The Copper & Blue: FanPosts

Stockton Thunder update

2013-05-07T14:02:16Z

In don't know if any of you are following it, but the Stockton Thunder are now 2 wins away from the Kelly Cup final.

Game re-caps of their semi-final series wins in Game 1 and 2 can be found here:

http://www.stocktonthunder.com/2013/05/03/recap-first-big-catch/

http://www.stocktonthunder.com/2013/05/05/recap-count-on-clark/

The Thunder seems to be on an impressive run. The next 3 games are in Stockton, so the Thunder have an excellent chance to close out the series at home and advance to the finals.

Some interesting items of note for Oiler fans:

Roy was 1st star in game 1
Roy's OT win in game 2 put him at 7-0 in OT playoff games
Abney was scratched for both games

In don't know if any of you are following it, but the Stockton Thunder are now 2 wins away from the Kelly Cup final.

Game re-caps of their semi-final series wins in Game 1 and 2 can be found here:

http://www.stocktonthunder.com/2013/05/03/recap-first-big-catch/

http://www.stocktonthunder.com/2013/05/05/recap-count-on-clark/

The Thunder seems to be on an impressive run. The next 3 games are in Stockton, so the Thunder have an excellent chance to close out the series at home and advance to the finals.

Some interesting items of note for Oiler fans:

Roy was 1st star in game 1
Roy's OT win in game 2 put him at 7-0 in OT playoff games
Abney was scratched for both games

Is Bigos About to be Cut Loose?

2013-05-01T16:32:58Z

via www.hockeysfuture.com

General Manager Craig MacTavish has been a busy man since he replaced Steve Tambellini two weeks ago. In that time he has signed Andrew Miller out of Yale, signed Martin Gernat from the Oil Kings, and publicly said goodbye to Ryan Whitney. Now word comes that he may have made a decision regarding Oilers college prospect Kyle Bigos.

Pipeline Show host Guy Flaming tweeted last night that it appears that 2009 Oilers prospect Kyle Bigos will not be signed by the club. He went on to add that the Oilers would invited the Merrimack defenceman to their 2013 training camp should he not be signed by another club at that point.

It's my belief that the #Oilers will not sign @bigosk but will invite him to main camp if not signed by someone else by then. @tpsdean
— Guy Flaming (@TPS_Guy) May 1, 2013

This news should partially come as a relief to the Oilers fans who saw Bigos as a type of player that the organization had too much of already. It is only a partial relief because, as Guy states, the big mean defenceman could still be brought back into the fold should he attend camp and impress Oilers management.

However we should take heart in the fact that Craig MacTavish has done more in two weeks as GM than Steve Tambellini did in two months, and has shown a willingness to far more decisive that Dithers ever was. It gives us some confidence that MacT will be able to make those hard decisions in order to improve this roster and move this team forward.

via www.hockeysfuture.com

It's my belief that the #Oilers will not sign @bigosk but will invite him to main camp if not signed by someone else by then. @tpsdean
— Guy Flaming (@TPS_Guy) May 1, 2013

Trade offer from Philly

2013-05-01T02:02:55Z

Dear Copper and Blue Community,

I’m calling as the GM of the Philadelphia Flyers attempting to make a deal. It’s no secret that we here in Philly need help on the back end. We believe in the hype that this year’s draft is one of the best in recent memory and would like to make you an offer. We would like to make a deal involving your eighth overall pick without having to give up our eleventh overall pick.

Looking at the Oilers roster, the Flyers and Oilers could be very compatible trading partners. You guys could use a proven top six forward, another top-9 forward, and a top 4 defender. Here are the pieces that the Flyers think would fit into those holes.

Forwards:

Matt Read scored 47 points in 79 games as a 25-year-old rookie. He followed that up this year with 24 in 42, which is roughly the same pace as last year. With Read being an older player, he might have hit his ceiling, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a very good player. He can play the PP or the PK and best of all, he still has one more year left on his entry level deal paying him under a million bucks a year.

Scott Laughton was drafted 20th overall in last year’s entry draft. After 53 points in 64 games as a draft eligible 17-year-old, Laughton took his game to a new level this year. He earned a five game tryout with the Flyers, and impressed with his two way ability. His 56 points in 49 games in the OHL this year was a nice boost over last year. He finished his season scoring 3 points in 6 games in the AHL. Laughton projects as a center who can play against other teams top players, and could possibly do it next year. I think if he’s a Flyers he’ll be with Couturier on our shut down line. I am not too familiar with the Oilers system, but I’ve done a fair share of research and I don’t think you guys have a two-way center prospect at the level of Laughton. Ian Laperriere, who is now a scout for us, has said that he’s been told by other scouts that Laughton has been the best player in the OHL this past year.

Nick Cousins was our third round selection in the 2011 draft, a pick acquired from our Jeff Carter trade with Columbus. We snagged Cousins when he put up 68 points in 68 games in his draft eligible year. He was anointed our top prospect after he improved his point total to 88 in only 65 games in his second year in the league. He was the center of a sexual abuse case this summer, but was not charged and all of that seems to be in his past. His hockey game took off this past year as he lit up the OHL to the tune of 103 points in only 64 games. He projects as a potential second line offensive winger with questions about his defensive ability. He’s compared to Brad Marchand by everyone, so that should speak for his role as an agitator.

