oilersrule66

"the young hockey addict"

Welcome to the next oilers dynasty • Canada • 21 Years Old • Male

The Case for Jagr in Edmonton

This weekend Jaromir Jagr narrowed his list of teams down to 3. Edmonton, New Jersey and Les Canadiens. Since The Oilers are in the sweepstakes I wanted to put in my 2 cents on why the Oilers should sign him and where he'ld fit into the line up next year.

Back in 07 or 08 or whenever he went to the KHL, Jagr told the Oilers organization that if he ever came back to play in North America that his first choice would be the Oilers. This was mainly because of his friendship with Hemsky and the fact that they played together on the Czech national team and that they had good chemistry. As you all know this didn't happen and Jagr went to the highest bidder. In this case it was Philly. But now he can redeem himself by fulfilling his old promise to the Oilers.

If Jagr where to be interrested in signing with the Oilers now and he where to sign with say, the condition that they don't trade Hemsky, MacTavish will have some explaining to do. After going out and saying PUBLICLY to the media that he was going to trade Horcoff and Hemsky to the highest bidder and after doing just that with Horcoff, I doubt Hemsky wants anything to do with the Oilers franchise. He's proberly sitting at home right now with his bags packed waiting for the phone call. But with enough convincing and being able to play with his old friend Jaromir, Hemsky might just decide to stay.

If Hemsky stays if the Oilers sign Jagr it would fill all the roster holes on the team. Jagr would be the 2nd line LWer and Hemsky would be the 3rd line RWer. You killed 2 birds with one stone. AKA, made 1 signing and got 2 players. Not only would signing Jagr fix both the holes on the Oilers roster but he would be a great influence on Hall, Eb and the other kids. Just look at what he turned Giroux into. Nuff said.

Then there's Hemsky's attitude problem's. He doesn't care about winning, he only half asses it most games and he just doesn't care. But with Jagr and his fight to the death attitude and Eakins, "If your not hurting your not trying hard enough" attitude if Hemsky doesn't change he's going to be in for a rough ride this season. It's either shape up our die from exhaustion for him.

So if Hemsky gets back to his 06 shape the only problem left is the fact that Jagr would want to play on the same line as Hemsky. OK, we can work with that. The easiest and least repulsive of doing that is proberly having 3 equal offensive lines. AKA, the 3rd line will be another offensive line not a 2 way shutdown line. You would do that by moving Paajarvi up to the 2nd line with Yakupov and Gagner and then dropping Jagr down to the 3rd with Hemmer and Gordan. Easy peasy.

Doing this would make the lines for next year something lile this.......

Hall - Nuge - Eberle

Paajarvi - Gagner - Yakupov

Jagr - Gordan - Hemsky

Brown - Lander - Finnish guy


Schultz x2

Ference - Petry

Smid - Belov


Dubby

LaBarbara

This line up is based upon a couple things. Jagr signing, Hemsky staying, Gagner and Paajarvi re signing. But if this all happens the Oilers could make the post season for the 1st time since the cup run in 06'. I was only 6 back then!

Just wait Oil Country, the playoffs are near......