If you have read this blog in the last couple of weeks, you know that I was hoping the Oilers would draft Larsson and not Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The only downside to my opinion here was that I was agreeing with Pierre McGuire at TSN. I hate that guy, but I believe he was right.
But...since we did draft RNH, we now have the center we need. Hopefully he can make the team this year and develop with the kids we have here now. A line with Hall-Hopkins-Eberle would be a really skilled albeit small line.
I do like the other kids that were drafted in Klefbom at 19th and David Musil at 31st. I hope these kids will fill the needs moving forward.
Smitty Returns Home...
Smitty is exactly what this team needs to mentor the young guns we now have here in Oil Country! Not only on the ice, but off the ice and in the dressing room too. I don't know how many times I have said in the last four years, that we need Smitty in front of the net pissing off Goalies in the only way Smitty knows how to. If Smyth gets us 20 goals this year, it'll be a great move for Tambellini.
Smyth is a consummate pro, a blood & guts / heart & soul guy, and works uber-hard on & off the ice. Smyth will teach these kids how to be better professionals, players, and people.
Souray Sent Packing...
Sheldon Souray today, has been placed on unconditional waivers with several MSM outlets reporting that the purpose is so that the Oilers will buy out his contract.
Unfortunately, I will not be happy about this move. There are two things that I will criticize Tambellini for...1) signing Khabibulin to a 4 year deal at his age and letting Roloson slip away. 2) Not being able to patch things up with Souray over this issue of Sheldon speaking his mind and putting the teams nose out of joint.
If the Oilers were to sign a decent D-Man (that they desperately need) during free agency, they are looking at a 3.5 - 5 million dollar man. with the buy-out for Souray added to that, they could be pending 7- 8.5 millon in real money. regardless of the cap space that is freed up by buying Souray out. Does this make sense?? Souray is exactly what this team needs! PP specialist, big & tough, veteran, and most of all...that big-ass shot. I don't get this at all and I really wish the children could've shook hands and agred to disagree.
Obviously there is some truth to Souray's comments regarding his staph infection when he spoke out a couple of years ago. It sounds to me like the research that is (or isn't) done on the health of players here in Edmonton, is not as thorough as it should or could be. The deal for Smyth recently, was reported as a bit of a swindling. As it was reported by Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal and others, that the L.A. Kings were not aware of the injury to Colin Fraser at the time the trade was made. Not to mention that we all know what happened with Khabibulin, and his back issues and exhaustion problems. there has to be a better job done by the medical staff / trainers to ensure we know what the status of our players are at all times.
Maybe there's more to the story that I am not aware of....but in my opinion, where there's smoke there's fire.
GO Oilers GO!
