As an outsider, RNH and eberle are the real deal. Hall is the most skilled, but he is a dumb hockey player. I love Hall and his compete level, and again, he is the most talented but he doesn't make guys around him better, where as eberle and RNH do. Yak, is completely useless. Worst part is, he will be a stud somewhere, just not in Edmonton. Just my 2 cents, i've seen 6 oil games this year and that's the conclusion i've come to. Mind you i was drunk for 5 of them.
- clark_griswold

LOL- your not far off... funny thing is during last nights game I thought all 3 played well... I just cant figure out Yak esp when he touches the puck- its like he is not sure what to do or wants to do too much instead of making simple plays... either way RNH and Ebs were flat out flying and Hall was on fire... However when your talking skill - RNH and Ebs are on a level of hockey smarts and skill that Hall is not... Hall has raw talent and does use it at a speed no one else can the only problem is with that you get many shots missing the net and failed passes resulting in turnovers... Did anyone see Eberle and his amazing dump passes last night- it was amazing the accuracy... (frank) many players on the oiler team cant make tape to tape passes as accurate...

Dineen, coach of FLA got fired... you know things are bad when teams are firing their coach after they lose against us.
- BigDre

The bad part is we are not a bad team- we deserved to win in FLA and deserved the win last night as well as at least 3-4 others- we just did not get the goaltending...

A trade for Miller seems like a real option. There will be other before the season ends, but maybe not before the Oiler's season ends.
- micah555

No thanks.

Bolland could be done for the year.
- Yeti1181

that's blasphemy.....but you could be right.

Good blog. I can get behind this team now that Cloutier is gone.

Can the same determinable factors be applied to Bachman and Labarbera? If so, wouldn't the team defence be to blame?

Miller's not coming as he has edmonton on his list of teams he won't accept a trade to and Reimer is on fire this year.

Edmonton should be looking at Ottawa and taking action quick before Lehner usurps Anderson for the starting job. Lehner is the guy Edmonton needs.

Also Anaheim is another place Edmonton should be shopping. They have 4 possible NHL starters in their system. Hiller, Fasth, Andersen, and John Gibson.
- kelholtz

LaBarbie is worst then Dubnyk and Bachman with the almost full healthy team like yesterday I think it would have won the game for the Oil.

I sense that MacT will be forced to do something about goaltending soon... Surprised he never did anything already... maybe he tried and there is nothing but (frank) the clock and losses are ticking

I sense that MacT will be forced to do something about goaltending soon... Surprised he never did anything already... maybe he tried and there is nothing but (frank) the clock and losses are ticking
- saskoil21

I hate to say it, but at this point the Oil are 12 points out of 8th in a ridiculously deep western conference. You'll have more options to address the goaltending in the offseason without giving up assets.

that's blasphemy.....but you could be right.
- clark_griswold

I'm the devil in sheepskin clothing......seriously this sheep fur coat is great.

LOL- your not far off... funny thing is during last nights game I thought all 3 played well... I just cant figure out Yak esp when he touches the puck- its like he is not sure what to do or wants to do too much instead of making simple plays... either way RNH and Ebs were flat out flying and Hall was on fire... However when your talking skill - RNH and Ebs are on a level of hockey smarts and skill that Hall is not... Hall has raw talent and does use it at a speed no one else can the only problem is with that you get many shots missing the net and failed passes resulting in turnovers... Did anyone see Eberle and his amazing dump passes last night- it was amazing the accuracy... (frank) many players on the oiler team cant make tape to tape passes as accurate...
- saskoil21

I love hall, and he doesn't lack heart. He is like ovechkin, where eberle/RNH are like crosby (not similar playing style, but hall can do it alone and doesn't make guys better, where the other guys do).

I'm an oil fan, and it is frustrating to see you guys struggle. You will get screwed on any Yak trade you make, so best to hang on to him. Sounds crazy, but trading hall may be the best bet. It would just have to be for an unreal young stud D. I wouldn't trade for a goalie just yet, there will be options down the road for that (free agents, etc).

