Big Decisions: Taylor Hall over Tyler Seguin

Source: OilersNation by Jonathan Willis

At the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the Oilers owned the first overall pick and faced a choice: to draft Taylor Hall, the dynamic left winger who had been the favourite entering the season, or centre Tyler Seguin, who had enjoyed a superb year and was the only other challenger.

They chose Taylor over Tyler. Did they make the right decision?

A year in, the decision looked pretty good. As rookies, Seguin was stuck in a depth role on a very strong Boston Bruins team (he has a Stanley Cup ring now, thanks to the Oilers’ decision) and looked the part – he finished with 22 points in the regular season and his line got outshot badly despite the fact that he was playing for a pretty good team.

Hall meanwhile played a feature role on a miserable Oilers squad, finishing one point out of the team scoring lead despite losing time down the stretch after an ill-advised fight that led to injury.

A year later, things are less clear cut.

Seguin blossomed in his second NHL season, scoring 29 goals and recording 67 points, finishing as the scoring leader on the 102-point Boston Bruins. He had some advantages – the Patrice Bergeron line, as has been the case for a long time in Boston, took on the big defensive zone minutes, but Seguin’s group out-shot and out-scored their opponents.

In Edmonton, Hall also took a step forward, scoring 27 goals and recording 53 points in just 61 games. Not only that, but Hall’s line dominated the shot clock, though he had the same sort of zone start advantages that Seguin enjoyed in Boston. The problem was less with his play than with injury – this is the second season in a row Hall’s year has been cut short. Not only did he suffer a concussion, but he’s undergoing off-season shoulder surgery to repair a problem that’s plagued him since junior.

Did the Oilers make the right decision? The answer to that question isn’t clear, and likely won’t be clear at any point over the next decade, unless injury plays a hand. Hall was the safer choice to carry over his junior performance to the NHL (having a longer track record in junior than Seguin) but Seguin plays a more influential position – centres controlling the game to a greater degree than wingers.

Hall’s a splendid player, and choosing him was a defensible decision. I don’t know how it will turn out over the long run, but it’s not a decision I regret seeing made, and if I had to bet I’d bet on Hall having the higher-end career, and Seguin the longer one.

Recently by Jonathan Willis

• Could the Oilers address the defense with their second pick?
• The obsession with protection
• Should the Oilers go after Jordin Tootoo this summer?
• Cameron Abney: probably not Stu MacGregor's fault, but a poor pick all the same
• Patrick Kane: Character vs. ability
• The Jordan Eberle selection
• Playoff picks: Round 3
• The pessimist's guide to building a hockey team

DRAFT PROFILES: MIKHAIL GRIGORENKO

Source: Lowetide by Lowetide

There’s a lot about Mikhail Grigorenko we know, and quite a bit we don’t. Of the three Russians at the top of the draft, he’s the one who has the widest range of opinion. He’s a polarizing prospect.

The first time I heard the Russian anthem was 1972. I remember being blown away by its beauty, and it kind of flew in the face of everything we’d been taught about the Russians. What an inspirational song. I can imagine Russian men and women have been inspired by it and it must be a point of pride. Congratulations to the Russians, the Slovaks and the Czechs who swept the medals at the World Championship in what has been a difficult year.

–

SCOUTING REPORT

• Corey Pronman: “He’s an exceptionally gifted player who can control the flow of a hockey game seemingly at will with elite puck skills, vision, offensive creativity, and overall hockey sense. He makes high level dekes seem effortless and is the kind of player who is able to slow the game down to his pace rather than try to keep up with it. His ability as a playmaker is really special as he is the classic “eyes in the back of his head” type of player who consistently makes high-level reads quickly and effectively. Grigorenko’s hand skills allow him to keep the puck away from pursuers very well and when he’s setting up in open ice, the chances of a defender being able to cleanly check him is low.”
• Red Line Report: “As talented as Grigorenko is, he simply does not work hard AT ALL when he doesn’t have the puck, even at crucial moments in a game.  One shift he had about four minutes left to go in a game his team was only losing by one goal perfectly illustrated the point.  After attempting an individualistic play, Grigorenko lost the puck behind the net in the attacking zone, it squirted free to a defenseman about two feet to his right, and he just stood there watching as the defender skated the puck out of trouble without even a hint of trying to track him down or even put mild pressure on him.  It would have been a real eye-opener for us – if we hadn’t been seeing the exact same thing from him for three years now.”
• Grant McCagg, tsn: Strengths: Possesses the size, strength and skill teams covet in a first-line centre, protects the puck well and has great hands for a big man. Also has a smooth, powerful stride and drives to the net with force. Has a heavy shot, great vision and passing skills, elite offensive talent. Not afraid to get his nose dirty when so inclined. Weaknesses: Has to continue working on his all-around game, needs to bring more consistency, will take some shifts and games off. NHL upside: Has been compared to Viktor Kozlov in terms of his size/skill package, but also because of his inconsistency. Has the capability of being a skilled number one center at the NHL level, but will he have the desire?

 DESJDARINS NHLE (per 82gp)

1. Taylor Hall 17-29-46
2. Nail Yakupov 18-22-40
3. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 11-27-38
4. Mikhail Grigorenko 16-17-33
5. Alex Galchenyuk 11-19-30 (16-year old numbers)

THE GOOD

• Pronman is very strong on him, I suggest you click through above and read the entire entry.
• He’s a classic 1line center prospect and that my friends has exceptional value.
• 6.02, 195 and of course he has terrific vision as described above.
• The scouting positives are as good as it gets.

THE BAD

• The Red Line item above is a vicious bit of prose. Holy crap.
• Craig Button threw him in a gunny sack filled with rocks and tossed him off the bridge in his latest installment.

THE REST

• The Oilers could use a classic #1 C and the resume looks very good. He played on one of the better offensive teams in the QMJHL and posted impressive numbers.
• He looks incredible in the offensive zone. Lanky center and Oh my GOD can he pass the puck with a velvet touch.
• In a year where there’s a clear #1 and all the rest, Grigorenko is the one player who gets closest to Nail and also addresses a need for the Edmonton Oilers.

MIKHAIL GRIGORENKO WILL BE ONE OF THE FIRST 3 SELECTIONS AT THE 2012 ENTRY DRAFT

Boston Bruins at the World Championship Update for May 20: Fan's Take (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Boston Bruins fans have two things to be proud of at the conclusion of the 2012 IIHF World Championship: Zdeno Chara and David Krejci. They both leave Finland as medalists and Chara even paid tribute to a departed friend while receiving his accolades.

Potential UFA Du Jour : Matt Carle, Philadelphia Flyers

Source: Oil On Whyte by Jeffrey Chapman

Matt Carle - Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-US PRESSWIRE

visit site to read more]

Potential UFA Du Jour : Matt Carle, Philadelphia Flyers - Oil On Whyte - Oil On Whyte - An Edmonton Oilers blog

Can NY Rangers win Stanley Cup with Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh playing so many minutes? (Puck Daddy)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

The Rangers' 3-goalie system of Lundqvist, Girardi and McDonagh watches the play develop at the other end. Winning the Stanley Cup Final is as much about overcoming attrition as it is about overmatching your opponent. Often times, a team's ability to minimize fatigue and damage in rounds 1-3 can determine the outcome of round 4. This in mind, I worry about Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh. Tortortella's Fellas block a lot of shots, and Girardi and McDonagh lead the way in this regard. The duo combined to get hit by 387 pucks during the regular season -- 4.7 per game -- and they've picked up the pace since, averaged a combined 6.3 shot blocks this postseason. Girardi's blocked 54; McDonagh's blocked 53. The third-ranked postseason shot-blocker is Willie Mitchell, with 39. This is a lot to put the body through. But Girardi and McDonagh's issue goes beyond simply racking up the contusions. They also play nearly half the game. Both are up over 460 minutes already this postseason: Girardi has played 465:03; McDonagh has played 461:21, a full 30 minutes more than Marc Staal, the third-busiest postseason skater. Let's put this into further perspective.

