Comments (101)

By Racki, February 8, 2010 8:03 am

GDT - Edmonton Oilers at Phoenix Coyotes

PRE-GAME RANT

The Oilers are coming off a very poor performance in Colorado in which Deslauriers kept the score as close as it was. The previous game was a loss against the Wild after two wins (vs. Philadelphia and Carolina). The Coyotes were blanked 4-0 vs. the Stars on Saturday, but their previous six games were win. The two teams have had opposite looking seasons this year. The Oilers are 2-7-1 in the last 10 games while the Coyotes are 7-3-0. The Oilers are 18-33-6 on the year and the Coyotes are nearly the inverse at 35-19-5. This is another good example of a team that has gone through tough years but is seeing the fruits of their labour. With any luck, the Oilers will see the same turnaround soon.

Anyways, I figure another loss, unfortunately (depending on your point of view, I suppose). Prediction: Coyotes 4, Oilers 3. Continue reading 'GDT – Edmonton Oilers at Phoenix Coyotes – Feb 8, 2010 @ 7:30 PM – SNET – Game 58'»

Comments (17)

By Racki, February 7, 2010 2:18 pm

From the Oilers site:

That means that both Smid and Staios will play tomorrow night against Phoenix.

Comments (58)

By Racki, February 6, 2010 10:51 am

GDT - Edmonton Oilers at Colorado Avalanche

PRE-GAME RANT

The Oilers big 2 game winning streak came to a halt versus the Wild on Thursday where they were felled 4-2. They are 2-1-0 so far this month after going a whole month without a win. The Colorado Avalanche have just 1 win in their last 5 games after going on a 6 game winning streak. They’ll look to get things back under control against a fellow struggling team. The Oilers are 2-7-1 in their last 10 and the Avalanche are 6-4-0 in their last 10.

Something tells me this will be another loss for the Oilers tonight. Prediction: CBC commentators will rip into the Oilers for being such a poor team at this that, and the other thing and mention how Dustin Penner looks lazy out there again. The last game these two teams played against each other, the Avalanche won 6-0.

Prediction: 4-1 for Colorado

Continue reading 'GDT – Edmonton Oilers 0, Colorado Avalanche 3 – Feb 6, 2010 @ 8:00 PM – CBC – Game 57'»

Comments (79)

By Racki, February 4, 2010 9:05 am

GDT - Edmonton Oilers vs. Minnesota Wild

PRE-GAME RANT

Well, they’ve done it again… they’ve pulled off another win with a 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday. After a month of no wins, it is nice for the “faithful” fans at Rexall to witness what a win is like (the last win previous to these two was December 30th against the Leafs at Rexall Place). So the Oilers are 2-7-1 in their last 10. The Wild, meanwhile, have lost their last 2 (5-2 to San Jose on Saturday and 4-2 to the Stars on Tuesday) and are 4-5-1 in their last 10.

I’d like to see the top line become Penner, Gagner and Brule again tonight, although I’m doubtful that will happen. I also wonder if we’ll see the two Doobies battle it out in net tonight, as both Harding and Backstrom are injured for the Wild. Harding backed up Dubielewicz for the last Wild game, but he’s nursing a hip injury. Since Deslauriers played last night and looked scary at times (despite the shutout), I would think that Dubnyk would get the nod. We shall see.

Since this game is in Minnesota tonight and we generally like to struggle there, from what I recall, I’ll say: 2-1 Minnesota.

Continue reading 'GDT – Edmonton Oilers 2, Minnesota Wild 4 – Feb 4, 2010 @ 6:00 PM – SNET – Game 56'»

Comments (76)

By Racki, February 2, 2010 11:11 pm

GDT - Edmonton Oilers vs. Philadelphia Flyers

PRE-GAME RANT

Well, once again, shithead returns to Edmonton. It’s been a few years since his exodus, now, however the pain is still there. For those of you going to the game, pass this message along to Chris everytime he touches the puck: “ahh-boooOoooOoOOOooooooo!”.

So the Oilers are on a ginormous, one-game winning streak – HOT LIKE FIRE! They are undefeated in February so far, after going winless in January. What a difference a new month can make! OK, I’ll stop spinning it more positively than it really is. The Flyers, meanwhile, have won their last 2 games, with defeats over the Quasimodo-less Flamers (although luckily they still had Jokinen, who played with a tonne of heart knowing he was about to be traded within the next 24 hours.. dur), and Rob Schremp’s Islanders. They are 6-4-0 in their last 10 games.

