Oilers President Talks Schedule
Posted 7/17/2008 9:00:00 PM
It's a schedule that features visits from all 5 Canadian teams and almost every team in the league. But, Pittsburgh and Washington (Crosby, Malkin and Ovechkin) are amongst the teams who won't visit this year. LaForge says the schedule isn't perfect until that situation is resolved. "The Oilers and all the teams in the Northwest division believe that we should all play home and home," LaForge told me tonight on Inside Sports. "There's still a lot of teams in the East that are not interested in a home and home schedule and when it was put to a vote it just didn't carry."

"Eventually, I believe that the National Hockey League needs to be home and home with the entire league and I believe that's what the fans want to see."

The team starts the season at home on October 12th against the Colorado Avalanche, but that's a rare home game in the first quarter of the season. Only 6 of 20 are on home ice. "We start on the road pretty much every year; we have a heavy schedule during the fall on the road and we like it that way," LaForge explains. "MacT prefers to play a couple at home and then get out on the road; he feels it's good for team bonding."

But...14 of 20 on the road? "It's more than we wanted but we're stuck with it."

However, it isn't all bad. The schedule is a give and take and the Oilers make up for the lost home dates by playing 6 of their last 7 regular season games at home. "What we lost on the front end we get back in March," says LaForge. "It gives us a great run to the playoffs and with so many home games it will just be great for the fans."

One of the big quirks in the schedule is a game on February 1st...a 6pm start at Rexall Place...that goes directly up against the NFL's Super Bowl. "I think it's a game that we would have liked to have had on a different date. But, it worked for us and it worked for Nashville and I think it'll be a sellout and an exciting game."

"That one was one of those ones that we did try to move and it just didn't work out. I don't like to have those conflicts but from time to time they happen. Sorry about that."

OTHER TIDBITS

*The NHL will open its regular season schedule again this season with games taking place overseas. Last year it was England, this year Sweden and the Czech Republic. LaForge says the Oilers would like to be involved in starting the year outside of North America eventually.

"We've noodled it around with Kevin Lowe's contacts internationally but we haven't really struck on something that's a home run. When you finish higher up the ladder, as we hope to do this year, the idea becomes more real for us and other teams like it. We'd love to do it."

*Glenn Anderson will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame this November. Wayne Gretzky and the Phoenix Coyotes visit Rexall Place on December 22nd and January 18th...those are the 2 prime dates for a ceremony to retire the #9 jersey at Rexall Place. LaForge says it will certainly happen at some point this season.

"I can say for sure we've talked about it and we've been talking to Glenn back and forth. I think we'll be able to make an announcement long before the season tickets get into the hands of our customers later this summer."

*The 2nd game of the season is against the Anaheim Ducks. It's a nationally televised Wednesday night game and it looks a bit odd that the league, who publically condemn the Burke/Lowe feud, are looking to capitalize on the controversy. LaForge says his team isn't backing down from the attention.

"I think we've had a history of playing early games against teams where we've had challenges. This year we go Anaheim and then a home and home against Calgary. And, hey, let's get into it. Why should we avoid it? We should be good enough to take 2 points from Anaheim and we'd enjoy the contest. If the TV audience is huge, good. We're gonna play them so we might as well do it up front. I like it, personally, I like a bit of showmanship."

*LaForge says the team will unveil a new 3rd jersey for the 2008-09 season, likely with an announcement in August.
Posted By: Dan Tencer  

Leave a comment:

showing all comments · Subscribe to comments
  1. Terry posted on 07/21/2008 08:51 AM
    RE: Sunday's game. The whole team played well except for Danny McChoka and Frito Ray. With the very competent Jason Maas in the wings, it was unacceptable to not use him when Ray was slumping. And who decided that McChoke calling the plays is a good idea? Every game Ive seen (entertaining though they may be) has been threatened by bad plays . The ones we have won have only been won because of outstanding individual effort. That won't last. We need to use Maas and try having the QBs call the plays.
  2. flow1800 posted on 07/22/2008 10:28 PM
    vRZxpF gfjtujk jtryh e6hghdgfd gfjgfj dyrjydtrjgn dgjf
  3. gjxu rqaelsvyu posted on 08/16/2008 02:16 PM
    xanoqy rimcgsy fzpwh pzavbjno gsfjhx vrfmtdau ocem
  4. bed bath posted on 08/18/2008 11:10 AM
    Very Nice Site! Thanx! http://excellent-credit-card.blogspot.com
  5. Xrjuiwmq posted on 08/21/2008 05:35 AM
    KYueFC comment5, trackside auto, http://www.fpm.cz/pf2006/9/blog.php?p=9213#1 trackside auto, %[[[, cope auto and marine, http://drofx.com/docs/1/blog.php?p=396#1 cope auto and marine, 9920, auto insurance quoe, http://drofx.com/docs/4/blog.php?p=1927#1 auto insurance quoe, sxeuzo, recycled auto parts ny, http://www.radioatlantis.fr/new/10/blog.php?p=9720#1 recycled auto parts ny, crmd, auto leasing return sales, http://www.cuisines-de-marie.com/ecrire/exec/3/blog.php?p=21254#1 auto leasing return sales, xvd, merlins auto, http://drofx.com/docs/10/blog.php?p=4706#1 merlins auto, =DD,
  6. vrtsk mcdjr posted on 08/31/2008 12:59 AM
    faehpix otwlxpnf xqcrme togv ehkguawcq pyhmo wjfs
  7. Tib posted on 09/27/2008 10:52 PM
    http://trileptal.pharmstoreworld.net http://serophene.pharmstoreworld.net http://exelon.pharmstoreworld.net http://diamox.pharmstoreworld.net http://plan-b-57.pharmstoreworld.net http://singulair.pharmstoreworld.net http://aldactone.pharmstoreworld.net http://plan-b-83.pharmstoreworld.net http://penis-growth-oil.pharmstoreworld.net http://eulexin.pharmstoreworld.net http://pamelor.pharmstoreworld.net http://weight-loss-7.pharmstoreworld.net http://breast-sculptor.pharmstoreworld.net http://breast-augmentation-1.pharmstoreworld.net http://chloroquine.pharmstoreworld.net http://plan-b-26.pharmstoreworld.net http://pyridium.pharmstoreworld.net http://virility-gum.pharmstoreworld.net http://prilosec.pharmstoreworld.net http://sarafem.pharmstoreworld.net
  8. Money Back Payday Loan posted on 08/24/2010 09:06 AM
    Hello my dear friend! I'm a pure student... http://nyclifestyle.net/_12-Payday-Loan-Payment-Calculator-18/photo/10320361/59273.html Payday Slogan | Cash Loans Com Payday Until | http://community.indigenousportal.com/_Hawaii-Payday-Loan/photo/10315106/109225.html Hawaii Advance Cash Loan Online Payday | Contract And Signature Payday Loans | http://community.shape.com/_143-Payday-Loan-New-York-206/photo/10319902/103284.html Cash Internet Loan Payday Until
showing all comments