Nation Radio - May 19, 2012

Source: OilersNation by NationRadio

In Alberta the off-season has become a question of coaches with both the Flames and Oilers looking to fill vacancies behind the bench. With the NHL playoffs winding down and the Memorial cup firing up, attentions are turning towards prospects and the impending free agent season as well.

The guests this week include Jonathan Willis, Tom Lynn and Corey Pronman. They joined Lowetide to talk the above topics and others including hedge fund management strategy, the importance of sustainable lifestyles in the 21st century and the best places to find a good sandwich in Western Canada (not really).

This is Nation Radio.

Segment 1

First up is Jonathan Willis of OilersNation and the Cult of Hockey. JW looks at the dismissal of Tom Renney, the possibility of Brent Sutter joining the Oilers, the upcoming entry draft and the launch of NHLNumbers.

Segment 2

Next we invited player agent Tom Lynn to discuss players and teams heading to the draft as well as the NHL's collective bargaining agreement.

Segment 3

Regular guest and prospect guru Corey Pronman shares some of his insights about the kids. 

Segment 4

Oil Kings Color Commentator Kent Simpson is back to talk the Oil Kings WHL victory and trip to the Memorial Cup. Tom Renney comes up as well.

Segment 5

Bruce McCurdy of the Cult of Hockey looks at the Oil Kings as well, in addition to looking back at Tom Renney's time behind the Oilers bench.

Segment 6

In the final segment Lowetide goes it alone to wrap things up.

Full

The whole enchilada.

Nation Radio would like to remind prospect advertisers and partners that we still have very reasonable sponsorship packages available. If you're interested, don't hesitate to contact Kent Wilson (kent.wilson@gmail.com) for more information.

 

 

Czechs win world ice hockey bronze (AFP)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Czech Republic grabbed bronze at the world ice hockey championship on Sunday with a tight 3-2 win over the last year's champions Finland.

UFA LW'ers - Ryan Smyth your guy?

Source: Oilers Republic

Well now Oiler fans or hockey fans of any team for that matter, this years crop of UFA leftwingers gets thin very fast. Now I know some of you are going to jump on me saying that so and so is a left winger too… I have acquired my information on this from CapGeek and these are the fella’s that I have choosen. When looking for a little offense this years list of available players is short so

Hemsky's Czechs win Bronze Medal

Source: NHL.com

CZECH REPUBLIC 3 vs. FINLAND 2 Ales Hemsky collected two assists, including a helper on the game-winner as the Czech Republic claimed the Bronze Medal at the 2012 World Hockey Championship in Helsinki. "It's nice. We played a good game today...

Hockey World, May 19: Will the Capitals ever be able to win it all with Ovechkin?

Source: Edmonton Journal

Would you trade Alex Ovechkin if you were Washington Capitals general manager George McPhee? Or would it be over Caps owner Ted Leonsis’s dead body? Leonsis is paying Ovie $9 million for two more years, then seven years at $10 million. He loves the Russian forward. It’s mutual, certainly twice a month, on payday.

GETTING MIGHTY CROWDED

Source: OilersNation by Lowetide

One area the new head coach of the Oilers can help himself is in the deployment of Swedes and Finns. While the Canadian kids won the day early in the rebuild, there is an abundance of untapped potential in the group we'll call the Nordics. Do they match up well for the roles available?

There are only so many seats still available for this edition of the Boys on the Bus. If we assume the Oilers will draft Nail Yakupov next month, it's getting mighty crowded for the skill slots among the forwards. Hall, Eberle, The Nuge, Nail, Sam and Hemmer makes 6, and we're still waiting for the first Swede or Finn.

The Oilers have a nice group of kids from those two countries, but under the Renney regime they were blocked or got passed like a house on the side of the road. I'm in no way suggesting the coaching staff was anti-Euro, it's just the way the cookie crumbled. Paajarvi was beaten to the NHL jobs available on the wing by an older player (Eberle) and a #1 overall selection (Hall) as a rookie and he still posted some solid crooked numbers.

This past season, Edmonton acquired Ryan Smyth and along with Ryan Jones, Ben Eager and pleasant surprise Lennart Petrell blocked the way for Paajarvi and Finn Teemu Hartikainen.

GETTING MIGHTY CROWDED

The jobs on the wing that should be available this fall are the role players, the checkers, the penalty killers, the worker bees. That role would seem to suit Hartikainen, and certainly Lander's skill set dovetails nicely into that scenario. However, Magnus Paajarvi--despite having an abundance of skill and lightning speed that should be a huge asset on the forecheck, would appear to be a "tweener" on this roster: not skilled enough to beat out the projected top line wingers, and perhaps not ideal for the gritty, "let 'em know you're there" roster spots the new coach will no doubt want for his bottom 6.

I think the coaching change means a new lease on life for all the forwards who did not perform as expected this past season. That includes Eager, Paajarvi and the rest but a player like Paajarvi will need to arrive at training camp as a man on a mission. That goes for Lander and Hartikainen too. 

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

It's too early to say these kids are at a crossroads--all three could play in OKC another year and hone their skills with an eye to making it fall 2013. However, the opportunities are dwindling and with each passing acquisition the window of opportunity closes a little.

DRAFT PROFILES: ALEX GALCHENYUK

Source: Lowetide by Lowetide

Alex Galchenyuk is all kinds of interesting. He’s American, born in Milwaukee. He’s considered a top end prospect for the 2012 draft despite playing in only 2 OHL games this past regular season.

SCOUTING REPORT

• Corey Pronman: “Prior to the knee injury, Galchenyuk’s skating showed anywhere from above-average to plus with significant improvement over the last year or two. Galchenyuk’s true strengths lie in his puck skills, vision, and overall possession ability. He’s a very talented playmaker who has a pass-first mentality, thinks the game at a high level, and his decisions require little processing time.”
• Dan Marr, Central Scouting: “One element for Galchenyuk is the fact he played last year, and going into this season he was already recognized as one of the top prospects. I think most of the teams are pretty comfortable in knowing the type of player they’ll be getting. Obviously you’d like to see him play during his draft year, but the scouts and general managers are going to be more concerned with how the surgery went, what type of surgery it was and how the recovery process is going along”
• Ross MacLean, ISS: “Galchenyuk is an offensively creative player and is very intelligent around the puck. When he puts the effort in he can really can control the pace of the game and can change the speed of the game. With his offensive side, when you are able to do that kind of stuff with the puck, you don’t get a lot of players with that potential to be dominant.”
• Grant McCagg, tsn: His Belarusian-born father played pro hockey for 24 years on 18 different teams and in more than a dozen leagues, so Milwaukee-born son Alex has been well travelled. Has missed the entire OHL season with a torn ACL he suffered during an OHL exhibition game in mid-September. Strengths: A big, power-forward type with soft hands who is good along the wall, has soft hands and can shoot the puck. Weaknesses: He has missed his entire draft year with a knee injury, so there has been a decided lack of exposure. Teams may be concerned with how he bounces back from the injury.

 DESJDARINS NHLE (per 82gp)

1. Taylor Hall 17-29-46
2. Nail Yakupov 18-22-40
3. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 11-27-38
4. Alex Galchenyuk 11-19-30*

*That’s the 16-year old season for AG, as he was injured this past year. Allowing for typical improvement from 16 to 17, I’d estimate Galchenyuk to be “in the range” of the Nuge. Considering his other assets, that’s a helluva player.

THE GOOD

• He has a very nice scouting report, perhaps matching the Oilers better than Nail’s. A big PF with soft hands and creativity, he’s also an intelligent player. That would allow the Oilers to check off several areas of need.
• He didn’t feel any pain when he finally returned from his long layoff, and Galchenyuk seemed to find the range a little during the post-season.
• He is an American, played for them at the Hlinka. So there should be zero concern about losing him to the KHL and the Olympic dream.

THE BAD

• He lost an entire season of development, and I’m not certain scouts can be sure of his complete recovery based on his late season and post season performance. That may hurt his draft number.
• He’s not a huge player for his PF role. Listed at 6.02, 205 on the OHL site, I’ve read differing stats all over the net. He has time to bulk up, but it would be nice to get an accurate read on the vitals.
• Galchenyuk was porridge at the Hlinka, and had scouts scratching their heads a little even before the injury.

