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Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Questionable Sources

Well there you have it, Horcoff isn’t coming to Edmonton on a PTO and Gryba is still on the market. Brandon Pirri has signed in New York and if things follow the same path, Raffi Torres will still be a UFA by the time the 2016/17 NHL season starts.

All of the things I have tossed out there in the last week or so have passed without happening and I feel bad for you the reader but unfortunately that’s how she goes. Not everything I’m told comes to fruition, in fact very little of it comes true. I don’t put tons of concern into that though because, to be honest, it’s no skin off of my back. I don’t write for anybody but myself if we’re being completely frank.

I’m stoked that you will come to our site here and read what we have to say and comment on it but it’s really no different that heading over to the water cooler or coffee machine at work and having a chat about the Oilers.

That being said, Bob Stauffer mentioned on Oilers Now! that Matt Benning is signing somewhere (talked about 4 or 5 other teams being in the mix but tossed EDM and LA out specifically) by tomorrow afternoon and to keep an eye on Michael Stone.

I asked my source about Stone and it said that the Oilers are going to watch the Stone situation “loosely”. I guess that means they’ll be keeping an eye on him to see if he re-signs with the club or is shopped.

Stone is coming off of knee surgery and recently signed a 1-year deal with $4M according to Capfriendly.com

 

Now to the Main Attraction!

The title of the post is called “Questionable Sources” because of this post by Matt Henderson.

“It had been reported by some questionable sources that the Oilers were relatively close to signing veteran and former Captain Shawn Horcoff to a PTO. At the same time those questionable sources also suggest that Gryba was close to signing a PTO with the team.”

Now, as far as I know there were three accounts on Twitter speaking to one or both of the Horcoff/Gryba PTO rumours.

Kurt is a good guy. we’ve had a few chats on Twitter in the past. He’s not known to be the breaker of Oilers’ news per se but a wonderful writer over at Oil on Whyte nonetheless.

https://twitter.com/Boscorelli_HN/status/765771283376242689

This account belongs to Joshua Marshall I believe (E3), and it’s the one that put out the Yakupov for Petrovic rumours earlier this summer. I’m of the belief that Marshall is a good friend of Petrovic’s and that rumour might’ve been a practical joke.

I’ve never met this bloke before, seen his posts in the Edmonton Oilers Fans page on Facebook a few times, but a chance to talk to him, I have not had. 3PD tells me he’s good sh*t though.

Personally I have no problem with folks claiming they have an inside track because I know the odds of that being true or not. I think the fact of the matter is that it’s entertainment, we live in a gossip culture and everybody wants to know what’s going on behind the curtain. It drives hits to websites and followers to Twitter accounts. If you’re fortunate to work for a major media player, those hits and followers turn into $$$.

So maybe that’s the motivation for folks to have these rumor accounts? Maybe there’s a pipedream for some bloggers that believe that if they post these things, they’ll get a job with a team or a media conglomerate. I don’t know.

I write because it’s fun. If something comes of it, great! If nothing, that’s okay too!

The problem I do have is when writers like Henderson use phrases like “Questionable Sources” when everyone knows who the bloody source is. We all drink from the same watering hole, do we not? It’s a dick move to be honest. Either you say who it is or you don’t write it.

I don’t know, maybe my ego is so big that I couldn’t fathom anyone talking about anything other than myself or maybe Henderson is afraid to link to my post where I wrote:

“I’ve been told there’s a chance that Shawn Horcoff and Eric Gryba will be offered a chance to make the 2016/17 Edmonton Oilers if they choose to accept a PTO.”

Then again maybe we don’t know but you can take a pretty educated guess if you’re paying attention.

So Henderson writes,

“…the Oilers were relatively close to signing veteran and former Captain Shawn Horcoff to a PTO. At the same time those questionable sources also suggest that Gryba was close to signing a PTO with the team.”

And I write that,

“there’s a chance…”

Maybe my post wasn’t the source but there’s a chance…

Well anyways, that Matt Henderson post on Hockeybuzz is a pretty big ego trip of its own in my opinion.

“I make an effort not to “Break” news unless I have a very good reason to believe I have good information. To date, it has happened once. It was Jeff Petry’s contract negotiation status…

I wouldn’t even consider stating that Horcoff and Gryba were close to signing PTOs without having heard that from a legitimate source.”

Well good for Matty. What a saint.

