"I like Renney very much as a person but his personel choices cannot be defended."

You mean outside of his W-L record it cant be defended, Right? Because I'm pretty sure there's plenty of ways to defend his positions. Granted, I'm no expert, but I'll play devils advocate.

CO: Tom Renney, your personnel choices cant be defended at all!

TR: My team is 1st in the NW, 3rd in the Conference. We've won 6 of the last 7 games we've played. STFU. But I'll play your game. The player I'm sitting is young and has a great future but I need him to take a step back so that he can see the big picture and move forward. I could have taken out some other guys but they have excelled at the things I've asked of them like killing penalties and blocking shots. We didnt want to take those guys out because they're doing what we ask of them. Ice Time is our only currency as coaches. I've asked Magnus to go to the dirty areas and I think after tonight he'll do just that.

CO: But...but...what about Omark?

TR: Are you effing serious? I cut him last year and this year. I have enough guys who arent producing and not playing on the PK. Why would I add another? I need him to better manage the puck. His style of game is low percentage in the NHL.

NOt sure if I like the Belanger-JOnes-Gagner line but it makes a good line name: BJ GAG

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwmwFi_LvBE

Huzzah!

That cycle shift from the kids with 5 mins left in the 3rd was a beaut. No major scoring chances, but just a quality possession shift late in the game with the lead.

Whoever gets on the kids for not putting up points on the pp needs to have their eyes forced open Clockwork Orange-style to watch this shift on constant replay for 72 straight hours. Then they might get it.

I honestly think Hemsky will play with PRV and Gagner soon. However, being his first game back, putting him with Smyth and Horcoff is safe.

GAME DAY PREDICTION: 3-1 Oilers over the Habs

OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Hall, Hemsky, and Horcoff have solid games, each picking up a couple of points. Hemsky re-injures his shoulder due to air turbulence experienced as he skates too close to someone at a fast speed.

NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: When Hemsky injures his shoulder, it actually falls off and a bunch of dried up rubber bands with knots in them are seen protruding from his shoulder socket.

Hemsky back is good, but when does Hordichuk get back because that would be AWESOME!

Hemsqueeeeee!!!!

I'm stoked Hemsky is back. I haven't forgotten the near decade of highlight-reel cheers he has induced!! I'm cautiously optimistic he is back for good. over/under is a clear over! I say 45 games.

I hear the itching over creating a third line with Gags, MP and Hemsky... But I can think of two reasons why this is a sub-optimal choice right now.

1) Hemsky is just coming back and the comfort of the old line, like an old glove, might ease the transition.

2) Hemsky's return creates an opportunity to send a message to Renney's forward group by benching someone. Only a handful of players even register on a list of "who needs a kick in the pants" (MP, Gags, Eager, Belanger (less so), Jones (much less so)). I think MP wins on the cost/benefit of sending a message with a short benching. He seems to me more likely given his youth and disposition to be more responsive.

Neither of these points rules out creating a G/MP/H line in the (near) future. But for now, I think Renney made the right choice.

SAX IT UP NATION!!! SAX IT UP!!

Well I'm no help, If I dressed myself like I navigate computers I would be wearing an extension cord belt and my ginch on my head everyday.

When has eager ever gone Moreau on us?

Hemsky... Hemsky... I remember seeing a player in an Oilers uniform with that name from about 2006 or so... are they related somehow?

I'm so glad Hemsky's back tonight because I'm going to the game, center ice row 17 baby!!

I predict a 4-2 Oilers with my drunk ass rubbing it in the faces of everyone around me.

16 games as the over/under mark for Hemsky going down again? After a whopping 22 minutes of ice time so far, all that I can say is that someone has a lot of HOPE.

You saw the last game, right? Schlemko (amazing name by the way; best name on the Coyotes next to Yandle) worked Hall over several times without so much as getting a Woody Allen "ah... ahem... excuse me... sir.. but you... ahem... seem to be.. um... entangled... ahem... with my wife..."

Of course, Sutton and Hordichuk didn't play... but Eager, Peckham and the others were a no-show on that front.

If Gregor is right though, toughness won't be an issue tonight. Although, I still expect Subban to take a run at someone... anyone want to place bets? I call Gagner.

do not like Jones moving to the 3rd, to me he is that player that when you put him in a spot to rise to the occasion, he delivers. That lione with horc smyth and him was all heart and forechecking, and hemsky is too soft to be on that line. Clearly without hemmer smyth is fine point wise

MPS Gagner Hemmer - thats a line i want to see

Why not trust Gregor. He is pretty reliable and seems to have some good inside sources. He said Paajarvi was on ice late, and has told us numerous times that means the guy won't play.