THE REST

• A big, bold center would be a dynamite addition for the Oilers. They could send him back to junior–it’s unlikely his drafting team will push Galchenyuk due to the lost season–and bring him along at 19 or 20.
• He’s a Feb ’94–both Yakupov and Murray are fall ’93s–and there’s probably a few more gears of development here.
• The big issue in my opinion is the inury. Whereas Yakupov and Murray came back and played extended periods after injury, Galchenyuk didn’t get much game action and his performance did not set aside worries.
• He could slide, but I think anything below 4th overall for this player sets up a “draft steal” scenario. On the other hand, the injury was severe and recovery uncertain. No guts, no glory.

ALEX GALCHNYUK WILL BE SELECTED INSIDE THE TOP 10 OVERALL

Edmonton Oilers Prospects Series: D Colten Teubert

Source: Bleacher Report

Edmonton Oilers prospects series will be the theme for the next few weeks, with extensive coverage of the prospects in the Edmonton Oilers organization.

Colten Teubert is a hulking defenseman acquired in the trade that sent Dustin Penner to Los Angeles back on February 28, 2011.

The White Rock, BC native was originally drafted 13th overall in 2008 by L.A., and he attracted the attention of Oilers' scouts due to his size and willingness to play a bruising and physical game on defense.

Blessed with 6'4'' height and 195-lb weight, Teubert has the tools to be a defensive defenseman in the NHL. He probably wants to gain a few more pounds over the summer, but his game is all about physicality and competition against the best scorers on the opposing end.

At 22 years of age, Teubert has appeared in 24 games in the NHL, all for the Oilers. His first NHL game was actually against his former Los Angeles team.

Other than a defensive game, Teubert has gained experience playing on big stages. He represented Canada in the World Junior Championships in 2009 and 2010, winning the gold medal in 2009.

With a new coach coming into the organization and the further development of Teubert, it is possible for Oilers fans to see him play in Oil colors really soon. He may provide some quality minutes when the Oilers are trying to find a person to fill a top-six role.

Entering the final year of his entry-level contract, Teubert looks poised to make a splash in Edmonton in September and October. Watch for him to show the results of his offseason work in four months' time.

 

This is Joseph Trenton reporting on the Oilers prospects series.

 

Related articles in the Prospects Series

1. Winnipeg Jets prospect C Mark Scheifele

2. Vancouver Canucks prospect RW Zack Kassian

3. Vancouver Canucks prospect RW Nicklas Jensen

Read more Edmonton Oilers news on BleacherReport.com

Hockey World, May 19: Will the Capitals ever be able to win it all with Ovechkin?

Source: Edmonton Journal

Would you trade Alex Ovechkin if you were Washington Capitals general manager George McPhee? Or would it be over Caps owner Ted Leonsis’s dead body? Leonsis is paying Ovie $9 million for two more years, then seven years at $10 million. He loves the Russian forward. It’s mutual, certainly twice a month, on payday.

Hemsky & Czechs drop 3-1 semifinal decision to Slovaks

Source: NHL.com

CZECH REPUBLIC 1 vs. SLOVAKIA 3 Helsinki, Finland - Former Oilers forward Miroslav Satan scored two goals to lead Slovakia to a 3-1 victory over current Oilers forward Ales Hemsky and the Czech Republic in today's semifinal round at the 2012 Wo...

Hire Coach Ted Nolan

Source: Oil On Whyte by Jeffrey Chapman

Photo courtesy Wikimedia Creative Commons, User:Buchanan-Hermit

visit site to read more]

Hire Coach Ted Nolan - Oil On Whyte - Oil On Whyte - An Edmonton Oilers blog

The Barons Rebound, Punish Marlies 5-1

Source: The Copper & Blue

The Barons win game two of the AHL West Finals, 5-1. What a difference 24 hours makes.

UFA Dmen - who do you sign?

Source: Oilers Republic

Just a quick hit today on the state of the Oilers Defense. There has been a lot of talk that the Oilers defense sucks and they need to inject a few more NHL type players so I comprised a list of who I can see the Oilers talking too. Yes, my list is primarily made up of defenseman the have a liking to the offensive side of the puck but who is kidding who, that is the area of

MOVING DAY

Source: OilersNation by Lowetide

The Oilers have decided to bring in another coach to save the day. Before we begin to discuss the new coach, let's ask a simple question: what did Tom Renney do wrong?

OVERVIEW

Ask an Oiler fan about what's wrong with the team and the answers come flooding out. I've heard a bunch of things, but the one that I'll take issue with today is the following: the coach didn't play Hall, Ebs and the Nuge enough. The reason I believe it would have been a mistake for Renney to overplay the kids is simple: with the exception of Taylor Hall none of them would have been able to handle it.

I'm going to do a quick comparison here of the four main centermen. I'll begin with the toughest competition faced, and follow the depth chart down. These players are listed in the order that Renney used them: toughest opposition to easiest, but we should also be aware of the extreme zone starts. Horcoff and Belanger were both in the low 40s.

Shawn Horcoff

• 5x5 points per 60 minutes: 1.04
• Qual Comp: toughest among centers and all forwards
• Qual Team: 2nd best among centers and 5th best among forwards
• Corsi Rel: -1.0 (7th best among regular forwards)
• Zone Start: 43.9% (2nd toughest, 13th easiest among regular forwards)
• Zone Finish: 45.4% (11th best among regular forwards)
• Plus Minus: -23 on a team that was -26

Horcoff had the toughest opposition, the most severe zone starts among centermen and clearly he did not handle it as well as one would hope from the highest paid center on the roster. The coach decided--and I think rightly--to sacrifice his veteran as opposed to overwhelm his #1 overall pick. I don't think you can blame Renney for this move. Horcoff's offense isn't strong enough to deliver under these circumstances but his CorsiRel suggests he's miles from being the problem.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

• 5×5 points per 60 minutes: 1.98
• Qual Comp: 2nd toughest among centers, 4th toughest among regular forwards
• Qual Team: best available among centers, 2nd best teammates among regular forwards
• Corsi Rel: 5.6 (6th best among regular forwards)
• Zone Start: 62.5% (easiest among regular forwards)
• Zone Finish: 53.6% (2nd best among regular forwards)
• Plus Minus: -2 on a team that was -26

The Nuge faced the 2nd toughest opposition among centers, not a huge surprise when you consider he played with Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle quite a bit and that's the line the other side would focus on. He got a really nice zone start, credit Renney there with trying to help the team's offense. RNH's CorsiRel is solid, but in a classic case of Who's Zooming Who it is important to have a long look at the name at the top of the charts.

Sam Gagner

• 5×5 points per 60 minutes: 1.96 
• Qual Comp: 3rd toughest among centers, 8th toughest among regular forwards
• Qual Team: 3rd best among centers, 6th best teammates among regular forwards
• Corsi Rel: 6.3 (4th best among regular forwards)
• Zone Start: 54.1% (4th easiest among regular forwards)
• Zone Finish: 51.8% (4th best among regular forwards)
• Plus Minus: +5 on a team that was -26

Gagner got a push this season and delivered very good numbers across the board. His Corsi Rel, plus minus and 5x5/60 were impressive and he clearly had the puck going in the right direction. Gagner had a good season, although the club should expect him to perform this well against tougher competition as he matures. His 5x5/60 was the 91st best number in the NHL among forwards who played >50 games this past season.

Eric Belanger

• 5×5 points per 60 minutes: 0.64
• Qual Comp: 4th toughest among centers, 10th toughest among regular forwards
• Qual Team: 7th best available teammates among regular forwards
• Corsi Rel: -4.1 (10th best among regular forwards)
• Zone Start: 43.2% (toughest among regular forwards)
• Zone Finish: 48.9% (8th best among regular forwards)
• Plus Minus: -13 on a team that was -26

Belanger was a disaster but he was also gifted with the toughest zone starts. On the other hand, he played the easiest competition and with decent linemates and delivered a ghastly plus minus, Corsi Rel and 5x5/60. It's almost unbelieveable, and I think the Oilers will be tempted to see if this was just a lost season. That may be a mistake.

