His responsability in his own end reminded me of Mitchell but with a much better offensive side.
- A_SteamingLombardi

Agreed.

Good comparison.

OMG Facts SEX‏@OMGFactsSex59s
A 20 year old female and a 23 year old male auctioned off their virginity. Her highest bidder bid $780000, and his highest only $3000


Maybe I should try that.
- VANTEL

Did they attach pictures to their auctions? $3000 is still a (frank) ton of money.

Did they attach pictures to their auctions? $3000 is still a (frank) ton of money.
- Morris

Not really, Lefty makes that in his sleep.

wow, great response to my comment...please, enlighten me as to why you don't think the Oilers will have a one of the better D in the division?..
- yakattack

because 3 of the players you listed have a combined experience of 1/2 season... dmen are notorious for taking until their mid 20s to develop into solid 2 way players... petry is over rated... i think ference got under rated in this blog and smid is smid ...

I dont think n schultz is anywhere close to a top 4 dman.
Hes our 5th currently which isnt terrible, but id feel much more comf with him at 6.
And more than happy for him to walk at the end of the year with that price tag attached.

I dont think Ian's list is way off. We're one of the bottom 3 for sure along with ana and calgary.
But i certainly didnt like his instant dismissal of j schultz and ference as 2 guys who certainly could both be competent top 4 guys. Maybe not completely ideal, but both could help considerably.

Felt like a pretty obvious troll.
Which clearly worked
- hugefemale dog77

Ian's list is way the $%^& off. Did you not see the stats? Last year by goals against (the single best indicator IMO) Edmonton was 19th in the league and Calgary was 28th. Yet he has us dead last in the division and by the sounds of it dead last in the NHL. Despite Calgary obviously getting worse and Edmonton obviously getting better. That's terrible.

Also:

Nic Shultz was paired with a rookie last season and from what I understand a questionable defensive system under Ralph Krueger.

While I can't say he played well I do think he has been undervalued by most Oiler fans.

If I remember correctly he was part of Minnys top TOI tandem for a season or two.

Generally speaking he is a top 4 defender even if last year he was less than stellar.

He will be a very good #5 (and very expensive) as long as he accepts his more limited role, unlike Whitney.

Wasting your time. Esplen is the biggest homer on the site. You have to feel sorry for him though. For years his team dressed like clowns and they've never won the prize and are now on a downhill slide.
- Sabata

Would you prefer he blatantly insults the Oilers fanbase in his blogs like Cloutier does to Canucks fans?

His responsability in his own end reminded me of Mitchell but with a much better offensive side.
- A_SteamingLombardi

Garrison is good on the defensive side of the puck, but Mitchell is (or at least was) a more physical player who would fight. Garrison isn't that guy and lacking that edge makes him less effective his his own zone than Willie and his big stick. Garrison is way better on the PP though, no question.

8 years at 1.2 mil then
- VANTEL

It's risky, but I'd do it.

Ian's list is way the $%^& off. Did you not see the stats? Last year by goals against (the single best indicator IMO) Edmonton was 19th in the league and Calgary was 28th. Yet he has us dead last in the division and by the sounds of it dead last in the NHL. Despite Calgary obviously getting worse and Edmonton obviously getting better. That's terrible.

Also:

Nic Shultz was paired with a rookie last season and from what I understand a questionable defensive system under Ralph Krueger.

While I can't say he played well I do think he has been undervalued by most Oiler fans.

If I remember correctly he was part of Minnys top TOI tandem for a season or two.

Generally speaking he is a top 4 defender even if last year he was less than stellar.

He will be a very good #5 (and very expensive) as long as he accepts his more limited role, unlike Whitney.
- Aerchon

So basically your argument is that the Oilers D sucks but the Flames D sucks worse?

Ian's list is way the $%^& off. Did you not see the stats? Last year by goals against (the single best indicator IMO) Edmonton was 19th in the league and Calgary was 28th. Yet he has us dead last in the division and by the sounds of it dead last in the NHL. Despite Calgary obviously getting worse and Edmonton obviously getting better. That's terrible.

Also:

Nic Shultz was paired with a rookie last season and from what I understand a questionable defensive system under Ralph Krueger.

While I can't say he played well I do think he has been undervalued by most Oiler fans.

If I remember correctly he was part of Minnys top TOI tandem for a season or two.

Generally speaking he is a top 4 defender even if last year he was less than stellar.

