Head Office Shuffling: Why?

"I plan to leave the management of the team and its public communications to the management."
-Darryl Katz, after finalizing his takeover of the Edmonton Oilers
"He wanted to allow us the management to strenghten our management group"
-Kevin Lowe

Heading into this off-season, new Oilers owner Darryl Katz seemed to project an "hands-off" mentality when addressing how he would be involved in the daily running of things as the Oilers GM. But this move has all the makings of a Katzian decision.

I think we were all under the impression that things were going to be the same regardless of the ownership change. Lowe would continue to be the GM, and be the big player in the head office in terms of dealing with other teams, agents, and the running of the team.

But I think Katz noticed that some things needed to change over his first month as GM. Lowe is one of the most brilliant hockey minds in the game, someone more than capable of running a team. But his passion for the well-being of this organization has caused some tumultuous situations, and he is disliked by many prominent members of the hockey community (Burke, Winters, Regier). On top of that, the image of Edmonton had taken a considerable toll under Lowe's tenure as GM. That's not necessarily Lowe's fault, but people around the league are quick to associate his face with the city's poor image. Losing out on both Hossa and Jagr must have been disheartening for Katz, who usually is able to do what he wants in the business world. The idea of bringing a fresh, positive face to the front office would help in his goal of essentially turning this franchise, this city, and its image around in the future.

He looked around the league, and saw what was bringing teams success. The Detroit Red Wings, the top franchise in the NHL for the past decade, have always been known for their strong scouting staff. But on top of that, they have an exceptional management group aiding GM Ken Holland with running the club (Jim Devallano, Scotty Bowman, Steve Yzerman, and Jim Nill). Katz has been used to having a management group coordinate his business affairs (including with the Rexall Group), and it was only natural for him to take to this idea of accumulating a group of experienced, reknowned hockey minds in order to strengthen the overall management of the team. Investing money in brining in quality talent at the highest levels of a team's operations seems like a sensible way of improving the on-ice product.

With all this on his mind, Katz approached Lowe about the possibility of shifting things around. He respects Lowe and what his knowledge brings to this organization, but he was simply not ideal to have around as the guy to handle the day-to-day business interactions and dealings with other GM's. It would be better to have someone more amiable handle these responsibilities. He offered him the President of Hockey Operations position, basically giving him control of the entire hockey aspect of the Oilers franchise. I know it sounds like a figurehead kind of role, but it still gave Lowe control of the team's future, one he would implement using a management group of his choosing.

That being said, Katz wanted someone who would think on the same level of Lowe, sharing his view for the direction of the team. I think this is where he backed off and asked Lowe who HE would consider for the spot. Naturally, Lowe chose Tambellini, a guy he's worked with in the past as part of the Hockey Canada management group, and someone who shared his view and idea of how to run a hockey team. You can see him saying the same things Lowe has been.

"this is going to be a puck-possession team"
"we're going to be quick, skilled, and play with an edge"

Tambellini brings a fresh face to represent the club in its daily running, someone to deal with the agents, the GM's, and the media that have caused Lowe to lose 70% of his once luscious hair. But he also carries much respect and reputation in the league, and is someone Katz can trust the same way he trusts Kevin Lowe.

Major Changes in Upper Management

What a way to create a stir in one of the more boring weeks this off-season. The Edmonton Oilers today announced a trio of changes in the head office. Kevin Lowe, formerly the General Manager, is now President of Hockey Operations. Steve Tambellini, former assistant GM of the Vancouver Canucks, has been hired on by Lowe to be his successor (his first move as PoHO), while former Vice-President of Hockey Operations Kevin Prendergast has been shifted to the assistant GM spot alongside Rick Olczyk.

Surprise move, but if the Oilers were going to bring any outsider in for this spot, Tambellini was my first pick. He's worked with Lowe before on the 2002 and 2006 Olympic squads, and has plenty of experience with McTavish and other Oilers players when he was part of Hockey Canada's success at the World Hockey Championships from 2003-2004.

There's a lot to talk about this deal, including the motives, the new power breakdown, and what to expect looking forward. More to come on each of these topics in the days to follow.

How Howson Turned around a Trainwreck

The Columbus Blue Jackets remain the only franchise in the NHL right now that hasn't had a post-season birth. But with a slew of off-season changes and upgrades, we've seen them become legitimate playoff contenders here in the West. Credit has to go to former Oilers assistant GM Scott Howson, who was able to transform himself from a capologist to a legitimate hockey mind during his tenure here.

Entering the 2007 off-season, Howson had a disaster on his hands. The Blue Jackets were not only basement-dwellers, they were stagnating as a team in terms of player development and overall outlook. Former GM Doug McLean had failed to fulfill any of the pre-expansion promise he had shown before the team had materialized, and after 7 years of failure, it was time for a change.

Although the Jackets didn't improve at all last year, Howson and Co. were able to make some changes that not only opened up tons of cap space for the team, but improved their outlook heading into this offseason. Here are a few of the moves:

2007-2008
1) Signed Jan Hejda to a 1-year deal, before extending him for 3 more
-Hejda is arguably one of the NHL's best defensive defenseman, and will be a rock for years to come on the CBJ blue-line
2) Signed Jiri Novotny to a 2-year deal, and Chimera to a 4-year extension
-Novotny emerged as a solid 4th-line player for the Jackets last season, and put up 22 pts. One of the league's most underrated 3rd liners, Chimera is a solid 2-way presence
3) Dealt both Adam Foote and Sergei Fedorov at the deadline for a 1st and 2nd pick, respectively
-Major salary unload, while opening up roster space for next year, and grabbing solid picks to build up the prospects.

With some key components re-signed, and plenty of cap room freed up, Howson made his moves in the 2008 offseason:

2008 offseason
4) Signed Mike Commodore to a 5-year contract
-Commodore struggled to find his niche with Philips and Volchenkov already occupying it with the Senators, but should be a dominant force along with Hejda over this contract term at shutting down the opposition
5) Signed Kristian Huselius to a 4-year contract
-This granted Rick Nash his set-up man, and really helps boost the lacklustre offensive attack the BJ's had.
6) Traded Nikolai Zherdev for Christian Backman and Fedor Tyutin
-With Huselius signed, Howson moved Zherdev for 2 above-average defenders. Backman will help boost the break-out, while Tyutin's solid 2-way play adds to the top-4 in Columbus. This more than makes up for the loss of Ron Hainsey, who signed an inflated contract with the Thrashers
7) Traded for the rights to R.J Umberger, and signed him to a 4-year contract.
-This move gives them depth down the middle, and Umberger, with his untapped offensive potential, should have legitimate chances to shine alongside Nash and/or Huselius
8) Signed Mike Peca and Mike York to cheap, cheap deals
-These two players, although their careers are taking dives, will provide great leadership, depth, and some solid bottom-6 play when the BJ's need it.
9) Traded Gilbert Brule to the Oilers for Raffi Torres.
-They got rid of essentially a dead-end prospect in Brule for a proven 20-goal scorer in Raffi Torres. Both of these guys needed a change of scenery. Torres will get plenty of chance to shine in the top-6, and should return to 20+ form.
10) Re-signed Pascal Leclaire to a 3-year contract
-The guy emerged as a legitimate starter with the BJ's last season. He's young, he's fresh, and Howson got the deal done before his value skyrocketed.

With these 10 moves, Howson has created a legit playoff team here. Not only are a lot of these guys underrated (Hejda for example), but they have great coach in Hitchcock to help them further improve.

Nash Umberger Huselius
Torres Malhotra Voracek
Chimera Peca Novotny
Brassard Murray Filatov
Svitov
York

Hejda Commodore
Klesla Tyutin
Backman Russell
Tollefsson

Leclaire
Norrena

How about that, that gives the Blue Jackets plenty of room to work with their young players, while they have solid guys like Huselius and Commodore around to lead them. This team is going to grow, and if not this year, will be serious contenders in the years to come with the prospects they're accumulating and with the great leadership of Scotty Howson.

