My prediction is that if the Hall-RNH-Eberle struggles for the first two games of the road trip, Hemsky will take Eberle's spot on the line and Eberle will play with Horcoff and Smyth.

As great as those kids have been at home, they have struggled somewhat on the road so far. I think Hemsky (who in my opinion is still the best puck carrying player on the team) has proven he can be successful against the opposition's top D-men. Give him some talented players on his line like Hall and RNH and I think they could be dynamic.

Smart move. He will get his chances to come up. How many times was JFJ called?

Smart move. Giving Don Biggs- oops, I mean Linus Omark -some playing time in the AHL is better than having him sit in the pressbox. By the way, Omark has never had much in the way of trade value (maybe a 4th round pick?).

Can I ask how you know his value? Is this a guess or real live information we're talking here?

I don't know why they didn't just film more u-tube video's of him spinning around on the ice. Then we could could have more people commenting about how awesome he is and how his value is so high.I mean, one good u-tube video is worth a couple 50 point season's in the nhl,right?

Sutton's next game is November 11. 9 days away. I don't think there is need to trade to replace him..

Yes! It worked out great for that Shremp kid. With a little more ice time in the AHL Omark could improve and develop into another Vladimir Vujtek.

Do not know the real reason why Omark is sitting either than the fact they are loaded with too many nhl ready players.

IMO, Jones should be sitting some games and move Gagner up to replace him. Then, place MPS back with Omark. They play well together. I know Omark was a force last year on the pp. He set up lots of nice plays esp at the half boards- this was when Hemsky was injured. There were talks last year that the Oilers should develop at least the second unit pp around Omark. Omark has skill, creativity and is relentless in pursuit of the puck. I guess he may be a defensive liability and or his lack of size may be an issue for Renney.

why is everyone saying this is bad? clearly when your team is rolling, you dont put in a guy on a line thats been cold and take someone out - this gives him playing time cause he otherwise wouldnt see a game for a while longer.

The problem with Omark is consistency, how do you not see this? sending him down to the AHL gives him the chance to regain that consistency, then when its time to come up he will have more flow to his game and probably produce.

the problem with Omark ISN'T consistency it's lack of chance to prove anything this year. if consistency was the real factor then their are others as well who could be riding the bus or watching from the cheap seats.

this is the right decision, for now. if he won't get playing time with the big club then he needs it in AHL. glamorous no, necessary yes.

Omark seems to be the new Schremp in oiler land. just because he can dazzle does not mean he is Schremp or Nillson (sp).

in order to generate any value in Omark he must come back up and play on a line that will show of his skill and willingness to compete.

good call by the team bad luck for Omark.

How wasnt he given a chance? Every game he played in was filled with Primo powerplay minutes, and he was even elevated to a higher line one game.

Omark's problem is most definitely consistency AND his defensive prowess.

The guy is Nilsson reincarnated into a smaller frame. He can work out his issues in the AHL and wait for another chance that he cant afford to blow. He was given every chance he earned and if it wasnt that many chances then it's because he didnt earn any more.

Your Star did look better last game.. but still fairly clumsy.

If he's going to have a sudden break out and show us what he's made of, Pray it's in LA on Thursday! WE NEED THAT WIN!

Omark. I'm sad to see you go but i'm happy you'll be given a chance to play.

Come back to us in top form when we need you most!

This is a good move. Hemsky is back soon so if he stays which 2 players should come out? 2 of Lander, Jones or Gagne? That would be dumb. He needs to play and ultimately if he's a piece going forward is putting him in a spot to force his way onto the roster should be applauded. In the mean time he can get lots of ice time while we wait for injuries or a trade. Some nice forward depth in OKC to be sure: Omark, Harsky, Brule, Keller

Omark has shown a lot more than Schremp did while in Oiler silks.

The good news is that this means Hemmer is getting healthy. Omark would never play ahead of Hemmer. Omark needs ice time and this will benefit both him and the Oil. The better Linus plays, the greater the argument to give him ice in Edmonton. It also strengthens the Oilers' case if they were ever to explore trading him, although some would argue that it may be Hemmer being moved and not Omark.

Whatever the case, I'm happy Omark has agreed to report and it's his ball from here.

i Too am saddened by the Jones hate. I think he fits that Smyth/Horc/Jones line perfectly.

