EDMONTON 3
VS.
FLORIDA 2
------------------
Win ugly, win often.
If we want to be a good hockey team, there are going to be nights like this and you're going to have to pull out a few wins; we did.
There seemed to be a combination of a few things going on tonight; our defence was not making solid passes, pucks were bouncing past everyone, some usually reliable players were having trouble and we had a substantial portion of the game see essentially no hitting on the forecheck. This combination of factors could certainly have led to a loss were it not for some excellent goaltending and some missed Florida chances.
FLA seems like a very interesting team this year. They are a deceptively veteran squad who seems to know how to get the puck deep and cycle it, eventually moving the play towards the front of the net. This will no doubt be a type of squad we struggle with at times this year due largely to the makeup of our defence and our lack of a ginormous C.
I felt really good for Marty tonight. As the long-term fans know, Marty was a good soldier, and certainly the type of guy we could use around here. I'd suspect he might be on the pickup list if we are indeed holding down a playoff spot at the deadline. I was fairly disappointed that some people booed the guy when his name was announced. Marty both got screwed out of the cup run, and then as he was finally coming into his game, fell victim to injury. Good for him scoring those 2 goals in his first game in our barn. For me it will be just like when we play PIT. I hope Comrie scores six.....and we win seven-six.
I'm sure in the coming days there will be a lot of work at practice correcting the errors that occured in our own zone and in the break-in stage tonight. One thing Renney does is project a certain amount of competence. I loved his move to bump Magnus up the lineup into Penner's spot late in the game...it may have provided just small enough of a boost that we got the W, and generated a nice scoring chance for Cogliano.
Onto the PLAYER REPORTS...
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Khabibulin
- He was tested in a much more serious fashion than the Calgary game and came through with flying colors. FLA had many prime chances (including several breaks in a alone in the first) and #35 stood up to the challenge. He wasn't getting much help in front of his net and this led to the second goal. I believe he was screened on the first because if he hadn't been he appeared ready to make the save. There were also no misadventures with the puck tonight, which is always a plus. Wonderful game all-around and well-deserved first star.
Peckham
- I've been pleasantly surprised how Theo has played in defensive and PK situations so far. He's almost the go-to guy on the squad at this stage which is strange to even think about. While his first period wasn't great, he made some tremendous plays in the third including in front of our net and standing up at the blue line. I don't know quite what's gotten into him and I'm sure his play will dip, but I loved how physical he was in the corners and that he's making an effort to be competent with the puck. He caught one bad break when a puck hit his stick and set up a break in the first, but thankfully #35 bailed him out.
Gilbert
- Not a great first and second, but Tom could've been a star in this game due to his assist and several lead-holding plays late in the game. On several occasions he won very important battles (I remember one behind our net late in the game specifically) and took the puck out of danger singlehandedly. On a night when many of his teammates were bunglers, Gilbert was the steady hand at the most important time.
Whitney
- Looked like there was something wrong with him tonight. He did not pass the puck smoothly and got beat wide at least twice which is very strange for him. He also wasn't anywhere near as slick on the offensive blue line. I guess everyone has off games and he should rebound next game. Gave the puck away weakly a bunch.
Smid
- Ladislav got beat wide on a couple of fairly strange occasions tonight to the point where I have to wonder if something was bugging him out there. He just didn't look normal. It could be that everyone is still adjusting to the new pairings, but he wasn't near as sound positionally as I'm used to and didn't skate the puck out as much. He got caught deep and was the last man to make it back to his own zone a couple times which is VERY strange for him.
Foster
- Liked the fact that he played a physical game in the corners again, but he didn't make the smooth plays out of the zone tonight and was often caught criss-crossing coverage in areas that didn't require it. In a sense he didn't really do anything that hurt much, but I expected a little better.
Vandermeer
- He played okay. Got beat wide too much and wasn't as slick with the puck as last game but that is to be expected I suppose. I did like that he was fairly aggressive most of the time at the opposition blue line.
Eberle
- I can see a day in the not too distant future where we're describing Jordan as the most complete player on the hockey team. On a night where his solid offensive chances were essentially limited to a play in the third where he worked into the slot slickly and had a nice shot ricochet off a block, he still found a way to make a difference. On several occasions he hustled back and made excellent defensive plays. He was also a solid and calming influence on the PK, which is a place I think Renney will work him more into as we go on. On a night when not much was great up front, Jordan was pretty good.
Horcoff
- Did his job in terms of leading the kid line but didn't really push the offensive game with his speed. I'm wondering how many goals he can 'score' without actually shooting one into the net this year. That would be an interesting record to grab. Overall he played a pretty solid game.
Hall
- Wasn't electric but got a couple of fairly solid chances. Taylor seemed to focus on a simpler game tonight and the results were decent. He had a great chance to score in the first from the hashmarks and got stopped. He also got his first A with a solid play from the boards to Horcoff. Looked fairly comfortable at NHL speed again. If he can tighten up his skating lines a little bit (his game is a little too loopy, and he's not a lurker), he'll find the NHL game even easier.
Paajarvi
- Magnus is getting caught standing still too much which negates his greatest weapon. He got a good shot off in the second and was fairly effective in his two shifts with Hemsky and Gagner, but tonight wasn't great for him. I think he's concentrating a little too much on knowing where to be at the moment. He'll learn this soon and it will be second-nature, but until then he won't be able to use that beautiful first step to full effectiveness. I like that he's dedicated to his craft and it will pay off in the long run, but right now we will have to be mindful of what he's doing.
Cogliano
- Plain and simple he can't buy a goal. He had three or four great chances tonight and didn't really even come close. On his best, he came out of the corner on the backhand all alone and didn't even make Vokoun work. Two years ago he finishes that; no question. He's just totally lost touch. The nice thing right now is that he's certainly not a liability. It has to be frustrating though and you wonder how long he can go without other things beginning to fail on him.
Brule
- Unimpressive for me. He just didn't DO anything really.
Jones-Fraser-Stortini
- I'm very thankful that Ryan Jones was able to get a decent tip-in goal; and he did some solid skating that could have resulted in another on a partial break he worked hard to get and protect in the second. Aside from that I think this line tried to play with too much finesse and not enough power tonight. They were also overplayed by Renney which I don't quite understand. Perhaps he didn't like what the Cogliano line was doing. Stortini was quiet which was disappointing to me after what I saw in the preseason. He really looked different out there. Fraser was pretty blah too.
Penner-Gagner-Hemsky
- Probably the worst game I've seen Penner play in two years. He looked slow and couldn't control the puck while skating tonight. He lost it or simply did nothing with it more times than I could count. Usually if he's having trouble like this he compensates with a solid passing game, but he didn't do that tonight. I know he scored a goal and should rightfully have 2 in 2 games, but he had a chance to lead the offence tonight and didn't. For whatever reason, in the neutral zone tonight the puck went to Sam and he where it usually goes to Ales. This clearly didn't work as they lost the puck there a bunch. There was a time where we only had two shots, both were from Hemsky and both came when he was in by himself with the Panther defenders and no supporting offence. Sam looked a step behind tonight and aside from his PKing which was pretty decent, he looked lost. Ales was effective when he could be but in a lot of ways was left to carry this line alone tonight. That's a strange place to be considering how they usually operate. This line having an off night required us to win ugly.
---------------
Before we close off tonight, it is worth noting that the reffing in this game was pretty gross. They need to be reminded across the league that a stick lift is NOT a hook. Period. There is no video or rule that tells them to make that call. They also screwed up the icing calls a number of times again. Weird game.
BUT...a win is a win is a win. If we make it by 2, remember this one.
#1
10/10/10
10/7/10
LMHF Game Report #1
EDMONTON 4
VS.
CALGARY NOTHING!
-------------------
I had to take a little time after getting home to bask in actually seeing the positivity that surrounds this team and this city after tonight. For the first time since early in the 2007 season (we looked really good at one point remember), there was true excitement in that building tonight, and we didn't *sorta* come away satisfied, or leave disappointed, we got to watch our team administer an honest-to-goodness beat-down for points that matter and own a team we really despise. Talk about a fun way to spend a night.
First of all, as we do at the first home game of every season, let's discuss the opening festivities. Thankfully they toned it down in some ways this year in that it wasn't anywhere near as long and didn't feature strange acrobatics or the frigging bagpipes (I'm sorry, this isn't Scotland! and even in Scotland they don't have spiralling musicians 40 feet in the air that looked like a Emo'ed out Britney Spears...). The musical tone that was set was very intense and I think got everyone fired up pretty good. I'm not sure of the name of the song they were singing (though it's fairly famous), but it was definitely a change of pace and more focused on the "get pumped for hockey" side of things. I liked that choice. Introducing the players was done simply, which I also agreed with. All-in-all it was more subdued in some ways but more intense in others. Less spectacle, less distracting, less artsy or cheesy.
From the outset tonight the Oilers were playing the new system that Renney's clearly been trying to establish with this group of players. It is very transition-focused and takes advantage of the disturbingly high amount of players with excellent speed that we have. To put it simply, when executed the thing works, even against a clutch-grab-hold team like Calgary. They were also allowed to get away with a bunch more tonight because of our early power plays, and I thought our entire lineup played through that all quite well. It would have been easy to drift back into old habits but they didn't. Overall, Renney's scheme which relied on essentially playing 3 lines and complementing that with strategically timed shifts by the 4th line, worked out very well. At the end when we were up, he got the toughs out to make sure nothing silly went down. Again, solid choice.
Calgary is playing a rather baffling system on the other hand. It seems to rely on cherry-picking for offence and generates a lot of bad shots if the other team commits to back-checking. This system is going to get their forward killed once teams start keying on it. This might be their only hope for offence, and if it is then Calgary is in for a LONG season. Their D don't look too stellar either. I'm left to wonder why Bouwmeester is struggling the way he is. He certainly is not dominant on the ice right now.
Overall I just can't say enough about how much fun that experience was. The fans gave Jordan Eberle an ovation I don't think he'll ever forget when he was announced as first star at the end of the game. He deserved it. He wasn't the only truly excellent rookie out there tonight...let's get to the PLAYER REPORTS
-------------------
Khabibulin
- Well, you can't really ask for any more than that. When guys have really great games, I like to get any criticisms out first so we can focus on the positive. He misplayed 2 pucks in the second that could have cost us...that was literally it. The guy was in his calm zone all night and while he made a few great stops, mainly just did what he needed to do and didn't get distracted even though Calgary tried very hard to get in his kitchen at several points during the game. I've always liked that about him. Though it is very unlikely this will happen, if we get a healthy #35 all season long who is focused like this, we stand a very good chance of performing quite well in the point department.
Whitney
- At some point tonight I lost count of the zone-entry passes Whitney made. His favorite thing seemed to be to skate into the middle of the neutral zone, cut left and pass right. He made it work all night and utilized our speedy forwards perfectly. It was something else to watch. I was very skeptical of the change in D-pairs but this didn't seem to hurt Whitney. I also love his aggressiveness; he plays physically sure, but also in the offensive zone. He crept in on numerous occasions tonight including with under 2 to go. This is excellent and the kind of instincts that winners have. Never ever let up. It is very possible he could have a large point total for us this year, just by virtue of becoming master of the outlet pass.
Foster
- This guy looked nothing like the pre-season. Gone were the easy puck-losses at the opposition blue line, awkward passes and lazy skating. In came a guy whose slap-pass is a constant threat, isn't afraid to use his size and was really smart out there. I'm not sure how long this will last and whether it was just opening night intensity or what, but I really liked his game tonight. Even if he's not a "physical big man", just making contact helps this team. He did exactly what we need him to do.
Smid
- Fairly quiet game from Ladislav aside from a couple instances where he was involved in scrums and some nice passing. These are always features of his game so they don't generally stand out for me. The challenge for him as well all know is to establish himself this year as a legit top-4 defenceman...he looked the part tonight. His physical play (both hitting and dropping the gloves) is often overlooked by Oilers fans but I think it has an impact and definitely in games like this.
Gilbert
- Tom also had an UGLY preseason; but rebounded with a pretty solid opening game. I almost couldn't believe it when he busted in on a break and pulled a nice side-to-side move only to be stopped. He had a couple other offensive chances and just generally did things fundamentally well. It wasn't flashy but he was a little more physical than usual.
Vandermeer
- The only concern with Vandermeer is getting beat wide I'm guessing. This probably happened twice tonight but thankfully both times were recovered from. He made some really nice passes (especially to Eberle and Hall from the slot after joining a rush that should have resulted in #4's first goal ever) and looked very intense on the ice.
Peckham
- The unsung hero for the Oilers tonight. Unless you were watching closely you probably didn't notice. This was easily the best game I've seen him play. He was physically imposing from the word go and Calgary had to respect that. He didn't get beat. He blocked a boatload of shots including a couple rather impressive ones (NHL.com has him with SIX). Hands up how many people had Theo Peckham playing 17+ excellent minutes and providing some stupendous PK work tonight...yeah, me neither. GREAT game from him.
Fraser
- Was a big pain in the butt and got in a little scrap. I honestly didn't see the value in this guy but maybe that game illuminates some things for me. Renney did a great job of using him strategically, and this is a guy who seems to know his role. While PK was largely by committee tonight, Foster looked pretty solid when he was out there. As long as he keeps hitting and moves the puck towards the opposition net, we'll be doing fine. I think with Stortini on his line there may even be some goals to be had.
Jones
- Speaking of knowing his role, Ryan came out full of piss and vinegar, hitting everything and generally making the Flames angry. It worked. Jones also had a rather excellent fight that sent Mr Meyer (who probably has the worst fighter name ever) to the dressing room. Jones' ability to get in on the forecheck as well as get to some loose pucks could come in very handy as we go forward.
MacIntyre
- Did his job tonight for sure. Kept the puck moving in the right direction save for maybe 2 or 3 times and when Ivanans came calling, administered a masterful KO. It looked like Mac Knew what he was doing the whole fight as he was switching hands at JUST the right time, then finally got him with the BIG shot. I don't really feel bad for Ivanans because he knows what he's getting into when it comes to fighting, AND with that little time left in the game it is rather odd. Good for Steve to establish himself as ready to roll early in the season as well. I still would have preferred Stortini here, but tonight this worked.
Cogliano
- I liked a lot of Cogliano's fundamentals tonight to be honest. He was going to the right places, making solid plays and winning races. If only he could hit...He made a great little feed to Paajarvi on a play in the third that could have been #91's first goal just as easily as not. Cogliano's own struggles in front of the net continue however, as he probably had two or three golden shots at openings tonight off plays by Brule and Magnus. It's really too bad but it's got to all be in his head...the technique looks fine he's just not hitting his shooting spots ever. He's good enough if he's keeps doing what he did tonight, even if it is frustrating.
Brule
- Great shot for his goal. He sold pass from to boards and just ripped a wrister inside the post while maintaining his body angle. Combination of release, deception and location that wasn't going to be stopped. He was a little quiet aside from this but I felt very responsible and played well positionally. He didn't have to make a lot of hits because some of the other players had that slack picked up, but didn't shy away from the play either. I really like Brule in the role Renney used him in tonight, being a third line support guy who gets PP time. This is how he can be best used on a successful team.
Paajarvi
- Even though he didn't hit the scoreboard or have a very flashy night, I thought Magnus did well for himself. He was the most shy and nervous of the rookies, not finding his comfort zone and trying to burn too many guys with his speed, but he played his position with discipline, backchecked very hard and got a couple very good chances. He would do well to learn the play that got Hemsky his goal and several chances tonight because he might be able to do it even better than #83. If Magnus were the only one of the three playing tonight, I think we'd still be very happy with the game he played.
Hall
- Taylor's first period was utterly sublime. The chances he generated and near misses that occured were seemingly non-stop after the first couple shifts. My expectations for him were quite low coming in and he blew them away right off the bat because he made his plays against legit NHLers. Hall seems to play best when he's involved in the physical side of the game, so I think one key for him will be to remember to keep hitting. Every shift where he attacked physically, he was successful. In the first alone he could have had two or three and you almost felt screwed he didn't. That he'd do that in game one indicates to me we will be watching something special by the end of the year. I loved how you knew he realized he belonged when he made that lap around the offensive zone in the second and made the play in between his feet. Confidence at this level from your first game is a beautiful thing.
Horcoff
- Even though our knew captain "went Horcoff" on a couple of great scoring chances, I was very heartened by the difference his speed is making on our gameplan. He's playing phenomenal transition hockey and it pays off when you have dynamic players like Hall and Eberle around to pick up the puck and finish the work. He was simple and effective, and I really liked the play where he was eventually credited with the goal (originally Eberle's second) in that he was right in the face of the goalie. If he keeps playing like this, the boos will go away.
Eberle
- What can you really say that fully expresses how awesome a night that was for a debut? Before he'd scored #2 said he was the best player on the ice. Then he busts that move outside-in on an NHL defenceman AND has the presence and patience to deke Mikka and finish on the backhand? That's just silly!! The place went absolutely bonkers. I love the confidence that move showed. Also, unlike so so so many guys who could do that, he finished. HE ALWAYS FINISHES those plays. The kid is utterly special. Then he's on the PP and unleashes just a brilliantly quick wrister that generated Horcoff's goal. I'm totally convinced the only reason he didn't get a trick is because Renney basically stopped playing the kids after 4-0 (probably smart, but still...). To add to all that, he could've set up 4 in the first and PK'ed well (as did Hall for that matter). Think about how he must feel tonight...a kid who's dreamed of playing for this team forever and shows up in front of all of his family and does THAT. WOW WOW WOW WOW. He might wind up the best of the lot of them. For whatever reason, he just has IT at a level Taylor Hall might never reach. Such a pleasure to watch.
