News and Views
Robbie Schremp is returned to the AHL: Robbie Schremp who was called up to replace an injured Robert Nilsson had an impressive 4 game stint with the Oilers picking up 3 assists in 4 games and maybe more importantly finishing with a +2 rating over that span. MacT was impressed with Schremp’s development and improved play without the puck and I expect he will be the goto guy for any injury to a top 6 forward this season.
Gilbert Brule returned to the AHL: While I don’t think Gilbert Brule has the same offensive upside as Robbie Schremp I think he is a more complete package and was actually surprised he was sent down. He played 2 games with the Oilers and while he did not pick up any points he did bring a lot of speed and energy playing on the fourth line. Liam Reddox is a better fit for fourth line duties but given the opportunity I believe Brule could have great success on a line with Brodziak and Moreau…. maybe Eric Cole would be a better fit is Springfield.
Ales Hemsky super star: This guy has been a machine this year picking up 29 points in 28 games despite having a slow start. I honestly think that Hemsky became a better player because of the ineffectiveness of his line mates early in the season. Shawn Horcoff and Eric Cole could not bury Hemsky’s great setups so he had to start shooting the puck himself and realized he can score goals. Hemsky has 10 goals in his last 18 games after going 10 games to start the season without a goal.
The Penner turn around: Dustin Penner has had the most dramatic turn around I have ever seen, but what really facilitated this turnaround? Was it MacT publicly humiliating him? Maybe it was, but its a little too convenient don’t you think that while rumors start spreading that MacT maybe fired he calls out an under performing player who he has stuck on the 3rd line, sits him as a healthy scratch for 2 games and then plays him on the first line. I mean come on obviously he is going to score more playing 18-20 minutes a game with Horcoff and Hemsky than he will playing 10-12 minutes a game with Moreau and Pisani. Penner shouldn’t be thanking the coach for turning his season around, the coach should be thanking Penner for saving his job.
Should Gagner be gone? Calm down, I’m not suggesting he should be traded but I don’t think it would be a bad idea to send him down to the AHL for few games and let him gain some confidence. If this team is going to be successful they will need Sam Gagner to at the top of his game and it certainly wouldn’t hurt Robbie Schremp’s development to call him up to play with Cogliano and Nilsson for a few games.
Jordan Eberle in the World Jrs: This kid is amazing and will someday lead the Oilers in Goals but it maybe further away than alot of people think, not because he’s not as good as Sam Gagner at this level but because the Oilers just have so much depth now. I can’t see Eberle passing Brule and Schremp on the depth chart and so while I can hardly wait to see him in an Oilers uniform I will enjoy watching him in the World Jrs as it will be a long time coming.
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