Edmonton Oilers News and Rumors
Building next year’s bottom five
Source: Oilers Nation
Date: 2013-05-23
While the Oilers have no shortage of problems in their top-nine forward group, things get really ugly afterward. How should the fourth line and the reserve forwards change next season?The Scoring ChancesI’ve taken the scoring chance numbers I recorded this season and split the Oilers into three groups: the top line, the middle six, and everybody else. Top Line (Hall, Nugent-Hopkins, Eberle): Out-chance opposition 53-to-47 Middle Six (Gagner, Yakupov, Hemsky, Paajarvi, Smyth, Horcoff): Out-chanced 58-to-42 Everyone Else: Out-chanced 64-to-36 The top line is fine, the middle six needs a significant overhaul, and the rest of the forward corps is an absolute trainwreck. Most of the
The Edmonton Oilers lost the war in all three zones in 2013
Source: Edmonton Journal - Cult of Hockey
Date: 2013-05-23
Last season, the Edmonton Oilers were handily outplayed by the opposition in every department. The opposition did a better job in the neutral zone than the Oilers, gaining the offensive blue line both with and without possession of the puck more frequently than Edmonton did. Once in the offensive zone – either by gaining the zone through possession or off a faceoff – the Oilers were worse at generating shots than their opposition. They lost their contest with the opposition in all three zones. One of my projects this season was tracking every entry both the Oilers and their opposition made into the attacking zone; I’ve only just now caught up to a few games I was unable to track earlie
Krueger gave the right amount of ice to most Oilers defencemen, but too much to Whitney
Source: Edmonton Journal - Cult of Hockey
Date: 2013-05-23
Petry, J. Schultz and Smid were used most heavily, but they generally earned that ice time How did Edmonton Oilers coach Ralph Krueger do when it comes to handing out ice time to his players? This is, after all, what Scotty Bowman calls the most crucial job of an NHL coach: getting the right players on the ice at the right moment. It’s only if players are handled correctly — facing opposition and situations where they are most likely to succeed — that the great majority of them will have successful seasons. We can look at Krueger’s handling of players in two ways, through their share of the ice time and the quality of competition they faced. An assessment of these
OPTIONS
Source: Lowetide
Date: 2013-05-23
Let me start by saying that I don’t think it’s wise to replace the coach again. A young man like Sam Gagner is on his 4th head coach as it is, adding a 5th so soon would once again push the re-set button. Sooner or later, you need to choose your commander and take the hill. And yet, we saw so many things that made us wonder. Line matching (or lack of–even at home), zone starts, inability to figure out that 2line–there’s some things. When Craig MacTavish took over from Steve Tambellini, he made sure not to blame the coaching staff. However, it’s MacT’s job to improve the team in any way possible. I think Krueger has a lot of good things, I’m not
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: a first-line centre for the Edmonton Oilers
Source: Edmonton Journal - Cult of Hockey
Date: 2013-05-23
2013 Edmonton Oilers in Review: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins At first appearance, it was not a great season for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. He scored 18 goals in 62 games one season ago; in 2013 he tallied only four. His assist totals also saw a modest drop-off, and he ended up putting in a distinctly disappointing offensive season. First appearance, however, is flat-out wrong. 2013 actually represented a massive step forward for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Nugent-Hopkins ranked sixth among Oilers forwards in quality of competition last year; this year he ranked first. Last year he was on the ice for 255 offensive zone and 153 defensive zone draws; this year the numbers were 182 and 168. Put shortly, he played muc
Time for Oilers prospect Teemu Hartikainen to prove his worth
Source: Oil Drop
Date: 2013-05-23
Teemu Hartikainen is on the verge of completing his third year of professional hockey in North America, having received nothing more than spot duty with the Edmonton Oilers. However, the time for the big Finn to earn himself a regular spot in the National Hockey League is fast approaching...be it in Edmonton or another NHL city.
Edmonton Oilers to face Dallas Stars in Oklahoma City in Sept. 27 NHL pre-season game
Source: Edmonton Journal - Oil Country
Date: 2013-05-22
The Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars will play a pre-season game at the home of the Oklahoma City Barons, the Oilers’ American Hockey League affiliate, on Sept. 27. It will be the fourth NHL exhibition contest played in Oklahoma City.
Edmonton Oilers defenceman Andy Sutton retires due to ongoing knee problems [Photos]
Source: Edmonton Sun
Date: 2013-05-22
National Hockey League forwards are breathing a little easier this morning.
Oilers, Stars to play pre-season game in Oklahoma City
Source: Edmonton Oilers official website
Date: 2013-05-22
Oklahoma City – The Oklahoma City Barons, in partnership with the Edmonton Oilers, have scheduled an NHL Preseason Game in Oklahoma City on Friday, September 27. The NHL Showcase presented by Mercy, features the Dallas Stars against the Barons pa...
TRUST, BUT VERIFY
Source: Oilers Nation
Date: 2013-05-22
It took absolutely forever for the Edmonton Oilers to embrace Mother Russia at the draft, and we're still wondering if it's a short term detente. Last season, the Oil plucked brilliant winger Nail Yakupov #1 overall, and incredibly, may have an opportunity to draft another elite talent from the same part of the world this summer.In historic terms, two Russians drafted by the Oilers in the first round? in successive seasons? Impossible. And yet, it could happen a month from now. Since 1979, Edmonton has draft 346 players. Of that group, the following were drafted out of Russia or have direct ties to Russian hockey: L Igor Vyazmikin, 252nd overall in 1987 D Vladimir Zubkov, 208nd overal