Oilers Make Initial Cuts, Release 9

by Woodguy on Sep 19, 2011 7:35 PM MDT

Edmonton Oilers General Manager Steve Tambellini announced today the club has reduced its training camp roster by nine players.

The following three players were assigned to their respective junior clubs today:

Martin Gernat (D) to Edmonton (WHL)
Kristians Pelss (RW) to Edmonton (WHL)
Tobias Rieder (RW) to Kitchener (OHL)

The following five players were released from their amateur tryouts:

Brett Ferguson (LW)
Chase Schaber (C)
Tyler Schmidt (D)
Colin Smith (C)
Wes Vannieuwenhuizen (D)

The Oilers have also announced Toni Rajala (RW) has been assigned to Ilves Tampere of the Finnish Elite League.

Edmonton’s roster now sits at 57 players.

So with Rajala going to Finland, does that free up a contract and put the Oilers at 48? Like Mike Thomas last season, I wonder if Brett Ferguson will get a tryout contract with the Oklahoma City Barons, though admittedly, the Barons are crowded up front with an influx of new kids.

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If they are at 48 now, I’d exepect Davidson and Martindale to get contracts.

Even if they both go back to the CHL the Oilers need to get these two under contract.

If they go back to the CHL without contracts they have a dis-incentive to sign with the Oilers as they both probably go higher in the draft this time around and can get better ELC’s from a new team to go with a better draft position.

by Woodguy on Sep 19, 2011 7:58 PM MDT reply actions

I hope speeds comes along soon to figure this out, but I think Rajala still counts.

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

by Derek Zona on Sep 19, 2011 8:15 PM MDT up reply actions

I think he still counts, yeah. Isn’t he playing under that contract in the Finnish league?

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by Triumph44 on Sep 19, 2011 8:22 PM MDT up reply actions

That’s what LT said too.

Why am I so nervous about Martindale and Davidson getting under contract in the next week?

by Woodguy on Sep 19, 2011 8:41 PM MDT up reply actions

I don’t think it’s a big deal to get them signed quickly. You can always use money as an incentive to get them signed later, and their contracts don’t slide if you sign them now and send them back to junior, so you’d basically lose a “cheap” year for nothing if the player actually turns into an NHLer. Count me among those who would like to see them go unsigned if the plan is to send them back to the CHL.

The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.

by Scott Reynolds on Sep 20, 2011 9:19 AM MDT up reply actions

“Reserve List” means the list of all Players to whom a Club has rights including all Unsigned Draft Choices, all Players signed to an SPC (whether or not currently playing in the NHL), and all Players who have signed an SPC but who have subsequently been returned to Juniors. A Club may have on its Reserve List, at any one time, not more than 90 Players, which shall include the following:

(a) Not more than 50 Players signed to an SPC and not less than 24 Players and 3 goalkeepers under an SPC. Age 18 and age 19 Players who were returned to Juniors, and who have not played 11 NHL Games in one season, shall be exempt from inclusion in the 50 Player limit.

He counts

by Woodguy on Sep 19, 2011 8:48 PM MDT reply actions

Thanks, so really they can sign Davidson then send him down and he doesn’t count. Same as Martindale.

by Tanman37 on Sep 19, 2011 8:51 PM MDT up reply actions

This isn’t the case. Davidson is a 20 year-old junior so he would still count for sure, and even though he’s not 20 yet, I believe Martindale counts as a 20 year-old too since he turns 20 before January 1st.

The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.

by Scott Reynolds on Sep 20, 2011 9:23 AM MDT up reply actions

Thought so.

Maybe they’re going to trade Sutton!

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

by Derek Zona on Sep 19, 2011 8:52 PM MDT up reply actions

on trade-death-line maybe, not before (I hope)

by Screaming69 on Sep 20, 2011 12:01 AM MDT up reply actions

If the Oilers signed Davidson but then sent him down would that still count against their 50 contracts? Say they signed Davidson sent him down and then signed Martindale and sent him down would that still count?

If that is the case the Oilers might be in trouble with only 1 spot for those two guys and most likely Tulupov.

I really wish we could dump Motin.

by Tanman37 on Sep 19, 2011 8:50 PM MDT reply actions

Both those deals would be “slide rule” contracts so that would work.

The only way the Oilers wouldn’t be allow to do that would be if they would be left with more than 50 contracts as of July 2012. Since we have contracts expiring this season that isn’t an issue.

Everyone knows rock attained perfection in 1974. It's a scientific fact.
Writer for The Copper & Blue and a frequenter of the time waster that is Twitter.

by ryanbatty on Sep 19, 2011 8:57 PM MDT up reply actions

This is incorrect. They are too old to receive a contract where the slide rule would apply.

The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.

by Scott Reynolds on Sep 20, 2011 9:24 AM MDT up reply actions

You’re right. No idea why I had that extending to 20 year olds as well.

Everyone knows rock attained perfection in 1974. It's a scientific fact.
Writer for The Copper & Blue and a frequenter of the time waster that is Twitter.

by ryanbatty on Sep 20, 2011 9:33 AM MDT up reply actions

Blain

Is anyone else surprised Jeremie Blain isn’t on this list?

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

by Derek Zona on Sep 19, 2011 9:26 PM MDT reply actions

I assume he’s gone immediately following the split squad games.

Everyone knows rock attained perfection in 1974. It's a scientific fact.
Writer for The Copper & Blue and a frequenter of the time waster that is Twitter.

by ryanbatty on Sep 20, 2011 12:12 AM MDT up reply actions

Good point. With two defensemen down to injury, they probably need him around.

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

by Derek Zona on Sep 20, 2011 6:37 AM MDT up reply actions

Don’t forget it’s not always the most deserving who stay in camp.

If you’ve got a guy that you want your coaches to work with for a few days (for whatever reason), you may choose to keep him in camp instead of shipping him off.

In theory, there is little difference between practice and theory, but in practice there is!

by dawgbone98 on Sep 20, 2011 8:58 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs

I never looked at it that way…

Have you seen my bear Tibbers?

by SumOil on Sep 20, 2011 9:20 AM MDT up reply actions

NOOOO

NOT Wes Vannieuwenhuizen!!!! I was gonna get that epic jersey.

by Jordan G on Sep 19, 2011 10:42 PM MDT reply actions

Vannieuwenhuizen

Yeah, it would look great next to a Ruotsalainen sweater.

by Fred Furlong on Sep 20, 2011 8:15 AM MDT reply actions

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