Penner-Gagner-Hemsky
- Ho hum...a goal, a disallowed goal that should've counted, and a great night from these guys. Hemsky was dominating. Any other night he's just as easily the story. His goal after playing so well early and not getting rewarded was awesome. If he can hit the target with that more often it is lethal. Also really enjoyed him owning Iginla for the puck in the third. Watch Ales' backchecks...he clearly has the centre role in the defensive zone on this line and was in fine form tonight. I've already seen some criticism of Penner and I don't get it at all. When he had the puck he could do whatever the heck he wanted with it. He just bullied the Flames around. Sure it wasn't a flashy night, but correct the goal screwup and combine it with the line's worry-free play and that's an awesome night on any other. Gagner was really good in what is a support role. The thing I noticed from him most was puck retrieval down low, and the fact that he stayed out of Hemsky's way. If you remember these guys played really well for a time last year where other teams essentially didn't have the puck when they were out there. I see that again this year, but with supporting offence. LOOK OUT. I mention these guys as a unit because they're unique on the team right now. They're vets, they play a reliable game, and they're in control. You might not even notice them on a 3 goal night because of the flash elsewhere, but they're going to get it done and could lug us a ways.
-------------------
Well, that was stupendous! I'm guessing there'll be fewer reads and comments tonight due to lateness, but maybe everyone's on adrenaline like me. Talk about awesome!
VS.
CALGARY NOTHING!
-------------------
I had to take a little time after getting home to bask in actually seeing the positivity that surrounds this team and this city after tonight. For the first time since early in the 2007 season (we looked really good at one point remember), there was true excitement in that building tonight, and we didn't *sorta* come away satisfied, or leave disappointed, we got to watch our team administer an honest-to-goodness beat-down for points that matter and own a team we really despise. Talk about a fun way to spend a night.
First of all, as we do at the first home game of every season, let's discuss the opening festivities. Thankfully they toned it down in some ways this year in that it wasn't anywhere near as long and didn't feature strange acrobatics or the frigging bagpipes (I'm sorry, this isn't Scotland! and even in Scotland they don't have spiralling musicians 40 feet in the air that looked like a Emo'ed out Britney Spears...). The musical tone that was set was very intense and I think got everyone fired up pretty good. I'm not sure of the name of the song they were singing (though it's fairly famous), but it was definitely a change of pace and more focused on the "get pumped for hockey" side of things. I liked that choice. Introducing the players was done simply, which I also agreed with. All-in-all it was more subdued in some ways but more intense in others. Less spectacle, less distracting, less artsy or cheesy.
From the outset tonight the Oilers were playing the new system that Renney's clearly been trying to establish with this group of players. It is very transition-focused and takes advantage of the disturbingly high amount of players with excellent speed that we have. To put it simply, when executed the thing works, even against a clutch-grab-hold team like Calgary. They were also allowed to get away with a bunch more tonight because of our early power plays, and I thought our entire lineup played through that all quite well. It would have been easy to drift back into old habits but they didn't. Overall, Renney's scheme which relied on essentially playing 3 lines and complementing that with strategically timed shifts by the 4th line, worked out very well. At the end when we were up, he got the toughs out to make sure nothing silly went down. Again, solid choice.
Calgary is playing a rather baffling system on the other hand. It seems to rely on cherry-picking for offence and generates a lot of bad shots if the other team commits to back-checking. This system is going to get their forward killed once teams start keying on it. This might be their only hope for offence, and if it is then Calgary is in for a LONG season. Their D don't look too stellar either. I'm left to wonder why Bouwmeester is struggling the way he is. He certainly is not dominant on the ice right now.
Overall I just can't say enough about how much fun that experience was. The fans gave Jordan Eberle an ovation I don't think he'll ever forget when he was announced as first star at the end of the game. He deserved it. He wasn't the only truly excellent rookie out there tonight...let's get to the PLAYER REPORTS
-------------------
Khabibulin
- Well, you can't really ask for any more than that. When guys have really great games, I like to get any criticisms out first so we can focus on the positive. He misplayed 2 pucks in the second that could have cost us...that was literally it. The guy was in his calm zone all night and while he made a few great stops, mainly just did what he needed to do and didn't get distracted even though Calgary tried very hard to get in his kitchen at several points during the game. I've always liked that about him. Though it is very unlikely this will happen, if we get a healthy #35 all season long who is focused like this, we stand a very good chance of performing quite well in the point department.
Whitney
- At some point tonight I lost count of the zone-entry passes Whitney made. His favorite thing seemed to be to skate into the middle of the neutral zone, cut left and pass right. He made it work all night and utilized our speedy forwards perfectly. It was something else to watch. I was very skeptical of the change in D-pairs but this didn't seem to hurt Whitney. I also love his aggressiveness; he plays physically sure, but also in the offensive zone. He crept in on numerous occasions tonight including with under 2 to go. This is excellent and the kind of instincts that winners have. Never ever let up. It is very possible he could have a large point total for us this year, just by virtue of becoming master of the outlet pass.
Foster
- This guy looked nothing like the pre-season. Gone were the easy puck-losses at the opposition blue line, awkward passes and lazy skating. In came a guy whose slap-pass is a constant threat, isn't afraid to use his size and was really smart out there. I'm not sure how long this will last and whether it was just opening night intensity or what, but I really liked his game tonight. Even if he's not a "physical big man", just making contact helps this team. He did exactly what we need him to do.
Smid
- Fairly quiet game from Ladislav aside from a couple instances where he was involved in scrums and some nice passing. These are always features of his game so they don't generally stand out for me. The challenge for him as well all know is to establish himself this year as a legit top-4 defenceman...he looked the part tonight. His physical play (both hitting and dropping the gloves) is often overlooked by Oilers fans but I think it has an impact and definitely in games like this.
Gilbert
- Tom also had an UGLY preseason; but rebounded with a pretty solid opening game. I almost couldn't believe it when he busted in on a break and pulled a nice side-to-side move only to be stopped. He had a couple other offensive chances and just generally did things fundamentally well. It wasn't flashy but he was a little more physical than usual.
Vandermeer
- The only concern with Vandermeer is getting beat wide I'm guessing. This probably happened twice tonight but thankfully both times were recovered from. He made some really nice passes (especially to Eberle and Hall from the slot after joining a rush that should have resulted in #4's first goal ever) and looked very intense on the ice.
Peckham
- The unsung hero for the Oilers tonight. Unless you were watching closely you probably didn't notice. This was easily the best game I've seen him play. He was physically imposing from the word go and Calgary had to respect that. He didn't get beat. He blocked a boatload of shots including a couple rather impressive ones (NHL.com has him with SIX). Hands up how many people had Theo Peckham playing 17+ excellent minutes and providing some stupendous PK work tonight...yeah, me neither. GREAT game from him.
Fraser
- Was a big pain in the butt and got in a little scrap. I honestly didn't see the value in this guy but maybe that game illuminates some things for me. Renney did a great job of using him strategically, and this is a guy who seems to know his role. While PK was largely by committee tonight, Foster looked pretty solid when he was out there. As long as he keeps hitting and moves the puck towards the opposition net, we'll be doing fine. I think with Stortini on his line there may even be some goals to be had.
Jones
- Speaking of knowing his role, Ryan came out full of piss and vinegar, hitting everything and generally making the Flames angry. It worked. Jones also had a rather excellent fight that sent Mr Meyer (who probably has the worst fighter name ever) to the dressing room. Jones' ability to get in on the forecheck as well as get to some loose pucks could come in very handy as we go forward.
MacIntyre
- Did his job tonight for sure. Kept the puck moving in the right direction save for maybe 2 or 3 times and when Ivanans came calling, administered a masterful KO. It looked like Mac Knew what he was doing the whole fight as he was switching hands at JUST the right time, then finally got him with the BIG shot. I don't really feel bad for Ivanans because he knows what he's getting into when it comes to fighting, AND with that little time left in the game it is rather odd. Good for Steve to establish himself as ready to roll early in the season as well. I still would have preferred Stortini here, but tonight this worked.
Cogliano
- I liked a lot of Cogliano's fundamentals tonight to be honest. He was going to the right places, making solid plays and winning races. If only he could hit...He made a great little feed to Paajarvi on a play in the third that could have been #91's first goal just as easily as not. Cogliano's own struggles in front of the net continue however, as he probably had two or three golden shots at openings tonight off plays by Brule and Magnus. It's really too bad but it's got to all be in his head...the technique looks fine he's just not hitting his shooting spots ever. He's good enough if he's keeps doing what he did tonight, even if it is frustrating.
Brule
- Great shot for his goal. He sold pass from to boards and just ripped a wrister inside the post while maintaining his body angle. Combination of release, deception and location that wasn't going to be stopped. He was a little quiet aside from this but I felt very responsible and played well positionally. He didn't have to make a lot of hits because some of the other players had that slack picked up, but didn't shy away from the play either. I really like Brule in the role Renney used him in tonight, being a third line support guy who gets PP time. This is how he can be best used on a successful team.
Paajarvi
- Even though he didn't hit the scoreboard or have a very flashy night, I thought Magnus did well for himself. He was the most shy and nervous of the rookies, not finding his comfort zone and trying to burn too many guys with his speed, but he played his position with discipline, backchecked very hard and got a couple very good chances. He would do well to learn the play that got Hemsky his goal and several chances tonight because he might be able to do it even better than #83. If Magnus were the only one of the three playing tonight, I think we'd still be very happy with the game he played.
Hall
- Taylor's first period was utterly sublime. The chances he generated and near misses that occured were seemingly non-stop after the first couple shifts. My expectations for him were quite low coming in and he blew them away right off the bat because he made his plays against legit NHLers. Hall seems to play best when he's involved in the physical side of the game, so I think one key for him will be to remember to keep hitting. Every shift where he attacked physically, he was successful. In the first alone he could have had two or three and you almost felt screwed he didn't. That he'd do that in game one indicates to me we will be watching something special by the end of the year. I loved how you knew he realized he belonged when he made that lap around the offensive zone in the second and made the play in between his feet. Confidence at this level from your first game is a beautiful thing.
Horcoff
- Even though our knew captain "went Horcoff" on a couple of great scoring chances, I was very heartened by the difference his speed is making on our gameplan. He's playing phenomenal transition hockey and it pays off when you have dynamic players like Hall and Eberle around to pick up the puck and finish the work. He was simple and effective, and I really liked the play where he was eventually credited with the goal (originally Eberle's second) in that he was right in the face of the goalie. If he keeps playing like this, the boos will go away.
Eberle
- What can you really say that fully expresses how awesome a night that was for a debut? Before he'd scored #2 said he was the best player on the ice. Then he busts that move outside-in on an NHL defenceman AND has the presence and patience to deke Mikka and finish on the backhand? That's just silly!! The place went absolutely bonkers. I love the confidence that move showed. Also, unlike so so so many guys who could do that, he finished. HE ALWAYS FINISHES those plays. The kid is utterly special. Then he's on the PP and unleashes just a brilliantly quick wrister that generated Horcoff's goal. I'm totally convinced the only reason he didn't get a trick is because Renney basically stopped playing the kids after 4-0 (probably smart, but still...). To add to all that, he could've set up 4 in the first and PK'ed well (as did Hall for that matter). Think about how he must feel tonight...a kid who's dreamed of playing for this team forever and shows up in front of all of his family and does THAT. WOW WOW WOW WOW. He might wind up the best of the lot of them. For whatever reason, he just has IT at a level Taylor Hall might never reach. Such a pleasure to watch.
Penner-Gagner-Hemsky
- Ho hum...a goal, a disallowed goal that should've counted, and a great night from these guys. Hemsky was dominating. Any other night he's just as easily the story. His goal after playing so well early and not getting rewarded was awesome. If he can hit the target with that more often it is lethal. Also really enjoyed him owning Iginla for the puck in the third. Watch Ales' backchecks...he clearly has the centre role in the defensive zone on this line and was in fine form tonight. I've already seen some criticism of Penner and I don't get it at all. When he had the puck he could do whatever the heck he wanted with it. He just bullied the Flames around. Sure it wasn't a flashy night, but correct the goal screwup and combine it with the line's worry-free play and that's an awesome night on any other. Gagner was really good in what is a support role. The thing I noticed from him most was puck retrieval down low, and the fact that he stayed out of Hemsky's way. If you remember these guys played really well for a time last year where other teams essentially didn't have the puck when they were out there. I see that again this year, but with supporting offence. LOOK OUT. I mention these guys as a unit because they're unique on the team right now. They're vets, they play a reliable game, and they're in control. You might not even notice them on a 3 goal night because of the flash elsewhere, but they're going to get it done and could lug us a ways.
-------------------
Well, that was stupendous! I'm guessing there'll be fewer reads and comments tonight due to lateness, but maybe everyone's on adrenaline like me. Talk about awesome!
10/1/10
LMHF Preseason Game Report - EDM vs. CGY
EDMONTON 1
VS.
CALGARY 5
-------------------------------
Well, I suppose we were due for a frustrating night like that...doesn't make it any easier or more fun.
I think we were all pretty pumped for tonight and to be let down like that certainly doesn't feel very good. There were a ton of reasons we lost and while the score wasn't really reflective of the game, we certainly didn't come focused or excited either, which is disappointing.
We'll get to the players and the game in a moment, but as many of you know I enjoy commenting on the game experience and things going on at the rink, both to discuss with those who attend the games and notify those who don't. A few things:
- There's a $9 Steak Sandwich on some of the concession menus. I'm strangely intrigued...
- Has anyone else been having trouble with cell phone service and especially data service from within the rink this year? It has been truly atrocious so far. This wasn't the case last year and I am suspicious that some sort of interference is being used as the actual amount of bars on the phone does not change (verified across multiple people).
- They are now announcing a sponsor (twice) when announcing every goal. It's like we're a freaking single A baseball team...it's embarassing and bush league. I don't care what they paid (and they aren't a large company so it wouldn't have been much), END IT!
- For some reason the goal/win horn is being blow very loudly as the team enters. This isn't needed and is a time for the fans to welcome the team. It should be stopped as well.
- Whoever the audio guy is that decided to play nothing but covers and re-mixes of popular songs...it is terrible.
Anyway, back to the game...we came out fairly slowly and couldn't ever seem to establish a flow. It's tough to compare to that first game I saw against Vancouver because that game was all about flow, transition and attacking in waves. This one was about getting bogged down and frustrated. To some extent, this can be attributed to tonight's strange refereeing which was more permissive than usual. That kind of game plays right into a Sutter team's hand because they hook, hold and grab as a tactic. It was painfully evident tonight. I'm betting nearly every Oilers player has a stick-sized bruise on their arm from getting slashed there at some point during the game.
We had our chances early, but once again the execution just wasn't there. The puck would go to the front of the net but wouldn't be corralled. We were constantly 2 steps from a shooting lane but unwilling or unable to get into it. Though Calgary did a solid job on D, we have the speed to break this up and rarely did after the first period (presumably we got frustrated due to the missed chances).
A key moment came when Tom Gilbert elected to shoot on a 2-on-1 instead of make a fairly easy pass to Jordan Eberle. The play was a no-brainer and Gilbert didn't even sell the pass to move the goalie. He took a weak, straight-ahead shot that didn't have much of a chance. That play came in the second period before we'd started exhibiting real signs of frustration. I think it would have changed things a bunch had Gilbert simply made the pass to Eberle. The likelihood he finishes that play was quite high.
After that I didn't see much. In a lot of ways our best line tonight was probably Stortini-Vande Velde-MacIntyre, which isn't going to win you any games.
Losing Jim Vandermeer didn't exactly help either. Our 5 defencemen struggled mightily after he was out. I'm not sure why as the only Flame who was really pressing was Iginla, but some of our D couldn't keep up.
Let's get into more detail in PLAYER REPORTS
---------------------------
Khabibulin
- While he got unlucky a couple times and wasn't exactly fronted by a wonderful D unit, Nik has to be better than this. None of the shots that beat him were particularly spectacular and he looked to be behind all of them. I didn't get any indication of aggressiveness or intensity from him at any point tonight. He was very disappointing and will need to be better than this.
Vandermeer
- Before he got booted I liked his game a fair bit tonight. He was reasonably smart with the puck, landed some hits and did a very good job of getting in Iginla's face, unltimately taking him off the ice with him. I'll take that trade every day. I'm still a bit miffed as to why he got kicked out after a fight I felt he did fairly well in.
Peckham
- Probably played himself off the team tonight. He was just plain weak. In a game where physicality was needed, he didn't supply any. There were also a ton of giveaways and he was not in position much of the night. I'm still not sure why he's having so much trouble getting back to form, but laying an egg like that at the complete wrong time after Petiot has been performing decently could come back to haunt him for sure.
Foster
- He was flat out brutal. I don't know what about this guy makes him so awkward but he was beat a bunch of times in our own zone, chased pucks out of his position, lost control of the puck, made bad passes and went for a stupid hit that directly resulted in a goal. What's wrong with this guy? Isn't he an NHL defenceman? He sure didn't look it. He also looked dog-tired and had no reason to be.
Smid
- The only defenceman who I felt had a decently strong game. He controlled the puck well, made a couple great passes and asserted himself physically. too bad the rest weren't like him.
Gilbert
- Well that was a night to forget, specifically the third period. For whatever reason, in the third Tom kept 2 hands on his stick at wholly inappropriate times, got constantly outmuscled or outdeked, and gave the puck away a bunch. Combine that with what he did on the 2-on-1 in the second and he played a surprisingly bad game. I'm not sure what was in his head tonight.
Whitney
- Got caught out of position a few times but wasn't near as bad as Gilbert. I'm surprised he didn't assert himself physically in a game that featured a fair bit of hitting. He wasn't strong on the puck either. The D crew as a whole wears a lot of the blame for this one.
Hall
- Easily his worst effort. Taylor is going to need to learn to stop overskating areas where he's dangerous. For whatever reason he is in the habit of cruising around and past danger spots, where the puck usually comes to him as it's too late. If he'd just pause, he could have had 3 simple goals tonight. I won't question his effort and he fought like hell for the puck along the boards. The other thing he did that was utterly frustrating were his constant attempts to soft dump and soft pass. He probably gave the puck right to CGY 5-8 times doing this. It is one thing when talented guys try to make a talent play and can't do it yet like they could in junior...these were stupid plays which will never work when he either had a shooting lane or another player open. Unacceptable. He still hasn't looked like a #1 overall to me. If he doesn't come around and you're still intent on keeping him, he must start the year on the 3rd or 4th line. I will note he looked fine on the PK.
