Oilers Dream Team from 2000-2013
Posted 5:34 PM ET | Comments 0
I've decided to go back in time and select an Oilers dream team from the year 2000 and up. There are a couple requirements I took into consideration.
1) No rental players - so no deadline day acquisitions that left the year after
2) None of our young guns on the team today (lets bring up the past to make it a little tougher) So no Hall, Nuge, Ebs, Yaks, Shultz
Feel free to agree or disagree with my team but I think its pretty classy!
1st line - Smyth - Weight - Hemsky
This line is a no-brainer as it consists of our top player at their respected position. Smyth bleeds oil and as his on-ice performances now absolutely frustrate us... he was a true blue-collar warrior in his prime with us that put up some impressive numbers. He will go down as a legend.
Dougy Weight was our last player to top 100 points (although that was in the 90s he still hit 90 in the 2000s). He was our last true 1C until the Nuge arrived and his highlight real is divine. I remember that breakaway goal he scored where he dangled the defence and turned his body sideways and scored. It was on the intro of NHL 99. Youtube it.
Hemmer takes top spot RW as he dazzled us for years. Some may saw he teased us for years because of his mass potential. He isn't a superstar but he is a damn good hockey player, even still. Think back to games you've watched and how many times Hemsky made you pop out of your seat. Big fan.
2nd line - Penner - Gagner - Carter
Pancakes, I mean Penner is our 2nd line LW. With all the backlash about him he is still a productive player. His size and hands make him tough to play against. He just wasn't a 1st line player, not his fault he got paid like one.
Our current 2nd line center is my dream team 2nd line center. Sammy has been around for years now (2007). He had tough competition to claim this spot but he's my guy and still has a lot of upside.
Anson Carter was a fan favourite in Edmonton not because of his dreadlocks but he could actually put the puck in the net. He had a few good seasons here then moved on to play with the Sedin twins.
3rd line - Torres - Horcoff - Pisani
These names are historic to Oilers fans because of the cup run. Torres is a monster and will hit anything in sight whether its clean or not.
Horcoff was the scrutiny of Edmonton since his big pay raise but he is honestly a solid 3rd line center. He is an all around player with no spectacular talents but no horrendous flaws either.
Pisani is my playoff performer. I wish he had some more post season chances to see if that 1 year was a fluke. Nevertheless, the hometown hero got plenty of love and it was sad his career ended due to collitus.
4th line - Laraque - Stoll - Grier
Great teammate, great fighter, and great in the community. Who wouldn't love to see Laraque bang into the glass after a goal again? Enough said.
Stoll is better than a 4th line player but he lands here by default. I don't know why we ever got rid of this guy. Know that 3rd line center our team has been desperately needing the past few seasons. Hmmm.... I wonder why. Stolly is a pimp and maybe he belongs in LA anyways.
D1 - Pronger - Smith
Putting all the drama aside, Pronger was dynamite when he was with us and literally carried the team on his back. It was depressing seeing him go and the team fell apart shortly after.
Jason Smith aka Gator was a heart and soul guy and guaranteed 100% effort every shift. He gave us great leadership during his captaincy and accepted no sissy play.
D2 - Brewer - Niinimaa
Now were talking old school. These guys go way back and were standouts in the early 2000s.
Brewer was sort of a whipping boy because we always expected more as he was a Gold medal Olympian. He was a large presence and all around defenceman.
Niinimaa wasn't just an awesome name he was a solid Oiler for a few years. He was the closest thing we had to an offensive defenceman in awhile and put up solid numbers a couple years (46, 44).
D3 - Staios - Gilbert
I always thought of Staios as a Jason Smith clone that wasn't quite as good. He was a good shut down d-man that also led by example. He was a class act and age just caught up to him.
Gilbert became enemy #1 and was ran out of town like some defenceman in the past. Gilbert had the ability to make plays and put up some points but his biggest knock was his lack of physicality. For a big body he should have used it a bit more.
Goalies - Salo - Roloson
Neither of these goalies are superstars but they are both good if not great goalies. Salo got us in the playoffs 3 years in a row but we couldn't get over the hump from there. We may all remember his blunder in Salt Lake with Sweden but he was good in an Oilers uniform.
Roloson is the man that made looking intense creepy. He was a character foresure but when he locked himself in the zone he was a fierce competitor. What could have been if M.A Bergeron didn't run him over in 06. We can dream. Plus, don't we miss his batting clearances?? Hysterical yet legendary.