Can the Oilers get two in a row?? My money says yes. As Steve-O says, this is the East… even this group of asshats can get this win.

Prediction: 5-3 Oilers, plus: Ethan Moreau takes a bad penalty in the third to make it a nail biter, Chris Pronger gets booed a lot, and Dan Carcillo beats the shit out of Paul Lorieau during the American anthem because he didn’t have gloves on.

(Brain Prediction: 5-2 Flyers)

P.S., check the game notes for some interesting info on Moreau.
Continue reading 'GDT – Edmonton Oilers 1, Philadelphia Flyers 0 – Feb 3, 2010 @ 7:30 PM – TSN – Game 55'»

Comments (18)

By Steve-O, February 2, 2010 10:43 am

I found a better idea for the Horcoff money

Huzzah! A victory!  Feels damn good, now hopefully they can put together a few more (I don’t subscribe to this tanking crap).  I’d like to see this team stop being an embarrassment and actually start playing like they give a shit (much like last night, although I didn’t watch it because it was a PPV vs. a horrible team, but they sounded good).

I also think we are seeing JDD play his way out of a contract for next season, either that or he will get a two way and spend the whole season in the minors next year.

Finally, all these trades sure make things exciting again in the NHL.  Except when your GM just sits there and whines how its hard to make a trade, how he wants to evaluate the players further, etc.  And how much you want to bet that the interest from Anaheim in Moreau was in a deal that would send JSG this way?

Continue reading 'Monday Morning Standings'»

Comments (97)

By Racki, February 1, 2010 9:33 am

GDT - Edmonton Oilers vs. Carolina Hurricanes

PRE-GAME RANT

Well, let’s call this one for what it is. If the Oilers win this one, things get a bit tighter. But if the Oilers lose, they’re going to have a 9-point separation with the Hurricanes (OT points, aside). I would almost think that even the Oilers couldn’t blow THAT lead.

The Edmonton Oilers are on game number 13 of a losing streak, having gone all of January without a win. The Hurricanes are headed the other direction lately, having won 5 of their last 6 games, all this since naming Eric Staal their new captain. Coincidence? Possibly. But this is something I think the Oilers could learn from as well.

Anyways, prediction time:

Canes 3, Oilers 2
Continue reading 'GDT – Edmonton Oilers vs. Carolina Hurricanes – Feb 1, 2010 @ 7:30 PM – PPV – Game 54'»

Comments (95)

By Racki, January 31, 2010 10:01 am

To Calgary Flamers
Name	Pos	Cap Hit	Expires
Niklas Hagman	LW	$3.0M	2012 (UFA)
Matt Stajan	C	$1.75M	2010 (UFA)
Jamal Mayers	RW	$1.333M	2010 (UFA)
Ian White	D	$0.850M	2010 (RFA)
Cap total: $6.933M (-$0.317M)
To Toronto Maple Leafs
Name	Pos	Cap Hit	Expires
Dion Phaneuf	D	$6.50M	2014 (UFA)
Fredrik Sjostrom	RW	$0.750M	2011 (UFA)
Keith Aulie	D	($0.733M*)	2012 (RFA)
Cap total: $7.25M* (+$0.317M)

* – Non-roster player on 2-way contract.

Difference in cap: $0.317M this year. However it looks like a long-term salary dump for them…:

Toronto Maple Leafs
Name	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14
Phaneuf	6.5	6.5	6.5	6.5	6.5
Sjostrom	0.75	0.75	0	0	0
Aulie	0	0	0	0	0
Total	7.25	7.25	6.5	6.5	6.5
Calgary Flamers
Hagman	3	3	3	0	0
Stajan	1.75	0	0	0	0
Mayers	1.333	0	0	0	0
White	0.85	0	0	0	0
Total	6.933	3	3	0	0
Cap Change	-$0.317M	-$4.25M	-$3.5M	-$6.5M	-$6.5M

Details available here.

Edit (done deal): The Leafs also orchestrated another trade, sending Toskala and Blake to the Ducks for Giguere. Good deal for the Leafs. Toskala’s contract expires this year and is a cap hit of $4M. Blake’s is a $4M cap hit and expires at the end of 2012. Giguere is a big goaltending upgrade, and his cap hit is $6M and expires at the end of 2011.

Edit2: In what is turning out to be a pretty busy day, it looks like the Flamers will send Olli Jokinen and Brandon Prust to the New York Rangers. Possibly coming back is Ales Kotalik (for sure) and Chris Higgins (not sure on that one). This is per Darren Dreger of TSN. Busy guy today.