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Let's look at the Edmonton Oilers. I love the passion of the Oilers fans and always remember my trip to the fine city to cover Game 6 of the Cup Finals two years back. This is an incredible hockeytown that loves its team. You can't find a fanbase/team that are more connected and more in touch with each other.
The Oilers are the Green Bay Packers of hockey. No question.
This past season was one of disappointment...
*They came really close to signing Hossa in the off-season.
*The Erik Cole experiment went awry as Erik played out of position most of the year in Edmonton and never got going.
*Horcoff struggled along with Cogliano who I am told played hurt essentially from day 1.
*Dustin Penner was offered around, benched.
*Shremp was essentially banshed.
It was a weird year that in many ways won't be remembered at all. It should be viewed as a "right off" year in Edmonton. The talent is there and it is coming on....
So let's try and compare the Oilers to "The Red Standard" and see what they are in need of and what they can do.
THE RED STANDARD
#1 Cap Balance
****************************************
CAP BALANCE CHART FOR 2009-2010 EDMONTON OILERS
EDMONTON OILERS MONEY SPENT= est 54.2
----
Forwards= est 28
----
First Line= 10.2
C: Horcoff 6.5
RW: Hemsky 4.1
LW: O'Sullivan (RFA Est 2.5)
----
Second Line= (est 8.3)
C: Gagner 1.6
RW: Penner 4.2
LW: Brule (RFA est 2.5)
----
Third Line= 5.8
C: Cogliano 1.3
RW: Pisani 2.5
LW: Moreau 2.0
----
Fourth Line= 1.7
C: Brodziak/Eberle .5
RW: Stortini .7
LW: Jacques .5
------------------------------
Defensemen= 25.1
Top Pairing=11M
Souray 5.4
Visnovsky 5.6
----
Second Pairing= 7.5
Grebeshkov (RFA est 3.5)
Gilbert 4
----
Third Pairing=4.7
Staios 2.7
Smid (RFA est 2M)
----
7 & 8 D= 1.9
Chorney.9
Peckham .6
-----------------------------
Goalies=est 2.625
Dubnyk RFA Est 2.0
Drouin-Deslauriers .625
****NO SIGNED SECOND GOALIE****
KEY UFAS: ROLOSON, KOTALIK
****************************************
Compared to the "Red Standard"
Offense=30M>>>OILERS 26M (LOW)
First Line=15M>>>OILERS 10.2 (VERY LOW)
Second Line=7M>>>OILERS 8.3 (GOOD)
Third Line=4M>>>OILERS 5.8 (HIGH)
Fourth Line=4M>>>OILERS 1.7 (LOW)
Defense=24M>>>OILERS 25.1
Top Pair=12M>>>OILERS 11 (GOOD)
Second=7>>>OILERS 7.5 (GOOD)
Third=3>>>OILERS 4.7(HIGH)
Extra D=2>>>OILERS 1.5 (GOOD)
Goalies=4>>>OILERS 2.6 (LOW)
THE OILERS
#1 Superstars. 7 Million and Up. (0)
-----NONE
#2 Stars 5-7 Million (3)
-----Horcoff, Souray, Visnovsky
#3 Front Line Players (2.5-5) (7)
-----, Hemsky, O'Sullivan, Penner, Pisani, Grebeshkov, Gilbert, Staios
#4 Role Players (1-2.5) (4)
-----Moreau
#5 Experience Role Playing Vets (0)
-----NONE
#6 Rookie Contracts (5)
-----Gagner, Colglian, Brodziak, Jaques, Eberle
#7 Under 1 Million (3)
-----Stortini, Chorney, Peckham
#1 Chemistry Balance vs. RED STANDARD
#1 Superstars. 7 Million and Up. (2 players)>>>OILERS (0) LOW
#2 Star. 5-7 Million (2) >>>OILERS (3) GOOD
#3 Front Line Players (2.5-5) (5) >>>>OILERS (7) HIGH
#4 Role Players (1-2.5) (4) >>>>OILERS (1) LOW
#5 Experience Role Playing Vets (3) >>>OILERS (0) LOW
#6 Rookie Contracts (3) >>>OILERS 5 (HIGH)
#7 Under 1 Million (3) >>>OILERS 3(GOOD)
SS---ST---FL---RP---XV--RC--<1
-0----3----7----1-----0----4----3
(that is one whacky/out of balance, balance chart!)