How far can Brodziak go?

Kyle Brodziak is one of the more interesting Oilers youngsters. The guy was drafted to be a 2-way presence and solid bottom-6 player, and after a few years of tumultuous development, we're seeing him blossom into a great NHL player. The knocks on him after being drafted were his speed and offensive skill, but he was able to overcome and both and make the NHL last season. It's hard to project just how far a kid like him can go.

Although it took Brodziak longer to become a player, he was able to grab the bull by the horns at age 23 and put up 80-14-17-31 playing on the 4th line all year.

Not only did he put up solid numbers in those limited minutes, we saw flashes of some of his undeveloped skills. Brodziak was a solid passer, solid shutdown presence on the PK and ES, a strong presence along the boards, and had a great shot. Remind you of anyone?

Shawn Horcoff broke into the league at age 23 and had 61-8-14-22 playing 4th line minutes with Laraque (Stortini) and Moreau (Glencross). Pro-rated to 80 games, he would have had slightly lower numbers than Brodziak in terms of points.

Brodziak's defensive game is even more advanced compared to Horcoff's at the same age, while Horcoff's speed back then was better than Brodziak's now. But with Brodziak working hard on his deficiencies, I really think he can eventually fulfill the same potential Horcoff did here.

Now, Horcoff was upgraded to that 2nd/3rd line role in his next full season, and put up a solid
78-12-21-33. This is essentially what Brodziak did last season, only he was younger and had less minutes.

If Brodziak can mirror or improve upon his stats from last year, while also maintaining the quality defensive play that he showed, he may be worth keeping for a very long time.

The Oilers PK, Part 2: Defensemen

Many held their breaths when the Oilers came into the 07-08 campaign. Although they had struggled the year before, they had still managed to be among the top-5 PK teams in the league, thanks to the likes of Jason Smith and Jan Hejda. With only Staios and Greene left as defensive stalworths, the Oilers were left to fend on the PK with a bunch of offensive-minded defensemen. Once again, a few surprises when we look at the GA/60min:

Souray: 3.68 (3.77 mpg)
Pitkanen: 3.94 (1.93 mpg)
Staios: 4.15 (3.71 mpg)
Gilbert: 4.88 (2.40 mpg)
Smid: 6.03 (2.30 mpg)
Greene: 7.20 (2.54 mpg)
Grebeshkov: 8.96 (1.13 mpg)

Now, with all the injuries, even guys like Grebs were getting some minutes on the PK.

Anyone surprised with Souray? Who knew the guy we were labeling as a defensive failure is our best PK, playing the most minutes? His big body presence was a much-needed relief. He effectively cleared the front of the net, and was able to smartly move the puck out when there was too much pressure. Hopefully he stays healthy so that great play continues alongside Staios.

Pitkanen's defense also took a beating while he was here. But the guy could flat-out play. Although you wouldn't see him being physical, he was effective in another way. Teams couldn't dump-and-chase with him on the ice, cause he'd beat them to the puck and clear it out. He was also effective at burning SH time by skating the puck out or feeding it up to the forwards. It proves you don't have to be a Gator in order to have success on the PK.

Staios was clutch, and is going to be expected to carry the same load again this year. Gilbert's numbers were even better earlier on in the year, and faded near the end. He may see more minutes with Greene's departure, alongside either Smid or Visnovsky.

Smid and Greene received too much credit as a pairing last year. They played soft minutes, and were terrible on the PK. Who would have thought the "shutdown defenseman" Greene was going to be one of the worst defenders we had on the PK. Both these guys had questionable decision-making and positioning throughout the season. Good riddance with Greene and hopefully Laddy learns how to play.

Grebeshkov is the last guy you'd expect to play PK, and his numbers reflect it. He's not here to play those SH-minutes though, and we all know that. His role is strictly PP/ES.

Oh yeah, and here's why Visnovsky's shouldn't see PK time:

Visnovsky: 6.43 (1.37 mpg)

It's kind of cool how these numbers kind of match up with one of my predictions in an earlier post (I swear I never consulted them before this):
Oilers PK Minutes Predictions

If Souray doesn't stay healthy, the Oilers PK is going to be even worse than last year. Otherwise it could be slightly better then last year.

The Oilers PK, Part 1: Forwards

Going over last year's stats regarding our PK, there are a few surprising stats that I found that would contradict a lot of what many Oiler fans have been discussing regarding the "defensive abilities" of our forwards:

Here top Oiler penalty killing forwards from last year, based on GA/60 min:

Reasoner: 4.49 (3.10 mpg)
Cogliano: 4.60 (0.80 mpg)
Brodziak: 4.82 (2.49 mpg)
Moreau: 5.17 (2.78 mpg)
Pisani: 5.24 (2.45 mpg)
Horcoff: 5.79 (2.54 mpg)
Stoll: 6.92 (2.67 mpg)

Keep in mind that after Horcoff got injured, Stoll and Pisani were our #1 PK unit, while Brodiak and Reasoner was the other. Moreau played a lot of 1st unit time when he was healthy alongside Horcoff

What surprises me is how much attention Jarret Stoll was getting as a defensive stalworth. He had easily the worst numbers on the team in terms of PK, and got some of the heaviest minutes; yet was the least effective. To the same effect, Reasoner was being vastly underrated for his PK presence. He was solid all year long. It's important to remember that both of these guys were both among the top minute-eating and faceoff-taking members of the team, and their departure means some others are going to step up.

Brodziak is going to be a major player on this year's PK, and I think it's imperative for him to learn to win faceoffs (he was 51.5% last season, not bad) if he's going to be relied upon during important times. He should be the 2nd option, after Horcoff, as a PK center.

If Moreau and Pisani don't stay healthy this year, we may be in the bottom-5 in penalty-killing, because I honestly don't think the kids are ready to take on that role this year.

Cogliano was a present surprise. Although he only played 0.80 mpg on the PK because of our depth, he not only had an impressive 4.60 GA/60min, he led the team on the PK with 3.68 GF/60 min as well. His speed made him such a threat that it not only deterred the other team's PP, it helped our PK create offense in the absence of the usual SH scorers like Moreau.

Can anyone say Marchant?

Here's another interesting thing:

Eric Cole: 5.40 (0.90 mpg)

Cole was getting some hype as a PK presence from posters on HF. With these numbers, I don't think we'll see him getting much chance to play the PK unless one of Moreau/Pisani go down.

Oilers sign Delauriers

The Oilers made a risky, yet necessary, move today, signing 24-year old Jeff Delauriers to a 2-year, one-way deal.

As it breaks down, it'll be $550,000 the first year and $700,000 the second. That's not too bad for a potential back-up goaltender.

I know many will ask, "why the hell did Lowe give him a one-way deal?". It's not like Deslauriers was in any position to demand one, seeing as how he's yet to play in an NHL contest. But I think this is more strategy than anything else with Lowe. Let's look into Deslaurier's past why don't we?

Deslauriers was drafted in the 2nd round, 31st overall in the 2002 NHL draft, which is hella early for someone slated to develop into a backup. After suffering through a tumultuous 2002-2003 campaign with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens (.888 S%, 3.81 GAA), Deslauriers really stepped it up in 03-04, where he led the Sagueneens to a deep playoff run after posting a 0.916 S% on the season.

Deslauriers' first taste at the pro game came in the following season, where he played the lockout year with the Edmonton Roadrunners. He wasn't too bad for a rookie, posting a 0.888 S% and 2.96 GAA on a poor, poor team. From there started the tumultuous development period for the Oilers prospects, with the Oilers losing an AHL affiliate. Deslauriers was forced to play stints with teams like the Greenville Grrrowl, Hamilton Bulldogs, Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, and last year, the Springfield Falcons.