For Jones, he's being given the opportunity to play with players that he can probably hope to grow into as he becomes a seasoned NHL player. Horc and Smyth aren't fast, they aren't fancy, They aren't frail, and Neither is Jones.

MAYBE Smyth shows Jones how to get to the grubby areas. MAYBE he shows Jones that hard work and sacrifice WILL pay off with a great NHL career in a city of people who love you. Maybe Horcoff will show Jones how to be offensive while still being Defensively responsible. Maybe Horcoff will show Jones that it's not always about the goals column, and that any opportunity you have to make your team mates better will benefit you to a greater extent as the year goes on.

Jones has a lot to learn from those guys and IMO he's fairly similar to them. As long as the line is effective, i wouldn't move Any of them, Even if Sydney Eff'n Crosby wanted to play on their line.

Off topic, but an interesting read about the Russian plane crash:

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=379449

Completely preventable? Pilot error? neglect? Sad, sad story.

What a load of ignorant crap.

If you honestly believe the reason people believe Omark is a good player is because of the youtube videos then there is no helping you.

it's clear objectivity is long past you on this topic so i won't waste much time talking about this with you.

he was as consistent as whom else this year? MPS, Gagner (same number of games so far). they aren't sitting/on a bus any where best i can tell.

i don't disagree he was the likely choice to go down. he isn't only your goat me thinks. *cough* Renney.

he didn't fit in the plan now he rides a bus. whatever. moving on.

Apparently mine and OB1's argument with melancholyculkin has spurned him into writing an article at CnB. If you want to read an article that defends Omark and gives the false impression that he is as offensively capable as Hall and Eberle then here you go.

http://www.coppernblue.com/2011/11/1/2528166/linus-omark-shooting-percentage-and-the-illusion-of-validity

The team is finally winning and apparently Tom Renney is dead wrong to drop a player who cant understand his system or contribute on the PP. Okeedokee.

"I dont know the exact reasons Renney doesnt play him over others, but the same choice was made last season too. He wasnt trusted then and he isnt trusted now. " - your quote.

this is what i'm saying. it is not simply consistency that killed Omark here.

never have i said i am a big Omark supporter (not saying you said that but emphasing my point) and i am not tearied eyed in the least he his in AHL. we are winning that's what matters.

did he get a fair shake compared to others who have not contributed this season? this is my question? i think you answered that already in the paragraph i quoted.

Hey Gregor, is 83/89/91 something you are hearing from the team? Or just a hunch on your part?

Have a feeling Feaster will do a retooling and not a rebuild like the Oilers are doing. He'll make a couple big deals and do in one yr what it's taken Tambellini 3 yrs to do to date.

If Feaster lands Turris in the next few weeks, you could see Iginla in a Capitals jersey for that first pick they got from Colorado for Varlomov. Kipper+ to Pheonix for their first selection. Jay could have the Flames retooled in one draft without the infinibuild mindset for the fans to swallow.It's Calgary that could hold two of the top five picks in next summers draft. Watch Feaster do what needs to be done if things don't change in a hurry 3 hrs south of here.

I have only one rule in hockey - trust the coach and give him heart and soul. That means you O'mark.

Ya, Feaster will make a move, likely move even more draft picks and youth for another 33 year old and call that success. The team will finish between 8-11 and they can flounder in mediocrity for a few years before falling to the bottom.

I wonder what the excuses are going to be when he's back in Europe sometime in the next 18 months or so.

You seem to forget that any first round draft pick past #4/#5 overall - is a guess for making an impact in their first year... Turris would help the Flamers a bit down the middle, but if they deal Iginla and Kipper in one season - they're guaranteed a 30th place finish next year... They have no additional depth with scoring or goaltending...

Feaster's only chance is to take the Burke approach and attempt to 'rebuild' through UFA signings... He's got 11 UFA next year, of which many won't be resigned... I don't envy the work he has to do (inheriting Sutter's mess), but he won't build an immediate winner with 3 first round draft picks in the 2012 draft (especially if only 1 of them has the potential of being a top five pick)..

Well I think it is clear that Tom Renney would rather play others instead of Omark. I'm just not sure that it's a case of him being unfair so much as it is a case of him not having room for Omark on the big club to work out his issues.

I keep coming back to roles and players' success at those roles. Right now it seems like everybody has a role and knows what's expected of them. Omark was in a role where he needed to produce offensively because he was getting prime PP time, but it wasnt happening.