With regards to that break on Jeff Petry’s contract negotiations, I was talking to the exact same contact that Henderson was but I was told not to say anything online about it. So either in my naivety or my stupidity, the contact went to Henderson with the info and Matt posted it on Oilersnation and was on Lowetide’s show talking about it.

I’ve often found it weird that this person didn’t go to Jason Gregor, Lowetide, or a guy like Ryan Rishaug with the information. Why go to a guy that calls himself Beer League Hero or Matt Henderson?

Anyways, the tidbits I get told are things I feel I should share with you because I feel like you’d like to know. I’m not afraid to share them with you because, like I said above, it’s no skin off of my back and we don’t sell more shirts because of it.

My source trusts me and I trust it.

You should never be afraid to do or say something in fear of what others will think or say. Within reason of course.

Matt Henderson is a wonderful Oilers blogger, really. I have no qualms with him on a personal level. He’s great on Twitter and his spots on Reid Wilkins’ show are quite entertaining. If you’re not reading his posts on Hockeybuzz or Oilersnation, you really should be.

To conclude, I’m a bit bent about his post but what Mr.Henderson wrote is not wrong at all. The source of the information in his blog, be it my post or another, IS questionable. It should be.

But shouldn’t everything be questionable? Especially the shirts below!

Click on the pic and grab a new 16-bit Fighting Looch tee!
Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Sunday Night Pint

Beer League Heroes Sunday Night Pint #11: Ladies Night!

Welcome back to the Beer League Heroes Sunday Night Pint! Now, if you’ve never experienced the SNP then you’re in for a treat tonight. It’s Ladies Night and we’re talking puck with three of the brightest and best female bloggers in the the whole Oilogosphere! Jackie Dawson (@jackiedee16) and Meg Fowler (@mig14) from The Oilers Rig as well as Oil On Whyte‘s Sammi Silber (@sammisilber)!

So without further adieu, let’s get this SNP Ladies Night Edition started!

WHICH TEAMS WILL MAKE THE STANLEY CUP FINAL AND WHO’LL WIN IT ALL?

JD: First off…anyone who says the Oilers are going there is nuts. I’m an Oilers fan, and I’d love to see it but I’m also a realist. They’ll improve but they’re still going to have growing pains so don’t expect the world from them this year.

From the West, I think you’ll see Chicago in the mix again…they’re just a well oiled machine. St. Louis had such a great season last year it will be hard to count them out as well. However, I think we might see Anaheim pull it all together this year so I’m predicting the Ducks to come out of the West.
In the East…the Rangers and the Habs will likely be contenders, but never count out a team like Detroit… They somehow manage to make the impossible possible every now and then. In saying that though, I think this year belongs to Tampa Bay.
So I’m going to go out on a limb and predict a Ducks/Lightning final with Tampa taking home the Cup.

SS: The Capitals and the Blackhawks will be in the finals.  I think the Caps can win it in seven games.  Their team looks ready to take it all this year.

MF: SInce I can’t even jokingly say the Oilers without running the risk of being booed off the internet, I’m going to say that we’ll see a SCF between Montreal and *shudder* Anaheim. the Ducks have made some moves this offseason, and have long been competitive in a very competitive Western Conference. There’s only so long a team with a goalie like Price and a pretty strong D can go without winning it all; changes they’ve made up front will also help take them over the hump and into the finals.
I’m taking Montreal in 6.

WHO’LL BE THE FINALISTS FOR THE CALDER TROPHY FOR ROOKIE OF THE YEAR?

JD: There’s a very good rookie class this year, and I’d be crazy not to think Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel will be candidates…I mean, it kind of goes without saying.

Although I don’t think they’ll have these kinds of numbers, I hope it’s similar to the Crosby/Ovechkin battle of the rookies. When it comes to throwing in a 3rd choice…I’m going to go with Arizona’s Max Domi. The kid was a superstar at the World Juniors and I think he will have a seamless transition into the NHL.

SS: For the Calder trophy, it’ll be Eichel, McDavid and I’m going to throw Domi’s name in there.

MF: At the risk of coming across like a total homer, I’m going to guess McDavid, Eichel and some other guy. Honestly, unless one of those two has a season-ending injury early in the year, I can’t see the conversation going beyond them. Obviously, I’d like to think that McDavid will win, not necessarily because he’s the best rookie (even though he clearly will be) but because he will add the most to the team. (Apparently that’s how things are decided… remember the 2011-12 season, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins not winning the Calder despite being the better player AND doing more in 20 fewer games? I do too.)

