Reasons to be Cheerful

I like the way so many young defence prospects are getting their NHL debut out of the way this year. At least they all know what needs to be done to improve.

Of course with the Kid Line all out, they're TANKING!! I know that if I was running the Oilers today, January 2012 I'd want a GUARANTEED shot at: Ryan Murray, Grigorenko, Yakupov.

The kiddie corps defence will be useful when playoff hockey returns in 2013-14.

The rest of the NHL fan's turn green with envy when they see the Kid Line, plus other top picks and potential future. If it all works they're the Colorado Avalanche 2.0 and should be good for around 7 WC Finals, and 2-3 cups. They're potentially that good.

All talk now of course.

PS: NOTE TO KATZ - Promise to never mention MacT again, and buy out Horcoff asap, and I promise to never complain about President of Hockey Operations Kevin Lowe again.

Doppelganger

The similarity is uncanny.

And Then It Finally Dawned On Me

I used to love the Oilers. That of course was when I was a mere youth, and the team were awesome.

Then they started handing their players to rival teams(Paul Coffey to Pittsburgh started the trend), and at first it still was okay. Even Gretzky to the Kings was palatable, since the 1990 SC winning team had the potential to continue winning. But it wasn't to be. More players were sold, Messier decided enough was enough and when he left so did my interest in the NHL - I would spend the next decade ignoring the NHL almost entirely.

Then for some reason after college I started getting into hockey again, while living in another city. Oilers seemed far away, and their pathetic annual chase for 8th place amused me, for all the wrong reasons. Instead of a fan, I was now a fiend.

Today I see the Oilers as a team that is going down in history as one of the great sad sack franchises of all time. Ever the optimist, I predicted 6th place in the West, based on my fanciful imagination and the fact that the team had a few incredibly young gifted players. Now, halfway through the third season of absolute total suckage, I look like a moron(again). I never worry about looking dumb, but don't like being dumb.

Looking at the intelligence of the Oilers fanbase, watching their analytical skills is kind of weird. For one thing, collectively they seem to understand more about the team than the team does itself. It's just fucked up. Once upon a time I had Slats to depend on to routinely keep the team competative; but today, it's left to an impotent fanbase to wax endlessly on regarding what needs to be done, but never is.

It's insane. Beam me up, Scotty.

Oilers MO Re Their Exiting Players

Why can't the Oilers let anyone leave town with dignity?

Ales Hemsky's basically given up his future health, having been hammered into the boards so many times he's probably got permanent slivers all over his body.

But now, that he's approaching UFA status, Oiler's front office has already begun it's usual "Let's run the bastard out of town" show.

Umm, guys...this isn't a good thing. Sooner or later Oiler's will draft someone who will pull an Eric Lindros and tell the Oilers to fuck off. That player will say things like: "I don't like the way they have ruined the careers of so many of their young players." Then refuse to sign with the team.

In so many ways, this would be a good thing - other than for the fact they won't end up firing Lowe or any of the other deadbeats(Buschburger as eventual head coach hahahaha).

No Problem to Cast this Oiler

No wonder the Bruins wanted Hall - he's a ringer for Matt Damon.

Happy New Year btw.

October's Oilers

No matter how low the team sinks(currently 26th overall), I will remain giddy re the possibilities having seen the team playing great for the 1st 20 games.

Silver Linings

Since Hall went down I admit my interest in the Edmonton Oilers has plummeted. RNH is a fantastic rookie, and it's great to see him(and Eberle for that matter) thriving on the Hall-less team, but the difference between the Oilers lining up with Hall vs without are astonishing, and not in a good way.

At times like this I feel safe evaluating the 2011-2012 Edmonton Oilers:

With Hall: 6th place and win 1 round in playoffs.

Without Hall: 12 place, just out of the lottery.


This is why it was frustrating when Hall went down against the Avalanche. In the flash of an eye the Oilers became a struggling hockey team...a good one potentially, but just not right now.

Cam Barker get well soon!
Linus Omark get well soon!


PS: Anyone else notice that Taylor Hall looks like Gumby?