He will be a very good #5 (and very expensive) as long as he accepts his more limited role, unlike Whitney.
- Aerchon

So Edmonton ranks where? 5th or 6th instead of 7th?

because 3 of the players you listed have a combined experience of 1/2 season... dmen are notorious for taking until their mid 20s to develop into solid 2 way players... petry is over rated... i think ference got under rated in this blog and smid is smid ...
- DarcyTucker16

OVER-rated you say? The guy who plays more than Smid, scores more than Smid, skates FAR better than Smid, all the while putting up high totals in hits (112) and blocked shots (86) is being placed is over-rated? Who's rating him and how? I'd say most everyone I've talked to considers him as either a really solid 2nd pairing Dman that has been forced to play top pairing minutes and very tough competition or know next-to-nothing about the guy and call him a 3rd pairing Dman at best because of that.

What's with the freaking Fox Sports advertising on the site? Are they an official HB sponsor...

So Edmonton ranks where? 5th or 6th instead of 7th?
- micah555

I'd say so. I assume part of Ian's rankings were considering the team's system (hence Phoenix being #1). The Oil would AT LEAST be above the Flames and possibly above the Ducks. It's to my understanding that Eakins is a more defensive-stressing coach and actually employs a system that doesn't have the wingers leaving their zone early. I can see him reining in the forwards (the top-6 especially) and really teaching them how to defend better. I see nothing but positive signs pointing to a better defensive team than last season (which wasn't even as bad as most people make it out to be).

What's with the freaking Fox Sports advertising on the site? Are they an official HB sponsor...
- 1970vintage

The misinformed sponsoring the misinformed? I'd say it makes sense

The misinformed sponsoring the misinformed? I'd say it makes sense
- MaximumBone

Oh, I don't think we're misinformed, deranged maybe, but I get my actual news by taking off my tinfoil hat, not from some internet "news" site.

Oh, I don't think we're misinformed, deranged maybe, but I get my actual news by taking off my tinfoil hat, not from some internet "news" site.
- 1970vintage

I was talking about Ek

(frank) do you want in here, Flyers fan?
- Fosco

(frank) the Canucks. The Sisters suck, Kesler and Burrows are divers and you're team is on the decline! Enjoy another decade of Luongo! Flyers for the cup baby!

The misinformed sponsoring the misinformed? I'd say it makes sense
- MaximumBone

I was talking about Ek
- MaximumBone

Ahhh, I get it.

And the new Cloutier blog,

"Okay, you bunch of jackals: It's showtime. Please do not disappoint."

[quote=Nucker101]

Hmmm, not really funny... You flyers fans are weird. Kesler for Giroux?

Hmmm, not really funny... You flyers fans are weird. Kesler for Giroux?
- 1970vintage

Edited.


We'll take Kesler and Edler for Meszaros, Simmonds and B.Schenn.

Edited.


We'll take Kesler and Edler for Meszaros, Simmonds and B.Schenn.
- Nucker101

Hmm, I'm not sure I care to have to remember how to spell Meszaros, you can keep him, Simmonds and B. Schenn will do.

Hmm, I'm not sure I care to have to remember how to spell Meszaros, you can keep him, Simmonds and B. Schenn will do.
- 1970vintage

Too bad, we need to shed a bit salary.

So it's a done deal!

Ian's list is way the $%^& off. Did you not see the stats? Last year by goals against (the single best indicator IMO) Edmonton was 19th in the league and Calgary was 28th. Yet he has us dead last in the division and by the sounds of it dead last in the NHL. Despite Calgary obviously getting worse and Edmonton obviously getting better. That's terrible.

Also:

Nic Shultz was paired with a rookie last season and from what I understand a questionable defensive system under Ralph Krueger.

While I can't say he played well I do think he has been undervalued by most Oiler fans.

If I remember correctly he was part of Minnys top TOI tandem for a season or two.

Generally speaking he is a top 4 defender even if last year he was less than stellar.

He will be a very good #5 (and very expensive) as long as he accepts his more limited role, unlike Whitney.
- Aerchon

yeah, i think a strong argument can certainly be made that we have a better dcore than Calgary. although it might be debateable.
either way, id say we're unquestionably in the bottom 3/7 in our division.
just my opinion though.

as far as Shultz goes, i wont comment much on his time in minny as by all accounts everything u said might be right. but from what ive seen thus far in edm, either his play has dropped drastically, or he was overrated.
although you're not the first poster that has reminded me of the struggles one faces trying to cover up for a rookie. not to mention his first year, system etc.

hopefully he's able to turn it around, cause even though he needed to be the defensive conscience of his pairing, i saw a game that was very limited in all areas.
and the price tag doesn't help either. i can think of many defenders that could've been as effective as him at half the price.

and im curious about the top 4 comment. we had one of the worst defences in the league last year and allowed the second most shots per game. i think we can safely assume that last year (and maybe this upcoming one too) that we had a bottom 5-7 defence. no?
if he was barely top 4 on ours (and wont be this year) which team does he make the top 4 on?

Too bad, we need to shed a bit salary.

So it's a done deal!
- Nucker101

Ok fine