Monday, October 10, 2011

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins kept the Pen


That's the Nuge by thumb in the top corner of the top pic.  The hardest one to read is the Eberle autograph on the Oilers logo on the top of the brim, the only one signed with a black sharpie (it was already in his hand).

I was the first person RNH (and many of the Oilers) signed for but when Hoppy came by ( last Oiler to leave ) I told him he could keep the silver sharpie and that he was probably in more need of it now than I was.  I also told him he was the easiest pick in my multi-contest winning mock-draft.  On pace for 82 this year, eh Ryan?

Thanks to all the boys who so graciously signed my ballin' hat.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

ROCK AND ROLL

Tonight would be incredible if it was as good as last years home opener.  Even if it isn't, it's good to get going again.  GO OILERS GO!!!!!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

2011 Oilers Projected Opening Day Rost...er, oops, too late

Well, I'm about half an hour late for this post to be able to be compared to the results but here is (was) my projected opening night roster with injured players in red:


Hall ( L ) Nugent-Hopkins ( L ) Eberle ( R )
Smyth ( L ) Horcoff ( L ) Hemsky ( R )
Paajarvi ( L ) Lander ( L ) Omark ( L )
Hordichuk ( L ) Belanger ( L ) R. Jones ( L )
Petrell ( L ) Brule ( R )

Gagner ( R ) Eager ( L )



Jeff Petry Tom Gilbert
Theo Peckham Cam Barker
Andy Sutton Corey Potter
Taylor Chorney Ladislav Smid
Taylor Fedun Ryan Whitney



Dubnyk

Khabibulin


In this case we would not add another D-man to the roster at this time and Brule would stick with the team.  Obviously Brule has since been waived and if all D-men in red remain unhealthy we have a spot on D for a call-up or waiver claim.  I suspect at least one of the D-men in red will become healthy prior to October 9th, filling the spot.

Petrell, I would have argued, will make the team or the Oilers lose him to Europe.  We can always cut him later if we want.

Lander deserves to be here, even more than Hartikainen, who also deserves to be here.  Lander plays centre too.  'Nuff said.

RNH was almost always for sure going to get his 9 games at least.  Health and RNH's first 9 will determine the make-up of this team going forward.

Oilers Defensive Depth Chart: October 2011

  This is a reflection of where I see the Oilers defencemen slotting in on a depth chart to start the 2011-2012 season. I've actually created a chart listing the players in order according to their handedness and then have a 2nd chart reflecting their "overall" depth spot on the team, handedness aside.

Unlike the forwards, I have not given any opinion on progress because almost everyone here has completed their development or appears to be developing well (aside from perhaps Motin).  Even Plante looked better this year.  With defence in particular, age and draft position played heavily in some decisions and I suspect these charts will be very different a year from now.  For the time being though, I see it as so:

Oilers Forward Depth Chart: October 2011

This is a reflection of where I see the Oilers forwards slotting in on a depth chart to start the 2011-2012 season.  I suspect some movement before the trade deadline, particularly from Tyler Pitlick and Ryan Martindale, whom I expect to be moving up faster than anyone else on the chart.

I've included some opinion on how each player is trending on a whole as well.  There may be a few degrees of difference between one player whose development appears to be “trending up” and another in terms of the speed the respective players are progressing at (some are getting better by the heartbeat while others are getting better season over season) but I think the general idea will get across.