WHAT DOES THIS YEAR’S BATTLE OF ALBERTA HAVE IN STORE FOR OILERS FANS?

JD: It may be safe to say that the Battle of Alberta will be an actual battle this season. The Oilers have made so many changes in coaching and lineup and have looked like they fixed their give-a-damn, which means an actual work ethic!

The Flames are a relentless hard working team that has a compete level that took them to the playoffs last year, so I think we’ll see an all out war between the two teams.

SS: The Oilers are going to SLAY the Flames in every game in this year’s Battle(s) of Alberta.  In fact, Oilers will win em all, but not by a dominant score. Two games to overtime. The rest? Regulation wins.

MF: Hopefully more wins. they’ve been woefully outplayed for the last hundred or so games against the Flames. I’m hoping they take their split squad preseason results to heart when they play the Flames this year. I think the teams are markedly different from years past, with a ton more talent on the ice. I’m expecting fast-paced, hopefully high-scoring games that will all end with Oilers Ws. There’s not much I enjoy more than watching the Flames get beat by the Oilers, so hopefully I’ll get to see that at least once. Or twice.

MUSICAL GUILTY PLEASURES

JD: I’m fairly eclectic but hands down Maroon 5 is my favorite band and has been for years. I will literally listen to anything by them!

I’m also a big fan of CCR, Metallica, Def Leppard, Daughtry and Bon Jovi when I need to rock out.
When it’s time to dance, Katy Perry, 80’s Madonna (not new Madonna) and Michael Jackson always get me on my feet. Basically any 80’s tune will do that really.

SS: I love Florence + The Machine. I can’t name a time when I’m NOT listening to them.

MF: I have Ace of Base – The Sign on my phone. I listen to it once in a while, totally shame free. I also REALLY love Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red White and Blue” because it’s the most singable country song ever (besides Chattahoochee by Alan Jackson), even if the subject matter is horrifyingly, well, horrifying.

Thanks for joining us this week! Let us know your thoughts in the comments below on today’s topics! And if you’re not following Jackie, Meg, or Sammi on Twitter then you’re a fool! Just kidding but I highly recommend giving them a follow, as you can see; they know their puck!

One more thing before I let you go though. This February on the 26th there’ll be the bestest Oilers shindig of the month at least. It’s The Oilers Rig’s 3rd Annual OilersRig Live4MS Charity Auction! The swag they get at these charity auctions is UNREAL! Not only that but you get to hang out with fine folks from the Rig and watch a hockey game together, maybe get on their live podcast and contribute to a worthy cause. Keep an eye over at The Oilers Rig’s website or their Twitter for more info as there should be some more on this by the end of the month!

 

Beer League Hero, Corey Mitchell, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Sunday Night Pint, Zach Laing

Beer League Heroes Sunday Night Pint 7

Sunday Night Pint 7 is here so grab your girls and grab your beers!

Today we’ve got a rambunctious group of rowdies! Zach Laing, Corey Mitchell, and Kris Hansen from Oil on Whyte have all come forward to give us their takes on what we think is the most important news the NHL has to offer.

We’re going to be talking about Taylor Hall goals, Patrick Kane and what happens when he tries to score but is denied, Connor McDavid’s new Roommate, and kick ass drinks!

Let’s get to it!

Will Taylor Hall Score More or Less than 35 Goals in 2015/16?

KH: I think he’s just a hair under 35 goals this season. I do not think it’s a question of ability, but rather a question of health. If Hall is healthy, for sure he can be a big point producer; he was a point per game player the last two seasons where he played almost a full season. Last season injuries derailed him. Still, I think he gets the most points of the Oilers this year. It’s also interesting to note that he had more assists than goals in his career year, although you would have to imagine that would change playing with McDavid. I’m playing it “safe” and saying he gets 33 goals and he gets great chemistry with McDavid. It’s just the durability that is the biggest question. From the really small sample size we saw at the BioSteel camp, there’s definitely some reason to be excited for a Hall-McDavid combo.

ZL: I think Hall will score over 35 this season. His game has finally evolved to a point where he is considered a top LW in the NHL. Given the obvious addition of Connor McDavid, as well as the fact that the rest of the Oilers top 6 are finally coming into their own I think it is certainly time for Taylor Hall to explode in the league.

