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"This page is all about the Edmonton Oilers"
Boyle, AB • Canada • 40 Years Old • Male
With training camp in full swing, it's time for a few Quick Hits.

- The Oilers are progressing well at training camp, and there is optimism in Edmonton. Players being interviewed are now opening up a bit about being releaved the MacT era came to an end.

- Dustin Penner came into camp in great shape, both physically and mentally. He more than anyone else needed a fresh start under a new coach.

- However, it looks like at least for now, Penner won't be playing on the first line. Patrick O'Sullivan is on a line with Horcoff and Hemsky, and that might be a great fit. Pat plays with a little sandpaper in his game, and he loves to shoot the puck. Dustin is being pencilled in to play the wing on the third line with Cogliano and Pisani, as things currently sit.

- The rumors regarding Nikolai Zherdev signing with the Oilers are still there. While Nikolai has negotiated a contract with a KHL team, he has yet to sign the contract, and is still available to NHL clubs. However, Zherdev being signed by Edmonton is a long-shot at best. Tom Renney had him in New York and was not a fan. The Oilers are also up against the cap, and would be about $2mil short to sign him. Rumor is Zherdev was offered $3.25mil from the Rangers in the last week, and he refused it.

- Petr Sykora as of today is with the Wild, so there will be no return to Edmonton for Petr.

- The talk in Edmonton is that if there is a change coming during training camp, it will be due to the Oilers shipping away one of their Top 4 defenseman for a Top 6 forward. There would be no problem finding interest for Souray, Visnovsky, Gilbert or Grebeshkov; the bigger question would be in regards to the type of player Edmonton would receive in return.

- Speaking of potential deals, am I alone in thinking there is a real possibility that Brandon Dubinsky could end up being moved to Edmonton? A two-way center that can take face-offs and play the PK...Edmonton would love that. Any move to add a forward, however, would require Edmonton to ship some bodies, as they have too many on the roster as it is. Would the Rangers take Robert Nilsson and Robbie Schremp for Brandon? Slats loves reclaimation projects, and both Nilsson and Schremp are just that.

- Edmonton's signing of Mike Comrie makes Nilsson rather disposable. It also likely means that one of Sam Gagner and/or Andrew Cogliano will play the wing this season. Could you imagine Edmonton having their own version of the Smurf Line: Cogliano - Comrie - Gagner?

- Don't expect to see Jordan Eberle play in Edmonton this season. Word is the team loves him, and there is a belief he could make the jump this season. The biggest problem is, adding Jordan would actually hurt Edmonton's cap position, and the Oilers are in no rush to rush him. It will be back to junior for Jordan this season.
Filed Under:   Oilers  
September 14, 2009 2:56 PM ET | Delete
Problem with trading Nilsson now is he is actually playing quite well and the coaching staff may want to keep him. Sounds like he is playing better then Comrie.Kinda sad that Quinn had to tell the guys to smarten up and stop wasting his time. Seems like there is still some laziness in this club.
September 14, 2009 2:57 PM ET | Delete
I love the smuf line call, to funny!! Thanks for the update and keep the blogs coming Maxbone!!! Season is almost here!!! Cant wait. I hope we do a deal soon though to many players not enough spots!!!
September 14, 2009 3:03 PM ET | Delete
How would Eberle hurt their cap situation?
September 14, 2009 3:08 PM ET | Delete
Jordan Eberle's contract with signing bonus would be more expensive than a player with a $700K contract.
September 14, 2009 3:09 PM ET | Delete
Eberle's salary with bonuses at max=1.2mil. His base is 800k. I really don't think his salary is what will keep him out of the lineup. It's he size and the fact that if after 40 games he can't cut it we can't put him in the AHL.
September 14, 2009 3:11 PM ET | Delete
The Oilers with 22 players in the line-up would be $1.3mil from the cap ceiling. Replace Eberle's contract with that of someone like Reddox, and they would end up being less than a million from the ceiling.
September 14, 2009 3:44 PM ET | Delete
If Eberle makes the team it isn't at someone like Reddox's expense, it would be at Brule/Nilsson/MAP. Like Ryan said, cap hit is the last thing keeping Eberle off the team.
September 14, 2009 5:00 PM ET | Delete
It would come at either Nilsson or Brule's expense most likely. Nilsson is a $2mil cap hit that certainly would be picked up if he was on waivers. Brule is $800K, so Eberle would be a greater cap hit. I can't see the Oilers sending Nilsson down and losing him.
September 14, 2009 5:08 PM ET | Delete
You actually think they would keep Gilbert over Eberle for .38 million in cap space?
September 14, 2009 5:09 PM ET | Delete
Eberle's cap hit is only 875k, I don't think the 75K will break us. Again it's not a money thing. We have how many small guys in the lineup? Unless some are dealt Eberle doesn't make the cut. If he is to make the team, he has to light it up in pre-season and out play vets on this team.
September 14, 2009 5:13 PM ET | Delete
Quinn loves Eberle. If Quinn wants Eberle, Quinn will get Eberle. He'll tell Tambi to make it happen.
September 14, 2009 5:30 PM ET | Delete
You also have to include signing bonus with the cap number. See Sam Gagner and Andrew Cogliano in respect to this. That being said, I do agree that Quinn will get Eberle if he wants him. While I think Jordan is a long-shot to make the team, I am cheering for him.
September 14, 2009 6:14 PM ET | Delete
Quinn will give Jordan every opportunity to make this team. It will be up to Jordan to make or break his chances.
September 15, 2009 11:37 AM ET | Delete
From what I read it doesn't sound like Eberle has been impressive at the main camp.
September 15, 2009 2:11 PM ET | Delete
Anybody else get he Oilers 09-10 PPV schedule last night? An awesome 16 gamer I think. Well that's 16 games I'm not gonna watch this year. Can't wait until all 82 are PPV.
September 15, 2009 4:22 PM ET | Delete
I think you can blame TSN for taking more non-canadian eastern games. Gregor said something about citytv picking up a game, that's different.
September 15, 2009 5:19 PM ET | Delete
What happened to Sportsnet? Did the Toronto Sports Network further bastardize us out west again?
September 15, 2009 5:37 PM ET | Delete
Okay I wrote something and deleted it as the Oil website has an update. 80 games are on TV. 40 on sportsnet, 1 on citytv, 12 on CBC and 10 on TSN. And apparently one is on Calgary sportsnet. The two games that aren't on TV are on edmontonoilers.com.
September 15, 2009 5:40 PM ET | Delete
Okay I looked at the schedule for PPV, most of the game are garbage ones that I can see why they weren't picked up. But one against TOR and one against VAN late in the year are on PPV. Hmmm, even one against Ottawa is a PPV game.
September 15, 2009 6:09 PM ET | Delete
Cool thanks for the update. I heard last year that you can watch all the PPV's on the internet for free. If I can find it again I'll post it.
September 15, 2009 8:23 PM ET | Delete
For free PPV's go to www.atdhe.net.
September 16, 2009 10:30 AM ET | Delete
That atdhe did break down at one point last year but it was good for most of the year. I caught a bit of Laforge's interview on 1260 and he said their goal is to have as many games on TV as possible, if it weren't for PPV those 16 games wouldn't be on any channel.
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