Weekend Update: Two Retirements, One Week

The Oilers started out their week not bad, with a close game on Hockey Night in Canada. The team suffered a shootout loss against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night, but they followed that with a 3-1 loss in Nashville where Jordan Eberle left the rink in a walking cast and Kurtis Foster looked to have received a concussion. Super. Thursday night was a depressing shutout loss against the St. Louis Blues but Jordan Eberle was on the ice, no harm done to his ankle, well we all hope now don't we?

There were some players that were starting to get healthy, Jean-Francois Jacques was cleared to play Thursday night's game in St. Louis. Okay, maybe just one player was getting healthy.

Rod Phillips will call his final Oilers game this Tuesday, and will then be officially retired. This is the end of an era my friends. I know that I will miss hearing his voice on the radio when I can't watch or be at a game. The wonderful thing about the internet, well besides all of the obvious is that radio stations stream online, no matter where you are you can tune in and listen to the Oilers. I'm sure that many Oilers' fans living outside of Edmonton will miss Rod the most.

In other retirement news, Paul Lorieau has also announced that this is his final season. Lorieau has been absent from many games this season, looking back now perhaps the Oilers have been allowing others to try out for his replacement. It's unfortunate, as Lorieau has always been the anthem singer, they will be some big shoes to fill for whoever steps in. Of course that is just the same situation for Jack Michaels, the man attempting to pick up where Rod Phillips left off.

The Oilers signed another NCAA free agent last Saturday, Tanner House. House is a centreman who has graduated from the University of Maine. House has already played with the Oklahoma City Barons, and may aid in their playoff push. Neal will have more on that for you, I'm sure.

The Edmonton Oil Kings began their much anticipated playoff series with the Red Deer Rebels Friday night in Red Deer. Sadly, the Oil Kings lost by two late goals by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The Oil Kings will play the Rebels again tonight in Red Deer. The Oil Kings will have their home games on Monday and Thursday. This will be an excellent opportunity for you to see Oilers' prospects and potential Oilers' prospects.

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In NHL news ex-Oiler Marty Reasoner made news this week. His team, the Florida Panthers were short a goalie for their practise in New York City. Their farm team call-up was on route, but available for practise. Reasoner's younger brother Adam is a goalie and lives and works in New York, so was able to be a Florida Panther for an NHL practise. I love stories like that. What a great opportunity and coincidence.

Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby has skated and says that he feels good. It sounds as though the NHL star will be ready to play for playoffs, but the Penguins will allow Crosby to play a couple of games to find his game again before playing in the higher pressure playoff games.

In other Penguins news, Matt Cooke received his suspension for his obvious dangerous elbow hit. The decision, 10 games plus the first round of playoffs, 14-17 games. Cooke is not a first time offender, so it will be interesting to see what will be handed out for first time offenders.

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Tencer's Blog: Mac Attack - Tencer's Blog

Oil Kings vs. Rebels - A viewer's guide - Cult of Hockey McCurdy

Nugent-Hopkins gets rave review as he heads into tonight's game versus the Oil Kings - Cult of Hockey Staples

Tracking Oiler prospects: Edmonton's double draftee - Cult of Hockey McCurdy

Deslauriers: "You have to deal with situations that are out of your control" - Cult of Hockey McCurdy

What Is A Playoff Series Worth To The Oklahoma City Barons? - Copper & Blue Zona

Tanner House - Adding Another Academic All-Star - Copper & Blue Zona

Time - Black Dog Hates Skunks

PÄÄJÄRVI'S SEASON - Oilers Nation Lowetide

TURNING IT DOWN A NOTCH - Oilers Nation Brownlee

FIGHTING: WHAT COST TRADITION? - Oilers Nation Brownlee

SERENITY NOW - Oilers Nation Lowetide

Matt Cooke's suspension hearing: The top secret transcript - Down Goes Brown

Pelss: "My advantage is speed and shot ' - Latvian Newspaper, will need translation