Deslauriers suffered with the instability of the Oilers' minor league program, and his stats suffered badly until the 2007-08 campaign. By then, many were saying they'd be surprised if he even makes it as a back-up in the NHL. The guy the Oilers had been touting as a potential starter was clearly not showing it.

Things changed with the Oilers securing an affiliation with the Falcons, and with his spot in the lineup secured, Deslauriers led Springfield with his great goaltending, posting a 0.912 S% on what was one of the worst defenses in the league. He started to show signs of fulfilling the potential that got him drafted early in the 2nd round in 2002.

With that, the Oilers were faced with a dilemma. Deslauriers' contract had expired at the end of the 2007-2008 season, and was ready for an extension. However, as it was, they couldn't send him back down to the minors without having him pass through waivers. Given his recent performance, and the unpredictable nature of goaltender development, it was clear that one of the other 29 teams were going to pick him up as a backup.

Knowing this, Lowe signed Deslauriers to a one-way deal, to ward off teams that wanted to take a flyer on him, and send him down if it didn't pan out.

With Roloson wanting to start, and Garon clearly our starter, it appears that we're on the verge of a changing of the guard in the Oilers' crease. Deslauriers is going to be sticking around, and Roloson may be shipped out early in the season to a team that needs to hit the basement.

And Oiler fans, there's no need to worry. We've seen Deslauriers play at TC and in the pre-season, and he was easily able to hold his own. I've always been impressed with his play in the pre-season games, and I think he'll surprise a lot of his doubters this season.

Good signing by Lowe, assuring that there would be a "kid" movement at the goaltender front as well. This bodes well for Devyn Dubnyk, who is slated to be the starter now in Springfield. Jeff has earned it.

Reasoner signs with Atlanta

The Thrashers have kick-started their rebuild by signing one of the classiest guys in the NHL. What a great guy to have around for the kids to look up to.

Marty Reasoner was an Oiler for a greater part of the last seven years. His invisibility made him a great 4th liner, and his versatility made him someone who could fill in at any role without making glaring mistakes.

He brought comedy to the locker room, with some epic interviews with the Edmonton media. He was one of the few guys who simply LOVED the city, loved the team, and wanted to be here. I remember his teary-eyed departure during the 05-06 deadline when we traded him for Samsonov. I knew he had to come back, and I'm glad he did.

Regardless of whatever frustrations we've had with McTavish and his love-in with Reasoner, misplaying him at times when we needed someone else there, we can't help but bid the guy farewell, and wish that he can rediscover the talent and succeed in Atlanta, hopefully fulfilling whatever potential made him the 15th overall pick in the 1996 draft.

BTW: Only 18 players in that draft have scored more NHL points than Marty. So it's not such a shabby pick after all.

Horcoff Signs 6-year, $33 Million Extension

The Oilers re-signed their #1 center today, $5.5 million a year. Great move, in my opinion the best Lowe has made this off-season. Regardless of the money, he will always play a significant role on this team. With the current deal, he will be an Oiler until hes 37.

The great part is Horcoff is such a fitness freak that there is no doubt in my mind that he can be like Brind'amour, putting up high-quality points at an older age.

He's put the work in. Drafted late in the 1998 draft, he had to fight for every minute of icetime at the professional level. He moved from a 3rd line forward in Hamilton to budding young star in Edmonton to our 2-way #1 center.

I see this as a great move looking ahead. He will be our #1 center for the next couple of years, and even when Gagner is ready to take the role, Horcoff will be the minute-eating option on the second line. That's what you got to love with him. He will always contribute, regardless of what happens to his offensive game.

Ottawa media out of their minds

Here's a link to the article by Ottawa Sun reporter Don Brennan:

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Ottawa/2008/07/16/6171651-sun.html

In it, he claims that the following trade is brewing between the Kings, Hawks, and Senators:

To LA:
Andrej Meszaros
Martin Gerber

To CHI:
Anze Kopitar

To OTT:
Nikolai Khabibulin
Brent Seabrook OR Cam Barker

Pause. What?

This is more than just Ottawa homer-ism, this is Los Angeles hater-ism. I don't care if he's not at the same level as Crosby/Malkin/Ovechkin, Kopitar is one of the premier young players in today's NHL, at the same level as guys like Staal, Toews and Kane. Los Angeles giving him up at the tender age of 20 is ridiculous, especially with the package this deal indicates is coming back. Gerber and Meszaros? C'mon. The Oilers would offer up Gilbert and Roloson, and even throw in a Cogliano if it means we'd get a sniff at Kopitar.

Ottawa gives up a shaky Gerber and a still unproven-Meszaros and gets former all-star Khabibulin and budding youngster Seabrook in return? A little bit unfair I'd say.

This deal looks amazing for the Blackhawks, who dump millions in salary room, free up roster positions, and get one of the best young centers in the game to add to their 2 superstars. This deal looks very realistic.

Here's my counter proposal:

To OTT:
Khabhibulin

To CHI:
Kopitar
Ottawa 2nd

To LA:
Gerber
Keith
Havlat

Ottawa gets the upgrade at goaltending they want, and keep Meszaros instead of losing him in an almost lateral deal.

Los Angeles gets a legit starter, a HUGE upgrade on defense, and a high-risk, high-reward player in Havlat who could easily replace whatever offensive output is lost by dealing Kopitar.

Chicago goes without being spoken for, adding to their young elite talent pool. Lucky bastards.

Who's Going to Be on the Powerplay?

With so much injected offense, the Oilers suddenly have a plethora of options on the powerplay. Before we all start jumping to conclusions based on overall point outputs and flashiness, let's look at some stats. Here's the PP points/60 minutes breakdown for last season for some of the more prominent PP players:

ALES HEMSKY	5.93
DUSTIN PENNER	4.07
SHAWN HORCOFF	4.00
SAM GAGNER	3.88
TOM GILBERT	3.01
FERNANDO PISANI	2.94
ROBERT NILSSON	2.66
ANDREW COGLIANO	2.52
SHELDON SOURAY	1.72
DENISGREBESHKOV	1.26

LUBOMIR VISNOVSKY

2.77

ERIK COLE

3.13

Here are some things to consider:
-Gagner played the 2nd half with the top unit
-Visnovsky played all year at the LEFT point, he was at 7.0 p/60 the season before on the right
-Souray played more PP minutes than anyone when healthy, yet had the lowest output
-Cole was barely good enough to crack the 2nd unit with the Canes
-Grebeshkov played 2nd unit all year
-Gilbert played 1st unit in the 2nd half
-Pisani played 2nd unit since he came back, had the highest totals of any 2nd unit player

Considering all this, I propose these:

First Unit
Penner Gagner Hemsky
Souray Visnovsky


Second Unit
Pisani Horcoff Nilsson
Cole Gilbert

Whoever thought we'd run out of shutdown defensemen?

Lowe and behold, the Oilers have suddenly become a potent puck-moving team. Apart from Staios and Souray, every other player is a solid skater and passer of the puck. I know Lowe's trying to follow the Detroit model of domination by puck possession, but it's not like they don't have a strong, physical defense to actually counter other teams when they do manage to launch an attack. With the departure over the years of guys like Smith, Hejda (shown left), and Greene, the team finds itself rich with puck-movers and lacking any shut-down defensemen.