Horcoff
- Hard to tell how he did tonight. He didn't get many opportunities to use his speed to make anything happen. I'm inclined to think he didn't play that bad, but also didn't see anything really good.
Eberle
- This had to have been a frustrating game for Jordan. He got some offensive chances (including a nice shot in the third where Gilbert cruised to far to adequately screen and the 2-on-1) but could not convert. He didn't do a lot of puck carrying and with Hall going the turnover-machine route, was often de-railed. Though he didn't play great and gave the puck away more than he should have, I would like to note that Jordan showed a solid 2-way game tonight. He rarely allowed a mistake of his to go unfixed and broke up several plays. He looks very solid in his own zone so far, and I really like him on the PK. I hope he stays there.
O'Marra
- Had many chances to lay solid hits and just didn't. He needs to do that sort of thing if he wants to get anywhere now that his talent seems to have evaporated. I'm quite surprised he didn't have more interest in that type of game tonight.
Reddox
- If only he were 6'2". Reddox tapped into his inner pest tonight and put forth a rather excellent effort. He laid several hits and got into an awkward fight as one of the only Oilers to play a truly assertive game. It's a shame he couldn't capitalize on his breakaway, which came off a solid read and a good pass reception. In contrast to Peckham, Reddox may have played himself onto the team with this effort.
Jones
- Total mixed bag. He skated well and tried to be physically but was literally hit and miss when it came to that. He took an utterly stupid penalty deep in the Flames zone and couldn't do anything with the offensive chances he garnered. He was also not able to effectively shake the Flames as a pest. Not good enough.
Stortini
- Not a lot of flash in Stortini's game tonight but he was reasonably solid. MacIntyre overshadowed him and he was not called upon to fight. I continued to like his skating and positioning though and his improvement does not appear to be a one-game story. That's a very good thing for this team.
MacIntyre
- Probably the best game of his life? Won a tough fight, scored a goal and had 22 PIMs. The spear should never have been a 5-minute major...
Vande Velde
- Continued to show why he's a strong contender to be on the team sooner than later. He skated very well and made his presence known in the corners. Even with his linemates he managed to generate scoring chances which means something. I don't know what it is about him, but he seems to be able to make things happen. If contracts weren't a consideration, maybe you keep him over Fraser and Jones. He looks like a better hockey player than either by a fair bit.
Hemsky
- Had a whack of solid chances in the first and just couldn't capitalize. It looked like the puck hopped over his stick a few times (something I remember happening at the beginning of other years). I think he should switch to a stick with a bigger blade personally. He was the only Oilers player that really hit the offensive holes and had the type of chances we need. In the second and third he pressed for the shot more and this didn't work out. No complaints, just not a great game. Good PKing.
Gagner
- I honestly didn't notice him much. I believe it was he that made the nice pass to Reddox, but he wasn't able to get any real offence going. One thing that frustrated me was that a couple times Sam had a free lane to carry the puck behind the net and instead took a weak shot with no chance to score or rebound. This is useless. I'm also not a fan of using Sam on the PK. His skillset is not suited to it.
Paajarvi
- Tonight was the first night that he stopped moving his feet rather than just blowing by people. I'm not sure why this is, because when he actually did he continued to blow right by them. He made a nice play to Gagner down low after taking a feed from Hemsky that should have resulted in a goal, and had a couple nice shooting chances but did not capitalize. He got hit harder than we've seen but seemed to bounce right up. The nice thing about he and even moreso Eberle, is that even though they weren't good offensively, they did some other things well.
-------------------
I guess we're not going totally undefeated...oh well. It will be very interesting to see who gets one last shot in CGY and takes advantage. I really hope Omark takes charge so that he as a more experienced pro can take on more of the offensive responsibility. It can be tough for guys like Hall on nights like tonight.
VS.
CALGARY 5
-------------------------------
Well, I suppose we were due for a frustrating night like that...doesn't make it any easier or more fun.
I think we were all pretty pumped for tonight and to be let down like that certainly doesn't feel very good. There were a ton of reasons we lost and while the score wasn't really reflective of the game, we certainly didn't come focused or excited either, which is disappointing.
We'll get to the players and the game in a moment, but as many of you know I enjoy commenting on the game experience and things going on at the rink, both to discuss with those who attend the games and notify those who don't. A few things:
- There's a $9 Steak Sandwich on some of the concession menus. I'm strangely intrigued...
- Has anyone else been having trouble with cell phone service and especially data service from within the rink this year? It has been truly atrocious so far. This wasn't the case last year and I am suspicious that some sort of interference is being used as the actual amount of bars on the phone does not change (verified across multiple people).
- They are now announcing a sponsor (twice) when announcing every goal. It's like we're a freaking single A baseball team...it's embarassing and bush league. I don't care what they paid (and they aren't a large company so it wouldn't have been much), END IT!
- For some reason the goal/win horn is being blow very loudly as the team enters. This isn't needed and is a time for the fans to welcome the team. It should be stopped as well.
- Whoever the audio guy is that decided to play nothing but covers and re-mixes of popular songs...it is terrible.
Anyway, back to the game...we came out fairly slowly and couldn't ever seem to establish a flow. It's tough to compare to that first game I saw against Vancouver because that game was all about flow, transition and attacking in waves. This one was about getting bogged down and frustrated. To some extent, this can be attributed to tonight's strange refereeing which was more permissive than usual. That kind of game plays right into a Sutter team's hand because they hook, hold and grab as a tactic. It was painfully evident tonight. I'm betting nearly every Oilers player has a stick-sized bruise on their arm from getting slashed there at some point during the game.
We had our chances early, but once again the execution just wasn't there. The puck would go to the front of the net but wouldn't be corralled. We were constantly 2 steps from a shooting lane but unwilling or unable to get into it. Though Calgary did a solid job on D, we have the speed to break this up and rarely did after the first period (presumably we got frustrated due to the missed chances).
A key moment came when Tom Gilbert elected to shoot on a 2-on-1 instead of make a fairly easy pass to Jordan Eberle. The play was a no-brainer and Gilbert didn't even sell the pass to move the goalie. He took a weak, straight-ahead shot that didn't have much of a chance. That play came in the second period before we'd started exhibiting real signs of frustration. I think it would have changed things a bunch had Gilbert simply made the pass to Eberle. The likelihood he finishes that play was quite high.
After that I didn't see much. In a lot of ways our best line tonight was probably Stortini-Vande Velde-MacIntyre, which isn't going to win you any games.
Losing Jim Vandermeer didn't exactly help either. Our 5 defencemen struggled mightily after he was out. I'm not sure why as the only Flame who was really pressing was Iginla, but some of our D couldn't keep up.
Let's get into more detail in PLAYER REPORTS
---------------------------
Khabibulin
- While he got unlucky a couple times and wasn't exactly fronted by a wonderful D unit, Nik has to be better than this. None of the shots that beat him were particularly spectacular and he looked to be behind all of them. I didn't get any indication of aggressiveness or intensity from him at any point tonight. He was very disappointing and will need to be better than this.
Vandermeer
- Before he got booted I liked his game a fair bit tonight. He was reasonably smart with the puck, landed some hits and did a very good job of getting in Iginla's face, unltimately taking him off the ice with him. I'll take that trade every day. I'm still a bit miffed as to why he got kicked out after a fight I felt he did fairly well in.
Peckham
- Probably played himself off the team tonight. He was just plain weak. In a game where physicality was needed, he didn't supply any. There were also a ton of giveaways and he was not in position much of the night. I'm still not sure why he's having so much trouble getting back to form, but laying an egg like that at the complete wrong time after Petiot has been performing decently could come back to haunt him for sure.
Foster
- He was flat out brutal. I don't know what about this guy makes him so awkward but he was beat a bunch of times in our own zone, chased pucks out of his position, lost control of the puck, made bad passes and went for a stupid hit that directly resulted in a goal. What's wrong with this guy? Isn't he an NHL defenceman? He sure didn't look it. He also looked dog-tired and had no reason to be.
Smid
- The only defenceman who I felt had a decently strong game. He controlled the puck well, made a couple great passes and asserted himself physically. too bad the rest weren't like him.
Gilbert
- Well that was a night to forget, specifically the third period. For whatever reason, in the third Tom kept 2 hands on his stick at wholly inappropriate times, got constantly outmuscled or outdeked, and gave the puck away a bunch. Combine that with what he did on the 2-on-1 in the second and he played a surprisingly bad game. I'm not sure what was in his head tonight.
Whitney
- Got caught out of position a few times but wasn't near as bad as Gilbert. I'm surprised he didn't assert himself physically in a game that featured a fair bit of hitting. He wasn't strong on the puck either. The D crew as a whole wears a lot of the blame for this one.
Hall
- Easily his worst effort. Taylor is going to need to learn to stop overskating areas where he's dangerous. For whatever reason he is in the habit of cruising around and past danger spots, where the puck usually comes to him as it's too late. If he'd just pause, he could have had 3 simple goals tonight. I won't question his effort and he fought like hell for the puck along the boards. The other thing he did that was utterly frustrating were his constant attempts to soft dump and soft pass. He probably gave the puck right to CGY 5-8 times doing this. It is one thing when talented guys try to make a talent play and can't do it yet like they could in junior...these were stupid plays which will never work when he either had a shooting lane or another player open. Unacceptable. He still hasn't looked like a #1 overall to me. If he doesn't come around and you're still intent on keeping him, he must start the year on the 3rd or 4th line. I will note he looked fine on the PK.
Horcoff
- Hard to tell how he did tonight. He didn't get many opportunities to use his speed to make anything happen. I'm inclined to think he didn't play that bad, but also didn't see anything really good.
Eberle
- This had to have been a frustrating game for Jordan. He got some offensive chances (including a nice shot in the third where Gilbert cruised to far to adequately screen and the 2-on-1) but could not convert. He didn't do a lot of puck carrying and with Hall going the turnover-machine route, was often de-railed. Though he didn't play great and gave the puck away more than he should have, I would like to note that Jordan showed a solid 2-way game tonight. He rarely allowed a mistake of his to go unfixed and broke up several plays. He looks very solid in his own zone so far, and I really like him on the PK. I hope he stays there.
O'Marra
- Had many chances to lay solid hits and just didn't. He needs to do that sort of thing if he wants to get anywhere now that his talent seems to have evaporated. I'm quite surprised he didn't have more interest in that type of game tonight.
Reddox
- If only he were 6'2". Reddox tapped into his inner pest tonight and put forth a rather excellent effort. He laid several hits and got into an awkward fight as one of the only Oilers to play a truly assertive game. It's a shame he couldn't capitalize on his breakaway, which came off a solid read and a good pass reception. In contrast to Peckham, Reddox may have played himself onto the team with this effort.
Jones
- Total mixed bag. He skated well and tried to be physically but was literally hit and miss when it came to that. He took an utterly stupid penalty deep in the Flames zone and couldn't do anything with the offensive chances he garnered. He was also not able to effectively shake the Flames as a pest. Not good enough.
Stortini
- Not a lot of flash in Stortini's game tonight but he was reasonably solid. MacIntyre overshadowed him and he was not called upon to fight. I continued to like his skating and positioning though and his improvement does not appear to be a one-game story. That's a very good thing for this team.
MacIntyre
- Probably the best game of his life? Won a tough fight, scored a goal and had 22 PIMs. The spear should never have been a 5-minute major...
Vande Velde
- Continued to show why he's a strong contender to be on the team sooner than later. He skated very well and made his presence known in the corners. Even with his linemates he managed to generate scoring chances which means something. I don't know what it is about him, but he seems to be able to make things happen. If contracts weren't a consideration, maybe you keep him over Fraser and Jones. He looks like a better hockey player than either by a fair bit.
Hemsky
- Had a whack of solid chances in the first and just couldn't capitalize. It looked like the puck hopped over his stick a few times (something I remember happening at the beginning of other years). I think he should switch to a stick with a bigger blade personally. He was the only Oilers player that really hit the offensive holes and had the type of chances we need. In the second and third he pressed for the shot more and this didn't work out. No complaints, just not a great game. Good PKing.
Gagner
- I honestly didn't notice him much. I believe it was he that made the nice pass to Reddox, but he wasn't able to get any real offence going. One thing that frustrated me was that a couple times Sam had a free lane to carry the puck behind the net and instead took a weak shot with no chance to score or rebound. This is useless. I'm also not a fan of using Sam on the PK. His skillset is not suited to it.
Paajarvi
- Tonight was the first night that he stopped moving his feet rather than just blowing by people. I'm not sure why this is, because when he actually did he continued to blow right by them. He made a nice play to Gagner down low after taking a feed from Hemsky that should have resulted in a goal, and had a couple nice shooting chances but did not capitalize. He got hit harder than we've seen but seemed to bounce right up. The nice thing about he and even moreso Eberle, is that even though they weren't good offensively, they did some other things well.
-------------------
I guess we're not going totally undefeated...oh well. It will be very interesting to see who gets one last shot in CGY and takes advantage. I really hope Omark takes charge so that he as a more experienced pro can take on more of the offensive responsibility. It can be tough for guys like Hall on nights like tonight.
9/29/10
LMHF Preseason Game Report - EDM vs. PHX
EDMONTON 4
vs.
PHOENIX 3
In a stinking shootout....
-------------------------
Tonight's lineup wasn't really as exciting as last game. This was more of a necessary lineup to sort out some lower lineup cuts and keep some vets fresh while trying out some line combos.
Phoenix was already cut down close to their opening day lineup as I understand it. I really don't think they'll be as good this year. They won't surprise anybody, and their old defence is just getting older. I'd totally forgotten how much of a jerk Keith Yandle can be...what a loser. Thankfully for them though, it appears as though Kyle Turris might finally be ready. He made some nice plays tonight and did a good job of skating to the open ice using his stride and reach, which is what he needs to do. Their goaltending will of course be solid, but that can only take you so far.
From an Oilers perspective, the main difference between last game and this one was simply execution; both in terms of the system they're changing to and capitalizing on chances. We had more than enough chances to have another highly productive offensive game, but there were a lot of misses tonight so that didn't happen. The Vancouver game saw our forward bearing down and finishing...this one simply didn't. I'll get into a little more detail in the player reports. That type of execution can be a little off early in the year, but while learning systems it is very important to stick with and even overemphasize the new one so that it becomes second nature. Too many times tonight, especially on the PP and breakout, the Oilers were using last year's system. It is just as evident now as it was then that this doesn't work. On the breakout this meant too many men in too small an area and no real transition game. On the PP the break-in was the point of error. We failed to gain the zone in situations where it was done easily last game.
I'm quite sure these issues will be addressed by Renney tomorrow. Part of the issue was likely the line combinations, which just didn't seem to work out. Everyone looked confused several times during the game, looking around to see where everyone was and where they could go rather than just reacting. This led to awkwardness.
Let's delve deeper in PLAYER REPORTS
--------------------------
Jeff Deslauriers
- He was okay...just okay and he needed to be good. One goal was mainly his fault due to a rebound kicked out way too far on his left side to set up Stempniak. Even very good reactive defence may have had a hard time there. The second goal wasn't really on him but rather Plante...he may still have been able to stop it. Jeff's game looks more controlled, but I'd have liked to see him more aggressive tonight.
Martin Gerber
- I liked the way Gerber played very much. He was calm and controlled but aggressive. This is an ideal combination for a goalie. Had it not been for Plante (again), he would have run his SO streak all the way. He made a couple very nice saves as well as all the ones he should have stopped. I'd give him a start and see how he does. There's nothing really stopping us from sending Dubnyk AND Deslauriers down if that's what play dictates. So far, it seems to.
Alex Plante
- It's great that Plante is having a solid offensive preseason and he certainly added to that tonight with a well-timed shot. He was okay positionally for most of the game and tried to be physical. The problem is that he still was directly responsible for 2 GA. He was totally outmuscled from a position of power on the second PHX goal, then got beat in a way he shouldn't have been on the third. It is one thing if you're trying to create offence and it doesn't quite work out, or even if you go for a check and an awkward bounce gets past you, but to screw up twice from the spots he was in, with his physical stature, is pretty unforgivable. I'm a fan, but this was not his best effort by any stretch.
Taylor Chorney
- He played a pretty interesting game. I remember earlier last year before he went in the tank, his best games were those where he seemed to concentrate on physical play. Tonight he did the same thing. The highlight was the beautiful hit he laid on Lee Stempniak (prompting an awkward fight and a PP). He didn't really make any noise offensively...and his inability to do this will probably keep him from ever becoming an NHL regular of any consequence. He's not solid enough defensively or a good enough hitter to take on either of those roles. He needs A's and G's. He's not getting them or coming close.
Kurtis Foster
- Very mixed bag from him tonight. I'm very concerned with what I've seen so far of his passing ability in that he seems to have essentially none. I don't remember a pass he made that I'd even call good, much less great. On the PP, with time, as the QB, you have to make solid passes and he doesn't. He's jerky, impatient, and doesn't pass with proper pace. This can hurt an otherwise dangerous PP. I didn't have a lot to complain about defensively, but he was no tower of strength. Also, for now I'll have to take everyone's word on the booming shot...as he had no appetite to let it go tonight and didn't even look interested in a one-timer. I'm hoping for improvement.
Richard Petiot
- I won't go getting all excited about a 6/7 defenceman, but this guy is at least better than Strudwick. He blew a couple defensive coverages but did a fairly good job of digging in the corners, maintaining position, playing physically and moving the puck. That's really what you need from a low end reliable dman. You can see his skill level is a little below playing on an NHL roster, but perhaps being here could help him improve. I don't know. It is guys like this however which make me even more annoyed with signings like Strudwick.
