Bleacher Report - Edmonton Oilers

Dany Heatley Scores Hat Trick: Something About That Bothers Me

Jim Parsons — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:26:13 -0500

I know that in the grand scheme of things, I'm supposed to be impartial. That I should write the news and notes on a team without acting as a "homer" for the city in which I live.

But, it should come as no surprise, that as an Oilers blogger, I'm also an Oilers fan.

So when Dany Heatley essentially snubbed the Edmonton Oilers during the summer and refused to waive his no-trade clause to join an Edmonton squad that would have been excited to have him; I vowed that as long as Heatley was not an Oiler, I was not a Heatley fan.

As a result of my new found loyalty to my optional dislike for a player I really know little about, I was not at all pleased when Dany Heatley scored a hat-trick (his second of the season, mind you) against the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday night.

For some reason, this second one hurts a little more.

I suppose Heatley's 26 points and now league-leading 17 goals comes at a time that Dustin Penner has slowed as the new savior in Edmonton.

Penner, who to date has been the best Oiler by far and is no slouch at 23 points and a plus/minus +11, has started to come back to reality. Fans now realize that three- and four-point nights won't happen all the time.

Penner can't be perfect...even though we'd love him to be.

Penner's slight decrease has allowed Heatley, with his performance on Friday, to effectively pass Penner in the total points standings.

Honestly, it was inevitable as Heatley has a much more proven track record, plays alongside superstars like Joe Thornton, and still has something to prove. Simply, Heatley is the better offensive player.

As Oiler fans, we can only hope Penner doesn't agree.

Saturday, the Oilers take on the Chicago Blackhawks. Still missing key pieces of the team, Edmonton faces a Chicago squad that is on a tear of late, having won five in a row. In fact, no team is as on fire as Chicago is and the Oilers have been struggling.

Many will call me "ye of little faith," but tomorrow's game for me isn't about the Oilers winning. I just don't think they will.

No, for me its about keeping an eye on Dustin Penner. Something tells me, that while this isn't a game of one-ups, Penner wants to show everyone that he can keep pace with Dany Heatley.

If that is what he's thinking, I hope he's right. The Oilers could use a Penner boost on Saturday.

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Good and Bad Angles Come Out Of Oilers' Wednesday Win

Jim Parsons — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:57:44 -0500

After Wednesday's come-from-behind win over the Colorado Avs, a blogger like myself had a plethora of story lines to select from.

Should I talk about Jeff Deslauriers finally getting some game action, only to start out poorly, worry the entire coaching staff, then make up for it towards the latter half of the game? It would have been scary if the Oilers felt they had to play Khabibulin more than they're already playing him.

Maybe how Tom Gilbert, who has had a rough season to start, was so bad in the first half of the game and directly responsible for the Avs first two goals, that it forced head coach Pat Quinn to bench him. Gilbert received a total of 7:41 seconds of ice time throughout the night. Message sent loud and clear I would guess.

I noticed too that Ethan Moreau, Zack Stortini, and Andrew Cogliano weren't seen or heard from much. I thought Cogs played well when he was on the ice, but Quinn didn't use any of the three that often (I suppose one should account for the 17 penalty minutes served by Stortini).

I could have taken a positive spin and noted that Sam Gagner was a surprise draw in for an absent Mike Comrie (even though we knew he wasn't 100%). Gagner had a good game, scoring a goal after quite a dry spell.

The same happened for Brule, O'Sullivan and Potulny, all who in their own different ways and for different reasons, needed to provide some offense.

Visnovsky, Souray, Smid and Staios all had good games on defence, while Hemsky, Penner and Horcoff were a dangerous first line. The Oilers had some breakdowns, but overall out-shot the Avs 33-18 over three periods. With six power plays, I should hope so.

Speaking of the power play, it's an area that still needed a lot of work for Edmonton. They simply falter when pressured by aggressive penalty killers.

All in all though, there was a lot of good to come out of that game for Edmonton, who now sits just three points back of a playoff spot and needs every point on this five-game home stand, against some tough teams, to gain ground.

For myself, I guess I didn't have to choose a topic, it's all right there in a pretty little 6-4 win with a bow on it.

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Sticking to the Program: Edmonton Oilers Come from Behind Against Avs

Antony Ta — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:27:39 -0500

In the middle of the week when all the sports media could talk about was how much the they had been losing as of late, the Edmonton Oilers ground out a gritty, come-from-behind win against the Northwest-division leaders, the Colorado Avalanche.

This young Oilers team, undersized in comparison to the Avs and without J.F. Jacques and Ryan Stone in the lineup, showed that it could stand up to the likes of the Scott Hannans and Brett Clarks.

At times during this game it was frustrating to watch some of the defensive gaffs and missed assignments. But so quickly did the tempo of the game change once the Oilers had some wind at their back - home town momentum - that it really made for an emotional roller-coaster-ride.