Defenders:

Nick Grossman is only 27 and he’s signed until 2016 at only 3.5 million dollars per. He was on the flyers top PK unit, which finished top-5 in the league and is a big, strong, porch clearing defender. He’s not the quickest or the best with the puck, but he is smart enough with his positioning to make up for it. He’s extremely physical along the boards and in front and could provide an immediate boost at a great price.

Andrej Meszaros is only signed for one more year at a modest $4 million. At 6’2” 223 lbs. his skating and puck moving abilities are quite impressive. At only 27 years old he’s put up 32 points or more 4 times already. He won the Flyers’ top defender award in 2010-11 over Kimmo Timonen and would be a great fit as a top-4 puck mover in Edmonton.

Draft Picks:

2013 41st overall, 71st overall (and all of our later round picks)

2014 (still have all of our picks)

Our offer is any of the above forwards, either of the above defenders, our 41st overall, and our 2014 second round pick. You guys drop from 8 overall to 41st this year, pick up a second rounder next year, get a top-6 forward, and a top-4 defender?

What are your thoughts?

Dear Copper and Blue Community,

Forwards:

Defenders:

Draft Picks:

2013 41st overall, 71st overall (and all of our later round picks)

2014 (still have all of our picks)

What are your thoughts?

Poll

Could we make a deal involving the above assets?

Yes

20 votes

No

18 votes

No, but were very close

3 votes

41 votes | Poll has closed

The 2013 NHL Draft Lottery Runs Tonight

2013-04-29T17:14:53Z

via l3.yimg.com

Tonight marks the annual event in the NHL season that Oilers fans have become all too familiar with. Yes that's right, the 2013 Draft Lottery is being televised at 5:00 PM MST on TSN. And for the first time in 3 years the Edmonton Oilers have a low chance (4.7%) at snagging the first overall pick at the draft. That, coupled with the fact that General Manager Steve Tambellini was unceremoniously relieved of his duties with the club late this season (gone is his draft lottery magic), means that Oilers fans will no longer have to see Tambellini's face grinning on national TV at the result of another failure of a season.

Below you will find the 2013 NHL Draft Lottery odds, courtesy of TSN:

DRAFT LOTTERY ODDS

Rank Team % of Winning Points Games Remaining

1

Florida Panthers

25.0

36

0

2

Colorado Avalanche

18.8

39

0

3

Tampa Bay Lightning

14.2

40

0

4

Nashville Predators

10.7

41

0

5

Carolina Hurricanes

8.1

42

0

6

Calgary Flames

6.2

42

0

7

Edmonton Oilers

4.7

45

0

8

Buffalo Sabres

3.6

48

0

9

New Jersey Devils

2.7

48

0

10

Dallas Stars

2.1

48

0

11

Philadelphia Flyers

1.5

49

0

12

Phoenix Coyotes

1.1

51

0

13

Winnipeg Jets

0.8

51

0

14

Columbus Blue Jackets

0.5

55

0

- Source: TSN.ca

DRAFT LOTTERY ODDS
1	Florida Panthers	25.0	36
2	Colorado Avalanche	18.8	39
3	Tampa Bay Lightning	14.2	40
4	Nashville Predators	10.7	41
5	Carolina Hurricanes	8.1	42
6	Calgary Flames	6.2	42
7	Edmonton Oilers	4.7	45
8	Buffalo Sabres	3.6	48
9	New Jersey Devils	2.7	48
10	Dallas Stars	2.1	48
11	Philadelphia Flyers	1.5	49
12	Phoenix Coyotes	1.1	51
13	Winnipeg Jets	0.8	51
14	Columbus Blue Jackets	0.5	55

Who will the Oilers pick at 7th or 8th overall? Have your say in the comments below.

via l3.yimg.com

Below you will find the 2013 NHL Draft Lottery odds, courtesy of TSN:

DRAFT LOTTERY ODDS

Rank Team % of Winning Points Games Remaining

1

Florida Panthers

25.0

36

0

2

Colorado Avalanche

18.8

39

0

3

Tampa Bay Lightning

14.2

40

0

4

Nashville Predators

10.7

41

0

5

Carolina Hurricanes

8.1

42

0

6

Calgary Flames

6.2

42

0

7

Edmonton Oilers

4.7

45

0

8

Buffalo Sabres

3.6

48

0

9

New Jersey Devils

2.7

48

0

10

Dallas Stars

2.1

48

0

11

Philadelphia Flyers

1.5

49

0

12

Phoenix Coyotes

1.1

51

0

13

Winnipeg Jets

0.8

51

0

14

Columbus Blue Jackets

0.5

55

0

- Source: TSN.ca

DRAFT LOTTERY ODDS
1	Florida Panthers	25.0	36
2	Colorado Avalanche	18.8	39
3	Tampa Bay Lightning	14.2	40
4	Nashville Predators	10.7	41
5	Carolina Hurricanes	8.1	42
6	Calgary Flames	6.2	42
7	Edmonton Oilers	4.7	45
8	Buffalo Sabres	3.6	48
9	New Jersey Devils	2.7	48
10	Dallas Stars	2.1	48
11	Philadelphia Flyers	1.5	49
12	Phoenix Coyotes	1.1	51
13	Winnipeg Jets	0.8	51
14	Columbus Blue Jackets	0.5	55

Who will the Oilers pick at 7th or 8th overall? Have your say in the comments below.

