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Tencer's Blog: Opening Night Oilers Roster (UPDATE)
Posted 10/1/2011 9:03:00 PM

***Update...while I originally had Gilbert Brule as an extra forward on the opening night roster, the team has decided to waive him***

When the regular season starts on October 9, this is my best guess as to the roster that the Edmonton Oilers will ice. This is, of course, given the best information that I can gather on injury situations. If one of the players I have slated to be on IR is actually healthy for the start of the season, that changes things. Ditto if the team makes a move for a defenseman. Thoughts?

Ryan Smyth - Shawn Horcoff - Ales Hemsky
Taylor Hall - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Jordan Eberle
Magnus Paajarvi - Eric Belanger - Linus Omark
Darcy Hordichuk - Anton Lander - Ryan Jones

Extras: Lennart Petrell

Cam Barker - Tom Gilbert
Theo Peckham - Jeff Petry
Andy Sutton - Corey Potter

Nikolai Khabibulin
Devan Dubnyk

IR: Ryan Whitney, Ladislav Smid, Sam Gagner, Ben Eager, Taylor Fedun, Taylor Chorney

Cut: Gilbert Brule, Ryan Keller, Ryan O'Marra, Teemu Hartikainen, Josh Green
Posted By: Dan Tencer  

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  1. Philip posted on 10/02/2011 10:44 AM
    That blue line in paper thin at best.30th place, here we come, unless we get some help there. Even with Whitney and Smid in the line up, we'll need more consistent play from Gilbert and exceptional years from everybody else to just to survive.
  2. keenanm posted on 10/02/2011 11:09 AM This comment was edited by a moderator at 12:19 PM on 10/02/2011
    Dear Renney, Tambelllini, Quinn, Krueger, Smith, Buchberger, Katz, management, etc.. and Tencer.

    What I'm about to tell you involves admitting to past mistakes and putting business before friendship and loyalties. However, if you are willing to do what it takes to make this roster the best roster it can be... you WILL DO THE FOLLOWING:

    For starters (assuming Gags and eager are still injured come october 9th) you will start the following 12 forwards:
    1A)Hemksy Horcoff Smyth,
    1B)Hall RNH Eberle,
    3. Paajarvi Lander Omark,
    4 Jones Belanger Hordichuk. NO BRULE, he may have a contract be he is a depth player and a fine call up... for now.

    I agree with Tencer for the rest.

    HOWEVER! Upon Gagne's return from injury you will make the hardest decision of the season, but you will know it is the right one. You will not trade away gagne or ANY OTHER OILERS and you will not send Lander to OKC or RNH to the rebels.

    This is NOT a shot at the following player, this is how I feel about my former favourite oiler.

    You WILL burry your 5 million dollar mistake... captain Horcoff. I know he has a no movement clause in his contract, I know he is the captain, I know he is costing katz millions and I know he is a friend with whom you have loyalties to. THIS IS A BUSINESS and you MUST dress the BEST TEAM. Horc is a hardworking professional who will not want to remain a healthy scratch or even a starter on a team that is asking him to go to OKC... A team that knows he is the 5th man out when it comes to centres. He will reluctantly accept his fate and agree to play in OKC.

    Now that you've shown the city you are ready to do anything to dress the best team, you are ready to make a real run at the playoffs, but who will be the captain. ***YOU WILL NOT NAME A CAPTAIN.**** This is a fresh start, the rebuild is ending and the team will start captainless. You will see who emerges as the captain within a month i'm sure. Maybe it's whitney, maybe smyth, maybe lander... whoever proves themselves.


    I know this is a ridiculous suggestion that will never happen, but it is only for the following reasons.. horcoff is costing katz $5 million, horcoff is wearing a C on his jersey, horcoff has a no movement clause, and horcoff has close personal ties with management. For these reasons, we will not be able to see the best oilers roster available this season.

    Option 2) When gagne returns from injury, send lander down to okc. I like him slightly more then RNH right now but after a sample size of 5 straight seasons, it is safe to say our team is injury prone, and we should be thinking picking our top 5 centres not 4. The injury bug WILL strike again and we need to think about the call up options. If RNH goes to jr. then our first call up option becomes brule or omarra as opposed to Lander.

    So basically your 5 centres are either Horc, Gagne, Lander, RNH, Belanger. Or Horc, gagne, lander, Belanger, Brule. The answer seems so obvious to me.





    Sincerely,

    The oilers' biggest fan.



    P.S. I took RNH in the last round of my fantasy draft so he has to stay. :)
  3. matt posted on 10/02/2011 01:28 PM
    @keenamn, as the "oilers biggest fan" I would assume you know that there is no "gagne" on the Oilers. Simone Gagne plays for the LA Kings. But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you were referring to Sam Gagner, who actually plays for the Oilers. Since this ruins all credibility of anything that you say, I'll point out that Horcoffs contract is a one way deal and wouldn't just "go to OKC". He would certainly be plucked off waivers the second he is placed. But again this is a rediculous statement because you don't put your captain on waivers so it doesn't even matter.
    1. keenanm posted on 10/03/2011 09:53 AM
      @matt First off, the horcoff suggestion was so ridiculous it really doesn't merit anymore attention, IF ANY. Also, I mentioned the no movement part of his contract smart guy. And NO, even on re-entry waivers, no one is grabbing that contract. Also "Rediculous" isn't even a word, in any language, but i'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you meant ridiculous. Since this ruins all credibility of anything that you say, I'll point out that I said sending horcs to okc will never happen.

      OPTION 2 is the realistic way to go.

      I know horcs isn't that bad, he's probably a slight step up from belanger, but at least belanger has a realistic contract.


      What I think should happen is dress Horc, RNH, Lander, and Belanger until Gagner comes back. Unless RNH blows his nine game audition, keep him when gagner comes back send lander to OKC and have him on standby for when injury strikes, and it most certainly will.
  4. Tim posted on 10/02/2011 05:30 PM
    Nobody needs a massively overpaid third line center. He wouldn't be picked up unless it was re-entry waivers. Not that he should be sent down, he isn't THAT bad.
  5. C Anne posted on 10/20/2011 03:09 PM
    Deat Dan,
    I am your biggest fan. Love your show.

    Why did they add the Bob Stauffer show? I'm sorry, but he's a terrible interviewer, seems to have a negative attitude about, well, everything...that comment he made yesterday about players having to take the bus vs. a $10 cab ride? What was that about? That casts a very negative shadow on our city, our sports authority, and the radio station itself.

    Dan, YOU are the Oilers authority of Edmonton. We didin't need another show. I notice you even often have the same guests on in a day!

    Again, I LOVE your show. I work as a writer,(write narration for documentary films) and I work primarily from home, listening to the radio. Your show has everything I need; sports facts, behind the scenes info, comedy, educated and well presented opinion pieces.

    Keep up the great work, Dan. Your still 'the man' of hockey Edmonton.
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