With training camp continuing and the Oilers doing little else but practicing, it's time to have a little fun by making a bunch of claims I can't back up, and are sure to start arguments.
The 2010/2011 Edmonton Oilers ARE the new 2008/2009 Chicago Blackhawks
The Oilers are young, fast, exciting, and fun. They will surprise people this year. 30th place? I think not. Not only are the Oilers going to be a decent team, but on some nights, they are going to whip people mercilessly. The offensive power of the Oilers isn’t enough to win cups - It wasn’t enough for Chicago. Chicago’s 2010 cup is the product of a balanced team with stars at all positions. Give the Oilers some time; they have the forwards - the rest will come.
Linus Omark IS the new Ales Hemsky
It’s pronounced “Lee-nus” not “Lie-nus”. Doesn’t matter. Watch him play. Buy his rookie card. Watch the value rise. He might end up in the AHL this season because of numbers. He won't stay there long.
Cam Fowler IS the new Magnus Paajarvi
I think we can all agree that Paajarvi is going to do better than the pansy 37 points TSN’s Scott Cullen has predicted he will in the 2010/2011 season. Paajarvi, drafted 10th overall by Edmonton in 2009, was ranked 5th going into the draft, and by the looks of things, he should have been taken higher. Fowler is another rankings slider; rated anywhere between 3rd and 5th on draft day, Fowler was taken 12th. In a year or so, watch Fowler play in the NHL and make a number of scouts look bad.
Magnus Paajarvi IS the new Teemu Selanne
Selanne is called the Finnish Flash for a reason. Speed. Blazing speed, thundering in on goaltenders, or one-timing the perfect shot. Paajarvi might be the fastest skater in hockey right now. He’s so explosive, I don’t know if there are too many Oilers who can keep up with him. Perhaps Hall and Cogliano. Aside from the fact that, baring injury, he’s gonna be the rookie of the year, Paajarvi one day is going to break the 40g barrier. Maybe sooner than later.
Theo Peckham IS the new Dustin Byfuglien
Peckham is a big moose who tries to play defense, but has yet to become very good at it. Perhaps his best use might be on the fourth line, as a forward. Seriously. Let him run over people and sit on top of the other team’s goalie, Byfuglien-style. See what happens. Hey, it beats losing him to waivers if he doesn’t win the 6th D-man job. Can’t be any more inept than MacIntyre as a forward.
The Oilers Gears Jersey IS the new Oilers Vintage Jersey
When the newest Reebok jerseys came out, my immediate reaction was, “yuck.” I wasn’t the only one. Quickly, a remake of the Oilers vintage jersey became the “3rd” jersey, and it started appearing at home games. It’s time to mothball the newest ones, make the road and away vintage jerseys the “regular” jerseys, and bring back the Gears jersey as the third one. The year it came out, it was the highest selling jersey in North America. Bring it back, because the Oilers are cool again.
Rexall Place IS the new Montreal Forum
You heard me: I said Montreal Forum. The cup isn’t coming back to Montreal anytime soon. They have a good team - Good enough to get lower draft picks, but not good enough to win cups. The Oilers will drink from Stanley’s mug sooner than the Habs will, and Rexall will be the grand old arena full of champions…until the Oilers get a shibby new building in 2012/2013, and subsequently, begin to lose hockey games again.
The New York Islanders 2010/2011 ARE the new Edmonton Oilers 2009/2010
The pre-season began with their best offensive defenseman Mark Streit getting hurt, for perhaps the whole season. News today comes that young, dynamic forward Kyle Okposo is also gone for an extended period of time after tearing up a shoulder. The Islanders are weeks away from last season in Oilerville, when on one night 11 starters were out with injuries, the flu, gout, the black plague…I think even one player had an anvil fall on his head, Bugs Bunny-style. I’d say something like, “look on the bright side, you’ll get to draft Adam Larsson,” but the evil part of me wants the Oilers to deal Sheldon Souray and all the players who don’t make it through camp to the Isles for draft picks.
Sheldon Souray IS the new Ray Emery
Do you remember Emery, when he ended up in Russia, because no one in North America was willing to give him a shot anymore because of his attitude? Hmmm…players who played with Shelly say he is a good guy in the locker-room and all of that, whereas I think the other players hated Emery too by the end. No matter. The point here is, Souray’s mouth just as much as his constant injuries are going to keep him out of the NHL until someone gets desperate.
Nikolai Khabibulin IS the new Gary Cheevers
I saw this amazing documentary clip on youtube the other day that starts with Cheevers, while in his goaltending equipment, walking up to a metal garbage can to throw out his lit cigarette. Perhaps this is the PR angle Khabibulin should go with his drinking issues. Instead of pretending to be all embarrassed and ashamed, he should become the drinking, smoking, swearing, rebel of the Oilers dressing room. You know, the tough, play by his own rules anti-hero the fans will love because he doesn’t care. Every episode of Happy Days has to have a Fonzie. Why can’t Edmonton have a Russian Fonzie?
How to Destroy Angels IS the new Nine Inch Nails
Seriously, it has Trent Reznor and everything. Except it is his wife singing.
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»