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.
I like Gene Principe and Bryan Hall!
YES!!!!!!!!!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow Gilbert is having a good year
MacT found another first line combo!
Gary Bettman wrote:
Never has a more truer sentence been typed
here here!
@ Wanye Gretz:
oops,
I meant to add..I miss him too
Did they just refer to 85 as the red ox?
YE gads
finally mac t has found the smallest amount of chemistry with line combo's. it's december... i was really starting to worry.i started to think he might have more success picking lines with one of those lottery power ball machines.
Amber McCormick wrote:
I think this really says it all.
@ Wanye Gretz:
Nope the red fox - principe's next feature will be on wildlife nick names. i can hardly wait
@ Wanye Gretz:
LOL.
Hi Amber! I'm a girl too - finally someone else breaks up the sausage party here at the JL
Holy cow!!! *rubs eyes*
What am I watching here?
Sustained pressure?
Vaun87 wrote:
And ouija boards
Wanye Gretz wrote:
I feel I never find the right words when talking to you. I get so flustered.
And since the whole typing, spelling, writing thing seems to be an obstacle.. I was referring to Jason Smith. I should really lie down before I hurt myself.
@ RBK: def would have added some excitement to those long painful games. i was at the chicago massacre and i bet more ppl would have stayed just to watch a giant machine or ouija board pick the next line combo
Lubo71 wrote:
Who said I'm a girl?!?! *Always keep them guessing. It adds to the mystery*
Amber McCormick wrote:
Girls tell me that ALL THE TIME
*brushes dirt off shoulder and hifives mom*
@ Wanye Gretz: I'm going to give you that one only because it made me laugh.
(That's what she said)
@ Wanye Gretz: LMAO...too much!!
Wanye 1 Universe 0
I know...there is nobody else to talk to so let's air the same interview as the first period!!! Freakin retards
Wanye Gretz wrote:
Wayne 1 Universe 0 Amber infinite coolness x 3.14 + ovaries
It's not so funny now but the could have used a Rexall Reminder to turn the lights on earlier!!
ummmm deja vu for anyone else???
@ R-DAWG: big high five borat style for that one. lmao. rexall reminder.....
@ Vaun87: Well like I tell my wife...better late than never!
What wicked wheels on Storts...hehehe
R-DAWG wrote:
I have the easiest job at RX1
Come on Oil. Now is not the time to lose momentum
@ R-DAWG:
lol, true true
"Rexall Reminder: Bobby you have practice at 9am"
Vaun87 wrote:
Oh that's gold
RBK wrote:
Wait for it< still plenty of time to collapse
Gary Bettman wrote:
There will be none of that Commish!
Dear Diary:
Today I missed practise and the coach got mad at me. Why doesn't he like me as much as Sam? Bobby
Things I didn't think I would find myself saying tonight
Moreau is looking VERY sharp tonight offensively
Wanye Gretz wrote:
No doubt
ATB AMY GOES
Wanye Gretz wrote:
I apologize, I got carried away thinking about expansion opportunities in places like Greenland
@ OilersNinja:
Like you know.
@ Gary Bettman:
Is Primm, Nevada no longer on your short list?
"Souray with a little unintended reach around on Alfredsson"
Good Grief
SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT
1st NHL goal
Post visitor goal song
"We're not gonna take it" - Twisted Sister
Historical note: This song is hella old
Come on Oil. The Senators suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@ Wanye Gretz: like Gregor said the music is embarrassing...Mac-T's mommy needs to pass the reins to someone else!!
HELLO Nation, just tuning in after a fracking day at the airport (fun this time of the year)
How bad are we without Hemsky?
Aren't the Sen's the lowest scoring team in the league at around 80 goals?
Damn it Grebs!
@ R-DAWG: Mac-T’s mommy needs to pass the boom box reins to someone else!!