PDO
8-25-05, 2:48 PM
http://www.hockeytraderumors.com/article5516.html
With training camp and the pre-season fast approaching it is time to take a look at what the team should look like for the comming year.
Why not start from the back end up...
Goal
Ty Conklin- He's good. Is the jury still out on this guy??? not really. He has the ability to steal games (showed this 2 years ago in the world championships... he basically took a real average American team to a bronze medal) He never had the chance to prove himself fully with Tommy Salo hanging around until the Trade Deadline, along with the broken hand he suffered in a fight with Passi Nurminen. This should be his year to take the reins as the #1 goalie in Edmonton.
Jussi Markaanen- I have seen this guy play a fair bit... the more I see the more I like about him. He came from nowhere a few years ago and landed the back up spot behind Tommy Salo. At that time the nick name "Jussi Rebound" was being passed around. He played well in his first stint as an Oiler... and really started to show what he could do playing the last 5 games he did in Edmonton. Not to mention that he posted 10 shutouts in the Russian Super League during the lock out... He will be there if Conklin trips up a bit.
Jeff Deslauriers- Edmonton's goalie of the future... he struggled through injuries last year with the Roadrunners... would be the first call up if there is an injured goalie.
Defence
The D has gone through a few changes... I believe it will be one of the best blue lines in the Western Conference. Here's how I see the pairings:
Pronger - Semenov: You take the best D man in the game and pair him with a guy who has the size and shot... who should develop into a real good defenceman with the help of Pronger.
Smith - Staios: They played together a fair bit in the last NHL season... Smith the team captain and tough D-man paired with the a guy who gives his all every shift... Plus he can join the rush and chip in a bit on offence.
Ulanov - Bergeron: Ulanov only seems to play well in an Oilers' uniform! He bolted to the Rangers for big money a few years back... then bounced around. He ended up back with the Oilers after the allstar break and ended up at +15 for the year. Bergeron is a quick offensive D-man... Will be the quarterback on the Oilers second PP unit. The small size would be the only knock on this guy... but with the new rule changes??? A quick d-man wil be good to have! (He'll also benefit from having Pronger around)
Other D- Cory Cross, Danny Syvrett, Matt Greene. Syvrett and Greene should make the Jump to pro hockey this year as they made Woywitka and Lynch expendable.
Forwards
There could be some suprises here... This is a team that will have to score by comittee... they finished 9th in the league for total goals last season... it's possible again.
Smyth (if signed)-Peca- Hemsky: Here is my theory on the Mike Peca Trade... It will give the Oilers a true centerman... Smyth will be all over the goal area, Peca will do the same... and Hemsky will be the play maker. The days where the center have to be the play maker are pretty much over anyways. Smyth should chip in around 25 goals. Peca and Hemsky will be around the 20 plateau (probably around 17ish???)
Torres- Horcoff- Dvorak: Torres and Dvorak played together a lot with Mike York (when he wasn't injured)... They chipped in a fair bit of offence. They provide a good mix of speed (Dvorak), grit (Torres) put them with a center of choice like Horcoff (who has the potential to be a #2 center). How I see them finish the year in the goals column? Torres 20ish, Dvorak 17-20 and Horcoff 15ish.
Moreau-Stoll-Pisani: After a good year for the Roadrunners it is time that Stoll gets some more ice time with the big club. Moreau had a great year, 20 goals, and showed tremendous heart down the stretch. Pisani is a good 3rd line checker with a real good wrist shot... if he uses it. Potential goals: Moreau could get 20 again if he sees PP time, 10-15 for Stoll and Pisani)
______ -________- Laraque: The jury is still out on the fourth line... and 3rd as well. With a grinder like Todd Harvey, a 3rd/4th line center in Marty reasoner, youngsters such as Marc Antoine Pouliotte, Jani Rita and Toni Salmalainen (maybe even Robbie Schremp), MacTavish has a lot of guys he can plug into different games.
These are just thoughts on what the team might look like. Of course, training camp and exhibition games will give a better Idea of who will play on what line.
As for predictions on where they will finish, I say they should make the playoffs. Probably in the lower half: about 5th to 8th. They finished 1 point out of the dance last go around so this year with pretty much the same team, adding Pronger, Peca while losing York and Brewer off the active roster, it's a change for the better.
Not sure who the guy is, but from looking at his profile he looks like he writes quite a bit for the Oilers. What I found interesting is how he raves about the team the whole way through, then it was like he wanted to catch himself and say 5-8th ;)
With training camp and the pre-season fast approaching it is time to take a look at what the team should look like for the comming year.