Smid
- Looks to be in solid game shape and his skating is certainly right where it needs to be. He also jumped into a couple rushes and probably took the best slapper I've ever seen him take. Good stuff for a vet we'll need to be really solid this year. Nice pass to Gagner to setup the break and get himself an A.
Gilbert
- He wasn't as good as he is when with Whitney, but Gilbert did a really solid defensive job and controlled the puck along the boards. Everything looked comfy for him tonight which is good because he is going to need to have a huge year. I have every confidence he's up to the task.
Alex Giroux
- They gave this guy first star for some crazy reason...I truly don't know what game they were watching. He finally showed off his offensive touch, scoring a very nice goal on a really good chance, but also blew at least 4 more mostly due to bad shot selection. I really want to like this guy but he doesn't skate...You notice how little effort he uses normally because it's so shocking when he actually applies himself. If anything you'd think he could be useful on the PP, but he didn't accomplish anything setting up with Penner and Cogliano on that unit.
Andrew Cogliano
- This was a game which I'm betting will divide people on Cogliano. Some people will no doubt say he created chances, skated hard, tried to hit and gave it his best. I disagree. To me it really looked like Andrew was pressing and it both cost him goals (he did have gift chances and blew them, didn't even come close) and put him out of position. He also got knocked around every time he tried to hit. His game is not hitting. it's hitting open spaces for passers and finishing. He's not doing either. They tried like crazy to give him offensive chances tonight, putting him in a great PP position the whole time, and he got nothing done. It is somewhat tragic because there's a good player in there but he's forgotten how to get out. I remember a play in the third that looked just like a goal Cogliano scored in OT a couple years ago, blowing by a Dman and setting thing up with pure speed...he didn't even beat the guy tonight. No PK magic to save him as a role player either.
Sam Gagner
- He scored a fairly nice, opportunistic goal and had what I'd view as an okay night. His line looked very awkward for most of it however, and most of all Gagner. He's most effective with players like these when he takes on the role of the trailer, but he kept trying to lead tonight and this led to confusion. Sam also got a couple more excellent scoring chances in close and took poor shots, which is too bad.
Gilbert Brule
- Brule distinguished himself with a solid game tonight by remembering what makes him unique; the fact that he brings much skill and a strong shot, but can also punish physically. He pressed hard on the forecheck tonight and made physical contact in smart places. He also got a really well timed shot away and would've scored if he'd managed to get all of it. He also made a very strong and quick play in the third, beating a PHX defender and getting a good shot on net. I've made no secret of the fact that I like what Brule brings to the table, and tonight was no exception.
Dustin Penner
- Quite frankly, this was one of his lazier nights. I don't know if he was mildly frustrated or what but I saw a whole lot of no fire from Dustin. I hope keeping him motivated once we're playing for points isn't going to be difficult. I doubt it will be, but tonight was a little alarming. At least he scored in the shootout.
Ales Hemsky
- Iffy game from Ales. He made some nice moves and coulda scored, but certainly wasn't in his top gear. I liked the puck control he had out there (a PP with Paajarvi and Gagner that everyone whined about in the building was actually a beautiful example of puck control) didn't take the dumb shots some of his teammates were guilty of. He and Magnus tried to occupy the same lane at times, and I'm not sure if Magnus' speed and Ales' neutral zone play suit them to being on the same line to be honest.
Colin Fraser
- I was wholly unimpressed with him. His physical game was weak and he was out of position a lot. Didn't help the defensive effort at all. I was expecting a lot more at the very least in the way of effort from this guy and was not satisfied. If I was basing it on tonight, he'd get cut.
Liam Reddox
- I've seen Liam play a lot better than this. He seemed obsessed with trying to be fast rather than smart and kept overskating his checker. This takes him off his game. I want him to be the new Pisani as much as everyone else, maybe more, but I haven't seen a lot of improvement over the last 2 years and right now he's just not good enough to be kicking around ahead of Cogliano and others.
Colin McDonald
- Rightfully awarded the goal after-the-fact I see. Colin can certainly fire it (though he doesn't have much control), played physically and even made a few nice defensive plays tonight. Overall I liked what I saw quite a bit. I'm just not sure he can take this and improve upon it enough to become an NHL hockey player.
Ryan Jones
- Really liked his effort tonight. He did exactly what he needs to do: he was a pain for PHX to deal with, hit people, skated hard and didn't make defensive mistakes. I liked him much more than Fraser. If he can keep this type of play up, he's legit top 12 (as opposed to arbitrary slot-based top 12).
Ryan O'Marra
- The best way to describe his game would be confused. He was trying to be an offensive guy in the middle, responsible early, and physical late. He needs to be all three, but it needs to be available at all times. I didn't see the improvement from last year translate into better results in this game. I was hoping maybe he'd be the guy who took the summer leap, but it appears that was Stortini.
Magnus Paajarvi
- Let us start with his one bad shift so that we can get that out of the way; with just under 4 minutes left he took a shift where he gave the puck away twice, lost 2 races and looked dog tired. He must have been just that. Other than that shift, Magnus was excellent tonight. His most impressive accomplishment was using his size and speed to generate 3 or 4 PPs by himself, including a play where he dragged the much-mentioned Ekman-Larsson to the net with him. He plays a really solid and reliable game with offensive flair on top. Two of the things that impressed me were his fundamental puck shielding skills and the way he took hits (PHX gunned for him a few times). He also rebounded from his one weak shift, with quite possibly his best, nearly winning the game almost on his own. He suffered from some of the previously mentioned awkwardness with Hemsky and Gagner, and also didn't seem to want to fire the puck tonight, but we've got ourselves a real good one here folks. I'd try him with Horcoff and Eberle.
--------------------
This was not as crazy-exciting as the last game, but it certainly was interesting and satisfying to beat a mostly-NHL team with basically a half roster. Interesting cuts coming soon. Should be a great game against CGY on Friday!
#1
vs.
PHOENIX 3
In a stinking shootout....
-------------------------
Tonight's lineup wasn't really as exciting as last game. This was more of a necessary lineup to sort out some lower lineup cuts and keep some vets fresh while trying out some line combos.
Phoenix was already cut down close to their opening day lineup as I understand it. I really don't think they'll be as good this year. They won't surprise anybody, and their old defence is just getting older. I'd totally forgotten how much of a jerk Keith Yandle can be...what a loser. Thankfully for them though, it appears as though Kyle Turris might finally be ready. He made some nice plays tonight and did a good job of skating to the open ice using his stride and reach, which is what he needs to do. Their goaltending will of course be solid, but that can only take you so far.
From an Oilers perspective, the main difference between last game and this one was simply execution; both in terms of the system they're changing to and capitalizing on chances. We had more than enough chances to have another highly productive offensive game, but there were a lot of misses tonight so that didn't happen. The Vancouver game saw our forward bearing down and finishing...this one simply didn't. I'll get into a little more detail in the player reports. That type of execution can be a little off early in the year, but while learning systems it is very important to stick with and even overemphasize the new one so that it becomes second nature. Too many times tonight, especially on the PP and breakout, the Oilers were using last year's system. It is just as evident now as it was then that this doesn't work. On the breakout this meant too many men in too small an area and no real transition game. On the PP the break-in was the point of error. We failed to gain the zone in situations where it was done easily last game.
I'm quite sure these issues will be addressed by Renney tomorrow. Part of the issue was likely the line combinations, which just didn't seem to work out. Everyone looked confused several times during the game, looking around to see where everyone was and where they could go rather than just reacting. This led to awkwardness.
Let's delve deeper in PLAYER REPORTS
--------------------------
Jeff Deslauriers
- He was okay...just okay and he needed to be good. One goal was mainly his fault due to a rebound kicked out way too far on his left side to set up Stempniak. Even very good reactive defence may have had a hard time there. The second goal wasn't really on him but rather Plante...he may still have been able to stop it. Jeff's game looks more controlled, but I'd have liked to see him more aggressive tonight.
Martin Gerber
- I liked the way Gerber played very much. He was calm and controlled but aggressive. This is an ideal combination for a goalie. Had it not been for Plante (again), he would have run his SO streak all the way. He made a couple very nice saves as well as all the ones he should have stopped. I'd give him a start and see how he does. There's nothing really stopping us from sending Dubnyk AND Deslauriers down if that's what play dictates. So far, it seems to.
Alex Plante
- It's great that Plante is having a solid offensive preseason and he certainly added to that tonight with a well-timed shot. He was okay positionally for most of the game and tried to be physical. The problem is that he still was directly responsible for 2 GA. He was totally outmuscled from a position of power on the second PHX goal, then got beat in a way he shouldn't have been on the third. It is one thing if you're trying to create offence and it doesn't quite work out, or even if you go for a check and an awkward bounce gets past you, but to screw up twice from the spots he was in, with his physical stature, is pretty unforgivable. I'm a fan, but this was not his best effort by any stretch.
Taylor Chorney
- He played a pretty interesting game. I remember earlier last year before he went in the tank, his best games were those where he seemed to concentrate on physical play. Tonight he did the same thing. The highlight was the beautiful hit he laid on Lee Stempniak (prompting an awkward fight and a PP). He didn't really make any noise offensively...and his inability to do this will probably keep him from ever becoming an NHL regular of any consequence. He's not solid enough defensively or a good enough hitter to take on either of those roles. He needs A's and G's. He's not getting them or coming close.
Kurtis Foster
- Very mixed bag from him tonight. I'm very concerned with what I've seen so far of his passing ability in that he seems to have essentially none. I don't remember a pass he made that I'd even call good, much less great. On the PP, with time, as the QB, you have to make solid passes and he doesn't. He's jerky, impatient, and doesn't pass with proper pace. This can hurt an otherwise dangerous PP. I didn't have a lot to complain about defensively, but he was no tower of strength. Also, for now I'll have to take everyone's word on the booming shot...as he had no appetite to let it go tonight and didn't even look interested in a one-timer. I'm hoping for improvement.
Richard Petiot
- I won't go getting all excited about a 6/7 defenceman, but this guy is at least better than Strudwick. He blew a couple defensive coverages but did a fairly good job of digging in the corners, maintaining position, playing physically and moving the puck. That's really what you need from a low end reliable dman. You can see his skill level is a little below playing on an NHL roster, but perhaps being here could help him improve. I don't know. It is guys like this however which make me even more annoyed with signings like Strudwick.
Smid
- Looks to be in solid game shape and his skating is certainly right where it needs to be. He also jumped into a couple rushes and probably took the best slapper I've ever seen him take. Good stuff for a vet we'll need to be really solid this year. Nice pass to Gagner to setup the break and get himself an A.
Gilbert
- He wasn't as good as he is when with Whitney, but Gilbert did a really solid defensive job and controlled the puck along the boards. Everything looked comfy for him tonight which is good because he is going to need to have a huge year. I have every confidence he's up to the task.
Alex Giroux
- They gave this guy first star for some crazy reason...I truly don't know what game they were watching. He finally showed off his offensive touch, scoring a very nice goal on a really good chance, but also blew at least 4 more mostly due to bad shot selection. I really want to like this guy but he doesn't skate...You notice how little effort he uses normally because it's so shocking when he actually applies himself. If anything you'd think he could be useful on the PP, but he didn't accomplish anything setting up with Penner and Cogliano on that unit.
Andrew Cogliano
- This was a game which I'm betting will divide people on Cogliano. Some people will no doubt say he created chances, skated hard, tried to hit and gave it his best. I disagree. To me it really looked like Andrew was pressing and it both cost him goals (he did have gift chances and blew them, didn't even come close) and put him out of position. He also got knocked around every time he tried to hit. His game is not hitting. it's hitting open spaces for passers and finishing. He's not doing either. They tried like crazy to give him offensive chances tonight, putting him in a great PP position the whole time, and he got nothing done. It is somewhat tragic because there's a good player in there but he's forgotten how to get out. I remember a play in the third that looked just like a goal Cogliano scored in OT a couple years ago, blowing by a Dman and setting thing up with pure speed...he didn't even beat the guy tonight. No PK magic to save him as a role player either.
Sam Gagner
- He scored a fairly nice, opportunistic goal and had what I'd view as an okay night. His line looked very awkward for most of it however, and most of all Gagner. He's most effective with players like these when he takes on the role of the trailer, but he kept trying to lead tonight and this led to confusion. Sam also got a couple more excellent scoring chances in close and took poor shots, which is too bad.
Gilbert Brule
- Brule distinguished himself with a solid game tonight by remembering what makes him unique; the fact that he brings much skill and a strong shot, but can also punish physically. He pressed hard on the forecheck tonight and made physical contact in smart places. He also got a really well timed shot away and would've scored if he'd managed to get all of it. He also made a very strong and quick play in the third, beating a PHX defender and getting a good shot on net. I've made no secret of the fact that I like what Brule brings to the table, and tonight was no exception.
Dustin Penner
- Quite frankly, this was one of his lazier nights. I don't know if he was mildly frustrated or what but I saw a whole lot of no fire from Dustin. I hope keeping him motivated once we're playing for points isn't going to be difficult. I doubt it will be, but tonight was a little alarming. At least he scored in the shootout.
Ales Hemsky
- Iffy game from Ales. He made some nice moves and coulda scored, but certainly wasn't in his top gear. I liked the puck control he had out there (a PP with Paajarvi and Gagner that everyone whined about in the building was actually a beautiful example of puck control) didn't take the dumb shots some of his teammates were guilty of. He and Magnus tried to occupy the same lane at times, and I'm not sure if Magnus' speed and Ales' neutral zone play suit them to being on the same line to be honest.
Colin Fraser
- I was wholly unimpressed with him. His physical game was weak and he was out of position a lot. Didn't help the defensive effort at all. I was expecting a lot more at the very least in the way of effort from this guy and was not satisfied. If I was basing it on tonight, he'd get cut.
Liam Reddox
- I've seen Liam play a lot better than this. He seemed obsessed with trying to be fast rather than smart and kept overskating his checker. This takes him off his game. I want him to be the new Pisani as much as everyone else, maybe more, but I haven't seen a lot of improvement over the last 2 years and right now he's just not good enough to be kicking around ahead of Cogliano and others.
Colin McDonald
- Rightfully awarded the goal after-the-fact I see. Colin can certainly fire it (though he doesn't have much control), played physically and even made a few nice defensive plays tonight. Overall I liked what I saw quite a bit. I'm just not sure he can take this and improve upon it enough to become an NHL hockey player.
Ryan Jones
- Really liked his effort tonight. He did exactly what he needs to do: he was a pain for PHX to deal with, hit people, skated hard and didn't make defensive mistakes. I liked him much more than Fraser. If he can keep this type of play up, he's legit top 12 (as opposed to arbitrary slot-based top 12).
Ryan O'Marra
- The best way to describe his game would be confused. He was trying to be an offensive guy in the middle, responsible early, and physical late. He needs to be all three, but it needs to be available at all times. I didn't see the improvement from last year translate into better results in this game. I was hoping maybe he'd be the guy who took the summer leap, but it appears that was Stortini.
Magnus Paajarvi
- Let us start with his one bad shift so that we can get that out of the way; with just under 4 minutes left he took a shift where he gave the puck away twice, lost 2 races and looked dog tired. He must have been just that. Other than that shift, Magnus was excellent tonight. His most impressive accomplishment was using his size and speed to generate 3 or 4 PPs by himself, including a play where he dragged the much-mentioned Ekman-Larsson to the net with him. He plays a really solid and reliable game with offensive flair on top. Two of the things that impressed me were his fundamental puck shielding skills and the way he took hits (PHX gunned for him a few times). He also rebounded from his one weak shift, with quite possibly his best, nearly winning the game almost on his own. He suffered from some of the previously mentioned awkwardness with Hemsky and Gagner, and also didn't seem to want to fire the puck tonight, but we've got ourselves a real good one here folks. I'd try him with Horcoff and Eberle.
--------------------
This was not as crazy-exciting as the last game, but it certainly was interesting and satisfying to beat a mostly-NHL team with basically a half roster. Interesting cuts coming soon. Should be a great game against CGY on Friday!
#1
9/26/10
Preseason Game Report - EDM vs. VAN
EDMONTON 8
VS.
VANCOUVER 2
In an old-school shellacking...
-----------------------------
Let me start by saying that I just love laying a beating on the Canucks. Doesn't matter whether it's preseason, regular season or post...hahahaha; who I am kidding, everyone loves the perennial whomping of VAN in the playoffs...
It's fantastic to be back watching hockey. Far from being less interesting, I find people like me often find this part of the year more interesting than several stages of the regular season due to all the possibility and interesting players that are out there on the ice. You never know who you're going to see that will become a star some day, shoot out of nowhere, flourish for another team, or spiral into the abyss. I can truthfully say I got more entertainment from that game than probably the entire second half of the last season. Let's put that time totally behind us and not address it any further. We are in a new world; and it might be the preseason, but boy does it look bright on the offensive front so far. The group of guys we've got looking like they are ready to step forward all at once have the potential to be very very special.
I missed seeing the Tampa game live of course; but the Honeymoon on Oahu for the last 2 weeks was pretty amazing for all those interested. I ended up watching a replay of it in the Buffalo Wild Wings with my wife. She was mainly playing Buzztime Trivia while I watched the game, so it worked out just fine. Totally random occurrence, as we were just looking for some decent wings that night.
This team we've got here is very interesting to me and it starts with the changes to coaching. I've already noticed a few distinct changes:
- For the first time I can remember, our PK has been told to stand up (usually 3 wide with a D in the middle at the back) at the red line. It was very effective tonight, and looks like it could really work. I love how aggressive it is and if we are able to play some of our more opportunistic players at forward on the PK, should generate some chances as well as slowing up the opposition substantially through using our strength (skilled forwards) to strip the puck.