The Oilers need to get over the age hill and fast. The fact that the team is so young still may contribute to all the highs and lows over the course of a game. The abundance of young players on this team means that there are some really high peaks and some really low valleys.

Luckily for the Oilers (and luckily for the Avs for the second time in two weeks) some of those young guns rode the peak to a come-from-behind win.

A couple of struggling Oilers continued to regain their scoring touch against the Avs.

This included Shawn Horcoff, Patrick O'Sullivan, and Sam Gagner.

Making up for the lost offense of flu-ridden veteran winger Mike Comrie, Ryan Potulny continued his scoring ways by wrecking havoc in the Avs zone along with fellow call-up Liam Reddox.

Wins of this emotional roller-coaster variety are fun, but keep in mind that they also result in losses sometimes too.

It is hard to argue that the Oilers could use more stability in the lineup. Part of the instability is in fact due to the myriad of injuries at different positions in the lineup and at different times so far this season.

But the Oilers can no longer afford to attribute their performance fluctuations to injuries and the flu.

With the Oilers more than deep enough on the blueline with defensive guys like Steve Staios, Jason Strudwick, and Dean Arsene playing beyond expectations so far, GM Steve Tambellini needs to fix the problem of a lack of veteran presence up front.

Increasing the experience of the frontline will take pressure of the defensive corp and lead to increased stability throughout the lineup.

Without defensive forwards Fernando Pisani, Jacques, and Stone in the lineup, the Oilers proved that they could provide a decently gritty yet offensive game—outshooting the Avs.

If and when the three defensive forwards return to the lineup, the Oilers will need to decide whether they should wait until trade deadline to right the ship—or to do it now—before the Olympic break sets in.

Every successful team needs stability and the Oilers need that right now.

The Oilers have shown that they can win-from-behind and they did it against the Avalanche who are a pretty darn good team.

Now can they learn how to protect a lead?

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Can the Edmonton Oilers Return To Early Season Form?

Antony Ta — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:40:36 -0500

One of the advantages enjoyed by the Oilers early on in the season was that they could roll any of their four lines and expect some level of offensive spark and defensive competence.

With the development of complications due to swine flu and injuries, the Oilers slowly saw their early season success fade away. The Oilers also lost a few games that they should have won.

But that's all in the past now.

The Oilers are at a critical part of the season where they are in close proximity both with playoff contenders and with lottery contenders. Only a few points separates both extremes and the Oilers, now with players starting to return from injuries, have to capitalize on this time period.

Though now without individuals who played important parts in the Oilers early success, namely Ryan Stone, J.F. Jacques, and Denis Grebeshkov who are now injured, the Oilers have to find more offense from the troops that are left behind.

With veteran presence Fernando Pisani's ulcerative colitis flaring up again, and utility men such as Taylor Chorney, Marc Pouliot, and robert Nilsson on the shelf, the Oilers have to find it in themselves to elevate their game.

Some of the players I will be expecting to start carrying more of the workload would include Gilbert Brule—a player who got out to a hot start playing with the rejuvenated Dustin Penner while Jacques manned the top line with Shawn Horcoff and Ales Hemsky.

Brule will be looked upon to play more of a leadership role than a complimentary role, in the upcoming weeks.

Another important player is Andrew Cogliano. With Sam Gagner showing the versatility to play on any line for Edmonton, Cogliano is now two years removed from the "kid-line" success that he and fellow line-mates Gagner and Nilsson used to enjoy.

If Cogliano fails to live up to the expectations of Pat Quinn and Steve Tambellini, and he can't adapt in the same fashion as a Gagner or Penner or even Chorney (by playing on any line against any level of opposition) he may find himself slip down the depth chart in Edmonton, much like Kenta's kid has experienced.

Though normally injuries couldn't considered the sole root of all the Oiler's poor performances, the great play of recent call-ups to Edmonton, such as Chorney, Liam Reddox, and Ryan Potulny has exacerbated the leadership void in the Edmonton locker room.

It is time for Brule, Cogliano and the Horcoff to start carrying the torch.

It is time for Comrie, Moreau and Staios to lead by example.

Sheldon Souray has returned, Visnovsky and Smid are almost completely healthy and Horcoff and Hemsky are around the corner as well now that they are back in the lineup.

The Oilers have nobody left to blame now, if they continue to lose.

To reverse that trend, the Oilers will have to beat former teammate Mathieu Garon one more time on Monday night.

In recent history, the Oilers have had much success at that.

Let's hope that trend continues.

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Edmonton Oilers Attempt to Justify New Pay Per View Schedule

Jim Parsons — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:59:46 -0500

It's no secret that the amount and cost of a PPV has gone up over the past couple seasons. It's also no secret that the quality of what's being offered during those broadcasts hasn't really increased.

Oiler fans are still getting repeated player segments, in-depth profiles (which aren't getting any more in-depth than the first time we saw them), and sometimes brutal feeds from the opposition's announcers, until the regular broadcast as it was intended to be shown kicks in.