Alright, that word gets thrown around too much...let's differentiate.
Puck-Moving Defenseman: Visnovsky is a prime example. These are guys that skate the ice well, see the ice well, and are always thinking of getting it up and starting the attack. They have excellent long passes, and are capable of using speed up the ice to effectively setup the breakout. Typical examples in the NHL include: Timonen, Zubov, Gonchar, Grebeshkov
Shut-Down Defenseman: Sometimes confused with "stay-at-home defenseman", shut-down defenseman are basically menaces on the defensive end. They don't necessarily have to be guys like Matt Greene (stay-at-home) who are effective in their own end but essentially pylons in the offensive zone. There are plenty of mobile shut-down defensemen in this league, and in the new NHL, it's their mobility that has granted them the ability to become great at what they do. Examples include: Philips, Weber, Volchenkov, Vishnevski, Hejda, Morris, Sauer, Clark, Hamhuis, and Kuba.

These are names much less prominent than the puck-movers, but these guys bring the same value to a team as the offensive guys do.

Here's other potential shut-down defenseman candidates still available either by UFA or trade. Keep in mind we only have about $3.7-3.8 million left in cap room if Delauriers comes up and Brule goes down:

Marek Malik - solid stay-at-homer, don't know if will be as mobile as we'd want him, but could come cheap with a lack of candidates. $2.9 million?

Filip Kuba - has 1 year left at $3 million, and is on a Tampa team lacking any signs of offensive defensemen apart from the now-obsolete Matt Carle. You think a Souray-for-Kuba deal is palpable? Or a package deal involving a forward and Grebeshkov?

Vitaly Vishnevski/Paul Martin - both guys are excellent 5-on-5 players and face the toughest competition on their teams. And New Jersey is desparate for an offensive presence on their blue-line. I'm sure they'd like an opportunity to nab a Grebeshkov or a Souray, and they'd be willing to give us one of Martin or Vishnevski back.

Derrick Morris - Former Flame has completely turned his career around since falling apart with the Avalanche. Although his offensiv game is nowhere where it used to be, he has since become a force on the blue-line for the Coyotes, playing some of their toughest minutes alongside Ballard last season. If he could be had by trade, he'd be a great pickup, even at a $4 million cap hit (it's only one season's worth, he knows his value has diminished, and he loves Alberta so he'll re-sign cheaper here; plus trading someone like Grebs/Staios for him would make it so that our cap only goes up $2.5 million, he is much more effective a defenseman then either of those 2)

It's a great time to be pursuing shut-down defensemen. Puck-movers are at an all time high in terms of value, and the Oilers are abundant with them. I don't think it'd be too dumb of us to try to nab a legit shut-down defenseman to play in our top-4, and to bring more of a physical presence to the blue-line.

Radulov back to Russia: Foreshadowing?

For a while, the NHL fought long and hard with the Russian Super League to acquire and keep some of the game's highest talents.

Starting in the late 1980's we saw talents like Igor Larionov, Sergei Fedorov, and Pavel Bure all leave the RSL in order to make it big in the NHL. The Russians were upset, but they simply couldn't offer the same big-money contracts and lifestyles that these players found in North America.

The issue re-surfaced near the start of the lockout, when Russian hockey received a big boost in young talent with the likes of Kovalchuk, Ovechkin, and Malkin all being drafted by NHL franchises intent on dragging them away from the Russian clubs where they had developed into such stars. The Malkin "defection" case was one that received much media hype and coverage, and was one of the last of its kind I think we'll see in a while.

More recently, RSL clubs have been bought by billionaire owners focussed on turning them into strong, competitive teams with big-name players. We saw this early last year, when Alexei Cherepanov refused to come over to North America after being drafted, in order to stay with the Russians. With the new look came a new name for the RSL, now known as the KHL (Kontinental Hockey League), and now the aggressive owners are making expensive pitches to established NHL stars. We've seen the likes of Malkin and Jagr recieve big-money offers that exceed salaries allowed by the NHL cap.

The recent defection of guys like Jagr and Emery were reasonable, as both had their reasons. Jagr receieved an offer that paid him $5 million more than any NHL team was offering, for 3x the term. Emery simply could not find a team that wanted him, and signed on in Russia.

But with the recent departure of Alexander Radulov comes big worries for the rest of the league. Radulov, 22, is one of the new up and coming young stars of the league, and was due for a HUGE contract extension with the Predators after this upcoming season. Perhaps his signing with Ufa is foreshadowing a potential mass-defection of young talent from the NHL over the next few years? I've prepared a list of guys we might see leave for the KHL over the next few years:

Ilya Kovalchuk - Soon to be UFA who would recieve potentially the biggest salary in hockey history in the form of an offer form a KHL team
Denis Grebeshkov - Oilers D-man was already being contacted by KHL teams before signing a one-year extension with the club.
Nikolai Zherdev - Played in the RSL while having contract troubles with the Jackets early in the 06-07 campaign. Would easily bite on a big-money offer from Russia when his contract is up.

Thanks to the new NHL-KHL agreement, players can no longer leave a team they are under contract with to sign with a team in the other league. But any free agent can. I think we'll see more and more ridiculous offers from Russia, and even more and more defections.

Feaster: Pure Class

Jay Feaster did not bicker, complain, or have a messy break-up with thte Lightning organization. Instead, he sat through a tumultuous 2-3 months of tradings, signings, and ultimate change of direction for the Tampa Bay franchise, aware that his role was diminishing and his time was coming to an end.

His departure from the team, and his respectful comments afterward are reflective of how much he still cares for the wellbeing of the organization and its members. It's rare that we see a GM look out for a team before he leaves it. Props to him. He was able to recognize when the team needed a new direction, and was man enough to admit he needed to quit.

Petry, Lerg and Chorney: Videos and Talent Assessment

We've seen and heard a lot of about the likes of Petry, Lerg, and Chorney. But here are some videos for your viewing pleasure, just to get a real visual experience of just how good these kids are:
Jeff Petry
He scores the first goal in the clip, and plays a big role in setting up another at 3:08. Both are thanks to his speed up the ice. We get to see some of his PP poise at the 4:14 mark, as he sets up a beauty one-timer to Oilers signee Bryan Lerg.

Michigan State vs Michigan

Here's a clip of some of his physical game. He's a big body at 6'3, and has added 10 pounds to his draft-time 200 lb weight.

Big Hit

This is the only MSU highlight video on the internet. For all we know, Petry may be dominating like this game-in, game-out. Petry obviously has ridiculous speed for a guy his size, and being on a strong MSU team has allowed him to jump into the play many a time to create odd-man chances. We didn't get to see much of his shot in the clip, but the guy has a rocket from the point, topping out at 98 mph at the Spartan's skill competition. He's easily the Oilers #1 prospect, and an absolute gem for a 2nd round pick. I could see him leaving after his 2nd year, because he will be 21 (Chorney's age) by the end of it.
We've all heard tons about his physical skills, but boy this kid reminds me of Pitkanen the way he skates.

Bryan Lerg
Here he uses his speed to capitalize on 2 breakaways short-handed. Pretty nice move on the goalie both times

Breakaway goal 1
Breakaway goal 2
Highlight Video with Brother

It's great that he was getting a lot of SH time with the Spartans, it shows he can be relied on as a 2-way player in a bottom-6 role. But as you can see he's got some flash to his offensive game. It'll be interesting to see how much of it will translate into success at the professional level. He's a bit undersized at about 5'10, 180 lb. But if Cogliano can do it, so can he.

Perhaps the most exciting thing about this pickup is the fact that unlike other guys like VandeVelde who are playing with legitimate NHL blue-chippers like Oshie, Lerg has been playing with essential no-names. He has been able to be an offensive force at the collegiate level, and even if he doesn't crack the opening night roster, he's sure to be a first-line presence with the Falcons, and a top-5 choice for the call-up list to the big team.

