PLAYING CATCH-UP: THREE WEEKS UNPLUGGED
Robin Brownlee
June 14 2011 05:33PM
After almost 30 years of making a living with a keyboard, it's amazing how just three weeks away from it has rendered me almost completely unable to type a sentence.
That first world-beating paragraph, for example, took almost 10 minutes to complete, meaning I've got some serious catching up to do and a lot of rust to knock off the old peck-and-search technique before jumping a jet to the NHL Entry Draft in Minneapolis next week.
From what I've been able to make out in the wake of a 20-hour travel day from Manila to Edmonton after spending 22 days completely out of the hockey loop in the Philippines -- I had not read even a single word about hockey until this morning -- the NHL has ticked along quite nicely without me. And me without it.
So, the NHL is back in Winnipeg, Terry Jones has been inducted into the writers' wing of the Hockey Hall of Fame and hockey fans in Vancouver are still waiting to celebrate something for the first time since their team was called the Millionaires. Does that about cover it?
While I'll be attempting to get back up to speed before I hit the air on the Jason Gregor Show tomorrow -- no smart-ass, I'm not secretly cheering for the Canucks, as Gregor suggested today -- I'm going to have to ease my way into things.
So, if you're looking for some insight into what Steve Tambellini and Stu MacGregor have cooking going into the draft and a statistical analysis of which free agents the Oilers should be targeting and why, you'll have to look elsewhere for a day or two on the former and a forever on the latter.
WHAT I MISSED
I knew I was back in Canada when I arrived at Vancouver International Airport yesterday and saw all the long faces in a bar adjacent to the gate where I was catching my connecting flight to Edmonton.
A sour bunch they were. I didn't much care, though, after taking 12 hours just to get to the Left Coast from Manila and then finding out a three-hour lay-over for a 7 p.m. flight had become a five-hour lay-over and a 9 p.m. flight because of fracking job action by Air Canada employees.
-- NHL Back In The 'Peg: This is a good thing. Despite all the challenges facing Winnipeg in getting back into the NHL fold, my bottom line is I'd rather have a franchise in a city where the game matters to the people who live there than in bigger market where people don't give a damn.
-- Large To The Hall: Congratulations to Jonesy on getting the nod as an Elmer Ferguson Award recipient. Say what you want about TJ, people read him and he's been at or near the top of the writing game for a long, long time. Who, Jim Matheson aside, has written better or longer about the Oilers than Jonesy? Nobody, that's who.
-- Canucks A Win Away: Then again, so are the Bruins. Contrary to what Gregor might say and despite growing up in Vancouver, I'd be fine seeing the Bruins hoist The Mug tomorrow. It would be a nice exclamation mark on the career of Mark Recchi, one of the good guys in the game.
-- Doug Weight Retires: Former Oiler captain not only talked the talk about enjoying his years in Edmonton, he walked the walk. In all his NHL stops, Weight never had anything but good things to say about this town. A great career. Class act.
-- New Deal for MacGregor: Good to see the Oilers reward MacGregor for a job well done with a contract extension. I had this item before I jumped a jet for Manila, but MacGregor asked me to sit on it -- I'm not sure why, but it doesn't matter -- and let the team announce it.
WHAT YOU MISSED
-- Oilersnation Invades Guimba: I'm happy to say my brother-in-law Arman is now proudly wearing Oilers colours. I'm also pretty confident he is the only person in the province of Nueva Ecija in possession of Oilersnation stickers. I didn't see one NHL logo in Guimba, or Manila for that matter, the entire time I was in the Philippines.
-- That Was Close: I was walking along the highway in Guimba when a transport truck lost a set of its rear wheels -- as in they fell off at about 80 km-h. As the truck went skidding by me on the left, throwing a shower of sparks from the axle gouging a rut in the pavement, about 200 pounds of dual wheel rims and rubber zipped by me on the right. They missed me by about three feet before tearing a hole in a chain link fence. The driver looked a lot like Wanye.
-- Reality Check: A stomach virus and a fever of 38.8 landed Sam in a hospital ward in Guimba. For all the issues we have with health care here, and they are many, we are very, very lucky in terms of the professionals and facilities, waiting lists and all, we enjoy in this part of the world.
-- No Bull: While traffic looks like absolute chaos in places like Manila, it's really nuts in outlying areas like Guimba. Even with that, I didn't once see anybody flip the bird or run their mouth at another driver there. Likewise, I did not see single a set of rubber bull testicles hanging from the rear bumper of a pick-up truck. Coincidence? I think not.
-- Just Saying: Might the Oilers look at trading the 19th pick in the first round this year and their first pick in 2012, which figures to be anything from a fifth to a 10th pick, to get a second top-five pick in Minny? More on that to come.
