportunity for Belanger to show his faceoff abilities against higher end talent, yet he could not even manage 50% in the dot. Also Belanger on a couple occasions has had some talent to play with, yet I have yet to see where that offensive upside is. I know it's pre-season, but this is already how many games and some are slotting him in as at least a 3rd line Centre? The only reason, from what I have seen to this point to have him as your 3rd line centre is for faceoffs. We all know how that turned out last night.

3.RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS: Can we expect another good game tonight? This will be a much better test against what will most likely be the Canucks opening night line-up. I would say this is his toughest competition to date against the bigger more physical guys. I still don't think Gagner's injury has affected the status of Ryan. He was getting nine games regardless (unless he stunk out the place in pre-season) was what I already had heard from Oilers brass even back at development camp in July. It really is based on his play and if he is physically ready. So far, so good!

4.LANDER: To this point, everything I am hearing from the coach's and management has leaned towards Lander starting the year in OKC. That would not be bad. But Lander won't let it be that easy for them will he? The guy was crazy good last night. Sure he took some stupid penalties last night but he won faceoffs and scored goals. Not just goals but IMPORTANT goals. With the way the other centre's are playing, right now, I personally would put him into the third line slot. At least for a few games to start the year, see where he is at. Management, coach's say Belanger may need some time to learn chemistry with the team so why not let him start 4th line and earn his way up the line's? People make the argument that Lander has only played well pre-season against lesser all around team's. What about Belanger then? Should he not be performing at a higher level then Lander at this stage of the game? Truth is, Lander has risen to the occasion and really does deserve the chance. Or will he end up like Omark did last year? Being sent to OKC, cause of 'politics'? (Words of Omark's, not mine)

5.BRULE: While Brule didn't do anything wrong last night, he did not help his cause either. He seems to be a fish out of water. I don't see him being anything more then a spot player anymore as our 13th forward. I really believe he needs a opportunity with a organization that needs his kind of game and is lacking in their bottom six.

6.HARTIKANEN: Didn't hurt his case last night, but also didn't help it. Personally I find that Hartikanen plays much to the level of linemates he is given. I would think he is sent down to OKC right after the game in Vancouver, but he definitely will be called up barring any injury to the wingers.

7.OPENING NIGHT GOALTENDING: Ok, this is my take on who starts. Devan got the game in Minny while Khabi gets the start in Vancouver. Could it be because Devan has the most time off before the opening night game that he gets the nod? I know it's only one day difference, but it is possible. Devan did not hurt his cause last night. Sure one goal was questionable, but the other two he had no chance and on the penalty kill none less. Expect to see Dubynk get the start to the season (At this point, he is the goalie of the future and Khabi is the mentor)

8.EXPECTING ANOTHER DEFENCEMAN: I can not see a circumstance where Tambo is not bringing in another blueliner now. I would think, it's not going to be a trade yet. I would expect they will look at a free agent who is yet to sign. Should in a month time, Whitney not be back in the line-up , you could expect a trade for a defenceman.

9.HORDICHUK: This guy is showing why it will be hard to keep him out of the lineup. I am OK with that. He makes it hard for the other team to get much time and space with the puck. To this point, he has been picture perfect and exactly what the Oilers wanted and signed for.

10.STILL EXPECTING SOMETIME WITHIN A WEEK TO SEE A FORWARD MOVED OUT:

No, I don't have any inside information on this. Barring injuries, (with Gagner being hurt, this has slowed the idea of moving a player out down) there are too many forwards and not enough good defenceman. Something has to give, and I would think it's the forward position that will be giving.

For continued information on Oiler and Barons news and 2012/13 NHL draft watch, you can follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/revingev

Edmonton Oilers Defence Roster Set?

After tonight's massive loss on the blueline, it appears the Oilers defense crew has been determined. Not out of choice, but out of necessity. Smid, Chorney and Fedun all were hurt in tonight's game.

That leaves the team with Barker, Gilbert, Petry, Sutton, Peckham and Potter as the only healthy players for opening night. Not a great way to start the 2011 season.

