At Least We're Better Than the Flames...Or Are We?

Misery makes for good frenemies.

Growing up as a young boy living in Edmonton in the eighties, there were two things that every kid knew for certain: We loved the Oilers and we HATED the Calgary Flames. An extremely simple credo that we all lived by, I didn't know of one single Flames fan in my area. Not one. Or at least no one that had ever dared admit it in public. I think it would have been easier to come out of the closet in those days than to admit any love for our southern neighbors.

Young Man in Flames Jersey:  "Mom, Dad, there's something I need to talk to you about..."
Mom and Dad:  "Oh, no. Here it comes...
Young Man in Flames Jersey: "I'm sure you've suspected it for a while, but I'd just like to be honest                                                      with you and clear the air once and for all...."
Mom and Dad: "Son, you don't have to..."
Young Man in Flames Jersey: "...I'm gay."
Mom and Dad: "Huh? Oh, Thank god! That's a relief!"
Young Man in Flames Jersey: "You're not upset? Why did you look so worried just now?"
Mom and Dad: "We thought you were going to tell us you're a Flames fan."
Young Man in Flames Jersey: "Well, I AM, but I don't see..."
Mom and Dad: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Those showing any tendencies towards cheering for the Calgary Flames  in Edmonton were subject to "re-education".

And we despised them for good reason too - they were just as good (almost) as we were. Both teams were so stacked with talent, the 300km stretch of highway between the two cities was known as the Valley of Death. Also in that era, all roads to the Stanley Cup went through our province and save a couple of years, the winner of the famed "Battle of Alberta" always went on to compete in the Cup finals. So we HAD to be better than the "Cowtown Shames" because when we weren't, we were out of the playoffs by the second round. And we met almost every year for the better part of a decade. Epic battles and mayhem ensued.

NOTE: For you younger fans, it was a lot like the mid to late nineties when the Oilers faced the Dallas Stars seven years in a row except for the not ever beating them part. In fact, the ONE time we did beat the Stars, I'm pretty sure we were expecting some instantaneous rule change by the league, forcing us to play them again in the second round.

Ex-Flame Joe Nieuwendyk returned with Mike Modano as a Dallas Star to torture the Oilers nearly every season in the 90's. Their playoff battles were just like the 80's -ish. The Stars were equal to the talent laden Flames of old and the Oilers were just like...well, let's just say they almost moved to Houston. 

Unfortunately, after the eighties, the great Alberta clashes waned with the teams' standings. Neither one was able to hold onto its stars, made poor trades and suffered with the Canadian economy of the time and became perennial cellar dwellers. Eventually, all the two teams were contesting was who was going to make the higher pick in the next draft lottery. What was once a great hockey war was now a tepid match for the title of  "At Least We're Not as Bad as You." Sure, the Flames had the cup run of 2004 and the Oilers had their turn in 2006, but neither of the provincial rivals had any impact or influence on the other during those playoffs. Seriously, watching these two teams play over the last few years has been like watching two nerds fight over who was going get to ask out the head cheerleader, knowing full well regardless of who asked what the outcome would be. In fact, things had been so bad for so long for both clubs, I felt a kinship with the Flames and found myself actually cheering for Calgary in '04. If 10 year old me could have seen 2004 me, he would have been disgusted...

What were once two proud franchises, now stand two teams in the midst of "rebuilding". Some say the Oilers have been working at theirs longer, but to my eye, the Flames have been there right along with them. They just spent a few years in denial. It is true, however, that Calgary began the fire sale on their team just over a year ago and Edmonton has been amassing first round picks for the last five years. Therefore, it stands to reason that the Oilers should be further ahead in their process than the Flames and by all rights, should be the better team. At least, the majority of sports writers and especially Oilers fans, seem to think so. But after watching the split squad games between to the clubs on Sunday, I began to wonder if they were right. After all, I read many times over last year, nearly the exact same statements on how the Oil were going to take the 'next step' and were going to leave the Flames in the rear view mirror. Last time I checked, the Oilers picked third this year at the draft while the Flames went fourth...

So in order to prepare myself for what could be another disappointing season of looking up at the Flames in the standings, I thought I'd do a little grade school "compare and contrast" project on the two teams to see if I could find any merit in the sports worlds projections for this year. I figured the easiest way to go about this (I love the path of least resistance) would be to break the teams down into its positions - centers, wingers, defense etc. and see how they measured up.

CENTERS

 FLAMES                                                                               OILERS

Matt Stajan                                                                            Nugent-Hopkins
Jiri Hudler                                                                              Boyd Gordon
Mikael Backlund                                                                     Leon Draisaitl
Sean Monahan                                                                       Mark Arcobello
Sam Bennett                                                                          Anton Lander
Lance Bouma                                                                         Bogdan Yakimov
Joe Colborne                                                                          Will Acton

Looking at this list, the Oilers have a leg up on the number one center and number 3/4, depending where you slot your defensive specialists. Although Jiri Hudler only had two less points than Nuge last year, I would have to believe that just about every team in the league, given the choice, would pick #93 a thousand times over - he has way more up side and a larger skill set. Also, Boyd Gordon is one of the premier face-off men in the league and is a beast on the defensive side of the puck. Two points, Oil. That being said however, the Flames have Backlund, Stajan and Monahan in the middle of the order with a combined 1000+ games of NHL experience and approx. 500 total points. Conversly, Lander and Arcobello have played a whopping 136 total contests. Worse than that, the two Oiler pivots have combined for a paltry 6 goals and and 20 assists over that span. Two points, Calgary.

An interesting item to watch will be the career paths of Draisaitl and Bennett who have a better than great chance of making their squads this year. Taken #3 and #4 respectively in last summers draft, there were arguments made by both camps about who would be the better long term pick and no one knew for certain which way Edmonton would go with their choice. Bennett had both the skill and determination of a Doug Gilmour and Neon Leon was being compared to the size and play making ability of Anze Kopitar. Ultimately, the Oilers drafted for size and took Draisaitl, but either player could have easily donned the copper and blue and they will forever be compared to one another due to being drafted a three hour drive apart. For our case here, we'll call them even.