- Our breakout now looks a lot more like Detroit's. We are set up for a transition game and there are never 3 players lined up across the ice in a straight line. This led to players entering the opposing zone with speed on numerous occasions tonight. This is what good teams do; plain and simple. Glad we seem to be on the trolley. We might not do it at the level they do just yet, but it is just as important to be on the path.
- The PP looks different. I need some more time to put my finger on it, and maybe it was just a case of watching some sublimely gifted offensive players go to town tonight, but it looks like again we're using our strengths (shifty players and solid scorers from down low) to generate reliable chances that can be easily finished (which is the goal of the PP).
All these things are positive and Renney should be commended on his logical approach. I hope he's able to keep the players buying in, as it will only help them in the long run.
Now let's get on to those players, shall we
PLAYER REPORTS
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Giroux
- I wanted to like this guy; I really did. I love goal scorers and especially goal scorers that dominate with their shot. He clearly scores and clearly has a great shot (he got a couple away that could've gone in tonight). He also happens to be large, which would be a huge bonus. It appears though that what keeps him out of the NHL is terrible skating combined with bad positioning. If one of the attributes were even decent, he'd have value at the pro level, but it really didn't look like he had any of that. Utterly unimpressive and disappointing.
Aulin
- I didn't know what to expect from him and was pleasantly surprised. I was reminded of a young Pisani in that he has a very balanced overall game, skates well, is decent with the puck and fairly responsible. He covered for irresponsible defencemen on numerous occasions and broke up at least 2 scoring chances. I hope we're able to take the positive progress he's clearly made and develop this guy into a balanced forward who can contribute.
Ondrus
- Don't really remember anything about the way he played to be honest. Very blah type of player. I wasn't expecting him to get much of a shot anyway, but certainly nothing stood out.
Vande Velde
- You can see there's a pretty decent player in there. He scored a relatively simple goal that at least showed he can release a puck and beat an NHL goalie (in theory anyway). He seems to skate fairly well and the effort is certainly there. Despite his statistical totals so far I'd say he is certainly not ready for primetime as his game just isn't impactful enough yet, even against a roster as weak as the Nucks tonight.
Hartikainen
- What I liked about Teemu (other than having a guy kicking around named Teemu) is that he went into corners and fought for the puck very well. Again, I don't think he's ready yet (though more games could reveal otherwise of course) but it looks like he's a guy with a very good understanding of the fundamentals. I was expecting more of a pest-type; and especially so against VAN, but that didn't really come out tonight. We'll see if he brings that going forward. It could certainly increase his chances.
Stortini
- He looked leaner, fitter, in much better shape and like he busted his butt working on skating this offseason. Not only was he purely faster (especially the first stride), but he took better lines, turned more sharply, and even glided better. He looked much more like a hocker player and less of a galoot. It's possible that the skilled environment is putting demands on him to be more than just a quasi-goon. He already does an okay job at this but certainly looks like he added an extra gear. The utter shock of everyone in the building when he barged in and around a Canuck defender and nearly scored a beauty was amazing. He looks to have really brought it this year. His fight with Hordichuk also when pretty well too despite the blood. He landed some good shots. Solid in his own zone usually.
Penner
- Maybe the way we have to start looking at Penner is not so much that he doesn't look like he works hard, but that he instead just makes it look that easy. He scored two goals tonight that both looked brutally simple, but relied on a combination of smarts, timing, power and positioning. This was early last season Penner when he wanted to be. There was a specific play in the first where he just decided "my puck" and no one in the league could've take it from him. He could really be a force this year because other teams won't be able to key on him.
Brule
- Gilbert was the only top six forward who didn't really impress me tonight. His game was very blah and almost looked like a guy who knows he's on the team. I'm not sure he should have that comfort with the company he's currently keeping. It could be that between Penner and Omark there just wasn't a lot of puck left, but he could have gone to the shooting areas more to set up for either man to feed him the puck. To be fair, he was aggressively forechecking and dug some pucks out. I want to see him get a shot on the PK.
Omark
- This guy is just a beauty. You can tell he's a pro, and knows he's good. I say that not to imply arrogance but to say that when he has the puck, he dictates the terms. The most obvious examples of this were on the PP. When Omark gets the puck at the top of the circle, he essentially dares someone to come take it from him. He will go to the net (and did), make great passes forward or backward (and did) or just deke you out of your shorts and skate to a new spot (did this too). He's so calm then explosive. I've never really seen a guy like that. While his goal came later on and might not have meant much, it sure was pretty. He went through at least 3 Canucks and slid the puck around the goalie so quickly I think he's still looking for it. A brilliant pass from the boards to a Dman generated another goal and he was in on Penner's late tip-in. The guy is something to behold. I really think he could surprise a ton of people. He needs to be used correctly, though I didn't see anything truly horrendous in the defensive zone, but when this guy gets the puck, it's just magic. The move he tried in the second (burned the D, then tried to go straight up and missed NEAR post instead of far) was something only a truly gifted sniper would have attempted. He'll score on that play soon...and often if he gets the chance. I was thinking he'd have a little flash but not really be able to be consistent with it if anything...nope. Signs so far point to REAL DEAL. Showed some real effort chasing Mason Raymond and making a dive when the score was 8-2. Just doesn't quit.
Hall
- It's kind of an odd thing to say, but I think Hall almost has the least amount of pressure of all the rookies. He doesn't really need to make the team (though I'm sure he's driven) and if they're busy putting on a show (they all seem capable), he can round out his game and make a Stamkos-esque finish to the season. I say this because if he was eligible and based on tonight's performance, I'd likely send Taylor Hall down. It is true he made some excellent passes (including some from incredibly awkward spots that seemed impossible), worked really hard in the corners (never ever quits on a puck) and certainly can handle himself physically, but he does seem out of place at this point. He doesn't have the positioning of an Eberle, the wheels and size of Magnus, or the crazy hands of Omark. You can tell he'll be very good, but I was expecting a little more wow out of his game tonight. It should be noted that he had a couple excellent scoring chances and took subpar shots. One habit he will have to break from junior is the idea that a shot through three guys from the blue line will (a) get through; and (b) be a positive. That doesn't work in this league. I know he'll get it, you can see the pedigree, but we will have to be patient with him. Luckily, we have a bunch of shiny distractions (that appear to have substance as well) for now. I look forward to continuing to observe him.
Eberle
- The kid is magic and he will be something very special. I'll say that right now. For those of you who didn't get to watch the game or highlights, both his goals came on wrist shots; the first an absolutely sick roofjob from the left and the second from the right off the rush. Both were so textbook goalscorer it was sick; right down to the mini pause (which allows all the morons to yell SHOOT and reveal how bad a choice an early shot would have been) they all use to move a goalie followed by lethal finish. You were wowed by the first; and knew the second was money before it had even reached his stick. This man will score goals in the NHL. His assist may actually have been better than his goal as well; coming in with speed he schooled Keith Ballard with an outside in move that most NHL vets can only make work on plugs, then drove the net and got tripped, setting up a trailing Horcoff. It was absolutely stunning. After these plays everything cooled down a bit, likely due to the coaches having seen enough. He was truly superb. The only area where the line struggled was down low in its own end sometimes, but if you combine 2 rookie offensive wingers with 2 iffy defenders and the occasional offensive mismatch, this is bound to happen really.
Horcoff
- I saved him for last because he was excellent tonight and I did want to make a point of it. He does have the extra step some people have described (you must understand how a shoulder injury can impact skating, he's clearly more healthy) and he used it for excellent results. His goals were right-place-right-time, but credit to him for being smart enough to be there and finishing. That's really what matters and he did it. The play he made to Eberle, with a pass through a defender at high speed right on the tape, was sublime. It doesn't really get any better. I wish they'd take him off the PK because I still don't like his overpursuits, but offensively, 5-on-5 and PP, probably the best I've seen him play. Gotta love the early motivation from a vet too.
Khabibulin
- Decidedly Meh would be my verdict. It's understandable that he'd be rusty and he didn't really face much effort from a listless Canuck squad (this puzzled me), but he should still stop at least that second goal, and the first went in because he lacked focus (and Taylor Hall loves scoring so much he even puts pucks in his own net I guess). I wanted to see Gerber for the second half. If this is the low end for #35 though; he may play his way back into some people's hearts.
Whitney
- Loved that he came back from that puck in the eye to finish a preseason game. The guy is all business. He could've been more physical and I thought he played a decidedly average game, but that doesn't worry me from a vet in a blowout.
Petry
- I didn't notice many positives about him. He can move, but I didn't see a lot of outstanding puck movement (one really solid stretch pass though) and he got caught and was bailed out by forwards a couple times. He's certainly got some positioning work ahead of him. Not ready just yet, but that's perfectly okay.
Vandermeer
- Uh oh...do we really have to watch this guy all year? He's Strudwick 2.0 with a higher penchant for penalties for stickwork and a bigger salary. I didn't come away impressed by him at all and really hoped he show me something. Was behind the play and chasing all night. Heard a couple "he won't make the team" comments...sadly he will.
Peckham
- Unfortunately Theo still doesn't seem to be up to where he was 2 years ago. I liked the physicality he brought, but he was nervous with the puck, didn't get any real shots away, and made tentative passes. He needs to be better than this to be on the opening day roster. I'm really not sure why it's taking so long to click with him.
Strudwick
- Classic Strudwick...kinda frightening at times. He made a great diving catch on a puck and fell into the Canuck bench which was great for a quick laugh. Also attempted a rush in on the goalie. Didn't work out.
Motin
- Really don't get why people are holding out much for him. Nothing impressive in terms of positioning or defensive skill for me. Maybe I'm missing something.
-------------------
Well, I hope everyone had as much fun with that game as I did. I'm really happy to be starting fresh and able to enjoy these games and cheer hard for my team. Here's to a Stanley Cup! (a toast every season should start with)
#1
VS.
VANCOUVER 2
In an old-school shellacking...
-----------------------------
Let me start by saying that I just love laying a beating on the Canucks. Doesn't matter whether it's preseason, regular season or post...hahahaha; who I am kidding, everyone loves the perennial whomping of VAN in the playoffs...
It's fantastic to be back watching hockey. Far from being less interesting, I find people like me often find this part of the year more interesting than several stages of the regular season due to all the possibility and interesting players that are out there on the ice. You never know who you're going to see that will become a star some day, shoot out of nowhere, flourish for another team, or spiral into the abyss. I can truthfully say I got more entertainment from that game than probably the entire second half of the last season. Let's put that time totally behind us and not address it any further. We are in a new world; and it might be the preseason, but boy does it look bright on the offensive front so far. The group of guys we've got looking like they are ready to step forward all at once have the potential to be very very special.
I missed seeing the Tampa game live of course; but the Honeymoon on Oahu for the last 2 weeks was pretty amazing for all those interested. I ended up watching a replay of it in the Buffalo Wild Wings with my wife. She was mainly playing Buzztime Trivia while I watched the game, so it worked out just fine. Totally random occurrence, as we were just looking for some decent wings that night.
This team we've got here is very interesting to me and it starts with the changes to coaching. I've already noticed a few distinct changes:
- For the first time I can remember, our PK has been told to stand up (usually 3 wide with a D in the middle at the back) at the red line. It was very effective tonight, and looks like it could really work. I love how aggressive it is and if we are able to play some of our more opportunistic players at forward on the PK, should generate some chances as well as slowing up the opposition substantially through using our strength (skilled forwards) to strip the puck.
- Our breakout now looks a lot more like Detroit's. We are set up for a transition game and there are never 3 players lined up across the ice in a straight line. This led to players entering the opposing zone with speed on numerous occasions tonight. This is what good teams do; plain and simple. Glad we seem to be on the trolley. We might not do it at the level they do just yet, but it is just as important to be on the path.
- The PP looks different. I need some more time to put my finger on it, and maybe it was just a case of watching some sublimely gifted offensive players go to town tonight, but it looks like again we're using our strengths (shifty players and solid scorers from down low) to generate reliable chances that can be easily finished (which is the goal of the PP).
All these things are positive and Renney should be commended on his logical approach. I hope he's able to keep the players buying in, as it will only help them in the long run.
Now let's get on to those players, shall we
PLAYER REPORTS
------------------
Giroux
- I wanted to like this guy; I really did. I love goal scorers and especially goal scorers that dominate with their shot. He clearly scores and clearly has a great shot (he got a couple away that could've gone in tonight). He also happens to be large, which would be a huge bonus. It appears though that what keeps him out of the NHL is terrible skating combined with bad positioning. If one of the attributes were even decent, he'd have value at the pro level, but it really didn't look like he had any of that. Utterly unimpressive and disappointing.
Aulin
- I didn't know what to expect from him and was pleasantly surprised. I was reminded of a young Pisani in that he has a very balanced overall game, skates well, is decent with the puck and fairly responsible. He covered for irresponsible defencemen on numerous occasions and broke up at least 2 scoring chances. I hope we're able to take the positive progress he's clearly made and develop this guy into a balanced forward who can contribute.
Ondrus
- Don't really remember anything about the way he played to be honest. Very blah type of player. I wasn't expecting him to get much of a shot anyway, but certainly nothing stood out.
Vande Velde
- You can see there's a pretty decent player in there. He scored a relatively simple goal that at least showed he can release a puck and beat an NHL goalie (in theory anyway). He seems to skate fairly well and the effort is certainly there. Despite his statistical totals so far I'd say he is certainly not ready for primetime as his game just isn't impactful enough yet, even against a roster as weak as the Nucks tonight.
Hartikainen
- What I liked about Teemu (other than having a guy kicking around named Teemu) is that he went into corners and fought for the puck very well. Again, I don't think he's ready yet (though more games could reveal otherwise of course) but it looks like he's a guy with a very good understanding of the fundamentals. I was expecting more of a pest-type; and especially so against VAN, but that didn't really come out tonight. We'll see if he brings that going forward. It could certainly increase his chances.
Stortini
- He looked leaner, fitter, in much better shape and like he busted his butt working on skating this offseason. Not only was he purely faster (especially the first stride), but he took better lines, turned more sharply, and even glided better. He looked much more like a hocker player and less of a galoot. It's possible that the skilled environment is putting demands on him to be more than just a quasi-goon. He already does an okay job at this but certainly looks like he added an extra gear. The utter shock of everyone in the building when he barged in and around a Canuck defender and nearly scored a beauty was amazing. He looks to have really brought it this year. His fight with Hordichuk also when pretty well too despite the blood. He landed some good shots. Solid in his own zone usually.
Penner
- Maybe the way we have to start looking at Penner is not so much that he doesn't look like he works hard, but that he instead just makes it look that easy. He scored two goals tonight that both looked brutally simple, but relied on a combination of smarts, timing, power and positioning. This was early last season Penner when he wanted to be. There was a specific play in the first where he just decided "my puck" and no one in the league could've take it from him. He could really be a force this year because other teams won't be able to key on him.
Brule
- Gilbert was the only top six forward who didn't really impress me tonight. His game was very blah and almost looked like a guy who knows he's on the team. I'm not sure he should have that comfort with the company he's currently keeping. It could be that between Penner and Omark there just wasn't a lot of puck left, but he could have gone to the shooting areas more to set up for either man to feed him the puck. To be fair, he was aggressively forechecking and dug some pucks out. I want to see him get a shot on the PK.
Omark
- This guy is just a beauty. You can tell he's a pro, and knows he's good. I say that not to imply arrogance but to say that when he has the puck, he dictates the terms. The most obvious examples of this were on the PP. When Omark gets the puck at the top of the circle, he essentially dares someone to come take it from him. He will go to the net (and did), make great passes forward or backward (and did) or just deke you out of your shorts and skate to a new spot (did this too). He's so calm then explosive. I've never really seen a guy like that. While his goal came later on and might not have meant much, it sure was pretty. He went through at least 3 Canucks and slid the puck around the goalie so quickly I think he's still looking for it. A brilliant pass from the boards to a Dman generated another goal and he was in on Penner's late tip-in. The guy is something to behold. I really think he could surprise a ton of people. He needs to be used correctly, though I didn't see anything truly horrendous in the defensive zone, but when this guy gets the puck, it's just magic. The move he tried in the second (burned the D, then tried to go straight up and missed NEAR post instead of far) was something only a truly gifted sniper would have attempted. He'll score on that play soon...and often if he gets the chance. I was thinking he'd have a little flash but not really be able to be consistent with it if anything...nope. Signs so far point to REAL DEAL. Showed some real effort chasing Mason Raymond and making a dive when the score was 8-2. Just doesn't quit.
Hall
- It's kind of an odd thing to say, but I think Hall almost has the least amount of pressure of all the rookies. He doesn't really need to make the team (though I'm sure he's driven) and if they're busy putting on a show (they all seem capable), he can round out his game and make a Stamkos-esque finish to the season. I say this because if he was eligible and based on tonight's performance, I'd likely send Taylor Hall down. It is true he made some excellent passes (including some from incredibly awkward spots that seemed impossible), worked really hard in the corners (never ever quits on a puck) and certainly can handle himself physically, but he does seem out of place at this point. He doesn't have the positioning of an Eberle, the wheels and size of Magnus, or the crazy hands of Omark. You can tell he'll be very good, but I was expecting a little more wow out of his game tonight. It should be noted that he had a couple excellent scoring chances and took subpar shots. One habit he will have to break from junior is the idea that a shot through three guys from the blue line will (a) get through; and (b) be a positive. That doesn't work in this league. I know he'll get it, you can see the pedigree, but we will have to be patient with him. Luckily, we have a bunch of shiny distractions (that appear to have substance as well) for now. I look forward to continuing to observe him.
