Of course they’d put Thunder God Shea Weber last AND give him an extra shot in front of the home crowd to see if he could break the human Titan Zdeno Chara’s record (108.8mph)… He was THAT close to doing it too… Check it out below! Don’t worry about the preview if it’s not visible. The video works I assure you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q57xaI7G68c
I was surprised guys like Dustin Byfuglien, Seguin and Aaron Ekblad didn’t have harder shots and equally shocked that Stamkos and Malkin had shots that were that hard. Maybe Stamkos not so much but still, 103mph is ridiculously awesome. Why doesn’t he score more? Maybe he should play more wing…
I thought the Oilers started the game on the wrong foot but there was no need to panic because that par for the course with this team. Other things that are par for the course include giving up a lot of goals in the 2nd period and flukey goals against. So when all of those things happened in the game versus the Lightning on Friday, I was “shocked” to say the least. The hockey gods know that demi-god Connor McDavid is about to return and have decided that they’re going to make it has hard as possible for his Oilers to make it out alive.
With all the shenanigans aside, the Oilers didn’t really play an amazing game. Draisaitl, Hall, and Nuge stood out as shakers and movers and Justin Schultz actually scored a goal but everyone else seemed flat. I wasn’t a fan of Eberle’s game (ended with zero shots on goal) and what happened to Rob Klinkhammer? He gets four shifts for a total of 3:38 and his night ends half way through the second period… Why not waive him and keep Khaira up and play him if that is the fourth line’s MO?
It’s been a while since the Hall/Draisaitl/Purcell line really lit it up. You’d have to go back all the way to Dec.22nd versus the Jets to find the last time they dominated the scoresheet. With McDavid coming back do you think we could see a shake-up in the line combos?
Where they lost the plot was with all the missed scoring chances. The two on one between Hall and Draisaitl where no shot was taken, the Victor Hedman goal line save, the Mark Letestu pinger, the Teddy Purcell breakaway, etc. We could go on but these chances have to be capitalized upon. Essentially what all those missed scoring chances did was keep Tampa in the game and ultimately it started moving the momentum in their favor.
Going into the third period Cam Talbot was sporting a .955 SV% and when the game ended it was down to .885. He can’t be held responsible for any of the goals against on the evening and in my mind should be in net when the team plays the red-hot Florida Panthers on Sunday.
Brrrr. Must be cold in Edmonton. Pick up a sweet hoodie by clicking the pic!
As I was laid up in bed taken over by a crippling stomach virus, hence the lack of posts recently (my apologies), I came across a couple of interesting articles.
A post written here by uber-insider Bob McKenzie about the future of Steven Stamkos could have the NHL blogging world abuzz and even more so for teams like the Montreal Canadiens or the Edmonton Oilers.
Basically the Coles Notes version of his post is that McKenzie believes Stamkos’ time in Tampa Bay is over. This coupled with tweet-gate from last week and now the relationship between the player and team is so fractured that there’s no coming back. Then McKenzie goes on to list some of the destinations he believes are palatable and the probably factors going into Stamkos’ decision regarding his final destination.
“If there is one take-away for me from a week or so of Stammerama in the self-proclaimed Centre of the Hockey Universe, it is as follows:
Steven Stamkos won’t be playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning next season.”
“Edmonton? Not sure how the Oilers could shoe-horn Stamkos money into McDavid/Hall/Draisaitl et al money, to say nothing of what they would do with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins or others, but dare to dream of the possibilities.”
Would you like to see a Steven Stamkos join the likes of McDavid and Hall?
David Staples from the Cult of Hockey wrote a piece here where he gives his opinion on a possible Stamkos to the Oilers possibility. Bottom line according to Staples… Ain’t gonna happen. Acquiring the former no.1 overall pick would put the Oilers in a terrible position cap-wise in two years when Draisaitl and Nurse are looking for coin and the next year when McDavid will destroy the Oilers cap structure.
“It’s not easy to imagine Stamkos fitting in here for $8-to-10 million per, not unless some of the other forwards are moved out, such as both Eberle and RNH. But would you want the next five years of RNH and Eberle on your team or the next five years of Stamkos? Would you take Stamkos over Hall or Nurse or Draisaitl?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LM7JhLAPxjU
What do I think? I’m on board with both McKenzie and Staples, I’m not sure if there’s a fit in Edmonton with all the young stars coming up and the return the Lightning would be looking for. With that said, I think there’s a deal that could be made here but it truly depends on what you’re willing to give up if Stamkos did put the Oilers on a list of teams he was willing to be traded to.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: RNH has already been in the rumor mill lately and Stamkos wants to play center where ever he goes. So it seems a natural fit here that Nuge would be part of a return for Stamkos.
Jordan Eberle: Ebs is the most likely to go in any big deal and he’s a great fit for Tampa. He could slot into Stamkos’ spot seamlessly.
Leon Drasiaitl: Trading Leon would fall under the category of BOLD moves. He’s such a great partner for Taylor Hall right now, so you’d have to be crazy to trade him. On the other hand, when it comes time to re-up the German and he’s looking for major dollars that wouldn’t be a problem with Stamkos.
