UPDATED! Mr Poopy Pants II: Dany Comes Calling
Robin Brownlee
November 26 2009 09:29PM
HERE IT IS OFFICIALLY, as per Oilers release: OILERS HEMSKY TO HAVE SURGERY General Manager Steve Tambellini announced today right winger Ales Hemsky will undergo surgery to repair his left shoulder. Hemsky, 26, has played in 22 games this season recording seven goals and 15 assists. The Pardubice,Czech native has played his entire career with the Oilers skating in 443 games, tallying 353 points, including his 100th career goal on November 23 vs. the Phoenix Coyotes.
UPDATE FROM ROBIN B (12:42 MST): Given Quinn's reaction to the question about surgery being needed for Hemsky, we can only wait and see on this one. I'm trying to provide ON readers with the most up-to-date stuff here and I felt based on what I was told and who told me it was worth posting. The rumour spread pretty quickly among reporters this morning and I don't know if other outlets posted items, but they were certainly all over it when word got out. All I can tell you is my info didn't come from that "Did you hear about Hemsky?" buzz among reporters. All I can say at this point is I'm still inclined to believe what I was told -- I don't see why Hemsky would meet with doctors today to discuss the MRI if the opinion was "it'll be fine with 10 days rest." If the team provides an update, you'll get it here.
FURTHER UPDATE (11:26 MST): The Oilers have not confirmed the need for Hemsky to have surgery. At his availability with media after the morning skate, Coach Pat Quinn said Hemsky is meeting with doctors today to discuss the results of Thursday's MRI. When asked about the possibility of surgery for Hemsky, Quinn said, "I'm not aware of anything like that." Stay tuned for more details over the day.
UPDATE FROM BROWNLEE (10:30 MST): I'm hearing that Ales Hemsky will need surgery and is likely done for the rest of the season. No official word from the Oilers yet. Will update later.
Fans can boo Dany Heatley until their vocal chords are raw and they spew $8 beers Friday, but chances are he's going to get the last laugh when the San Jose Sharks beat the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place.>
The fact is, Heatley, who flipped off the Oilers last summer when he refused to waive a no-movement clause that would have brought him to Edmonton from the Ottawa Senators for Dustin Penner, Andrew Cogliano and Ladislav Smid, is already laughing out loud at our expense because he got what he wanted -- and that wasn't the City of Champions.
Heatley's playing for a better team than the Oilers in the Western Conference leading Sharks. He's drawing his $8-million salary in the Silicon Valley, away from the fanatical fishbowl-like existence that is Edmonton. And, just to rub it in, he's among NHL leaders with 18 goals and 29 points.
I'm relatively certain, then, Heatley will manage to stay composed when an angry Oilers faithful gets after him before, during and after the Sharks take out their frustrations on the Oilers after losing 7-2 to Chicago Wednesday.
"Heatley sucks. Heatley sucks." Yes, that'll shake him up.
Just another game
I'm guessing Heatley will spin Friday as just another game when reporters ask about his first visit to Edmonton since he queered the deal and made Kevin Lowe and Steve Tambellini beg last summer.
The Oilers, still stinging from Wednesday's 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, certainly did so this morning when asked about Heatley. What else are they going to say? "Screw you, Heater. You could have been a part of this . . ."
"It's one of those things that got made up bigger than it probably should have," coach Pat Quinn said.
"It was an attempt to bring Heatley to this hockey club. It didn't happen. You move on. It should be gone. It doesn't matter. He's a good player. He's a good kid, but he plays for someone else. We don't care about that."
With the Oilers slipping out of playoff contention with four wins and a 4-10-2 record in their last 16 games, Quinn's take is the pragmatic approach. He's certainly got bigger problems.
Fans, though, will want their pound of flesh, even if trying to collect it will come on a night when Heatley and the Sharks are likely to put the wood to the Oilers after getting embarrassed by Chicago. If Matt Greene can stick it to his former team, I shudder to think what Heatley might do.
Good luck with that.
That's leadership
When reporters asked Quinn this morning why so many players were missing for a workout at Millennium Place, he said he wanted to rest players who'd been playing a lot of minutes during a stretch that'll see the Oilers play four games in six nights.
Sorry coach, not buying that reasoning, not with the Oilers having days off between their last three games and with two days off before they play six straight games on the road.
Every able-bodied player should have been on the ice today. No problem with Ales Hemsky, injured on a dirty hit by Michal Handzus, not being there. That goes without saying. For that matter, the same goes for Shawn Horcoff, who has been playing with a bad shoulder.
