I'm just hoping that if our starting goalie and star winger goes down:

That I won't be alone in the lynch mob screaming at our management and not Horcoff.

The fact they sent him back out there with a shoulder still too hurt to actually take faceoffs was pretty damning. They did not embrace the fall until it was WAAAAAAYYYY past the obvious conclusion that we could not make the playoffs.

Whether or not you agree with the Horcoff contract does or doesn't carry water depending what the defense of either opinion is based on IMO. Regardless the one thing we should all agree on is that we have been witnessing systemic reinjury in these parts for years now. m=Moreso I think due to Lowe pushing to get into the playoffs and players coming back early from injury. If that is out the window as well, we are again heading at the whole idea of a sustained comptetive team franchise from a better angle long term...

Why does every numbers based blog turn into this? Using numbers to look at hockey are here to stay so people might as well just accept it, if you don't like it move to the next blog.

I'm sure their has been some blogs reccomending guys based on numbers, and the reccomended guy ended up bombing... but I'm also sure their are plenty of blogs/articles reccomending guys off of the eyeball with the same result

"When you look at our current depth chart - wouldn't our third line look something like Horcoff centring Jacques and Eberle/MPS? Our top six and bottom three are already set... Top six forwards are Hall, Penner, Hemsky, Gagner, Brulet and Eberle (or MPS) and our bottom three are Fraser/Stortini/Cogliano?? Not sure why'd we want to go out and look at the free agency market to begin with. We'll be overpaying guys to come here until we can pull out a winner."

Exactly, I could see rolling with those forwards all year with a few call-ups (Omark).

Improving slightly with man-games lost (Hemmer, Souray, Khabi) alone will move us up a few spots.

Point being, everything Katz has said and done (OKC, hiring more European scouts, demanding more research from the scouting staff) says he's committed to a long-term plan.

@ Ubermiel . Sounds good for Katz to make those sorts of comments , but does he really expect to allow such a long process ? I doubt Oiler fans will, and i doubt he wants it either despite the made for media banter . If major problem is upper management, then i don't see him waiting very long . Why risk destroying more rookie talent with a hoard of fringe players like we have basically done the past few years ? Then again , maybe Katz is a huge part of the problem towards a swift recovery ?

Despite my passion for Oiler hockey , a repeat like last season would destroy it . I'll tune them out and watch other teams , etc ..

So is it Horcoff, Eberle or MPS that you hate (or all 3)?

Why on earth would a fan who watched games from last year want to saddle one of the futures of the franchise with the black hole of suck that is JFJ?

I know that we're talking about the "3rd Line" here as the "Checking" line, but I dont know if the Oil have the horses to have a dedicated checking line.

Even adding 1 defensively responsible forward isnt enough to have a full line.

I'm seeing this as a team with 3 "scoring" lines and a gritty 4th line. Sure, when the chips are down the Penner or Horc line will likely get played a lot more than others but we dont have enough guys to play a dedicated checking group.

What are the Oilers doing with the rookies? Are they getting peppered through the top 3 lines, is there going to be another "kid line", or are some of the kids starting in the AHL? If the plan is to send a couple kids to the AHL then the Oil should grab a couple defensive minded guys, but if the plan is to let the kids have the best chance to make the big club then I doubt the Oil will add another checking forward.

I just dont think the Oilers are trying to build a team with 2 scoring lines, a checking line, and an energy line. I think it will be 3 "balanced" lines and an energy line. Let's not forget that the Oilers are also at a place where another lottery pick is more desired than a playoff spot.

I don't you're giving Jacques enough credit... When he was healthy, he led the team in hits and can drop the gloves... Normally, I wouldn't have a Horcoff or MPS or Eberle on a 3rd line (arguably they're all top six forwards), but there is a current log jam in front of them... Maybe you could replace Jacques with Ryan Jones or Cogliano on that line - but then you have no real grit on your so called checking/shut-down line.

Is Jacques a true bonafide NHLer?? I'd say the jury is still out. I think last year he truly understood that he'd have to be a 4th line checker to play in the NHL. Unfortunately, his back let out on him. If (and a big if) he can stay healthy and lead the team in hits again - awesome. I think he could also chip in 10 goals too (which would be bonus). But if his back lets out and he's on the IR again, we only signed him to one year. We then cut our ties and find a suitable replacement either through the draft or free agency (preferably draft).