Personally, I’d be more inclined to deal Draisaitl or Eberle if Edmonton were to go after the Lightning Captain but in the end it’s probably a moot point. Stamkos is an alpha. He needs to be the man where ever he ends up and I can’t see him joining a team where he gets lost in the shuffle like he would in Edmonton. Sure he’d like to play with McDavid but who wouldn’t.
Call me old fashioned but I’d love to see him go to Toronto because when’s the last time you seen a hometown kid go back to his roots and succeed? Especially in TO. Also, would it appease the masses in Maple Leaf Nation if they finally got one of their own back?
But what about other teams who have their own cap issues or player problems? Take LA for instance. Anze Kopitar is looking for top dollar and he’s not the scorer Stamkos is, not by a country mile. Could LA and TB swap superstars? What about Columbus? Ryan Johansen was benched again by Tortorella recently and we know he’ll be looking for mega bucks when his deal is up. Could there be a fit there? A dark horse team in my mind might be the Ottawa Senators. They’re close to home for Stamkos and they’ve got some pieces (Zibanejad, Turris, Hoffman) and prospects (Colin White, Thomas Chabot) there to make a deal.
What do you think? Would you be willing to part with a key piece of the Oilers young core to acquire a bona fide NHL superstar? Let me know in the comments below!
Take Care!
BLH
Christmas is right around the corner folks and the Beer League Heroes Merch Shop has some really cool swag that would be perfect gifts! Phone cases, hoodies, sweaters, tank tops, and tees!
Click here to head on over and I’m absolutely sure you’ll find something there that you’d like yourself or you think would be a sweet gift for a loved one!
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As I do every week, I joined Dave Gordon (@rustyknuckler) from The Oilers Rig for their podcast. This week’s was hilarious as Dave was all hopped up on some flu medications. We went full bore into the Oilers recent winning streak, the Steven Stamkos rumours, Star Wars and what costume Dave is going to dress up as on his yearly trip to Candy Cane Lane, and there’s a bit about Tomas Hertl/Joe Thornton and dicks. Also, Alex Thomas has an interview with the Godfather himself, Lowetide!
Christmas is just around the corner and if you’re anything like me you’re always waiting until the last moment and it’s a bitch to decide what to get people. Well Over at the Beer League Heroes Merch Shop we’ve got shirts, hoodies, sweaters and phone cases that would suit any NHL fan!
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Grab this sweet tee along with many more over at the Merch Shop! Click the pic and get yours today!Get a 97C Hoodie! It’s a perfect Christmas gift in 2015!
Well here we are again! Another NHL season is upon us and it can’t come fast enough for me. So I thought I would toss out some predictions for this upcoming season to pass the time until the first puck drops in the Leafs/Habs game (Go Leafs!).
I’m going to steal my format directly from Sports Illustrated and Sportsnet because I’m not original enough to come up with anything on my own at the last second here. Well that’s not true, I might have a category or two related to beer…
PLAYOFF TEAMS
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Anaheim – Way too good and got better in the off season.
St.Louis – One last dance for Hitchcock and Backes but Tarasenko is a legitimate superstar in the making.
Chicago – Come on. It’s the Hawks. Toews/Kane/Keith/Seabrook/Crawford… Nuff said.
Nashville – Not a lot of flash and dash but a very solid roster anchored by Weber and Rinne.
Los Angeles – They’re back and with a vengeance! Lucic has been brought in to take care of biz!
Calgary – They’re defence is too much to overlook, add Frolik and Sam Bennett. Sheesh!
Dallas – Seguin/Benn, the return of Nichuskin, adding Sharp. But the goaltending… Can it hold up?
San Jose – There’s still a very good veteran squad here. Questions on defence and in net though.
Minnesota – Dubnyk returns to form… Scoring continues to suffer.
Winnipeg – This is a heavy team. That defence led by Byfuglien and Trouba is scary but Pavelec…
Edmonton – Juuuuust outside. McLellan and McDavid lead, everyone follows them up the standings.
Vancouver – The Sedins are good but not THAT good. Virtanen will be the next Corey Perry.
Colorado – Woof! What a dog’s breakfast this lineup has turned into. Watch out for Rantanen though.
Arizona – Auston Matthews already has a street named after him in Glendale.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Tampa Bay – The young depth on this roster is mind boggling. Drouin emerges this season.
New York – The Rangers are far too good on defence and in the net.
Washington – This is the year Kuznetsov makes everyone forget about Nik Backstrom.
Pittsburgh – When’s the last time the NHL had multiple 50 goal men on the same team?
Brooklyn – Tavares and Co. continue their ascension whilst giving Matt Martin meaningful minutes.
Columbus – Injuries killed them last year. Healthy bodies = playoffs and a nightmare for their opponents.
Florida – The return of Jagr’s mullet and Ekblad’s mystical beard propels them into the playoffs.
Montreal – Price/Subban can only do so much but scoring will be an issue as always.
