During the making of the atomic bomb, scientists discovered that causing the bomb to implode on itself would create a much bigger explosion. Nobody put this theory to test more than the 2013/2014 Edmonton Oilers. The resulting destruction was spectacular.
NOTE: Although the NHL strike last year was awful and sad, this current teachers' strike is worse....maybe. My kids home all day together are destroying my wife's nerves and thus, through trickle-down shit-a-nomics, is making me very unhappy. Miss Clark, the way I see it, you're the Gary Bettman of this whole thing so only you can end this quickly. Please do so.
But i digress...
Although the Young Stars tournament won't get underway until Friday (Since I reside in Penticton, I'll be posting reports for each of the three Oiler games here) and training camp doesn't start until Sept 18th, I'd like to take this time to familiarize everyone with this years coming line-up to help remind you who to be excited about and who to be downright depressed over. I'll be breaking this up into four parts: Forwards, defense, Goalies and Prospects/Hopefuls/Not-a-Prayers'.
Our first review will be the forwards. Hope springs a-new at this time of year and we are yet again eternal optimists for the coming season. So take a BIG drink of the Oiler Kool-Aid and enjoy...
In no particular order they are:
C - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: Looks like the NHL's version of the Cat-in-the-Hat. Came out like gang busters in his first season and was derailed by injury in his second. After recovering from surgery last year, he was able to improve his two-way game through much of a dismal Edmonton season, however his offense suffered a little. This year he's fully healthy and had time to train, having not participated at the World Cup in the summer, so expect a big year from him. It's rumored he's coming into camp at 6'1" and near 200 lbs - his 'man strength' as Eakins called it, may be starting to arrive.
L - Taylor Hall: He's the Huey Lewis to the rest of the News. As goes this man, so goes the team. He's finished in the top ten in scoring two years in a row and is one of the best three left wingers in the game. If he can up his goal scoring total while maintaining the 50+ assists of a year ago, he could finish in the top 5. Just an absolute thoroughbred. It's also rumored he may be wearing the "C" on his jersey before seasons end.
R - Jordan Eberle: Shuffled around more often than a decks of cards in Vegas last year, he suffered from inconsistency in line-mates and was often used to try and raise the level of play of slumping players. Despite this, he still managed to score 28 goals and collect 60+ points. Eberle was criticized for not shooting more often, however he can still carve through defenses like they're bars of soap and is absolutely deadly in the slot. He's also known for timely goals and a go to guy when a big game is on the line. Unfortunately, a meaningful game isn't much more than an old folk tale in Edmonton, telling the days of yore.
NOTE: There is no question that the above three players are Edmonton's best line. Please leave them together this year, Mr. Eakins. They're like the band the Police; sure they're talented on their own and one of them is the hockey equivalent of Sting, but they're so much better together. Don't make them break up!
C - Mark Arcobello: The little engine that could. He started at the bottom, and I mean lower than the current state of Lindsay Lohan's career, and has proven himself at every level when most thougt he could go no further. He played well in his shortened stint with the Oilers last season and there's no reason that that success can't continue. He's pretty much Gagner's successor and there are a few folks who are upset about that, however, I'm not sure why. Gagner was given soft zone starts, tons of PP time and managed .55 pts per game and was terrible in the dot. Arco was buried down the roster, given tougher competition and managed .42 pts per game and went over 50% in the dot. He also may be a little smaller than Gagner, but he can throw a pretty good hit and does something rather well that 'Gags' couldn't wrap his head around in 7 seasons - play defense!
L - David Perron: A real beauty and a great pick-up by Mactavish a season ago. He has experience, plays a sound game, possesses great hands, can snipe from all angles and has a knack for getting under the skin of opposing players. Everytime I watch him play I imagine he's a lot like John Cleese's french tower guard character from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Also a very versatile player who can play up and down the line-up.