HOW DID THE VETERANS HELP?

Horcoff hung in there and I believe coach Renney correctly identified him as the best available talent to handle the toughs. His CorsiRel indicates he can still play tough opposition with drastic zone starts and land in the "average" range compared to the rest of the roster. Horcoff's offense against that kind of pitching tells us the new coach may look elsewhere in an effort to get more offense power v power.

The role Horcoff played this year and may play next season--believe it or not--has value in that the Nuge and Gagner had the opportunity to play softer opponents. It was also wise in that the club sent their two best offensive centers out there with a chance to succeed--Horcoff's offense is not close to being good enough to cover those minutes and deliver a strong 5x5/60. Belanger was a good bet but a terrible result. His age makes him a poor bet moving forward.

HOW CAN WE KNOW THE OILERS ARE SERIOUS ABOUT WINNING?

At center, the Oilers have two guys who can impact the offense 5x5 in RNH and Sam Gagner. They also have a PP savant in the Nuge. So, what the new coach will need to ask for is an upgrade on Horcoff and the flushing of Belanger. This coach will need to argue strongly against using Anton Lander as an NHL option in 12-13.

I don't think that will happen. If the Oilers run the same group out there next season, or if (more likely) they squeeze Anton Lander into the lineup, the new coach will lack a strong outscoring option to face the opposition's best.

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

The answer could be Taylor Hall at center. He had the best CorsiRel on the team against tougher opposition, he could continue to protect the Nuge if the club moved the young man to wing for a year.

Can Hall do it? He's Edmonton's best player, and he has shown an ability to get results against ever increasing difficulty in terms of opposition. The new coach is going to cast about and look for his leader, and that leader up front is going to have to spearhead the attack against those ultra-tough centers and defensemen.

Taylor Hall at center is an idea whose time may have come. Tom Renney talked about it, suspect the new hire will make it happen.

 

NATION RADIO

 

NATION RADIO--TEAM 1260--NOON EDMONTON TIME

I'd love your questions today, we have excellent guests and the best questions always come from you. You can drop the ? in the comments section, email nationradio@team1260.com or tweet @lowetide_ or @ItsNationRadio.

Scheduled to appear:

• Jonathan Willis: On Sutter, on the Oilers summer, on the #1 overall pick, on Taylor Hall's future role.
• Bruce McCurdy: We'll discuss the incredible Oil Kings run, the wacky WHC's and the coming attractions in astronomy.
• Tom Lynn is a player advisor, agent and attorney, certified by the National Hockey League Players Association. He has acted as General Manager and Assistant General Manager of the Minnesota Wild and we’ll talk about the draft. Trades, moving up and down on draft day and the CBA.
• Corey Pronman has quickly become a credible source on the draft and we'll pursue answers with him with a special focus on some of the "trending" players at the draft. 
• Kent Simpson from the Oil Kings broadcasts on Team 1260. We'll talk about that stunning opener last night and what the Oil Kings have in store for the rest of the week. Kent also played for Tom Renney, I'll ask his opinion of the Oilers coaching change.
• Allan Hamilton, legendary member of the Oilers and Oil Kings. We'll talk about that 1966 Memorial Cup team and I'll ask Mr. Hamilton about what the current Oil Kings are experiencing at this year's Memorial Cup.

Please post questions early, I want to make sure to get them all in.

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL

Source: Lowetide by Lowetide

Brent Sutter has never been happier. Probably.

The Edmonton Oilers aren’t very good at keeping secrets. When Terry Jones and Robin Brownlee write articles that identify the same “next” coach–and Jones is 6800 kilometres removed from Edmonton–then Oiler fans would be wise to assume Sutter is the next man.

The good thing? We have MILES of information on Brent Sutter as a coach.

KENT WILSON’S TAKE

Wilson is a very solid mind and his Flames Nations posts on the subject are well worth the read. In the article “Yay Optimism” Wilson details the improvement season over season from the coach and he concludes (about the 10-11 season) “the poor start sunk their playoff chances, but there is certainly evidence that an experienced Brent Sutter – now unencumbered by his older brother’s expectations and meddling – is capable of guiding the team to it’s maximum potential.”

When Sutter was released, Kent’s take was extremely interesting: “Over his three seasons here, Brent Sutter never converted me to a full fan of this methods. To some degree I think he was hampered by the tools he was given, but then he also never really diversified his methods or improved the club beyond it’s station in any meaningful fashion. In the end, he struck me as an altogether conventional, middle-of-the-road NHL coach.”

JONATHAN WILLIS’ TAKE

Willis wrote an item over at Cult of Hockey about Sutter, part of his series about possible Renney replacements. Willis wrote “I think Sutter’s a perfectly serviceable NHL coach.  He knows what he’s doing and an NHL team probably isn’t going to be suffering if he’s behind the bench.  I agree completely with Kent Wilson–he described Sutter as “an altogether conventional, middle-of-the-road NHL coach.”  That’s not as bad as it sounds – NHL coaches are the best in the world at their profession – but it doesn’t really set him up as an innovator either.”

MY TAKE

Look, I think we can all agree that Tom Renney had flaws–he never did get a feel for western conference line changes–and seemed to be playing catch-up in a lot of areas. DARRYL Sutter was quoted the other day as saying if you chase matchups you’re always chasing the puck, and that would appear to be what Renney’s teams were doing a lot. He also had a hard time identifying roles for players and never did find a way to get all of the top end prospects firing at one time. He was also playing with some gaps in the roster–something Oiler coaches have been dealing with going all the way back to MacTavish.

I think Sutter’s in-game management may be better–he seems to have adjusted to the western conference–and his reputation is as a bit of a hard-ass and that might be a positive after the teacher Renney. His teams play more of a pressure style, and Oiler fans will probably enjoy that change. He likes to forecheck and force the play and it’ll be interesting to see which of the Oilers young guns flourish under him.

I would think he’d be wanting a stronger option at #1C, a “complete” defender who could impact all three disciplines and more veterans along the wing up front to carry the mail and arrive in ill humor.

I also suspect he’ll ride Taylor Hall like Paul Revere on his midnight ride, and Hall may be moved to center.

NATION RADIO–TEAM 1260–NOON EDMONTON TIME

I’d love your questions today, we have excellent guests and the best questions always come from you. You can drop the ? in the comments section, email nationradio@team1260.com or tweet @lowetide_ or @ItsNationRadio.

Scheduled to appear:

• Jonathan Willis: On Sutter, on the Oilers summer, on the #1 overall pick, on Taylor Hall’s future role.
• Bruce McCurdy: We’ll discuss the incredible Oil Kings run, the wacky WHC’s and the coming attractions in astronomy.
• Tom Lynn is a player advisor, agent and attorney, certified by the National Hockey League Players Association. He has acted as General Manager and Assistant General Manager of the Minnesota Wild and we’ll talk about the draft. Trades, moving up and down on draft day and the CBA.
• Corey Pronman has quickly become a credible source on the draft and we’ll pursue answers with him with a special focus on some of the “trending” players at the draft.
• Kent Simpson from the Oil Kings broadcasts on Team 1260. We’ll talk about that stunning opener last night and what the Oil Kings have in store for the rest of the week. Kent also played for Tom Renney, I’ll ask his opinion of the Oilers coaching change.
• Allan Hamilton, legendary member of the Oilers and Oil Kings. We’ll talk about that 1966 Memorial Cup team and I’ll ask Mr. Hamilton about what the current Oil Kings are experiencing at this year’s Memorial Cup.

Please post questions early, I want to make sure to get them all in.

Weekend Update: Coaching Change

Source: The Copper & Blue

This week in Oil Country

Edmonton Oilers: Ales Hemsky Speaks Up About Tom Renney's Departure

Source: Bleacher Report

On Friday, reporters of TSN broadcasting the World Hockey Championships tournament caught up with Edmonton Oilers veteran scorer Ales Hemsky about his thoughts on the team's recent decision to not bring back head coach Tom Renney for another season.