I'd assume a call up will be made in morning. I'd expect it to be Colten Teubert.

Other options include claiming a defenseman off of waivers. There is a few out there right now, and there will be more to come as camp cuts happen.

Stay tuned...

-WRITTEN BY SMOKIN' RAY-

Calder Trophy Candidate?

 Could Ryan Nugent-Hopkins be as good as advertised? Is it possible, he is the missing ingredient to what stirs the greater success of Taylor Hall and Jordon Eberle? Can Nugent-Hopkins continue to elevate his game as the competition heats up with bigger and more veteran men? These are questions we can only guess at, but what we do know, is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has only answered the skeptics questions with success his whole life.

 Right from his early beginnings, until last night, Ryan has done nothing to show even the greatest of skeptics that he is not a elite player. If Ryan plays beyond his 9 game stint he is sure to get, will he have enough elite level skill to become Edmonton's '1st Calder trophy winner'? I know it's early, I know, Hall was unable to do it, Tavares was unable to do it, no Oiler has ever done it. The competition for the Calder will be fierce this year. Should Nugent-Hopkins be sent back to Jr hockey for one more year, IMO , he would be a lock providing no injuries were to occur. However sending him back, may actually slow down his growth. I hear how some believe, being sent back to Jr can not hurt a players development, but there are many factors not taken into consideration when doing so. There are some (and only a few) that only increase and grow according to the level of talent they play with. I believe Ryan is one of those players. His game elevates as his competition elevates. That is not to say he should stay with the Oilers, I say let his game dictate if he is ready or not.

 People have said Nugent-Hopkins was able to score and play the way we see in the highlights in this video, only because he was playing against Jr's. That may be so, but he played that way as a rookie his first year at every level. Now entering this season, he played this way against other prospects at the rookie tourney in B.C. Now he continues to play the same way throughout his pre-season. Yes, we are getting closer to regular NHL competition, but my point is , he is only playing better as time goes on.

The praise this guy gets from veteran NHL players is amazing. He has already had praises from even Ryan Smyth saying how is vision is so much like 'Gretzky' on the ice. Taylor Hall has even come out now and said how he can play with the big boys. Eberle being more cautious with his words has pretty much said the same. he's a elite level talent, and his ability to think the game at a elite level, is even more important then his elite level skill. He can forecheck well, backcheck well, is incredible in puck pursuit and can come out of the corners with the puck against much larger and more veteran players. His ability to retrieve the puck back upon loosing possession is incredible. Ryan is not afraid of going into the tough places if needed. He is a total package, and the only question that remains, is he 'Calder Trophy' candidate material? Could there be a better candidate to bring home a trophy that has eluded the Oilers franchise their entire existence?

It's early, real early, but how can you not get excited about the future, when you see a game like you did last night out of a barely turned 18 year old player. Oh yeah! He just happens to be a EDMONTON OILER!

For continued information on Oiler and Barons news and 2012 NHL draft watch, you can follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/revingev

Tonight's Oiler Lines vs Coyotes

Tonight's lines vs Coyotes:

Smyth-Horcoff-Hemsky
Hall-NugentHopkins-Eberle
Tyrvainen-Belanger-Jones
Green-Lander-Keller

Chorney-Petry
Sutton-Gilbert
Potter-Fedun

Khabibulin
Danis

The old school line of Smyth/Horcoff/Hemsky is back together. I suppose this is the best way to ease Hemsky back into the lineup after being out forever with the shoulder injury. Excited to see them out together again.

I also look forward to seeing the #1 line of the future. Hall/RNH/Eberle should be a dynamic line for the Oilers.

GOILERS!!!