Taylor Chorney
We get to see some of his powerplay game here in these clips...he eventually gets the goal at around the 44 second mark:
Powerplay Goal 1
Powerplay Goal 2
Crashing the Net

Although there's no clip of him really flying up the ice, we've seen him do it repeatedly with the US Jr Team. But we do get to see some of his lateral mobility along the blue-line on the PP, as well as his wicked slapshot. Chorney never has been known for his slapshot, but it sure does look lethal in the clips provided. He's honestly NHL top-4 ready in terms of his ability to make reads both offensively and defensively. If he can learn to adjust physically to the bigger players, he is a lock to be a top-pairing defenseman.

Oilers add some Toughness

Zach Stortini may have just lost his job. The Oilers signed Jason Strudwick today to a 1-year contract. I think it's a great signing, he's a hometown boy who is more than capable of taking on the enforcer role on this team. Not only that, he is a guy capable of playing both a 4th line role, as well as a 7th D-man role. A great utility guy.

Although he looks like hes got a parachute on his back when he skates, Strudwick finished even last season on the Rangers, playing on the bottom pairing.

With Stortini asking for the moon on an extension, this was essentially a no-brainer. It's just an added bonus that Strudwick brings a veteran presence to the locker-room. He's a character guy capable of getting along with all the guys, regardless of age.



I could see him filling that 4th line LW spot on occasion if Stortini is let go of, as well as in filling in on D when there are injuries. McTavish is going to love him. He's an all-out solid player. He'll get the job done with the roles he'll be given. He'll make the easy, simple plays on defense, and do a good job of clearing the zone as a forward.

I think it was an important pickup for the Oilers. Stortini doesn't scare anybody, he just pisses them off. Strudwick is more likely to deter any rash attacks on the likes of Gagner and Nilsson than the combined trio of Stortini, Souray, and Moreau are. I think it's important to grab specific role players like him to play those few minutes a night rather than field a "generally physical" team.

Plante's Chance To Shine

When the Oilers announced they had chosen Alex Plante 15th overall in the 2007 draft, my first thought was "Oh no...".

In my pre-draft rankings, I had forecasted Plante going mid-2nd round. I knew he was a solid, big-body presence on the Hitmen blueline who was supposed to be a future power play presence. He was being hailed as a potential shut-down defenseman, because of his impressive plus/minus (+18).

A lot of other draft predictors had him going anywhere between 25-40th overall, and I found that reasonable looking at HF's talent assessment:

"Moves the puck very well and has a rocket for a shot, a combination that allows him to be either the QB or the trigger on the power play.

Skates well but sideways mobility is an issue that smaller, shifty offensive opponents can take advantage of. "

But his defensive partner was the 5th overall draft pick, Karl Alzner of the Washington Capitals, one of the more solid 2-way prospects to come along in a while. I was leery of taking Plante's stats as indicative of his true potential, and I think last year went a long way in justifying my worries.

Plante DID have serious injury problems almost all year, but he did manage to play 38 games, and only put up 2 points, and a meagre +2 on an extremely strong Calgary team. Part of this is attributable to not getting to play with Alzner, and instead playing less prominent minutes. Although his play did pick up in the playoffs, Plante was still relegated to a bottom-pairing role with the Hitmen, his minutes being eaten up by guys like Paul Postma (Thrashers 7th round pick 2007) and Michael Stone (Flyers 3rd round pick 2008).

Guy Flaming (HockeyFutures) still sees a light at the end of the tunnel for Plante:

"Members of the Oilers organization, although clearly disappointed with the way things went for Plante this year, reminded HF that the player was seen as a project when he was drafted. In that sense, a one-year setback, although problematic, may not be something Plante cannot overcome with a great deal of offseason training. The Oilers expect Plante to greatly increase his leg strength, which will automatically help his skating, but will also improve his defensive play in the corners and in front of the net. The summer of 2008 may be pivotal for Plante’s future with the Oilers."

With Karl Alzner signing a contract with the Capitals, the Hitmen blueline now has a huge vacancy, one that is ready to be filled by a big-minute, 2-way defenseman. Plante has a legit chance of grabbing that spot. He's worked hard in the off-season recuperating from his leg injury and concussion, as well as training with weights to fill out his frame.

He has a great opportunity here to prove that the Oilers didn't make a mistake in drafting him. If he can show some advances in his footspeed and agility, he will be a lock for that top-pairing spot. He'll probably be paired up with Postma (a guy the Thrashers must be excited about), and get an opportunity to fine-tune his defensive game while also reviving his offensive game with the smooth-skating Postma.

After a tough season, Plante should get a nice bounce-back year here with the Hitmen. Coach Kelly Kisio, although frustrated with his injuries the year before, should give him all the opportunities in the world to get back up to the level of play that got him drafted in the first round.

How many will they score?

This upcoming season's version of the Edmonton Oilers will feature even more offense than we saw last year. Gone are the likes of Torres, Stoll, Greene, and Pitkanen. We now have offensive production from guys like Visnovsky and Cole. The team is taking on a distinctly offensive flavor, and it wouldn't be unfair to make some predictions now of just how many they will score.

Here are my predictions, with the net change from last year's /82-game pace:

Forward				GP		G	A	P
Hemsky				80		23 (+1)	62	85
Horcoff				79		28 (-3)	45	71
Gagner				82		16 (+3)	46	62
Penner				82		26 (+3)	29	55
Cole				74		28	23	51
Nilsson				81		14 (+3)	36	50
Cogliano				76		17 (-)	32	49
Brodziak				82		13 (-1)	24	37
Pisani				77		16 (-1)	17	33
Pouliot				72		8 (+5)	17	25
Schremp				41		7 (-)	17	24
Moreau				64		9 (-4)	13	22
Reasoner				74		10 (-)	11	21
Brule				13		3	3	6
Potulny				5		0	2	2
Reddox				2		0 (-)	0	0
Total				984		219	377	597
Defense
Visnovsky				77		14	43	57
Souray				69		16 (+8)	32	48
Gilbert				79		13 (-)	29	42
Grebeshkov				81		7 (+4)	23	30
Smid				82		3 (+3)	16	19
Staios				79		4 (-3)	12	16
Peckham				8		0 (-)	2	2
Roy				9		0 (-)	0	0
Chorney				8		1 (-)	3	4
Total				492		58	160	218

NET TOTAL: 277 Goals

NOTE:
(-) indicates either no change, or player not commentable upon
Blank space indicates new player, would need analysis of role before making goal prediction.

The Big Risers
-Gagner and Nilsson are due for more goals coming there way, as both will see extended amount of time on the powerplay, as well as recieve the top-6 role all season long. Both should get 3 more.
-Penner is going to thrive on that 1st unit PP in front of the net, and I see him chipping in atleast 3 more.
-I think Pouliot is ready to break-out into a 3rd line role. That being said, 8 goals is a modest prediction for someone playing those vital minutes with not-so-shabby Moreau and Pisani.
-Schremp I may have been a bit generous with. But honestly, 7 goals in 41 games isn't TOO much for a so-called offensive wizard playing 4th line minutes alongside Brodziak (whom he has chemistry with), as well as recieving potential powerplay time.
-Souray is due to have a big season. He was hampered by injury for all of the first 8 games last season, and with a legit D-pairing partner on the PP, he ought to fill the net for 16 this season.
-Grebeshkov showed late last year signs that he could be a top-4 forward in the NHL. I basically took his goal-scoring pace over the last 35 games and extrapolated it to get that number
-Smid's big "0" was a big discrepancy, and I believe with elevated ice time and a more important role on the team, we'll see him develop an offensive side this season, as slight as it may be.

Droppers
-I'm anticipating Horcoff doesn't go on as much as a tear as he did last season, so a drop of 3 is expected
-I think past injuries are going to really show on Moreau this season. He won't be as fast, and his offensive game will be faltering
-Staios is also going to see himself with a diminished offensive role with the addition of Visnovsky and a healthy Souray.