Why not start from the back end up...
Goal
Ty Conklin- He's good. Is the jury still out on this guy??? not really. He has the ability to steal games (showed this 2 years ago in the world championships... he basically took a real average American team to a bronze medal) He never had the chance to prove himself fully with Tommy Salo hanging around until the Trade Deadline, along with the broken hand he suffered in a fight with Passi Nurminen. This should be his year to take the reins as the #1 goalie in Edmonton.
Jussi Markaanen- I have seen this guy play a fair bit... the more I see the more I like about him. He came from nowhere a few years ago and landed the back up spot behind Tommy Salo. At that time the nick name "Jussi Rebound" was being passed around. He played well in his first stint as an Oiler... and really started to show what he could do playing the last 5 games he did in Edmonton. Not to mention that he posted 10 shutouts in the Russian Super League during the lock out... He will be there if Conklin trips up a bit.
Jeff Deslauriers- Edmonton's goalie of the future... he struggled through injuries last year with the Roadrunners... would be the first call up if there is an injured goalie.
Defence
The D has gone through a few changes... I believe it will be one of the best blue lines in the Western Conference. Here's how I see the pairings:
Pronger - Semenov: You take the best D man in the game and pair him with a guy who has the size and shot... who should develop into a real good defenceman with the help of Pronger.
Smith - Staios: They played together a fair bit in the last NHL season... Smith the team captain and tough D-man paired with the a guy who gives his all every shift... Plus he can join the rush and chip in a bit on offence.
Ulanov - Bergeron: Ulanov only seems to play well in an Oilers' uniform! He bolted to the Rangers for big money a few years back... then bounced around. He ended up back with the Oilers after the allstar break and ended up at +15 for the year. Bergeron is a quick offensive D-man... Will be the quarterback on the Oilers second PP unit. The small size would be the only knock on this guy... but with the new rule changes??? A quick d-man wil be good to have! (He'll also benefit from having Pronger around)
Other D- Cory Cross, Danny Syvrett, Matt Greene. Syvrett and Greene should make the Jump to pro hockey this year as they made Woywitka and Lynch expendable.
Forwards
There could be some suprises here... This is a team that will have to score by comittee... they finished 9th in the league for total goals last season... it's possible again.
Smyth (if signed)-Peca- Hemsky: Here is my theory on the Mike Peca Trade... It will give the Oilers a true centerman... Smyth will be all over the goal area, Peca will do the same... and Hemsky will be the play maker. The days where the center have to be the play maker are pretty much over anyways. Smyth should chip in around 25 goals. Peca and Hemsky will be around the 20 plateau (probably around 17ish???)
Torres- Horcoff- Dvorak: Torres and Dvorak played together a lot with Mike York (when he wasn't injured)... They chipped in a fair bit of offence. They provide a good mix of speed (Dvorak), grit (Torres) put them with a center of choice like Horcoff (who has the potential to be a #2 center). How I see them finish the year in the goals column? Torres 20ish, Dvorak 17-20 and Horcoff 15ish.
Moreau-Stoll-Pisani: After a good year for the Roadrunners it is time that Stoll gets some more ice time with the big club. Moreau had a great year, 20 goals, and showed tremendous heart down the stretch. Pisani is a good 3rd line checker with a real good wrist shot... if he uses it. Potential goals: Moreau could get 20 again if he sees PP time, 10-15 for Stoll and Pisani)
______ -________- Laraque: The jury is still out on the fourth line... and 3rd as well. With a grinder like Todd Harvey, a 3rd/4th line center in Marty reasoner, youngsters such as Marc Antoine Pouliotte, Jani Rita and Toni Salmalainen (maybe even Robbie Schremp), MacTavish has a lot of guys he can plug into different games.
These are just thoughts on what the team might look like. Of course, training camp and exhibition games will give a better Idea of who will play on what line.
As for predictions on where they will finish, I say they should make the playoffs. Probably in the lower half: about 5th to 8th. They finished 1 point out of the dance last go around so this year with pretty much the same team, adding Pronger, Peca while losing York and Brewer off the active roster, it's a change for the better.
Not sure who the guy is, but from looking at his profile he looks like he writes quite a bit for the Oilers. What I found interesting is how he raves about the team the whole way through, then it was like he wanted to catch himself and say 5-8th ;)