Two Games Is Too Early To Panic

by Jonathan Willis on Oct 7, 2009 11:53 AM MDT in Opinion

The season is two games old.

Last year, the Oilers had a 100% winning percentage four games into the season and we all saw how that worked out; in other words, it's far to early to read anything into the Oilers numbers so far. That said, let's take a quick look at three items I've been concerned about:

Nikolai Khabibulin: .855 SV%
Oilers' penalty-killing percentage: 55.6%
The Oilers First Line (with Jean-Francois Jacques): 6GP - 0G - 1A - 1PTS - -5

It's early. It's early. It's early.

Two of those items have a good chance at turning around.

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Comments

Quit being such a pessimist, JW. I have every confidence that over time our PK will get to at least 60%.

Writer for The Copper & Blue

by Bruce McCurdy on Oct 7, 2009 12:20 PM MDT reply actions

I’m actually confused in regards to which two stats will improve. It’s the PK and Khabibulin, right?

Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.

by Derek Zona on Oct 7, 2009 1:29 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions

Also Confused

I thought 1 and 3… Hemsky and Horcoff won’t stay off the scoreboard for the season (though as a line I have my doubts it will work out). PK might get better, but good?

by till_horcoff_is_coach on Oct 7, 2009 1:48 PM MDT up reply actions

I was thinking it would be Khabibulin and the Oilers First Line (with or more likely without JFJ).

Writer for The Copper & Blue

by Bruce McCurdy on Oct 7, 2009 1:48 PM MDT up reply actions

I think it will be more than 70 percent and probably better than last season

by SumOil on Oct 7, 2009 2:19 PM MDT up reply actions

then again i am the ever so ompimistic guy

by SumOil on Oct 7, 2009 2:19 PM MDT up reply actions

Clearing up

I think #1 and #3 turn around. The PK won’t stay that bad but I bet it doesn’t crack the top-twenty in the NHL on the season.

A posse ad esse.

Writer for The Copper & Blue and OilersNation.

by Jonathan Willis on Oct 7, 2009 2:41 PM MDT reply actions

Oh, and to clarify further: there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell that Jacques stays on that first line more than ten games.

A posse ad esse.

Writer for The Copper & Blue and OilersNation.

by Jonathan Willis on Oct 7, 2009 2:41 PM MDT up reply actions

Praise the snowball.

He’s just been so bad – not an NHL top 9 player bad.

Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.

by Derek Zona on Oct 7, 2009 2:54 PM MDT up reply actions

How about that

As per Gregor:

Penner will skate with Horcoff and Ales Hemsky if he plays. Quinn moved Penner up to that line in the third because, "The play was stalling with that line. I didn’t think Horcoff had much going early, and Penner was playing well so I moved him up," said Quinn

A posse ad esse.

Writer for The Copper & Blue and OilersNation.

by Jonathan Willis on Oct 7, 2009 4:09 PM MDT up reply actions

I hope that Horcoff and Hemsky don’t drag Penner down with them

Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.

by Derek Zona on Oct 7, 2009 5:17 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions

That took…what, two games? How long did it take MacTavish last year? Twenty? Thirty?

SNN Sports - A theoretical Oilers blog (i.e. theoretically, I write stuff there). Link now 100% less broken.

by Doogie2K on Oct 7, 2009 5:31 PM MDT up reply actions

18, I believe.

Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.

by Derek Zona on Oct 7, 2009 6:25 PM MDT up reply actions

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Northwest Standings

	GP	W	L	OTL	PT
Vancouver Nucks Misconduct	54	34	15	5	73
Minnesota Hockey Wilderness	54	25	21	8	58
Calgary Matchsticks and Gasoline	55	25	22	8	58
Colorado Mile High Hockey	55	27	25	3	57
Edmonton The Copper & Blue	54	21	28	5	47

(updated 2.10.2012 at 1:26 AM MST)

21 - 28 - 5

Streak: Lost 2

Oilers Schedule

Next 5 Games

@ Ottawa Silver Seven	Sat 02/11	12:00 PM MST
Toronto Pension Plan Puppets	Wed 02/15	8:00 PM MST
Colorado Mile High Hockey	Fri 02/17	7:30 PM MST
Vancouver Nucks Misconduct	Sun 02/19	7:00 PM MST
@ Calgary Matchsticks and Gasoline	Tue 02/21	7:00 PM MST

Last 5 Games

@ Detroit Winging It In Motown	Wed 02/08	L 2 - 4
@ Toronto Pension Plan Puppets	Mon 02/06	L 3 - 6
Detroit Winging It In Motown	Sat 02/04	SO - W 5 - 4
Chicago Second City Hockey	Thu 02/02	W 8 - 4
Colorado Mile High Hockey	Tue 01/31	W 3 - 2