New look Oilers!!!

[trench]

Should be much more fun to be an Oiler fan this year. The new players landed on free agency day made us a lot tougher team to play against. Ben Eager is a bit of a loose cannon but adds an element we missed the last couple of years. Ryan Smyth will be be a welcome addition driving goalies nuts, our defense got bigger with Baker and Sutton and Belanger will be a decent center who can win some draws. We might not make the playoffs but we should be the best team in Alberta.

Trench

 

[skiloch]

I'm loving it........not a playoff contender yet but looking better and better!
maybe they"ll be able to give us a first round??

 

[RUDY]

i am pretty happy how the team looks now,especially since we got some muscle with Eagar,Hordichuk and these guy can bang with the best and will protect the young guns...Will be a great year

 

[trench]

The Sedin sisters sure won't like to play against the Oilers as much when they are looking over their shoulder all the time!!!

Trench:d

 

[Grizzly Adams]

i am pretty happy how the team looks now,especially since we got some muscle with Eagar,Hordichuk and these guy can bang with the best and will protect the young guns...Will be a great year

Eager is a keeper, hordy is washed up. I don't think Hordy's won a fight in 5 years! The young talented players will make this team real good in a year or 2.

 

[takethebounce]

A good reason to go with Hordichuk and not resign big Mac is the ability to actually be on the ice and not draw penalties. Everytime MacIntyre left the bench the refs were ready to call him on something...no one will fight the guy. With Hord, you get a guy who isn't the greatest fighter, but isn't affraid to drop the gloves and stick up for the younger guys. He likely doesn't play 30 games.

They signed Eager with the intention of him being around awhile...a good deal for a character guy as well. Sutton was a straight up trade of to get rid of Foster. I hope Foster can find his game, he never had it in Edm. Barker has something to prove, it might be a great signing to have him for a year, and if he does well, sign him again as he will be an RFA still. Smart signing.

Belanger a 30-40 capable guy when healthy, best 3rd line center Edm has had in awhile, heck, 2nd line when you look at the rest of the roster. Having Smytty back, coming in with a positive attitude, and stays healthy...breaks 50 points easily.

Near %50 of Edmontons losses last year were 1 goal games...as long as they young guys don't fall into a slump, Hemskey/Whitney/Horcoff stay's healthy, Edmonton will finish well above .500....and just maybe finish above Calgary. Yeah I said it! Thats what I think could happen.

Smyth Horcoff Hemsky
Hall Gagner Eberle
Paajarvi Belanger ??? (Omark/Hartikainen/Hamilton/Lander/???)
Jones Brule Eager

Whitney Gilbert
Barker Smid
Peckham Sutton
(with Marincin, Petry, Teubert getting the first call up)

Thats a lineup that can crack the top 8 and get into the post season...get them another #1 pairing D, a true #1 center (next year with Hopkins) and someone who can mind the net as the Bulin is washed up with Dub likely not ready to be a true starter. Then you have a lineup that will be in the playoffs.

Hey gotta be positive right?

 

[MATTIAC]

Looks like oilers just traded cogliano to the ducks

 

[Uturn]

Looks like oilers just traded cogliano to the ducks

Big bag of pucks in return, good deal for Edmonton!!:d

 

[Beels]

Big bag of pucks in return, good deal for Edmonton!!:d

2nd rounder is hardly a bag of pucks. Story is Tambellini didn't think they could work out a deal and he was headed to arbitration.

 

[rockstar crf250r]

I think they will make it to first or second round oplayoffs

 

[takethebounce]

Playoffs are a hope and a dream at this point, not that it couldn't happen, on paper, the stats are against them. We need a team with the the heart of everyone had in '06 to make a run. Not to mention Rollie got them to the final.

Cogliano was as good as gone as soon as he wanted to go to arbritation and was loking for like $1.5 mil. Even at $1.1 it would have been an overpayment for guy who simply was a 3-4th line guy who has been given numerous chances. Role model, character player, whatever, he was smaller, with not so great hands who didn't get the puck to the back of the net enough.

Hence why I didn't even mention the guy in my previous post. The writing was on the wall for him.

I am tired of reading on the Oilers website about how bad of a GM Tambo is. SO far I see quite a different looking team this year than last, not to mention a team that is more dimensional than 2 years ago.

Lander is apparently a shoe in now for a roster spot. Could the 3rd and 4th line look something like-???

Paajarvi Lander Omark (complete swede line)
Jones Belanger Eager (rock sockem line)

Gagner on his way out too? (for a top D) Hard to see RNH making the team this year. Tambo has something up his sleeve?

 

[Stompin Tom]

The Sedin sisters sure won't like to play against the Oilers as much when they are looking over their shoulder all the time!!!

Trench:d

If your coach is dumb enuff to play Eager against the Twins you better get used to losing allot of games 8-1.

 

[Cyle]

If your coach is dumb enuff to play Eager against the Twins you better get used to losing allot of games 8-1.

I think it was proven in the playoffs how good of players the sisters actually are and any team who plays it right makes them seem invisible.

 

[Uturn]

2nd rounder is hardly a bag of pucks. Story is Tambellini didn't think they could work out a deal and he was headed to arbitration.

Depends on the draft year and draft position. Second rounder sounds good, but there are a lot of second round picks who never make the league. Then there are some late picks that are all stars, you never know.

 

[Ryeser]

If your coach is dumb enuff to play Eager against the Twins you better get used to losing allot of games 8-1.

Boston did alright against the Twins, a little bit physical and they hide in their shadows. They are talented, until they hear foot steps.

 

[Beels]

Depends on the draft year and draft position. Second rounder sounds good, but there are a lot of second round picks who never make the league. Then there are some late picks that are all stars, you never know.

Cogliano for a 2nd or lose him and get nothing? I'll take my chances on the 2nd rounder or use it for trade fodder later. Tambellini is building for 2 to 3 years from now.

I won't argue that the draft is a crap shoot. It really is, but earlier picks are always valuable, especially when you don't have them.

 

[Bogger]

Ryane Clowe
175th
2001
San Jose

Joe Pavelski
205th
2003
San Jose

Doug Gilmour
134th
1982
St. Louis

Kris Versteeg
134th
2004
Boston

Daniel Alfredsson
133rd
1994
Ottawa

Brett Hull
117th
1984
Calgary

Just sayin....

 

[rzrgade]

If your coach is dumb enuff to play Eager against the Twins you better get used to losing allot of games 8-1.

Easy fix, just tell the sisters it`s a playoff game.....That seems to shut them up.

 

[takethebounce]

Ryane Clowe
175th
2001
San Jose

Joe Pavelski
205th
2003
San Jose

Doug Gilmour
134th
1982
St. Louis

Kris Versteeg
134th
2004
Boston

Daniel Alfredsson
133rd
1994
Ottawa

Brett Hull
117th
1984
Calgary

Just sayin....

You forgot likely one of the best late round draft pick ...Zetterberg (210th)

There will always be a sleeper in the picks, and even if it was a first round pick, go back and look through out the years at how many first round picks never play an NHL game ever!

The best thing at letting Cogliano go was the 50 contract maximum. Edmonton can still sign one more from what I read as they are at 49.

 

[trench]

If your coach is dumb enuff to play Eager against the Twins you better get used to losing allot of games 8-1.

When the sisters disappear, who is going to score 8 goals?

Trench