PK is slowly getting better I don't expect it to get a whole lot better especially if they don't get another forward PK in here. It does seem like less offensive guys are being used in that role, but Eakins seems to want a couple guys to learn to Pk.
- Lahey

It still wouldn't hurt for a full practice to be spent on it to really hammer in the PK plays into all the guys. I'll agree things have been improving and will keep doing that the rest of the season. But if the PP gets a full practice, only makes sense for the PK to get one too.

Please take your lack of talent and humour back to your own thread. Thanks.
- Yeti1181

You're great!

They shouldn't need some idiot to motivate them... But regardless, I'm glad that idiot did.
- laughs2907

I agree with you there....ill be interested to see how they play on thursday

yes, but then again, Eller never said that the oilers were a junior level team...he said they played disorganized, like in junior...that was a shot at the coach...not the players...
- HardPuck

Doesn't matter, it was a stupid thing to say.

You're great!
- HardPuck

lol, Yeti is a pretty decent human being.

It still wouldn't hurt for a full practice to be spent on it to really hammer in the PK plays into all the guys. I'll agree things have been improving and will keep doing that the rest of the season. But if the PP gets a full practice, only makes sense for the PK to get one too.
- ChetManly

Wouldnt the Pk be getting a slight workout during our Power play practice? Just a thought

Let me get this straight. Hall leaves game with injury oil go on yo win. He doesn't play the next game and the Oilers win again. Coincidence I think not. There weren't as many reckless plays that caused turn overs.
- Killbot460

Yuup- wins by committee... and yes less reckless broken plays resulting in turnovers... the team played very well IMO in the 2nd and 3rd collectively..

Doesn't matter, it was a stupid thing to say.
- ChetManly

Didn't say it wasn't, but he didn't say it was a junior team....which is what it's made sound like...

Wouldnt the Pk be getting a slight workout during our Power play practice? Just a thought
- JShack

Yes, to a certain degree, I guess it all depends on who is playing on what side during the practice and what the main focus is that day.

J Schultz at 4.25 is an overpayment IMO.

I do agree with everything you are saying about Phanuef. I think Petry would make a wonderful partner for that big dumb idiot. We are dying for his physicality coupled with the ability to make the big play. He's a very serviceable 1/2 guy. And id say he's a better option than getting raped in a Yak deal. Also, could be a good stand in until Nurse/Marincin/Klef develop.
- JShack

Looking at Franson, Gardiner, Del Zotto etc. as comparables I'd agree. It depends on whether the oilers brass want to sign him to a contract he'll "grow into" like Hall, Ebs and Nuge.

Getting a 1/2 guy on a shorter term deal could be interesting for sure.

I don't know why people didn't give us a chance, it just goes to show what happens when you aren't actually following the team. The team has played very well most the year. They have had some issues in particular areas, but they've been in every game. The only way we aren't in every game is if Dubnyk goes back to allowing 6 goals on 26 shots.

Hall is a big loss no doubt, but the team hasn't had to rely on his shoulders. Eberle, Arcobello and RNH are a PPG players right now. Hemsky's offense took a bit of a dip, but outside a couple games I thought he's played some of the best hockey in his career. Perron is playing awesome, and outside of Arco and Yak we have goals from every regular forward.

Hall will be missed, but not as much as outsiders think especially as long as what I posted above keeps happening.

Thought Jones, Gordon and Pitlick had some pretty decent shifts. Pitlick while only credited with 3 hits, looked to be making a hit every shift.

While the PK still is bad it was like 65% or something so it is going up.
- Lahey

Pitlick was awesome last night... he was banging and all over the place

No, they don't need him, and the cost may not be worth the reward, but his skillset could make the Oilers better.

If Phaneuf could be had for 2 million in free agency it's an absolute no-brainer. It's all about cost.
- Morris

Well obviously they would take him for 2 million but that's pure fantasy land stuff.

Dion has a good skill set but is horrible in his own end and around his own net. I think the Oilers need someone more defensively responsible.

Gregor was saying his sources told him MacT is working the phones for a minor move. This was after the Brown deal. Not sure if they are looking at another winger or if they are looking for that physical third pairing d-man that was brought up last week.
- Lahey

Whatever it is keep Pitlick for a few more games- he could be exactly what we need- size, speed and use of each

Wouldnt the Pk be getting a slight workout during our Power play practice? Just a thought
- JShack

Depends how they run it. Sometimes there is no defenders they just play positional aspects of the PP. Where to be, what to do. Considering we went back to basics, I think that's what we probably were doing.

Didn't say it wasn't, but he didn't say it was a junior team....which is what it's made sound like...
- HardPuck

potato-potato. Hopefully he realizes what he did and doesn't do it anymore. There can truly only be one Jeremy Roenick!

