So yes it has been a long, long, long, long, time since my last blog post. Sorry ladies, but im back, and boy have I got some catching up to do. Its kinda nice because it means I have so much more to write on. Anyways, we will get going with the shitshow that will be this post...
So as my fellow blogger Smith has been going about his business bashing the Oilers without me around to back them up, now I am back with some ammunition. Not only are the Oilers 5-2-1, which at this time last year they were 4-3-1, so yes not far off, but they have'nt lost any more then one game in a row so far. Not only that, but Dustin Penner sits 18th in NHL scoring with 5 goals and 4 Apples, which at this time last season he had a measily 2 goals. O'Sullivan (my favorite Oiler by far) and Gilbert Brule (a very nice surprise for Edmonton) sit second with 7 points apiece, and the Oilers other nice surprise Mike Comrie (Hilary Duff, nuff said) has 6 points. I have noticed a major change in the way the Oilers play. Pat Quinn's mark is already there. Want to see depth, check out this lineup:
Nikolai Khabibulin Jeff Deslauriers So as far as skill this team was drafted to be an all star cast: 9 1st round picks, and 6 2nd round picks, thats 15 of your starting 23 man roster taken in the first two rounds. The deepest picked player on the team? Nikolai Khabiboulin, taken in the 9th round. Argue all you want but minus Ryan Stone (who does bring his hard hitting play), every player on that roster brings something important to the team, and everyone, even Stortini (see two goals against Nashville), is capable of scoring. Anyways, the Oilers sit in a 4 way tie for 2nd in the west (with Chicago, San Jose, and Calgary, good company I know).
How about those Leafs! Yes they have not won a game yet! Thats right, all those promises, all the hope, all the hard work by Brian Burke, and 0-6-1. Yup, thats 1 measily point. BRUTAL! They have Nazem Kadri and Tyler Bozak ripping it up in the pre season and they get send down both. Serves them right, not only that, but that defense that was supposed to be oh so good, BLOWS. Its wayyy to damn slow, and their number one defense, Vesa Toskala, blows the big one, calling him a "siv" would be nice. The "Monster" is hurt, and Joey Mcdonald is showing exactly why he is the 3rd stringer. Oh but wait til Phil Kessel comes back from injury. Ya right, like one 22 year old is gonna change things that much. Not only that but the guy maxed out at 36 goals, 60 points last year, and he was playing with one of the best set-up men in the NHL Marc Savard. Even the Islanders havent won a game and yet havc more points (3) then the leafs. So what hope do the Maple Leafs have? You tell me...
Smith says that Columbus has the three most explosive right winger in the league? What about when Hossa comes back for Chicago? Thats Hossa, Kane, Sharp, ya, nothin comparable to that anywhere. Top line in the league Perry, Getzlaf, Ryan? How about Williams, Smyth and Kopitar? Roy, Pominville, Vanek? Gionta, Cammalleri, Gomez? Prospal, Dubinsky, Gaborik? Gagne, Richards, Briere? THE BEST NO.1 line in the NHL: Ovechkin, Backstrom, Knuble. Hands down.
Now the NHL season has had a very interesting start, with Colorado, Phoenix, Columbus, and
LA, all having great starts to their seasons. Each of these teams has added some players that are making their marks, and presence felt. In Colorado, Craig Anderson is becoming an absolute stud in net. In Phoenix Adrian Aucoin, Radim Vrbata, and Robert Lang are helping to prove that there is some good hockey in the desert. Columbus' young guns are coming through, starting in net where Chris Mason has resumed his awesome goaltending from last season. Justin Williams, Ryan Smyth and Anze Kopitar have formed some huge chemsitry in LA, leading their team to success.
Now some other teams, such as Montreal, Minnesota, Vancouver, and Tampa Bay, are finding themselves on the other side of such success. In Montreal, Habs fans are quickly finding out how small that first line of theirs is. Minny had their first pre season physical evaluation this year, yes thats right, their first. Yikes. Vancouver added Mikael Samuelson, thats all, he is doing well, but they have lost a couple players to injury and Luongo hasnt been playing up to his star calibre. Tampa Bay hasnt much changed their standing from last year, even adding the likes of Alex Tanguay, Victor Hedman, and Mattias Ohlund.
If the playoffs started today (crazy being noone has even played 10 games yet), here are your first round matchups:
WEST
1. Colorado vs. 8. Los Angeles
2. Chicago vs. 7. Phoenix
3. San Jose vs. 6. Columbus
4. Calgary vs. 5. Edmonton
So Colorado, LA would bring a pretty high tempo battle of two teams with no big name goaltenders. Chicago, Phoenix would be a fight to the finish of two of the NHL`s best young talents. Columbus would have high hopes going into the playoffs playing the NHL`s best playoff choke artists in the Sharks. The Battle of Alberta would finally have its wish with a high intensity first round playoff battle.
EAST
1. Pittsburgh vs. 8. Philadelphia
2. Ottawa vs. 7. New Jersey
3. Washington vs. 6. Atlanta
4. New York Rangers vs. 5. Buffalo
Battle of Alberta? Try Battle of Pennsylvania! Pens and Flyers duke it out for Penn state bragging rights. Meanwhile the Senators try to reignite passion in the nations capital, but they will have to get the puck past the NHL's best goalie in Brodeur. Ovechkin vs. Kovalchuk, a massive Russian star matchup. Talking about state battles, how about the battle of New York, the Sabres will try to beat the Rags.
K so yes that was a little early, but its always fun to look and wonder.
Here is your outlook for the week ahead:
Marc Savard has gone down with a broken foot, leaving the Bruins without him, Lucic, the
recently traded Kobasew, but now with Dan Paille. Good luck.
The Penguins take a big blow, losing Sergei Gonchar to a broken hand for over a month.
We will see if the Vancouver Cunucks can actually get in the win column as they take on the Hawks tonight.
Biggest matchup of the week:
Phoenix will host Detroit, lets see if the yotes are the real deal, or how badly the Red Wings suck.
-Sporer
I come back to this intelligent group and what does the young man have ready to try out in the RapidShot? He has a Reebok 8k Spezza curve of course, and a Bauer Vapor x20, which is way down the line from a X60, and he also has a Malkin curve Bauer Supreme One85, along with the same stick in a Gagne curve. So the only stick in there I suggested, the ONE85. So I get him in the RapidShot, and he is shooting all over the place, pucks are flying way over the target and way wide, with every stick, except the Malkin ONE85. He gets out of the RapidShot and I kindly let his mother know that he clearly did the best with the Malkin ONE85. Big brother throws in his two cents "man you got the best power out of the 8k!". Wonderful. I walk away at this point, because I couldn't handle it any more.
That's 3 out of the last 4 games being shutout. Goalies love playing the Oilers lately. They have scored just 5 goals in their last 4 games. I don't know you plan on winning with that kind of scoring. They played decently, but still, a shutout loss. It speaks for itself. Its crazy to think that even though the Oilers are 7-6-1, Dustin Penner still sits in a tie for 3rd in league scoring with 19 points. Penner finished last season with only 17 goals and 37 points. I think he is going to destroy that. Mike Comrie, Sheldon Souray, Ryan Stone, and Steve Staios are all still out. The biggest surprise of the day, Fernando Pisani is back in the Oilers lineup. That's a huge plus for such a young roster. Well, looks like we have to wait til Monday to see if the Oilers can start putting a few more "W's" together.
