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 ryan.garner@hockeybuzz.com.
What kind of production can we expect from Teddy Purcell? Don F.
Surprisingly, I thought Purcell was Edmonton’s best offensive forward on Thursday night. If everything falls right Purcell could crack the 60-point barrier, but he’ll have to provide 5-on-5 offense on a line with Mark Arcobello and David Perron. Even with a marginal NHLer in the middle I like the line’s makeup, featuring a possession centre, natural playmaker and sandpaper sniper. That’s a balanced line right there. Of course, that group also has potential to become the Wizard of Oz line, containing the hollow-chested tin man (Arcobello), cowardly lion (Purcell) and brainless scarecrow (Perron).
How many games will Ben Scrivens start this season? oilerzfan34
If Scrivens repeats his season-opening performance probably 10 games, before he’s shipped out of town for another discount band-aid solution. Everyone wants Scrivens to be a legitimate starting goaltender, providing 65 high-quality games a season. Nobody’s wishing for it more than general manager Craig MacTavish, who has him signed for this season and next at $2.3 million, while Viktor Fasth is an unrestricted free agent next summer. Of course, wishing doesn’t make it so, as I learned when a Crocodile Dundee-style Bowie knife failed to appear under the tree during Christmas 1986.
You seem to have an interest in player numbers. Where does that come from, and what do you think of the Oilers numbers? George M.
Maybe it springs from rooting for #99 as a kid, but I’ve always had a superstitious belief that a number indicates the personality and potential of a player. Wayne Gretzky himself touched on it Friday night, scoffing at Glen Sather’s early suggestion that he wear #20 to “reduce the pressure.… Notable numbers on the current Oilers squad break down into three categories: The good, the bad, and the ugly.
Good Jordan Eberle (14) – Looks cool, sounds cool. Much cooler than the man who wears it. Jeff Petry (2) – Despite the obvious “Who does number two work for?… joke, it’s sweet and simple. Nail Yakupov (10) – Much better than his previous number 64. Nothing beats a perfect 10.
Bad Taylor Hall (4) – Anyone else find it strange/inappropriate that Hall wears Kevin Lowe’s number? Justin Schultz (19) – The number universally saved for first-line centres doesn’t like right on a blueliner. Leon Draisaitl (29) – Doesn’t do anything for me. Just looks awkward on the back of a large man.
Ugly Will Acton (41) – The number practically screams “I don’t belong and deserve to be ignored.… Brad Hunt (59) – He’s happy just to be in the NHL, and a number like that confirms it. Nikita Nikitin (86) – Ever worked in a restaurant? Being 86’d is the worst thing imaginable.
I don’t like what I’m seeing from Jordan Eberle. Is he a fixture on the top line? Bobby J.
Eberle defers too much to Hall and Nugent-Hopkins on the top line, where he seems content to just linger in the weeds and wait for something good to happen. It reminds me of Dany Heatley when he was on the San Jose Sharks’ first line with Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton—happy to fire off one-timers, but unwilling to put in the work to make things happen. I would like to see Eberle on the second line, where he’ll be less sheltered and forced to create more on his own. Either way, he should provide more than he has to this point, because everyone’s looking for him to take the next step.
Is it true that someone in your hockey pool actually drafted Johnny Hockey? Also, who's the first guy to get called up from Oklahoma City? Santander V.
Yes, it’s true. Thursday night’s loss to the Flames was disappointing, but Wednesday night’s fantasy draft was crushing. How could any self-respecting Oiler fan draft Johnny Gaudreau? I have no idea, but I’m in a league with 17 other jabronis and none of them seem to be self-respecting. As for the call-up, Martin Marincin seems to be the obvious answer, but I don’t see how he gets the nod with defencemen Oscar Klefbom and Darnell Nurse waiting to see NHL action. I’m going to say Steve Pinizzotto, mainly because I’d selfishly like to see it happen and I think the Oilers would benefit from his injection of toughness.
Is Saturday night’s game against Vancouver a must-win? RollMeInOil
A normal person would think it’s too early to call the second game of the season a must-win, but the Oilers aren’t a normal team and we’re not normal fans. We’re jittery, paranoid freaks. Yes, it’s a must-win. A loss to the Canucks tonight would be disastrous heading into a date with the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, because I’ve conservatively penciled in a four-goal loss to the defending Stanley Cup champions in their home rink. As we’ve seen nearly every season since Adam Oates retired, things can go off the rails quickly if early losses mount. Staying at .500 helps the Oiles keeps their heads above water with bigger waves on the way.
ryan.garner@hockeybuzz.com