Edmonton did not need that. Saw Yakupov the other day, cool guy. I guess he'll be playing now.

I agree.

The only reason Edmonton kept bringing up the rookies early is because they were intentionally tanking to keep getting high draft picks. Most gutless way to rebuild a team and I'm glad it's failing miserably.(or at least taking way longer than expected)

But I feel bad for Taylor Hall - never gets a full season in. Poor(rich) kid.
- Njuice

Ya...they should have rebuilt like the Leafs did...

Sad but true
- poohcrumbs

It funny the Leaf fans are the ones that call them out the most, even though they sucked for years. Missed playoffs 9 straight and were lotto pick teams many of them. But ya go ahead and call the Oilers out for doing the same thing multiple other teams have done.

MONAHAN > HALL
- The-O-G

Okay smart ass....trade him right now straight accross.

...didn`t think so.

You guys are a laugh. What a bunch of cry babies. The reason they kept them is because they were the best players they had.
- Iggysbff

Fact is they wanted to lose. There's no doubt about that. They wanted to lose. And lose they did. And lose they continue to do.

They could have easily tried to squeak into the playoffs by signing some low end to mid-range free agents instead of bringing up kids who weren't ready for the show. They could have at least made an effort to ice some mid level defence or signing a veteran half decent goalie.

The reason they chose not to do these things is...."because they wanted to lose".

edit ** When Chicago and Pittsburgh tanked out it was before the salary cap era. Different times altogether.

For what?
- Charliebox

Probably for NOT getting hit by Hall's swinging stick!

I am actually relieved to hear that it is only 4weeks. The way his knee buckled after that shot looked REALLY bad. I thought it might be worse.

As for Monahan > Hall, puhleez. Reach down, grab the back of your head and pull it out of your a....

I love the Oilers, I loved growing up watching all of the successes, 2006 was an incredibly fun surprise, and the bad years have been worth it to be able to go and watch my team play tonight with some of the most prolific and talented players in the world.

For example, if before the game Dubnyk and Price just happend to switch jerseys...this game is a very different story.

I`m excited to go see the Oil up close tonight!!!

cheers boys.

Fact is they wanted to lose. There's no doubt about that. They wanted to lose. And lose they did. And lose they continue to do.

They could have easily tried to squeak into the playoffs by signing some low end to mid-range free agents instead of bringing up kids who weren't ready for the show. They could have at least made an effort to ice some mid level defence or signing a veteran half decent goalie.

The reason they chose not to do these things is...."because they wanted to lose".

edit ** When Chicago and Pittsburgh tanked out it was before the salary cap era. Different times altogether.
- Njuice

They tried to sign every fricken UFA that was out there. They even tried to sign some RFAs! What are you talking about. I guess you`re one of those reasons the rest of Canada doesn`t warm up to Leaf fans. I hope you`re not serious. Pro athletes NEVER intentionally lose (even when they become GMs and coaches)...NEVER.

Dam, Oilers out within only ten games of the season.
Who saw that coming....................................

Tough break. Seems like he was just starting to get things going this season.

It funny the Leaf fans are the ones that call them out the most, even though they sucked for years. Missed playoffs 9 straight and were lotto pick teams many of them. But ya go ahead and call the Oilers out for doing the same thing multiple other teams have done.
- Iggysbff

Leafs' only had two lottery picks in that time. 2nd overall which was traded to Boston for Kessel and two years ago we drafted Morgan Rielly 5th overall.

Leafs weren't losing on purpose. They always tried to win by adding whatever mid-range free agents they could attract. The main reasons for the 8 season playoff drought:

First off the Leafs game plan was ALWAYS trade picks/prospects for veterans and make 'mostly half-a$$ed' playoff pushes. So our farm system has always been bare, but we could always sign Free Agents and use whatever upcoming picks for quality vets.

Then when the salary cap was introduced it greatly increased the value of young players.(cap on entry level deals & rule changes that take away hook/holding) It also limited the Leafs ability just to buy those quality(not star) veterans in free agency.(team salary cap restriction) So now the Leafs are a franchise whose top players(Sundin, Kaberle, etc.) are ready for retirement or in the end of their careers. They had no prospects and were short on draft picks. It takes time to turn that situation around.

Point is - we sucked badly - but at least our management team was trying.

Did you see the play? It was an intentional knee on knee. Remember Hall getting a two game suspension last year for a "knee " hit that wasn't even a "knee"?
- Iggysbff

How in the blue heck was that an intentional knee on knee.. it was a body check along the boards..

Bummer, but better than it could have been.

They'll have to relish the moments when Yakupov, Hall, Eberle, RNH, Gagner and Perron are all in the lineup at the same time. They've put themselves behind the eight ball but hopefully the combination of a healthy lineup and a move from MacT will allow the team to kick it into high gear by late November if not sooner.