Eberle
- The kid is magic and he will be something very special. I'll say that right now. For those of you who didn't get to watch the game or highlights, both his goals came on wrist shots; the first an absolutely sick roofjob from the left and the second from the right off the rush. Both were so textbook goalscorer it was sick; right down to the mini pause (which allows all the morons to yell SHOOT and reveal how bad a choice an early shot would have been) they all use to move a goalie followed by lethal finish. You were wowed by the first; and knew the second was money before it had even reached his stick. This man will score goals in the NHL. His assist may actually have been better than his goal as well; coming in with speed he schooled Keith Ballard with an outside in move that most NHL vets can only make work on plugs, then drove the net and got tripped, setting up a trailing Horcoff. It was absolutely stunning. After these plays everything cooled down a bit, likely due to the coaches having seen enough. He was truly superb. The only area where the line struggled was down low in its own end sometimes, but if you combine 2 rookie offensive wingers with 2 iffy defenders and the occasional offensive mismatch, this is bound to happen really.
Horcoff
- I saved him for last because he was excellent tonight and I did want to make a point of it. He does have the extra step some people have described (you must understand how a shoulder injury can impact skating, he's clearly more healthy) and he used it for excellent results. His goals were right-place-right-time, but credit to him for being smart enough to be there and finishing. That's really what matters and he did it. The play he made to Eberle, with a pass through a defender at high speed right on the tape, was sublime. It doesn't really get any better. I wish they'd take him off the PK because I still don't like his overpursuits, but offensively, 5-on-5 and PP, probably the best I've seen him play. Gotta love the early motivation from a vet too.
Khabibulin
- Decidedly Meh would be my verdict. It's understandable that he'd be rusty and he didn't really face much effort from a listless Canuck squad (this puzzled me), but he should still stop at least that second goal, and the first went in because he lacked focus (and Taylor Hall loves scoring so much he even puts pucks in his own net I guess). I wanted to see Gerber for the second half. If this is the low end for #35 though; he may play his way back into some people's hearts.
Whitney
- Loved that he came back from that puck in the eye to finish a preseason game. The guy is all business. He could've been more physical and I thought he played a decidedly average game, but that doesn't worry me from a vet in a blowout.
Petry
- I didn't notice many positives about him. He can move, but I didn't see a lot of outstanding puck movement (one really solid stretch pass though) and he got caught and was bailed out by forwards a couple times. He's certainly got some positioning work ahead of him. Not ready just yet, but that's perfectly okay.
Vandermeer
- Uh oh...do we really have to watch this guy all year? He's Strudwick 2.0 with a higher penchant for penalties for stickwork and a bigger salary. I didn't come away impressed by him at all and really hoped he show me something. Was behind the play and chasing all night. Heard a couple "he won't make the team" comments...sadly he will.
Peckham
- Unfortunately Theo still doesn't seem to be up to where he was 2 years ago. I liked the physicality he brought, but he was nervous with the puck, didn't get any real shots away, and made tentative passes. He needs to be better than this to be on the opening day roster. I'm really not sure why it's taking so long to click with him.
Strudwick
- Classic Strudwick...kinda frightening at times. He made a great diving catch on a puck and fell into the Canuck bench which was great for a quick laugh. Also attempted a rush in on the goalie. Didn't work out.
Motin
- Really don't get why people are holding out much for him. Nothing impressive in terms of positioning or defensive skill for me. Maybe I'm missing something.
-------------------
Well, I hope everyone had as much fun with that game as I did. I'm really happy to be starting fresh and able to enjoy these games and cheer hard for my team. Here's to a Stanley Cup! (a toast every season should start with)
#1
9/23/10
Pre-Season Game #1 - Advisory
As much as I'd love to be there for the opening night show, there will be no game report tonight, as I am currently in Waikiki on my honeymoon. I arrive home Sunday and will be ready to roll for that night's game. Until then!
7/23/10
Returning Fire
Hello all,
I have been absent from the blogging world for some time now due to a number of factors but now seems like the correct time to jump back in. Needless to say this summer has been one of immense transition for Oilers fans and we look forward to what could be the most exciting season in years for many reasons.
I'd like to start the posting once more by re-visiting an earlier post and applying it to our young (possible) superstars in the making: Mr. Hall, Mr. Eberle and Mr. Svensson (you will not see me try to consistently spell that other name until I'm forced to). It's topic will shape how impactful they can be as offensive forces for our team in the coming years.
Clips from the original post "A Treatise on Shooting"
Shooting is one of the single most misunderstood parts of the game. The problem begins in that newcomers and casual observers seem to think it is the most simple part of the game. Gotta shoot to score right? Taking more shots is always better right? Just fire it at the net right?
WRONG.
These sentiments could not be more wrong. Shooting is one of the most complicated arts to master in the game. I've noticed that hockey moms are often the most guilty of the "SHOOT" disease in hockey rinks, but I don't really blame them for this as it does seem simple. The thing about shooting effectively is that it must be done in the midst of the entire fray of the game. With everything else going on, you must find enough physical room to deploy your selected shot, obtain the space to put the puck through, decipher where to put the puck so that it has the best chance of reaching the net (read: net behind the goalie, not "on net"), how to disguise your intentions, and many other internal calculations within the game if you hope to be an effective shooter. Those who do this well are those able to slow the game down in their own minds and see clearly. Shooters are not panicky. They are calculated. Though the shot often comes off in a fraction of an instant with an utterly violent motion, that motion is controlled and decisive. The best shooters have this procedure so programmed in that the process simply looks like an instinctual and savage movement.
Are these young guys we've acquired excellent shooters? None of them springs to mind instantly as a guy who constantly knocks water bottles off the net, but we do have a general sense of their tendencies.
Hall is seen as a good shooter and a scorer. He can either beat you with moves or by simply putting it by you. I watched his shooting fairly closely and honestly need to see him against pro competition to make a judgement. The way he was beating junior goalies was not particularly impressive when it was a shot-reliant goal. He was however consistent in not missing easy chances. He does miss high a little too much, but this is better than hitting the goalie's chest too much (which he does not). It could be that Hall will make the adjustment to beating NHL goalies easily because he has the hockey-sense for it; but we'll have to watch that. Get worried if he's suddenly hitting chests and doesn't change his shooting strategy.
I don't have that worry about Eberle. He's shown at both the junior and professional level that he doesn't have to rely on the physical aspect of his shooting very much. He's technical and smart about his shooting. He's efficient with his chances and this should translate well into the pro game. So long as he's not forced to rely on shots from afar too much (Gagner often runs into this difficulty), he should be able to beat NHLers. He has some of the Mike Comrie talent in him to vaccum up rebounds and patiently put them into the back of the net rather than WHACK WHACK WHACKING away as many unsuccessful pro scorers do. He just needs to be kept from developing bad habits and the goals should come.
Magnus is more of a mystery to me. I haven't watched enough of his play to make a conclusive judgement on his overall shooting ability, but if he can use his size with a strong forehand, this is an easy way to score in the NHL (or at any level for that matter). There have been concerns in the past about his finishing ability, so we will certainly have to watch that, but it does appear from his recent results that he is improving offensively and likely hasn't seen his ceiling as yet. Magnus could have the widest possible variance in his goal scoring. He could wind up a balanced 2-way guy or a scoring machine depending on how his development goes.
I maintain that Wayne Gretzky was the best shooter ever. His combination of accuracy and (when he needed it) power are unmatched from my eyes. Some older observers might dispute it, but he's the best I've seen because he understood when, how and where to shoot better than anyone. You didn't see Wayne Gretzky firing off stupid shots into defenders all the time, or getting checked because he was busy trying to shoot from a bad position. Also, from what I've seen, when he truly needed to score, he went to his forehand, which is another thing I've observed that great goal scorers will always do.
I'm a little concerned about Hall's tendency to go backhand (and for that matter, all modern players tendency to go backhand when the forehand move is available). Always prefer to go to your strength when you have the chance. It doesn't make sense to do otherwise. Too many junior players score all these backhand goals on weak jr goalies and then show up in the NHL and kindly place it in the goalies pads. Not too worried about Eberle and Svensson. Hall seems to exhibit a lot of the when/where knowledge, and only blasts iffy shots when stuck trying to drag Nazem Khadri all over the ice. He won't have that issue here as he'll likely be playing with Horcoff and Hemsky or Eberle and Svensson. They all appear to have a healthy interest in holding onto the puck.
To bring this discussion back to your favorite team and mine, it has been spouted by so many that the cure to what ails the Edmonton Oilers is simply to take more shots. More shots will magically equal more goals and this team will be fine. There are a number of reasons that this simply isn't true, but more on that later.
The fans that attend live games, many of them anyway, do not seem to grasp the intricacies of shooting. They call for shots on the Powerplay most frequently, missing the whole point of the 5-on-4 situation which is not to get more shots but to get BETTER shots that are of higher percentage chance to score. The point of all that passing it to create a lane to another player collapsing the defensive box and creating a situation where a forward (usually) has an opportunity to shoot at an undefended, possibly screened and hopefully out of position goaltender. Simply taking more shots accomplishes none of this and relinquishes the puck control that the 5-on-4 situation affords you. Your goal is not to blast 100 pucks in the general direction of the net and hope that 4 or 5 go in. If your team somehow manages to score 4 or 5 goals in half your games, you'll be a pretty great team in this league. Doing this requires better chances, not more pucks directed at the net.
Directing a puck towards the net accomplishes absolutely nothing in and of itself. It can in fact be a negative because if you do not score, create an offensive rebound or cause an offensive zone faceoff, you've turned the puck over to the opposition who can then break out on you. Odds are you're also out of position at this stage.
This is where I think the "young players don't help you win" can be remedied. If you can instill in these young guys an enhanced understanding of what they need to do with the puck (which is NOT simply slam it at the net), they will be contributors to puck possession and create opportunities. On the PP, all of these 3 have a chance to score many goals and rely on the situation as well as our skilled veterans to help up get a big special teams lead on the other teams. Please...do not yell at Hall, Eberle or Svensson to shoot. They know what they're doing in the offensive end.
If you gave a team a goal, and that was to direct 50 pucks at the net in a given game, I submit to you that this team would not win hockey games. The easiest shots to take are often the ones least likely to go in. An undefended shot from the blue line, even when you're Sheldon Souray, is of relative ease to take, but has a very low chance of success for many reasons. The shooting percentage that teams have is not simply because they direct pucks at the net, but is because they direct some of the right pucks at the net.
The Edmonton Oilers of 09-10 have many problems in the offensive zone right now. The desire to shoot is not one of them despite the howls of the peanut gallery. When this team has been in position to take effective shots, they have not been shy at all about taking them. Gilbert Brule is a great example of a talented shooter who's made a lot of his chances so far this year. I wish we had 3 of him (ideally one that was 6'3", but those kinds of guys go first overall). What has occurred lately is that this team is not getting itself into the positions required to take effective shots, and not corralling rebounds in high percentage areas where goals are had. There have been many games this year where we've had an obscene number of pucks blocked after they were poorly directed at the net. This needs to stop. Our game in the offensive zone has become much less fluid despite our roster which is structured to play a very fluid offensive style. There are teams that can play the table-top hockey style game, stay in place and fire shots. We are not that kind of team.
This process should be the focus of our efforts as a team. Simply focusing on directing pucks will not lead to wins, only to frustration.
We will again have a team that is oriented towards a flowing game. We'll actually have more weapons up front and should be better at this. Missing Lubomir to get the pucks to Hemsky and crew will hurt immensely, but we'll need to find a way to make it up. Hall, Eberle and Svensson all have a chance to be part in that.
See you again soon, as we tee up the coming Oilers season.
#1
I have been absent from the blogging world for some time now due to a number of factors but now seems like the correct time to jump back in. Needless to say this summer has been one of immense transition for Oilers fans and we look forward to what could be the most exciting season in years for many reasons.
I'd like to start the posting once more by re-visiting an earlier post and applying it to our young (possible) superstars in the making: Mr. Hall, Mr. Eberle and Mr. Svensson (you will not see me try to consistently spell that other name until I'm forced to). It's topic will shape how impactful they can be as offensive forces for our team in the coming years.
Clips from the original post "A Treatise on Shooting"
Shooting is one of the single most misunderstood parts of the game. The problem begins in that newcomers and casual observers seem to think it is the most simple part of the game. Gotta shoot to score right? Taking more shots is always better right? Just fire it at the net right?
WRONG.
These sentiments could not be more wrong. Shooting is one of the most complicated arts to master in the game. I've noticed that hockey moms are often the most guilty of the "SHOOT" disease in hockey rinks, but I don't really blame them for this as it does seem simple. The thing about shooting effectively is that it must be done in the midst of the entire fray of the game. With everything else going on, you must find enough physical room to deploy your selected shot, obtain the space to put the puck through, decipher where to put the puck so that it has the best chance of reaching the net (read: net behind the goalie, not "on net"), how to disguise your intentions, and many other internal calculations within the game if you hope to be an effective shooter. Those who do this well are those able to slow the game down in their own minds and see clearly. Shooters are not panicky. They are calculated. Though the shot often comes off in a fraction of an instant with an utterly violent motion, that motion is controlled and decisive. The best shooters have this procedure so programmed in that the process simply looks like an instinctual and savage movement.
Are these young guys we've acquired excellent shooters? None of them springs to mind instantly as a guy who constantly knocks water bottles off the net, but we do have a general sense of their tendencies.
Hall is seen as a good shooter and a scorer. He can either beat you with moves or by simply putting it by you. I watched his shooting fairly closely and honestly need to see him against pro competition to make a judgement. The way he was beating junior goalies was not particularly impressive when it was a shot-reliant goal. He was however consistent in not missing easy chances. He does miss high a little too much, but this is better than hitting the goalie's chest too much (which he does not). It could be that Hall will make the adjustment to beating NHL goalies easily because he has the hockey-sense for it; but we'll have to watch that. Get worried if he's suddenly hitting chests and doesn't change his shooting strategy.
I don't have that worry about Eberle. He's shown at both the junior and professional level that he doesn't have to rely on the physical aspect of his shooting very much. He's technical and smart about his shooting. He's efficient with his chances and this should translate well into the pro game. So long as he's not forced to rely on shots from afar too much (Gagner often runs into this difficulty), he should be able to beat NHLers. He has some of the Mike Comrie talent in him to vaccum up rebounds and patiently put them into the back of the net rather than WHACK WHACK WHACKING away as many unsuccessful pro scorers do. He just needs to be kept from developing bad habits and the goals should come.
Magnus is more of a mystery to me. I haven't watched enough of his play to make a conclusive judgement on his overall shooting ability, but if he can use his size with a strong forehand, this is an easy way to score in the NHL (or at any level for that matter). There have been concerns in the past about his finishing ability, so we will certainly have to watch that, but it does appear from his recent results that he is improving offensively and likely hasn't seen his ceiling as yet. Magnus could have the widest possible variance in his goal scoring. He could wind up a balanced 2-way guy or a scoring machine depending on how his development goes.
I maintain that Wayne Gretzky was the best shooter ever. His combination of accuracy and (when he needed it) power are unmatched from my eyes. Some older observers might dispute it, but he's the best I've seen because he understood when, how and where to shoot better than anyone. You didn't see Wayne Gretzky firing off stupid shots into defenders all the time, or getting checked because he was busy trying to shoot from a bad position. Also, from what I've seen, when he truly needed to score, he went to his forehand, which is another thing I've observed that great goal scorers will always do.
I'm a little concerned about Hall's tendency to go backhand (and for that matter, all modern players tendency to go backhand when the forehand move is available). Always prefer to go to your strength when you have the chance. It doesn't make sense to do otherwise. Too many junior players score all these backhand goals on weak jr goalies and then show up in the NHL and kindly place it in the goalies pads. Not too worried about Eberle and Svensson. Hall seems to exhibit a lot of the when/where knowledge, and only blasts iffy shots when stuck trying to drag Nazem Khadri all over the ice. He won't have that issue here as he'll likely be playing with Horcoff and Hemsky or Eberle and Svensson. They all appear to have a healthy interest in holding onto the puck.
To bring this discussion back to your favorite team and mine, it has been spouted by so many that the cure to what ails the Edmonton Oilers is simply to take more shots. More shots will magically equal more goals and this team will be fine. There are a number of reasons that this simply isn't true, but more on that later.
The fans that attend live games, many of them anyway, do not seem to grasp the intricacies of shooting. They call for shots on the Powerplay most frequently, missing the whole point of the 5-on-4 situation which is not to get more shots but to get BETTER shots that are of higher percentage chance to score. The point of all that passing it to create a lane to another player collapsing the defensive box and creating a situation where a forward (usually) has an opportunity to shoot at an undefended, possibly screened and hopefully out of position goaltender. Simply taking more shots accomplishes none of this and relinquishes the puck control that the 5-on-4 situation affords you. Your goal is not to blast 100 pucks in the general direction of the net and hope that 4 or 5 go in. If your team somehow manages to score 4 or 5 goals in half your games, you'll be a pretty great team in this league. Doing this requires better chances, not more pucks directed at the net.
Directing a puck towards the net accomplishes absolutely nothing in and of itself. It can in fact be a negative because if you do not score, create an offensive rebound or cause an offensive zone faceoff, you've turned the puck over to the opposition who can then break out on you. Odds are you're also out of position at this stage.
This is where I think the "young players don't help you win" can be remedied. If you can instill in these young guys an enhanced understanding of what they need to do with the puck (which is NOT simply slam it at the net), they will be contributors to puck possession and create opportunities. On the PP, all of these 3 have a chance to score many goals and rely on the situation as well as our skilled veterans to help up get a big special teams lead on the other teams. Please...do not yell at Hall, Eberle or Svensson to shoot. They know what they're doing in the offensive end.
If you gave a team a goal, and that was to direct 50 pucks at the net in a given game, I submit to you that this team would not win hockey games. The easiest shots to take are often the ones least likely to go in. An undefended shot from the blue line, even when you're Sheldon Souray, is of relative ease to take, but has a very low chance of success for many reasons. The shooting percentage that teams have is not simply because they direct pucks at the net, but is because they direct some of the right pucks at the net.
