TENTATIVE DEAL REACHED... So the lockout ended today with news that a tentative deal has been reached. A new 10 year CBA will be sent for ratification from both the players and the owners. A formality that expects to be completed quickly and games back on the ice by either the 15th (50 game sched) or the 19th (48 game sched) of January. A FAN'S REACTION... While I am happy to be able to watch the game I love again, I am still very bitter and frustrated with the lockout. Many questions were raised on my Twitter timeline this morning. one that I found interesting was by @oilonwhyte my former colleague over at oilonwhyte.com he writes...
@OilOnWhyte i think they should fire bettman. That would make me believe they are truly sorry. #firebettman
I honestly believe that if the Commissioner's job is not in jeopardy after three labour disputes on his watch, then the Ownwers / Board of Governors are not paying attention or just don't care that much about the game.
Fortunately the new CBA is supposedly a 10 year deal so, at least this won't happen again for at least 7-8 years, but if the NHL truly feels shame towards their fans, and want to make it up to us, then they need to fire Bettman today.
It may be un-realistic after a 100+ days of negotiations to ask that this happen right now, but it needs to happen!
The NHL is a gate driven league and alienating the fans with labor disputes, especially in struggling markets, is the worst possible scenario for those teams. I wonder how Phoenix will do this abbreviated season?
OILERS HOCKEY...
It will be interesting see ttraining camp start in the next few days. I will also be very interested to see if the Oilers use the rumored two buy-outs on players has been apparently agreed on with the new deal. I guees we will have to wait and see.
HOW DO YOU FEEL...
If I have any readers left from the boycott of promoting hockey by blogging that I have done the last several months, then please let me know how you feel about the lockout and subsequent return of hockey this year.
You all know by now that Jordan Eberle has signed an extension with the Oilers for six years at $6M per season. He joined teammate Taylor Hall who signed a seven year extension back in August.
THE SPECULATION ENDS... It was announced today by General Manager of the Edmonton Oilers, Steve Tambellini that Taylor Hall has signed a seven year contract extension for a reported 42 Million dollars.
MY OPINION ON THE CBA... I have not had much to say on the CBA negotiations that are currently in a stale-mate status. I just want it known that regardless of the issues on either side, the ones that suffer are the fans. I do not know the in-&outs of the negotiations, I am basing how I feel on listening to sports talk radio and reading the web just like most of you.
There are few things that were notable in this game that I would like to comment on.
It's been said that there is some symbolism, to which goalie gets the start in game one of a new season, this year Devan Dubnyk got that start. I am not sure what this is supposed to mean, but I am guessing it is some sort of nod to the Goalie, that they are the guy between the pipes going forward through the season?? Or at least that's the sense I get when I hear media types refer to this symbolism. I could be way off here, that's just the impression that I have.
Dubnyk played well against one of the premiere teams in the NHL, and got us the victory 2-1 in the shoot-out. Good call to put him in! I was hoping that he would get the start after Nikolai Khabibulin's brutal season last year. I think Dubnyk should get at least half the starts this year if not more, and I would like to see him start to move into the number one role in Edmonton.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins gets to play his first game in the NHL and scores his first goal! if you haven't seen it...
A great second effort by Hopkins to put it past Brent Johnson who was in goal for the Penguins! All in all, I thought RNH had a solid game and didn't look out of place at all in this league. We will have to wait and see how the next 7 games go to judge if he should stay up or go back to his Junior team in Red Deer.
Four years after the above picture was taken at Ryan Smyth's press conference when he was traded, Smyth played his first game as an Oiler again. As usual, we got a blue collar hard work effort from Smytty. He even through an old-school elbow on Chris Kunitz in the dying minutes of the third period and got a 5 min game mis-conduct for it. Fortunately our PK looked good all night and saved the game with Duby's help to get the game to OT and bail Ryan out.
In the shoot-out Jordan Eberle & Ales Hemsky both scored and Omark tried his YouTube sensation move, to lob the puck over the back of the Goalie when he goes down. Unfortunately missed the net and Dubnyk stopped Steve Sullivan's next shot to win the game.
A lot of people on twitter and radio, criticized Omark for trying that shot. Here's how it looks when successful... (sorry for the Swedish!)
Had he made that work in the game on Sunday, he'd be a hero and people would have been praising him as they did last year with that wicked spin move he scored against Tampa Bay.
Great and exciting game that had some momentous occasions to it, and an awesome game to be at if you are a fan of the Oilers!
Game Two: Thursday October 13th vs. Minnesota...
Going into this game there were some line-up changes made by Tom Renney. Omark was out as a healthy scratch for Lennart Petrell. This was touted as a move made due to the turn-over that Omark had in game one. There were quite a few. Not Omark's best game. I was upset about this as I feel that Omark gives ou PP a much fresher and creative look than when Hemsky is running it.