-WRITTEN BY SMOKIN' RAY-

Early Observations pt3

Tonight is another big night for some players still in the Oilers rotation. It's another opportunity to showcase and show management and coach's what you can offer. There is very little wiggle room up front. As much as some want to say there is lots of play for forward positional movement, it's limited. A lot still depends on Gagner's injury status and Eager's injury status as well. If those two are ready to go, you maybe have one position you can flex with. Outside of that, it's the blueline where the audition for a roster spot is. Whitney is looking more and more like a scratch for the opening night roster, so that opens up another opportunity for one of the players originally slated to head to OKC to open up the regular season. Let's continue to look at a few more players and how they have fared up to this point in pre-season.


Taylor Fedun

Taylor has been a impressive player up to this point. As has been pointed out by many of the MSM and bloggers alike, Fedun has caught many by surprise and if you were asking me, I think he has taken management and coaching by surprise as well. at the 2011 Summer development camp, Taylor did not look really impressive. His skating was average at best and his effort level appeared to be less then impressive. His passing was crisp but on the other hand, it was a development camp. Obviously Taylor took the skills he was learning and worked on them. It was like a light bulb went off or something. I was one of those 'wait and see' guys who thought his game would falter as the competition increased. That actually has looked the opposite. Granted, he has made a few errors along the way, but with a offensive puck mover you will always have some errors you have to live with. Visnovsky was a prime example of that. Many forget, there were not many games where he was error free and did not cough up the puck at least once in a game. On the other hand, you knew with every rush up the ice and sweet crisp pass, tape to tape, there was a scoring opportunity for someone.

While it is still likely Fedun will be sent down to OKC soon, I do think he has shown enough to management and coach's that should they need a puck mover, he is only a call away. I would think he will get one last game in here before heading down to the AHL. If he remains for more then one game? Well, doesn't take much to add 1+1. It would mean, he is being considered for a opening night spot. At this stage of his development, I would think they want to give him more playing time and see if he can keep this up consistently.


Corey Potter

It has taken me some time to warm up to this player, but I have to say, Potter looks good. Rather then go look for some cast off from another team on waivers or sign some older veteran who no one is signing, I say give Corey his shot. He's a big boy, plays the body well, not bad wingspan. OK skater and is decent at moving the puck up the ice. My apologies to Lowetide for doubting this player. Lowetide has been high on Potter (sounds funny huh?) for some time and I now see why.

I would expect that Corey will get in at least 2 of the last 3 games in exhibition, if they are serious about keeping him up with the Oilers. I can easily see Potter and Sutton working in as the 6th defenceman on any given night. The opening night roster could end up looking like this.....

Gilbert/Barker
Smid/Petry
Peckham/Sutton
Potter

Of course this would mean that Chorney would be heading through waiver wires to get to OKC. If Chorney stays, most likely Potter heads to OKC and is first defenceman called up. If Whitney does not start the year, I would think they will want Petry up with the Oilers for his puck moving skills. The blueline may not look real strong in Edmonton, but take a look down in OKC and things start looking up.


Antti Tyrvainen















How can you not like this guy? I saw some video's on him from Finland, read articles, saw stats and was more concerned with how many penalty minutes he was getting. I was under the impression he was a 'wannabe' hockey player. This guy has impressed me to date. Not only can he get around the ice, but he can check well, handle the puck not bad, knows how to pass and even has a decent shot. Plays tough on the forecheck and backcheck. Depending on injury to bottom line, would be a dependable player to call upon. OKC is going to love this guy.



Gilbert Brule

Brule is a real difficult player to gauge. His injuries over the year's have constantly set him back. No one can question his drive, his passion or will. He is tough, willing to play wherever you slot him into your line-up and won't make waves if sitting in the press box. He has a lot to prove this year. He is playing for a contract next year, has been pushed down the line-up (or should we say passed by other player's?) and was traded and not traded in the same day. Unfortunately, his pre-season has not started on a positive note. He has made some bad errors at bad times and still seems to be struggling with the puck. He will be in tough, however he has Tom RenneyTencer show that Brule would be given some time to work and get his game together. Reading between the lines tell's me, Brule WILL be with the Oilers opening night. If he is in the press box or on the bench will depend totally on Brule.

For continued information on Oiler and Barons news and 2012 NHL draft watch, you can follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/revingev