I seriously thought this was going to be about Acton though.

I think its more a victim that he's just not very good right now and that Joensuu has out played him for pretty well the exact same spot.

In 3 weeks he'll be back once MacT's power boner over his big plugs like Eager and Smac are gone to OKC.

I think its more a victim that he's just not very good right now and that Joensuu has out played him for pretty well the exact same spot.

In 3 weeks he'll be back once MacT's power boner over his big plugs like Eager and Smac are gone to OKC.
- DTF69

He might be traded before the 1st of October.

Waving a guy is quite a risky way of trying to lit a fire. Jones should've had a fire when Joesnuu and Hamilton were signed before him this summer.
- Lahey

It is risky, I'll give you that, but something needs to happen for Jones in order for him to stay in the NHL. Whether he gets picked up off waivers or gets his ass in gear in the AHL and gets the call back. If he doesn't get picked up on waivers, that has to have an effect on him as well as getting demoted to the AHL.

He might be traded before the 1st of October.
- Lahey

Not sure you'll get a warm body for him right now.

You don`t seem to understand the impact of what having a super-heavy weight does to the normal heavy weights on the team. Eager and Brown can by MUCH more effective now, knowing that they can bang and smash on the forecheck and play a very tough style of HOCKEY, rather than being counted on to contend with other teams`s tough guys. With the big Mac there, Eager and Brown can focus a little more on hockey, albeit their brand of hockey.

Ryan Jones is funny and has nice hair...he`s one of the worst skaters in the NHL (Eager and Brown could probably get to the red line before Jonesy gets to the blue), and he has, for who knows what reason, started to back out of the corners.

Playing like that, Ryan Jones will play his way right out of pro hockey altogether. Acton is absolutely busting his aarse out there, it has to be rewarded. Jones was a passenger too many times, so he`s been cut by a coach who recognizes a passenger when he sees one.

"Nobody can tell me that Hamilton was definitively better than Jones, either in the preseason or moving forward."

Well let me be the one to try to explain it to you... slowly if needs be :-) joking.

Good blog but I disagree with it.

I am a huge Jones fan. Love what he brings... brought... 2 years ago.

By your numbers it looks to me like Jones wasn't shafted just rewarded for his poorer and poorer play.

Hamilton hasn't "proven" anything at the pro level like Jones, but I can say you must be blind if you don't think Hamilton clearly out played Jones in the preseason.

Blind.

Jones wasn't just sub par. He stank. He played himself right off the team.

And one more preseason game isn't going to change the fact he stunk since returning from his eye injury.

It is what it is.

I really hope Jonsey can force his way back into the NHL but if you didn't notice nobody picked him up on waivers. If he was as "shafted" as you seem to think he would of been goobled up by some team for his low cap hit and "elite" skills.

Tough crowd today.

Nepotism happens all the time in every place in the entire world. It's not what you know, or how good you are at something, it's who you know, and who you blow.
- Lahey

Fixed.

I seriously thought this was going to be about Acton though.
- Lahey

Same here.

I guess I would have to believe you didn't see a whole lot of pre-season games in San Fran, I was at 2 of them in Edmonton and watched the rest on TV or computer. Each of the players you've mentioned outplayed Jones by miles. As a matter of fact there weren't alot of players whom didn't out play Jones, he was as MacT would say at best a nonfacter. In the end he had enough time to show himself for want he can contribute and did. Being a jones fan myself, at least he cleared waivers and could fix his game and return at some point.

are they doing a season of Oil change again this year?

Not sure you'll get a warm body for him right now.
- DTF69

Probably get another teams cast away. Apparently he hasn't been assigned to OKC yet and Howson has left everyone hanging with some comments.

Boys are gonna be awesome this year even with 2 guys hurt

I'd argue Mitch Moroz did more in his 1 preseason game than Jones did in all 5 of his. Add to that to his already staggering amount of unforced minor penalties he was taking along with his lack of "compete" and you saw management do something right for once. All 4 of Joensuu, Smyth, Hamilton, and Eager outplayed Jones for the 3 (2 once the Cs return) spots available.

jones blows.
it's really that simple.

Practice lineups today were:

Smyth - Hall - Hemsky
Joensuu - Arcobello - Eberle
Perron - Gordon - Yakupov
MacIntyre - Acton - Brown

RNH skated with Ben Eager and Ryan Hamilton.

