Edmonton Oilers Outlook: The Jacques Experiment

(Photo borrowed from oilers.nhl.com)

In his quest for consistency of effort, a higher average overall "crust" factor, and in trying to flank every puny pair of Oilers forwards with one flying fridge, Pat Quinn started the season by placing Penner with Cogliano, Stone with Comrie/O'Sullivan, and Moreau/Stortini with Gagner.

He also put J.F. Jacques on the first line, as was predicted here, at An Oilers Refinery.

Now, even if Jacques turns out half as decent as Penner ever was on the first line, he will have exceeded most expectations. The Oilers will never end up extracting equal value out of the Pouliot/Jacques combination that they will have from Zach Parise alone, but nothing is stopping them from using the parts they have to their maximum usefulness.

I think it is inevitable that Quinn will keep trying Penner back on the first line and eventually find that he is the best choice for that line.

Whatever the ultimate outcome of the first line Jacques experiment (a.k.a. Jac-Hem-Off), history will show that it benefited the Oilers more than it hurt them.

Conversely, the Oilers giving Jacques some major responsibility and playing time on the team's first line and the occasional powerplay unit will increase the youngster's confidence and willingness to take offensive chances after a long string of injuries thus far in his career.

The Oilers will have developed a big winger who can play on any line for this team; Jacques will have learned valuable hockey skills that will increase his usefulness to the team for as long as he plays here.

It's really a win-win.

And considering the Oilers only barely lost to the Flames both times that they did, I think it's quite possible that this Oilers team is actually a lot better than they seem right now.

If the Jacques experiment comes to an end soon, he will bring the same elements that made him useful on the first line to some other line in the system, whether in Edmonton or in Springfield.

For the former AHL scoring winger, I think that the former scenario is more likely.

This time, he's in the NHL to stay.