Whatever it is keep Pitlick for a few more games- he could be exactly what we need- size, speed and use of each
- saskoil21

I only got to see a coulpe of his shifts, but he was out there working hard and he laid out a good hit on Gorges! I hope he keeps it up and they don't send him back down too soon

Whatever it is keep Pitlick for a few more games- he could be exactly what we need- size, speed and use of each
- saskoil21

Maybe it's just me, but it sure doesn't seem to matter who the heck we have up this year. For the most part guys aren't looking out of place. 16 forwards used and most seem to be able to just step in and not look horrid. Unlike previous years where we'd use 8 extra forwards and maybe one looked decent.

Well obviously they would take him for 2 million but that's pure fantasy land stuff.

Dion has a good skill set but is horrible in his own end and around his own net. I think the Oilers need someone more defensively responsible.
- The-O-G

Yeah, maybe but on paper we've got 3 or 4 guys that are made for that stuff - Ference, Smid, N. Schultz, and Petry. Adding another "defensively responsible" dman is overkill unless it's by upgrading those players.

Phaneuf fulfills the need for a guy who could transition the puck well. Part of our defensive woes are the inability to get the puck out of our own end, and that can be attributed as much to puck-handling poise as it can to defensive acumen.

But again, I said I'd be interested at a reasonable price (5ish), not the 6.5 over 6 years he's likely to get in free agency.

I only got to see a coulpe of his shifts, but he was out there working hard and he laid out a good hit on Gorges! I hope he keeps it up and they don't send him back down too soon
- ChetManly

I think at this point in time he doesn't go down unless Eager really lights it up. That or unless Smyth and Joesnuu come back quickly.

Even if those guys do comeback for Thursday(which I doubt) I think Gazdic gets the bench for two games as you don't really need him against WSH or PHX.

When a bit more healthy a 4th line of Jones-Arco-Pitlick might be something to watch. I know people will blast me for putting Arco there, but Gagner probably slots into the top 6 and Smyth-Gordon-Hemmer isn't exactly a bad 3rd line.

Yak-Rnh-Eberle
Joesnuu/Perron-Gagner-Joesnuu/Perron
Smyth-Godon-Hemmer
Jones-Arco-Pitlick with Gazdic getting a shot against certain teams.

It is an entirely different thing to see a game live rather than on TV, and I had my first chance to see the OIL live last night...here are my two bits (half wits?)

Dubnyk was really shakey. I know I am biased, but he just doesn`t look confident. At the end of the day he stopped pucks though and got the win, good for him. He just does not look like a confident guy in there, and the Habs really didn`t challenge him. Plekanec`s goal slide right under his pads and the third one, eventhough the game was over, was a lack of focus...yet again. A win is a win...thanks Dubey. please get better.

I was really excited to see Yakupov, with his `Ovechkin-like`talent and explosiveness...YAWN. I was utterly dissapointed. I really can`t think of another player that I have seen live that floats more than Yakupov. I wonder if he even broke a sweat. He just hovers around, BOTH feet on the ice ALL THE TIME, waiting for someone else to do the dirty work and give him a gift of a pass so he can take on two guys. He looked terrible. I have been in favor of sitting him etc. and taking a hard line to teach him...but honestly...after seeing him last night, it`s an attitude and habits that he likely can`t change. It`s dump him while he has tremendous value. (can`t believe I just wrote that, but I would).

NUGE = HUGE. I think the last time I saw raw skill with the puck like that his name started with a Kov and ended with a lev. I am really excited about Nuge, he is amazing.

Schultz - (do we ever talk about the other one?). I didn`t notice him really at all, which I thought was great. Lately all I see is turnovers and poor defensive play, so if I didn`t notice him, I`m happy.

Ebs = absent.

Hemsky was all of the good things that he can be and none of the bad. Keep it up Hemmer.

Perron, while I like his grit/a-hole-ness, whatever you want to call it, he is such a little d-ink. I also see a lack of focus with Perron and he seems to be very selfish and more concerned about the drama and the crowd than the task at hand. His positives greatly outweigh the negatives though, and light years ahead of MPS.

Arcobello seems to keep piling up the assists so good for him, but he is still not ready to play in this league in my opinion. When it counts, he just seems to not get the job done. Getting it out of the zone, taking a world-class pass on the tape at speed, etc. etc. He just doesn`t have the skill-set. I`m happy he could fill in, sort of, for Gagner, but he can`t replace Nuge, Gagner, Gordon, or Acton for their respective roles on their lines.

Gazdic, yeah...Gazdic. I have to say that he was great. For a big, stupid, 4th line goon, this kid actually gave 100% all the time and you could see the passion in his eyes. He is much better than most goons out there and is by no means a liability on the ice. I should mention here that Eager, like Yakupov, was a passenger. For Ben Eager to stay in the league he has to get noticed for banging and crashing. I don`t remember a single play involving Eager. Gazdic is the reason we could trade Brown though, he was a pleasant surprise to me.