Omark aside, there was a bigger story unfolding with Khabibulin getting the start in goal, and the fact that we hadn't won a game in Minnesota sine 2006, the media was all over this in the pre-game interviews.
The game was going really well in the first period! it looked like the Oilers were going to dominate. Ryan Smyth scored his signature goal from two feet in front of goal, his first as an Oiler since his return.
Then the inevitable happened. Ales Hemsky was injured (again) and would not return to the game. Should we be surprised? Or should we start talking about how the injury bug continues to plague this team? After Hemsky's injury, the team seemed to revert to their playing style of the lat couple of years. No offence (one shot in the third period), lack of effort, etc...
I will say this, in two games our PK has looked outstanding! A total difference from last year. Hopefully this is a sign of improvement for the rest of the year.
We hung on to take the game to OT again, and another shoot-out. we lost the game but got a point.
Oilers fans should be happy that we have 3 points in two games! Think about it...Vancouver has played four games for a possible 8 points and are tied with us! I've said it before and I'll say it again, Vancouver Sucks
In the game tonight against Minny, we saw three of our D-Men go down to injury. Taylor Fedun (right leg), Taylor Chorney (right knee), and Ladislav Smid (right shoulder).
When your infested with the injury bug, it seems impossible to kill the little bastard. Enough's enough already. It would be one thing if the injuries this team suffered were little things that lasted a few games and we could recover from them, but most of the injuries weve suffered in the last few years are of the season ending type. Case in point, Taylor Fedun tonight.
If you haven't heard yet, Taylor Fedun broke his leg in a foot race with Nystrom for an iced puck. Nystrom managed to get his stick caught up in Fedun's feet and Fedun crashed heavily into the boards and had to be taken out on a stretcher as he suffered a complex fracture to the femur. The NHL seriously needs to implement no touch icing!
We actually finished the game with only three d-men and Ryan Keller who filled in due to the injuries.
The Win...
Anton Lander gets a penalty shot and absolutely lets a bullet fly past Wild net minder Backstrom, to start the come back. With the shortened bench and down 3-1, Linus Omark decided that it was time to take the game back. Omark sniped a goal after Lander wins the face-off in the offensive zone, with a one-timer to make 3-2. Then he blows the doors off the Minny defense from behind the net and finds Ryan Jones in front and made a great pass that Jones puts away to tie the game. In over-time, Anton Lander again with a bullet, rifles past Backstrom for the game winner.
This finally ends the dreaded Minnesota curse where the Oilers haven't won a game since January 2007! Definitely a reason to celebrate. The positives that we came from behind against a team we have been snake bitten against on the road, and where they are playing basically their NHL roster...are paramount. Enough said.
Devon Dubnyk looked good again tonight and I can no longer find a good reason to let Nikolai Khabibulin get the start in game one on the 9th of October.
The Swedish Connection...
Anton Lander and Linus Omark were by far the reason we won this game tonight. Lander did get called for three penalties tonight and I was worried he was going to be the catalyst for losing the game. But in the end was one of the best players on the ice!
You all know how I feel about Linus Omark, tonight he made everything I write about him true. I feel very justified now. He was protecting the puck with his body along the boards as usual. And he was creating dynamic offense with his skill and vision. My only concern is that it didn't seem to come for him until the middle of the game. What am I saying?? he got a star tonight and was awesome.
Final Thoughts...
I hope Taylor Fedun can recover quickly from his injury and that he will be able to get back to the level of game he was having this year in camp. Let's face it, he was on the cusp of making this team.
Tomorrow in Vancouver, I pray that the kids play together again and that they let both Lander and Omark into this one as well.
I personally feel that Gilbert Brule is probably done as an Oiler. He didn't do enough, consistently to make a case for himself.
Darcy Hordichuk scored (sort of). The goal was eventually called off due to a penalty that was taken by Brule. It would've been a nice goal too.
First Pre-Season Games Tonight in a Split Squad Frenzy...
As a Die Hard fan of the Edmonton Oilers, tonight was pretty much a dream come true, even though I couldn't be at the game myself.
To see two Oilers games at the same time, split screen on my PC was a first for me. I found my self torn between the two tilts as there was a ton of intrigue in both games!
Edmonton Vs. Minnesota...
In this game I was most interested in the all Swede kid line that was Omark-Lander-Paajarvi. I was not disappointed! Lander scored a goal that was assisted by Omark, and all night Paajarvi was dangerous and fast!
