What I think the Oilers should do.
Posted 2:56 PM ET | Comments 0
Wow, so going to write a blog about the lowly Edmonton Oilers eh? Well If there were only 30 Oilers bloggers I would definitely be at the very bottom of the standings. Bear with me and maybe some of what I say will be interesting (probably not).
So out of some stroke of luck I've managed to make it to two regular season games this year, a terrible loss to the Senators where the most exciting thing was the drunk dude sitting in front of us spilling four or five beers. And again last nights stinker of a hockey game vs the Ducks. Maybe I'm the curse for the 2 poorest performances of the season by the bad news bears of the NHL.
Last night was pathetic to watch so bad in fact that I heard the following conversation in the stands Guy 1 "What an abortion of a game!" Guy 2 "I've seen better looking abortions than this game!". Now before you jump all over me for being politically incorrect I'm just quoting what I heard, I did however laugh so hard mid gulp of Rexall Wonder Beer that I almost had to buy new T-shirts for the couple sitting in front of me.
Why do I bring this up you ask? Because for the longest time I have been on the side of management and coaching with the whole re-build idea, but alas I have changed my opinion, signings that I thought would be great for the team aren't working out, kids aren't developing as quickly as one would like (I'm sure my expectations were a little over zealous) and the team is playing like a bottom division Rec team.
I think my biggest issue is with the coaching and how he is bringing the kids along and Renney's use of the vets. It's been written about before but how the hell does Belanger earn so much time on the PP? How did Ebs, Nuge and Hall not lead all forwards in Ice time remember they are the only ones that are playing consistently night in and night out.
SOOOOO...what do I think the team needs to do? I'm no expert, believe me I once traded Heatley, Kovalchuk and JS Giguerre in a year were the two forwards were at they're greatest and Giguerre led the league in wins and SO's. Here goes, First of all Renney needs to go, the Oilers players do not need a players coach right now. He's been good to the kids for the last year but he's got no oomph so to speak, how can anyone be scared of a guy like TOM RENNEY. They lose so ugly last night against the Ducks, and today the tweet from the Oilers says team practicing and Renney is being very vocal?? Oh no not vocal!!! I just don't get it there should have been a garbage can in the middle of the ice and the team bag skated till everyone puked.
As for Tambo I still haven't quite made up my mind on him yet, he hasn't done much yet. Sure Hall and Nuge, but they fell in to his lap by icing a terrible team the last few years, the Khabibulin signing well that hasn't worked out well has it? Eager, Belanger to early to tell, although both have been a disapointment I'm hoping that this season is an anomily for Belanger and Eager would improve with more ice time. He did pluck Ryan Jones off of waivers. The more I read what I'm writing, I think Tambo should go too.
As for the players, well it would depend entirely on who they bring in to coach the team. Hemsky has clearly lost interest and is usually the first off the ice and out of the rink, maybe a new coach would help or maybe he really does just need a change of location. Smyth well he'd be nice as a rental player to a contender and would most likely be back in an Oilers sweater next season. Gagner, well I'd keep him, he is 22 years old and turning in to a heart and soul guy for this team. On Defence well there's a lot that you can do, what they need is some vets that can actually play, I haven't looked at who is available UFA in the off season but a few gritty vets to allow the younger guys to develop in OKC would be optimal.
Well there it is, my first blog post about the Lowly Oilers. I've already learned a few things, like make notes on what I want to write about first so I don't run out of ideas mid way through like today (Abrupt ending). Not sure how many of these I am going to do, but you can bet that when I get as pissed off as I did last night I will be on. I'm taking my daughter to the game on Sunday vs the Kings so i guess you should expect another angry blog Monday.
Thanks for reading, Follow me on twitter if you like @rustyknuckler
RustyKnuckles
So out of some stroke of luck I've managed to make it to two regular season games this year, a terrible loss to the Senators where the most exciting thing was the drunk dude sitting in front of us spilling four or five beers. And again last nights stinker of a hockey game vs the Ducks. Maybe I'm the curse for the 2 poorest performances of the season by the bad news bears of the NHL.
Last night was pathetic to watch so bad in fact that I heard the following conversation in the stands Guy 1 "What an abortion of a game!" Guy 2 "I've seen better looking abortions than this game!". Now before you jump all over me for being politically incorrect I'm just quoting what I heard, I did however laugh so hard mid gulp of Rexall Wonder Beer that I almost had to buy new T-shirts for the couple sitting in front of me.
Why do I bring this up you ask? Because for the longest time I have been on the side of management and coaching with the whole re-build idea, but alas I have changed my opinion, signings that I thought would be great for the team aren't working out, kids aren't developing as quickly as one would like (I'm sure my expectations were a little over zealous) and the team is playing like a bottom division Rec team.
I think my biggest issue is with the coaching and how he is bringing the kids along and Renney's use of the vets. It's been written about before but how the hell does Belanger earn so much time on the PP? How did Ebs, Nuge and Hall not lead all forwards in Ice time remember they are the only ones that are playing consistently night in and night out.
SOOOOO...what do I think the team needs to do? I'm no expert, believe me I once traded Heatley, Kovalchuk and JS Giguerre in a year were the two forwards were at they're greatest and Giguerre led the league in wins and SO's. Here goes, First of all Renney needs to go, the Oilers players do not need a players coach right now. He's been good to the kids for the last year but he's got no oomph so to speak, how can anyone be scared of a guy like TOM RENNEY. They lose so ugly last night against the Ducks, and today the tweet from the Oilers says team practicing and Renney is being very vocal?? Oh no not vocal!!! I just don't get it there should have been a garbage can in the middle of the ice and the team bag skated till everyone puked.
As for Tambo I still haven't quite made up my mind on him yet, he hasn't done much yet. Sure Hall and Nuge, but they fell in to his lap by icing a terrible team the last few years, the Khabibulin signing well that hasn't worked out well has it? Eager, Belanger to early to tell, although both have been a disapointment I'm hoping that this season is an anomily for Belanger and Eager would improve with more ice time. He did pluck Ryan Jones off of waivers. The more I read what I'm writing, I think Tambo should go too.
As for the players, well it would depend entirely on who they bring in to coach the team. Hemsky has clearly lost interest and is usually the first off the ice and out of the rink, maybe a new coach would help or maybe he really does just need a change of location. Smyth well he'd be nice as a rental player to a contender and would most likely be back in an Oilers sweater next season. Gagner, well I'd keep him, he is 22 years old and turning in to a heart and soul guy for this team. On Defence well there's a lot that you can do, what they need is some vets that can actually play, I haven't looked at who is available UFA in the off season but a few gritty vets to allow the younger guys to develop in OKC would be optimal.
Well there it is, my first blog post about the Lowly Oilers. I've already learned a few things, like make notes on what I want to write about first so I don't run out of ideas mid way through like today (Abrupt ending). Not sure how many of these I am going to do, but you can bet that when I get as pissed off as I did last night I will be on. I'm taking my daughter to the game on Sunday vs the Kings so i guess you should expect another angry blog Monday.
Thanks for reading, Follow me on twitter if you like @rustyknuckler
RustyKnuckles