RESULT: Even. Edmonton is stronger at the #1 and #4 positions and Calgary has the edge with depth for #2, #3  and injury replacements. The rookie battle is a dead heat and one of this years better story lines.

WINGERS

FLAMES                                                                              OILERS

Devin Setoguchi                                                                    Taylor Hall

Mason Raymond                                                                    Jordan Eberle

Curtis Glencross                                                                    David Perron

David Jones                                                                           Benoit Pouliot

Brandon Bollig                                                                      Teddy Purcell

Brian McGrattan                                                                    Nail Yakupov       

Sven Baertschi                                                                       Matt Hendricks

Johnny Gaudreau                                                                   Luke Gazdic

There is no point in even pretending that one column isn't far more impressive than the other. The top six names on the left combined for the same goal totals +4 than the first two on the right. Not only are the Oilers deeper on the wing, they're bigger too with the additions of Pouliot and Purcell. McGrattan is probably the current NHL heavyweight, but Gazdic is the next contender in line without a doubt. Glencross is the one that got away (he looked so good as an Oiler) and is sure to burn us, as usual, for a few goals (he already got one in pre-season), but I think we've finally replaced his skill set with Pouliot. After seeing him in Penticton, I believe the Flames have a player in Hobey-Baker Award winner Johnny Gaudreau but he's still a rookie and we can match him with our unknown "super star", Nail Yakupov.

RESULT: Edge Oilers. A big edge. The Flames lost their best winger when Mike Cammeleri left town. Replacing him with Setoguchi or Raymond is like asking Steve Buscemi to fill in for Brad Pitt. After Glencross, everyone else are just extras.

The Flames could bring Lanny Mcdonalds' moustache out of retirement and Put it on Defense or better yet, in goal. Nothing would get by that thing.

DEFENSE

FLAMES                                                                             OILERS

Mark Giordano                                                                    Justin Schultz

Dennis WIdeman                                                                 Jeff Petry

Ladislav Smid                                                                      Nikita Nikitin

TJ Brodie                                                                             Mark Fayne

Kris Russell                                                                         Andrew Ference

Deryk Engelland                                                                  Martin Marincin 

Corey Potter                                                                        Keith Aulie

Tyler Wotherspoon                                                              Oskar Klefbom

Patrick Sieloff                                                                      Darnell Nurse

Neither of these two defense corps would blow anybody away. I will give two points to the Flames for their top pairing of Wideman and Giordano. Two men in their early thirties (31 and 30) they boast plenty of NHL experience with a healthy dose of offensive up side. Also, Giordano has not only become the go to D-man in Calgary, but is the unquestionable leader of his team - something the Oilers lack. Now, Mactavish would have us all believe that Schultz is the second coming of Duncan Keith, but that remains to be seen and even if it even comes close to fruition, it won't be for a year or two. I will give a point to the Oilers for the second pairing of Fayne and Nikitin, they're a shutdown duo if ever there was one. But don't discount Ladi Smid, though. Once a reliable shut down man himself, I know he tanked after being traded to the Flames. But he loved being an Oiler, and getting traded must have been a lot like getting dumped by your fiancee and then having her suggest to you, "Maybe you ought to date my sister."  Ouch. That takes some time to get over, but expect a bounce back year from him

I'll give the Oil a second point for their size on the back end. They average 6'3" and well over 200lbs. The Flames on the other hand, would have a hard time intimidating Harvey the Hound. At times, size can be made up for with speed, but that bunch in red and black aren't particularly quick either.

RESULT: Even. But, Lord help the Flames if they have injury problems. The Oilers have multiple blue chip prospects chomping at the bit to break their way into the league this year. The Flames have Corey Potter. I hope they wear helmets during pre-game skates.

GOALIES

FLAMES                                                                          OILERS

Jonas Hiller                                                                      Ben Scrivens

Kari Ramo                                                                       Viktor Fasth

Joni Ortio                                                                         Richard Bachman

The Oiler faithful are jumping up and down about the goaltending duo of Viktor Fasth and Ben Scrivens after a long drought of quality net minding. Both are poised to become NHL starters and either one could take over as the Oilers #1 netminder. Potential just waiting to be tapped. Jonas Hiller however, IS  a #1 netminder for over 6 seasons. He has a 162-110 win loss record with career save percentage of.916 and GAA of 2.51. One point Flames. As for the back up position, Kari Ramo had respectable numbers last year with a .911 save percentage and 2.65 GAA on a terrible Flames team. He's also started the same number of games as Scrivens and Fasth combined. That's a wash.

RESULT: Edge Flames. Scrivens and Fasth may be the answer the Oilers have been looking for in net, but Hiller doesn't have as many questions.

WINNER: OILERS by a small margin. Edmonton and Calgary are fairly even at center and defense and you could argue multiple points for either side. In net, the Flames know exactly what they have in Jonas Hiller and without the pressure of starting every night, Kari Ramo is a capable back-up. The Oilers on the other hand are rolling the dice between the pipes, hoping for a winner between Fasth and Scrivens. It'll be ugly if they're both losers. Where Edmonton pulls ahead (at least on paper) is on the wings. This version of the Edmonton Oilers is as deep as I've ever seen them in quite some time, stacked with three near-guaranteed 20+ goal scores and three more probable 20+ goal scorers. At the very least, this team should be able to generate offense in bunches.

A couple of things should be noted however, if last year was any kind of lesson for the Oilers. One, if the goal tending implodes, all the skilled wingers and larger defense in the NHL won't be able to help this team. Two, the Oilers looked better on paper than the Flames in 2013 but still managed to finish lower in the standings than their rivals. More importantly, what Calgary lacked in high end talent, they made up for with hard work and shear determination. They may not have been able to win a game on most nights, but they weren't going to just hand it over to their opponents either. On the other side, there were televised shots of the Oilers watching the clock from the bench, calculating how much time before they could get the hell out of there. If we could just fuse the Flames work ethic and apply it to the Oilers talent, we may have something. To me, it's the real difference maker in where these two long time enemies will end up at years end.