Well put, and i agree . I could stand putting up with the rookies and finishing in bottom five , but not another season like last year with older fringe talent.

I think you'll see Hall, Eberle and MPS in the lineup this year. Anyone else probably goes back to junior or in the AHL.

Although I agree with you that we don't have all the personnel to have that checking line (outside of Horcoff), I still think the Oil are going in that direction. Otherwise, they wouldn't have taken a risk on signing Jacques or trading a 6th round pick for Colin Frasor.

You are 100% bang on when you say we're around another top five pick when the smoke clears after this year. I just think some of us on OilersNation need to be patient and look at how we'll look two to three years from now. That also means having some of our youth playing in the AHL, whether we like it or not.

I also think Hall, Eberle, and MPS will be in the lineup this year. That's why I think the Oil will see 3 scoring lines. Frasor, Jacques, and Stortini are on my 4th line. And I see Penner, Gagner, and Horc as the 3 guys down the middle of the top 9 (at least to start the year).

I know Penner is a LW but he's good on the dot and Renney has talked about possibly converting him to a C. Might not last through pre-season but I'd bet money they give it a real chance.

If his hitting actually led to anything productive, that would be great.

The problem is, every player he played with last year got the crap kicked out of them in terms of shots and goal differential.

He may understand that he needs to hit and fight to be a 4th liner in the NHL, but that's not the role he has or is being pencilled in for.

He was a 3rd line player, often going up against some pretty good players, and he got murdered doing it (and took others down with him). If he was only pencilled in to be a 5 minute per night 4th liner he'd fit that role better.

To be honest, it doesn't matter how much he hits or fights or even if he gets 10 goals as long as he plays in his own end like a 5 year old lost in NYC. He's a complete liability on the ice in terms of defensive play and no amount of hitting is going to change that.

I don't think the Oilers are good enough on the LW to move Penner from there.

Sure they may improve their situation at centre, but the LW is then full of unproven players. It also prevents the Oilers from being able to put out 2 solid lines that don't need to be sheltered.

with 89-27-10 as the 3 centres, you can really only make 1 complete line, and that line is whatever line 83 is on. There's going to be a gap on both 89 and 10's line because there just aren't many good players on this team.

A 5 year-old lost in NYC?? Hilarious... :)

If Jacques was penciled in as a 3rd liner - is that truly his fault?? Was it Horcoff's fault to get that awful contract? Jacques wasn't properly utilized by the coaching staff last year plain and simple. I wouldn't pin that on him; but that would explain why we have a 'senior consultant' on staff for this year.

I would agree with you that Jacques on his best would fight to get to the 3rd line; unfortunately, that statement shows how poor our depth is. I think Renney can get a better result from Jacques in his own zone. He's a better coach and has a better detailed approach to the game. Will that make Jacques a 3rd liner on a good NHL team? I'm not so sure, but unfortunately it will have to for us this year. Here's hoping...

Not sure I agree with you about Penner down the middle... Agreed that he was decent at the dot, but he'll have to drop another 20lbs to pick up some foot speed. I also don't think he'll have the horses to last all year.

Renney should give him a chance in pre-season, but I think he'll stay on LW and Brule will step up into your 2nd centre role...

For argument's sake - who's on your 3rd scoring line?? I think you and I are might be on the same page (somewhat) with the following...

Top 2 lines Hall-Gagner-Hemksy Penner-Brule-Eberle

4th line Jacques-Frasor-Stortini

That would mean MPS-Horcoff-Cogliano, with Jones and MacIntrye in the press box?? I don't know if Cogs fits there; but then again, he's been in that type of role for the last two years.

Last year was awful. As far as "what Oilers fans want" I think you and I differ. I don't mind if they Suck with Style for a year or two if I see progress. Maybe there's a poll question in there somewhere.

I'm with you on not wanting fringe players to destroy rookie talent. At the same time I don't want to sign a guy like Torres just to move a couple of spots out of a lottery pick AND hinder the rookies' development (i.e.: reduced ice time for someone else, bad influence off the ice).

I'd love to see another Oates-type signing. Bring in a vet to take some minutes, be defensively sound, generally mentor the 18-22 year olds on the team.