There was another element to this game that I was intrigued to see, I wanted to see Khabibulin's first game back after a tumultuous summer to say the least. I was surprised to learn that it was 3-0 Wild after the first period when I finally got back to my computer and turned on the game! Unfortunately I did not see the those goals and therefore can't comment until I see the highlights when they get posted later on the Oilers site, but I will say this...I was disappointed that we were down by 3 goals and was blaming Khabibulin even though it might not have been his fault.
When Tyler Bunz was brought into the game, I thought he looked outstanding. His glove is unbelievable! I shouldn't be surprised though as he did post the shut-out in Penticton last week.
Taylor Hall looks like a different guy this year. He looks stronger, faster and harder on the puck than at the end of last year. I noticed this too at the Joey Moss Cup game on Sunday. The only way I can truly describe it is...he looks really hungry. Like he's not going to take no for an answer in any situation, and that he's going to be better this year if it kills him. This is awesome to see!! I can't wait to watch him get 40 goals this year. (that's right I said 40)
It's hard to comment here on the intangible stuff as I was paying attention to both games and missed alot of that kind of thing.
It sucked that we lost this game 4-3, but we came back to tie 3-3 and lost in the dying minutes of the third. Unfortunately, I am not a bandwagon jumper like I used to be, and I do not have unrealistic expectations for this team to make the play-offs. But, if we can compete in games and lose the way we did tonight, this season ticket holder will be a happy camper.
Edmonton Vs. Chicago...
There was a ton of intrigue for me in this game as well. the obvious stuff like, RNH playing his first pro game, Ryan Smyth in his first game back for the Oil, Jordan Eberle etc...
But to be honest, I was really looking forward to watching the boys play in those new white retro uni's. When I saw the team take the ice on Sunday for the Moss Cup...I was blown away by the look. It was like watching the 80's Oilers take the ice. I wanted to see what they looked like on TV and I wasn't disappointed.
But, as far as the game goes, Ryan Smith was up to his old tricks in front of the net picking up the rebound from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins who shot from the point. Smyth scores of course!
Jordan Eberle, who has been so clutch in his short career...scores on a 2-1 break with 1:30 left in the game for the winner to make it 3-2. It was a beautiful snipe! I would post the video here, but it has not been uploaded to the Oilers site yet.
All in all a very good night to be an Oilers Fan. I can't wait for my first in-person game on Saturday against the Flames. Unfortunately...I am travelling for business (to help pay for my seats) and can't be there Thursday either, but if you are going to be at the game Saturday...I will be telling Kiprusoff just exactly what I think of him all night long!!
Stream Was More Like a Trickle...
In this day and age of high speed internet, the stream tonight on the Oilers website was pretty choppy! I am not sure if it was my connection from here in Fort St. John, BC or what...but there was a hell of a lot of buffering going on.
There was a lot of complaints on twitter tonight from viewers as well, so I tend to believe that there wasn't enough bandwidth from the broadcast to go around. I hope the Oilers fix this for Thursday night as it was pretty frustrating tonight for sure.
After a very long summer, the draft, free agency, and the dog days...last night we saw a wicked game at the young stars tournament in BC hosted by the Vancouver Canucks.
I was not prepared for what I witnessed on the ice at all. I expected a bunch of nervous, rusty kids trying to find some chemistry with one another. Instead, I saw a fast, skilled, tough hockey game that kicked ass!! Not to mention it's always awesome to beat the Canucks. And we didn't just beat them...we beat them down, in a 7-2 drubbing.
Firmly On the Bandwagon...
After Anton Lander scored his second goal of the game, I tweeted out that I hope this kid will make the big club this year.
Seconds later Jason Gregor tweets "Lander with his 2nd PP goal... This one a quick snapper upstairs. Cue Oilers fans claiming he has to start season in Edmonton."
I have a question, why shouldn't he start the season in Edmonton? I get it's one game in a rookie tournament, the first game in fact. But I know what I saw last night. When he scored on the PP last night coming off the half wall and driving the net...I saw the future PP possibilities. The Oilers power-play couldn't get much worse than it has been in the last couple of years.
If Lander has a good tournament in Penticton, and shows well in main camp next week...I say give the kid a few games and sit Brule, and see if the big Swedish pivot can cut it in the bigs. We all know what Brule is capable of...not a whole lot IMO, but if Lander can play in the NHL, I think Brule's spot is up for grabs.
There were lots of other guys that had good games too...but for my money, Lander was the best player on the ice.
Next Game...
It'll be extremely cool to watch the Oilers take on the Winnipeg Jets for the first time tomorrow night!! I am totally pumped for that. Not only are the Jets back, in a new logo, we only get to see them once in the regular season this year in February. It'll be nice to get a glimpse of their Rookie corps as the divisions will inevitably change next season and its good to see what we may be up against in a couple of years. I have never followed the Thrashers, and don't know a great deal about their depth chart or farm team.