R - Nail Yakupov: He may have told the media he didn't know what a sophomore slump meant, but he's now the new current poster-boy. Not much went right for Nail last year. He struggled with defense, offense, new systems play and a new coach. It was the biggest disaster since Paris Hilton put out an album. On the upside, it seems as though Nail has spent the off-season training, improving his fitness and mending fences with Coach Eakins. This is one player who has just too much talent not to succeed at some level so look for a bounce back year from him. Otherwise, look for him to be the first to be shipped out of town.
L - Benoit Pouliot: A third line winger with a second line pay-check. The Oiler brass wanted this guy worse than Taylor Swift wants her next boyfriend. And just like her next guy, the Oilers paid dearly for it. On the up side, Pouliot is exactly what the Oil have been missing. Big, skilled, fast, drives possession, can take care of his own end and bats in the middle order of the line-up. He's not going to dazzle anybody offensively, but he gets the job done on both sides of the puck.
R - Teddy Purcell: Another experienced, legitimate NHL winger. Edmonton actually has some pretty decent depth on the wings this year. More of a passer, he'll be a good option to set up plays on the second power play unit this season. He also addresses the teams need for size at 6'3", 203 lbs. He may not be an overly physical player however, he won't get pushed around like an empty shopping cart either.
C - Boyd Gordon: Ever lay awake at night, dreading going to work/school the next day? This guy hasn't slept since the summer of 2013. He's one of the best face-off men in the league and as such is relied upon to take almost every defensive zone draw. He also faces the toughest competition on the ice and is used predominantly in a shut-down role. At least this year with some of the off-season moves, he won't be the only one out there whose able to defend. A nightmare isn't so bad when you have someone else to share it with.
R/C - Matt Hendricks: A lot of us, myself included, were wondering what Mac-T was thinking when he shipped out Devan Dubnyk for this guy. A look at the stats sheet leaves much to be desired (hendricks has never scored more than 9 goals), and he's 33 with 3 years left on an over priced contract. Well the GM showed himself to be the silver fox he truly is - Hendricks was just what the Dr. ordered. Mean, abrasive and punishing, he was instantly noticeable on the ice. Demonstrating leadership skills on the bench as well, he was like sniffing salts on skates. A perfect fouth/defensive liner, he and Gordon will most likely be glued at the hip.
L - Luke Gazdic: If he's not the current heavy-weight champ of the NHL, he's next in line. A bruising fighter and punishing checker he's a great deterrent for the other team from taking liberties on his team mates. Now, if he could just figure out how to play hockey , we could really have something here. Unfortunately, Gazdic sweats out scoring chances against and looks more lost than a Malaysian airplane. He's young, though and if he can improve his game he's a nice club to have in the bag.
C - Anton Lander: A player on the bubble, but may be on the opening day roster due to the lack of center depth on the current roster. His development probably hindered by being thrust into NHL action too early, Lander has always held his own defensively and is excellent on the PK. The problem has been his offense at the pro level: 94GP 2-6-8. He took a big step in the AHL last year, playing as the number one center and scored at greater than a point per game clip. However, this is the year he has to show he can do it at the NHL level. I've liked Anton since watching him in Penticton at the Young Stars tourney a few years back...I'll be rooting for him.
L - Jesse Joensuu: A BIG Finn brought in last year from Long Island to play a 3/4 line role. He showed well in pre-season but was quickly derailed by back injuries. When he returned to the line-up, he couldn't seem to find his place and then got injured yet again. He will have to compete for a job on the roster, but if he can re-gain the form he showed early last year, he can earn himself a spot beside Gordon and Hendricks.
R - Steve Pinizzotto: At 30 years of age and total of 18 NHL games played, he has as much chance of making the team as Rob Schremp. That being said, Pinizzotto showed well in brief stint with the Oil last season and could find himself playing as an occasional call-up in heavy body games. He's much like Luke Gazdic, except what he lacks in fighting skill, he makes up for in playing ability. A responsible Gazdic-lite, if you will.
That covers the forwards - next the D-Corps!
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