Xuthl’s Wilderness Comics and Collectibles Comic Reviews

So I have been holding off writing about the Oil so far.   I have heard a few things discussed all around me, and it is driving me crazy, so here I go on my rant.

First of all, Rob Schremp is not the answer.  Rob has consistently given the Oiler’s coaching staff absolutely no reason to take a chance on him.  In training camp, and on his rare call ups, Schremp has shown nothing.  No jump.  No work ethic.  No desire.  No emotion.  No chance of making the team.

The Oilers played their home opener against the Avalanche and produced a giant stink bomb.  They did come away with the two points, but winning ugly is an understatement.  Horcoff, Hemsky and Cole were very ordinary and never seemed to generate any kind of pressure aside from a couple of Hemsky shots on the rush.  If you look at the stats page it looks like they had a pretty good night, but in reality they need to be a LOT BETTER! 

The Young Guns are being highly criticized this week, but I thought they had an ok night.  My expectations for this line are justifyably low, so I liked the fact that they were trying to make things happen, and just failed to click.  A couple of lucky breaks like Penner got and we would be talking about how great this line looked.

The Moreau, Penner, Pisani line comes up with two goals and everyone says they had a good night, but I sure didn’t see much I liked, other than the two goals.  I just can’t find anything I like about this trio.  Individually they are all players I have a great deal of respect for, but as a line they do not seem to have the same mission statement.  Moreau plays a great defensive game and is a great search and destroy checker.  Pisani has a great two way game, but plays soft in my opinion.  And I have not decided if Penner is a soft player, of if he just lacks the speed to get into position to make a good hit.  Regardless, this line DID come on as the game went on, so I am going to have to reserve my final judgement till a later date. 

The fourth line has me a bit mystified.  Can somebody please explain Marc Pouliott to me?  Sure he plays a responsible defensive game, a trait that MacT values above all others, but what else does he contribute?  Speed?  No.  Scoring?  No.  Physical play?  No.  How the hell did this guy manage to bump Brule off the roster?  As for Stortini, he is just Stortini.  He does what he does and does it well.  I do not know how much longer MacT is going to be able to banish Brodziak to the fourth line.  Kyle is too good for a checking line.  At this point he needs to be skating with some more talented linemates.

And Garon was unbelieveable.  ‘Nuff said.

Just a few more random thoughts: 

The fuss everyone is making about the Oilers riding bikes in Jasper without helmets is just dumb.  People should mind their own business more.  And if the Oilers decide to go to Jasper to do some bonding as a team, maybe they should ask the media to stay home. 

Steve Staios got pounded pretty good in Sunday’s game.  I liked the fact that Souray went and had a talk with the Avalanche player the next time they met on the ice, but really Staios deserved what he got.  I doubt that Steve would have any problems with it either.  I hope the Oilers will watch and make sure they react accordingly the next time Hemsky gets run from behind!  When that happens Steve Staios is usually the first guy to come to the defense of his team mate, but we need someone a little tougher to make the satement.  It doesn’t make much of a statement if you drop the flippers and lose.  You need somebody to go to war and win the battle like the Avalanche player did (sorry folks, I have no idea what this guys name is.  Just some nobody in my mind.  A nobody who can give Steve Staios a beating, but still a nobody.).

For the record, Curtis Glencross is a dick!  He has been spouting off about how the Oilers were not showing interest in signing him.  I KNOW that Oilers management had been talking to Glencross and were already wondering where HIS head was at.  They were concerned that he was not interested in signing with Edmonton.  And if he thinks the priority of any team is to sign a fourth liner before Marion Hossa, he needs to give his head a shake anyway.

That’s about it for today as I have lost my train of thought.  There was an AMAZING scrap in last nights game between Philly and Pittsburg.  I believe it was Riley Cote and Eric Goddard, but I could be wrong.  I strongly encourage you to look this one up on hockeyfights.com!