Monday Matinee

In 1995, despite rally's and protests, the Winnipeg Jets packed up their bags and left town for sunny Arizona to become the Phoenix Coyotes. The economic state of hockey in Canada was a mess in small markets and franchises were bleeding money. The Quebec Nordiques had already folded shop and there were many rumors circulating that the Edmonton Oilers could be next.

I was in living in Winnipeg during this time and I can tell you that this event tore a gaping hole in the fabric of the city. For all of the years the Jets were gone, you could feel something was missing. Sure, the Jets weren't a great team in the nineties and the barn they played in was so old it was the only place left in the league that had a hanging portrait of the queen, but it was NHL hockey. A major league franchise and Winnipeg had been told it wasn't good enough or strong enough or important enough to keep it. It hurt and that pain stung for a long time...

You have to understand, that from that moment on every single Winnipeger engaged in a conversation at some point or another about the possibility of a Jets return - a lot of if this, then that talk. If we could just get an arena built, if we could just find a benevolent owner, if the league could give up on southern expansion, were all qualifying statements of how it could be done. But it was a pipe dream. Wishful thinking heaped with ifs and buts. Nobody actually believed it would happen - not in their lifetime anyway.

So when it was announced, seemingly out of nowhere, that the Atlanta Thrashers would pull up their stakes in Georgia and put them down in Winnipeg, the city went absolutely nuts. Unfortunately, I had already left town at this point to experience the jubilation, but the city was electrified. I've been back to visit many times since then and I can visibly see the difference around town with their return. What was once a great tragedy, now reunited all 700 000+ people in the 'Peg.

Although I may never have been a true fan of the Winnipeg Jets, I am a fan of the town I called home for over 22 years. I have since adopted the Jets as a "second favourite" since returning to the NHL and getting to watch their young stars at the Penticton tournament tickles me to no end. May the Jets stay in Winnipeg forever...

One of the many massive rally's that took place in Winnipeg in a desperate attempt to save the team. Notice how bundled up everyone is - in the middle of May.

Our Monday matinee game was easily the most enjoyable contest of the weekend, my emotional attachment notwithstanding. Despite the shot clock, which heavily favoured the Oil, the game was tight, the action was fast and the plays were fantastic. Coming out of the line-up today were defenders Dillon Simpson and Jordan Oesterle, as well as forwards Josh Winquist and Bogdan Yakimov. Drawing back in were centers Jujhar Khaira and Leon Draisaitl, as well as D-men Darnell Nurse and Martin Gernat.

Game Synopsis In A Few Words:

The first period started off slowly while the teams felt each other out. During this time, the Oilers make a few nice defensive plays with Leon Draisaitl turning an intercepted pass into a shot on net. Nurse takes a bad penalty with a blatant trip on Axel Blomqvist. This gives the Jones brothers yet another opportunity to show their great penalty killing abilities along with Greg Chase. Not long after that a Mitch Holmberg turnover leads to a two on one and subsequent Jets goal. 1-0 Jets.

Some chippy play ensues resulting in Khaira and Winnipeg's Ryan Olsen dropping the gloves. Split decision, but nice to see the big man answer the bell. The last few minutes Tkachev and Draisaitl get together and begin to heat up, creating a number of chances with both of them getting in on the fore check. Shots are 7-6 in favour of the Oil after the buzzer.

In the second, Tkachev and  Draisaitl pick up where they left off. The Oilers draw a penalty and Tkachev shows his creativity yet again, with his feet this time to generate opportunities. They then tie the game at ones when forward Kale Kessy fires a pass from the corner to Kyle Platzer who makes no mistake from the side of the goal. 1-1 tie. After a fine play by Edmonton defenseman CJ Ludwig to break up a play, his partner, Graeme Craig causes a turnover that leads to another Jets 2 on 1 goal. 2-1 Jets.

Jackson Houck gets his first goal of the tournament on the next Oilers power play as he tipped in a point shot from Darnell Nurse. A little more magic from Draisaitl and Tkachev as they dance around the Jets D to set each other up. The Jets take two penalties which leads to a 5 on 3 goal from Khaira in front from Draisaitl and Marco Roy tic-tac-toe. Edmonton scores shortly after that on a shot by Mitch Holmberg, set up by Khaira and Draisaitl. Period ends 4-3 Oilers.

the third has the same theme of Draisaitl setting up any player in a white sweater until the Oil take a bad penalty. Winnipeg scores quickly on a goal by Lars Ehlers, top corner. I then miss the next five minutes of the game as the large ice tea has worked its way through to my daughter, Rowyn's bladder. She MUST potty and can't wait until the end of the period. I am informed when I return to my seat that Lars Ehlers had just skated the length of the ice and scored top corner (yet again) on Oilers goalie Frans Tuohimaa. Draisaitl and Tkachev have multiple opportunities to break the tie, but the period ends 4-4. Shots end 30-14 Edm.

More Draisaitl in OT with a couple of takeaways and a strong for check. When he's not on the ice however, it's mayhem for the Oilers and the Jets pour it on. Tuohimaa suddenly comes to life and makes five or six sequential head standing saves, with more than one on near break-aways. Frans holds the fort and overtime ends as it started, with the shots now 32-21.

The shootout gets underway with Homberg(?) for the Oil, who beats the Jets goalie, but can't put it through the post. Nic Petan is up next for Winnipeg and he beats Frans Tuohimaa easily upstairs. Draisaitl goes second for Edmonton. A good fake to the left, cuts right and a nice backhand shot is met with an even better glove save. Ehlers is the final shooter and clinches the game with a speeding charge to the net that sees him deposit the puck five-hole. Jets win 5-4.

Player Of The Game: Easily Leon Draisaitl. Today he made it apparent why the Oilers drafted him fourth overall this past summer. He was the best player on the ice for either team and you noticed him everytime he touched the puck - he was a chance generating machine. He displayed vision, high hockey IQ and soft hands as he found his team-mates with touch passes all around him. Mactavish said in an interview on www.oilers.nhl.com, "When a guy can find other players on the ice that you don't even see yourself when your watching the game, that's elite talent."