Armchair GM makes a trade with Toronto. San Jose and Phoenix

2013-04-26T20:52:32Z

This summer's trades:

1) Ales Hemsky (RW) and Martin Marincin (D) for Nikolai Kulemin (RW/LW) and Jake Gardiner (D).

2) Teemu Hartikainen (LW) and 2014 4th rounder for Raffi Torres (RW/LW)

3) 2014 1st rounder, 2015 2nd and 3rd rounders, Sam Garner (C), Oscar Klefbom (D) for Keith Yandle (D), Henrik Samuelsson (RW/C) and Mike Smith (G).

Hall-RNH-Eberle

Kulemin-Horcoff-Yakupov

Paajarvi-Samuelsson-Torres

Smyth-Lander-Petrell (plus a "C" we draft in the 1st round this year to consider; another bona fide 4th liner)

Yandle-Petry

Smid-Gardiner

N. Schultz-J. Schulz

Potter

Dubnyk

Smith

This summer's trades:

1) Ales Hemsky (RW) and Martin Marincin (D) for Nikolai Kulemin (RW/LW) and Jake Gardiner (D).

2) Teemu Hartikainen (LW) and 2014 4th rounder for Raffi Torres (RW/LW)

3) 2014 1st rounder, 2015 2nd and 3rd rounders, Sam Garner (C), Oscar Klefbom (D) for Keith Yandle (D), Henrik Samuelsson (RW/C) and Mike Smith (G).

Hall-RNH-Eberle

Kulemin-Horcoff-Yakupov

Paajarvi-Samuelsson-Torres

Smyth-Lander-Petrell (plus a "C" we draft in the 1st round this year to consider; another bona fide 4th liner)

Yandle-Petry

Smid-Gardiner

N. Schultz-J. Schulz

Potter

Dubnyk

Smith

Clowns 3: Cheap Shots

2013-04-23T04:50:37Z

Ah, to be an Oilers fan in April... the smell of melting snow, the muddy brownwhite landscapes, the deep despair of another lost season, nursing again a bruised forehead from the 'concrete contemplation' of management's ongoing displays of irony... wait, 8-2 over the Flames! Playoff spot! Hope...

Where was I... oh yes, the despair. I've grown weary of trying to make sense of my love for all things painfully tragic in the sporting world (of course I'm a Mike Weir fan!) so rather than simply throw expletives at management I'm tossing out a end-of-season question to you stats-minded kin who seem to either work at the CnB or traverse its ether halls:

This shots on goal thing.

What the Hall? I see all the corsi stats, the article after article explaining just how bad our shot differential is, the somewhat amazing fact that, although we're near the bottom of SOGs, we aren't by some miracle in last place yet we still really suck. I just can't understand why we are so bad at getting the puck on net. Don't we have Youth? Don't we have Speed? This concept comes to the forefront even more so now that we are left to focus on the one bright spot we have every year: the Draft (aka Rebuild 3.0.)

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say it's not the kid line as I'm pretty sure Hall and Eberle are up there in shot count despite our somewhat suspect face-off ability. But how can a team suffering from goal-anemia, with some pretty decent talent in its top six, go game after game saying that they need to get this particular stat corrected and yet fail to do so? Are we that weak in our bottom 6 that our differential is skewed so greatly against us? Is our line matching (hahaha... whew, sorry.) that abysmal? Are we that small up front that we're getting man-handled day in and day out? Is it our lack of a rearguard who can find a way to get shots through? Am I answering my own questions?

Sigh. I'm resigned to the fact that we have another summer to sit in the proverbial corner and think about what we've (not) done. I'm even willing to give McT the keys to the Bus to see where it can take us, despite the fact that the Lowemobile has major engine problems. What I'm not OK with is the idea that we will atrophy, wasting away our (shoulder-tweaked) top end talent as the clock ticks, the losses mount and, by the end of it, realize no one wants to take a shot at playing here. The fans deserve better, the city deserves better... heck even the players that understand deserve better than to see our love of, and passion for, the game be so easily blocked.

Having my fingers crossed all summer won't help my golf score.

This shots on goal thing.

Having my fingers crossed all summer won't help my golf score.

What Does It Take To Make The Playoffs?

2013-04-21T08:55:57Z

In light of the Leafs making the playoffs solely on the strength of their PDO. I thought I would check through common stats to decide what the most important ones to be in the top 16 of in any given year - in order to be in the playoffs. These are the Results:

1)Goal Differential Percentage - 81.3% Made It
2)Goal Against Actual - 76.3% Made It
3=)Fenwick Percentage - 75.0% Made It
3=)Corsi Percentage - 75.0% Made It
5)Shot Percentage - 71.3% Made It
6=)Zone Faceoff Percentage (Offensive Zone vs Defensive Zone) - 67.5% Made It
6=)PDO - 67.5% Made It
8)Goal For Actual - 66.3% Made It

Now what about if you finished in the top 8 of these categories in any given year?

1)Goal Differential Percentage - 97.5% Made It
2)Goal Against Actual - 92.5% Made It
3)Corsi Percentage - 87.5% Made It
4)Fenwick Percentage - 82.5% Made It
5=Shot Percentage - 80.0% Made It
5=)Zone Faceoff Percentage (Offensive Zone vs Defensive Zone) - 80.0% Made It
7=)PDO - 77.5% Made It
7=)Goal For Actual - 77.5% Made It

ANALYSIS

It is no surprise that Goal Differential is the nuumber 1 thing that successful teams have. The underlying results of the success were interesting to me.

