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Oilers v. Blues + Rumors

March 23, 2013, 1:36 PM ET [217 Comments]
Richard Cloutier
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Edmonton Oilers prepare themselves for tonight's must-win battle again the St. Louis Blues. Here's some roster notes. You're not going to like some of them.

- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will miss a second straight game with a virus. They're not exactly sure what's wrong with him because he's taking longer to bounce back from it than other players did on the team when they had the flu.

- Eric Belanger will be back. A Nuge-for-Belanger swap. What's the opposite of "sign me up"?

- Nikolai Khabibulin will start in goal. Dubnyk, who has played 11 straight, looked bad in his last game. Overplayed, perhaps.

- Oilers lines tonight puzzle and amaze me:

L1: Hall - Horcoff - Hemsky
L2: Paajarvi - Gagner - Eberle
L3: Jones - Belanger - Yakupov
L4: Brown - Smyth - Petrell

Why in the world would you play Yakupov with Belanger? Why break up a line that has been working out well (Paajarvi-Gagner-Yakupov). The Oilers are using Yakupov so poorly this season it's embarrassing.

I think the D pairings should be more or less the same: Smid/Petry, Whitney/J.Schultz, and N.Schultz/Fistric.

This is yet another must-win game for the Oilers, who are three points back of the 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. San Jose is in Minnesota to face the red-hot Wild, which could be a great thing for the Oilers. A chance to move within a point today certainly exists.

Changing subjects a bit, here's some rumor thoughts to keep you excited for April 3:

- The Buffalo Sabres have made winger Drew Stafford a healthy scratch today. Stafford, who has posted a couple 20 goal seasons and one 30 goal season during his career, is having a rough time on a poor Sabres team. His name has been linked to the Oilers before as a big winger who could be brought in. Stafford has two seasons after this one at $4mil per left on his contract. Perhaps there's a chance the Oilers will call to ask about him? You'd think the asking price on Stafford would be a quality prospect + a pick.

- I keep wondering if Ales Hemsky to the Jets is possible. The Jets need to add one move Top 6 forward, preferably a right winger. They're in the middle of the playoff picture this season, and ownership has all sorts of money to play with so Hemsky's contract isn't an issue. I'm going to throw a name out there, but I'm not sure how this helps the Oilers: Bryan Little. The Jets get an upgrade on the wing with Hemsky, and the Oilers get a younger, hometown kid at a better contract number.

- With all of Carolina's injury woes on defense, I feel they are a team that could make a serious pitch for Ladislav Smid. I was informed by the Hurricanes blogger Matt Karash that he believes the 'Canes wouldn't be interested in dealing prospect Victor Rask. Too bad. Karash also indicated Carolina could have interest in Ryan Jones. Outside of Rask, I'm not sure what prospects on the Hurricanes that could draw the Oilers interest. It can't be Ryan "Dear God" Murphy, who blows. If it wasn't for his No Movement Clause, I could suggest a deal involving Tuomo Ruutu, who just returned from hip surgery. The other player the Oilers could like is Jamie McBain, and there's no way the Hurricanes are moving him. So we're back to Rask?

- Smid to the Kings is perhaps more possible, and the Kings have plenty of quality prospects to work with should they choose to make a deal. I'll throw three different names out there of prospects the Oilers could have interest in: LW Tanner Pearson, C Linden Vey, or D Derek Forbort. Obviously, we're talking about the Oilers getting just one of these in a deal, and maybe a conditional pick if Smid re-signs.

- Other teams that would be digging Smid: Montreal, Detroit, Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Ottawa.

- Interest for Hemsky could come from Boston or Pittsburgh, although I still don't think the market will be high enough for the Oilers liking; meaning, they'll hang on to him and hope for a better deal in the summer.

- Interestingly enough, should the Oilers choose to move Ryan Jones, several playoff-bound teams will want him. The return isn't going to break any records, but perhaps a bidding war could get the Oilers a 3rd pick. Jones is a great utility player, and those can come in useful during a playoff run. The next Fernando Pisani?

- Reports of the Oilers pursuing Brendan Morrow are fictitious.

- Ryan Whitney's fate this season is tied to Smid's. If Smid is kept, Whitney goes. If Smid is dealt, Whitney stays. A 2nd round pick is still the most the Oilers can hope for as a return in a deal, unless Ottawa somehow loses their mind and offers Ben Bishop.

- Should Edmonton lose today and San Jose win, you could see moves begin to happen. Five points back at this point of the season would be almost impossible to come back from.
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