Baby Oilers - season in review

[slapshot™]

To see their slide into mediocrity click here -> Brutal Season in Review (http://www.edmontonroadrunners.ca/?p=schedule)

They started the season off very well...and then suddenly, the wheels fell off. It wasn't because of injuries or anything typical for a looooong losing streak...they just couldn't win a game if their lives depended upon it.

Well, I guess they were able to help curb some of the Oil's losses at the bank with attendance figures....

With over 350,000 tickets sold this season, the Road Runners finished third in the AHL in average attendance.

Runners say thanks with a victory over the Moose (http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/EdmontonSun/Sports/2005/04/14/996542-sun.html)

[PDO]

The wheels were Torres and Salmo, quite frankly.

Once Torres stopped caring and Salmo got chcked, they were brutal. A few bright spots included Brodziak and Roy. All in all, too many vets that were poorly chosen (Wright, Thompson, Moss all come to mind) and not enough youth. Next year should be a much better year for the team, and hopefully will revolve around the prospects.

Brodziak, Niinimaki, JDD, Lynch, Woywitka, Pouliot, Greene, Jacques, St. Piere, this SHOULD be a good yong team next year. I personally could care less if they succeed, as long as the players develop.

[Rusty]

Hey sorta reminds me of the Oilers!

:D

[Newfie John]

It certainly has been in a rough year for the Roadrunners. They had a lot of veterans and with the new AHL rule of only being able to dress 5, they were a little handcuffed. Not only that, but the division they were in with Rochester, St. Johns, Manitoba, and Hamilton. The only team that you would expect to beat in that division is Syracuse.

The baby leafs play their last 2 games of the regular season tonight and tomorrow night, I'll be at both to watch the Runners get their butts kicked. hehe. :pimp:

[PDO]

It certainly has been in a rough year for the Roadrunners. They had a lot of veterans and with the new AHL rule of only being able to dress 5, they were a little handcuffed. Not only that, but the division they were in with Rochester, St. Johns, Manitoba, and Hamilton. The only team that you would expect to beat in that division is Syracuse.

The baby leafs play their last 2 games of the regular season tonight and tomorrow night, I'll be at both to watch the Runners get their butts kicked. hehe. :pimp:

Newf, would you mind giving me an update on what you see of the Oiler picks? In specific order...

1. Jacques
2. Brodziak
3. Niinimaki
4. JDD
5. Roy
6. Little

Any information on those guys would be highly appreciated, I haven't seen them very often. It's too bad Lynch had injuries and Woywitka took a step back, but Roy really stepped forward and looks like he may have an NHL future from what I've read. St. Pierre should help this team as well..

Rusty, you and I both know the Oilers would be a much different team if they could've kept Weight/CuJo/Guerin.

[Newfie John]

Newf, would you mind giving me an update on what you see of the Oiler picks? In specific order...

1. Jacques

Didn't notice him to be honest.

2. Brodziak

Looks good. Has a deadly shot, his skating is ok. Defensively he tries, but just isn't effective, from what I seen.

3. Niinimaki

I don't know if he'll go anywhere. He seems pretty unspectacular to me. He's a good skater. He didn't make any mistakes and was always in the right place and never caught out of position. Players like this can blossom at any time.

4. JDD

Who?

5. Roy

Wasn't watching him closely enough to comment

6. Little

His name is decieving, he's not very little. He plays big also. Has a nice shot from the point but his mobility could be better.

[PDO]

JDD = Droin-Deslauriers.. I know he played atleast one of the games.. goaltender.

Jacques came out of the Q playoffs and has a lot of hype around him to have the ability to be a slightly more offensive Mike Grier before his shoulder injuries. Little is from Making the Cut, and if he were to ever even be an AHL regular I'd be estatic.


Thanks Jonny.

[Newfie John]

JDD = Droin-Deslauriers.. I know he played atleast one of the games.. goaltender.

Jacques came out of the Q playoffs and has a lot of hype around him to have the ability to be a slightly more offensive Mike Grier before his shoulder injuries. Little is from Making the Cut, and if he were to ever even be an AHL regular I'd be estatic.


Thanks Jonny.

I've seen Deslauriers play a few times. Friday night he was weak during the game and in the shootout. I've seen him play better though but I've never seen him play spectacular at all.

[Leafs_Pam]

The wheels were Torres and Salmo, quite frankly.

Once Torres stopped caring

Raffi did that too? It happened in San Diego too with the Gulls. They signed Curtis Brown (Sabres/Sharks/Hawks) just before Thanksgiving in the States. He promised to make Community appearances, attend autograph sessions, etc., etc., etc. His wife's family lives in Orange County and he told the Gulls he was excited to play hockey near family. He got quite a few points (not shabby at all) but most of the time he was mediocre. Just trying to stay in shape. He never lived up to his promises to the Gulls and he didn't try very hard in the games. The Gulls actually did better most of the time when he wasn't in the lineup. If he had really played all season like Gomez did, without his many mediocre games, he could have really racked up the points. Before the season was over, he decided he didn't want to finish the season so the Gulls put him on Team Suspension.

I saw the Roadrunners play the Cincinnati Ducks in Anaheim in December.