https://youtu.be/xT_dKn9W_7E
Two night ago I was covered in goosebumps for and entire hockey game. I knew that the LA Kings would give the Oilers all they could handle on such a momentous evening. But just as the Oilers had done so many times this season, they handled it. The flipped the switch on the Kings and ground them out of the game and made it impossible for them to score just as they’d done to the Oilers on so many occasions in the last decade.
But now we can forget the last ten years and look forward to the next ten because a new dynasty is coming.
OILERS NOTES
- Joe Gambardella, Patrik Russell, Drake Caggiula, Matthew Benning, Joey Benik, Nick Ellis…
Are we seeing a pattern here? The Oilers are going after college players who are more mentally/physically ready for the pro game and allowing their junior prospects to develop in their respective leagues. Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli is adding players of high moral character, leaders, and hard-workers. This is a plan I fully endorse and one that Edmonton has failed to utilize in years past.
Speedy right-winger Spencer Foo is also on the Oilers’ radar and if the Oilers sign him, that will give Edmonton some more depth on the right side. I’m not sure he’s got top-6 NHL forward written on him but he’d be a scoring winger in the AHL, I’m fairly certain of that.
- Saying goodbye to the blue jerseys.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the orange jerseys but the blues and whites are the true Oilers colors. Throwing back to the earlier days with the oranges was nice but I don’t believe they should be a primary home jersey. If the orange is so important, make it a bit more prominent on the other uniforms.
- This might be my favorite Oilers team since I started really following the team.
I love what Chiarelli has done to this team and what makes it my favorite Oilers roster is its mix of grizzled vets like Kris Russell, Milan Lucic, and Mark Letestu, flashy kids like McDavid, Klefbom, and Draisaitl, the wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve players like Pat Maroon, Zack Kassian, Matt Hendricks, Eric Gryba, and Adam Larsson. Cam Talbot, I don’t even know what to say. He’s been flat out amazing this season. Even the rooks have been impressive! Who knew Matt Benning would fit in this well and Drake Caggiula would be contributing in the fashion he is. I also love that Nuge and Eberle are coming on late in the season. Not sure if they’ll be here next season but I think we should try to enjoy them while they are.
Pat Maroon and Zack Kassian have stood out for me because they’re big guys who play the game the way I grew up watching AND not only are they highly skilled hockey players but they’re also throwbacks. They smile, they hit, the score, they fight! How could you not love them?
- The expansion draft will be transparent.
UPDATE: #NHL announces protected & available lists for @GoldenKnights expansion draft will be made public #TSNHockey https://t.co/OBQ5ixRWAr
— SportsCentre (@SportsCentre) March 29, 2017
This is good news, not only for the fans but for us bloggers as well. I think it’s a great move by the NHL and it’ll certainly drum up some controversy. Can’t wait to see what Edmonton’s looks like. I’m thinking it won’t look much like the lists that other bloggers and media-types have been publishing due to the amount of roster movement that’ll take place before the actual draft. I’m also wondering how Vegas takes advantage of the buffer window to sign UFAs…
- Greg Wyshynski (Puck Daddy) trolled the Oilers fanbase like only he can do so well.
Congrats Oilers fans. It's been a long two years since you were gifted the best player in the world after winning like 10 other lotteries.
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) March 29, 2017
Greg Wyshynski apparently isn’t a fan of Canadian hockey teams or their fans. He responded to the Oilers fan’s reaction to this tweet on the Puck Soup podcast yesterday and I don’t want to say it’s shocking because it shouldn’t be but I question the motivation behind going after a fanbase for celebrating a return to the playoffs. I’m going to dedicate an entire post later on to this because he says some shitty things but between Wyshynski, Patty O’Sullivan (Quite the tag team there eh?), the Flames fanbase and the trolls coming out of TO; the Edmonton Oilers must be doing something right.
- The first round of the NHL playoffs.
I believe if things continue to go as they are that the Oilers have a good chance of finishing 1st in the Pacific and getting Calgary in the 1st round. I don’t like Edmonton’s chances vs. the California teams to be honest and for me, the Flames haven’t been the tough opponent a lot of people thought they would be for Edmonton.
David Staples had an interesting take on the Oilers playoff prospects leading up to the post-season here.
The Other thing is, and I said this to my dad (who is a converted Flames fan), Calgary peaked too early and now they’re coming back to Earth at exactly the wrong time! Or perhaps exactly the right time for the team who faces them in the playoffs. IF they make it 😉