CM: My over/under on Taylor Hall goals? I’m setting it at 35, and I take the over. Obviously, like every season, Hall’s health will be a factor. But let’s keep in mind he’s two years removed from his 80 point year, where he almost broke 30 goals for the first time. Playing with McDavid, I think he hits that mark, and then some. Hall’s coming off the most disappointing year he’s seen in his professional career.

At the other end of the spectrum, he also has the experience of playing with arguably the best player in the world, and winning gold a the World Championships. Winning is something Hall hasn’t done since his second Memorial Cup with Windsor. All that should provide the motivation for Hall to have a career year. I think there might be some growing pains, as he adjusts to McDavid adjusting to the NHL, if that makes sense, but by the second half of the year, Hall is going to explode.

BLH: I reckon Hallsy will only put up more than 35 goals if he can stay healthy for the first time in a long time. But no doubt about it, being one of the best LWs in the game, having one of the best wrist shots in the league and playing alongside McDavid, that should definitely be enough to get him to at least 40 goals if not more. Stay healthy Taylor!

Do You Think Patrick Kane Will Be Traded? If So, Where To?

KH: I don’t think Kane gets dealt. There’s still a lot going on with his situation where it’s really hard to comment on, due to the lack of information. As such, it’s unfair to condemn or protect him at this point of time.  Value wise, you bet there’d be a ton, but he does start that monstrous contract. He’s one of the best Right Wingers in the game and probably the best American player in the NHL. However: what team would actually trade for a guy before he’s deemed innocent or guilty? That’s such a huge gamble. I cannot see any team trading for him today due to the fact that his future is in the air. Too many what ifs.

Heck of a player, wish he would grow up though.

ZL: The Kane situation is very tough. I find it hard to believe that the Blackhawks are willing and ready to move on from him, however this is his 3rd strike as a member of the team. The 2009 cab incident as well as incident in 2012 where he was partying University of Wisconsin-Madison’s annual Mifflin Street Block Party and some lewd pictures came out of him posing with some ladies who has a few too many. In my own personal opinion, I think the outcome of the new rape allegations will help determine whether or not he will be traded.

CM: A lot can be said about Patrick Kane at the moment. However, I don’t think “traded” is going to be included in that category. And that’s not for lack of wanting to on the part of Chicago. I definitely think Stan Bowman would love to move a player that has multiple examples of off ice issues, as well as a contract that, I feel, was hastily signed, and really put Chicago in a serious cap crunch, that has already seen three big pieces of the Blackhawks most recent championship team moved, with more dominoes to fall.

The issue is, as I said, the contract. Sure, there are a handful of teams with more than enough cap space to take on a Patrick Kane, but does he really want to play in Florida? A better question is, would a team like Florida be willing to move the pieces necessary to acquire Kane? You’ve got to think the asking starts with Aaron Ekblad.

No, I don’t think Kane gets moved. I think he sticks with Chicago, and they’re forced to move another key player to clear cap space for one of the two contracts Stan Bowman signed, that I think are really going to hurt the NHL, and more than likely, lead to another lockout. But that’s a topic for another pint.

BLH: Recently I wrote about this here. Basically I could see him getting traded but you have to take into consideration his contract and the locale. I can’t see a major market team giving up major assets to pick him up. More like a Southern market team. Maybe the Florida Panthers or Arizona Coyotes. They have mad assets to be able to pull of a deal for a superstar like Kane and nobody watches their hockey games.

What’s Your Take on Connor McDavid Rooming With Taylor Hall This Season?

KH: RE McDavid rooming with Hall: it’s absolutely stupid and ridiculous that people are upset with this. This is something that people have no control and should have little interest in. Instead of applauding Hall as a leader taking a young kid under his wing, you know, stepping up, people are more concerned about Halls “partying” and “attitude problems”

Where the hell do people get this from? Do they ACTUALLY know Hall? No, they hear it from their friends brothers buddy who was at a bar in 2011 and use that as a FACT. I’ve read a lot of dumb comments, making stupid assumptions based on nothing.

It’s a new level of dumb that people actually care about this.

ZL: For some reason unknown to me, everyone looks at McDavid living with Hall in a negative context; but just like everything in Edmonton the last 10 years, the fans of the team are overreacting. On Twitter, people talk of how Taylor Hall isn’t the most pleasant person when he is met by fans in public. That’s okay though, because not all public figures are the most pleasant.