Goals Against being much more important than Goals For.

The relative importance of Corsi over Fenwick - take that you Fenwick lovers. (Minor difference, but enought to say Fenwick sucks :))

Shot precentage is less important than all that.

I was actually surprised that the Offensive Zone/Defensive Zone faceoff percentage was more important than both PDO & Goals For.

All things being considered when making a playoff team, Defense First, followed by Corsi.

Which make the Oilers need for defensemen all the more relevant. Any surprises for you in these results?

Oilers Rebuild Part Four: A New Hope

2013-04-18T18:17:07Z

Sure, it's a cheesy title, but I must say, it's a pretty fitting description for what the Edmonton Oilers are currently going through. The Oilers, after seven seasons of no playoff hockey, and now a fourth year in the basement, are graced with the hope of new GM Craig MacTavish.

That's right friends, MacT is back to try and right the ship which is still in the depths of the ocean.

MacTavish was famous as Oilers coach for getting the most out of rosters that, quite frankly, were not very good. The one time he was handed a solid roster? MacT was a period away from a Stanley Cup championship....Then, well you know what happened.

MacT now inherits a mess left by BOTH Kevin Lowe and Steve Tambellini. Lowe tried to chase the big fish, and it failed most of the time. We all remember the Thomas Vanek offer-sheet, which thankfully was matched by the Sabres, and the Dustin Penner fiasco in the summer of 2007.

Lowe did land Souray, but failed at other major moves, including Michael Nylander, Marian Hossa, and Jaromir Jagr. Lowe had a team with overpaid, overrated, and lazy veterans. Guys like Ethan Moreau were running the show in Edmonton....That's not the recipe for success.

Lowe, as we all know gave Steve Tambellini the reigns, which would be a disaster. Tambi, after a summer of chasing Dany Heatley like his first crush, and signing Khabibulin to an outrageous contract, would end up starting the Oilers rebuild, and here we are today, about to enter year four.

The Oilers rebuild has brought some solid young players along. 2008 first round pick Jordan Eberle was developed the right way, and is a potential star. 2009 first rounder Magnus Paajarvi is another solid young asset, while the trio of first overall picks in Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov have superstar written all over them.

The rebuild also gave two defenders, Ladislav Smid and Jeff Petry, legit development time and have turned them into solid NHL players. It also convinced Justin Schultz, last year's prized UFA, to sign on with the club.

The rebuild did bring some hope too. Hope was at a high back on April the 3rd, remember the night the Oilers crushed the Flames 8-2 and were sitting in the 8th spot? It was nice, but the Oilers haven't won since, a six game stretch which has all but knocked them out. But hey, they played meaningful games in April right?

So what are we all angry about? The lack of progress? That's part of it. The lack of compete from the veterans on most nights? That's a huge part of it. The lack of a supporting cast and playoff hope? We have a winner!

The Edmonton Oilers, who were 30th, 30th, and then 29th, were supposed to make a big step this season. Instead? It's looking like another top five pick in Oil Country, and that is unacceptable for fans.

While the team's five game tear gave way to hope that this team truly was improved, we learned quickly that it was a mirage, and the Oilers were the same old team. As a result? Steve Tambellini paid the price on Monday, and a new hope was installed.

Craig MacTavish is that hope, and Oilers fans are now left to hope he delivers on his promises made Monday at the press conference.

The heavy lifting? That's been done. A very solid core is already in place, and one which is waiting for it's window to open. For that window to open however, the Oilers will need to make tough decisions and make a few pieces fit.

Craig MacTavish is a very good hockey guy, we know that. He's also a very smart guy too, and has many contacts around the league. The way he spoke on Monday? You just know the guy is looking towards the future and making this franchise relevant again. It will be a tough task, but the hope is starting to show.

MacT will need to fill some major holes. The Oilers need a top six power-froward with some real skill and size. They'll need a legit NHL top four defender, a veteran at that. They'll need some real bottom six guys too, actual NHL veterans with some wins under their belts.

The good news is that MacT, when he coached the Oilers, had some of the best third and fourth lines around, which is a huge area of need. His defenses were pretty solid too, and he played a major role in the deal that brought Pronger to Edmonton.

We know what the Oilers need. It looks so simple to all of us, the ones watching every night. Sadly, there never really was any hope that Tambellini could deliver those pieces, but with MacTavish at the helm now, there is a hope in us all that MacT will deliver. A new hope has been born.

That's right friends, MacT is back to try and right the ship which is still in the depths of the ocean.

Craig MacTavish is that hope, and Oilers fans are now left to hope he delivers on his promises made Monday at the press conference.

Poll

Does MacTavish Give You Hope Moving Forward?

Yes, he does

22 votes

No, just another Old Boys Club move

4 votes

Wait and See

13 votes

39 votes | Poll has closed

Oilers Sign Andrew Miller

2013-04-18T14:30:24Z

via www.collegehockeynews.com

After weeks of inactivity on the college free agent market by the Edmonton Oilers, newly minted GM Craig MacTavish wasted no time in getting down to work. A mere 2 days after clearing out Tambellini's office the Oilers announced that they had signed college free agent forward, Andrew Miller to an 1 year entry level contract. The 24 year old has spent the last 4 years playing for the Yale Bulldogs, eventually becoming the team's captain and leading them to this year's NCAA National Championship.