Noteable Players: Once again, Vladimir Tkachev continues his great play. Paired with Draisaitl, the two had instant chemistry and seemed to play the game three steps ahead of everyone else. It was sheer joy to watch...Mitch Hplmberg was at least noticeable on Monday, however it may have just been a product of being the third for Draisaitl and Tkachev...Kale Kessy had himself a nice little game doing what he does best - being chippy and disturbing the sh*&...Darnell Nurse demonstrated hes got a shot on the tip-in goal in the second...wash, rinse, repeat, the Jones brothers, Connor and Kellen were again stellar on the penalty kill...

Dissappointments: I was hoping to see more from Ben Betker. I think he showed better last year, but in this game he really didn't do anything to stand out above anyone else...goalie Frans Tuohimaa was another player I was really excited to see, but he only faced 14 shots in the first three periods. Four of those were goals, most of them upstairs. It would have been easy to write him off and then he goes ahead and sucks me back in by going all Finn with some unreal stops in OT. I should just call him Dubey 2...forward Alex Krushelnyski did not belong in this tournament...neither did D-man Graeme Craig for that matter...

Final Thoughts Of the Tournament:

I know our sample size is small here with only a three game showing and most players only getting into two of them, but it is great as a fan to witness first hand the names so many have been endlessly blogging and dissecting about since the season ended (November if your an Oilers fan). It allows you to compare what you've read with what you see and allows you to play in your mind all sorts of imaginary, hopeful scenarios for the big club in Edmonton. It also connects you to the players so that when/if they do get their shot in the NHL, you know where they're coming from and what to expect. It's kind of like being into an underground indie band that gets popular and you get to tell everyone how "cool" you are for liking them first.

That being said, let's have some fun and pretend I'm "cool" enough to know where some of these players will end up in the future...

Centers: Get excited folks. I'm not saying these guys should all be in the Show right now, but these are genuine prospects. I haven't seen center depth at this level in the Oilers system for some time. We all know it's more than likely Draisaitl will be on the team this year, but don't count out Yakimov and Khaira for long. It's possible that one day all three could be wearing Oilers silks in the not too distant future. Now if only Mactavish could find a number two center to bridge the gap until they do...

Wingers: It's a longer wait for the wingers. Vladimir Tkachev was hands down the best winger out there. He's also extremely courageous for his size. He displayed no fear going into the corners, going to the net and fore-checking. Something he could teach 90% of the current roster to do. All fortitude aside, I wonder how well his 5'8" frame will hold up against the likes of Milan Lucic or Ryan Getzlaf pasting him to the boards... Greg Chase and Mitch Moroz had a good tournament but they're at least a couple years away... Connor and Kellen Jones are an interesting duo but they may be career AHL'ers. They didn't show much in the way of offensive ability...Kale Kessy has a lot of work to do, but he caught the eye of management as a potential candidate for fourth line grinder/agitator with actual playing ability. A player the current roster is still lacking...everyone else was just, well, m'eh...

Defensemen: After Darnell Nurse, there's a sharp drop off in talent. Martin Gernat and David Musil have had many games in the AHL playing for the Barons. The former isn't a particularly good defender and the latter can't skate... Jordan Oesterle and Dillon Simpson were very similar players and had a great second game. That being said however, they remind me a lot of Taylor Fedun. Mobile, smart, but undersized for the NHL... Darnell Nurse is the real deal, but to my eye he still needs another year of seasoning. All the tools are there, but either he's trying too hard or his game is still really raw...

Goalies: A bit of good news: the goal tending situation isn't as dire as I thought. All three of Laurent Brossoit, Ty Rimmer and Frans Tuohimaa played some good hockey this weekend. They also showed that they all need work on their consistency, but it was the first games of the season after the summer break. All three will compete to play behind Richard Bachman in OKC this year and hopefully, it will push all of them to be on top of their game...based on this weekend, I'd say Ty Rimmer is currently in the lead...

Player of the Tournament: My player of the tournament goes to....Vladimir Tkachev! This dynamic little Russian captured the attention of everyone who laid eyes on him. Playing in all three games, Tkachev never had any let downs and played at the same level throughout. He's fearless, quick, imaginative, can take/make a pass and can shoot. I hope he takes the main training camp by storm!...Honorable mentions go to Bogdan Yakimov and Leon Draisaitl

Player of the tourney: Vladimir Tkachev!

P.S. Traing camp starts on Thursday!! See you then!

Saturday Night's Alright

The only thing rarer than getting to watch two live back to back NHL-ish games, is me going out two nights in a row... let alone those nights being Friday AND Saturday. Not that there is anyone stopping me from doing so, it just sounds exhausting and expensive, so typically I don't. But last night, the Jr. Oilers made it all worthwhile and I regret nothing....except maybe the stale $5 popcorn. It came in a bag the size of my wallet.

Yes, they won again in a competitive hockey game. Now, I know these victories are meaningless and in all likelihood, every one of these players, save maybe two, will be playing in either Jr. or the minors this year. But dammit, it's just so nice to see the oil drop come out on the happy side of one goal game! Baby steps, people...

For Saturday nights line-up , the Oilers had removed many of the big guns from the previous game. Centers Leon Draisaitl and Jujhar Khaira and number one defensive pair Darnell Nurse and Martin Gernat all sat in the press-box for the evening. Now, four top stars out of a game is usually cause for concern for most, but for an Oiler fan, it just seems like the typical injury list we get a month into the regular season...Also out were wingers Mitch Holmberg and Jackson Houck. In their stead, forwards Josh Winquist, Alex Krushelnyski, Kyle Platzer, Travis Ewanyk and D-men Graeme Craig and CJ Ludwig. In net Ty Rimmer replaces Laurent Brossoit.

The Calgary flames on the other hand, had their two most likely future stars on the ice in Johnny Gaudreau and Sam Bennett. The rest were a collection of young speedsters and a few goonish lunk-heads. The battle of young Alberta is on!


Game Synopsis In A Few Words:

The first period opens and it's all Calgary, all the time. The Oilers start off a step behind and get consistently overwhelmed by the Flames speed. Luckily for Edmonton, goalie Ty Rimmer was ready at puck drop and was able to make big save after better to keep the team in the game until they were able to stop checking out their collective colon interiors. Shots were 9 - 1 Calgary before the half way mark. Eventually, Calgary gets the first goal to take the lead 1 - 0 on a shot by Gaudreau, assisted by Benett and Hathaway. Fortunately, it's the only lead Calgary would have for the rest of the night.