Hemsky said, "I just heard [about the news] yesterday. He was a great guy and good coach too. I never had a problem with him and it's kind of disappointing, but it's kind of how things go in hockey. I wish him all the best, and hopefully I will see him again."

Hemsky is coming off one of his worst NHL campaigns in his career, with just 10 goals and 26 assists on the year. He sounded disappointed that his team did not perform well enough, which likely played a big role on the decision to change coaches.

"I think we had a better team than we played. We showed it in the last month and a half or two months. We got healthier and we played better, so I don't know what will happen next season when they change the coach," admitted Hemsky.

Hemsky continued on to talk about his upcoming summer after the tournament. He said, "I will go home. Last couple of years, I injured my shoulder and spent the majority of the time in Edmonton. This summer, I'll just be home, try to relax, start training and get ready for next season."

It sounds like GM Steve Tambellini made the coaching decision based on the poor performances that the Edmonton Oilers showed in the last three seasons under his reign. There probably is a lot more pressure from ownership to see some progress in the NHL standings after three years of bottom feeding.

With the third head coach waiting to be hired in Tambellini's tenure in Edmonton, Tambellini could be next on the chopping block if the Oilers do not turn around their performance on the ice.

This is Joseph Trenton reporting on the Edmonton Oilers.

 

Other recent articles you may have missed

1. Implications of Oilers Decision to Fire Renney

2. What does the future hold for 7 Canadian teams at the Draft

3. Giving the Montréal Canadiens a management report card

Read more Edmonton Oilers news on BleacherReport.com

Memorial Cup - Edmonton Oil Kings take opener over Shawinigan

Source: OurHometown.ca

The opening game of the 2012 Memorial Cup pitted two sides that were likely very happy to be facing off against each other to kick off this year's tournament.That being said, the first game of the Memorial Cup had its fair share of drama but Edmonton Oil Kings managed to hold on to a hard fought 4-3 victory over the Shawinigan Cataractes. Despite a less then stellar performance from the on ice officiating crew and the video goal judge.

Barons bounce Marlies 5-1, even series

Source: NHL.com

Oklahoma City, OK - Prior to Game 1 of the AHL's Western Conference Final, the Oklahoma City Barons knew exactly what was required to beat the Toronto Marlies. "Special teams are going to be huge," said Head Coach Todd Nelson at Thursday's morn...

Players respected Renney: Horcoff

Source: Edmonton Sun

Shawn Horcoff went into the off-season not certain who would be behind the bench when he returned.

Let the bench-boss search begin

Source: Edmonton Journal

NHL coaches generally have the same shelf life as Kardashian husbands, but since gaining entry to the NHL club in 1979, the Edmonton Oilers have only had 10 different coaches — Glen Sather three times — which makes them a considerably more stable franchise than others. Like, the Montreal Canadiens who have had 10 since 1995.

MacKinnon: Renney’s departure puts Oilers players under close scrutiny

Source: Edmonton Journal

Never mind the coaches, or even Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini, here’s one group whose performance may be scrutinized even more closely next NHL season — the players.

IN-GAME BLOG: Barons vs. Marlies Game 2

Source: NHL.com

FIRST PERIOD 10:37: Bryan Rodney's hooking penalty gives Toronto its first power play opportunity of the night. 14:48: Nicolas Deschamps takes a slashing penalty to put OKC back on the power play. 15:37: The Barons move the puck around ex...

Ex-Oiler says team needs hard-liner

Source: Edmonton Sun

Jason Strudwick wasn't happy to see Tom Renney go.

Players respected Renney — Horcoff

Source: Edmonton Sun

Shawn Horcoff went into the off-season not certain who would be behind the bench when he returned.

Toronto Marlies at Oklahoma City Barons West Finals Game 2 "Black Wind Blowing"

Source: The Copper & Blue

Marlies at Barons game two of the West Finals. Do the Barons overcome an embarrassing game one? Hopefully.

Why Team Canada was eliminated at the World Hockey Championships

Source: OurHometown.ca

Whenever Team Canada takes part in any sort of international hockey tournament, they are always expected to compete for a gold medal. Having said that, the World Hockey Championships is one tournament that they typically struggle to win. After going 6-0-1 in the preliminary round, Canada was bounced by Slovakia in quarterfinals and forced to leave the World Championships empty handed, yet again.

McNall had Gretzky on his side

Source: Edmonton Sun

He was in the dressing room and the stress of the situation -- the weight of a Game 7, right in the Centre of the Hockey Universe, in Toronto -- was heavy on Bruce McNall.

Oilers torched for Renney firing; Milan Hejduk back; Alex Radulov fallout (Puck Headlines) (Puck Daddy)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Here are your Puck Headlines: a glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media. • Look, JGL: "Inception" was the bomb. You were Han Solo in "500 Days of Summer." You probably become Batman when Bane breaks Bruce Wayne's back (/speculation). But please do not wear the Lakers gear to the Kings game. That said, feel free to wear the Kings gear to the Lakers game, if there are still going to be Lakers games this spring. • The Ryan Suter watch begins next week. Hold onto your butts. [ Malik ] • Shea Weber on Alex Radulov's quasi-suspension in Round 2 for the Nashville Predators: "You feel a little bit betrayed, but I am sure he feels bad about it now and he looks back on it and wishes it didn't happen. Those are the things you can't take back and we've got to move forward." [ Examiner ] • Pekka Rinne on Radulov and the curfew issue: "It didn't affect as much as media made it seem like. The way I see it, Radulov joining the team mid-season affected the atmosphere more than the incident that happened in the playoffs." [ On The Forecheck ] • Milan Hejduk is back with the Colorado Avalanche for one year and $2 million. Says Dater: "Yeah, I'm a little concerned about where/what Hejduk's role might be. I mean, it's a little worrisome to think he'll be relied upon perhaps as a top-six forward. And yet, would he really be effective on a third or fourth line? Those are questions Joe Sacco will have to grapple with next season." [ All Things Avs ] • Great work here by Nick Cotsonika on burgeoning New York Rangers star and rookie sensation Chris Kreider. [ Y! Sports ] • Ryan Callahan says his left hand isn't injured, despite blocking a shot with it back in the Ottawa series. [ NYDN ] • Darryl Sutter, on the growth of Los Angeles Kings forward Dwight King: "Growth?" Sutter said. "He's still 232 (pounds). After games, he's 228." [ LA Kings Insider ] • Kerry Fraser on embellishing players in the postseason: "The Conference Finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs is not the time for the referees to strap on the six guns in an effort to clean up embellishment in Dodge. The refs must however, ramp up their radar and if any doubt is created in their mind as to the legitimacy of a foul, then I would suggest they keep their arm down and play on. I also hope they will seize every opportunity to enforce obvious embellishment by calling a penalty (whether as a 'stand alone' penalty or a coincidental minor when embellishment occurs as the aftermath to a legitimate foul)." [ TSN ] • John MacKinnon torches the Edmonton Oilers for firing Tom Renney. "This move — anticipated as it was — was a long, slow slap in the face to a coach who deserved better. If you're the incoming man, it would be wise to at least ponder the fashion in which the Oilers will ultimately dump you. That might help you decide whether you want to accept the job in the first place." [ Journal ] • David Staples does much the same: "My bottom line on Renney? He  earned a new deal. He made a few big miscalculations, but much more was going right than wrong under his direction." [ Cult of Hockey ] • From Black Dog: "The Oilers are like the opposite of that and maybe this should be their master plan. Howson has already destroyed Columbus. Maybe Messier can take over the Rangers and Prendergast can move to Chicago. Let Tambo move back to Vancouver and Buchberger coach the Avs. Let them go forth and multiply and take their special brand of incompetence to the rest of the league, like the Black Plague, destroying franchises as they alight from their private jets, just as flea ridden rats destroyed cities as they swarmed ashore from ships manned by infected doomed sailors." [ BDHS ] • Ellen Etchingham on the Los Angeles Kings: "These Kings, they just look so brilliant. So clearly and completely and definitively ass-whoopingly eye-catchingly heart-liftingly brilliant. They play the way I'd always hoped a Cup-winning team would play. They play like they are actually so much better than everyone else that they ( *gasp* ) deserve to win. There's still a part of me that can't wholly believe they're for real. There's a part of me that's still tensed for the inevitable fall. But, nevertheless, I hope. I would like to see a team take the Cup this decisively, in less than twenty games. I want to see a juggernaut victory." [ Backhand Shelf ] • Alex Ovechkin was named the 11th most marketable athlete internationally in 2012. [ Alex Ovetjkin ] "A finalized lease agreement with a potential Phoenix Coyotes buyer has yet to emerge publicly but a Glendale City Council majority appears poised to approve a $17 million fee to operate the city-owned arena." [ AZ Central ] • Hopefully, when Daniel Alfredsson says he may have played his last competitive game, he means all 82 games next season for the Ottawa Senators (plus playoffs) are blowouts. [ Senators Extra ] • Finally, the New York Mets all wore hockey jerseys on their road trip to Canada. Expected to see more Islanders sweaters, given that both franchises have been living off the glory of the 1980s for decades… ( Kukla )

NHLNumbers Logo Contest

Source: OilersNation by Kent Wilson

 

 

With the launch of the new NHLNumbers blog and the continued development of the site's resources and functions, we figured it's time to update the graphics around here. Specifically, we're looking for a new logo for the site.

