Sunday, September 22, 2013

Barring Any Other Hiccup, This Is Opening Night

The Gagner injury has really messed up plans for the Edmonton Oilers opening night roster. They currently need to fill another big void at center and have only three options. 


Lander, Arcobello and Acton are the three guys who the Oilers are going to have to choose from. There is no other players in the system remotely close to ready. 

Oh shit...

Another (insane) option is to have Jordan Eberle try center like Hall did. Eberle did say the other day that he could try center as he's played it when he was younger. I don't like that idea for the fact your two best wingers are now playing center. We need those guys on the wings, not patrolling center ice. 

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Both Weiss and Kassian will have hearings with the NHL for their actions during last nights game. Hall almost had his head taken off by Weiss and Gagner took a high stick and had his jaw broken by Kassian. Both instances went on with no on ice retaliation and it sounds like Gagner will be out for 4-8 weeks. He's having surgery to put his jaw back together. 


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Darnell Nurse had been making coach Eakins (and the fans) think twice about sending him back to juniors. Nurse has progressively been better as each day passes, and its apparent he's actually being considered to stay. I think he's been better than N. Schultz, Grebeshkov, Fedun, Larsen, Belov and the hurt Potter (based on last seasons play). 

I'd like to see him stick. At least give him a few games of real NHL duty to see how he does. I don't think he's going home just yet, but I'm not sure the Oilers want to too many chances with the waiver wire with other players. 

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POSSIBLE OPENING NIGHT ROSTER

Smyth Hall Hemsky
Perron Gordon Eberle
Omark Lander Yakupov
Jones Acton Brown
Joensuu Eager

Ference J. Schultz
Petry Smid
Nurse N. Schultz
Grebeshkov Belov

Dubnyk
LaBarbera

*starting lines in bold*

-WRITTEN BY SMOKIN' RAY BURNT-

Edmonton Oilers Lose Another Center / Is This Groundhog Day?

Last night Sam Gagner was high sticked in the face. Not only did he lose some chicklets, he broke his jaw. Obviously he will be out indefinitely. 

The Edmonton Oilers now have neither a first line center, and now no second line center. 

Sounds like to me two guys are going to get a roster spot by default. This isn't good for the new Eakins era. In fact, this is very bad. Like Gagner or not, he's pivotal to helping make this team a success right now and losing him hurts. 

Acton will now for sure be on the team at the start I the season (IMO). And I'm guess Lander is the other one that's here opening night. 

-WRITTEN BY A BUMMED OUT SMOKIN' RAY BURNT-

6 Million is the Standard?

As well all know, RNH has signed a 7 year, 42 million dollar deal a few days ago. With Hall and Eberle already making in and around there, does that make it the standard for Yakupov and Schultz?

Well, that depends on a few things. If the Oilers really do believe the cap is going up, they will probably offer them both 6 million (pending on good years.) But if Schultz has a bad year, I would think they would give him a lower dollar, 3 year deal. If he has a good season, he would probably get 6 million for 8 or 7 years like the rest of the quality guys on the Oilers. 

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My thoughts on the Nugent-Hopkins signing.

The kid is a franchise player and if he can stay healthy, he will be a dominating force for years to come. But his shoulder injury has to cause some concerns. 

I do think that maybe the Oilers should have signed him to a 1 year extension then gave him the long one just to see what he would be like in a full season.

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Rumor for today; Tomas Vanek is on the market, but the Sabres have to lower expectations if they want a deal done. An arm and a leg is just too much to ask for. 


This is written by Noah Fuchs aka NHL rumor guy

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Thoughts on Oilers Lines Vs Canucks

Tonight's Oilers Forwards: 
Smyth-Hall-Hemsky
Perron-Gagner-Eberle
Hamilton-Khaira-Yakupov
Jones-Acton-Brown

Oilers Defence:
Nurse-Petry
Grebeshkov-Belov
Fedun-Hunt

Oilers Goalies (1/2 game each):
LaBarbera 
Rimmer

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I'm interested in seeing this Oilers squad tonight. 

We will see another look of Hall with Smyth and Hemsky. Possible line come the start of the season. 

The 2nd line can also be a opening night line. Gagner with Perron and Eberle on his wings. Expect at least two goals from this line tonight. 

The 3rd line is interesting. Yakupov will have to play his ass of to not make this line a liability. He's going to have to crank it up. I bet he does. 

The 4th line is another possible opening night line. I'm expecting lots of crashing and banging out of these three. All three players need to have a statement game. HNIC is the best stage there is. 

Nurse continues to impress. He's taking the left side and will slot in with Jeff Petry. These two are going to play big minutes. 

Anton Belov makes his Oilers debut alongside fellow Russian Grebeshkov. I'm excited to see Belov play. Heard lots, but I don't recall watching him ever. 

The last pairing is Fedun and Hunt. Hunt been good and this is his chance to show off his skills. 

LaBarbera and Rimmer will share the goaltending duties tonight. Each will play half a game. 

Game starts at 8pm mountain time on CBC. 

-WRITTEN BY AN OPTIMISTIC SMOKIN' RAY BURNT-

Thursday, September 19, 2013

The Nuge Has Been Signed!

Word just came out the the Edmonton Oilers have signed Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to a seven year extension today worth $42 million. 

Good for Ryan. Next up is Nail Yakupov and Justin Schultz. 

-WRITTEN BY SMOKIN' RAY BURNT-

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