The Flames take their first penalty of the game to help begin the momentum swing the other way. After some good puck movement between D-men Simpson and Oesterle, Ktyle Patzer scores from the left dot with a lazer beam of a wrister to tie the game at one a piece.

Calgary gets into penalty trouble again towards the end of the first, leading to a 5 on 3 for the Oilers. Defenseman CJ Ludwig makes no mistake with a one-timer from the circle from Roy and Yakimov. The period ends 2 -1 with the shots in favour of Clagary 16 - 9.

The second frame continues with bad penalties taken by the Flames appearing to be more interested in chasing the Oilers around the rink as opposed to playing hockey against them. Both center Yakimov and his sidekick Tkachev start to take over the offense with multiple opportunities off of creative play making and great skating. Eventually, CJ Ludwig gets his second goal of the game off the face-off in the Flames zone. Oilers lead 3 - 1. The multitude of penalties from both sides, disrupts the flow of the period and the Flames only manage 4 shots on goal, leaving the total 21 -20 in favour of the Oilers.

The third period penalty parade continued where it left off in the second. This time, it's the Flames who score the next power play goal, a beauty by Bennett from Gaudreau that was as much determination as finesse on a wrap around. The Oilers still lead by one, 3 - 2.

Then things start getting really nasty. Kale Kessy, doing what he does best by being more irritating than Donald Trump, mixes it up until he gets the fight he's looking for. Then, Yakimov gets charged from behind into the boards. Good news is the hulking Russian hardly even noticed anyone was there. Next up, Oiler center Travis Ewanyk mixes it up with Calgary's Kanzig until they finally drop the gloves. Vladimir Tkachev would then draw the next call after being hauled down on a slick break-away.

On the ensuing power play, Yakimov scores from one knee with a one-timer from Winquist and Tkachev. It would turn out to be the game winning goal as Calgary would get one back with time winding down. Oilers win 4 -3.

Player Highlights:

Player of the game goes to Ty Rimmer. Without his solid play in the first and parts of the third, this game would have been over before it started. Steady throughout the game, Rimmer looked quick with a good glove hand while Calgary bombarded his crease.He looks much more confident than last year and has progressed well. I hope this guy gets an invite to camp next week, he'd look good in a Barons uniform, methinks.

Other noteables: Bogdan Yakimov and Vladimir Tkachev (who I found out has since earned himself an invite to camp next week) were brilliant again on this night. They both created multiple opportunities, skated like lightning and each had a defense splitting break-away at some point in the game. If it wasn't for the poor start in the first, they could have easily been candidates for player of the game...Jordan Oesterle and Dillon Simpson changed my mind about them. They were the number one defense pair for the entire night and looked good distributing the puck. Unfortunately, they both were the cause of a few turn overs and got beat wide by Flames skaters during the aforementioned shaky first period. Eakins must have liked them too because he played the heck out of them... The Jones brothers Kellen and Connor, continued their great work on the penalty kill and were very noticeable on the ice.

Dissappointments: There was no one player that was particularly bad on this night to be noticed exclusively for poor play.  For the most part errors made were by committee and all were guilty at one point or another. It was what players didn't do that caught my attention after the game. After reviewing my notes (I'm trying to try), there were a few absences from sheet. Players from the invisible list were Graeme Craig, Alex Krushelnisky, Ben Betker and Josh Winquist. Yes, I know Winquist assisted on the game tying goal, but he was nowhere to be found for the other 59 minutes of the game...Defense man David Musil is as good a defender as I've read about, but he's as slow as they've reported too. At times the big man looks as though he's skating through taffy...Travis Ewanyk and Kale Kessy are god agitators and fill the role well. Unfortunately, I don't think they have enough hockey ability to progress past the AHL.

Tomorrow, I'll be playing hooky from work to catch the 11:30 am game. I know you're thinking, " How can they fill a building with a Monday morning exhibition?" Trust me, nobody in this town works. Plus the school strike still isn't settled so all of our kids are still at home :) Tomorrow, I'm taking Tkachev...I mean Rowyn with me for the matinee game...

Last Night

I'm going to make this short. I have a real job, two kids and I just got back from the game. It's now 11pm. In parent world, that's the equivalent of being 21, partying at some co-workers friends cousins house until 4 am and then getting up for work at ten for your opening day shift in the morning tired. Plus, the beer I drank at the game tonight is working its way to my shrinking middle-aged bladder causing me to pee endlessly....I have to go now.

Tonight was amazing. It was like the first snow leading into the long cold winter season that is NHL hockey; the first day the tree goes up for Christmas; the first tulip blooms in March (I live in the Okanagan)... Like the first girl that let you within three feet of her to kiss for the first time, it was the start of a beautiful thing. The Jr. Oilers beat the Jr. Canucks. It was the kind of evening that makes you want to believe in unicorns, magic and future Stanley Cups...I guess what I'm saying is: I love beating the Canucks!

Probably one of the best turn-outs since the tournament began four years ago, the crowd enjoyed a close battle between big, young, strong, fast, skilled men and the Canucks prospects...I'll provide you with a few quick hits and an over-view from the game. I'll write a longer, more in depth, individual player analysis after the tournament is over (and I have more time).

Game Synopsis in a Few Words:

The Oilers dominated the first period with their speed, out-shooting the Canucks 18 - 2 with the help of 4 power plays. Unfortunately it took until the 17th shot near the final seconds of the first period to score: Moroz unassisted. The Canucks, playing with out the puck for the majority of the period, turn to laying on the body and line-up of few of the young Oilers with thunderous hits.

The Oil score quickly in the start of the second: a beauty, top shelf by Yakimov and Tkachev the assist, but it's followed up by two quick goals by the Canucks - the second one caught Brossoit napping a bit. Probably due to the lack of action to this point. However, the second frame was much more balanced and shots end up 25-12 after two.

