GDB 69.0: ROCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE

One of these games, all of the frustration from this season is going to be released in one fell swoop. It’ll be 9-0 or 0-9, but the build of frustration has been non-stop and the pressure is still there. Stand back, when this thing blows up it’s going to be spectacular. 

The great thing about sports is that fans and men in suits on the sidelines can be involved, too. Oiler coaches, management and fans haven’t had a chance (not really) to absolutely blow our collective stacks. I mean just let it loose, primal and real. The kind of moment that leaves you checking your body parts after the fact just to make sure everything works. Moments like, well, the soccer guy above.

I miss the old Nail. Nail Yakupov the mannish boy, the kid who Ralph let loose. I know everyone has to grow up (I learned from Puff the Magic Dragon, the kids song) and put away the toys, but for everyone’s mental health it’s a great idea to rip this joint in Carolina today.

Dallas Eakins can’t coach the power play. I’m not suggesting I know more than he does, only that the results suggest this year’s Oildrop are hellawful at the discipline. Sooooo, let’s change things up! First, let’s compare Ralph’s PP to Dallas’ version this year:

So, our concerns are valid, this PP isn’t working. Suggestion: why not go back and look at last year’s video? Surely the Oilers still have that video, and if not nhl.com saves all the goals. Seems to me the personnel should be basically the same (we’re down one Smid, but that’s not a bother) and if Edmonton shows a different look this afternoon maybe they’ll score a road PP goal.

Just a thought.

I know this won’t be popular, but I’d like to bring back the swarm. Early in the season, Edmonton’s swarm resulted in the club outshooting the opposition in several games. The goaltending was horrible, so the swarm was abandoned in favor of “the swim” which I think is coachspeak for “no-man’s land” but am uncertain.

Bring back the swarm! Seriously. Let’s institute any plan that gets the Oilers back to outshooting the other guy in most games. They had it, they lost it. They can get it back!

The Oilers haven’t called anyone up, but Fraser and Joensuu are hurt. Soooo, a guess:

Hall-Gagner-Perron
Yakupov-RNH-Eberle
Lander-Gordon-Hendricks
Gazdic-Smyth-Jones

Marincin-Petry
Fraser-J.Schultz
Klefbom-Ference

Scrivens

GAME DAY PREDICTION: Oilers win 9-0, hat-tricks from Hall, Yakupov and Klefbom! All on the PP!!! Scrivens stop 11 shots, the swarm swarms and the bench sings Black Keys songs!

OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Martin Marincin will defy his years and experience. 

NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: The Edmonton Oilers will outshoot their opponent. Thousands will be speechless.