His boxcars from his time at Yale are (via Hockeydb.com):

Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2009-10 Yale University ECAC 34 5 29 34 12

2010-11 Yale University ECAC 36 12 33 45 18

2011-12 Yale University ECAC 34 7 29 36 8

2012-13 Yale University ECAC 37 18 23 41 15

What is a refreshing breath of air is it appears at least that the Oilers may be bucking the recent trend of acquiring depth "grittiness" and "toughness" in favour of actual hockey ability. However, Miller appears to be a longshot for making the NHL as he is listed at 5'8" and 170 lbs. At best MacTavish has replaced Tobias Rieder.

via www.collegehockeynews.com

His boxcars from his time at Yale are (via Hockeydb.com):

Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2009-10 Yale University ECAC 34 5 29 34 12

2010-11 Yale University ECAC 36 12 33 45 18

2011-12 Yale University ECAC 34 7 29 36 8

2012-13 Yale University ECAC 37 18 23 41 15

Oilers Options 2013 Off Season

2013-04-17T06:45:18Z

Tambillini being ousted couldn't have come at a better time for the organization. Looking at the Oilers' situation for the 2013 off season brought a little smile to my face. As of July 5th the following Oilers will be unrestricted free agents:

The guys that have been nothing but dead weight for the last few years should be coming off the roster.

Then taking a queue from MacT's press conference comment:

"...grit's always a huge part of it. But, also, grit without skill, as I mentioned, is not something that's going to move the dial of our team forward."

The following players fit the bill of "grit without talent" or simply "without talent" and can probably be buried in the AHL with little or no cap hit next season:

Ben Eager ($1.1M)

Mike Brown ($736,667)

Cory Potter ($750,000)

The Oilers have had no problem burying guys under Tambellini's rule and I'm pretty sure MacT won't have a problem doing the same.

Finally the ever popular compliance buyout. Looking at this updated roster only Eric Belanger looks like a true candidate for this option.

After this roster is adjusted with UFAs, buried contracts & compliance but outs this is what the roster would possibly look like:

Hall	Nugent-Hopkins	Eberle
Yakupov	Gagner	Hemsky
Paajarvi	Horcoff	Hartikainen
Smyth	Lander	[Empty]

[Empty]

[Empty]

Smid

Petry

N. Schultz

J. Schultz

Dubnyk

[Empty]

Thats a pretty full roster but it is missing a lot. The Oilers have ~$20M to spend but have to sign Paajarvi, Gagner and Hartikainen to contract extensions. All 3 signed will leave the Oilers with ~$13 - $14M to spend on 6 players (empty roster spots + 7th D & 13th F). Luckily 4 of those players can come relatively cheap and may already be in the system (4th RW, Backup G, 7th D & 13th F) but its the top pairing D that will cost the Oilers the most. One of the top six could be packaged to bring in that top pairing D man. Also looking at the roster and based on MacT's comments about grit there is a pretty good chance that someone gets moved to bring that size, toughness and skill to the top 6 as well.

This is going to be an interesting off season for the Oilers and is sure to set the pace of MacTavish's rule as GM. It will be an interesting off season for the fans as well as our hopes turn from dreams future prospects to real players being acquired to make a difference now.

Hopefully MacTavish is the GM that brings the balance and steady head that this team has needed since Chris Pronger left town. Not run and gun but willing to make a move that helps the team.

The guys that have been nothing but dead weight for the last few years should be coming off the roster.

Then taking a queue from MacT's press conference comment:

"...grit's always a huge part of it. But, also, grit without skill, as I mentioned, is not something that's going to move the dial of our team forward."

The following players fit the bill of "grit without talent" or simply "without talent" and can probably be buried in the AHL with little or no cap hit next season:

Ben Eager ($1.1M)

Mike Brown ($736,667)

Cory Potter ($750,000)

The Oilers have had no problem burying guys under Tambellini's rule and I'm pretty sure MacT won't have a problem doing the same.

Finally the ever popular compliance buyout. Looking at this updated roster only Eric Belanger looks like a true candidate for this option.

After this roster is adjusted with UFAs, buried contracts & compliance but outs this is what the roster would possibly look like:

Hall	Nugent-Hopkins	Eberle
Yakupov	Gagner	Hemsky
Paajarvi	Horcoff	Hartikainen
Smyth	Lander	[Empty]

[Empty]

[Empty]

Smid

Petry

N. Schultz

J. Schultz

Dubnyk

[Empty]

Hopefully MacTavish is the GM that brings the balance and steady head that this team has needed since Chris Pronger left town. Not run and gun but willing to make a move that helps the team.

Oilers Finnish Goalie Prospects Slowly Progressing

2013-04-13T10:34:00Z

Edmonton Oilers only had two prospects playing in Finland this year, and both them are goalies. Samu Perhonen and Frans Tuohimaa were both drafted by the Oilers in 2011, and both had a rough 2011–12 campaign. Perhonen struggled all year long in the Finnish second tier league Mestis. Tuohimaa did well in the same league, but was overwhelmed by opposition in SM-liiga, the top league in Finland.