1. Props to the Oilers for their
1. Speed. Among the fastest teams ever to playthe game when they get going.
2. Centers, and young ones! This team is blessed with Gagne, Cogliano, Eberle, Brule, Brodziak.
3. Puck Moving D. The Oilers have plenty of better than average offensive defensemen. And they need to move one due to the fact that they have too much money tied up in their own end.
4. General Youth
2. Weeknesses:
#1 SNIPERS, SNIPERS, SNIPERS!
Amazingly right now, the Oilers don't have a a 25 goal scorer, and only 1 player Hemsky with over 50 points! They only have 2 20 goal scorers! Only 5 forwards with more than 40 points! These numbers are staggering and point to the main need. UFA Kotalik has played VERY well as of late, but I would be very careful in making too much of his ten games in Edmonton. Is it a matter of a guy who needed ice time? Not so sure. Look also for a pitch for Gionta or Knuble
#2 No Experienced SuperStars/Stars Forwards.
There are no superstars and very few players that would even be classified as "Stars" on the Edmonton Oilers, YET. In our Chemistry section you notice that the Oilers may be the only team in the NHL with only 1 bonafide star forward....by our definition meaning a forward who makes over 5 million. And that player is Horcoff. I am always touting him, but Oilers fans are always telling me that he isn't a STAR.
Taking our 5 million factor out of the definition..
Is Ales Hemsky a "Star?" To me he is.
Is Gagner a future Star/Superstar? Oh yes.
Is Cogliano a Star? Maybe.
Is Eberle a future Star/Superstar? Star? Definitely. Superstar? Maybe.
This is why the Oilers went so hard last year at Hossa, talked to Jagr, made so many calls about Spezza. This was their hope for Penner. I won't put my rumor chart out for players that are still playing, so I won't tell you if I think the Oilers are very much the favorite to either sign Hossa or trade for Spezza. The latest Spezza rumour involves Cogliano and Souray. It will get very interesting very soon.
#3 No Established Goaltender Signed
Dwayne Roloson will likely be signing back in Edmonton. If you are the Oilers you simply have to give him big, short-termer money. I would say a 2 year/9 million dollar deal. While Dubnyk and Drouin-Deslauriers look to be the future, only Dubnyk really has a legit shot to be a #1 in 09-10. The issue for Edmonton may be what happens if another team looks at Roloson's great season and offers him 3-5 years. The Oilers shouldn't do that imo. I am told that the Oilers next would look to Rollie's former Wild backup UFA goalie Manny Fernandez.
#4 Tougness on the Defensive End. Rumours persist that the Oilers are "very high" on Jay Bouwmeester's list. Jay is from Alberta. The question is, that the Oilers would have to move either Souray or Visnovski for there to be any sense in signing a 7 million per D-man.
Prospects to Watch
Jordan Eberle. Or as I like to call him: "Mike Richards Part 2." Eberle reminds me so much of Richards it is scary. It is because of Eberle coming that Cogliano and/or Brule could be moved.
Riley Nash. A youngster still at Cornell, but another very solid 2 way Center. Very much like Cogliano in my opinion. Solid in his own end.
Jeff Petry. Son of former Tigers Pitcher Dan Petry, Jeff is a very good defensive prospect playing at Michigan State.
Rebuild, Renew, or Refresh?
The Oilers have too many young players making contributions to call them a Rebuilding team. I am going to cheat a bit here and say that while the Oilers never realized it at the time, they were rebuilding this past season. The injuries this year kept the Oilers down to a large extent. But they also lacked in leadership at key times. They could use a Jason Smith type around these kids. It would go a loong way. I am going to say that the Oilers use this summer to Renew their Rebuild.
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