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"the young hockey addict"
Welcome to the next oilers dynasty • Canada • 21 Years Old • Male
Most fans believe that the Oilers still have a few more moves that they're going to make before the season starts given that they have holes on the 3rd line and have too many defensemen. And with Hemsky still here even after MacTavish said he was going to trade him. But what if MacTavish is all done for the summer and is happy with the lines he has now?

If MacTavish is done for the summer I still see him trading Hemsky for whatever he can get. Even if it's only a 2nd round pick. He came out and said publicly that he was going to trade him and we don't want a Luongo situation where the player doesn't want to be there. He pretty much has to trade Hemsky now.

After trading Hemsky, if MacTavish doesn't make anymore moves, what are the Oilers lines? The top 6 is pretty much set in stone with Hall - Nuge - Eberle and Perron - Gagner - Yakupov but the bottom 6 is a mess. The only real players that are set in stone are the 2 centermen, Boyd on the 3rd and Lander on the 4th. After that we know Jones is on the team but that's it. And we don't know what line he's even on.

There's 3 spots left to fill on the 3rd and 4th lines. All wingers. Joensuu will be able to play on the 4th line. So that leaves 2 spots open. Maybe the 2 UFA signings of Hamilton and Acton that everyone thought was AHL depth are the missing pieces? Maybe MacTavish has more plans for these 2 than everyone thought?

Acton might have a realistic chance at making the team givin that his dad's the associate coach but why would Hamilton make the team? Did Eakins like him when he played in Toronto? Did Eakins ask MacTavish to sign him? Maybe.

Now if Hamilton, Acton and Joensuu are the missing pieces, where do they fit? If these are the other 3 wingers for the bottom six Jones will almost definatly be on the 3rd line. But who will be with him? I hate it when people say Joensuu's a 3rd liner but who knows? Maybe he is. Maybe MacTavish knows somthing we don't. Maybe Joensu is 3rd line quality.

If Joensuu is in fact going to play on the 3rd line that makes Hamilton and Acton the 4th liners. This makes sense because niether of them have much NHL experience and giving them time on the 4th line will let them develop.

This would make Edmonton's lines for 2013 - 14....

Hall - Nuge - Eberle

Perron - Gagner - Yakupov

Joensuu - Gordan - Jones

Acton - Lander - Hamilton

I hope MacTavish knows something I don't because the bottom six looks inexperienced with only 2 players that have played full NHL seasons before. But at least everybody fits into the general age group of the team. This is a young group of kids and maybe MacTavish is trying to make the lineup that we'll have when the Oilers are winning cups?
Filed Under:   Oilers  
July 30, 2013 10:57 AM ET | Delete
need a couple knuckle dragging coke machines
July 30, 2013 12:25 PM ET | Delete
are you forgetting brown?
July 30, 2013 12:29 PM ET | Delete
oh ya I forgot to add the extras....... Brown and Smyrh are extras
July 30, 2013 12:30 PM ET | Delete
I have a feeling Eager is going to get a chance to prove himself in camp to Eakins. From all accounts he was a professional and class act when he was sent down which always is not the case when vets get sent down. I think if he proves himself at camp Eakins will give him a shot.
July 30, 2013 12:32 PM ET | Delete
Eager might get a shot at making the team because of the lack of talent and experience on the bottom 6 but I hope he doesnt
July 30, 2013 3:52 PM ET | Delete
I always thought Hamilton could be a decent 4th liner when he as with the leafs/marlies
July 30, 2013 5:56 PM ET | Delete
Smyth will definitely not be an extra and eager may play as well so that takes out acton and hamilton
July 30, 2013 7:05 PM ET | Delete
smyth isnt good enough for the AHL anymore much less the NHL. WAY too slow and tires easy. Hes only on the team because of his history.
July 31, 2013 2:54 PM ET | Delete
It will probably end up being Smyth/Gordon/Jones on the 3rd and Joensuu/Lander/Hamilton on the 4th... But I agree that Smyth is a bum at this point in his career. It has been fairly well known that the Oil are looking to get tougher on the back end... think throwing a 2nd rounder at Philly for Grossmann could happen? Him and Smid would be a great shutdown pair.
August 1, 2013 4:56 PM ET | Delete
ya your right smyth might make the team givin his history and experience
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