MONDAY MAILBAG – NOVEMBER 10th

There’s nothing more satisfying that getting to work and killing the first hour of the day.  If we can do something to help get you through another Monday without punching someone, it’s our civic duty to do so. With that, I present to you another edition of the Mailbag. If you have a question you would like to ask, you can email me at baggedmilk@oilersnation.com or hit me up on Twitter at @jsbmbaggedmilk.

Put your feet up and enjoy – we’re all in this together. 

The referees see it in real time, in a split second. They don’t have the luxury of seeing it in super slow motion or from the perfect angle. Player safety makes the decisions on suspensions.

I believe there are game reports and likely input as required. As for the on-ice officials seeing it in a different light, the game is so fast it’s impossible to process all of it. 

You know, I honestly have no idea if they do or not, but you would think that they should. Though the league does have 1000 different camera angles to look at when the discipline czars are getting together to dole out punishment, and I’m sure it’s not super hard for them to figure out what the ref was probably thinking, but five minute phone call wouldn’t hurt either. 

And at the same time that’s pretty much the entire reason they have this discipline panel. Things happen on the ice at a million miles an hour so, as we’ve seen many times before, the refs are going to miss a few things, or interpret things differently. And I do think it’s a good thing that the refs aren’t the ones handing out suspensions themselves. It’s probably hard enough out there for a ref when he makes a call that a player thinks was wrong (every single penalty in history), I can’t imagine what it would be like if Tim Peel had to deal with Steve Ott after handing him a 6 game suspension. 

I believe the refs write up a report that goes into the decision making process.

The people on the ice are making calls at full speed with a split second to do so. Is it really surprising that an overseer, with the benefit of replay and multiple camera angles, might see any given play differently? I don’t think so. What matters most — and the NHL isn’t there yet — is that the right call is made. Doesn’t matter to me if it’s the on-ice official or an off-ice official that makes sure it is right.

Everyone has pretty much said the same thing. The refs see the game at full speed, whereas the hand slapping department gets endless replays.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the NHL asks for input on certain calls though.

Sidney Crosby would be the best, but I’m pretty sure he isn’t available. The biggest hole is a veteran 2nd line centre, but it is only a guess as to who is available. Most have NMC or teams simply won’t trade them. The Oilers have missed the playoffs for eight years, going on nine, very few players will waive their NMC to come here until the team starts winning.

I think the biggest issue now is center, and a guy like Philadelphia’s Sean Couturier would represent a perfect fit. That kind of two-way player would be a phenomenal add. 

DE-FENSE *Clap Clap* DE-FENSE *Clap Clap*. For the one billionth time the Oilers don’t have a #1 D-Man, and you could make a fairly solid argument they don’t have a real #2 at the moment either. I like Jeff Petry, A LOT, but to  my eye he, Nikitin, Schultz and Fayne would all be much better served in the 3-4 role. Having said that, if the Oilers had a Shea Weber or a PK Subban type then any one of those guys could probably be the de-facto #2 and flourish. UNFORTUNATELY those type of world-class D-men only come around once in a blue moon, and you either have to mortgage your entire future for one of those guys in a trade, or use your magic beans to draft one. I doubt either of those things are happening any time soon for the Oilers (continues to feed Darnell Nurse stem cells and HGH).

Center – Steve Rucchin. He is exactly what the Oilers need. Unfortunately he is retired.

Centre. Pick the name of the best centre in the NHL in your opinion, put him in the No. 1 hole and move RNH into the second-line role. As for descriptions and names, why wouldn’t you start by saying “elite” fill-in-position-here? If you’re going to name players the Oilers likely have no chance of acquiring, might as well aim high.

Personally, I think the Oilers could desperately use a puck moving defenceman like Scott Niedermayer (news flash, right?). Niedermayer was able to play sound defensively, and put up points from the back end. 

I’d play him over Wil Acton. I suspect you will see him up from OKC by the next homestand. Injuries are the reason he gets in the lineup, when everyone is healthy he is likely a scratch.

I think he’ll play 50-55. Gazdic could potentially step in for Hendricks if he is hurt or moves up the depth chart, or Joensuu for the same reasons. It’s also possible we see the Oilers try Gazdic on the third line, but one suspects injuries would have to take a considerable toll before that happens. 