Now, we could have gone to some pro graphic designer and spent thousands of dollars only to be slightly disappointed by the outcome, but instead we're opening up the project to the Nation readers instead.

Here's what we need

- A logo that can be used on the site, on facebook and as an avatar on twitter. That means it needs to be more square than rectangular in shape.

- Something that works with the existing format and color scheme of NHLnumbers.com.

- A logo that doesn't violate current copyrights or trademarks. So no integrating or "borrowing" the NHL's official logo, for instance.

The Prize

For Alberta residents, we can offer gift certificates to the Pint in Edmonton, or Hudson's Taphouse in Edmonton and Calgary. For folks outside of Alberta, we can offer a modest cash prize of $100.

Of course, the primary prize will be the affection of the writers and contributors at NHLNumbers as well as the exposure of having your work seen by over 1 million unique visitors every year.

The Details

Send your entries to either Kent (Kent.wilson@gmail.com) or Derek (dpzona@gmail.com). The contest will be open until Sunday, May 26th at which point we'll post our favorites and solicit reader opinions. We'll decide the winner based on our own preferences as well as overall impressions.

Thanks and good luck everyone. We're looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

BEHIND THE BENCH: WHAT’S NEXT?

Source: OilersNation by Robin Brownlee

A day after the Edmonton Oilers tied the can to Tom Renney, I'm still convinced Brent Sutter is the leading candidate to replace him as head coach. Being the "leading candidate" doesn't, however, necessarily translate to Sutter being a slam-dunk.

I dubbed Sutter's appointment as head coach of Team Canada for the World Championships an audition for the Oiler job – timing and the fact Kevin Lowe and Steve Tambellini were and are involved with Canada's front office makes made that pretty obvious – and I still believe it was essentially that.

Lowe and Tambellini got a front-row seat at the WC and a close-up look at Sutter's style and substance, albeit a brief one. That, unless you are of the mind Sutter isn't being considered for the Edmonton job at all, is going to have an effect on the decision they make about Renney's successor.

Sutter and Lowe go back a long way. I've got no doubt Lowe holds Sutter in high regard as a competitor and a coach. While Sutter's latest gig might have served to reinforce the opinion of Sutter that Lowe and Tambellini had going into the tournament, there is a flipside.

With Canada's performance, capped by a 4-3 loss to Slovakia, far from overwhelming, I'm wondering if Lowe and Tambellini saw any warts or shortcomings in Sutter's approach – that's a fair question when Team Canada doesn't get into the medal round at any tournament.

If Lowe and Tambellini did come away from the WC tournament with questions or impressions they didn't have going in based on what they saw first-hand, that's not a bad thing. Getting more information never is. That's especially true with this hire. Tambellini and Lowe have to get it right.

AND . . .

So, what of associate coach Ralph Krueger and assistants Kelly Buchberger and Steve Smith? Convention has it that a new head coach gets to pick his staff, but I don't see all three being shown the door.

I actually see two of the three sticking around on the staff with the new coach, and my best guess is Buchberger and Smith will retain their positions when training camp begins under Sutter, or whoever gets the job. Some fans believe Krueger should get some consideration as a replacement for Renney, and I think he will. I know Krueger, who did some fill-in work running the bench when Renney was ailing, has some support in the room.

Allowing for that, the likeliest scenario is Krueger ends up back in Europe and Smith and Buchberger stay on, leaving the new head coach to fill one slot on the staff with a hand-picked assistant. Smith did solid work in his first year with the Oilers and Buchberger has become a fixture as sort of a resident assistant. Besides, he's friends with owner Daryl Katz.

Listen to Robin Brownlee Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the Jason Gregor Show on TEAM 1260.

Jersey Fouls: Penner Pancakes; Attack of the FrankenJerseys; Winnipeg’s beer tribute (Puck Daddy)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Jersey Fouls is our ongoing exploration of the rules and etiquette for proper hockey jersey creation and exhibition. If you spot what you think may be a foul in your arena, email a photo to us at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com for inclusion in future installment. Well, this was bound to happen. Perhaps no other athlete has been defined by a particular food item like Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Penner has been with pancakes. At least not since David "Morning Kegger" Wells of the NY Yankees. Ever since he was "injured" while eating a stack of pancakes , Penner has been associated with flapjacks and has been more than willing to embrace the meme for a good cause. John Hoven ( a.k.a. The Mayor ) passed this along before Game 3 of the Western Conference Final. Foul? Well, yes, but we respect someone for using the official (or close to official) nickname of a player. But for the record: We're not sure how a couples' jersey in which the other one reads "MRS. BUTTERWORTH" would affect the acceptability of the original jersey. ( Coming Up: God-awful Devils/Rangers FrankenJersey, and another one from Dallas; the Jets celebrate return of hockey and beer; Danny Briere Fouls; and a rather offensive Flames fan.)

"Oilers Arena"

Source: Oilers Jambalaya

I would like to introduce you to Paul Neumann. Over the last 6 months, I have spent time conversing back and forth on twitter and in person with this guy. He has a pretty good head on his shoulders and most of all he has a OPINION and is a OILERS FAN! Recently I suggested he write a posting that I could put up for you, here at oilersjambalaya to read. Leave a comment after you read if you don't mind, letting him know what you think of his post. 


I hope to post my final segment of the "Welcome to NAIL Country" Part IV sometime tomorrow. In the meantime and in between time, 'Keep your stick on the ice!'


revingev


---------------------------------------
Oilers’ Arena    By Paul Neumann 
  It’s the Off-Season for your Edmonton Oilers, and so far most of the talk about the team has been about the upcoming NHL Entry Draft which will be held in Pittsburgh. The talk has centred mainly around Nail Yakupov and, if the Blue and Orange should draft him with the 3^rdconsecutive 1^st Overall Pick or, trade down in the top 5 and try for a stud-defenceman. However, not too much attention has been garnered by the “proposed” downtown arena, least of all its name! So, if we may wander down Wayne Gretzky Drive as it were, I’d like to propose a name for the soon-to-be-hallowed halls of this complex.

  Myself, I’ve been advocating for it to be named the

“Bill Hunter Memorial Centre”. Now, for those of you, who do not know the history of hockey in Edmonton; let me first explain to you who this man was, and why he deserves this great honour.

  Bill Hunter was actually born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on May 5^th, 1920. He was the first of TEN children, and an avid sports fan. Bill founded his first sports team, the Saskatchewan Dukes Football Club when he was only 18 years old! (The team is now known as the Saskatchewan Hilltops Football Club, whom now competes in the Canadian Junior Football League). From there on, Hunter enrolled in Notre Dame College in Wilcox, Saskatchewan, where he managed the school’s baseball club.

  He first became involved in managing hockey when he coached and managed the Saskatoon Quakers Hockey Club form 1950-’52. In 1955, he bought, managed and, coached the Medicine Hat Tigers Hockey Club.

