Detroit Red Wings at Edmonton Oilers, Game 52 Breakdown

Detroit Red Wings
@ Edmonton Oilers

Saturday, Feb 4, 2012, 8:00 PM MST
Rexall Place

Tickets

Close the Door, Mr. Conklin - Winging It In Motown
Of course, news broke yesterday that Jimmy Howard is out with the tip of his finger broken. That means it's up to Mr. Conklin to close the door. And while he's played better recently, if Gagner plays like he did last game he might be breaking Darryl Sittler's record of 10 points in a single hockey game.

Shawn Horcoff - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Ales Hemsky
Taylor Hall - Sam Gagner - Jordan Eberle
Ryan Smyth - Eric Belanger - Ryan Jones
Ben Eager - Anton Lander - Lennart Petrell

Ladislav Smid - Jeff Petry
Ryan Whitney - Corey Potter
Cam Barker - Andy Sutton

Oilers vs. Red Wings – Game 52 - Putting on the Foil
With Jimmy Howard out with a broken finger, the Oilers might stand more of a chance too, although backups often kill us, as do former Oilers… so former Oiler backups can’t be good to face… Conklin should play tonight too.

G52 Red Wings at Oilers - Lowetide
This isn’t darkness with Harkness, but if the Oilers don’t start winning games consistently and pushing for the playoffs then bad things will happen. Not signing Ales Hemsky doesn’t do the 12-13 Oilers any favors, and trading him for picks and prospects means you are moving back the wins again. At some point, teenagers grow into young men and agents have the long term view for their clients.

Trading Smyth Isn’t The Plan Right Now - Cult of Hockey
Despite the rumours, this isn’t really a surprise. We all remember the circumstances of this summer’s return to Edmonton, the reports that it was Smyth himself forcing the issue, wanting to return to Alberta and the team that drafted him and that he spent most of his NHL career. We know too that Smyth’s contract includes a no-trade clause, and that he alone has the power to decide if a trade does or does not go through.

Hemsky: "I haven’t really talked to them." - Cult of Hockey
If that’s not writing on the wall, then I don’t know what is. Nothing says, "We’re going to trade you" like having abstained from contract talks with an unrestricted free agent with a little over three weeks to go before the trade deadline.

Today's Frustrated Edmonton Fan: Lowetide_

Complete Coverage >