Tuohimaa played for both Jokerit (SM-liiga) and Kiekko-Vantaa (Mestis) again this year. After Hungarian Zoltán Hetényi was signed by the Nashville Predators, he was the number two goalie on the Jokerit depth chart behind just starter Eero Kilpeläinen.

Tuohimaa and Joonas Korpisalo – the third round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2012 – split time between serving as the backup with Jokerit and starting for Kiekko-Vantaa. But unlike Korpisalo, Tuohimaa also got his share of starts with the big club.

The 21-year-old played in a total of 13 regular season games, posting a .912 save percentage. It was a major improvement over his .898 a year before. Tuohimaa also made his playoff debut when he replaced the struggling Kilpeläinen twice in the Quarter Final series against Lukko. He made 23 saves and had a single goal scored against him for a .960 save percentage in 78 minutes of action.

In Mestis, Tuohimaa's numbers were a bit worse than in 2011–12. Perhonen, on the other hand, improved his save percentage from the dreadful .887 to a less so .902. He still served as the backup for JYP-Akatemia, and couldn't challenge the seven-months-older Sami Rajaniemi for the starter's job. He also was the final goalie cut from the Finnish WJC squad.

Both goalies are currently free agents as their contracts expired after the 2012–13 season. Jokerit already announced extensions for some players, and as Tuohimaa wasn't among them, it is likely that he'll be moving on. It is possible that he'll join the Oilers organization to play more next year, most likely starting from the ECHL.

It seems unlikely that the Oilers would sign Perhonen at this point. The new NHL CBA allows clubs to hold on to rights of European-based prospects for up to four years, so he still has time to re-establish himself, however. The youngster has tons of raw potential, but his inability to produce any results in a semi-pro league like Mestis makes him a non-prospect at this point.

Size Matters - But Not How Oilers Fans Think It Does

2013-04-12T16:00:00Z

Size. Swagger. Grit. And so on. We NEED it.

From time to time over the past few years I've thought about doing something to match winning to size, sort of a true or false thing. But the Oilers constant battle for 1st Overall has sucked the life out of me and its never happened.

Over at Lowetide, in the Oilers-Ducks game thread, there were just over 400 comments posted. In amongst the pissing matches, complaining, venting and rambling, ????????64 posted a list of NHL teams, sorted by Time-adjusted average weight per player, so I started fiddling with it.

If we sort the teams into 5 groups of six teams each by weight:

Heavyweights:		Cruiserweights:		Middleweights:		Welterweights:		Lightweights:
WSH	211	STL	207.4	NYR	203.9	TOR	202	EDM	201.3
LAK	209.3	WPG	206.3	PHX	203.4	ANA	201.9	NYI	201.2
OTT	208.6	NJD	206	MIN	202.9	TBL	201.8	FLA	201.1
COL	208.1	BOS	205.3	VAN	202.9	CGY	201.6	BUF	200.9
SJS	207.9	PHI	204.5	CHI	202.4	DET	201.4	MTL	200.7
CBJ	207.7	NSH	204	CAR	202.1	PIT	201.3	DAL	198.8

The Penguins and the Oilers weigh the same, but I had to split them up. These two teams are very near to the heart of this discussion. Pittsburgh, a serious Cup contender has garnered 1.49 pts. for every point earned by the Copper et Bleu. Both teams are the same size.

We can also similarly sort into fifths by Points-per-Game and Goal Difference. We can call each grouping a Quint.

Lets sort the Weight Divisions by average PPG:

Middleweights	1.19
Welterweights	1.17
Cruiserweights	1.09
Heavyweights	1.07
Lightweights	1.06

And Hagler KOs Foreman. Sugar Ray too. Cruisers had to go to the judges' cards. Remeber, that is with the Oilers classified as lightweights and the Penguins classified as welterweights.

What if I switched the Pens and the Oilers? Uh-oh:

Middleweights	1.19
Lightweights	1.14
Welterweights	1.09
Cruiserweights	1.09
Heavyweights	1.07

The heavyweights drop to the bottom, and the middle and lightweights dominate!

Some additional notes:

A Quint comprised of the bottom six teams sorted by PPG – Nashville, Tampa Bay, Carolina, Calgary, Florida, and Colorado - contains at least one team from each weight class.
But we when look at the top of the column sorted by PPG one Division is not represented in the Top Quint! Oh noes! It’s the Heavyweights! Who could've foreseen that?
Finally, I should point out that when sorted by GD, both the Top & the Bottom Quint are home to a representative of each Weight Division.

So, does size matter?

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this FanPost are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or position of the staff.

Size. Swagger. Grit. And so on. We NEED it.

If we sort the teams into 5 groups of six teams each by weight:

Heavyweights:		Cruiserweights:		Middleweights:		Welterweights:		Lightweights:
WSH	211	STL	207.4	NYR	203.9	TOR	202	EDM	201.3
LAK	209.3	WPG	206.3	PHX	203.4	ANA	201.9	NYI	201.2
OTT	208.6	NJD	206	MIN	202.9	TBL	201.8	FLA	201.1
COL	208.1	BOS	205.3	VAN	202.9	CGY	201.6	BUF	200.9
SJS	207.9	PHI	204.5	CHI	202.4	DET	201.4	MTL	200.7
CBJ	207.7	NSH	204	CAR	202.1	PIT	201.3	DAL	198.8

We can also similarly sort into fifths by Points-per-Game and Goal Difference. We can call each grouping a Quint.

