Edmonton Oilers

Well well well....my how a year can change the hockey writer's opinions (although I still take it with a grain of salt)...seems everyone in the hockey writer business is calling for the Oilers to take their division this year and needless to say I agree....for those who have stuck through the MAJOR Stanley Cup hang-over loss I am confident we can meet these expectations....two shitty years is well worth what we are going to get in the next five....training camp in a month....FINALLY!

If we can stay healthy we will do some damage this year.....

restlesssoul wrote:

ethan moreau involved in a hit and run here in vancouver reported in the papers.


what a bum, along with the whole team.

Who cares...wan't even driving.....too bad so sad....why so bitter....reality that the Canucks are going to be dead last in the division....wait for it....again.....

BTW the jerkiness of my post in in jest....however the points are still true....

Cree Nations wrote:

Im feeling good aboot the upcoming year.....I mean the tingly feeling in your loins good......cant wait.

I'm trying to keep my mouth shut after the hyping I did last season......if Garon shits the bed, Souray and Moreau can't stay healthy (the supposed missing team toughness), and we have a couple of sophomore jinx's, in fact any combination of two of those three possiblities, and.....as Tootie would say, 'we're in trrrroubllllllle'.
That said...if NONE of those three possibilities materialize, and we pick up where we left off last season + our new guys...we're fuckin contending this year. Tough schedule out of the gate...we HAVE to pick up where we left off, or we could be buried by xmas.

Cree Nations wrote:

Holy shit! I am still gittin passed the "Garon Shits The Bed" part. Im with em as are you and we're going to a game.

hellz yes. I don't have access to company seats like I did when we first met, but I still get 'em on occasion...I like to spread the tix around - people remeber that stuff when tix fall on their laps I'll put you at the top of the list D...

How's Colesy fitting in up there? I hope he has a big impact for you guys this year. He will be missed greatly by the fans down here. He will be welcomed back loudly when The Oil role into Raleigh later this season.

Okay for the third year in a row here is my Oilers season preview.

Well I have seen all but one of the pre-season games (even attended the fight-fest game between Flordia/Edmonton last Wednesday)....SO HERE WE GO.....

First let's start off with the lines that MacT has pretty set in stone (for the time being)

First Line:

Cole/Horcoff/Hemsky....so far...not great...however I think they need time to gel...Ales has not played with someone with the insane speed and forechecking ability that Cole possesses...in an interview I read today Ales stated that he needs to adjust to the speed that Cole enters the offensive zone. Horcoff looks like he is still getting back into game shape due to his season ending shoulder injury last season. Hemsky well he is still dangling and looks pretty disinterested so far but it's pre-season who cares.

Second Line

Cogliano/Gagner/Nilsson

The Kid Line returns and they have looked good so far....however I will make this prediction and they will be broken up within the first 10 games of the year. Gagner has looked unreal so far...kid has sick skill and book it that he is our number one centre in less than two years

Third Line

Well this is a line that has been tried in a few games and I HATE IT....

Moreau/Pisani/Penner

We have two guys, Pisani and Penner playing out of position and it has cost us dearly in the game I seen...Fernando (no blame to him) is unable to win any face-offs...smart call MacT...expect this line to be imploded before season start

Fourth Line

?????/Brodiziak/Stortini.....

?????? = equals Brule/Schremp/Pouliot/BIG MAC (STEVIE MACINTYRE....SASKATCHEWAN BRUISER OF EPIC PROPORTIONS...)

It is an all out battle for the last remaining spot on the fourth line expect the first three to battle it out till the end of the pre-season...all have soon the same amount of upside/downside....expect Big Mac to be in and out of the line-up....FYI MacIntyre is 6'6" 265lbs and is an INSANE fighter...they were discussing no one could hold a candle to him in the AHL last season....check out this link and you will get the idea.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1PsSYD67DE

D

Souray/Vishnovsky
Smid/Staois
Gilbert/Grebeskhov

A little not Souray has racked up around 60 PM in three games...he has been a BEAST out there....he has been sticking up for players taking liberities on our talent (Hemsky/Gagner)....and when I mean stick up...that equals punches to the face.....so far the best Oiler on the ice....he is the true leader of this team and it could not be more apparent

MY IDEAL LINES:

Penner/Horcoff/Hemsky (great chemistry last year when healthy)

Cole/Gagner/Nilsson (Cole has the speed and has grit which these kids need with more attention on them this year)

Schremp/Cogliano/Pisani (would be a great line with Pisani watching the defensive side of the puck....Schremp sick pure goal scoring skill...and get Cogliano back into his natural position of center)

Pouliot (or MacIntyre depending on the game)/Brodziak/Stortini

Defense from above I already agree with.

I expect to compete for the division this year and I believe we will return to the play-offs.

Any Oiler fans still exist out there!!!

First game of the year boys/girls....I am stoked!

A bump for the tonight's game

GO OILERS GO!!!!!!!!!