The New Guys
-Erik Cole played last season on the 2nd line, with Rod Brind'amour (for a bit), Tuomo Ruutu (after Rod's injury), and Scott Walker. I think the opportunities he'll recieve on the 1st line here in Edmonton, as well as on the PP ought to raise his goal-scoring from last year's slight drop - 28
-Back to playing on the right side, I see Visnovsky benefitting from once again being comfortable in handling the puck, as well as recieving open shooting lanes with Souray as his partner on the PP - 14.


That being said, is 277 goals THAT unrealistic of a prediction?

Oilers re-sign Jacques and Pouliot

Zach Parise is one of the NHL's top young guns. Within a couple of years of making it in New Jersey, he has become the Devils' #1 center, and is slowly and surely developing into a superstar.

But to Oiler fans, Parise will forever be the guy Lowe skipped on drafting with the 17th pick in the 2003 draft, instead trading for the #26 and #68 picks from New Jersey, and picking Marc-Antoine Pouliot and Jean-Francois Jacques.

The two Quebec boys have been under the microscope since being drafted, and yet showed much promise in both the CHL and the AHL. Fans began to think that the deal may have not been so bad afterall. However, neither are yet to secure full-time jobs in the NHL.

Marc Pouliot signed a 2-year, one-way extension at a $825,000 cap hit, turning down the 1-year qualifying offer the Oilers had made for him at $942,000 before July 1 (a 5% raise as required by the NHL). With this, the organization has instilled faith in Pouliot remaining with the big club over the next 2 seasons, be it in the press box or on the 4th line.
I've always liked Pouliot. When we drafted him, I thought we'd grabbed a gem from the QMJHL. He's a tall, smooth-skating center capable of making and receiving passes amongst the best of the NHL. He's a puck-possession type guy, and I think would be an instrumental player to keep if Lowe plans on emulating the Detroit style of hockey.
However, Pouliot hasn't exactly panned out for the Oilers. Originally drafted for his offensive flair, he has yet to show it in the NHL, scoring 19 points in 78 games over the past three seasons. Attempts to turn him into a 2-way 3rd liner have gone awry, and some deem him a "bust".
Pouliot is still more than capable of cracking a full-time spot with the Oilers. I see him becoming a late-bloomer, a great complementary player to legit NHL performers who is capable of playing the 2-way game. I see his career potential at being a Brendan Morrison

Mac-T seems to have retained a glimpse of hope in J.F Jacques, as the powerful winger signed a 2-year extension, the 1st year being 2-way, the 2nd 1-way. I guess the Oilers are keen on giving him one more year to pan out, and most likely would waive him if he doesn't.
I remember Jacques getting a lot of hype right after the lockout, some labelling him the "prototypical power forward for the new NHL". They had a point. He's big (6'4, 225), but skates faster than any other player his size. Apart from being a standout scorer in his first year in Hamilton (43 points in 65 games as a 20 year old), he was also a physical force, blistering the opposition with his body and even dropping the mitts to fight. As time went by, I couldn't wait to see the kid crack our roster.
But whatever dominance Jacques displayed in the minors has seemed to disappear when he was in the NHL. It seemed impossible for such a big-body presence to suddenly stop scoring. In 53 games with the Oilers, he has yet to score a point. Even more painful is the -17 plus/minus rating.
Unlike Pouliot, I really don't see much headed Jacques' way in terms of development. He's grown all that he can, and over the last couple of years his numbers have stagnated in the AHL. If he's going to crack it in the NHL, he's going to have to start getting lucky. He could be another Dustin Penner given the opportunity. But keep in mind, even Matt Greene managed to record a point in his first 50 games.

Springfield Roster Predictions

There'll be a lot of changes seen on the Oilers' 4th line and defensive depth coming into this next season. With the departures of Sanderson, Glencross, and potentially Reasoner and Stortini, spots open up for a lot of the top players on last year's Falcons team to grab a spot with the Oilers:

Rob Schremp - I believe this is the year we see him crack the lineup, taking the RW spot
Marc-Antoine Pouliot - If Reasoner isn't re-signed, he could permanently take that center position on the 4th line
Liam Reddox - Graduate of the Marty Reasoner school of how to be invisible yet stick in the NHL. 13th forward. Even if Reasoner gets signed.
Theo Peckham - Number one option if someone goes down on the blue-line, could potentially knock Smid out of the starting 6.
Jeff Delauriers - 3rd Goalie, pretty soon going to be the #2 option if Roloson gets traded.

Here are some of the incoming players for Springfield:
Bryan Lerg - Standout in his senior year at Michigan State, he may start slow, but will be amongst the offensive leaders in Springfield.
Taylor Chorney - Blue line blue-chipper just signed from North Dakota, should see some big minutes on the top pairing.
Ryan Potulny - Chorney trade, should be a top-liner.
Cody Wild - offensive gem of a blue-liner. Should provide some puck-moving poise and power-play presence
Josef Hrabel - Czech defenseman with tons of RSL experience, great offensive instincts
Bryan Pitton - had amazing year in Brampton, should get backup role behind Dubnyk.
Gilbert Brule - Torres trade, need of major confidence boost

Brule Potulny Trukhno
Jacques Lerg McDonald
Spurgeon O'Marra Goulet
- Simon Werner

Chorney Hrabel
Bisaillion Wild
Sestito Young

Dubnyk
Pitton

Breaking Down Ice Times on the Blue Line

With the new changes to the blue-line, it'll be interesting to see how the minutes will be distributed, and what pairings will be used in what situations. I think Mac-T is going to try to designate individual players' ice times based on situation rather than try to set up pairings. That being said, here are my predictions, with each player's average times in those situations from last season in brackets:

In terms of PP time:
1) Visnovsky (4:35)
2) Souray (4:15)
3) Gilbert (2:15)
4) Grebeshkov (2:05)
5) Smid (0:18)
6) Staios (0:10)

In terms of the PK:
1) Staios (3:58)
2) Souray (3:59)
3) Gilbert (2:31)
4) Smid (2:24)
5) Visnovsky (1:24)
6) Grebeshkov (1:09)

In terms of ES:
1) Gilbert (17:24)
2) Staios (17:52)
3) Visnovsky (16:59)
4) Grebeshkov (13:37)
5) Smid (15:08)
6) Souray (16:04)

Minimizing Souray's 5-on-5 time will be key to eliminating whatever liabilities he creates in the defensive zone. He's always been a strong PP/PK presence.
Visnovsky is going to have to play the main PP minutes, and will be relied upon for big minutes on ES. I think it's best to limit his PK-time, both to help preserve his minutes, but because he is a smaller, less defensive-minded player at that.
Gilbert is an amazing 5-on-5 player, and along with Grebeshkov should eat up a lot of the ES minutes. It's going to be a big step for Grebeshkov to take on 2-3 more ES minutes a night, but I think he showed us late in the season that he was ready. Those 2 will also make up our 2nd unit PP, and get a lot of time there as well.
Staios is going to have to eat a lot of 5-on-5 time, as well as the brunt of the PK time, as he is essentially our only defensive defenseman. With a rise in his minutes comes a general rise in Smid's.

Overall, I see the minutes breaking down like this:
Visnovsky: 24
Gilbert: 23
Souray: 18
Grebeshkov: 19
Staios: 20
Smid: 16

(No one get on my back for that not adding up to 120)

Problems in Cowtown

I’d be shedding tears too if I were a Flames fan. Calgary signed Todd Bertuzzi today to a 1 year, $1.95 million contract, a move I feel was made out of, well…desperation. What has happened to the perennial playoff favorites? The Flames have made it impossible for themselves to have a team with any solid depth whatsoever. How did this happen?