He wasnt alone, but for Omark that was his biggest objective from the coach, so failing to produce was a much bigger problem than say Lennart Petrell's failure to score.

My take on it.

I do respect what you've written but Feaster and Tambellini are two very different people. 11 UFA's next summer, what an opportunity to quickly burn the whole thing to the ground.

You have to admit there is the potential there for a second top five pick next summer with Iginla,Kipper,Bourque and Glencross available for the right price. A difficult 2012-2013 season would be certain but lets just see what one motivated GM can do. Over the next 9 months, watch Feaster be the GM we wish we had here in Edmonton. Feaster won't use the rebuild word once to disappoint the Flames fanbase and he'll use the Oilers goings on as his how not to do it example. Jay will sell it as a two yr reloading plan.

So what is your take on the fact that Gagner has been plugged into precisely the same role Omark was supposed to play and has had the same results?

I realize that Renney wants the kids to learn (we all do), but they can still learn if they are on separate lines.

Don't get me wrong, I love seeing them play together, but I'm more concerned about Hemsky. The guy has been our best player for a few years now and has been frustrated by the lack of talent around him. Now that we have talent, we want to stick him on the third line with guys who have a combined 1 point in 16 games? I like Paajarvi and Gagner, and maybe Hemsky can get them jump started, but Hemsky is a clear 1st line player when healthy.

There are only so many minutes to go around. If the Horcoff and RNH lines take up the bulk, and then you have PK's where Hemsky doesn't play, how many minutes will that leave for the new 83-89-91 line?

Unlike Omark, Gagner actually registered a point this season, albeit only one.

Right. That brilliant play where the puck accidentally touched his foot.

He is coming off of a high ankle sprain after just 4 weeks of rest for an injury that many say takes 6 weeks to heal.

Yet we hear repeatedly how Renney makes a big deal about testing players to ensure they are at full health and full fitness before he allows them to play.

He has a much longer track record of success in the NHL that can be traced back all the way to his draft pedigree and followed him until last season when he was the team's most productive C. The same coach that has deemed Omark an AHL player 2 years running has likened Gagner to Doug Gilmour. So it stands to reason that Gagner has a little more rope than Omark.

This is kind of the the issue isn't it? Gagner gets more rope. He can put up no results for weeks and it wont matter, yet in the same role Omark puts up no results in 5 games and he isn't good enough?

I don't have a problem with Gagner getting more rope, I have a problem with the conclusions made about Omark based purely on the fact that he isn't getting the same amount of rope.

I have a problem with saying Renney made the right choice because it was the choice Renney made.

Maybe, if Gagner isn't producing in the same role either, Omark isn't the problem...maybe other factors need to be examined.

I'm struggling to reply because I'm not really seeing you're point. Or at least why you decided to reply to my post.

So do you think that Omark should have drawn in for Jones? Or are you just nit picking my post? Or you just tired of all the love for Jones and all the hate for Omark?

Let me reiterate:

This is like claiming Ringo Star was 1/4 of the reason for the Beatles' success. So far I have seen zero reason to believe that Omark couldn't or wouldn't be more successful than Jones given the same spot with the Smyth line.

I'm not sure how this is unclear unless you are too young to know about the Beatles.

To me, it doesn't make much sense either when one of your most gifted players offensively comes back and you put him on the 3rd line when you rank 26th in the league in offense.

As it currently sets up, Ryan Jones would be getting more minutes than Hemsky. That doesn't make any sense either. I just think you need to find minutes for a guy who can score a point a game. I'm not saying you need to break up the kid line, but it was just an idea.

Some of the players you mentioned have no movement clauses. Feaster is in a world of hurt and his only 2 bargining chips have no trade clauses. Calagry has absolutly the worst prospect's in the NHL and a Turris trade would not help Calgary at all. It's easy to say trade these players but try moving a Jay Bo's contract. What UFA's would want to go there? How easy was it for the Oilers to get players here? They have to rebuild there whole orginization from AHL to NHL and thats not happening in 1 to 2 years.

Also-Even if Feaster doesnt sign any of his own UFA's he will have to go out and pick up contracts to bring his numbers (both for roster and cap) up, which adds time for the rebuild.

If Feaster can do this under the cap he would be my vote for GM of the year.

*Washington is a Cap team and can't absorb Iginla's salary.

*Pheonix is not going to take for Kipper+ unless the plus is a new owner.

*When was the last time a team traded a top 5 pick that they new was going to be a top 5 pick? But you are right, the way Calgary is going they could get a top 5 pick.

