FMNF

I would bet on Nillson being gone. I still think the day will come when he is a top six forward, just not in E-town. Lets hope JFJ lays out Tootoo. Penner may not be a top line left winger but he is by the far the best the Oilers have.

Nice to know you Bobby Nilsson - you did not exceed anybody's expectations.

I'm wondering if Nilsson is sitting tonight for the same reason so many other players arounf the NHL are tonight; because them getting hurt tonight would destroy the potential trade for that guy tomorrow.

Reddox on the top line is one of those 'won't help you, won't hurt you' deals. It's probably true that if the top line scores tonight, it will be a credit to Horcoff or Hemmer rather than Reddox, but he drives hard to the net and can be a good distraction, even if he's not Smytty. He also skates back to his own end after a turnover, unlike some LW's we could mention . . .

mjsh wrote:

I would bet on Nillson being gone. I still think the day will come when he is a top six forward, just not in E-town. Lets hope JFJ lays out Tootoo. Penner may not be a top line left winger but he is by the far the best the Oilers have.

No, let's hope JFJ packs his equipment bag and Marc Pouliot down the hall at the Sommet Center and unloads both in the Nashville dressing room after the game and that Tootoo gets on the bus with the Oilers.

Robin B wrote:

mjsh wrote: I would bet on Nillson being gone. I still think the day will come when he is a top six forward, just not in E-town. Lets hope JFJ lays out Tootoo. Penner may not be a top line left winger but he is by the far the best the Oilers have. No, let’s hope JFJ packs his equipment bag and Marc Pouliot down the hall at the Sommet Center and unloads both in the Nashville dressing room after the game and that Tootoo gets on the bus with the Oilers.

I am going to pretend that this is Robin's way of slyly telling us that this trade has already gone through. EXCITEMENT!

Robin B wrote:

mjsh wrote: I would bet on Nillson being gone. I still think the day will come when he is a top six forward, just not in E-town. Lets hope JFJ lays out Tootoo. Penner may not be a top line left winger but he is by the far the best the Oilers have. No, let’s hope JFJ packs his equipment bag and Marc Pouliot down the hall at the Sommet Center and unloads both in the Nashville dressing room after the game and that Tootoo gets on the bus with the Oilers.

yes, that would be good, but I would bet that won't happen either. Robin, do you think JFJ can ever be a player. I remember big George speaking glowingly about him on Stauffer's show last summer. You might have even been there that day.

Robin B wrote:

No, let’s hope JFJ packs his equipment bag and Marc Pouliot down the hall at the Sommet Center and unloads both in the Nashville dressing room after the game and that Tootoo gets on the bus with the Oilers.

Only if he brings Arnott with him and a bag of pucks too.

If we get Arnott we could also make a pitch to NYI to bring back Weight and Guerin and then claim Miroslav Satan. We'd have the making of a good team....

Seriously though Reddox has some offensive ability he scored 30+ twice in junior, he hasn't been a train-wreck offensively in his limited roles.

But the mian point is how frustrating to see the same Peterson/Reasoner situation happen over and over again, where MacT plays guys so out of their abilities.

Has Penner struggled, undoubtedly, has anyone really lived up to the billing on Hemsky's line? No, not remotely. Putting Nillson/Cole/Penner/Moreau hasn't helped at this point, while I'm in favour of trying something new, the fact it is Reddox means the monkeys will be screeching.

The biggest problem this team has is systematic, how often do we look lost defensively? How often does our PP or our offensive system look, well, non-existant? Sooner or later you would think that Tambo & company would come to the conclusion that any half sane objective person would, that MacT is overwhelmed with a team that does not have players who reflect his style. Why did Smytty do so well here? He's a MacT type player.

MacT has NEVER developed an offensive players game to the point it pushed them up a level. Horcoff? Hemsky? Consider this

Ales Hemsky (03-04) 71 GP - 34 pts (04-05 in Europe) - 75 GP - 55 pts (includes playoffs) (05-06) 105 GP - 94 points (includes playoffs)

Shawn Horcoff (03-04) 80 GP - 40 pts (04-05 in Europe) - 50 GP - 46 pts (05-06) 103 GP - 92 points (includes playoffs)

Kind of looks like both their best years to date came right after a year away from MacTavish, somewhere in which their offensive game was allowed to develop.

The trend here has been guys come in full or promise or even a history of performance and quickly flame out under the terrible systematic structure of the Oilers, you know the names, Lupul, Penner, Cole, etc.

The fact that this year the PK is awful which was the one thing MacT brought to the table, and he's pretty much useless. There's no chance either Bucky or Huddy find a job anywhere else but here in the NHL, and minimal chance that MacT finds another head coaching gig anytime soon, despite what Oiler brass says.

Pretty obvious why things have not gotten better here in years, sooner or later, things have to change....Don't they??? Please!!

ya, but where are we going to find Tommy Salo?

FMNF.

That is all I have to add.

I wonder if the assistant coachs look at each other out of the corner of their eye....with a "yep...he's finally lost it" look.

This is like watching Jerry Maguire try and hang on to his job, right before he flips out, and takes the goldfish(in this case, that fish is Reddox). He really does need his family to put him in a home or something.....his dimentia is sickning.

well...i'm gonna go lay down on the QE2 and hope for tires.