But what good reason, unless there are injuries we haven't been told about, is there for captain Ethan Moreau, Steve Staios, Sheldon Souray and Dustin Penner not to be on the ice with the kids and the grunts today after stiffing against the Kings? Lubomir Visnovsky, who plays eight minutes more a night than the captain, practised, but not Moreau? Not Penner?
And . . .
-- Manny Malhotra, signed by the Sharks for a bargain basement $700,000 after pricing himself out of the UFA market early in the summer, is winning face-offs at a 60.8 per cent clip in San Jose. He's scored 4-4-8. Think the Oilers could have got him for less than the $1.25 million they offered Mike Comrie?
-- Robert Nilsson, Marc Pouliot and Ryan Stone all skated today. Nilsson put in extra work and was one of the last players off the ice. Can't see him being ready for San Jose, not with Ryan O'Marra and Colin McDonald summoned from Springfield.
-- Listen to Robin Brownlee every Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. on Just A Game with Jason Gregor on TEAM 1260.
General Manager Steve Tambellini announced today right winger Ales Hemsky will undergo surgery to repair his left shoulder. Hemsky, 26, has played in 22 games this season recording seven goals and 15 assists. The Pardubice,Czech native has played his entire career with the Oilers skating in 443 games, tallying 353 points, including his 100th career goal on November 23 vs. the Phoenix Coyotes.
3009 might be feasible.
I second Dyckster's query. I can only quote the whole comment because I haven't had all the fancy book learning of you educated types.
nope, I think he honestly meant 2009-10.
Well for one Bourdon has passed away.
Mueller/Hickey/Wilson/Pietrangelo
Have litterally done nothing
Johnson/Price/Brassard/Gagner/Voracek/Staal/Sheen
Have shown flashes but are all still a long, long ways away from being stars.
Hedman/Duchene/Van Riemsdyk/Kane
Haven't really accomplished anything either, though they've all only played a handful of games.
Remember how instantly awesome Pittsburgh was after they drafted the hockey savior? And they had Geno and Fleury already on the team before that, plus a handful of other top picks and Mario Fraking Lemieux.
Can't win the race over night....
Oh wait, you're absolutely right.
I think Gunner is saying that you still have a good chance picking in the top 10
I don't really no why it's so important that whomever is picked, produces 3 months after they've been drafted.
And what I'm saying is: Screw the top 10. If we are going to miss, we need to draft top 3 (ie sell the impactful vets). anything outside of that is a long shot to be a star.
I hope you are kidding...
@Ogden Brother
I agree. Top 5 picks are usually can't miss. ~Everyone remembers Jason Bonsignore.~
@Gunner
Considering Pittsburgh won one less game Crosby's first year than they did the year before they drafted him, yes, I'm absolutely kidding. Do we really need the ~'s still?
If in fact Hemsky is out, things certainly are not looking good. That being said, I think that team chemistry is the thing we have been lacking most this year. Injuries and line shuffling have been the major factors towards that.
We shouldn't be expecting to make the playoffs anymore, but it would be nice to play with some consistency and build some team chemistry for this year. A top 5 pick would easily help us 2-3 years down the road, and you cant ask anything more from an 18 or 19 year old.
Bourdon was solid before he tragically died.
You're right. They are all busts. How stupid of me.
Where the hell is Gregor with this weeks Ice Women? That was due yesterday...no wonder all the guys here are panicy and surly...
*twitches*
Where are you Brownlee, I need to know if my winter plans have changed. Start watching "so you think you can dance"
That's my point though. Drafting top ten, post-lockout, looks to get you a solid, NEAR, NHL calibre player.
I understand, its just I get the impression most people here want instant improvement. Down is really easy, up takes time.
Even if we get lottery picks we lose.
High draft choices in the hands of Oilers management is kind of like asking a hungry coyote to babysit for you. You know it isn't going to end well.
Where are the Steve Kellys of yesteryear?
1. He asked about guys that produced right away (I don't think it's important... but that is what he asked)
You produced a bunch of guys that didn't produce right away (which is why I questioned your list)
2. You then asked me which ones haven't done anything
I showed you which ones haven't done anything.
@Gunner
Agreed. It is outrageous to EXPECT a top 10 pick to come in here & turn around the organization.
Exibit A - Sam "juiceboy" Gagner
As long as everyone doesn't think that Suguin or Hall are the second coming of Wayne Gretzky (assuming we have a chance at either of them).
The fans ran Jason Arnott out of town - I don't expect people have softened up in the past 15 years.
Does "anything" mean score 50 goals? If so, then you are correct. But almost all of those players that I listed are everyday NHL'ers.
I was thinking more along the lines of score 25+ goals/50+ points.
Anyways, it doesn't matter.
