Tyler Pitlick Earns One More Shot, As Do Others

Coach Dallas Eakins had high praise when talking about Tyler Pitlick after tonight's 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. 

Pitlick had a team high 6 hits and he played a very sound and solid game. He really stood out tonight and added a beautiful assist to the mix. With 15:13 of playing time, he made every minute count. Good on him considering he's pretty much has been a wash so far in his short Oilers career. I don't know where this version came from, but I like it. 

Jesse Joensuu also had a good game. He scored his third goal of the preseason because he drove to the net and really played a hard fought game. He's also earning the coaches praise.

Anton Belov makes good choices. He just seems really smart with the puck and I'm really starting to like him. I really liked his quick release with the puck and he picked up an assist due to that. I'd imagine he looks even better in another game or two. Good signing so far. 

After the blunder by Dubnyk, he was solid. No reason to knock him. Accidents happen and that goal against was just that. A mistake. No big deal. He was great for the rest of the game, just not that 2 seconds of it. 

Will Acton and Taylor Fedun both had decent games as well. Acton scored the game winner and Fedun played a real calm and cool defensive game. Both will get another chance to impress. 

Mark Arcobello had a team high 5 shots and played well enough. I'm not convinced he's done enough for a roster spot, but he sure is putting in a effort to do so. 

Boyd Gordon was 67% on faceoffs. That in my opinion, was all he really did tonight. I expected him to be better. 

Phil Larsen had a good game. He had 5 blocked shots and picked up an assist. He's making a very strong case to make the team too. Tough decisions for coach Eakins. 

Maybe Yakupov needs a night off? He's played in every game and tonight he looked like he could use a rest. Mind you, he was playing with Omark (bad tonight) and Gordon (so-so). 

The one guy who did blow it? Linus Omark. In a game where he needed to be a factor, he wasn't. Not even playing with Yakupov. I fear he may have blown his last chance and once again he will be with the Barons. 

In a game where guys needed to step up, some did, and some didn't. 

-WRITTEN A HAPPY SMOKIN' RAY BURNT-

The Only Way This Can Work (Steve MacIntyre)

As you read here at OilersJambalaya.com this morning, the Oilers have claimed tough guy Steve MacIntyre from the Pittsburgh Penguins. This marks the 4th time that we have seen big #33 wear the Oilers blue and orange. 

Every other stint that he's been here it hasn't worked as well as the Oilers management has hoped. Sure, he can punch anybody's light out. Not many guys in the league can stand toe to toe with him. But not many are also willing to go toe to toe with the big man at all. So why is he back?

Good question. I don't know. 

He's known for his slow foot speed and gigantic corner taking. There isn't a whole lot he can do besides punching people. 

So how does he work this time around you ask? 

Straight up, he's going to have to be a killer. A guy who will punch you out even if your not willing. He's going to have to take liberties at every scrum he's in. He's going to have to step out of his character and smash skulls of the opposing teams skill players without notice. 

Can he do that? I hope so. Or this really isn't going to work... again. 

-WRITTEN BY SMOKIN' RAY BURNT-

Edmonton Oilers Claim Steve MacIntyre... Again

MacT and his bold moves... Pfft!

This morning the Oilers claimed tough guy Steve MacIntyre. Yes it's just like any other year. The big man is back. 

Oh boy. I thought we figured this out already. The guy can fight, but that's about it. Wrong type of player. 

-WRITTEN BY A CONFUSED SMOKING' RAY BURNT-

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-