The Oilers stormed out of the gate on opening night with the 4-0 win over the Flames. But since then, there has been little to cheer about as the team as hit a wall. Although preseason expectations were low, the margin of the Oilers' losses have been somewhat surprising. Everyone, myself included, are guilty of overhyping the influx of youth to the team. Their inexperience have come to the forefront and its evident that Hall, Eberle, and Paajarvi are prodigies that will need time to carve out their game in the big leagues. Here's a quick evaluation of Oilers thus far.
FORWARDS
The same story goes for the Oilers forwards: tons of talent but lack in size. Outside of Dustin Penner, the Oilers top 6 forwards don't have the bulk to win crucial battles. Oilers have had trouble sustaining pressure in the offensive zone due largely to their inability to win one-on-one battles in the corner and outmuscling opponents off the puck. In defence of the rookies, they are young and eventually will fill out their frames. The return of a healthy Ales Hemsky significantly boosts the offensive threat of this team but the forward has yet to find his stride. After a breakout year, Dustin Penner is already facing scrutiny in the media over his effort and desire to use his size to his advantage. Other Oilers such as Andrew Cogliano and Gilbert Brule have yet to make any positive impact on the team and may be on the trading block sooner or later. First year captain Shawn Horcoff has taken Hall and Eberle under his wing and form the first line. At times they are the most effective offensive line but with plus-minuses of -2, -7, and -8 more emphasis on two-way hockey needs to be instilled in the young Oilers. Paajarvi has shown flashes of maturity but has bounced around the lineup as of late. Unfortunately, it its of no fault of his own - the lack of size in the lineup has forced Tom Renney to downgrade Paajarvi to the 4th line in favor of the bigger and tougher Ryan Jones. It seems like in-game line juggling occurs as frequently as the Oilers let in powerplay goals. Until they can find the right combination of players and sustain some stability, they will be hard pressed to develop chemistry and offence. DEFENCE
Outside of Ryan Whitney, the defensive corps has been abysmal so far. At the forefront of media scrutiny is Tom Gilbert. After receiving the big contract in 2008, Gilbert has struggled to live up to expectations and deliver on both ends of the ice. With $11.5 million left on virtually an immoveable deal, Gilbert needs to find his game for the Oilers to turn this season around. Whitney has been the lone bright spot thus far. In his first full season in copper and blue, Whitney leads the team in scoring and logs huge minutes with his play on PP and PK. Even better, he has already taken a leadership role on the team and was named an alternative captain. Offseason pick-up Jim Vandermeer has been a disappointment. Brought in to be the "sandpaper" on the back end, Vandermeer has been a soft, defensive liability which has made him a healthy scratch as of late. Ladislav Smid and Theo Peckham have played a stay-at-home style and it was nice to see Peckham coming to the aid of Smid after the brawl in New York.
GOALTENDING
Although the stats show that the Oilers goaltending is a significant issue, the numbers don't tell the story. The Oilers have given up the most goals (79) and and the 4th most shots (711) which averages to about 36 shots a game. The lack of defense infront of Khabibulin and Dubnyk has really forced these two to stand on their heads and outperform the opposing goalie to give the Oilers any chance of winning. With the youth movement in full swing, one has to wonder when it is time to hand the starting job to Dubnyk. Khabibulin is the high-priced goalkeeper, but with the playoffs being a long shot this season, it may be time to let Dubs experience the highs and lows of a NHL starting goalie.
you stupid.
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