I think MacT is sending a message to other players(specialy lazyass penner) by putting Reddox on the first line.Don't expect Reddox to do anything tonight. If he plays over 10 min tonight i would be shocked.

B-rad wrote:

I wonder if the assistant coachs look at each other out of the corner of their eye….with a “yep…he’s finally lost it” look. This is like watching Jerry Maguire try and hang on to his job, right before he flips out, and takes the goldfish(in this case, that fish is Reddox). He really does need his family to put him in a home or something…..his dimentia is sickning. well…i’m gonna go lay down on the QE2 and hope for tires.

all season radials or winter tires with studs?

@ B-rad:

Jerry Maguire turned out to be right in the end, didn't he? Are you saying, then, that MacT is smarter than he appears, despite all the people who think he's a loon? Interesting point . . .

@ Cheezyclips: Skate them in practice if you want to send a message. The oilers need points if they are too make the playoffs and they need their best players to be playing where they belong. And Dustin Penner at 50% still has more potential to do some damage than little Liam at 110%.

Reddox looked really good on the top line against Minnesota on Saturday night - why not try him again? He was arguably our best player in that game. Granted this is not a long-term solution, but I have no problem with trying it out again. Like Jason said, the last time Reddox was on the top line it was with Horc and Penner. Hemsky and Reddox is a different dynamic altogether. If they can combine like on saturday then that is a step up from Penner...

I'm really hoping this doesn't mean Nilsson is gone. Guy has some big upside, and he's worked his bag off lately.

@ APE - FMNF: A 5 year old girl can out skate Penner at 50%

Gregor, You had Steve Ludziak (sp) on your show yesterday and he said he thought MacT was one of the best minds in the NHL (or some version of that). I don't remember the details but the reasons gave made it sound like he hasn't watched an Oiler game for a very long time. I was too busy trying to stay on the road after he said that to remember exactly what his reasons were.

If the question is 'Which ticket would I pay more for; Oilers VS Preds, Penner top line or Oilers VS Preds, Reddox top line?', I'd pay more for the Reddox ticket. I'm not going to argue between the two players' abilities, but I like Edmonton's chances with Reddox up there a little better and it's sure as hell going to be more entertaining.

Reddox is not a solution to get the first line going. I know he gives a 100%. In MacT defense there isn't anyone in our lineup who can play in that position.Hopefully we will pickup LW at the deadline to play on the first line.

Cheezyclips wrote:

I think MacT is sending a message to other players(specialy lazyass penner) by putting Reddox on the first line

How many messages can the guy send? He's supposedly been sending them all year. All the inbox's must be full or something.

This whole lame exercise is not for the fans. It's to get the Oil into the playoffs for a nano-second so management can bring MacT back next year. "Hey we made the playoffs so MacT is doing a great job"!!! Phew I must have doubled up on my cynical pills.

I think Reddox is fine by me on the top line. He did look pretty good out there on Saturday. Well, better than Penner. Kovalchuck would look "good" out there. Reddox was good by shear virtue of "not being Penner".

I like Reddox. He skates hard, goes to the net and looks like my 12 year old cousin. Think of him as a Toby Peterson without an insulin pump.

What more do we need?

Besides, the 5 year old girl at 50% wasn't available tonight to replace Penner, so Reddox will have to do.

@Robin Gregor just said the Oilers PK is at 83-84% since the Allstar Game wheres my Ham Sandwich, I like that good ham not the flakey crap maybe with some swiss cheese on it to. Now I don't feel so bad in taking you up on your offer since I'm going to win the bet. thanks

Ender the Dragon wrote:

@ B-rad: Jerry Maguire turned out to be right in the end, didn’t he? Are you saying, then, that MacT is smarter than he appears, despite all the people who think he’s a loon? Interesting point . . .

He was alright, because his client was a prospect....not a plug.lol.

GAME DAY!!!

Gene Principe. Setting the bar lower, and lower every day.

Every game I feel embarrased for Pricipe

jeanshorts wrote:

Gene Principe. Setting the bar lower, and lower every day.

You can't teach that level of tomfoolery, that is a god given gift. Play on Gene, play on...

Fourth line is looking crisp!

I got love for the guy, but....

Was that Penner, he was going so fast I couldn't see the numbers

Penner looking like Reddox out there with a burst of speed.

*20 seconds later*

Penner barely making an effort to chase the puck to keep it in the zone.

Wait, don't we have TWO goalies?

@ jeanshorts: That was a great burst of speed by Penner, I think he deserves a payraise

oh wow nice goal

Sam! Jeebus!

Beauty.

TRADE HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You could bottle Gagner's baby batter and sell it to pre teen girls. They'd go wild for that creamy gold!

and the kings scored 3 goals in 2minutes lol

How the hell does a guy lose his blocker?????????? I've never seen that before outside of a street hockey game.

Hand save! THAT you see in street hockey.

WWWWEEEEEEE.

Sammy's having himself a game. I like it. Good first period so far.

Holy crap. Sam is suddenly HOT!

Does that one Poo goal make Nilsson completely expendable now or what?

we must have the highest paid 3rd line in the nhl...

jeanshorts wrote:

Does that one Poo goal make Nilsson completely expendable now or what?

He's been expendable since the game started. Brownlee figures he's gone already.

@ David S:

Yeah, I know. I was just being facetious. I'm actually surprised he's stuck around this long because he's been anywhere between god awful and pretty mediocre all season.