I hardly think Omark has the same excuses as Gagner, but, even if you did eliminate all of the reasonable factors that go into a slow start from Gagner, then it certainly isnt proof that Omark has no blame for failing to produce.

I already agreed that it's ok to give Gagner more rope. I did not say that this is proof Omark has no blame.

What I said was that maybe if Gagner is also not producing in the exact same role then maybe there is something else going on. It makes no sense to decide Omark is done for performing just like Gagner.

Hemsky, Omark and Gagner are trade potentials. All are top 6 players not bottom. All must be showcased but not all can play at once. Omark can be demoted (for now) but the others cannot. With the way the team is playing, Oilers had no choice. Hall, RNH, Eberle and PRV are 4 of our top 6 futures. I believe other GM's are sniffing around these guys and Tambo wants full value and has the advantage of not having to be in a hurry. Kudo's to the Org for not (yet) sending an NHL player away for "picks".

So what is your point? That Ryan Jones is the worst hockey player on that line? I agree completely.

"So far I have seen zero reason to believe that Omark couldn't or wouldn't be more successful than Jones given the same spot with the Smyth line."

Ok. But Tom Renney thinks Jones is a better fit on that line and I think the coach is a lot more in tune with the team than you are. That coach also thinks that Omark should be playing in OKC. So there's a bit of a rift there on where you stand and where the informed professional stands.

Its never been easier to trade a player with a no movement clause. It allows the player to call his own shot. Involved players would probably even welcome a chance to play on a playoff team, especially if he's getting on in years and hasn't won before.

They just have to worry about their NHL franchise first, their AHL affiliate is much less important than the parent clubs roster is. Spots on the Flames roster will be givin to kids much like they were here in Edmonton. Career AHL'ers are easy to find, Calgary should have no problem filling out that roster in Abbotsford.

Bouwmeester wouldn't be as difficult to move as some think. Just need to find a team scrambling to get to the cap floor in August.

Maybe we should be relishing the fact that we actually have some depth rather than trying to trade it away. I think the depth situation has created competition for ice time, and has helped get some of the results we have had so far this year.

I prefer the situation where we need to send a guy like Omark down vs. the last couple of years where we basically filled roster spots with AHL players because we lacked depth. When the time comes for Omark to get a shot again, he will know he needs to make the most of it, as there are other guys competing for that spot.

I do realize we can't keep them all forever, but its still early and would rather get a better assessment over the year to see who fits longer term vs trading someone while his value is low.

Unless we truly believe that we are going to be a playoff team, why not wait until later when we can get more?

Washington has 50 games worth of injuries that may begin to accumulate. Come the dealine the cap won't be an issue once the LTIR's are deducted. Caps will have more than enough room for a player due only 1.5-2 over the last quarter of the season.

The Coyotes still have to put fans in those seats, if they don't have anyone then who better than Kiprusoff if their No. 1 goes down. The NHL has to do as much as possible to pimp that franchise and make it look more attractive to a potential buyer. If the league has to kick in a few more dollars to help their cause they'd best do that.

Two top 5's would just be the bomb in a good draft next summer. Watch Feaster go out and do it instead of thinking about the speed bump or two in his path.

I see. So I say I disagree with Renney and your response is that Renney disagrees with me? Thank you for the news flash.

they played together last year too and were on the same line the night 83 got three points at Mtl before he got hurt again.

this makes a lot of sense for the three line balance and also the fact of getting something offensively out of 91

Let me make sure I have it right...Feaster will avoid rebuilding by dealing everyone away and collecting draft picks?

Gagner has exactly the same amount of EV points as Omark does. Gagner needed to get away from Belanger and PRV to get a point on the PP. Perhaps Omark and Gagner are not the problem but it just might lie with Belanger and PRV not being offensively gifted?

So why do we have discussion boards if we should just all agree with the "informed professional". That is the great thing about sports...nobody is right all the time (including the coach). That is why we have a discussion about it.

I think part of the issue is that people are thinking this decision is (and/or should be) based on 5 games.

It took injuries for Omark to make the team last year and from the Oil change show it was clear Omark was on the outside looking in starting this year.

Gagner had niether of those two hurdles.

How about trading L.Omark for K.Turris?

It would help us get a little bigger at centre and poop on Calgary's "secret" rebuild.

Or does this K.Turris kid want too much $$$?