I'll trust Gregor.

Smyth, Horcoff, and....Omark? color me confused.

12 Omarks would be awesome! The cup would be ours for sure.... or Omark's anyway.

"Omark passes to Omark, who gets the puck stripped from him while trying to be cute. The puck goes into the corner where Omark digs it out. Wow, Omark is surprisingly strong on the boards. Omark not passes to Omark at the blue line. Omark dipsys, doodles, and then Omark goes offside while Omark is busy doodling."

"Omark wins the faceoff back to Omark, but then loses the puck while trying a high risk, low percentage toe drag spin-o-rama. Omark then gets burned defensively, Omark gets burned, and oh golly gee, Omark gets burned defensively again!"

Hmmmm.... maybe not such a good idea.

he said Omark not Gagner.

All I got from this tripe of a response was that you dont think Tom Renney's personnel choices have anything to do with his wins or losses.

Or, you dont have an answer for a perfectly good response to your completely offbase take and are answering with "we dont know if his decisions had anything to do with the wins."

However you slice it, your pseudo-intellectual comment was crap. Go back to studying, Undergrad.

Barker has the footspeed of a Geranium. Doesn't take Columbo to figure out why the fall from grace.

I must admit. The addition of Belanger to the PP is confusing me.

Khabby standing on his khead yet again

The Nuge sure is fighting the puck tonight. Love how he finishes all his checks.

Gags can't stick handle anymore.

I love 94

I think most of us were worried about that, but so far he's kept his nose nice and clean. Guaranteed Renney has a short leash on him. Although, I wouldn't mind seeing go crazy against the Canucks or the Flames or some other team that likes to run our guys.

Yea... The Old Oil Line looked good tonight... but that third line.... peeewww! still stinking it up...

Thing is... it is not like the third line hasn't already been changed up (some combo of: MP, Omark, Gags, Belanger, Jones... is that it?) so far none of those options have looked good. Not sure any given change will make a difference, but something has got to give.

Couple of observations.

Jones doesn't seem to lose his steam despite the line he's on... seems like a good option for the third (originally I thought he'd only work on the fourth).

MP has eaten his shorts. Omark has eaten his. It is time for Gags to do the same. He was terrible tonight. send a message Renney.

I think it's time to weigh the cost/benefits of switching Belanger and Lander.

RNH 60% in the dot tonight. Not bad...not bad.

I got to go to this game, thanks to a great guy I met over on Lowetide's site, who was in montreal for the occasion. Thanks pal!

Pretty sloppy play all round. We noted that nobody's passes were really connecting and there was whiff after whiff on the shots.

Individual effort got them the lead, and a deflection kept it that way.

Hall is playing very, very badly. Not good to see. He's getting frustrated and lashing out with poor timed efforts. It almost seems like he's dragging down Nuge and Eberle because they have to get back and cover for him constantly losing the puck 10 feet past the other team's blue-line. I think he'll snap out of it because we all know the kid can play, but these last two games have been stinkers.

But, Don't worry, be Khabby, (is the phrase I coined tonight on the way out of the bell centre as a busker played that jam on his sax)

Listen here chap, when the season starts there are only two colors.........

What if, Khabby's unsustainable goal tending is sustainable?

What if, The kids find the scoring touch on the road like they have at home?

What if, Hemsky and Whitney can stay healthy?

What if, The wheels never fall off?

Could this be the year?

Get someone to slew foot Souray and then have said person fight Souray making sure to keep hemet on coz' that automatically attracts his fists...cue DFL for Stars

Big game for the Oilers. 6-4

Hall with 2, Hemmer with 1, Gags with 1, Barker with 1, Smid with 1

Good to hear about Hemsky.

Going to enjoy watching this one tonight. It isn't often that you see a speed-on-speed matchup between teams. Even if it ends 1-0 there could be a lot of back and forth rushes. Could be night and day contrast to the Boston matchup. Is this the first time Seguin and Hall are playing each other? I thought Seguin was a HS last season when we came through.

With regards to the NSOGPD: http://www.worldrps.com/

Who knew Paajarvi was a member of the RPS Society.

I would rather see Teubert play...

Disappointed Paajarvi's sitting. I agree with Jason, Hemsky should be playing with Gagner and MPS to spread out the scoring. Ryan Smyth doesn't need Hemsky to collect points. He's an independent point producer, it doesn't matter who he plays with. Gagner and MPS on the other hand require a third party to stir the drink.