Listen to Robin Brownlee Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the Jason Gregor Show on TEAM 1260.
We should send Tomas Vokoun a thank you card then. He did us a great service not bumping us out of deadlast by letting that save % dip to where Dubnyks was then eh?
You are right though, Doobeys number would've been closer to that .930 had he played on a better hockey club. Not sure why the Flyers aren't taking a run at Vokoun. He's the better and cheaper goaltender between him and Bryzgalov as far as i'm concerned. The Flyers may have been using this Bryzgalov deal/window just to rid themselves of a body or two.
This is it exactly. I cannot understand anybody defending his last season.
@Quicksilver ballet
"Not sure why the Flyers aren't taking a run at Vokoun. He's the better goaltender between him and Bryzgalov as far as i'm concerned."
^^^^^^ This I completely agree with.
Even if we had first overall next year with a "deep" draft in defensemen AND we are targeting a defenseman, wouldn't Larssen be a better choice anyway?
Sidenote: Get back in the first round next year with a Hemsky trade.
Gagner is a support player, we can all agree on that, lets not argue any further about that. Khabibulins play is just a reflection of the team in front of him. Success breeds success, in Edmontons case, the lack of it has bread widespread fail. Statistics are for losers and there are plenty of numbers to be re hashed in this anual witch hunt in Edmonton. Either players can play at an elite level, or they can't, it's as simple as that. If you're looking to pin the tail on the donkey, place it squarely on Tambellini, he's sat by and watch this all get flushed down the toilet. We have only 2 or 3 players in which to build with, lets not blame Nikolai.
"Q" is right on this one! The team playing in front has a little to do with the end of season numbers for a goalie... Something could be said for the effect Habby has on Dubnyk! Dubie has said many times that they have a great relationship and having Nick there certainly has helped his development! The Oilers are not going to make changes to the Goalie system here until they have a better read on Dubnyk, which means more games next year. Yes they need another goalie in the system to be able to step in NHL wise and perhaps Fasth might be the guy but if you are expecting wholesale changes in net this season you are fooling yourself!
Arch, I understand where you are coming from but Florida's defense as bad as it may have been was better than the Oilers D...Plain and simple.
It's considerably more difficult to get into the writing wing of the HHOF than it is to sign up here and make arsehole remarks that reek of envy and insult people who are the best at what they do.
Fill all of us in on your career accomplishments, Mike. Do tell.
Well, that's a far cry from what you seem to be insinuating. Now we are talking about role players and bit pieces? Ya, I would hope to see some activity on that front, but if we are trading away our first next year we better be doing a helluva lot more than that.
Where does the thought process that we are going to be drafting 8-10 next year come from? That's a hot one. Are RNH and presumably Larsson going to get us there? That's more than a little optimistic.
Could there be improvements from the current roster? Sure. Enough to make up for approx thirty goals from Penner? Doubtful. Not to mention there could be setbacks from the current roster as well.
So which is it? Role players or difference makers? You are being ambiguous here. Pick one, or both if you prefer, but dont twaddle back and forth between one and the other please.
Or it could lead one to think you may be flying by the seat of your pants.
@Tapdog
Better by how much? They were the 3rd worst team in the league. Their defense wasnt vastly better than ours. We arent talking about the Predators. We're talking about the perenially bad Panthers.
Even accounting for a slightly better defense, it does not explain the difference between a .890 and a .922 SV%. It is only explained if we agree that 1 goalie is bad and 1 goalie is good.
Next years projected #1 is Nail Yakupov who scored 101 points as a rookie this year and should easily beat that next year. If there's a chance we end up with him I dont bet that draft pick.
As much as I like Larsson look at the teams in the Stanley cup final, how many d-men drafted in the top 10 do you see? I'm willing to trade or sign guys as free agents to fill out the blueline.
For a well known reason Foster was extended the professional courtesy of being off limits as far as the medias pens were concerned. If there was ever a parallel on this team to be made, it was the on ice contribution between Foster AND Khabibulin. Hockey is nothing more than a business with little room for compassion. Why should Foster receive more than his share and Khabibulin take the fall for this debacle. Like it or not, Foster was Epic Fail last season as well. Is this anything other than truthful? Lets run them both outta town despite them both having legitimate excuses, shall we.
@VMR
If not Larsson then would you consider trading 2012's 1st for Couturier?
I agree with you thoughts about Larsson. He would be a top pick next year as well, so if you can get two this year all the better. The team to target is Florida. If a package could be built for Tallon to get something now and later, is it possible to get Gudbranson in the deal? Omark, Plante, Blain or Martindale, 31st pick 2011, 1st rounder 2012 for #3 overall 2011 and Gudbranson
So.... If you could get Gudbranson, do you still take Larsson? Or go with another forward??? With all the prospects coming the Oilers could get back into the first round next year if they wanted too.
