Tonight the Oilers play host to the Phoenix Coyotes in hopes of putting their latest 5 game losing streak to a halt. The good news is that the Yotes are 3-7-0 in their last 10 games, the bad news is that the Oilers are 2-7-1 in theirs. For most teams in the NHL this would be considered a winnable game but Edmonton has played slump-buster to so many teams this season that nobody should be considering any game “winnable… right now for the Oilers. These are both teams in the midst of a struggle but while Phoenix struggles to make a playoff push the Oilers struggle to leave the basement.
TRADING EBERLE?
Edmonton is in tough to turn things around and everybody has an opinion. The media speculation is mounting as to what the Oilers will do or need to do in order to acquire the top flight Defenseman that they so desperately miss. Just the other day the TSN panel postulated that it is time for Edmonton to part with Jordan Eberle to get that big 25+ minute a night blueliner. Of course shortly after that Bob McKenzie preached patience and suggested that now was not the time to make the deal. McKenzie has a great point in that the Cap will go up next year and not every team can afford a Jordan Eberle right now, but at the Draft things will be different.
Naturally I am hesitant about the idea of trading Eberle because he is a fantastic player, but that’s exactly why it’s his name that gets mentioned in these trade rumours. If the Oil could convince Nashville to trade Shea Weber for Sam Gagner they would do it in a heartbeat, but that’s a pretty unlikely scenario when everyone knows the Oilers are up against it. Or at least it sure seems that way.
There are all kinds of examples where a much superior player has been traded for a collection of lesser players and plenty of them are Defensemen. Here are a few that I can think of and who they were traded for but there are, of course, going to be more. I’m not adding Gretzky because that was a cash sale.
Chris Pronger: Eric Brewer, Jeff Woywitka, Doug Lynch Dan Boyle: Ty Wishart, Matt Carle, 1st, 4th Dion Phaneuf: Ball of Yarn Jay Bouwmeester: Another Ball of Yarn Joe Thornton: Marco Sturm, Wayne Primeau, Brad Stuart Jaromir Jagr: Anson Carter (ouch, still love you Anson)
Ok, we get it. Sometimes GMs hit a homerun, but the fear here is that the Oilers would be on the wrong end of those kinds of deals outlined above. Imagine how much further backwards the Oilers would be if they moved Eberle for Jack Johnson. Fans are throwing their jerseys on the ice already and that’s without wasting an excellent asset on a questionable defender.
I don’t envy MacTavish his task right now. The entire league knows that he needs NHL defensemen and they are going to do their best to rob him of Jordan Eberle, Nail Yakupov, or their 1st Round pick. Looking at the list of trades above, it isn’t the well-run organizations who are getting the Balls of Yarn for their stars. It’s the teams under duress that have made the worst player personnel decisions, and that’s what scares me about the move Edmonton is going to make next.
LINEUPS
Both Hemsky and Nail Yakupov practiced this morning on the 2nd Unit Power Play which means it’s a solid bet that they draw back in to tonight’s game. Without them the Oilers have surely missed what offensive pop they bring even with their inconsistencies. Probably the best news for the day is that Nick Schultz is going to sit this one out. Belov will take the place of Schultz who has been a nightmare with the puck in his own zone. Bryzgalov will get the start despite Scrivens’ excellent game the other day. “Win and You’re In… is the motto from here out, I guess. With Yak and Hemsky both potentially in the lines from yesterday get weird. Here’s my guess and I’ll update with the real ones ASAP.
Hall RNH Eberle Perron Gagner Yak Smyth Gordon Hemsky Hendricks Arco Joensuu
Ference J. Schultz Potter Petry Belov Marincin
Bryzgalov
OILERS KEYS TO THE GAME
1) Yak Attack. The Oilers need Nail Yakupov to have an impact right away in his return. When he’s on his game he’s dangerous on every shift, when he’s off of it he’s hard to notice. This is a kid who loves to play though and he’s been away from it for too long. I expect him to be jacked up.
2) Bad Dogs. The Coyotes are struggling on the road and the Oilers need to get one early to put that in their minds. The offense is really having trouble away from Glendale and with Martin Hanzal hurt the Desert Dogs are really under the gun.
3) Depth Scoring. The only Oilers with double digit goals are Hall, Eberle, RNH, and Perron. That’s it. Outside of the top line and Perron (whose most common linemate has been RNH) there just isn’t anyone scoring goals on a regular basis. Without depth scoring the Oilers go as the top line goes, and that’s the end of it.
Puck drops tonight at 7:38PM on Sportsnet. Game On!
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