Let's take a break from my ego and the @StopTheLock2012 situation for a bit and discuss what's happening with the Edmonton Oilers.

Wait...I'll do this quickly...Did an interview with NextSportsStar.com this morning (on the Bill Hayes hosted show "2 Forward 1 Back") discussing the lockout, the "Stop the NHL Lockout" thing I created, Hockeybuzz, and a little Oilers hockey. I'm hoping the website will put up a link so folks can hear the interview...hopefully it will be the first of many.

The @StopTheLock2012 Twitter page has 1,879 people signed up at this moment, which is decent for it being only 36 hours old. A Facebook page has also been created, and a website is in the works. The more people we get involved the better...so get involved.

And now, to some Oilers talk...

- TSN reported yesterday that Taylor Hall and the Edmonton Oilers are talking contract extension. I mentioned this a few days ago, and I'm sticking by it: My prediction is that both Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle will sign the exact same extension on the exact same day: 6 years, $6mil per. The $36mil Dollar Men.

I'd rather both contract numbers come in closer to what John Tavares got ($5.5mil per), but a few over-sized contracts recently for players not as good as Hall or Ebs have driven market value upwards.

In truth, I'd like Hall and Eberle's new deals to be longer than six seasons, so they are locked in long-term...but Kevin Lowe and company are not real big believers in deals that go more than five or six seasons.

- Eklund is reporting the names mentioned between the Oilers and Buffalo Sabres in a potential deal are Sam Gagner and Magnus Paajarvi from Edmonton, and Jordan Leopold and Jhonas Enroth from Buffalo. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I'm not sure that deal makes sense for either side. Actually, it seems like the Oilers are being severely hosed in the deal.

I am not going to argue against the common belief the Enroth is the next big thing as far as goalies go. And it does make sense, with Buffalo having Ryan Miller, that Enroth could be available. Where I get lost in the discussion is that the Oilers clearly intend to have Devan Dubnyk be their starter, for the next two seasons at least. Bringing in Enroth...well, who would you rather be your starter, Dubey or Enny? I foresee a situation where neither guy is particularly happy having to share the starting job.

I'm a bit lame that way: I believe a "winning" team needs to have a clear #1 guy who plays 55 to 60 games per season. Goalies have a "sweet spot" where they seem to play better if they play more often. In order for Dubnyk to take the next step, he needs to get a 55 to 60 game season under his belt.

All of this said, Nikolai Khabibulin is washed up, and the Oilers need a quality goalie sooner than later to replace him. Enroth could do it, if not be completely over-qualified for the job.

But before we go all coo coo discussing what Enroth would be worth in a trade, let's keep in mind he's played in only 41 NHL games. 41. It's a bad idea to over-estimate the quality of a goalie who has played so few games. What's the deal with teams/fans thinking the Enroth's, Schneider's and Bernier's of the world are worth multiple assets in return? Those goalies haven't proven much yet. I would offer up Sam Gagner straight up for any of them.

Which brings us to part two of this deal, Jordan Leopold. Here's the rub: The Oilers don't really need another puck-mover. The hole they have on D going into this season is needing a functional tough guy. A defensive defenseman who isn't a complete bonehead with the puck. What they need is another Ladislav Smid.

He didn't exactly possess great stats last season, but could the Oilers be interested in Mike Weber? Or better yet, what about Brayden McNabb? I'm not sure either guy gets you Magnus Paajarvi, a players (from what I've heard) the Oilers want to hang on to.

So here's an interesting concept: Sam Gagner to the Sabres for Brayden McNabb and a prospect. I've heard the Sabres have soured somewhat on forward Joel Arima, and he'd fit what the Oilers are looking to add (big wingers). Of course, what makes no sense about this deal suggestion is that the Sabres already have two smurfs at center (Cody Hodgson and Tyler Ennis...although Ennis is listed as a LW on the Sabres website) and perhaps they, as much as the Oilers, need to get bigger up front. Is Nathan Gerbe really 5' 5"?

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