GDB 35: Hemsky's winded
Jason Gregor
December 30 2008 01:59PM
The Tootoo train has derailed another player, and this one hurts the Oilers. Ales Hemsky won’t dress tonight, and is highly doubtful to play tomorrow in Calgary as well. Hemsky is still a bit fuzzy after taking a clean, but hard hit from Jordan Tootoo on Sunday night.
Hemsky is playing the best hockey of his career and like his coach said, “There is never a good time to lose your best player,” so the Oilers will try to extend their winning streak without him.
The big question is who replaces him on the right side of Horcoff? Erik Cole and Sam Gagner have some chemistry, as do Marc Pouliot and Andrew Cogliano. Will MacTavish switch up the lines or will Liam Reddox take some shifts with Horcoff and Penner?
Don’t be surprised to see Reddox with Horcoff and Penner in a shut-down role against the Senators’ top line tonight.
“The thing that is great about Horcoff is the versatility that he can do almost anything in the game. We can use him in a checking assignment if we need to. We will see how the game unfolds, so we will start one way and see how the game goes and then craft the lines relative to the situation in the game,” said MacTavish.
So having Reddox with Horcoff in a shut-down role early seems likely and then if the Oilers are trailing expect to see either Pouliot or Cole skate with Horcoff. Of course don’t expect Reddox
Garon to go
Mathieu Garon will start tonight and Dwayne Roloson will go tomorrow in Calgary. Garon is looking to rebound from a sub par performance when he and the entire team stunk out the joint versus Chicago.
Garon is 0–1 in his career against the Sens with a sparkling 0.83 GAA and .964 save percentage, while the Oilers are 7-3-2 against the Senators on home ice.
Garon, who is an UFA at the end of the season, is desperately trying to find the game he had last season. If he hopes to get back between the pipes after tonight he will need to be really solid, or Roloson could easily play a the next six straight.
Musical chairs continues
For those who don’t know the Oilers room is shaped like a horseshoe. The veterans sit in the curve area at the top. Facing down the room from left to right Cole, Pisani, empty stall now that Gilbert moved, Staios and then Moreau. Down the left side it goes Souray, Strudwick, Reddox, MacIntyre, Grebeshkov, Smid, Gilbert, Brodziak, Nilsson empty stall and then Deslauriers has two stalls.
Down the right side is Horcoff, Hemsky, Visnovsky, Stortini, then an open walkway, Penner, Gagner, Cogliano, Pouliot, Garon and Roloson.
It worked for Erik Cole, so Tom Gilbert is hoping a new locker stall works for him. After Erik Cole and Steve Staios switched stalls over the Christmas break, today Tom Gilbert had a new stall between Ladislav Smid and Kyle Brodziak.
Last season Gilbert was on the left side of the locker room, in the second last stall on the left side. He was asked to sit amongst the veterans at the start of the season, but has now moved back to the left side.
“I think I needed a change. I was sitting in the veteran line, but I didn’t really fit in with those guys. It was a good experience, but I wanted to move back to the left side of the room with some of the guys I’d have more in common with. The conversations were a bit too sophisticated for me. They talked about books, world events, and kids. I’m back in the middle age group,” said Gilbert laughing.
Players are superstitious and Gilbert wasn’t fond of his move to begin with, and now that he hasn’t scored in 15 games he is hoping a move back to the left side of the room might help.
R-DAWG wrote:
Reshingle your roof it means another goal by the Oil!!
Hilarious commentary of the night candidate
"MacT putting Reddox on the top line is evidence he doesn't want to ruin the chemistry on any of the other lines."
R-DAWG gotta take one for the team buddy. if cleaning is what the hockey gods want then thats what they should get
Gary Bettman wrote:
Did he? How does Messier wake someone up for the game?
Patrick Laforge wrote:
With a shotgun
LOL
Nilsson just threw a check!!
Damn PK
Rumor is that Mark had a one on one "chat" with Kent about his lack of effort one year during the playoffs. I could be wrong I'm getting old, I remember when the NHL went from 6 to 12 teams.
Gary Bettman wrote:
I remember when Maurice Richard was that hot headed rookie in Montreal and we all road dinosaurs to work
@ Robin Brownlee's alter ego aka Wanye Gretz: OK just for that, no new building for you guys!I'm going to call the mayor right after I wake up from my nap. Patrick, you are on your own, good luck!
Gary Bettman wrote:
THIS is why I hate the internet. Thanks Wanye
Patrick Laforge wrote:
LOL
I love the Nation
Man the Sens look brutal. They should deal Spezza to the Oil for 4 new players
Wanye Gretz wrote:
I honestly think that trade could be pulled off depending who the Oil traded.
Lubo Cogliano and someone
Well now that I wrote my name wrong we all know who patrick laforge is LOL
5r9 wrote:
The wizard hath been revealed
@ 5r9: My take is that Spezza would not do us good this year...we already have several under achievers and we can afford to have anymore dead weight with him needing to get used to the team...not to say he isn't a good player,just that it's not a good time!!
@ R-DAWG:
He has 15 goals .... not REALLY underachieving that badly
COLE!!!!
S of a b
Wanye Gretz wrote:
LOL that's my job
Wanye Gretz wrote:
don't forget to breathe wayne! it's gonna be okay i promise
Crossbar.
DANG COLE
Vaun87 wrote:
I feel like Chris Brown
NO AIR
@ r59: I agree I jus think it would take him too much time and if we have to give up Cogs who already knows the system. maybe it's just bad timing being that we are still trying to climb the ladder.
@ R-DAWG:
Who would you put together to trade for him? Maybe Cogliano aint it...I think he is a franchise player
And there he goes assisting
Damn
POOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO NO!
Dr. Debrusk at your service
Wow small head smash
R-DAWG wrote:
LOL
Where is the retaliation???
did louie ever win a fight?
not pouliot!!!!!!!!!
"he hit him so hard his credit score changed" - WGretz
Gary Bettman wrote:
He looks like he lost to a few donairs since he retired
Wanye Gretz wrote:
BURN
Smid likes gum. Prepare engraving the 2009 pulitzer prize for one G. Principe
Oil need to get their sh&t together!!
@ Wanye Gretz: No sh^t!!
Wanye Gretz wrote:
LMAO
@ Wanye Gretz:
LOL
Maybe Deep Oil IS Gene p.
Wanye Gretz wrote:
when the games are on sportsnet i make sure the remote is handy to hit the "mute" button at a moment's notice. can't stand principe. even my dogs run away when he starts talking... pains me
Good save Garon
It would seem the Sens suffer from the same post cup curse as the Flames and Oilers
Vaun87 wrote:
Why are the animals always the first to know??
The Oilers are a valuable contributor to league parity when they play like this and end 12 game road loosing streaks
@ Wanye Gretz: Because they can sense retardation!!
@ Gary Bettman: Anytime someone is on a 104 game scoreless drought they usually get 2-3 on us too...pisses me off!