   Now flash-forward. ‘Wild’ Bill Hunter is now at the helm of the Edmonton Oil Kings Hockey Club as the team’s Owner, General Manager and, Head Coach. The team was founded by Leo LeClerc in 1951, but sold to Hunter in the early 1960’s. Under Hunter, the Oil Kings would win the Memorial Cup in ’63 and in ’66 and, become the Founding Franchise of the Western Canada Hockey League which we all know today as the Western Hockey league. 
Hunter founded the new league because he believed that the four Western Provinces, whom each had their own junior hockey leagues, could not compete with the larger, more powerful Ontario Hockey league and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Hunter's dreams for a unified western league came true in the summer of 1966, when some member clubs in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League seceded from the league, and approached Hunter in hopes of starting a new league. 
These teams were the Regina Pats, Saskatoon Blades, Estevan Bruins, Moose Jaw Canucks and the Weyburn Red Wings. The ‘league’ then added a team in Calgary-the Calgary Buffaloes. The Oil Kings made it to the Memorial Cup TEN times between 1954 and 1976, winning the Memorial Cup in 1963 and 1966, capturing President's Cup (now the Ed Chenoweth Cup) titles in 1971 and 1972. However, it would prove to be the final championship titles in the glorious history of the original Edmonton Oil Kings before relocating to Portland out of financial difficulty, to become the Portland WinterHawks in 1976, after having been sold to different ownership.

   In 1972, Bill was approached by Dennis Murphy and Gary Davidson if he wanted to become the owner of a franchise in a new professional hockey league, called the World Hockey Association. Hunter leaped at the chance, as he had long wanted to bring professional hockey to Edmonton, but the National Hockey League wasn’t interested in expanding to Western Canada, least of all to Edmonton. He would go on to name the franchise the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club and, the glorious history of one of the worlds’ most famous sports teams begun. The team won the Inaugural Game of the newly formed World Hockey Association over the Ottawa Nationals, 7-4, and won their first-ever game in the Northlands Coliseum 4-1 against the Cleveland Crusaders, and history would be written from there on in. 
The team acquired top-notch talent, and even coaxed goaltending legend and Hockey Hall of Famer Jacques Plante out of retirement to start in goal for the squad. Plante ended his career in professional hockey as an Oiler in 1975. (Why the number he wore as an Oiler, #30 isn’t retired by the Edmonton Oilers, I’ll never be able to understand).

Hunter made one more serious attempt to bring a professional team to Western Canada, when in 1983 he offered to buy the financially struggling St. Louis Blues Hockey Club and move the team to his hometown of Saskatoon. The offer took many by surprise, even in Canada, as few thought an NHL team could remain profitable in a small city in the middle of the Canadian Prairies.  Hunter later sold the team to Nelson Skalbania in 1979 before the WHA merged with the NHL. 
  So as you can see, this great man did so much to advance our National Game, and just as much to make Edmonton the envy of most of the country. Just think of it, even though the Oilers haven’t been faring too well for quite a few seasons, we still show up ready to support our team. We in the City of Champions are still loyal to the Oil, and Mr. Bill Hunter himself is partly responsible for this attitude for our sports clubs. It is a part of our culture, it is in our Blue and Orange blood. So here’s to the “Bill Hunter Memorial Centre” and, Go Oilers, Go!!  

Crossroads

Source: OilersNation by Jason Strudwick

Today the Oilers finally announced that Tom Renney would not be returning as coach next year. Although I don't agree with the amount of time it took to make the decision, the outcome is the same for both Renney and the organization as if it had been done a day after the last game. Tom is now searching for a new spot to coach and the Oilers are looking for a new coach.

Tom Renney is a good coach and great person. I hope he gets a job somewhere in the NHL where the team is ready to compete and not developing. I never understood some of the abuse he took from fans and media alike here in Edmonton. The Oilers were not a playoff team the last two years. Let's face it, Scotty Bowman would not have done much better with the team Renney was given.

Whoever is chosen as the next coach will be the fourth in five seasons. Steve Tambellini inherited Mactavish and then hired Pat Quinn who was replaced after a year by Renney. After the next coach is hired, Sam Gagner will have had four different coaches in his first six years as a pro. There is no continuity and for an organization looking to get back to the top of the league this is a big issue.

A New Personality

Developing a team identity is nearly impossible when the coach is frequently changing. Having an identity is very important. Stability behind the bench allows the players to embrace a system and begin to play by reacting rather them thinking about where they should be on a given play. When players think too much on the ice they can freeze up and be that all important step behind.

It would seem that the L.A Kings run this spring with their new coach Darryl Sutter spits in the face of my theory. This is a different scenario. The Kings had been building up for a few years to get to this point and they felt a change in coaches after having Terry Murray for roughly three years would get them over the hump. Darryl Sutter is what I would call a closing coach. He is very good at motivating his teams to get that extra bit juice out of them. He has only slightly adjusted their style of play to a more aggressive forecheck. The blueprint for Kings hockey was there before he arrived, a heavier and cycling style of player and hockey. All the Kings players knew this.

Does the current roster of Oilers know its style or is it still searching? This is the biggest decision that Steve Tambellini will have to make during his time as GM of the Oilers. Finding the right coach will not be easy because he and Oiler fans should expect that the one he chooses should stay for a while. His choice for bench boss should not only believe in the type of team that Tambellini is building, but also be able to coach a style that fits with roster he is assembling.

With the current group of forwards, the Oilers will most likely have the most success with an aggressive uptempo forechecking style similar to how New Jersey plays. Hiring a coach like Guy Boucher of Tampa Bay would not be a great fit. He chooses a more defensive style that would not allow the Oilers skaters to fly.

The Oilers and Steve Tambellini are at a crossroads. Pieces of the puzzle for a successful team are starting to fall into place but without the right coach behind the bench for next season and beyond it could easily not got anywhere.

The Hat Trick...

Could Brett Lawrie of the Blue Jays make his helmet bounce right into the umpire again if he was given a hundred tries? I doubt it. The umps reaction was hilarious!

Could Wayne Gretzky be the Edmonton Oilers next head coach?

Source: OurHometown.ca

With the Edmonton Oilers announcing that head coach Tom Renney would not be back, the time for speculating whom they could or should put in his place, is upon us. This franchise needs someone who's willing to loosen the reigns a little and let these kids see what they can do. That man could very well be non other then the Great One, Wayne Gretzky.

DRAFT PROFILES #2: RYAN MURRAY

Source: Lowetide by Lowetide

Ryan Murray is an interesting prospect. Although lacking elite level offensive skills, he’s in the conversation right at the top of the draft. How could this be? What does Ryan Murray bring?

SCOUTING REPORT

• Ryan Murray is advanced beyond his years with well above-average hockey sense and the rare kind of game-processing ability and vision that makes him a significant two-way threat even without elite offensive tools. Murray is a great presence on the back-end with the puck because he rarely makes a mistake and even though he doesn’t limit himself to the basic plays, he not will force the big passes if they are not there. He doesn’t get rushed by opposing forechecks and is one of the best outlet passers in this draft. Murray makes smart reads defensively, takes his assignments well, and will not shy from using his body to separate his check from the puck. He’s an above-average to plus skater although he isn’t the kind of player to threaten regularly with a speed game on the rush, rather he relies on a great first step and all-around mobility to keep the play in front of him and close on the puck. Murray’s puck skills are solid, and while he’s not a dangler, he can certainly hold his own in open ice. On the power play, he is a pass-first guy who makes the smart plays and the difficult passes with consistency. He also has a pretty hard shot and can wire it through legs when he needs to. While Murray does not project as an elite prospect, he has a low risk tag on his projection. He will be the kind of player to log over 20 minutes a game while playing tough minutes against the opposition’s best players while still managing to put up impressive possession numbers.
• Grant McCagg, tsn: Strengths: A real ‘Steady Eddie’ on the blue line; rarely makes a mistake and displays a poise well beyond his years. Smart, dependable rearguard who will be on the ice protecting leads at the end of games. Strong skater with a powerful stride. A team leader with high character. He moves the puck with short, accurate passes. Hard to beat one-on-one. Weaknesses: He’s not a punishing guy who will provide a physical presence while his offensive skills may be limited and he may be more of a stay-at home defender. NHL upside: A No. 2 or No. 3 defenceman with leadership qualities who will be relied upon to shut down team’s top players, kill penalties and protect leads.
• ISS: Murray has been a model of consistency for the Everett Silvertips since returning to the lineup. The maturity and composure he displayed earlier this season continued to shine. His defensive hockey sense separates him from most in this draft, and is considered the draft’s most complete defenseman. He’s generally matched up against the most teams’ top line, logging upwards of 25 minutes per game. Has more offensive upside than given credit for and bright future ahead of him.
• Central Scouting’s BJ MacDonald: “I think Murray is more like a [Scott] Niedermayer; he just does everything under the radar and so smooth you hardly notice it. His skating is probably the best in the [WHL], but you don’t really notice that so much because you almost take it for granted he’s been there for three years. He never gets out of position and I’ve never seen him lose a one-on-one battle. He’s always, defensively, in the right spots. He just does everything so seamlessly that he reminds me of Niedermayer only because he does everything so well at such a high level and after a while, you don’t even notice it.”

