Welcome to Friday’s Burning Questions, a weekly feature answering queries submitted by actual readers. The world is packed with stupid people. Walk out your front door, throw a stone in any direction and you’re bound to hit one. However, there are no stupid questions, so get them in by Twitter to @rygarner or e-mail at [email protected].
Does the recent success of the Oilers change all plans for trades, etc.?
Rod M.
I don’t think it should. Whether you’ve won five straight or lost five straight, if there’s a deal out there that can address an area of need and make the team better then Craig MacTavish needs to explore it. We always hear that teams prefer to deal from a position of strength rather than desperation. That’s one reason why you rarely see teams pull the trigger on deals when they’re getting ragdolled every night; there’s blood in the water and the sharks are swarming.
For the Oilers, I still think it’s going to take a couple weeks to figure out what they have and what they need. The roster takes time to congeal, and the team has to show what it can do in front of capable goaltending. I know that teams have inquired about Nail Yakupov and Jordan Eberle, but most are looking to grab a prized piece for Ring Pop prices. Plus, when people talk about dealing Jeff Petry or David Perron, I think it’s awfully premature.
The most important thing to remember is that trades are permanent. General managers don’t get any mulligans. You can’t just make a move to shake things up or appease the panicked masses, and MacTavish knows it. He also knows that winning a couple games doesn’t eliminate deficiencies in the roster, it just gives him a little more breathing room to find the right deal. I don’t think anything is imminent, but MacTavish is a very active GM and weighing all his options.
In your opinion which city in the world has the best potential to produce the most quality players? I know my home town has the highest per capita in Canada (Thunder Bay) but curious to see how we’re considered outside north western Ontario...but we also have the hugest murder rate so can't brag too much. Just curious on your stand, plus am a little bored.
Steve W.
Good question. Obviously, like Viking with the Sutters, Thunder Bay gets a boost from the Staals and Pyatts. I’m probably the wrong person to ask, and maybe I’m still bitter about the Hurricanes’ 2006 Cup win, but I think both the Staals and Pyatts are (or were) terribly overrated. Not knocking Thunder Bay, that’s just my opinion. Overall, looking at cities that produce quality players, it’s interesting to see some of the hotspots you might not expect.
Globally, the city to produce the most quality players has to be Ornskoldsvik, Sweden. Home to the Sedins, Peter Forsberg, Markus Naslund, Toby Enstrom, and Niklas Sundstrom, the relatively tiny city has produced some incredible talent. Turku, Finland also pumps out talent, including the Koivus, Miikka Kiprusoff, Sami Salo and Lauri Korpikoski. Not bad for a smaller city. Also, call me a homer, but I don’t think you can beat Edmonton for a mix of depth and top-end talent.
Your question also reminded me of the 4-on-4 Challenge organized by the NHLPA during the 1994-95 lockout. It was a really cool idea, featuring four regional teams (Ontario, Quebec, Western Canada, United States). I can’t remember who won, but I always thought it would be interesting to have a best-of-seven series pitting Western Canada against Eastern Canada. Make the Manitoba-Ontario border the dividing line, select the squads, and battle it out. Why hasn’t this been done?
Too early to plan the parade?
redwolf
It’s a little early, but if the Oilers win tonight and find a way to beat Montreal on Monday then I’m going to buy a lawn chair and have someone save a spot for me on Jasper Ave.
Math or English?
Moreau or Pisani?
Full House or Family Matters?
Fuhr or Ranford?
McDonald’s or Burger King?
Eberle or Yakupov?
Cake or Pie?
Katz or Pocklington?
France or Italy?
Eakins or Principe?
Gift Cards or Cash?
Frank D.
English, because once letters were introduced to math I tuned out. Don’t pervert my letters with your equations, math heads. Love Moreau, but that OT winner in Game 5 clinches it for Pisani. Family Matters jumped the shark too dramatically for me (Stefan Urquelle) and was far less quotable. Always been a big Ranford guy, to the point that it’s hard to watch Kings goaltenders at times knowing his fingerprints are on them.
Having worked at both, McDonald’s laps Burger King a couple times. Both today and long-term, Yakupov. I don’t buy any of the hooey about Eberle playing hurt, because his compete level has always been substandard. Pie all day. I would even choose a slice of rhubarb pie with a dollop of vanilla ice cream over the finest cake you can procure. For all his warts, Pocklington delivered greatness, while Katz has a long way to go.
Italy, with higher highs (Venice, Isle of Capri, Cinque Terre) and lower lows (Naples, Milan, Pisa) than France, but outstanding food, stunning sights and welcoming people. I don’t fully trust anyone whose brain conjures up puns, and always felt they were humour’s lowest common denominator. They’re twice as clever as a fart but only half as funny. I’d watch and listen to Eakins all day over Principe. Straight cash, homey.
What the (frank) is it going to take to become a legitimate team in this league? Do we unload all our talent and acquire some new faces and get rid of management and coaches? New faces all around for a change of culture? You tell me.
Oliver B.
This was sent before Edmonton’s stunning resurgence. As I outlined last week, the Oilers are not a better team today than they were five years ago, which indicates some serious failures in the organization. In my opinion, legitimacy won’t occur until the team can realistically compete for a playoff spot. That will require a great commitment to defensive fundamentals, getting away from all the belly-sliding, blueline-pinching, and puck-watching.
The Oilers won’t have to unload a bunch of talent or clean house to make that happen, they just need to realize this team isn’t built to play a run-and-gun style where the first team to five goals wins. Edmonton has some nice talent up front, but not enough of it to abandon defensive responsibilities or leave goaltenders hanging out to dry. Adding a top-pairing defenceman would work wonders for the team, and it’s a move that’s long overdue.
I don’t agree with many decisions that MacTavish and Eakins make. In fact, I don’t trust them much at all, because it’s obvious they’re listening to the fans and media (Marincin recall, balancing ice-time) to correct their wonky decision-making process. That’s a good thing, I guess, but you shouldn’t rely on overwhelming negative public opinion to correct decisions that never should have been made in the first place. The progression continues, so keep those fingers crossed.
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