Philadelphia – That defence is staggeringly bad. Good thing they’ve got Giroux and Voracek.
Boston – Speaking of bad defences… I feel for Rask. Chara is breaking down like an old pinto.
Detroit – This ain’t Babcock’s boys anymore. Kiss the 25 year run of playoffs goodbye.
Buffalo – Ginger Jack will have this team climbing the ranks but Lehner will be the ball and chain.
Ottawa – Let’s be honest, last year was a fluke but Karlsson, Turris, Bobby Ryan and Mark Stone are nice…
Carolina – I really want to say it’s about time these guys took a step but sadly they’re still horrible.
Toronto – Well Babcock did say there was going to be painful times ahead… #FreeNylander
New Jersey – Has a team ever scored less than 100 goals in a non-lockout season?
STANLEY CUP FINALS
It is so hard not to take Anaheim from the West. So much depth and experience at every position makes me want to choose them. My wildcard out the Western Conference is the Calgary Flame. Skill, grit, and a defence that rivals any in the league.
Out of the East I would like to go back to Florida. If Tampa can stay healthy in net then they should make it back to the Finals. My wildcard in the Eastern Conference will be Columbus. I like their style and team makeup. Very similar to Calgary.
I’ll take the Ducks to win it all. Boy I hope they don’t burn me in the 1st round like St.Louis did last year.
BREAKOUT PLAYER
In the West I think that defenceman Justin Schultz (EDM) will be the breakout man. Good timing too as he’s only on a one year deal. He’s gonna get some fat cash and he’d better give Todd McLellan his cut because he’ll be the man solely responsible for it.
Notable exclusions: Nail Yakupov (EDM), Markus Granlund (MIN), Alexander Burmistrov (WPG)
In the East I like Evgeny Kuznetsov (WAS) to be the breakout man because he’s been marinating for a couple years now biding his time and now with regular Ovechkin center Nik Backstrom sidelined for the beginning of the season, Kuznetsov is primed to get some cherry minutes alongside his fellow countryman.
Notable exclusions: Jonathan Drouin (TB), Jonathan Huberdeau (FLA), Morgan Reilly (TOR), Jeff Skinner (CAR)
PUKE AND RALLY!
Who is going to resurrect their career this year? Names like David Clarkson (CLB) come to mind, Jacob Markstrom (VAN), Alex Semin (MTL), and Sam Gagner (PHI) as well. But there are two guys who I’m really looking to get back on track.
Both TJ Oshie and Dion Phaneuf should benefit from the changes that have taken place in their careers. With Oshie, it’s the move to Washington and a chance to play in a much more offensive Eastern Conference. For Phaneuf it’s the opportunity to play for a coach that knows exactly how to use him to his advantage. For the love of Pete, Babcock was trying to trade for him while he was in Detroit. So that should be enough of a sign right there that there’ll be an uptick in the stats department for Phaneuf… Not sure about the +/- though…
PUMP AND SLUMP
Who is going to hit the skids this year? I don’t want to say Taylor Hall because I shat on the guy a lot but I do wonder if his ego can handle having McDavid on the team. It’d be easy to pick on a sophmore like Johnny Gaudreau, Aaron Ekblad, or Filip Forsberg but I’d like to go with Jarome Iginla. I think his time has come and playing for an underachieving Avs team will start to take it’s toll on his body and his stats.
TOP 10 ROOKIES
Connor McDavid – He’ll lose out to Eichel in the Calder race due to being in the Western Conference.
Jack Eichel – He’s going to be the Ricky Bobby of the NHL. Pisses excellence every morning and loves the way his kids talk to you.
Sam Bennett – Little Gilmour is about to take the NHL by storm and everyone is going to love him except the ones that play him.
Artemi Panarin – It never hurts to play on a line with either Jonathan Toews or Patrick Kane…
Sergei Plotnikov – He’ll prolly have his stats padded a bit playing alongside Malking… Probably?…
Nik Ehlers – The Danish Selanne. Lightning fast moves and a shot release that’ll have fans drooling.
Max Domi – Flash and dash and a mouth to boot! He’s not gonna have fun losing all year but he’ll be a joy to watch.
Noah Hanifin – Remember Aaron Ekblad? This guy might be better.
Dylan Larkin – First teenager to make the Red Wings since Gordie Howe? He was a monster for the Univ. of Michigan and at the World Juniors last year.
Jake Virtanen – As I said above, he’s the new Corey Perry. He’s so mean and strong, he can skate like the wind and he’s not afraid to get mucky.
TROPHIES
Hart: Steven Stamkos (TB)
Art Ross: Sidney Crosby (PIT)
Norris: Duncan Keith (CHI)
Vezina: Pekka Rinne (NSH)
Calder: Jack Eichel (BUF)
Adams: Todd McLellan (EDM)
Rocket: Alexander Ovechkin (WAS)
I hope you enjoyed reading my gawd awful predictions for the upcoming season. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Share this pic below! It’s for an outstanding cause and if you should be attending any outing this year, this is a must! For more info head over to The Oilers Rig’s site or follow them on Twitter.
