GDB 66: Contre les Habitants. Also: QTNA
Jason Gregor
March 10 2009 01:43PM
A game-day thread and QTNA all in one. Bless you, Nationeers. If you have Questions that Need Answers, email Jason Gregor and ask him!
Zach Kassian does look like a solid pick considering we'll be drafting around the 18-20 spot. He could be a Milan Lucic type guy. I haven't seen him play, what is his speed like? Could he make the Oilers in the next two seasons? -- Luke in Edmonton
I have been pumping his tires for the past few months as a guy the Oilers need to look at when the draft rolls around. He is everything they don’t have in the system; big, physical and has decent hands. I’ve seen him ranked as high as 13, but he falls normally around 14-20. But then again some people have the Oilers taking Ryan Ellis in the 1st round. If the Oilers do that, then they should fire the scouting staff. The Oilers don’t need a puck moving D-man right now.
Kassian is the biggest forward ranked in the 1st round, and combined with his scoring he is EXACTLY what the Oilers need. Considering they have no one in the farm system close to filling out that role, I would bet if they got him that he would get a look within a year or two. In 2010/11 the Oilers will need some cheaper forwards who can produce, considering the cap will go down. If Kassian is in their system he will get a long look.
John Buccigross says we have a lot of questionable contracts. But in all the lists of bad contracts like this one, I never seen an Oiler deal listed. I would agree Penner’s contract is questionable and perhaps even Horcoff after this year, but “a lot of questionable contracts”? What do you think? -- Shayne
Bucci had to be referring to Horcoff and Penner’s contract. After that it is hard to find a real questionable one. Gilbert will score 45 points this year, so his $4 million doesn’t seem out of whack. The final year of Staios’ $2.7 million in 2010/11 could hurt because of how many minutes he will be playing. Outside of that I don’t see any horrible contracts on the Oilers.
I think the Province was sleeping at the wheel when they didn’t include Horcoff and Penner with the likes of Fisher, Hamrlik et al. There is no way that Horcoff can live up offensively to his $7 million dollar deal next year, ($5.5 million cap hit). It shows that there are other horrible contracts out there, but with the cap sure to go down in the 2010/11 season, either Horcoff and Penner produce or the Oilers will be hard pressed to score.
If Penner finds a way to score 25 goals then his contract won’t look as bad. Horcoff needs to be an 80-point guy and win 56% of his face-offs to even be considered equal to his contract.
What are the chances that the Oilers buy out Penner's contract either this summer or next summer? -- Daniel
This summer seems unlikely. They would have to pay him $8.5 million of his remaining $12.75 million, although they could spread it out over six years at a $1.42 million cap hit each year. While Penner is frustrating to most fans, it is too early to just give up on him. Some players take five or six years to “get it”, and if Penner does find some consistency in his game, he could be very effective. Remember, it took Bertuzzi seven years until he scored 36 goals. He scored 25 in seasons five and six. Granted Bertuzzi plays a more aggressive game, but if you are looking at production it is to early to just give up on Penner.
If he has another underachieving, uninspired season next year, then maybe they consider it next summer, but only after exhausting every possible trade avenue.
Does the Guy who does the SHAW phone commercial (the ones where he is playing tag and other things wit the phone) look a lot like Scott Howson? -- Andrew
I’m not well-versed in look-a-likes, although I have a friend who resembles Elisha Cuthbert (click on Friday picture at www.justagame.ca). Yes she is single, and as long as you are better looking that Phaneuf you might get a date with her.
I’ve seen the spot since you asked, and yes there is a small resemblance. But then this guy thinks he looks like David Hasselhoff.
Tonight: Les Canadiens
The lines for tonight will start like this:
21 – 10 – 83 12 – 89 – 78 19 – 13 – 34 85 – 51 – 46
So O’Sullivan and Cogliano, the two fastest forwards will play together, while Nilsson will get another shot with Gagner. Gagner scores five points in three games without Nilsson, so why not try Nilsson with Cogliano?
Nilsson and Gagner haven’t produced all season, so why keep going back to it? If MacTavish is looking for production why not try a duo that had some chemistry last year, in Cogliano and Nilsson?
After tonight, nine of the Oilers next eleven games are against teams below them in the standings. Based on how they played v. OTT and TOR there is no guarantee they will take advantage of the schedule, but the Oilers have a pretty favourable one the rest of March.
Ladislav Smid will play tonight, albeit with his faced still pretty messed up. And Roloson starts his 22nd straight.
Yeah, it isn't a great link, but I'm keen to watch this game and will suffer through the lousy connection to catch what I can.
It's no surprise that the Habs are playing better for Gainey, too. I've got no qualms with Carbonneau as a coach, but my impression is that Gainey commands a different type of respect, especially as he's also their GM. Even veterans like Koivu would feel pressure to step up for a statement game like this, and that doesn't bode well for the Oil.
@ David S: Where can I read it?
David S wrote:
dude, seriously - did that last poke in the nose totally obscure his vision? that has to be a half-dozen in the last 2-3 weeks he's completely whiffed on
Wow our dzone play is just awful.