@Quicksilver ballet
What was Khabibulin's excuse again?
A Bad team is not an excuse QSB. Dubnyk played for the same bad team and was miles ahead of NK.
Was it that his mind was still in Arizona scheming ways to cheat Justice? Not a very good excuse. I know my boss wouldnt accept that one.
I want to know what excuse Khabibulin had that remotely compares to the death of a child.
Not a chance. I saw the scouting report at copper and blue. Lots of scouts compare Couturier to Prospal, I dont give up a high 1st round pick for Vinny Prospal. Sure the guy they talked to compared him to Toews and Koivu but with the way he's dropped this season I'm worried that all those other scouts are right. Even if he reaches his top end and does become Toews-like Yakupov could end up much better.
Ok I get your one year demo! lets look career wise! Stats will be Habby then Vokoun
Age: 38,34 GP: 743,632 Wins:316,262 Losses: 308,267 Shut outs: 43,44 Career save %: .907, .917 Career ave: 2.72, 2.56
Playoffs GP: 72,11 Wins:39,3 Losses: 31,8 Shut outs: 6,1 Playoff save %: .917,.922 Playoff ave: 2.4, 2.47
Looks a little different now. Sure Habby could be playing better but is Vokoun that much a better goalie??? At least Habby has proven with past history that he can get a team to the dance and win! I think that "Q" is right in saying Habby will bounce back this year.
@I am the Liquor
First, don't tell me what to do, whether it's "pick one" or anything else. Got it?
Second, I'm suggesting nothing more than that the Oilers think enough of Larsson that they will consider trying to acquire a second pick in the top five to get him. I'm saying a 19th pick this year and their first pick in 2012 is a price they will consider paying because they believe they will improve enough next season that they won't be a lottery team.
I'm not sitting at home dreaming up scenarios here, and anybody who has paid even a little attention to this site since I've joined it knows that, even if I can't or don't attribute a certain line of thinking to a member of the front office. So, save the "flying by the seat of your pants" remarks.
@Tapdog
Ken Dryden proved he could take a team to the dance and win. No one is suggesting that we sign Ken Dryden.
Players eventually cant play the way they used to when they were in their late 20's.
If this were a "who was better in their Prime?" question then there might be merit, but it isnt. We are talking about the here and now.
Wins and Losses are much more of a reflection of team success and more so for playoff W&Ls. I think the Career Sv% and GAA are more telling of their performance as goaltenders. IMO.
Nice of you to ask. Worked to put myself through 7 years of uni and going into my final year of law school. Got some promising articling interviews too!
I guess I'm just not a TJ fan and it seems like a recognition of quantity rather than quality of work, but hey, I'm nowhere near qualified to make the call on who does or doesn't go into the HHOF.
Sorry to initiate a pointless argument on your welcome back thread. My d*ckish remarks are cheerfully withdrawn.
Oh cripes and I double posted it. Sorry. Please delete
Jeebus
The dreaded triple post! *cackle* *shakes his fist at the sky then quickly scurries back to his cave*
I feel for Foster as well, but I'm talking about his on ice play only.
If you read back to the last thread I said I wanted to move Foster and upgrade him as well.
That's me being consistant, move players that are barely NHL'ers (or easily upgradable) ... Foster/Fraser/Bulin/Strudwick for example
and that's you being a hypocrite, wanting to run one bad player out of town but falling on the sword for the other.
Oh and Bulin has no excuse, he was one of the worst players on the worst team
Mike Krushelnyski wrote
"Sooo...success rate for getting into the HHOF as a writer is about the same as that for applying for a Discover card?"
Going out on limb that getting into HHOF as a writer is a lot harder than getting into law school
Yes, looking career wise Vokoun still comes out miles ahead.
the difference between a .917SV% and a .907SV% is the difference between a top 10ish goalie and a top 40ish goalie.
ie from high end starter to high end back-up.
It is accurate to say both player sucked, not just Khabibulin.
Statistics are for losers. If Vancover wins tonights game 1-0, Vancouver will have been outscored by more than a 2-1 margin. 19 goals for Boston and 8 for Vancouver. The goals for and against don't tell the real story. Numbers are just numbers and jibberish for conversation sake. Don't pay any attention to then Obbie, just watch what happens and make your own decision.
I know what your record is for breaking stories, and it is pretty good. Im not suggesting otherwise. Im noting that your message seems ambiguous and Im asking for clarification. But instead I get the playground attitude.
Carry on.
Mike Krushelnyski says...