In the third, the teams trade goals and a few fists. Connor Boland laid a clean lick on a Canuck and then further punished Vancouvers' Klarc Wilson by slamming the bridge of his nose into his fist. Boland went to the dressing room after wowing the crowd with a peek of what his insides look like...Gernat got the third Oiler goal on another sweet dish from Tkachev. Vancouver tied the game up with some sustained pressure with only a couple of minutes to go.

In overtime, The Oilers have a 4 on 3 to start the frame. After a few close calls, the penalty ends and the man who started off the scoring tonight, finishes it with another goal from in front of the net. The Oil win! An unfamiliar emotion washes over me and it takes me a minute to realize it`s a mixture of happiness and pride....

Game/Player Highlights:

•  A near sell-out crowd, I was incredibly pleased with the turn-out. The crowd was in an ornery mood too. This was the first year the tournament organizers decided to charge $5.00 for parking and the locals were having none of it. I guess the majority of these folks haven't been to an NHL arena that charges you $15-$20 to park in a concrete deep-freeze that's a 10 minute walk from the building in the middle of February. Just sayin'. Better yet, at least a third of the folks were donned in copper and blue and more than one 'Let's Go Oilers' chant ripped through the arena air...

• Best Player on the ice was easily Vladimir Tkachev. The 5'8" super kid was impossible to miss. He was all over the ice, smart with the puck and displayed some sweet hands, earning himself a couple of assists. Funny, he looked like my daughter two Christmas' ago when she got her first Oilers jersey a few sizes too big so she could grow into it. Just like her, I'm pretty sure it went past his knees and he had the sleeves rolled up. It was even more ridiculous when he stood next to Bogdan Yakimov. They looked like the cartoon dogs Spike and Chester. He's fearless too. He went after the puck in the corner in the first and got absolutely tattooed for his effort, but popped back up and never changed his game for a second.

Meet Vladimir Tkachev....ooops! Er, that's my daughter Rowyn, but if you squint a little they look exactly the same (minus the pom poms)

• Other noteables: Bogdan Yakimov looked like Yao Ming playing amongst children. He just towered over everybody. He's got some nice skill too - his goal in the second was a wicked snipe in the upper corner... Darnell Nurse was the best d-man on the ice. Skating like a gazelle, he was calm and smooth in his own end, made great passes, and got in on more than one offensive rush. He made a good pinch in the second where he out battled two Canucks to get the puck over to Greg Chase. It came back to Nurse, who sauced a pass over to Draisaitl, who missed an open-net with his one timer... The line of Chase, Moroz and Draisaitl was very effective for most of the night. They were constantly buzzing around the net, created a number of opportunities and break-aways, and hit a few people along the way. Actually, Draisaitl was the least impressive of the trio. Most likely due to leg cramps that kept him out of over half of the third period. It's not that he played poorly, he just didn't stand out to me, looked tired at times (again, maybe the cramps) and there was that open-net miss...the Jones Brothers, Connor and Kellen, played like a couple of white pinballs. They were all over the ice and preformed well on the PK...Martin Gernat looked big and rangy, displaying his offensive acumen with strong performances on the power play and contributing a tap in goal driving to the net.

• Dissappointments: The biggest disappointment of the night goes to Jujhar Khaira. Although he wasn't afraid to stand in front of the oppositions net, he didn't exactly impose his will there, or any other part of the ice. For a player who's calling card is size and intense physical play, he looked more like a guy who just got up from an afternoon nap on the couch. In fact, it was Khaira who was bombarded by hits and checks throughout the night and unfortunately, none of them seemed to wake him up...Dillon Simpson (who wore the C) and Jordan Oesterle didn't impress me much either. Although they seemed to settle down as the came went on, they were both really shaky in the first. Both players were guilty of turning over the puck more than once and were out muscled/hustled on a couple of plays...Laurent Brossoit had a below .900 save % for the night and let in a goal or two he'd love to have back in the second. That being said, he was very square and solid for the rest of the night and made some serious saves on the PK, especially during a late 5 on 3. He gets a pass...

Final Thoughts: It was a sublime pleasure to watch an Oilers squad (even if was just the hope-fulls) that was both large and skilled. So many of the players out there were just gigantic but still had the ability to play the game. I think I need to sit down, I feel dizzy...It must have made Tkachev feel like he was skating around human Red Wood trees...

That's the game in a nut shell. Saturday night has the Flames and Oilers at 7:30 pm Pacific and I'll make that report on Sunday. The only thing I feel sad about is that we don't get to beat the 'Nuckle-heads again...

We Goin'... We Goin....To Ticky Town!!

Penticton: Home of the BCHL Vees, Peachfest, Boonstock, Elvis Fest and the 30km per hour speed zone.

Welcome to Penticton! If you find yourself in town this weekend for the annual Young Stars Tournament (the only good thing the Canucks have ever done for me) please take time to enjoy the beautiful weather, stroll along our two gorgeous lakes, imbibe at one of the many wineries, and inhale the wafting aroma of Ben Gay....Yes, Penticton is one amazing resort city but it's also home to more retirees per capita than Florida.

My wife and I left Winnipeg 5 years ago to escape the harsh prairie winters a year before the Jets returned to the NHL. Having not seen live NHL hockey since 1995, I was pretty choked to say the least. However, in its stead I was able to witness the birth of a prospects based tournament showcasing the talents of young up and comers, blue chippers, and no hope in hellers here in our new home.

As an Oiler fan, this yearly competition was perfect. The team was in a state of suck flux and was stockpiling young talent and number one picks. I witnessed them all before their first taste of NHL action. The first year I saw Hall, Eberle and Paajarvi wow the crowd. The next year, Nuge was absolutely outstanding and impressed with his puck prusuit (the thing was never far from his stick everytime he was on the ice). Unfortunately, Young Stars was cancelled during the lock-out season, but last year I got a taste of Darnell Nurse who started out shakier than a new born foal, but got stronger as the games wore on....you just knew this kid was going to be a beast.

This year, we have a new crop of picks to put our eyes on. There's Leon Draisaitl: Edmonton's only answer to everyone's questions about the second line center, Bogdan Yakimov: a wild card from Russia with a bag full of good arrows and Iiro Pakarinen: a Finn!