I also want to see Paajarvi pick up some more PK time. I think in the long-term Lander will return to OKC and Belanger will head up a defensively sound 4th line.

Nope. Drill Sargent Darcy hordichuk won't be playing tonight. He texted me saying he's going to be training/sparring at the tri star gym with GSP to help him with his kickboxing that he will need once he plays in Boston to whoop Milan Big nose Lucic's ass

Smid with 1 would be epic!

I would have liked to see Gagner sat and Hemsky on the thrid line to help Belanger and MPS get rolling. I guess that wouldn't help the Oilers down the road ( Gagner's trade vaule). IMO it is more important to get Belanger some more offensive stats and MPS since they will be in the future plans. I'm not ready to trade Ganger yet but feel his value to this team isn't as high as before the season. By sitting Sam his value to the Oilers and trade partners go down.

T-Ren is a damn genius I tell ya! Let 91 ride the press box pine till he figures it out! 91 has all the tools an NHL player would want; skating, size, hands, shot, etc. He just needs to get over the mental funk he's in, quit being such a vag., and go bang some bods, and crash the net every shift!

And most importantly - man, am I glad to see Hemmer back. PLEEAAAAAASE let it be for a while!!!!!!!!! This a "completely" different team with Hemmer (and Hallsy) in the line-up.

GOIL

STAY HEALTHY HEMSKY!!! GOILERS!!

I'm not digging the line choices by Renney.

I stand by a previous statement where i said that Hemsky is too fast for that Smyth/Horcoff line.

I'll have the PVR set to record tonights game so i can review it several times to see what worked and what didn't.

Regardless of how the lines Jive with each other, I'm hoping for a win!

ps: Thankfully if Hemsky doesnt look to be fitting in with Horc/Smyth, He can switch it up with Jones.

Prediction: Hemsky will see a few shifts with Gagner and Belanger. Hemsky and Belanger will somehow Click and Gagner will sit out next game to have Paajarvi replace him. The new PRV/Bel/Hem line will produce. Jones moves back with Horc/Smyth and Gagner becomes Trade bait: Skilled enough to get something back, Not Injured often enough to hurt his chances of being moved (unlike Hemsky).

Paajarvi's thoughts - If the coach would just give me some decent players to play with or put me with the other Swedes, I would get some points

Renney's thoughts - If Paajarvi would just use his size and skill to drive to the net or to play in front of the net sometimes, he would score some points regardless of who else is on his line

Renney is being a good coach by forcing Paajarvi to be a better player.

I also was hoping that Hemsky with Paajarvi and Gagner would have been a line combo that would have created some added pressure on the Habs and took top flight defenders away from the kids.

I dont know if I believe in Belanger's offense and I think it isnt using Gagner to the best of his abilities playing him there.

That said, what the hell do I know? Maybe that old balls line will wreak havok out there like it's 2006.

Go Oil!

not only is it safe but it is predictable and easy.

so he'd rather take a put the center (Gagner) on the wing, who clearly has been struggling. let's keep juggling him around. good coaching. two of these lines make no sense to me.

do we not want MPS, and Gagner to succeed?

Re: Hemsky being "injury prone". Boy, am I ever tired of hearing that. In reality Hemsky is "prone to being crosschecked and smashed into the boards" because other teams have been able to do this without any significant pushback from the Oilers. He is an elite player who has the guts to go to the tough areas and constantly pays the price because, for to long, the team hasn't been able to protect its skilled players. We've already seen teams targeting RNH. Hopefully, with Hordichuk, Eager, Sutton and Peckham here this year the situation will improve. On the same note, Smytty got a vicious crosscheck from Giordano with a few seconds left in the Calgary game. No-one responded. I hope someone discusses the matter with Giordano the next times these teams meet, or the Oilers send a message that they will return the favour if Calgary continues this way.

That NSOGDP made me laugh.

However, I'm guessing given the ole' Oiler luck, if Hemsky gets injured again it will be along the lines of Whitney's injury, i.e., not a re-injury but a brand new one, caused inexplicably and not in the course of a successful play, maybe not even on the ice... I call sprained ankle ghost riding the whip after the game in the Bell Centre parking lot. He's out 5-6 games.

Rock, rock, rock...trusty ol' rock!

The top two lines should have stayed the same. Put Hemmer on the third line with Belanger and PRV!!! Gagner is a worse winger then center, either play him as a fourth line center or trade him ( thou Lander is a better fit). His value is decreasing while he plays wing. I understand Gagner isn't the typical fourth line center but really he doesn't outplay the other three.