DESJARDINS NHLE (per 82gp)

1. Ryan Murphy 10-21-31
2. Cam Fowler 4-21-25
3. Dougie Hamilton 4-17-21
4. Brandon Gormley 4-14-18
5. Ryan Murray 5-12-17
6. Nathan Beaulieu 4-12-16
7. Erik Gudbranson 1-13-14

• I think Murray’s offense is a little underrated at this point, he played on a junior team that scored just 185 goals (2.57 per game). Dougie Hamilton’s team (in his draft year) scored 273 goals, or 4.01 per game.
• I’m not certain how to adjust for that, but would suggest that there’s enough of a gap to consider Murray and Hamilton to be much closer in terms of offensive ability.

THE GOOD

• Another terrific scouting report, excellent speed and a very good defenseman. Most of his value comes from the redline in, and the advanced stats we value don’t reward players for it.
• The BJ MacDonald scouting report above is exceptional. If Murray can live up to that, his drafting team should be very pleased with him.
• 6.01, 195 and will turn 19 on September 27. He’s an older prospect, a positive and a negative.  However, since we’re not talking about offensive development with this player, his ability to play defense and advanced maturity is a positive.
• Intelligent player. I don’t think we should overlook this aspect of his resume, as we know the Oilers highly value the cerebral.

THE BAD

• Mostly revolves around lack of offensive ability. If we can agree  that the hardest thing in the world is to score goals, then drafting #1 in a season where there’s another Taylor Hall should make the decision an easy one. That’s nothing against Murray, but I do believe Oiler fans have perhaps overlooked Murray or underrated him based on a view viewings. Saw him bad is about as poor a reason to pass on a player as saw him good. No?
• His injury–high ankle sprain–is a tough one but he should be fine overall. The injury does serve as a reminder that drafting defenseman can be a sticky wicket. When we say things like “defenseman take time to develop” we should add “and some  of them fall away because of injury” because it is such a difficult position to play.
• This is not Denis Potvin. Ryan Murray has a glimmering scouting report, but I think the comparisons to Scott Niedermay may set him up for disappointment among the fanbase. I think he’ll be more offensively capable than Chris Phillips, and he does have a good shot acccording to the scouting reports. But a guess at an outer marker should probably  use Dougie Hamilton as a comparable. We’ll see.

THE REST

• I know you’re tired of hearing it, but it is probably wise to at least allow for the possibility that the Edmonton Oilers select Murray #1 overall. Stu MacGregor told Dean Millard weeks ago that they would draft Murray #1 overall if they felt he was the right choice. He also told Robin Brownlee “but I think (GM) Steve Tambellini was pretty clear that, you know, maybe we do have to make an organizational decision . . .”
• A lot has been made about Murray being NHL ready. I think that kind of thinking is a mistake. Should Murray come in and shoot the lights out, the smart move is to send him back to junior. The Oilers need to fix the blue before this blue chipper arrives and then bring him in as a 6th man with a veteran partner like Schultz. That’s the right play.
• The Oilers have an extreme need on defense and that may counter the gap in talent between Yakupov and the rest of the pack.

RYAN MURRAY WILL GO IN THE TOP 3 SELECTIONS AT THE NHL DRAFT

The Marlies Crush The Barons 5-0 In West Finals Game One

Source: The Copper & Blue

The Marlies pushed the Barons around for three straight periods in Game One of the AHL Western Conference Finals.

2012 Memorial Cup Preview

Source: The Copper & Blue

A look at the teams competing for the Memorial Cup. And some of the numbers behind those teams.

Unbeatable Kings fated for Stanley Cup final (Yahoo! Sports)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Los Angeles continued its dominant roll with a Game 3 decision over Phoenix in the West final, moving within one win of a title shot and a chance at history.

Edmonton Oilers: Implications of the Tom Renney Coaching Change

Source: Bleacher Report

On Thursday evening, the Edmonton Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini came out to say that the Oilers organization had decided not to sign head coach Tom Renney to another contract. His current contract is expiring, and the team will be looking at a different coaching candidate this summer, just like the Montréal Canadiens.

This is interesting timing, but it makes a lot of sense for Edmonton. First of all, the Oilers are competing with Montréal, Calgary and potentially Vancouver if they decide to let Alain Vigneault go. Since multiple teams are looking for a new head coach, it is important for the Edmonton Oilers to act quickly and not miss out on a potential candidate.

Steve Tambellini cited the reason for dismissal is due to the fact that the Oilers need to be headed in a different direction as an organization now. He said the team needs to "raise the compete level and compete for the Stanley Cup playoffs next year".

Tambellini also felt that, for some reason, his veteran players did not respond well enough. Specifically, Ales Hemsky, Shawn Horcoff and Eric Belanger had dismal seasons for the Oilers. Hemsky scored 10 goals and 26 assists in 69 games he played. Horcoff wasn't much better, scoring 13 goals, 21 assists in 82 games. Lastly, Eric Belanger, who was supposedly brought in to provide veteran depth and versatility on the Oilers scoring lines, put up only four goals and 12 assists on the season.

In salary, the Oilers committed $6.5 million on Horcoff, $5.0 million on Hemsky, and $2.0 million on Belanger. A total of $13.5 million on three veteran players, and they have not met expectations.

Finally, the potential coaching candidates the Oilers could be interviewing over the next few week include:

Former Canucks coach Marc Crawford, who has spent years in the Vancouver organization with Steve Tambellini.

Former Flames coach Brent Sutter, who has plenty of experience maximizing the performances from young players at the World Junior stage, and proved that he can be a good coach at the NHL level.

Current Quad City Mallards coach and GM David Bell. He had been successful as an assistant coach with the Barrie Colts before joining the Oilers organization. Tambellini may look from within, and Bell would be the front and center as a potential candidate to be the next head coach for the NHL team.

Despite the fact that Tambellini spoke to the media saying the process of finding a coach is not urgent, it is a reality that the teams will see a domino effect when a team officially announce a signing of a coach, and that other teams will also learn who's the next guy on their candidate list they wish to hire.

For now, Edmonton fans have another side of the story to be excited about—the Oilers offseason. One that should come as a surprise to nobody that the team will be busy making headlines throughout the summer.

This is Joseph Trenton reporting on the Edmonton Oilers.

 

Other recent articles on the NHL offseason:

• What the Future Holds for the 7 Canadian Teams at the NHL Draft
• Predictions for the 1st Round of the NHL Draft
• 30 Most Overrated Players in the NHL

Read more Edmonton Oilers news on BleacherReport.com

Captain calls Game 1 loss 'embarrassing'

Source: NHL.com

Oklahoma City, OK - Prior to Game 1 of the AHL's Western Conference Final, the Oklahoma City Barons knew exactly what was required to beat the Toronto Marlies. "Special teams are going to be huge," said Head Coach Todd Nelson at Thursday's morn...

Oilers won't renew Renney's contract [Photos] [Video]

Source: Edmonton Sun

Tom Renney will no longer be behind the Edmonton Oilers bench.