Lets sort the Weight Divisions by average PPG:

Middleweights	1.19
Welterweights	1.17
Cruiserweights	1.09
Heavyweights	1.07
Lightweights	1.06

And Hagler KOs Foreman. Sugar Ray too. Cruisers had to go to the judges' cards. Remeber, that is with the Oilers classified as lightweights and the Penguins classified as welterweights.

What if I switched the Pens and the Oilers? Uh-oh:

Middleweights	1.19
Lightweights	1.14
Welterweights	1.09
Cruiserweights	1.09
Heavyweights	1.07

The heavyweights drop to the bottom, and the middle and lightweights dominate!

Some additional notes:

A Quint comprised of the bottom six teams sorted by PPG – Nashville, Tampa Bay, Carolina, Calgary, Florida, and Colorado - contains at least one team from each weight class.
But we when look at the top of the column sorted by PPG one Division is not represented in the Top Quint! Oh noes! It’s the Heavyweights! Who could've foreseen that?
Finally, I should point out that when sorted by GD, both the Top & the Bottom Quint are home to a representative of each Weight Division.

So, does size matter?

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this FanPost are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or position of the staff.

A Pre-Trade Deadline Meeting Between the Oilers Management Team

2013-04-12T00:00:00Z

Kevin Lowe: Thank you gentlemen, glad to see that you’re all looking good this morning.

Bob Stauffer: DETROIT MODEL, FUNCTIONAL TOUGHNESS, TRUCULENCE, HARD TO PLAY AGAINST…

KL: Could someone please show Bob the door? This is a management-only meeting.

BS: NUCLEAR DETERRENT!!!

(Craig MacTavish gently guides Stauffer out of the boardroom and locks the door behind him).

KL: Thanks Craig. Now I’ve called this meeting in order for us to come up with a game plan going into the trade deadline. Your thoughts on what needs we can satisfy through trade at this time are?

Steve Tambellini: I talked to the guys in the locker room and they said that they don’t want any roster players moved at this time. I think we should respect their wishes.

KL: Okay, but that limits our options, especially considering that you have us sitting at 49 out of 50 pro contracts currently. But if the kids said no roster player, then no roster player; we’ll use picks and our AHL and ECHL prospects.

Scott Howson: Uh, wouldn’t this be a good time to cut some dead wood off? Whitney’s ankle is shot, Khabibulin is washed up, and the bottom half of our roster could use some secondary scoring help.

ST: Respectfully Scott, this is a roster that Kevin and I have built together over the course of 5 seasons. You haven’t been here long enough to properly evaluate this team like we have.

Craig MacTavish: I know we’ve been looking at Jack Johnson for quite some time now. Why not pull a trigger on a deal to bring him in?

SH: Oh God no…

ST: That would involve a roster player, so no dice there. We can try to get him in the offseason.

KL: Sounds good.

CM: Agreed.

Rick Olzyck: Yep.

SH (mumbling): Morons…

ST: I could try to get Ben Bishop out of Ottawa, would make a great third option behind Devan and Khabby.

SH: What?!

KL: Good idea. We can stick him down in OKC in the meantime, then when Khabby retires at the end of the 2 year extension we’re working on then Ben can be Devan’s backup.

SH: That makes no sense…

KL: Quiet Scott. Yeah, I’d be willing to give up a prospect or two and our first rounder for Bishop. Try to get it done Steve.

ST: Will do.

SH: A first rounder? That’s an overpay. Haven’t you seen what draft picks are currently worth in the trade market?

KL: I said quiet Scott.

ST: I was thinking of bringing in that Smtihson kid from Florida. You know, the one we were eyeing up when a bunch of centres went down earlier in the season. The stats guy I fired last month was dead set against bringing Jerred when we brought it up, but that guy was a tool. I think it would help shore up the centre position in the bottom 6. He’d fit right in with Brownie and Lenny.

CM: Thanks for pulling the trigger on that firing Steve, I really didn’t like him. After all, it was because of him that they sent me to that stupid statistics conference. What a bunch of hogwash. We only hired that jackass because Daryl’s son read a bunch of stuff on the internet about this advanced stats garbage. Give me the intangibles over that stuff any day!

ST: No problem, but yeah I don’t see what his issue with Jerred was. He’s improved his point totals over last year, in a shortened season to boot. And look at that face-off percentage in the playoffs a couple of years ago! That will come in handy in the first round this season.

KL: Good outside-the-box thinking Steve.

SH: Aren’t Mike Santorelli and Adam Hall both on waivers right now? I’d say they are better players than Smithson an we wouldn’t have to give up anything if we claimed one of them. And wasn’t Jokinen available on waivers not too long ago? Why didn’t we claim him again?

KL: None of them played in the WHL.

SH: What does that have to do with anything?

KL: Scott, we’ll discuss the whole Western Canadian, former WHL player thing in private after the meeting. Steve, go and make Smithson an Oiler. Give Tallon anywhere from a 2nd to a 4th rounder for him.

ST: Will do!

SH (Sighs): Geez…

CM: I think other than those items we have a strong team that will make the playoffs.

KL: I think you’re right Craig. That should be good for now gentlemen; I trust that I’ll see you all over at the Derrick Club for our daily after-work snifter of cognac?