Did you see the play? It was an intentional knee on knee. Remember Hall getting a two game suspension last year for a "knee " hit that wasn't even a "knee"?
- Iggysbff

Intentional?!?!

I honestly have no words to describe how stupid that sounds.

Take off your homer glasses and watch the play.

The reason there was no penalty, call or suspension is because it was a collision, not an intentional knee.

Believe me, if the NHL could, they'd love to suspend a 6-7 Dman for taking out a top line winger. Remember how Gryba got suspended in the playoff last year for the clean hit on Eller?

Leafs' only had two lottery picks in that time. 2nd overall which was traded to Boston for Kessel and two years ago we drafted Morgan Rielly 5th overall.

Leafs weren't losing on purpose. They always tried to win by adding whatever mid-range free agents they could attract. The main reasons for the 8 season playoff drought:

First off the Leafs game plan was ALWAYS trade picks/prospects for veterans and make 'mostly half-a$$ed' playoff pushes. So our farm system has always been bare, but we could always sign Free Agents and use whatever upcoming picks for quality vets.

Then when the salary cap was introduced it greatly increased the value of young players.(cap on entry level deals & rule changes that take away hook/holding) It also limited the Leafs ability just to buy those quality(not star) veterans in free agency.(team salary cap restriction) So now the Leafs are a franchise whose top players(Sundin, Kaberle, etc.) are ready for retirement or in the end of their careers. They had no prospects and were short on draft picks. It takes time to turn that situation around.

Point is - we sucked badly - but at least our management team was trying.
- Njuice

Oilers brass definitely played it safe.

They were obviously trying to show restraint to avoid a situation that they had where there cupboards were bare from the kind of trading you're talking about and we had a bevy of TERRIBLE contracts because we courted the best FAs that Edmonton could attract at an inflated price.

I think it's likely that they overcompensated, but I feel like moves like Paajarvi for Perron have put us on the right track. Not selling the farm, but no longer gun shy.

ROBIN: I THOUGHT TAYLOR HALL WASNT INJURY PRONE??

mook!
- big_dion

Wow

It funny the Leaf fans are the ones that call them out the most, even though they sucked for years. Missed playoffs 9 straight and were lotto pick teams many of them. But ya go ahead and call the Oilers out for doing the same thing multiple other teams have done.
- Iggysbff

the Leafs were a lotto team for 2 years.

The year Seguin was drafted, and the year Rielly was drafted.

Schenn they traded up for from 7th, and got a 2nd overall pick in JVR when all was said and done.

And Seguin and Hamilton(not a top-5 pick) were traded for Kessel.

Leafs took a proactive approach to rebuilding- trading for pieces they needed, not just drafting forward after forward after forward.

Very bad for the Oilers, if the Habs can't beat them at home then they have no chance at beating Anaheim or San Jose.

Just when the Oilers were gonna go on a tear and take over.

This is too bad. I hate to see injuries to any player, but to have such a big name out? It definately hurts.
I wish him a speedy recovery.

Watch the video. Gryba was going in for a hit and their knees collided.

It wasn't dirty or even reckless. Just unfortunate.
- Charliebox

Oh of course it was. Just like the Eller hit. Just a great big coincidence. Not a headhunter at all.

Oh of course it was. Just like the Eller hit. Just a great big coincidence. Not a headhunter at all.
- DoubleDown

The hit on Eller was clean. Get over it.

I am actually relieved to hear that it is only 4weeks. The way his knee buckled after that shot looked REALLY bad. I thought it might be worse.

As for Monahan > Hall, puhleez. Reach down, grab the back of your head and pull it out of your a....

I love the Oilers, I loved growing up watching all of the successes, 2006 was an incredibly fun surprise, and the bad years have been worth it to be able to go and watch my team play tonight with some of the most prolific and talented players in the world.

For example, if before the game Dubnyk and Price just happend to switch jerseys...this game is a very different story.

I`m excited to go see the Oil up close tonight!!!

cheers boys.
- JLO961

Really? Because Montreal beat the Oilers quite handily in Edmonton with Peter Budaj in net...

The hit on Eller was clean. Get over it.
- blizzzard

Very clean, I agree. Principle point of contact wasn't the head and he was not given a match penalty and suspension. Game needs more plays like that. Not enough guys end up lying in a pool of their own blood.

Very clean, I agree. Principle point of contact wasn't the head and he was not given a match penalty and suspension. Game needs more plays like that. Not enough guys end up lying in a pool of their own blood.
- DoubleDown

Yea it was bad that he got injured but it was clean and a big part of that was how horrible the pass to Eller was. I haven't heard a fan outside of MTL say it wasn't clean ( there might be some ) but I am not the only person who felt it was clean.