I made a comment on the site this morning that as the People's GM, I was none too happy with the Oilers trade of Grebeshkov to the Nashville Predators for a 2nd round pick in next year's draft.
In this installment of the People's GM, I am going to evaluate our defensive defensemen. Perhaps more accurately stated, I will evaluate those D-men that do not have much of an offensive game.
Today, the Edmonton Oilers GM, Steve Tambellini, announced that Taylor Chorney has been recalled from their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons. Taylor Chorney last played for the Oilers in the NHL back on November 8, 2009 prior to going on the Oilers injury reserve due to an ankle injury.
This season, Taylor Chorney has played 13 NHL games registering just one assist for a total of a single point with a +/- rating of minus 6. His NHL total includes 15 games played again with a single assist, but with a +/- rating of minus 10.
The Edmonton Oilers lose in overtime following a penalty against Dennis Grebeshkov. For Oilers fans, the emotions tonight were probably somewhat conflicting. On the one hand, watching the Oilers play the Canucks reignited a division rivalry and general desire to see their team win. On the other hand, this game was preceded by the top prospects game which provided a fresh reminder of a top-three draft pick in one of Taylor Hall, Tyler Seguin, or Cam Fowler.
Game 49: Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks at Rexall Place - January 20, 2010 - 8:00 PM MT - Sportsnet
The Edmonton Oilers (16-27-5) host the Vancouver Canucks (28-18-2) tonight at Rexall Place. The Oilers have just a single win in their last 16 games. With the Calgary Flames losing four consecutive games, the Vancouver Canucks have quietly slipped into 6th place in the Western Conference. Henrik Sedin currently leads the league with 67 points and is second in assists behind Joe Thornton. In contrast, Dustin Penner's scoring streak has gone as cold as an Edmonton winter lately. He's fallen down to 38th in the league with 41 points.
Roberto Luongo is currently ranked 11th in the league by save percentage (.919). What amazes me is Detroit Red Wings goalie, Jimmy Howard. In his first game against the Oilers, Howard was lit up like a Dubnyk. Now, he's 3rd in the league with a .928 save percentage over 32 games played.
Well, visit the Benched Whale for the opposing team's blog.
Last week, I took over the Oilers GM position. In my original post, I put forward my vision for the team:
As it relates to acquiring free agent talent, the Oilers will focus on players currently playing in the Western Conference. We will not overpay to bring in talent that does not want to play in Edmonton. The team will be successful in free agency through superior player evaluation with the aid of advanced metrics. We will target players that the rest of the market does not properly value.
We will also aggressively pursue trades that will bring back to the team young players who will not be eligible for restricted free agency for a minimum of 2 years, or players who are under contract a minimum of 2 additional seasons. We may also add selected veteran talent on 1 year contracts with a view of trading them at the trade deadline in exchange for draft picks or prospects. We will not under any circumstances, trade a player who is disgruntled and wants to leave Edmonton.
The Edmonton Oilers will play a determined brand of defensive, two-way hockey, building the team from the goaltender out. We will evolve into a team that is responsible in both ends of the rink and opportunistic in the offensive end.
The team's top priority is the acquisition or development of a world class #1 goaltender for the team. Exceptional goaltending will lead to exceptional results.
We will prudently commit more dollars to the scouting of talent than any team in the league. In addition to the annual league entry draft, we will be extremely aggressive in the pursuit of top ranked collegiate and European free agent talent.
In this post, I will look at the Oilers' current crop of offensively minded defensemen: Sheldon Souray, Lubomir Visnovsky, Tom Gilbert and Denis Grebeshkov. My thanks to all of you that provided your feedback on what the Oilers should do with these guys. In addition to considering your feedback, I also crunched a few numbers and checked out a few of the other Oiler blogs before making my recommendations.
It was the best of times... it was the worst of times... The Colorado Avalanche serve the Oilers some humble pie after lighting Deslauriers's lamp all night long. If you're an Oilers fan you can either choose to hang your head low in the ignominy of this season and tonight's loss or look towards the 'opportunity.' Steve Tambellini, the Oilers GM, has often been quoted referring to "opportunity" along with "the glass half full answer is..." In this case, the opportunity is for the Oilers to flush their management at season's end and to draft high. The glass half full answer is... Taylor Hall, Tyler Seguin, or Cam Fowler.
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