The Flames, unlike other teams, have designated a “franchise player” at EVERY position. They have Iginla, Phaneuf, and Kipprusoff each eating tons of cap room. That's nearly $21 million right there, gone.

Also, just when a new streamlined, faster NHL game was introduced, the Flames revert to the kind of style that was winning championships in years past. They have slow, big bodied forwards and defenders, incapable of competing with the new speedy game.

Sutter is an old-timer, no doubt it, but he’s got to wake up and realize that it’s a new generation of hockey.

As it stands:

Camalleri Langkow Iginla
Glencross Lombardi Bertuzzi
Bourque Conroy Boyd
Moss Primeau Nilson

Phaneuf Regehr
Aucoin Sarich
Vandermeer Warrener

The defense is solid, but lacking any serious puck-moving presence. And that group of forwards is a joke. I don't even see how that first line is going to do, there's no real playmaker gone with Camalleri in and Huselius out. The Flames are going to miss Huselius a lot this year. Anytime Curtis Glencross is on your 2^nd line, it’s a testament to your lack of depth.

The Battle of Alberta, in my estimation, is going to be a joke this year.

A case for Martin Havlat

Martin Havlat is one of the NHL's premier players...when healthy. He has consistently produced at a point-per-game clip, even with the poor, poor linemates he's been forced to play with in the past.

I think he's the ideal option for the Oilers to pick up, either now or later on in the season. At a $6 million hit, he does create potential cap problems, and I'd say he's one of the top-3 oft-injured players in the league (along with Moreau and Coliacovo). But with only one year left on his contract, and the high-talent play that he brings, I think the reward outweighs the risk when it comes to Havlat.

He's a smooth-skating puck wizard who can score 40 goals in an 82-game season. One of the biggest reasons the Oilers should grab him is because he's a LW, and a prime choice to take that 1st line spot beside Horcoff and Hemsky. He would bring a serious shooting threat to the powerplay, and help spread around the depth on the other lines.

I know his bones seem to be made of eggshells, but whether Lowe wants to risk it now, or wishes to use him to stock up for the playoffs, Havlat is an ideal fit for the Oilers. And I'm sure the Hawks are dying to get rid of him. Hell, I'd say he could be had for a 3rd/4th round pick. I just hope we grab him before he becomes too hot for the Hawks to let go of.

Havlat Horcoff Hemsky
Penner Gagner Cole
Nilsson Cogliano Pisani
Moreau Brodziak Pouliot

Greatest 20 minutes of hockey I've seen in my life

Found this on YouTube, and couldn't help but share it:



I've never seen such passion and excitement from both the players and fans of this city.

Over the hill and falling fast

That's Owen Nolan in his old San Jose days. Up until 2002, he was one of the NHL's most feared power forwards. Not only was he a consistent 25-30 goal scorer, he was a hard-hitting, big-body presence that wore out every defender he played against.

Nolan just signed a 2-year deal in Minnesota worth $2.75 million a year. Don't let the numbers fool you, that's just how much you have to pay for a borderline 2nd line player in today's NHL.

Nolan is part of the "Old Guard" of the NHL. These are players who up until the lockout were considered high-profile stars, but for some reason, either due to age or rule changes, have seen much-diminished roles in today's game. Here are a few others:


Michael Peca
Markus Naslund
Derian Hatcher
Jeremy Roenick
Rob Blake
Mike Modano
Mark Parrish
Todd Bertuzzi
Mike York
Bill Guerin
Glenn Murray
Doug Weight
Alexei Zhitnik
Alexei Zhamnov
Nikolai Khabibhulin
Sergei Fedorov
Adrian Aucoin

Guys that are gone:
Jeff O'Neill
Eric Daze
Ziggy Palffy
Tony Amonte

Take a moment to remember the days when these guys ruled the NHL. You gotta wonder why these guys weren't able to continue their dominance the ways guys like Sakic, Lidstrom, Rafalski, and Sundin have.

There's a common trend here. Gone are the big, slow defenseman who relied on obstruction and holding to dominate (Aucoin, Hatcher). No more will you see small, slow guys who are wizards with the puck dominate offensively anymore (Weight, York, Parrish).

However, some of the game's stars that should thrive with the new rules have struggled as well. The likes of Modano and Naslund should have been free to skate and shoot, while guys like Guerin and Murray wouldn't have had to put up with all the obstruction in front of the net. Zhitnik and Fedorov, both great European skaters, have seen great declines in their game (I guess Fedorov's is explainable by his age).

Some of these guys are going to be driven into retirement, kind of like Amonte and Daze. Others like Modano and Fedorov have done an excellent job of adapting to their diminished 2nd/3rd line roles.

Kudos to Nolan for showing although he doesn't have the speed to dominate in today's game, he's still got the physical presence and powerplay-ability to get a respectable 2nd/3rd-line job in today's NHL. It's no wonder these guys are staying. With the ways salary has been rising, some of these guys are getting paid the same amounts now as they would have got for their superstar talent before the lockout!

Evolution of the Oilers Powerplay

That's Craig Simpson, former "PP coach" of the Oilers from before the lockout up until the last season. He made some questionable decisions when it came to organizing an effective man-advantage, and is now a broadcaster with CBC.

Since the end of the lockout, the Oilers have found themselves amongst the league leaders in terms of amount of changes on their PP. Here's a short history of the team's PP lineups since the lockout:

2005-2006
Hemsky Dvorak Smyth
Pronger Bergeron (Stoll on 5-on-3's)

Torres Horcoff Pisani
Staios Stoll

We saw a lot of shifting in the year as the PP was at best mediocore all season long. But towards the end, thanks to trades, it had improved to:

Hemsky Samsonov Smyth
Pronger Spacek

Torres Horcoff Pisani (or Peca)
Bergeron Stoll (or Tarnstrom)

We saw the likes of Pisani and Torres thrive in their 2nd unit role, as well as have Stoll put up 31 points in a career year points-wise for him. The key to the team's success late in the season and in the playoffs was the ability for the second-unit to perform at an optimal level.

2006-2007
With the departure of Tarnstrom, Samsonov, Pronger, and Spacek, and the arrival of Lupul and Sykora, the Oilers saw tremendous changes to their PP, mostly negative ones at that.

Lupul Smyth Hemsky
Sykora Stoll

Torres Stoll Horcoff
Bergeron Tjarnqvist

With no Pronger to help out on the point, the Oilers PP suffered horribly. the infamous 5-forward unit was dismantled within a month, and the 2nd unit struggled to put up anything. Stoll once again put up respectable numbers, as well as Hemsky and Sykora, but the PP was a major weakness all season long.

2007-2008
Lowe re-tooled the Oilers in the off-season, bringing big-time offensive defensemen Sheldon Souray and Joni Pitkanen, as well as re-acquiring Dick Tarnstrom. Heading into the season, the powerplay looked like this:

Hemsky Horcoff Penner
Souray Stoll

Cogliano Gagner Torres
Pitkanen Tarnstrom

With an early injury to Souray, the PP was the league's worst for almost half a season. However with injuries came the emergence of the "kids", and the Oilers PP took off in the second half, looking something like this:

Hemsky Gagner Penner
Gilbert Pitkanen

Nilsson Cogliano Pisani
Grebeshkov Staios

Gilbert and Grebeshkov really stepped it up late in the season as viable powerplay options on the back-end, and the kids were able to prove themselves efficient given time on with the man-advantage. The most amazing part of this late-season surge was the fact that traditional power play performers like Horcoff and Souray were injured.

2008-2009?
With the departure of Pitkanen, Stoll, and Torres came injection of new blood with Visnovsky and Cole. Both proven PP-performers, one can't help but be optimistic heading into the upcoming season. Here are my predictions:

Hemsky Gagner Penner
Visnovsky Souray

Cole Horcoff Nilsson (Cogliano can be inserted for Horcoff in some cases)
Grebeshkov Gilbert

Why do I feel these lineups will work?