There's also a few returnees to the fold and we'll see how they've progressed from a year ago. Darnell Nurse: said to have made great strides in his game, Greg Chase: had a breakout year offensively, and Jujhar Khaira: is now larger than the gap in Zack Kassian's teeth.

If you can't make it to Ticky Town, you can stream the games live on Oilers.com. I will also be posting full reviews of all three games this weekend here. In the meantime, let's meet a few of the stand-out prospects and see what they're all about...



Leon Draisaitl: This is the big, strong, offensively gifted center the Oilers have been missing in their line up to compete in the Western Conference for some time. I'm just not sure that at 18, he's quite ready to step into that role right away. It's a lot to ask of a kid just cutting his teeth in the best league in the world. Unfortunately, it looks as though he's got little choice as the Oil haven't been able to do anything to bring in some depth at center while he develops. It's sink or swim time for yet another Edmonton top prospect. As far as his playing ability goes, Draisaitl was a dynamo for a not so good Prince Albert Raiders team, racking up 38 goals and 67 assists in just 64 games. A smart playmaker, he has eyes in the back of his head and uses his large 6'2" frame to shield defenders from the puck. I just hope the team doesn't ruin him before he's had a chance to reach his potential.

Jujhar Khaira: A 20 year old center who stands at 6'4" and weighs 215 lbs who competes to his size. Khaira has some grit to his game and loves to go to the net. Like him already? Me too. The only question mark with him is his offense, he scores about as often as a nerd in high school. Last year, Khaira posted 43 points in 59 games in the WHL on a defensive minded Everett Silvertips team. He showed well in a brief stint with the OKC Barons at the end of the year and all things being equal he should spend the year there competing against men in the AHL. If he continues on his trend, he may end up with some games with the big club. This could be the fourth line center we've been waiting for.

Mitchell Moroz: A big, punishing winger (sensing a theme here?), the 6'3" 215 pound winger won the Memorial Cup with the Edmonton Oil Kings last year. But he's not just a bruiser. In spite of his 156 penalty minutes, Moroz also scored 35 goals and racked up 63 points in 70 games. He also displays good leadership skills and could be another perfect fit in the Oilers bottom six in a few years.

Iiro Pakarinen: Signed in the off-season, this Finn progressed the offensive side of his game enough to get a look from a few NHL teams, including Edmonton. He is expected to compete for the last spot on the fourth line next to Gordon and Hendricks, but I smell a Lennart Petrell in the making. Unlike Petrell however, this player doesn't shy away from the physical aspects of the game and seems to love getting his nose dirty. You may also recognize his name, but have difficulty placing it. He's the Finnish skater responsible for ending team Canada's World Cup this past summer with a weak-ass slapper that beat none other than Ben Scrivens for the game clinching goal. I wonder how they'll get along in the dressing room...

Bogdan Yakimov: 6'5", 202 lb Russian center. Many of the Oiler brass are giddier than the front row of a One Direction concert over this guy. If all goes well developmentally, the Oilers can envision a center depth chart that starts with Nuge, then Drai, followed by Yakimov and then Khaira. The currently height weight challenged Oilers would all of a sudden average 6'3" and over 210 lbs...somebody pinch me! Yakimov only scored 12 points in 30+ games playing for Yakupov's home town KHL team back in Russia, but as is the way of rookies in that league, was given very little playing time.

Greg Chase: Being a seventh round selection must have pissed off this 19 year old worse than Chef Ramsay during dinner service. Fortunately for him, Chase channeled all of his anger into proving himself. Last year he increased his point total by 36 pts for a total of 85 in seventy games playing for the Calgary Hitmen. His increased production has turned a few heads and landed him an invite to the World Junior Camp this past off-season. In return for his inclusion, the right winger made himself one of the best players on the ice in order to force his way onto a very tight roster to crack. He's also over 6' and 200lbs and plays with an edge...music to my ears.

Vladimir Tkachev: Check out a couple of this guys goals on Youtube. There is no doubting this 18 year old's foot speed or his hands. No, the only thing in question is the 5'8" 168 lb frame they're attached to. He's been brought in on a try-out contract and I'm anxious to see what the little guy can do. Is he the next St. Louis? Or more likely, the next Linus Omark? Just don't do any spin-o-ramas. That sh&$ is played out.

'

One year, a few of the players at the tournament one evening "tied one on". Although no one came forward when this boat was found the next morning, I'm pretty sure those responsible team's name ended in 'anuck'.

Darnell Nurse: The crown jewel of the prospect crop. Every single member of the Oilers organization has their fingers crossed that this guy becomes Pronger-Lite. At this point, Darnell doesn't have as much offensive acumen as 'Prongs' but he's every bit as nasty. In 2014, Nurse imposed his will on other players and took liberties on anyone who even thought about coming near his net. After being one of the final cuts in training camp last year, he's done everything he can to make sure he makes it as hard as possible for him to be let go this time around. At 6'4" 185 lbs, he certainly has quite a bit of room to fill out his tall frame and looks a little more giraffe than thoroughbred. That being said, the weight will come. The talent is already there.

Dillon Simpson: He may be Craig Simpson's son, but Dillon as earned his right to be where he is. After playing out his college years at UND he's being given a chance to crack the OKC line-up. More of a stay at home defender, Simpson seems good at everything but stellar at none. Same can be said of his size. At 6'2" he won't intimidate many players, but he can certainly hold his own.

Martin Gernat: A compareable to Marincin. Gernat is tall at 6'5" and has some weight to put on but his offensive abilities are promising. With a year or two more AHL sesoning, Gernat could start to push for an NHL job. A couple of the big knocks on him are consistency and competitive edge. Other than that, he seems to have as many tools as Mike Holmes

Ben Betker: I was impressed with Betker's play at last time he was in Penticton, but throughout the season afterwards, I stopped seeing his name come up in prospect discussions. Impossible to miss on the ice at 6'6" 215 lbs Betker controlled the play, squeezed off attackers and contributed in the offensive zone. I'm rooting for this guy and if he can put it together and progress his way onto the Barons in the next year or two, he could become a real NHL player. A defensive defensman, he did improve his offensive stats by a wide margin this past year, Betker may need to improve his skating in order to make the jump, but he looks like the Sears Tower on skates.