Petry was great and Belov is perfect. We`re starting to develop a very solid D. By the way, there is no way Ference is anywhere close to 6ft tall. He`s got to be 5'10"...maybe.

sorry for the length, but wanted to give my review of watching the team live, which I haven't done in an awfully long time.

p.s. PK Subban is amazing, he was everywhere. Skill, speed, confidence, swagger, etc. etc. he really has it all. PK was the most impressive person in the building (other than the hundreds of hot puck bunnies). Also, Markov is done, he should retire.

nice win though, the Oilers sucked hard for 20minutes and the Habs just let them back in.

Plan the parade!!
- newmy

Is that what Dregger said?
Lick the window.

Plan the parade!!
- newmy

Start banning these trolls yoda, every (frank)ing day the same poop. This isn't the Richard van cloutier show anymore.

It is an entirely different thing to see a game live rather than on TV, and I had my first chance to see the OIL live last night...here are my two bits (half wits?)

Dubnyk was really shakey. I know I am biased, but he just doesn`t look confident. At the end of the day he stopped pucks though and got the win, good for him. He just does not look like a confident guy in there, and the Habs really didn`t challenge him. Plekanec`s goal slide right under his pads and the third one, eventhough the game was over, was a lack of focus...yet again. A win is a win...thanks Dubey. please get better.

I was really excited to see Yakupov, with his `Ovechkin-like`talent and explosiveness...YAWN. I was utterly dissapointed. I really can`t think of another player that I have seen live that floats more than Yakupov. I wonder if he even broke a sweat. He just hovers around, BOTH feet on the ice ALL THE TIME, waiting for someone else to do the dirty work and give him a gift of a pass so he can take on two guys. He looked terrible. I have been in favor of sitting him etc. and taking a hard line to teach him...but honestly...after seeing him last night, it`s an attitude and habits that he likely can`t change. It`s dump him while he has tremendous value. (can`t believe I just wrote that, but I would).

NUGE = HUGE. I think the last time I saw raw skill with the puck like that his name started with a Kov and ended with a lev. I am really excited about Nuge, he is amazing.

Schultz - (do we ever talk about the other one?). I didn`t notice him really at all, which I thought was great. Lately all I see is turnovers and poor defensive play, so if I didn`t notice him, I`m happy.

Ebs = absent.

Hemsky was all of the good things that he can be and none of the bad. Keep it up Hemmer.

Perron, while I like his grit/a-hole-ness, whatever you want to call it, he is such a little d-ink. I also see a lack of focus with Perron and he seems to be very selfish and more concerned about the drama and the crowd than the task at hand. His positives greatly outweigh the negatives though, and light years ahead of MPS.

Arcobello seems to keep piling up the assists so good for him, but he is still not ready to play in this league in my opinion. When it counts, he just seems to not get the job done. Getting it out of the zone, taking a world-class pass on the tape at speed, etc. etc. He just doesn`t have the skill-set. I`m happy he could fill in, sort of, for Gagner, but he can`t replace Nuge, Gagner, Gordon, or Acton for their respective roles on their lines.

Gazdic, yeah...Gazdic. I have to say that he was great. For a big, stupid, 4th line goon, this kid actually gave 100% all the time and you could see the passion in his eyes. He is much better than most goons out there and is by no means a liability on the ice. I should mention here that Eager, like Yakupov, was a passenger. For Ben Eager to stay in the league he has to get noticed for banging and crashing. I don`t remember a single play involving Eager. Gazdic is the reason we could trade Brown though, he was a pleasant surprise to me.

Petry was great and Belov is perfect. We`re starting to develop a very solid D. By the way, there is no way Ference is anywhere close to 6ft tall. He`s got to be 5'10"...maybe.

sorry for the length, but wanted to give my review of watching the team live, which I haven't done in an awfully long time.

p.s. PK Subban is amazing, he was everywhere. Skill, speed, confidence, swagger, etc. etc. he really has it all. PK was the most impressive person in the building (other than the hundreds of hot puck bunnies). Also, Markov is done, he should retire.

nice win though, the Oilers sucked hard for 20minutes and the Habs just let them back in.
- JLO961

Yakupov needs to get that fire lit by scoring a goal.
Eager is poop, bury him in the AHL and forget about him. His NHL career is over.
Gazdic is great and can actually do more than people give him credit for.
Eberle is like every other guy, he can sometimes just lurk in the back.
Arcobello needs to score a goal too, just so he can save that puck, but his passing is great.
Jultz needs a goal as well. Only because it will help us win more, hopefully

Plan the parade!!
- newmy

die

Start banning these trolls yoda, every (frank)ing day the same poop. This isn't the Richard van cloutier show anymore.
- Lahey

caaaannnn you feeeelll the loooovvvvvvve for newmy?



what a (frank)turd.