The first forward unit proved itself late last season to be a lethal combination, with Hemsky and Gagner working magic with the puck, while Penner proving to be an immovable force near the crease. With the addition of PP wizards Visnovsky and Souray, we should see a serious upgrade in PP-output from the first unit.

With the addition of Cole, the Oilers are given a real goal-scoring option and crease presence with Cole. Nilsson adds a play-making option to the unit, operating on the right side. Horcoff will thrive in a 2ndary scoring role, especially because Nilsson's setup on the right side will give him many a chance to let out quick one-timers from the slot. Grebeshkov takes on a Visnovsky-esque role on the backend, doing a lot of puck-handling, while Gilbert will be expected to use his point shot as often as possible. The only potential problem I see here is Gilbert and Grebs both being RH defensemen, and it'll be interesting to see how Grebs would operate from the left side.

With a scary 1st unit in place, the addition of a solid 2nd unit will do wonders for the Oilers PP numbers this coming season. And in the new NHL, there's no doubting that a top-10 powerplay is a major factor into making the playoffs.

Where does Lowe go from here?

With all the major free agents signed, the focus this off-season now shifts to trading. Teams have added major parts to their lineups, but are yet to fill out. As it stands, the Oilers look somewhat like this:

Forwards

Penner Horcoff Hemsky
Cole Gagner Nilsson
Cogliano Brodziak Pisani
Moreau Schremp Pouliot
Brule/Stortini

As I see it, Penner and Cole are interchangeable.

Lowe created quite a problem with the acquisition of another top-6 forward, cause in essence I thought that the top-6 had been set with Cogliano on the left wing.

Brodziak, IMO is ready to fill in that big-minute role on the shutdown line. His defensive game is up there with Stoll's, and I think he's ready for the position.

Cogliano, a guy I think is the most likely youngster to get traded in the next few years, is going to have to be relegated to a 3rd line role with Brodziak and Pisani. It's going to be a tough adjustment with him playing with lesser-skilled players, but if he's going to become a reliable 2-way player, he's going to have to learn to play with guys like these. And don't underestimate the goal-scoring ability of Brodziak and Pisani, they're not poor offensive players either. Both are capable of peaking at 20 goals this coming season.

What, if anything, do I think the Oilers need to address?
-Get a solid 2-way 3rd liner who has proven to be capable of handling those minutes Brodziak would otherwise have to handle, while being able to work with Cogliano offensively. It would be great to have a goal-scoring 3rd line.

Defense

Visnovsky Gilbert
Staios Souray
Grebeshkov Smid
Peckham/Roy

I think it's important to have two mobile, puck-handling defenseman on the top pairing. Visnovsky and Gilbert have both proven to be solid 2-way defensemen in the past, and it's only natural to have them handle the tough match-ups, seeing as how we really don't have a "shut-down pairing".

Staios brings some stability to the tumultuous defensive play of Souray, who I feel is a liability at even strength. This would be our primary penalty-killing pairing, using their big bodies and physical style to wear out the opposition.

Grebeshkov would be interesting paired with Smid, seeing as how Smid has been relegated to a sort of physical, shut-down role by Mac-T. Perhaps playing with the smooth-skating Russian will help Smid develop a similar offensive game, and hopefully he can fulfill the offensive potential he was hailed as having in his draft year.

What does this D-corps need?
Shut-down defensemen.

Goalies
Garon
Roloson
Delauriers

We wouldn't have such a big problem on our hands if we could simply just send Deslauriers to the minors till we find a suitor for Roloson. However, he would have to pass waivers, and the Oilers have invested too much time and resources into developing the kid to let him go.

I guess the team's going to be forced to carry 3 goalies, and that might be a problem seeing as how we have a 23-man limit on the roster.

Lowe fires back at Burke.

For those of you that missed it. You can catch Lowe's interview with Bob Stauffer of The Team 1260 at:

Just A Game

WOW. After an entire year of silence and dismissals of any hatred, Lowe unleashed on Brian Burke.

Just days ago, Burke once again opened his big mouth. Asked about his recent re-signing of Corey Perry to a hefty, $5.6 million/year contract, Burke immediately took shots at Lowe. He blamed Lowe for the recent inflation in salaries for RFA's, citing last summer's offer sheets to Thomas Vanek and Dustin Penner as responsible for players like Perry, Getzlaf, and Malkin receiving expensive contracts.

Lowe defends himself in the broadcast, arguing that paying for what a young player is GOING to bring is better than paying a 30-year old veteran for what he has BROUGHT. This is a very important point, and I think a major reason why one should side Lowe on this issue.

Also in the interview (I don't want to spoil it):
-Blames Burke for the downfall of the Canucks since the lock-out, saying he left it in shambles
-Mocks Burke's cockiness, arguing the cup-winning team was built upon kids drafted by Bryan Murray, and the Pronger trade being abnormal under the circumstances.
-Says the Pitkanen trade was always in the plan, and that an offer was never on the table.

Overall, I like Lowe finally standing up for himself. Honestly, I hate to say it again, but I think the arrival of Katz has done tons for this organization's confidence. The Oilers are now a big-money, aggressive, in-your-face team, and the league's starting to take notice.

The Hossa/Jagr Ordeal.

I guess Katz gave Lowe the thumbs-up to throw his money around. We saw the Marian Hossa sweepstakes go down to the last minute, when the superstar winger chose a shot at the Stanley Cup with the Wings at a price of $7.2 million for one season over a supposed 8-9 year, $80 million deal being offered by the Oilers.

If that was the case, I am glad as HELL to see Hossa with another team. I'm sure Lowe isn't stupid. A cap hit of $8-9 million for that term for someone like Hossa would have crippled this team for sure. He's a sure-fire talent, but he's been nothing but a complementary player to many of the game's established stars. From Alfredsson to Kovalchuk to Crosby, he's always been given an opportunity to play with a superior star. Who knows how he would have done with the Oilers?
I'm sure Lowe was in the running, but his offer was in the same range as the Wings' offer. Hossa turned it down for a stint at the cup, but hopefully he reconsiders next season when Lowe surely makes a similar offer for his services.

As for Jagr, I was really hoping to land him on a one-year deal. He's smart for choosing the ridiculous offer from Omsk, but a one-year contract would have been excellent for the Oilers. It would have JUST fit under the cap, and given us a real chance to contend this season. Better yet, we would be free of his contract at the end of the season, in prime position to take a shot at Hossa.

Katz's first 48 hours have been tumultuous, and hopefully the strides he aimed to make do come true over the coming months and years. As for throwing ridiculous amounts of money at high-profile players, I just hope Lowe approaches this realistically, and takes into account he's got young stars in the making that are going to need to be paid in the next few years.

New Owner. New Attitude.

On July 2nd, the Oilers unveiled their new owner. Darry Katz, Gagner-esque mullet and all, finally showed his face to the public, and with it came much hope for the future.

I know there are some that question the wisdom of having another single owner, however the enthusiasm and promise we see in Katz is nothing like Pocklington.

There's too much to like with the new owner. He's promised to lay down $100 million on a new arena. He's promised to spend to the cap. He respects and commends the EIG, regardless of the saga they put him through with their troubles. Don't forget that he showed confidence in the ability of Lowe and Mac-T to get the job done here with the Oilers. His slogan, "Let's have some fun", is a refresher from the "Let's make some money" attitude of the EIG.

I think the addition of Katz is going to give the team a real swagger. He brings the big bucks, and the will to interact with and improve Edmonton's image and economy.

All I got to say is let's see what happens under Katz's ownership. At least that EIG-saga is over, and his hands-off approach may give Lowe some more freedom to do what he thinks will make the team better.