Jon Willis, you are a smart man. Tom Renney, you are a frustrating one.
Posted On: Thursday 1st Mar, 2012 | Posted By: Friesenhan Follow | Comments: 5 | Views: 392
I dont know about you guys, but I am happy the trade deadline is past. now we can just chill and… no, wait… time to kick the horse that is the draft. Only four months of talk about that. Oh well, I think that provides a more positive story than that of the deadline.
Jon Willis wrote an amazing blog (well, two great ones, one amazing one, I also like the idea of the Schneider offer sheet) concerning our status with forwards and Dmen.
1. He hit the nail square on the head when he said that, to get something good, we gotta GIVE something back.
2. I agree that we should take Grigorenko. Murray and Dumba will be awesome… in 5 years. By then, we may be losing faith from Hall and Ebs. Forwards develop faster, and Grigs is big and can play… in fact, he is a complete package of sniper, playmaker, and power forward.
3. Yes, RNH/Grigs sounds better as a 1-2 punch than RNH/Gags. Gags is a player EVERY TEAM would be lucky to have. The compete level of that guy is ridiculous, and he certainly opened some eyes with both the 8 point magic and the ridiculous fight he got himself into for the greater good. This is why Gagner is the perfect piece. Gagner, a prospect like Omark, and a decent pick for a top 2 Dman could be possible-assuming that team has a larger core, as both those guys are a little on the puny side. A top 6 guy, a potential top 6 guy, and a pick for a top 2 Dman… hmmm maybe?
Speaking of the potential of the Oilers lines… I would like to think that Tom Renney woke up last night when he seen the young guns make fools of the best defense in the NHL. Not likely, is it. No no, I am sure the result of that is to give them, especially Eberle, less ice time, because CLEARLY they cant handle it. Does RENNEY want to be in the lottery? I believed his whole 'protecting the young guys from the tough minutes' thing for a while, but now I think that is a bunch of BS. Something is going on that we don't know about. Tom Renney is not an idiot. He knows who his best guys are. So what is really going on?
I am salivating at the Oilers lineup for next year. I really am. Lets pretend we make that Gagner trade for a moment. And no defense leave (which will make a bit of a log jam of top 4 guys, but that will be another blog)
Hall-RNH-Ebs
MPS-Grigorenko-Hemsky
​Smyth-Horcoff-Jones
Eager-Belanger-Petrell
???-Petry
Schultz-Whitney
Smid-Potter
Sutton
I know that optimism for Petry may be premature, but let me have this, he is looking stupidly good!
Problem is, will the Horcoff line be getting 22 minutes every night?
5 Comments to “Jon Willis, you are a smart man. Tom Renney, you are a frustrating one.”
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Nice blog dude, right along the lines of what I have been thinking. One thing I want to add that was very frustrating about the game last night against St Louis is that Barker was a MAJOR contributor on the first 3 Blues goals. Brutal defensive plays on the first 2, and a mindless penalty by slashing a blues players stick in half that wasn't anywhere near the puck on the 3rd. Why, oh why Renney, was Barker in the line-up over Sutton. Barker should be given a permanent seat in the press-box for the rest of the season. All I have to say is Barker-B-Gone!
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Commented on: Thursday 1st Mar, 2012 at 4:36 pm
I like the blog.
I think the Renney is giving Barker a chance to showcase his ability to play in the NHL. Sutton is already signed, and wins and losses are not really a big deal. Barker's play is his NHL death rattle, but Renney is doing the smart thing and giving him serious minutes to put the final nail in the coffin.
I like that Renney is limiting the young players minutes. Every horse trainer knows to save the thoroughbreds for the big race...and this isn't it. The young players need some serious minutes without sustaining serious injuries going into next year. I would love to see the oilers win a bunch of games in the final 19-20, but honestly, every year there is a bottom team that makes a run because they have no pressure to win and play loose. Oilers are primed for that run. If the oilers lose a bunch then they pick earlier in the draft. Either way it doesn't really matter.
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Commented on: Thursday 1st Mar, 2012 at 7:19 pm
I wouldn't take as much stock in height over weight. Gagner is heavy and has a pretty low centre of gravity. Not too often do I see him getting crushed and he isn't routinely getting knocked off the puck.
Defense and goaltending needs to be the focal point for the Oilers right now. The Oilers could very well be picking 3rd overall, if they pick 2nd great - trade down or trade that pick towards an NHL ready defenseman.
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Commented on: Saturday 3rd Mar, 2012 at 2:14 pm
Sorry, forgot to add - if they pick 3rd they take Ryan Murray.
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Commented on: Saturday 3rd Mar, 2012 at 2:15 pm
Good blog freezin hands! I am wondering what the hell is going on in Renney's head. So many questions...I could write several blogs. Lol.
I am with Raine when he says we need to focus on defense and goaltending and with the lack of excitement in this year's draft...trading that pick away for an NHL ready dman is a really smart idea.
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Commented on: Sunday 4th Mar, 2012 at 12:48 am