Unless your TEAM which includes your GOALTENDER all play well, don't don't "deserve" to win. Last time I checked the goaltender is part of the team. Oilers team defence it not great, having a goaltender will ease the blows, but there's still a long way to go for this team.

Dubnyk is awful, you guys need a goalie and draft D men in the first round FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS!

LaBarbie is worst then Dubnyk and Bachman with the almost full healthy team like yesterday I think it would have won the game for the Oil.
- AlEx_OiL

as soon as bachman is back, lab gets sent down.

The bad part is we are not a bad team- we deserved to win in FLA and deserved the win last night as well as at least 3-4 others- we just did not get the goaltending...
- saskoil21

I agree with Ryan and call BS on this kind of thinking... the goalie is part of the team and you gotta work with what you have. If our goalie is weak, the rest of the team should be compensating by trying harder to recover the puck on the backcheck and our D should be trying harder/smarter to break up plays rather than let the other team glide over our blueline unmolested.

I love hall, and he doesn't lack heart. He is like ovechkin, where eberle/RNH are like crosby (not similar playing style, but hall can do it alone and doesn't make guys better, where the other guys do).

I'm an oil fan, and it is frustrating to see you guys struggle. You will get screwed on any Yak trade you make, so best to hang on to him. Sounds crazy, but trading hall may be the best bet. It would just have to be for an unreal young stud D. I wouldn't trade for a goalie just yet, there will be options down the road for that (free agents, etc).
- clark_griswold

yes to crazy, no to trade.

I love hall, and he doesn't lack heart. He is like ovechkin, where eberle/RNH are like crosby (not similar playing style, but hall can do it alone and doesn't make guys better, where the other guys do).

I'm an oil fan, and it is frustrating to see you guys struggle. You will get screwed on any Yak trade you make, so best to hang on to him. Sounds crazy, but trading hall may be the best bet. It would just have to be for an unreal young stud D. I wouldn't trade for a goalie just yet, there will be options down the road for that (free agents, etc).
- clark_griswold

Taylor Hall is my fav Edmonton player thats for sure

Dubnyk is awful, you guys need a goalie and draft D men in the first round FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS!
- BillKessel

Thanks for your infinite wisdom.

Taylor Hall is my fav Edmonton player thats for sure
- twiztedmike

I love him as a player, but eberle and RNH are more team guys (not that hall is selfish, but see my earlier posts).

I would not trade hall unless it was for a complete stud D, and not sure that deal is out there

that's blasphemy.....but you could be right.
- clark_griswold

If its anything similar to what happened to Karlsson, he will be gone the entire season. It sucks to have a guy like him be sidelined.

Thanks for your infinite wisdom.
- ChetManly

What a strange spelling of "troll"

yes to crazy, no to trade.
- deks1

like i said, it would have to be for a complete stud (ala Pietrangelo)..but that trade is not out there currently.

Of course, the third option would be to just let Dubnyk play out the remaining 65 games, hope that he isn’t a complete train wreck, and then push for an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.

This.

The Oilers have some great pieces. But they were never making the playoffs this year. Take the high draft pick, get some D and a G in the offseason. And everything will be fine.

What a strange spelling of "troll"
- BigDre

I'm still working on creating a sarcasm font

The bad part is we are not a bad team- we deserved to win in FLA and deserved the win last night as well as at least 3-4 others- we just did not get the goaltending...
- saskoil21

waiting for tallon and mact to come up with a trade now. or mact and holmgren.

I agree with Ryan and call BS on this kind of thinking... the goalie is part of the team and you gotta work with what you have. If our goalie is weak, the rest of the team should be compensating by trying harder to recover the puck on the backcheck and our D should be trying harder/smarter to break up plays rather than let the other team glide over our blueline unmolested.
- BigDre

BLUELINE goals are acceptable and the teams fault???