David Musil: This 6'4", 200lb 21 year old is a dying breed of stay at home defenseman. He's not a great puck handler, his foot speed is on the slow side and his shot is nothing to write home about. But, he can defend. He's kind of like a a young Disney actress who can't sing, dance, model or annoy the piss out of everyone.

Ok that's it. I apologize for the lack luster effort on this post. I'm short on time and I've got a game to get to. I can't wait to tell you all about the game tonight!!

Go Oil!! And down with the 'Nucks!!

Gooooooooooaaallll.....ie!

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Best Defence

Best Defense vs. The Dallas Eakins defense: One's a story about a hapless man who's thrust into the spotlight to be the saviour of a defense program that is manned by the clueless  - the other is this movie staring Dudley Moore and Eddie Murphy

Yesterday, we covered one of the Oiler's stronger areas, the forwards. Today, we'll cover the defense. "The whaaaa??", you may ask, "I don't think they have one of those." Well, they do. It's just that in 2013/2014 it was worse than the ending of a Stephen King novel.

 Last year, the Oilers were a bursting dam on defense and there weren't enough fingers at a hand puppet convention to plug all of the holes. Big mistakes, small mistakes, series of mistakes - they were all made and often. It started with a new defensive system put in place by the new rookie head coach. That was abandoned a couple months in when the coaching staff realized that the inexperienced blue-line didn't know how to play defense, let alone wrap their collective heads around more complicated systems play.

Once things were simplified and a couple of rookie D-men were given a chance, things seemed to settle down a bit - they went from septic tank to just 'stinky'. The performance of the two call-ups Martin Marincin and Oscar Klefbom portends of good things to come for the Oiler blue, but they're just not quite there yet. In the meantime, Craig Mactavish nade a few significant off season moves in order to steady the defense until the cavalry arrives in the not too distant future. They also managed to add a ton of size to the back end, without sacrificing mobility.

Your 2014/2015 defense will look like some kind of combination of the following:

Andrew Ference: The captain of the team, but for how long we're not sure. Yes, he's a great leader in the dressing room but it's difficult to lead by example when your a bottom pairing defense-man. He is most definitely a legitimate NHL defender, however at this stage in his career, Ference is a number six defender. Last year, too much was asked as Ference and I believe that this year, less is more. Used properly, Ference is a solid member of the blue line.

Jeff Petry: An unsung hero and a personal favourite of mine. This is a man who has had to develop his skills on a terrible team all while being force fed to the league's toughest competition. It would be like learning to hang glide during a tornado. Unfortunately, all the ice time he's been given makes him front and center to the eyes of the fans, many of whom have turned on Petry and made him one of the prime targets of their disgust with the state of the team. He is a better defender than people realize, however, judging by his new one year deal and UFA status at the end of this year, it looks like management has sided with the fans and Jeff is as good as gone come trade deadline, if not earlier. Too bad, I just hope the return makes the deal worthwhile.

Nikita Nikitin: On the downside, this is a high priced player who seems to have taken a down-turn in play over the last couple of seasons while playing with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He's been given less and less responsibility as newer and better talent started to arrive on his former team. On the upside, he is a big, mobile, legitimate NHL defender with over 220 NHL games experience and some offensive ability. A former partner of his on the Russian team, he's what the Oilers were hoping Anton Belov would turn into when they gave him a shot last year. Senior VP of hockey ops, Scott Howson, was the man responsible for bringing Nikitin to Columbus, has his finger prints all over this pick-up.

Mark Fayne: This is the shut down defense-man you were looking for. Big, mobile and plays against the opposition's toughest competition. And we get to watch him for the next four years in the prime of his career. Happiness.

Justin Schultz: If you believe Mac-T, we've got Duncan Keith in the making. If that's true, "Schultzy" only has half a rink to figure out how to play in and a nastiness to discover from within. I'm not saying that he has NO edge to his game, but after meeting Justin once, Chuck Norris decided to stop kicking ass. On the other hand, he does have the offensive skills to back up the comparison and look for him (with the help of Craig Ramsay) to gather a ton of points on the power play. I don't know if he can win a Norris trophy, but I think that if he can develop his defensive game and time his offensive contributions better, Justin Schultz could be a great top four defender for years to come.

Martin Marincin: Chara-lite. Well, more like caffeine free, diet Coke Zero Chara ultra-lite. Actually, all they have in common is that they are ridiculously tall, lanky, Slovak defensemen. Marty has miles to go to be considered any where near the realm of Chara. That being said, Marincin showed well in his 40+ game stint with the Oilers last year and more than held his head above water while facing some decent competition. He's young and has plenty of time to grow into his 6'5" frame, he currently uses his long stick and wide wingspan to take the puck away from his opponents. If he can learn to get more physical and apply the body as he gains weight, his Chara comparisons may be warranted.

Keith Aulie: Coach Eakins said of Will Acton last year that he was like a bad smell - 'he just wouldn't go away'. Well, neither does the parade of ex-Toronto Marlies to the Oilers. On the other hand, this is probably the best former Eakins' student that has arrived in Oil town. On a cheap contract, Aulie is an absolute dump truck of a human being (6'6" 228 lbs) and plays a nasty physical game. Something the blue line sorely lacks. Most envision him as the seventh defense man, being placed in the line-up when size and grit is needed. Best player they've had in this role for some time and his name doesn't end in     -eckham. Perfect.

Oscar Klefbom: Mactavish is quoted as saying in many a blog what a giant hard-on he has for this guy. A first round draft pick, Klefbom has all the tools be the shut-down defender of the future with some serious offensive up-side. He can skate, he's large, can make a pass and take one too. He's been held back by a season long injury two years a go and is still adjusting to the North American game after playing the majority of his career on European ice. I've seen this guy play first hand. It's not a matter of if but when.

Ok, four more sleeps until the Young Stars tournament! Tune in tomorrow for the goalie preview.