Yet the Edmonton Oilers expect fans to continue to shell out $14-$17 a game to watch what so far has been a very mediocre hockey team.

I guess the correct way to phrase that would be, "know" the fans will shell out the money, because after all, Edmonton is a hockey town and Edmonton fans need their Oilers fix. I'm no stranger to this feeling.

I for one, have no single reason to order the Sunday game against the Thrashers. Kovalchuk is hurt and likely a shade of his usually entertaining self, Souray may not make his return as he's a game-time decision, and the Oilers team still seems to be full of AHL players.

But, like a sucker, I'll be sending my cable company another close to $20 to see my third PPV game in November.

I'm not the only one who finds this an issue. A hot topic amongst some of the Oil blogosphere, has brought this issue to attention.

So much so, that a rep for the Edmonton Oilers made a statement on the Team 1260's "Oilers Lunch" radio show and I've noticed now, has put a statement on the official Oilers website .

What I find most interesting, is that instead of actually suggesting they'll make the product better, or find a way to decrease the cost for fans since the local cable companies have decided to broadcast fewer games, they've come up with this quote...

"It’s also important to note that that Oilers PPV was created as a vehicle to broadcast Oiler games which would not otherwise be broadcast and we remain true to that initiative."

Gotcha. I agree, I'm glad there is a way to watch more of the games. However, if that is truly the reason, why are there two additional games not being broadcast on any format other than the Oilers website? Couldn't you have made those two games PPV's as well?

My guess is the answer is yes, they could have. And I'm not really sure why they didn't. Unlike a decade ago, the Oilers are swimming in money.

They are one of the most profitable NHL franchises in the league and it can't be the cost of creating the PPV that's slowing them from showing those final two games.

Or maybe, if the team feels sorry for its fans, and we're only watching this many PPV games because Sportsnet dropped it's coverage from 48 to 40 games; why are we not being offered a less costly product?

Oilers, you say the PPV's only go up because they have to. Does that mean the price had to as well? Because just like the quantity, the cost has continued to climb.

I suppose I could be ignorant to the workings of the Oilers network deal with PPV providers and that the cost to the franchise has increased, but somehow I doubt it.

I'm pretty sure however, I'm not ignorant enough to believe the Olympic excuse presented by an Oiler rep as to why Sportsnet has decreased it's coverage.

You say the Olympics hurt the schedule? The same Olympics that start in February? To me, that has little to do with five PPV games in November, a month in which the Olympics won't be a factor.

I guess what I'm saying is, I'm confused. I'd have been better if the Oilers had just come out and called this an additional revenue stream. That's what it is.

The demand is there and I don't deny it. The supply is there also. Just at a cost close to the edge of what people will pay before demand goes down.

Yet again, maybe not. I'm an Oiler fan. I'll be watching the game, paying my $20 and I'm not really sure why.

On a side note...

My heart goes out to Fernando Pisani and his loved ones. His illness has flared up again and let's hope this isn't bringing him to the end of a fine NHL career.

With a contract ending this season, he'll be looking to be 100 percent healthy before signing on with the Oilers or another team.

That said, his focus shouldn't be on his career. It should be to get healthy, for his sake and for his family.

Read more Edmonton Oilers news on BleacherReport.com

The Edmonton Falcons...Er...Thunder...Er...Oilers Take the Ice

Antony Ta — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:07:10 -0500

Wow: what a string of injuries.

In addition to the already long string of injuries on the Oilers roster, today there was news that both Fernando Pisani and Patrick O'Sullivan have sustained injuries.

Though the contribution from Springfield Falcons' call-ups have been amiable so far, one wonders how much longer the Oilers will have to keep going to the well before it's dry. Will we have to start calling up Thunder players from Stockton?

It's interesting to see that the Oilers have so much depth and that they're still losing close games despite this. However, the key is that they're still losing.

This is a sickening amount of man games lost to injury so far this season and I'm hard-pressed to find a team that has been hit worse.

Another problem is that so many injuries also inhibits GM Steve Tambellini's ability to assess his team and solve problems of holes on the roster. Not only because he has no idea who is contributing when healthy because the roster isn't healthy, but also because injured players can't be dealt.

This means that anyone that was on the block before being injured, is now off the block.

One guy who has come back from injury and contributed right away has been Steve Staios. Steady Steve has recaptured the form that earned him that nickname originally and he will be leaned on heavily in these oncoming injury-ridden weeks.

Some of the players we miss the most right now are the ones we take for granted. The Ryan Stone, Shawn Horcoff, J.F. Jacques, Fernando Pisani, and Liam Reddox type of players. Souray is missed too, but everyone recognizes that his contribution to the team as being direly missed.

The worst part is that some of these injuries are repeat injuries, things that have happened before in the past.

Pisani's collitis.

Jacque's back.

Grebeshkov's knee.

Horcoff's shoulder.

The Olympic break will be a blessing-in-disguise for the oft-injured Oilers squad.

Hopefully we're not too far out of the playoff picture by then.

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