Despite rookies and cutting pieces from last season , the additions are far from being adequate . Plagued once again by their (management)inability to sign any significant quality personal by any means . This trend has got to stop ( it's band aid solutions ), you cannot build a contender this way . Nor is it an adviseable or wise way to break in Rookies . Why risk the rookies fate on fringe players that will only discourage them and prolong their paths ? We already did that basically with Nilsson , Cogs , Brule and Gags - look how that turned out last couple of seasons ! You want the same thing to happen with Hall and the new rookies ?

I do mind how they might suck, and i am very impatient when it comes to using fringe players .

I dont think that foot-speed is an issue with Penner. He has a huge stride and takes people by surprise all the time. In a perfect world it would be Brule, but he spent most of the season on RW and he is just now regaining his scoring touch. That leaves Hall as the only one in the top 6 you mentioned with experience at C and I seriously doubt the Oil move him away from LW.

Your 3rd line and mine match up. Cogliano might not be a fit to be a checker, but if Horc can finally pull it together then that line combines a lot of speed and scoring touch.

JW, None of the options listed in your article fit the 3rd line role that the Oilers need - two way player, strong defensively, physical and can play the PK.

The Oilers needs to sign a 3rd line player - and on a ONE year deal - age should not enter the equation.

I think not signing a couple of defensive specialists is their way of trying to put the kids in a position to succeed/slip on the banana peel while still giving them a chance at being in the draft lottery again. They still need that high-end, stud defenceman prospect (I'm less concerned about the centre; there's a good chance either Gagner morphs into a #1 or Hall moves to the middle eventually) to build around.

If this is supposed to be a year about learning how to play the game, well, they'll be plenty of opportunity to send some of the kids out on the penalty kill.

You have no passion for the Oilers then, and are a fair-weather fan. You sicken me. The notion that someone can choose which team to cheer for baffles me. Sure, you can pick secondary teams you like, but Oilers love was born and bred into me.

Omarks the real deal, and him with Horcoff and Svensson could be very dynamic. Hartekainen might be a lot closer than most realize and is a center to watch for with size , offensive and defensive clout . I got him in until he proves otherwise at camp . I also got Plante above Peckham going into camp -far more upside down the road .

Those fringe player could fall prey to a lot of rookies in reality . Some are getting that close . Don't overlook them . Depth chart could readily change before seasonal opener with rookie infusion being paramount . Let rookies prove their not ready to step up to next level before sending them down .

Team mosaic and structure changes radically if Omark , Hartekainen and Plante graduate to main squad . Horcoff a natural to compliment the Swedes . Hall should be a very nice addition above Horcoff at center with Penner and Hemsky . Thats two lines i have set coming into camp that i believe will be very dynamic for us . Fraser or Hartekainen would anchor 3rd or fourth line . Thats still leaves others of the diminutive size to knock them out of center position only .

Now that leaves an abundance of wingers to chose from for third and fourth lines ( maxing out their options ). One line may even be good enough to put above the Horcoff line as a set unit . Plante addition opens many doors if Souray not on team .

That's the argument, isn't it? Let the rookies prove that they aren't ready and send them down versus let the rookies prove they're ready and send them up... I worry that a rookie who's given a spot gains a sense of entitlement and could become fragile if they clearly aren't ready. What happens to the kid's mental state when you send them down?? Not all kids can respond that way and work harder to regain their spot. Talented players could be lost...

What happens if the Oilers win 35 games next season with fringe players? Although winning 8 more games than last year would seem unlikely, with a healthy Hemsky and (jail-free) Khabby - that is feasible, would you change your mind??

I guess time will tell to see what the Oilers do. Either way, there will be a rookie infusion - how many only time will tell.

I speak highly of Svensson and Omark , and i believe for good reason . Look, they anchored the Swedish power play and excelled against the best young NHL caliber players we set up against them in worlds , etc.. Not just us, but other elite NHL talent as well on other teams ! How Oiler fans can automatically conclude either one of them is below Eberle , Gags , Brule , Cogs , etc. alludes me . They have proven otherwise already , and i believe Horcoff would be a perfect fit with the Swedish power play . What indicators do you doubters have that show otherwise ? Give some credit where credit is due .