Ideally I would prefer if Luke Gazdic played zero games. And that isn’t anything personal against Luke Gazdic. He seems like a great dude, who tries hard as he possibly can, and I do think he has made strides in rounding out what little NHL game he has. But he’s a very one dimensional player, who’s sole purpose as a “deterrent” *rolls eyes* has been all but fazed out this year. The Wagon Line has been the most consistent line so far this season, and as we saw in the Philly game the second they were broken up that 4th line suffered greatly. Do you put Gazdic on a line with, say, Arcobello and Yakupov? Pouliot and Draisaitl? There’s literally no spot for him at the moment, barring an injury to Joensuu or Hendricks, and even then Steve 

Pinozzotto would make WAY more sense as a replacement. That being said, going by Eakins track record I wouldn’t be surprised if Gazdic got 20 to 25 games this year. 

With the direction the role that Gazdic fills is going it could be a longer year for him. I hope he gets a real chance to show he has and can improve to the point of playing 8-10 mins.

“Realistically” depends on a lot of factors — Gazdic’s health, injuries with the Oilers and situations in which he might be a reasonable option and how all three intersect. Given how well the fourth line has played and with the addition, at least for now, of Iiro Pakarinen to the line-up, my best guess is he’ll play less than 20 games.

Ahhh the question to end all questions… I think that Gazfic will only play if there’s an injury, or an especially rough team coming up.  I’m thinking, something like if the Canucks play Sestito than Gazdic would dress.  The problem is that there’s no one to sit for him.  The wagon line’s been amazing, and when Taylor Hall comes back from injury, I think it will be hard for Luke to crack the nightly roster.

No rule that I’ve heard of. Most of those NFL players who do that are playing outside in very hot temperatures, NHL rinks aren’t that hot. I’m guessing no NHL player has wanted to be the first to use one.

Absolutely no idea. Suspect players would probably head to the dressing room if they were in that kind of situation. 

I think NHL players should be allowed to wear Bane-esque face masks the entire time. They look SUPER BAD-ASS and it would help keep their lungs powered up! 

Yes there is a rule….it is called pride.

I’m not a aware of a rule that disallows oxygen on the benches, but I’m not sure it’s manageable. Changing on the fly and lack of space on the bench is a completely different situation than football, where players have more room to relax and where the offensive, defensive and special teams each take different turns on the playing field.

My grandma stayed at our place and she used to have an oxygen tank.  One time, we were watching TV and I asked her about it.  Rather than explain to me what the oxygen tank was, she strapped that thing on me.  Let me tell you something: that’s some good breathing! If I could have an oxygen tank on right now, I would. Typing is hard, and breathing euphoric, 100% oxygen is a party that I want to be involved in. Forget the players, Rexall should be hanging out mini oxygen tanks to all the Tier 1 fans that show up.

Lauren Scott scored it shorthanded in OT against Lacombe when I was playing Midget hockey and it sent us to provincial finals. I won the draw back to the point, Jamie Goodrigde took a point shot and Scott banged home the rebound. We were 16 and it was a wonderful time. Regardless of what level of hockey you played at the biggest goal has to come from the team you played for, because you got to experience it first hand. That is still more enjoyable than watching your favourite NHL team score a goal, in my opinion.

Bobby Orr’s 1970 OT goal. I never saw it, but heard it on radio. The Bruins had been horrible forever, and Orr changed it all. I’d also include Messier’s brilliant goal against the Islanders 1984, Anderson’s dart in 1987 G7 SCF, Gretzky’s impossible shot over Vernon’s shoulder and the Pisani SH goal 2006.

I still get goosebumps every time I watch the Hemsky goal from round 1 in ’06. I screamed SO LOUDLY when this happened that my roommate at the time rushed into my room cause he thought I had dropped a bookshelf on myself.  Now if you’ll excuse me I have to go cry in the shower.

Gretzky’s 50 in 39. We will never see that goal scoring pace again.

Greatest as in most spectacular or most important? Most spectacular is Pavel Bure’s skate to stick goal. against Boston. Most memorable goal for me was Bobby Orr’s Cup winning goal vs St. Louis in 1970.

It had to be Pisani in Game 5 against Carolina in OT. I was at a bar in St. Albert during that game, and when he scored the place erupted.  One of my friends literally threw a half-full pitcher of beer in the air while we all started hugging.  One of the greatest goals I’ve ever seen. There was something in the air that night.