Yes I agree. I wonder how long the 4th line will continue being stuck out there against the Tanguay/Koivu line. Great coaching.
@Hoodlum, It’s at http://communities.canada.com/edmontonjournal/blogs/hockey/archive/2009/03/09/right-now-the-edmonton-oilers-are-a-dead-team.aspx, and is one of many excellent articles David Staples has written this year.
Hoodlum wrote:
http://communities.canada.com/edmontonjournal/blogs/hockey/archive/2009/03/09/right-now-the-edmonton-oilers-are-a-dead-team.aspx
Too many shots from the outside I'm afraid.
Ogden Brother wrote:
I'd be curious to see how much ice time those guys get compared to Horcoff. I agree intangibles mean a lot, but if Horcoff plays the most minutes of any forward on the PK and it is 28th, is he giving you good value. I like Horcoff, but he will need more than 65 points to be considered fair market value. If you say 73 I would give you that, but 65 won't be enough in my opinion.
That.
Was.
Ridiculous!!!!!!!!!
THAT WAS.......PRETTY......WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Gene just wetted himself. Bank it.
WOW... GO COGS GO
Nice. V nice.
I was about to write that it looks like the boys are putting in a decent effort this period, and then Cogs made the statement for me.
Souray. Noice!
So now you see why MacT had Smid playing some forward shifts.
What? Ah? Oh.
Roli... oh dear...
THAT WAS WEAK!!
Hoodlum wrote:
He's good for one weak goal a game. Still, it would be nice if his boys took their man.
@ David S: True, there was quite a bit of blame to be passed around
But we got it back
Wonder if Wanye will love the "Grebeshkovian" spinarama...sweet play to start that goal...
Jason Gregor wrote:
That'll make TSN's hilight reel for sure. Grebs is gettin' crazy good. Sign that man.
Nice for Sam too. Little guy is showing some major guts.
Wasn't it a sweet sweet move? If he'd scored on that shot it would have made every highlight real.
I wouldn't want to try to analyze the quality of that period, but it was one of the most fun to watch it ages. Go Oil!
what's the line on Roli losing his stick at least once in the third?
It doesn't look like anybody's missing Penner out on the ice tonight, does it?
I've long been a Penner apologist, agreeing with David Staples and preferring to see the positive attributes he brings to the team rather than the lack of aggression that often goes along with it. It's a tough argument to make tonight, though, regardless of the final outcome. The boys looked revved up for a change, and it would be tough to change the line-up on Thursday against Atlanta.
If MacT is trying to send a message to Penner, would it be too much of an over-statement to continue sending it at home?
Harlie Chuddy wrote:
No line. It's guaranteed.
Andrew W wrote:
I am. Our first line blows right now.
Ummm....were getting dominated.....why?
Harlie Chuddy wrote:
Right now? How about since we lost Visnovsky.
@Harlie Chuddy,
I meant out on the ice, but point taken.
If Kotalik is going to be a regular replacement up there, the whole line's gotta start gelling pretty quickly.
Why is Souray out?
Jack "FMNF" Bauer wrote:
he's in the dressing room rubbin out the easy one before his night out on the town.
Jack "FMNF" Bauer wrote:
Picking up some poutine for the boys after the game. He knows all the best places to go.
Well that one was coming. We were getting pretty beat up in our end.
Merde Merde Merde
Hmmm...Montreal goal under review in Montreal. Wonder how that'll work out.
David S wrote:
big shocker eh.
Hockey gods - anything you want.
I'd sure appreciate a shot on this PP.
The good news is that if the Oil kill this PP they'll get a point.
And yes, that's what I meant to write.
Worst. Powerplay. EVARRRR!
How many times this year have we done this?
Souray...lower body injury...
No word yet on how serious...
SHOCKING they don't score on a PP at end of 3rd and their PK gives up another goal...
I guess it's time for my "man I miss Visnovsky" post.
Oh and...FIRE O'Sullivan!!!
That was a pretty decent effort wasted by a stupid, stupid, stupid penalty. My guess is Erik Cole doesn't take that one.
What a draining loss.
I feel badly for Sully - if gilbert and hemmer can get out of each other's way, that's an easy out of the zone play
so... now... COME ON SAN JOSE!! LET'S GO WASHINGTON!
two quick points 1) no blame on O'Sullivan, unfortunate stick break w/o Montreal player would have had an open lane. 2) power play w 2 min left, call a timeout, win faceoff, same fricken setup and play!!!!
O'Sullivan played a good game... remember when he foiled the four on two?
Well to be honest, we lost the game with that last crap PP. Montreal was playing like guys jobs were on the line (and they probably were).
Man I miss Visnovsky. Again.
Had to say, if I was the guy behind the bench in Montreal I'd be more disturbed than ever. At least two of the montreal goals were scored on home team bounces. Still, it was one of the better overall games I've seen for a while. If Montreal was playing like their jobs depended on it, then the unemployment figures in Quebec are going to be even higher than they are now. Must say, many of the players in the NHL are civil service types, take the pay, do as little as possible during working hours, take lots of breaks, complain about the working conditions and connt the days until retirement. (Been there, done that, got the scars to prove it.)