1) No rental players - so no deadline day acquisitions that left the year after
2) None of our young guns on the team today (lets bring up the past to make it a little tougher) So no Hall, Nuge, Ebs, Yaks, Shultz
Feel free to agree or disagree with my team but I think its pretty classy!
1st line - Smyth - Weight - Hemsky
This line is a no-brainer as it consists of our top player at their respected position. Smyth bleeds oil and as his on-ice performances now absolutely frustrate us... he was a true blue-collar warrior in his prime with us that put up some impressive numbers. He will go down as a legend.
Dougy Weight was our last player to top 100 points (although that was in the 90s he still hit 90 in the 2000s). He was our last true 1C until the Nuge arrived and his highlight real is divine. I remember that breakaway goal he scored where he dangled the defence and turned his body sideways and scored. It was on the intro of NHL 99. Youtube it.
Hemmer takes top spot RW as he dazzled us for years. Some may saw he teased us for years because of his mass potential. He isn't a superstar but he is a damn good hockey player, even still. Think back to games you've watched and how many times Hemsky made you pop out of your seat. Big fan.
2nd line - Penner - Gagner - Carter
Pancakes, I mean Penner is our 2nd line LW. With all the backlash about him he is still a productive player. His size and hands make him tough to play against. He just wasn't a 1st line player, not his fault he got paid like one.
Our current 2nd line center is my dream team 2nd line center. Sammy has been around for years now (2007). He had tough competition to claim this spot but he's my guy and still has a lot of upside.
Anson Carter was a fan favourite in Edmonton not because of his dreadlocks but he could actually put the puck in the net. He had a few good seasons here then moved on to play with the Sedin twins.
3rd line - Torres - Horcoff - Pisani
These names are historic to Oilers fans because of the cup run. Torres is a monster and will hit anything in sight whether its clean or not.
Horcoff was the scrutiny of Edmonton since his big pay raise but he is honestly a solid 3rd line center. He is an all around player with no spectacular talents but no horrendous flaws either.
Pisani is my playoff performer. I wish he had some more post season chances to see if that 1 year was a fluke. Nevertheless, the hometown hero got plenty of love and it was sad his career ended due to collitus.
4th line - Laraque - Stoll - Grier
Great teammate, great fighter, and great in the community. Who wouldn't love to see Laraque bang into the glass after a goal again? Enough said.
Stoll is better than a 4th line player but he lands here by default. I don't know why we ever got rid of this guy. Know that 3rd line center our team has been desperately needing the past few seasons. Hmmm.... I wonder why. Stolly is a pimp and maybe he belongs in LA anyways.
D1 - Pronger - Smith
Putting all the drama aside, Pronger was dynamite when he was with us and literally carried the team on his back. It was depressing seeing him go and the team fell apart shortly after.
Jason Smith aka Gator was a heart and soul guy and guaranteed 100% effort every shift. He gave us great leadership during his captaincy and accepted no sissy play.
D2 - Brewer - Niinimaa
Now were talking old school. These guys go way back and were standouts in the early 2000s.
Brewer was sort of a whipping boy because we always expected more as he was a Gold medal Olympian. He was a large presence and all around defenceman.
Niinimaa wasn't just an awesome name he was a solid Oiler for a few years. He was the closest thing we had to an offensive defenceman in awhile and put up solid numbers a couple years (46, 44).
D3 - Staios - Gilbert
I always thought of Staios as a Jason Smith clone that wasn't quite as good. He was a good shut down d-man that also led by example. He was a class act and age just caught up to him.
Gilbert became enemy #1 and was ran out of town like some defenceman in the past. Gilbert had the ability to make plays and put up some points but his biggest knock was his lack of physicality. For a big body he should have used it a bit more.
Goalies - Salo - Roloson
Neither of these goalies are superstars but they are both good if not great goalies. Salo got us in the playoffs 3 years in a row but we couldn't get over the hump from there. We may all remember his blunder in Salt Lake with Sweden but he was good in an Oilers uniform.
Roloson is the man that made looking intense creepy. He was a character foresure but when he locked himself in the zone he was a fierce competitor. What could have been if M.A Bergeron didn't run him over in 06. We can dream. Plus, don't we miss his batting clearances?? Hysterical yet legendary.