The Edmonton Oilers of 09-10 have many problems in the offensive zone right now. The desire to shoot is not one of them despite the howls of the peanut gallery. When this team has been in position to take effective shots, they have not been shy at all about taking them. Gilbert Brule is a great example of a talented shooter who's made a lot of his chances so far this year. I wish we had 3 of him (ideally one that was 6'3", but those kinds of guys go first overall). What has occurred lately is that this team is not getting itself into the positions required to take effective shots, and not corralling rebounds in high percentage areas where goals are had. There have been many games this year where we've had an obscene number of pucks blocked after they were poorly directed at the net. This needs to stop. Our game in the offensive zone has become much less fluid despite our roster which is structured to play a very fluid offensive style. There are teams that can play the table-top hockey style game, stay in place and fire shots. We are not that kind of team.
This process should be the focus of our efforts as a team. Simply focusing on directing pucks will not lead to wins, only to frustration.
We will again have a team that is oriented towards a flowing game. We'll actually have more weapons up front and should be better at this. Missing Lubomir to get the pucks to Hemsky and crew will hurt immensely, but we'll need to find a way to make it up. Hall, Eberle and Svensson all have a chance to be part in that.
See you again soon, as we tee up the coming Oilers season.
#1
4/7/10
LMHF Game Report #41
EDMONTON 5
VS.
COLORADO 4
-----------------
And so it ends, mercifully, painfully, briefly joyful, but finally. The 2009-2010 season is at a close.
No matter what people say about bottoming out, getting a top pick and rebuilding, it is far from guaranteed and very little solace to those who dished out the dough to see a chance at 41 regular season wins and hopefully a bunch more beyond that. This was not the year. This was the exact opposite of that year.
I'm not sure I could think of how this would be more anti-2005-2006. Everything went wrong. It wasn't even that the team was just bad on a lot of nights, it was also boring. Our best player sat with an injured shoulder. Our breakout star lost his motivation after trying to drag the deadweight behind him and you couldn't even blame him. Though 30+ ain't bad for Mr. Penner, we're talking about a guy who was hanging around people named Ovechkin and Crosby earlier this year. He showed no signs of slowing until the whole things went off the rails; there's only so much you can do after that.
PLAYER REPORTS
-------------------
Deslauriers
- Far from his best game tonight. For whatever reason he looked tentative. When Deslauriers is tentative, he doesn't make his saves aggressively, looking like he's trying to make the next save before he's done making the first, and gives out nasty rebounds. Tonight he was a nasty rebound machine, but his D held him in for a couple periods, which was long enough to result in a 'W'. Good for him. I cannot think of a decent prospect whose development has been more irregular and unfortunate than Jeff (even Mr. Schremp), yet he made the big-time this year. If this is a good squad, we're talking about how well he did this year. The quality of chances he had to stop on a nightly basis was just stupid.
Gilbert
- I'm not exactly sure what he was doing on the fourth (it was the fourth wasn't it?) Avs goal, other than possibly making a snow angel, he really blew his coverage. I liked his offensive game as he spent a lot of the time pushing the play, both into the slot and into the corners to create offense. He didn't have the shooting hand tonight or he would've scored multiple goals. He certainly had the chances to do so. Overall I thought his game was mixed. I differ from many, in that I thought Gilbert had an excellent year of growth. He found new life playing with Ryan Whitney, and our twin towers can be a dominant NHL pairing for several years if they are kept intact. Those who underestimate Gilbert do so at their own peril.
Whitney
- Loved that he got the winning goal; and even more that he scored it, skated to the boards with a giant smile on his face, and basked in the love of the crowd. The man gets it, he really does. He plays to win every single night and he gives a damn, period. You see it in everything that he does. He had a few odd adventures in the defensive zone tonight, more than usual, but still, he was good. I can't wait to watch this guy over a full season. I sure hope he's healthy next year. He changes this team, and I was a guy who was prepared to hate him because he came at the expense of #71 (watching Lubomir was one of the most singular pleasures I've had as an Oilers fan, the man is a master) and the foot injury thing. But if this last part of the season is any indication, we've got a winner.
Arsene
- Of the few feel-good stories of the year, his stood out. The man toiled in the minors for years, is still mistakenly listed at 295 pounds on the Oilers scoreboard, but he got to live his NHL dream and certainly did not bring any shame to himself whatsoever. Tonight he was a little more penalty-prone than we all would've liked, but he played pretty steady and did his job. If this really is a "lunchbucket town" (I don't think it is, but that's just me), then Edmonton should doff its work hat to Mr. Ar-seen-eee for a job well done. I don't think we'll see him again, but maybe OKC could use him.
Strudwick
- He probably took 3 of the weakest shots I've seen live at an NHL game tonight. They were putrid and had no chance of going in or even on the net. I didn't see much else from him to be honest and cannot access the game log to jog my memory at the moment due to internet issues. I hope, despite his reputation as a solid "team guy" and everything else, that Mr. Strudwick is put out to pasture next year. He's just not good enough to be taking time from either the young guys pushing up, or the next Aaron Johnson who just needs a shot.
Johnson
- Speaking of Johnson, he had a couple nasty giveaways tonight and I really didn't think this was his best effort. He must've been okay because there was nothing really ugly that I recall from the game, but usually he makes some positive plays and I didn't see those either. I really hope Johnson gets his due next season. He's a great story in that we got him in a lopsided trade, came out winners and gave a deserving guy a shot. He's making the most of it and has shown me no reason to believe he'd quit doing what he's doing. We can work with that. We can win with that.
Chorney
- Mr. Chorney started the year strong, and finished in the "not so much" bin. That's really too bad. It is upsetting that his development was interrupted and he needed to be called into service so early, but that's the nature of the beast. I noticed him a couple times in the offensive zone trying to make plays, but he doesn't look convinced of his own ability to perform there right now. I'm not sure where we go from here. I don't want to yet say that I was right on when I said "trade him now while he has value" earlier in the season, but we'll see I suppose. There are a lot of guys who will come calling for that job. Some Theo Peckham's, some Aaron Johnson's. I suspect that he'll be displaced in that manner.
Linglet
- I was certainly interested to see this guy after all the stats lines from Springfield this year. To say I was less than impressed would be a bit of an understatement. He seems to be a decently sized player, but one that cannot skate and does not play physically. I'd be prepared to accept either, but it appears he has neither. I don't expect him to be around next year and while I appreciate the rewarding of a job well done for the year, Mr. Eberle should have played these games instead of Mr. Linglet. Period.
Jones
- I haven't felt a lot either way watching Jones the few times I've been able to. Tonight, playing on a lacklustre line that had a BAD game, full of giveaways, Jones also had the dubious distinction of falling all over the damn place. He didn't look like a hockey player at all this evening. I suspect he'll be given a shot next year, but likely (and hopefully) beat out by a younger more talented player with some physical ability.
Pouliot
- This was probably the worst game I've seen him play in a while. He usually skates well and holds onto the puck effectively at the minimum. Tonight he gave it away a bunch and wasn't winning any races. I don't know if this was a function of his line or not, but he looked just terrible out there. I'm not sure just what the future holds for Pouliot; I don't see how he holds his spot. Then again, I haven't seen that for multiple years now. Rob Schremp and several others would've made my squad over Pouliot multiple times over now, yet he keeps coming back. For me, he symbolizes the type of player we need to learn to give up on in order to move forward. He's a low-end-tweener with the upside of decent defensive forward. You don't win with that. There's a difference between bit-part-Pouliot and bit-part-Johnson.
Comrie
- He was in the play tonight. It seems like he just has that gift. It would have been tremendous poetry and some small degree of happiness for me if Mike had managed to twist himself enough to bury the behind-the-back pass from Penner with a second left. For him to score two goals (I called him scoring at least 1 tonight) would have at least brought a little magic to the final home night of the season. He had many other chances including a flurry in the first, a ricochet that went past his waving stick but could have easily been a goal, and a weird angle shot that almost snuck by, but none of those were to be. His one goal was a well placed PP wrister with big help from Mr. Horcoff on the screen, past a weak goaltender. It was nothing to write home about but was a good, solid choice. It is no secret that I love the way Comrie plays hockey, and it would make me very happy to see him in the uniform again next season. He helps you win, and it'd be another chance at the great story that was not to be this season.
Stortini
- I think he broke up a few chances that O'Sullivan and Comrie generated together tonight. Not one of his better efforts and there was no physicality to his game. He wasn't annoying Colorado either, not that I think they would have engaged. They didn't look interested in that game I suppose, which limits how effective Stortini can be. The future for him? I honestly don't know. I really thought he'd get a rougher ride from Quinn than he did, but he stuck in the lineup so they must see something. I hope he comes to camp fired up, because he can be very effective. I want to see him score some goals. I want to see him piss people off every second or third game.
O'Sullivan
- He was alright tonight. He took a great shot around a defender that could have gone in but didn't, and generally generated some solid offence. Of all the guys who had the air let out of their tires this year, he probably suffered the most. I don't see how his story will end positively here which is sad. There's a maniac of a hockey player in there, with skill in all ends and a major-league shot. I can only think that he's really still fighting the battle inside. I hope he wins it one day, because we'll all get to see something pretty impressive. Good luck Patrick.
Horcoff
- He was good tonight. Really solidly good. He screened on the Comrie goal as noted, took an excellent shot from a good spot for a goal of his own, and was smooth the rest of the game. There are always going to be what I would call errors with Horcoff, missed passes, whiffed shots, overskating defenders, but at least on nights like tonight he covers them up. I think everyone knows what I think of Horcoff by now, but because he will in all likelihood be playing for this team next year, I hope he goes off this summer, works like crazy on his shooting and pass-taking ability, and learns an aggressive style of play that is calm with the puck. With those things he could be the guy we need. I just don't know if he sees that. He's got the right attitude, and he'll probably be the first guy (either him or Whitney) to say "it's about the Cup" if things go well, but he needs to be more than that.
Moreau
- A pedestrian game from Ethan in my view. I think enough has already been said about him this year. It is time that this time in an Oilers uniform end (somewhat) gracefully, and we get to remember the man who was legitly our MVP one year, had a monster slapper, and scored 20 goals.
Pisani
- I thought Fernando would score tonight, but he was rather invisible. I want him back next year if he's able. I could completely understand retiring if I were him. The man is clearly ravaged by a horrible affliction that struck down a blossoming talent when combined with injuries. Nothing can ever take that spring away from him, where we saw a hard-working longish-term minor leaguer from Edmonton go on a tear for the ages that was one goal from defeating guys named Pronger and Roloson for a Conn Smythe trophy. That was just a glimpse...and then it was gone. There are tragedies in sport. Not of the life and death variety on all but the darkest of days, but I'll always feel for Fernando, because he finally found it after a lot of effort, only to have it ripped away.
Penner
- Very solid outing for Dustin tonight. He earned that first star and the applause he received for a season well-played. He also made 2 no look passes to totally open teammates which was bloody impressive. I don't think there's any question that you bring him back next year. I don't think he could turn back now if he wanted to. This man is a player and has a 3-point-night like it's nothing. He's legit. Let's watch him grow further.
Cogliano
- A good solid goal tonight for Cogliano, and yes I thought his effort was generally good. It was interesting that he took so much time on his goal and still managed to finish. He'd missed a very similar chance earlier in the game and I wasn't sure he had it in him. That's been the story with Andrew this year, absolutely no finish. Is it bad luck or has he really headed down an alternate career path? I don't think anyone's screaming goal scorer anymore. I don't think we see him next year. I hope he does well with his new start, but that he's in the other conference doing it. Great play to help set up the winner. He was my second star over Gilbert.
Potulny
- Ryan did alright for himself tonight even if he blew a good scoring chance and got beat up a bit. He made a year out of nothing. No one called what he did in terms of making the most of chances, scoring goals and contributing even on a bad team. The guy was excellent and should be very very proud of what he accomplished. You absolutely must give him a solid look next year. I think this is the kind of guy that never would have made it under MacTavish, but did under Quinn. Potulny is much more a difference maker than a Reddox or a Petersen. It's important to remember that when thinking about our coaching.
-------------------
Random funny moment: the ice crew skated around with a bin after the game, raising it like the Stanley Cup.
Ryan Whitney loved the cheer he got at the end of the game, and waved for the crowd a couple more times than he was obligated to. I said it above, but keep this guy. Hell, give him a letter.
I guess, that's that.
No matter what happened this year, going to the games is still better than a lot of other things you could do on a given night. It still feels like an important event and a spectacle to be taken in. But when you can't hope anymore, and it is counterproductive for your team to show up, it gets hard. The hardest thing for me this entire season was watching and learning not to care for one season. I don't care what happens in the offseason, I will be back and my bumper sticker will read 'Stanley or Bust' as it always should. Hope will spring for our new stars and at least in theory, we should be entertained. I'm very much looking forward to a training camp that could see guys with namebars reading Hall, Eberle, Svensson, Lander, Hartikanen, Kabanov, and maybe others. It will hopefully see the names Hemsky and Penner reunited on the ice, ready to take on the world once more. Even our troubled #1 netminder could return to form. It is all possible once more. I look forward to watching a full season of Ryan Whitney, who proved himself more an Oiler in a quarter season than most did over a whole. I hope very much that Mr. Comrie will once again play for his hometown team, and get the chance to be the playoff hero that he didn't get this year. The sun will shine again...it was just rainy as hell this year.
VS.
COLORADO 4
-----------------
And so it ends, mercifully, painfully, briefly joyful, but finally. The 2009-2010 season is at a close.
No matter what people say about bottoming out, getting a top pick and rebuilding, it is far from guaranteed and very little solace to those who dished out the dough to see a chance at 41 regular season wins and hopefully a bunch more beyond that. This was not the year. This was the exact opposite of that year.
I'm not sure I could think of how this would be more anti-2005-2006. Everything went wrong. It wasn't even that the team was just bad on a lot of nights, it was also boring. Our best player sat with an injured shoulder. Our breakout star lost his motivation after trying to drag the deadweight behind him and you couldn't even blame him. Though 30+ ain't bad for Mr. Penner, we're talking about a guy who was hanging around people named Ovechkin and Crosby earlier this year. He showed no signs of slowing until the whole things went off the rails; there's only so much you can do after that.
PLAYER REPORTS
-------------------
Deslauriers
- Far from his best game tonight. For whatever reason he looked tentative. When Deslauriers is tentative, he doesn't make his saves aggressively, looking like he's trying to make the next save before he's done making the first, and gives out nasty rebounds. Tonight he was a nasty rebound machine, but his D held him in for a couple periods, which was long enough to result in a 'W'. Good for him. I cannot think of a decent prospect whose development has been more irregular and unfortunate than Jeff (even Mr. Schremp), yet he made the big-time this year. If this is a good squad, we're talking about how well he did this year. The quality of chances he had to stop on a nightly basis was just stupid.
Gilbert
- I'm not exactly sure what he was doing on the fourth (it was the fourth wasn't it?) Avs goal, other than possibly making a snow angel, he really blew his coverage. I liked his offensive game as he spent a lot of the time pushing the play, both into the slot and into the corners to create offense. He didn't have the shooting hand tonight or he would've scored multiple goals. He certainly had the chances to do so. Overall I thought his game was mixed. I differ from many, in that I thought Gilbert had an excellent year of growth. He found new life playing with Ryan Whitney, and our twin towers can be a dominant NHL pairing for several years if they are kept intact. Those who underestimate Gilbert do so at their own peril.
Whitney
- Loved that he got the winning goal; and even more that he scored it, skated to the boards with a giant smile on his face, and basked in the love of the crowd. The man gets it, he really does. He plays to win every single night and he gives a damn, period. You see it in everything that he does. He had a few odd adventures in the defensive zone tonight, more than usual, but still, he was good. I can't wait to watch this guy over a full season. I sure hope he's healthy next year. He changes this team, and I was a guy who was prepared to hate him because he came at the expense of #71 (watching Lubomir was one of the most singular pleasures I've had as an Oilers fan, the man is a master) and the foot injury thing. But if this last part of the season is any indication, we've got a winner.
Arsene
- Of the few feel-good stories of the year, his stood out. The man toiled in the minors for years, is still mistakenly listed at 295 pounds on the Oilers scoreboard, but he got to live his NHL dream and certainly did not bring any shame to himself whatsoever. Tonight he was a little more penalty-prone than we all would've liked, but he played pretty steady and did his job. If this really is a "lunchbucket town" (I don't think it is, but that's just me), then Edmonton should doff its work hat to Mr. Ar-seen-eee for a job well done. I don't think we'll see him again, but maybe OKC could use him.
Strudwick
- He probably took 3 of the weakest shots I've seen live at an NHL game tonight. They were putrid and had no chance of going in or even on the net. I didn't see much else from him to be honest and cannot access the game log to jog my memory at the moment due to internet issues. I hope, despite his reputation as a solid "team guy" and everything else, that Mr. Strudwick is put out to pasture next year. He's just not good enough to be taking time from either the young guys pushing up, or the next Aaron Johnson who just needs a shot.
Johnson
- Speaking of Johnson, he had a couple nasty giveaways tonight and I really didn't think this was his best effort. He must've been okay because there was nothing really ugly that I recall from the game, but usually he makes some positive plays and I didn't see those either. I really hope Johnson gets his due next season. He's a great story in that we got him in a lopsided trade, came out winners and gave a deserving guy a shot. He's making the most of it and has shown me no reason to believe he'd quit doing what he's doing. We can work with that. We can win with that.
Chorney
- Mr. Chorney started the year strong, and finished in the "not so much" bin. That's really too bad. It is upsetting that his development was interrupted and he needed to be called into service so early, but that's the nature of the beast. I noticed him a couple times in the offensive zone trying to make plays, but he doesn't look convinced of his own ability to perform there right now. I'm not sure where we go from here. I don't want to yet say that I was right on when I said "trade him now while he has value" earlier in the season, but we'll see I suppose. There are a lot of guys who will come calling for that job. Some Theo Peckham's, some Aaron Johnson's. I suspect that he'll be displaced in that manner.