However, it should be remembered that there is more to meet the eye. For people to say that Hall isn’t a right fit for Connor to live with I disagree strongly. To an extent Hall can now be considered a veteran NHLer as this is his 6th NHL season. Hard to imagine isn’t it?
As an 18 year old coming into the NHL with expectations like McDavid has, Hall will be able to help ease his journey into the NHL. Hall knows all about the expectations as similar ones were placed on him when he entered the league.

CM: Once again, this fan base turns a non issue into a hot topic. I think McDavid living with Hall is a great idea. These are two guys who are going to be hearing their names together everyday for the foreseeable future. Why not have them develop off ice chemistry as well as on ice? We didn’t seem to mind when Hall and Eberle lived together, so why does it matter now? Short answer is, it doesn’t.

BLH: Meh. Who cares? There’ll be those who want to see him bunking up with Andrew Ference or Matt Hendricks and those that would love to see him with Hall or Nuge. I have no issues with the team placing them together. It’s going to be their show for the foreseeable future anyhow. Why not cultivate the relationship?

What’s Your Favorite Goalie Mask?

KH: I remember my first NHL season I really followed was back in 95-96 (and I say loosely because I was only a first grader!) so the 90s really influenced my choice. First up is John Vanbiesbrouck’s Panther mask. It’s simple and had a nice look to it. A full Panther mask? With the cage being in the Panther’s mouth? That’s so cool! It also helped with Beezer was on the cover of NHL 97 for my old Sega Genesis. I think it’s an underrated mask.

Also up there is Kelly Hrudey’s LA Kings mask. I love it. I was a big fan of the Hollywood sign on the front flanked by rolls of film. I always loved the black and silver look of the Los Angeles Kings and that mask summed up the 90s era Kings pretty well for me.
There’s so many good 90s masks though. CuJo has to be there and I’m betting someone will mention it. Eddie the Eagle’s mask is a classic. Patrick Roy with the Canadiens was a nice clean look. Brodeur’s is a staple.

ZL: I’m a fan of the old Terry Sawchuk no-mask.  

CM: Favorite goalie mask? That’s a really tough one, given how goalie masks have really become an art form in recent years. I really liked Rolosson’s mask when he joined the Oilers. And there’s something to be said about the classic Ed Belfour and Curtis Joseph designs. But for my pick, I’m going way off base. My favorite goalie mask? Denis Lemieux. What started out as a plain, boring white mask on a mediocre goalie, soon gave way to the black mask, with the skull and crossbones, blood dripping from the fangs. It really reflected the change in attitude the Chiefs got once the Hansons came on board, and helped Denis find his game. That’s why he “ownzzza, ownzzza” the best mask in my opinion.

BLH: Mine is Brian Hayward’s San Jose Sharks Mask. It was a gamechanger and a trail blazer in terms of mask designs.

Speaking of McDavid, If He Was a Drink, What Drink Would He Be?

KH: I’m lame at this. Since he’s boring in the media (where there is absolutely nothing wrong with) I think when you look at it, it would be like a rum and coke. But once you start drinking that rum and coke, you realize that it’s actual Coca Cola and has the triple amount. 

ZL: McDavid would be a smooth, silky 30 year old scotch.

CM: These fourth questions are sometimes my favorite ones to answer, because they’re so unexpected when we come up with these weekly topics. McDavid as a drink….. I don’t think its as simple as a straight shot, or even a highball. You’d have to have the smoothness of a fine scotch, mixed with how fast Jagerbombs go down to represent his speed. Throw in the skill required to make a great martini, as well as a tequila shot, since he’s going to be turning defenders inside out, much like tequila does to my stomach, and you have the makings of a pretty disgusting drink.

BLH: McDavid would be a Tequila shot. You know as soon as you drink it trouble is coming. The same with Connor McDavid. As soon as you see he’s got the puck and blazing toward the defence, you know that they’ve got problems they haven’t even thought about yet.

Thanks for reading! I hope you’re enjoying our Season Primers series and let us know in the comments below if you agree with our assessments.

Winters are completely unforgiving in Edmonton and the next one is fast approaching, so why not head on over to the Beer League Heroes Merch Shop and pick up a nice sweater, hoodie or long sleeve shirt with a 16-Bit Oilers Away version of Connor McDavid, Taylor Hall, Darnell Nurse or Cam Talbot on it?

You’ll not only be warm but you’ll look DAMN SEXY!

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Take Care!

BLH