(All nod)

KL: Good. Meeting adjourned. And oh Rick, here is everyone’s coffee orders, don’t screw it up again.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this FanPost are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or position of the staff.

Kevin Lowe: Thank you gentlemen, glad to see that you’re all looking good this morning.

Bob Stauffer: DETROIT MODEL, FUNCTIONAL TOUGHNESS, TRUCULENCE, HARD TO PLAY AGAINST…

KL: Could someone please show Bob the door? This is a management-only meeting.

BS: NUCLEAR DETERRENT!!!

(Craig MacTavish gently guides Stauffer out of the boardroom and locks the door behind him).

Steve Tambellini: I talked to the guys in the locker room and they said that they don’t want any roster players moved at this time. I think we should respect their wishes.

ST: Respectfully Scott, this is a roster that Kevin and I have built together over the course of 5 seasons. You haven’t been here long enough to properly evaluate this team like we have.

Craig MacTavish: I know we’ve been looking at Jack Johnson for quite some time now. Why not pull a trigger on a deal to bring him in?

SH: Oh God no…

ST: That would involve a roster player, so no dice there. We can try to get him in the offseason.

KL: Sounds good.

CM: Agreed.

Rick Olzyck: Yep.

SH (mumbling): Morons…

ST: I could try to get Ben Bishop out of Ottawa, would make a great third option behind Devan and Khabby.

SH: What?!

KL: Good idea. We can stick him down in OKC in the meantime, then when Khabby retires at the end of the 2 year extension we’re working on then Ben can be Devan’s backup.

SH: That makes no sense…

KL: Quiet Scott. Yeah, I’d be willing to give up a prospect or two and our first rounder for Bishop. Try to get it done Steve.

ST: Will do.

SH: A first rounder? That’s an overpay. Haven’t you seen what draft picks are currently worth in the trade market?

KL: I said quiet Scott.

KL: Good outside-the-box thinking Steve.

KL: None of them played in the WHL.

SH: What does that have to do with anything?

ST: Will do!

SH (Sighs): Geez…

CM: I think other than those items we have a strong team that will make the playoffs.

KL: I think you’re right Craig. That should be good for now gentlemen; I trust that I’ll see you all over at the Derrick Club for our daily after-work snifter of cognac?

(All nod)

KL: Good. Meeting adjourned. And oh Rick, here is everyone’s coffee orders, don’t screw it up again.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this FanPost are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or position of the staff.

Cheering for failure ... for all the right reasons

2013-04-10T15:00:33Z

Oilers fans have, at this time of year, become accustomed to cheering losses in anticipation of a franchinse-changing draft pick. Although many of us, myself included, were eager to see competitive hockey and a playoff spot in '13, I now find myself cheering a total collapse down the stretch ... but for completely different reasons.

Are the Oilers much better than last season? Robin Brownlee will tell you they are, but like most things he is wrong. The Oilers looked sharp during a 5-game winning streak, but they beat up on a crappy Calgary team twice, just got by the Jackets, however played well (and got good luck) in two other contests. Had they lost three of those games, and if Calgary and Colorado weren't awful, we would be right smack in familiar territory.

But gushing over Nathan McKinnon or whomever aside, I want the Oilers to play rottenly down the stretch so that the argument whether the Oilers are better are not isn't ambiguous - I want the season to be recognized as a failure so that the whole approach to team architecture and management is changed.

I can forgive low draft picks for plugs, and trades of meh assets for goons. But I'm again disappointed by Toonces and co because it's obvious to everyone but them that until the team stops being outshot and outplayed on a nightly basis, that their approach is flawed and a radically new course needs to be charted.

So let's cheer progress where it is - great season Gags, Hall is undoubtedly the game-changing saviour we hoped he'd be, and Dubnyk is good enough to get us into the playoffs. But Whitney sucks balls, so does half our d-corps, and the team is devoid of players who are capable of frustrating the opposition.

So fuck - let's lose and win by having Tambellini lose his job.

Kessy Signs With the Oilers

2013-04-07T23:26:37Z

One pattern that is becoming all too familiar to the readers of The Copper & Blue is how the Oilers have continued to amass a collection of junior and minor league prospects that would be described as Coke Machines; players that are big and tough, and as the Oilers hope, could develop a scoring touch. On March 29, in a move that infuriated many readers of this site, Oilers management traded the undersized two-way Kitchener Rangers star Tobias Rieder for Kamloops Blazer tough guy Kale Kessy. This despite the fact that the organization already has a glut of the same player type that they have acquired in their never-ending search for the next Milan Lucic.

On Saturday the Oilers announced that they had signed Kale Kessy to a three year entry-level contract. In doing so Kessy joined the illustrious assortment of Oilers 'prospects' and 'players' in Cameron Abney, Travis Ewanyk, Antti Tyrvainen, John McCarron, Mitch Moroz, Darcy Hordichuk, Ben Eager, and Mike Brown. While management may flush a few of these players in the offseason, it can be said that the Oklahoma City Barons will likely be the toughest team in the American Hockey League next season.

Poll

Is loading up on Coke Machines in order to find and develop a Milan Lucic-type player a good strategy?

Yes

5 votes

No

6 votes

Don't Know

2 votes

Me Like Hockey

3 votes

16 votes | Poll has closed