Linglet
- I was certainly interested to see this guy after all the stats lines from Springfield this year. To say I was less than impressed would be a bit of an understatement. He seems to be a decently sized player, but one that cannot skate and does not play physically. I'd be prepared to accept either, but it appears he has neither. I don't expect him to be around next year and while I appreciate the rewarding of a job well done for the year, Mr. Eberle should have played these games instead of Mr. Linglet. Period.
Jones
- I haven't felt a lot either way watching Jones the few times I've been able to. Tonight, playing on a lacklustre line that had a BAD game, full of giveaways, Jones also had the dubious distinction of falling all over the damn place. He didn't look like a hockey player at all this evening. I suspect he'll be given a shot next year, but likely (and hopefully) beat out by a younger more talented player with some physical ability.
Pouliot
- This was probably the worst game I've seen him play in a while. He usually skates well and holds onto the puck effectively at the minimum. Tonight he gave it away a bunch and wasn't winning any races. I don't know if this was a function of his line or not, but he looked just terrible out there. I'm not sure just what the future holds for Pouliot; I don't see how he holds his spot. Then again, I haven't seen that for multiple years now. Rob Schremp and several others would've made my squad over Pouliot multiple times over now, yet he keeps coming back. For me, he symbolizes the type of player we need to learn to give up on in order to move forward. He's a low-end-tweener with the upside of decent defensive forward. You don't win with that. There's a difference between bit-part-Pouliot and bit-part-Johnson.
Comrie
- He was in the play tonight. It seems like he just has that gift. It would have been tremendous poetry and some small degree of happiness for me if Mike had managed to twist himself enough to bury the behind-the-back pass from Penner with a second left. For him to score two goals (I called him scoring at least 1 tonight) would have at least brought a little magic to the final home night of the season. He had many other chances including a flurry in the first, a ricochet that went past his waving stick but could have easily been a goal, and a weird angle shot that almost snuck by, but none of those were to be. His one goal was a well placed PP wrister with big help from Mr. Horcoff on the screen, past a weak goaltender. It was nothing to write home about but was a good, solid choice. It is no secret that I love the way Comrie plays hockey, and it would make me very happy to see him in the uniform again next season. He helps you win, and it'd be another chance at the great story that was not to be this season.
Stortini
- I think he broke up a few chances that O'Sullivan and Comrie generated together tonight. Not one of his better efforts and there was no physicality to his game. He wasn't annoying Colorado either, not that I think they would have engaged. They didn't look interested in that game I suppose, which limits how effective Stortini can be. The future for him? I honestly don't know. I really thought he'd get a rougher ride from Quinn than he did, but he stuck in the lineup so they must see something. I hope he comes to camp fired up, because he can be very effective. I want to see him score some goals. I want to see him piss people off every second or third game.
O'Sullivan
- He was alright tonight. He took a great shot around a defender that could have gone in but didn't, and generally generated some solid offence. Of all the guys who had the air let out of their tires this year, he probably suffered the most. I don't see how his story will end positively here which is sad. There's a maniac of a hockey player in there, with skill in all ends and a major-league shot. I can only think that he's really still fighting the battle inside. I hope he wins it one day, because we'll all get to see something pretty impressive. Good luck Patrick.
Horcoff
- He was good tonight. Really solidly good. He screened on the Comrie goal as noted, took an excellent shot from a good spot for a goal of his own, and was smooth the rest of the game. There are always going to be what I would call errors with Horcoff, missed passes, whiffed shots, overskating defenders, but at least on nights like tonight he covers them up. I think everyone knows what I think of Horcoff by now, but because he will in all likelihood be playing for this team next year, I hope he goes off this summer, works like crazy on his shooting and pass-taking ability, and learns an aggressive style of play that is calm with the puck. With those things he could be the guy we need. I just don't know if he sees that. He's got the right attitude, and he'll probably be the first guy (either him or Whitney) to say "it's about the Cup" if things go well, but he needs to be more than that.
Moreau
- A pedestrian game from Ethan in my view. I think enough has already been said about him this year. It is time that this time in an Oilers uniform end (somewhat) gracefully, and we get to remember the man who was legitly our MVP one year, had a monster slapper, and scored 20 goals.
Pisani
- I thought Fernando would score tonight, but he was rather invisible. I want him back next year if he's able. I could completely understand retiring if I were him. The man is clearly ravaged by a horrible affliction that struck down a blossoming talent when combined with injuries. Nothing can ever take that spring away from him, where we saw a hard-working longish-term minor leaguer from Edmonton go on a tear for the ages that was one goal from defeating guys named Pronger and Roloson for a Conn Smythe trophy. That was just a glimpse...and then it was gone. There are tragedies in sport. Not of the life and death variety on all but the darkest of days, but I'll always feel for Fernando, because he finally found it after a lot of effort, only to have it ripped away.
Penner
- Very solid outing for Dustin tonight. He earned that first star and the applause he received for a season well-played. He also made 2 no look passes to totally open teammates which was bloody impressive. I don't think there's any question that you bring him back next year. I don't think he could turn back now if he wanted to. This man is a player and has a 3-point-night like it's nothing. He's legit. Let's watch him grow further.
Cogliano
- A good solid goal tonight for Cogliano, and yes I thought his effort was generally good. It was interesting that he took so much time on his goal and still managed to finish. He'd missed a very similar chance earlier in the game and I wasn't sure he had it in him. That's been the story with Andrew this year, absolutely no finish. Is it bad luck or has he really headed down an alternate career path? I don't think anyone's screaming goal scorer anymore. I don't think we see him next year. I hope he does well with his new start, but that he's in the other conference doing it. Great play to help set up the winner. He was my second star over Gilbert.
Potulny
- Ryan did alright for himself tonight even if he blew a good scoring chance and got beat up a bit. He made a year out of nothing. No one called what he did in terms of making the most of chances, scoring goals and contributing even on a bad team. The guy was excellent and should be very very proud of what he accomplished. You absolutely must give him a solid look next year. I think this is the kind of guy that never would have made it under MacTavish, but did under Quinn. Potulny is much more a difference maker than a Reddox or a Petersen. It's important to remember that when thinking about our coaching.
-------------------
Random funny moment: the ice crew skated around with a bin after the game, raising it like the Stanley Cup.
Ryan Whitney loved the cheer he got at the end of the game, and waved for the crowd a couple more times than he was obligated to. I said it above, but keep this guy. Hell, give him a letter.
I guess, that's that.
No matter what happened this year, going to the games is still better than a lot of other things you could do on a given night. It still feels like an important event and a spectacle to be taken in. But when you can't hope anymore, and it is counterproductive for your team to show up, it gets hard. The hardest thing for me this entire season was watching and learning not to care for one season. I don't care what happens in the offseason, I will be back and my bumper sticker will read 'Stanley or Bust' as it always should. Hope will spring for our new stars and at least in theory, we should be entertained. I'm very much looking forward to a training camp that could see guys with namebars reading Hall, Eberle, Svensson, Lander, Hartikanen, Kabanov, and maybe others. It will hopefully see the names Hemsky and Penner reunited on the ice, ready to take on the world once more. Even our troubled #1 netminder could return to form. It is all possible once more. I look forward to watching a full season of Ryan Whitney, who proved himself more an Oiler in a quarter season than most did over a whole. I hope very much that Mr. Comrie will once again play for his hometown team, and get the chance to be the playoff hero that he didn't get this year. The sun will shine again...it was just rainy as hell this year.
4/5/10
LMHF Game Report #40
EDMONTON 4
VS.
MINNESOTA 1
-------------------
Feels like absolutely forever since I'd been to a game, but being that I went to work today, watching a win was an especially pleasant way to end the day.
There are so many members of this team right now that are simply not familiar, OR, who will be gone by next year. Combine that with the general lack of effort and it becomes rather tough to "feel" for this team. I expected more people and especially more enthusiasm for the second-last game of the season, but I guess not.
The place was rather empty, and quiet for much of the game. A loud cheer from the half of the building which stayed til the end was probably the loudest of the night.
No sense messing around, let's get right into PLAYER REPORTS
------------------
Everyone
- There was a point in the second where every single Oilers player seemed to give the puck away in a very short margin. It was UGLY!
Dubnyk
- Solid. I didn't think Minny really pressed at any point and didn't really have very many amazing chances, but Dubnyk was equal to the task that was presented and that's really all you can ask. He was in position an under control most of the night which was a plus. His puckhandling left a little to be desired, but didn't hurt him.
Arsene
- I must admit that while I hate the way his name is pronounced, I love the way this guy manages to just NAIL someone every game he plays. Tonight it was James Sheppard. Poor guy then had to deal with one of the giant Minnesota Goobs (Scott this time). I thought it was rather sad that Stortini didn't manage to prevent this, but nice that we got the PP.
Johnson
- The thing I noticed with him, aside from the usual simple and steady stuff, is that he likes to step up at the blue line and hit people. He's very aggressive this way. He's also good at only doing this when he's backed up, but he got caught once in the third tonight. Still really hope they give him a shot next year.
Chorney
- He made that solid slap-pass for sure, but aside from that I was fairly unimpressed. Twice in the third while in his own zone, he tried some funky behind the back pass off the boards thing to get around people...it worked once (barely) and didn't work the second time. I'm sad that he has dropped off so far, as he really showed some promise earlier this year.
Strudwick
- Boring but not terrible? That's about as good as he goes I suppose. Could have been tougher.
Whitney
- He gave the puck away a lot tonight and didn't really hit anyone. His game seemed to be off a fair bit. He's best when he's ornery and looking to make great passes. He seemed to be a lot less patient with the puck tonight and trying to force things as opposed to allowing the play to present itself.
Gilbert
- I didn't really notice Tom now that I think about it. There was a play in the third where he had a big hit lined up and didn't go for it, which was disappointing, but that's about all I really recall. Nothing bad about that, just a tad odd.
Stortini-Comrie-Jones
- Talk about a strange line combo. Stortini had a couple excellent chances to score (1 in the first that he should've left for Comrie who was also there, and one in the second where he banged instead of dekeing) which was a positive I suppose. He's best when living in front of the net. I didn't like that he wasn't more physically involved, as he could've driven Minny nuts and didn't. Comrie was okay, as he was decent effective distributing on the PP and worked with what he had 5-on-5, a couple of giveaways more than he should have had though. Jones I didn't really notice much. It's nice that he seems to get physically involved, but I don't think there's room next year.
Moreau-Horcoff-Pisani
- Talk about a weird night. He scores a goal on an iffy wrister after Horcoff blows a breakaway pass, but the defenceman makes it anyway; then he scores on probably his best power-forward play of the entire year (made the effort from the corner, protected the puck, beat the man, beat the goalie and stayed with it to knock it in). The man almost looked like a hockey player! He had a couple skating adventures, but you an certainly tell he's much more comfy with Horcoff and Pisani in tow. Fernando was invisible to me tonight. Horcoff was okay. He had moments where he passed the puck quite well, but other moments where the puck came to him and he couldn't seem to get hold of it whatsoever. It was very awkward to watch.
Nilsson-Pouliot-O'Sullivan
- Honestly, I barely even noticed these guys were playing as they just didn't create anything. Pouliot was "big" a couple times, O'Sullivan blew a chance or two and Nilsson got knocked around some I guess. I don't see the logic in this line, or much effort from its inhabitants.
Penner-Potulny-Cogilano
- Interesting combo. Potulny quietly had a very effective game. He tends to go to the right spot, which is what he was doing when he drew the 4 minute high-sticking call on that stupid play by Prosser. He took an excellent shot low on Backstrom's pad after taking a tough pass and spinning around, which found a wide open Penner coming back out. He was physically tough all night and generally pissed off the Wild. Always good to see. He disappointed me on the breakaway he got though; gotta deke with that kind of speed. Cogliano was pretty bad early on in that he kept giving the Wild the puck. He got better as the game went on, focusing on hitting and positioning, hustling on the backcheck, causing some havoc at the end of the second and contributing where he could. I didn't mind him but he's certainly not worthy of the top offensive unit. Penner I'm conflicted on, both of his goals were the result of good positioning and solid shot-timing, it's true, but he shouldn't have even scored on the first one as he missed the open net. He also gave the puck very easily to the opposition all night. It was pretty strange. It is however an important skill to be able to contribute even when things are going a little wrong for you on the night, and he certainly did that.
--------------
One more to go and the pain is over. Mercifully it will end. At least we can say that we were the best at something this year, and the boys seem to have saved their year-end wins for home (they are 4-1 in their last 5 at least) which is good.
I look forward to writing next year about how approximately 17 wins are left at this time.
See you Wednesday.
VS.
MINNESOTA 1
-------------------
Feels like absolutely forever since I'd been to a game, but being that I went to work today, watching a win was an especially pleasant way to end the day.
There are so many members of this team right now that are simply not familiar, OR, who will be gone by next year. Combine that with the general lack of effort and it becomes rather tough to "feel" for this team. I expected more people and especially more enthusiasm for the second-last game of the season, but I guess not.
The place was rather empty, and quiet for much of the game. A loud cheer from the half of the building which stayed til the end was probably the loudest of the night.
No sense messing around, let's get right into PLAYER REPORTS
------------------
Everyone
- There was a point in the second where every single Oilers player seemed to give the puck away in a very short margin. It was UGLY!
Dubnyk
- Solid. I didn't think Minny really pressed at any point and didn't really have very many amazing chances, but Dubnyk was equal to the task that was presented and that's really all you can ask. He was in position an under control most of the night which was a plus. His puckhandling left a little to be desired, but didn't hurt him.
Arsene
- I must admit that while I hate the way his name is pronounced, I love the way this guy manages to just NAIL someone every game he plays. Tonight it was James Sheppard. Poor guy then had to deal with one of the giant Minnesota Goobs (Scott this time). I thought it was rather sad that Stortini didn't manage to prevent this, but nice that we got the PP.
Johnson
- The thing I noticed with him, aside from the usual simple and steady stuff, is that he likes to step up at the blue line and hit people. He's very aggressive this way. He's also good at only doing this when he's backed up, but he got caught once in the third tonight. Still really hope they give him a shot next year.
Chorney
- He made that solid slap-pass for sure, but aside from that I was fairly unimpressed. Twice in the third while in his own zone, he tried some funky behind the back pass off the boards thing to get around people...it worked once (barely) and didn't work the second time. I'm sad that he has dropped off so far, as he really showed some promise earlier this year.
Strudwick
- Boring but not terrible? That's about as good as he goes I suppose. Could have been tougher.
Whitney
- He gave the puck away a lot tonight and didn't really hit anyone. His game seemed to be off a fair bit. He's best when he's ornery and looking to make great passes. He seemed to be a lot less patient with the puck tonight and trying to force things as opposed to allowing the play to present itself.
Gilbert
- I didn't really notice Tom now that I think about it. There was a play in the third where he had a big hit lined up and didn't go for it, which was disappointing, but that's about all I really recall. Nothing bad about that, just a tad odd.
Stortini-Comrie-Jones
- Talk about a strange line combo. Stortini had a couple excellent chances to score (1 in the first that he should've left for Comrie who was also there, and one in the second where he banged instead of dekeing) which was a positive I suppose. He's best when living in front of the net. I didn't like that he wasn't more physically involved, as he could've driven Minny nuts and didn't. Comrie was okay, as he was decent effective distributing on the PP and worked with what he had 5-on-5, a couple of giveaways more than he should have had though. Jones I didn't really notice much. It's nice that he seems to get physically involved, but I don't think there's room next year.
Moreau-Horcoff-Pisani
- Talk about a weird night. He scores a goal on an iffy wrister after Horcoff blows a breakaway pass, but the defenceman makes it anyway; then he scores on probably his best power-forward play of the entire year (made the effort from the corner, protected the puck, beat the man, beat the goalie and stayed with it to knock it in). The man almost looked like a hockey player! He had a couple skating adventures, but you an certainly tell he's much more comfy with Horcoff and Pisani in tow. Fernando was invisible to me tonight. Horcoff was okay. He had moments where he passed the puck quite well, but other moments where the puck came to him and he couldn't seem to get hold of it whatsoever. It was very awkward to watch.
Nilsson-Pouliot-O'Sullivan
- Honestly, I barely even noticed these guys were playing as they just didn't create anything. Pouliot was "big" a couple times, O'Sullivan blew a chance or two and Nilsson got knocked around some I guess. I don't see the logic in this line, or much effort from its inhabitants.
Penner-Potulny-Cogilano
- Interesting combo. Potulny quietly had a very effective game. He tends to go to the right spot, which is what he was doing when he drew the 4 minute high-sticking call on that stupid play by Prosser. He took an excellent shot low on Backstrom's pad after taking a tough pass and spinning around, which found a wide open Penner coming back out. He was physically tough all night and generally pissed off the Wild. Always good to see. He disappointed me on the breakaway he got though; gotta deke with that kind of speed. Cogliano was pretty bad early on in that he kept giving the Wild the puck. He got better as the game went on, focusing on hitting and positioning, hustling on the backcheck, causing some havoc at the end of the second and contributing where he could. I didn't mind him but he's certainly not worthy of the top offensive unit. Penner I'm conflicted on, both of his goals were the result of good positioning and solid shot-timing, it's true, but he shouldn't have even scored on the first one as he missed the open net. He also gave the puck very easily to the opposition all night. It was pretty strange. It is however an important skill to be able to contribute even when things are going a little wrong for you on the night, and he certainly did that.
--------------
One more to go and the pain is over. Mercifully it will end. At least we can say that we were the best at something this year, and the boys seem to have saved their year-end wins for home (they are 4-1 in their last 5 at least) which is good.
I look forward to writing next year about how approximately 17 wins are left at this time.
See you Wednesday.
3/26/10
Advisory - No Game Report
Hello again all,
Horrid timing at the end of the year. I'm headed to Calgary this weekend and will miss tonight's EDM vs. ANA game.
Horrid timing at the end of the year. I'm headed to Calgary this weekend and will miss tonight's EDM vs. ANA game.
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