Ference - J. Schultz
Smid - Petry
Belov - Larsen

N. Schultz was an xtra defenceman rotating into the pairings.

You don`t seem to understand the impact of what having a super-heavy weight does to the normal heavy weights on the team. Eager and Brown can by MUCH more effective now, knowing that they can bang and smash on the forecheck and play a very tough style of HOCKEY, rather than being counted on to contend with other teams`s tough guys. With the big Mac there, Eager and Brown can focus a little more on hockey, albeit their brand of hockey.

Ryan Jones is funny and has nice hair...he`s one of the worst skaters in the NHL (Eager and Brown could probably get to the red line before Jonesy gets to the blue), and he has, for who knows what reason, started to back out of the corners.

Playing like that, Ryan Jones will play his way right out of pro hockey altogether. Acton is absolutely busting his aarse out there, it has to be rewarded. Jones was a passenger too many times, so he`s been cut by a coach who recognizes a passenger when he sees one.
- JLO961

nailed it.

You don`t seem to understand the impact of what having a super-heavy weight does to the normal heavy weights on the team. Eager and Brown can by MUCH more effective now, knowing that they can bang and smash on the forecheck and play a very tough style of HOCKEY, rather than being counted on to contend with other teams`s tough guys. With the big Mac there, Eager and Brown can focus a little more on hockey, albeit their brand of hockey.

Ryan Jones is funny and has nice hair...he`s one of the worst skaters in the NHL (Eager and Brown could probably get to the red line before Jonesy gets to the blue), and he has, for who knows what reason, started to back out of the corners.

Playing like that, Ryan Jones will play his way right out of pro hockey altogether. Acton is absolutely busting his aarse out there, it has to be rewarded. Jones was a passenger too many times, so he`s been cut by a coach who recognizes a passenger when he sees one.
- JLO961

To your first point, that's so true. It'll also give the entire team the comfort of tough support and they can all play with the kind of toughness people have been clamouring for on these posts.

Practice lineups today were:

Smyth - Hall - Hemsky
Joensuu - Arcobello - Eberle
Perron - Gordon - Yakupov
MacIntyre - Acton - Brown

RNH skated with Ben Eager and Ryan Hamilton.

Ference - J. Schultz
Smid - Petry
Belov - Larsen

N. Schultz was an xtra defenceman rotating into the pairings.
- MaximumBone

Pretty much oils opening day line up I'd say

I seriously thought this was going to be about Acton though.
- Lahey

Me too. Nepotism is the advancement of One's Relatives, not friends or BFFs

I'd argue Mitch Moroz did more in his 1 preseason game than Jones did in all 5 of his. Add to that to his already staggering amount of unforced minor penalties he was taking along with his lack of "compete" and you saw management do something right for once. All 4 of Joensuu, Smyth, Hamilton, and Eager outplayed Jones for the 3 (2 once the Cs return) spots available.
- MaximumBone

I can see moroz turning into a Clifford type of player

Probably get another teams cast away. Apparently he hasn't been assigned to OKC yet and Howson has left everyone hanging with some comments.
- Lahey

buyout!

Probably get another teams cast away. Apparently he hasn't been assigned to OKC yet and Howson has left everyone hanging with some comments.
- Lahey

I heard teams were interested but cap is tight so oil woild have to take some back from the other team... prolly be a poop pick and player

A few thoughts:

1. I don't understand many folks' hate-on for Brown. He skates hard, forechecks fairly effectively (especially when he has support alongside him), throws hits and does the dirty work of fighting to protect/stand up for his teammates. Plus, his nose-neighbour is epic. He's a 4th liner, what else do you want from the guy?

2. All Jones had to do was outplay, outhit, and outfight Eager. He didn't, which is pretty bad cause Eager let up on a lot of his chances to put a guy through the boards. In fact, Jones only looked about 1,000 times better than I would out there, and I expect NHLers to look at least 1 million times better than I would. Eager had a good 10 games like 2 years to start that season. Other than that, he's a plug who won't get resigned unless he starts playing like a guy his size can bring what the Oilers need and can keep that up for a whole season.

3. Hamilton hasn't looked great to me at all. I don't know why he's still here, but he won't be after Friday (unless we need a 1C... why not eh? we're just giving NHL jobs to AHLers anyways?)

4. Man the Flames suck
- BigDre

Shocking...