Finns Will Battle It Out In Training Camp

Photo By: Candace Riley © All rights reserved.

From a Finnish point of view, the situation in Edmonton is, however, interesting, since Teemu Hartikainen, who had a convincing NHL debut in the end of last year, and Antti Tyrväinen, who left Pelicans to head over the "pond", are also part of the organization. The Finnish trio mainly battle for the same "working class" positions in the Oilers lineup.

--Antti Rämänen, on the Finns who will battle each other in training camp.

It's been a long time since the Oilers had a significant Finnish influence in the organization and it's impacted the organization in a big way.  That lack of Suomi is about to change and the resulting competition in training camp should be a treat to watch.  Rämänen is right in that the two new Finns Antti Tyrväinen and Lennart Petrell are going to compete with each other and Copper & Blue favorite Teemu Hartikainen for the same job(s).  My pipe dreams of an all-Finn line aside, the signings of Darcy Hordichuk, Ryan Jones and Ben Eager added to Gilbert Brule leave just one forward position open on the roster.  The Oilers would be a better team with Hordichuk in Oklahoma City, but Tom Renney loves his goons and Hordichuk is going to stay on the roster.

The four likely candidates for the job are the aforementioned Finns and Chris Vande Velde, meaning the heart and soul of Suomi will be battling it out for all to see through the second half of September.  In closing the playoff success article, I noted:

Either way, the Finns must return to Edmonton.  We should blame Kevin Lowe's failures for the Oilers' current situation, but in doing so, must remember that Lowe's greatest failure was veering from what made those teams from the 1980's great:  Suomi.

Steve Tambellini has reversed Kevin Lowe's greatest failure and Oilers' fans will benefit.  Suomi!