" hey, I'm nowhere near qualified "
My eyes told me Bulin was horrible too.
If I'm willing to lose next years #1 pick I'd much rather put out an offer sheet on Shea Weber. Make it a crazy 14 year deal with a big early pay out for several years and low returns at the end to bring the cap hit down. Adding him to the lineup will have a much quicker impact on our place in the standings than Larsson.
@Quicksilver ballet
Hilarious. I hope you see the problem with this statement. Clearly we cannot all agree on that.
I'm not sure when anybody has denied this. The point isn't that Khabibulin is responsible for everything wrong with the Oilers. The point is that Khabibulin has been a terrible goaltender. We aren't blaming him for last place...we are blaming him for his awful play.
You have never once in all the time you've defended him provided anything approaching an explanation for why Dubnyk wa so much better in front of the same team or why legions of other goalies have also played better under very poor teams.
Your eyes did not lie.
Nah!
You guys are just flat out wrong. As hockey fans, you've been living on your knees for too many years, you don't even know which way is up anymore.
Finally. The return of Brownlee. articles based on more then random statistics are back. You couldn't have returned sooner
I don't see any point to getting rid of Khabibulin at this point, it's not like the Oilers have any need to dump salary for next season and it's not he's going to get the Oilers anything of real value back in return. I'm a Dubnyk fan too but why rush him or overload him with games and unrealistic expectations next year? If he comes out and earns the starting job away from Khabibulin like Crawford did over Turco last season then great but if not I'm sure Oilers management would rather have a vet like Khabbi getting ripped to pieces by fans and the media instead of a still relatively unproven Dubnyk, who the Oilers have invested 5+ years of development into now and the organization still probably sees as their goalie of the future, but not necessarily the present.
I see it now...everyone is wrong but you.
Glad we're finally seeing eye to eye on something TUG.
Contrary to the masses here, we're not 3 or 4 players away from being a dynasty again. We have 2 maybe 3 decent players going forward. Khabibulin will get his when his contract expires in two yrs. I still don't see an adaquate replacement in the system. We can hope Dubnyk developes into one but i have him pegged as a career backup, nothing more.
This was an odd direction to take.
Whatdoes Khabibulin's 2010-2011 season have to do with how many players we are away from contending? This is why it is sometimes hard to have a discussion with you, you go off on the strangest tangents.
As has been repeatedly pointed out to you, Dubnyk outplayed Khabibulin with the same sad sack Oilers playing in front of him. I would guess that there are 15-20 goalies available who could put up better numbers than Khabibulin did this past year.
@TigerUnderGlass
I as well, fail to see why you can't see that it's all connected. It doesn't matter that Dubnyk had marginally better numbers that Nikolai did in front of the same hockey club, they were all nothing games, hockey that didn't matter. We collectively got beat 10-1 last season, throw the tape out and start from scratch this coming season.
I've repeatedly pointed out, you can't measure anything accurately under these trying circumstances. There are not 15-20 goalies available in this league that would've put up noticeably better numbers behing this hockey team. It's all connected and changes on a weekly basis.
@Quicksilver ballet
It has already been pointed out that Dubnyk's games were not against weaker teams. They were not nothing games.
He also did not perform marginally better. He performed significantly better: .890 vs .916 is a massive difference in goaltending numbers.
And as a matter of fact you CAN measure things under these circumstances. Its called save percentage and goals against average. Denying simple and undisputable facts does not mean they arent true. NK was terrible last season and he has been subpar for years. Other goalies can do a better job, we watched one do it last year in Dubnyk.
Give it up. He was bad. That isnt a matter of Opinion. Its a matter of Public Record.
The public record thing is a bunch of crap Archie. If you ask his 25 teamates you'll get the same answer from every single one of them. The same guys he goes to war with every evening will say the same thing...... "We" (his teamates) let Khabby and Dubey down this year, we weren't alot of help to them. You won't find one player who says #35 sucked last yr, i'll take their word for it Archie, thanks.
Thanks for tolerating and trying to make sense of my jibberish Archie.....hopefully i'm improving.
@Quicksilver ballet
What are his team mates supposed to say in that situation? Of course no one will call him out. Jeezus.
Nobody would know him better than his teamates, their word would carry much more weight than ours.....correct?
Maybe we should all respect their words of encouragement like we do on virtually all other fronts.
Nobody would know better that NK was terrible last year? We dont need to hear from the other players to confirm something so obvious.
I'm not going to need to hear Chara tell me that Thomas was good in order to know its true.
@Archaeologuy
Lets just say, he's not as bad as most of you guys think, and not as good as i think then. Okay with you?
@Quicksilver ballet
Thats possible
@Quicksilver ballet
No. He's that bad.