The point was, Giggsanunited predicted 8 goals for SJ and 1 for us, when SJ couldn't stop a beach ball with a snow shovel, as the old saying goes, yesterday. While I don't believe in the Santa Claus, (or Oilers necessarily win tonight)there is no reason to assume just because they got massacred yesterday, means they will be any better today. The Sharks do have a history several bad games in a row.
Thier needs to be a clear seperation here between top 10 pick and top 3 pick. The team is already well on it's way to a top 10 pick, the latter half of that 10 is a crap shoot.
IF Hemsky is actually out for the season... and IF managment feels the teams PO chances would then be close to 0. They can (hopefully will) take steps to attempt to get the team from a 7/8/9 pick to a 1/2/3 pick. Where your odds are both far better of A. Getting an NHL'er B. Getting a superstar.
What do you mean Surly!
*Gives I'm a Scientist the Souray Stare down like the one Gagner got when he messed with Souray's hair Gel* He hasn't scored in a while, don't let that happen to you!
*grumbles about missing the Ice woman of the week and the Zamboni girl just didn't cut it, although she was cute.*
@Ogden Brother
So long as they don't win the last game of the year again this year...lol
What about Carrie Underwood?
Ha-ha. No doubt.
But she wasn't on the ice...
You ever...seen a grown man naked?
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Kz_QkwCLqFY/Ss5sDhUp_oI/AAAAAAAAEpc/9RoSEqu4ZBg/s400/Oilers+(ESPN+Body+Mag)-scaled.jpg
Carrie Underwood and the hot teacher in the Colin MacDonald video that made me reasses where I went to elementary school make up for it I'd say.
That said, "more boobs" is typically my answer to everything.
Nice!
@Ogden Brother
The NHL would find a way that Edmonton doesn't draft top 3. The NHL doesn't want a Canadian team to draft top 3 and will fix the draft that no Canadian team will draft top 3 in the 2010 draft. That's a guarantee.
Do you find that the tinfoil you wear for a hat to keep the government from hearing your thoughts makes it easier or harder to hear the voices inside your head?
The last time a Canadian team had a top 3 pick was 2001, when Ottawa selected Jason Spezza 2nd overall. That doesn't mean its rigged, but thats just an interesting tidbit.
Plus, 6 Canadian teams vs 24 American ones odds aren't great even in a crapshoot.
Isn't that the randomness one would expect from a "lottery"? The stats say it wouldn't happen very often. That's science and you can't argue with science (can you Scientist?)
That's is a far cry from a conspiracy though.
~So that's why Burke thought trading 2 1st for Kessel was a good idea.~
Hahaha just thought of something: Hypothetically speaking, say we finish last in the league with somewhere around a 50/50 shot of getting the first overall pick. Now imagine everyone hits their respective 30-1% shots and we get #5 overall. You'd walk around West Edmonton Mall and everyone would be wearing tin foil hats.
That's what I was pointing out, I can't imagine a conspiracy like that in 2009. Gary's balls would have to be the size of Hummers to even think of screwing over Canadian teams that bad. I seriously think someone would shoot him.
And your guarantee is backed up by what information exactly?
Oilers top line next season:
Magnus PS - Taylor Hall - Eberle
Will they be too soft? Too good? Thoughts?
@Librarian Mike
Apparently you can get internet at the crackhouse these days.
I went to another hockey blog (I won't mention the name here) that advertised a Hockey Girl. Imagine my dissapointment when I find out it's just some information they found about a girl that likes to watch hockey.
But wait, I see something underneath the Bio that is marked "Hockey Girl Photos". Ohh, I think, now we're getting somewhere! It turns out that link is just to some photos *taken* by this same hockey loving girl. The pictures of of the Nashville Predators and the arena!
I think there was a better way that that site could label that information, so as not to mislead innocent browsers.
*sigh*, ice girls.
@Menacer
To be fair, I'm 100% okay with girls that like watching hockey. Ever see that Molson ad with the girl who appreciates sports?
You are 100 percent correct! You can't argue with science, that is why it is called science! If you could argue with it, then my name would be 'I'm a Flames Fan'!
EDIT: Does this even make sense? Man i need an Ice Woman right about now...
Right
Speaking of Flames fans... where'd RossCreek run off to? I haven't seen him post since Brownlee called him out over that Du Maurier comment.
Edit: I'd probably take off, too, if I was thrown under the bus like that. At the end of the day, I guess RossCreek will always be welcome at FlamesNation.
Nice. Minny won today, putting our boys 2pts closer to a higher draft pick.
This is the earliest I've turned the corner by about two months, but I'm gunning for the gutter from here on. Tonight's loss is a cinch, and tomorrow's should be too.
Didn't they play Colorado?
No GDB today??? I'm actually getting work done and that has to stop here soon.
Ha-ha. Nice one.