Kukla's Korner Hockey
Category: Edmonton-Oilers
Edmonton’s Goal Problems
by Alanah McGinley on 08/17/11 at 02:32 PM ET
Comments (0)
From Bruce McCurdy at the Cult of Hockey in the Edmonton Journal:
The Edmonton Oilers have been a struggling team for a long time now. They haven’t been great since Mark Messier, Glenn Anderson and Grant Fuhr completed the exodus of Hall of Famers way back in the fall of 1991, twenty long years ago. Since then they have ranged from lousy to mediocre and back to lousy again, and the last two years have hit new lows in finishing 30th and dead last in the NHL in back-to-back seasons.
Lots of problems to go around, but for sure one root cause has been lousy-to-mediocre goaltending, especially in those last two seasons. Nikolai Khabibulin has ranged from lousy to Medicare, his primary replacement Jeff Deslauriers had his moments but left a lot to be desired, and promising youngster Devan Dubnyk has been handled with kid gloves as he finds his way behind a crummy team in the toughest league at all.
read on for a detailed look
Filed in: NHL Teams, Edmonton Oilers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Devan+Dubnyk, Nikolai+Khabibulin,
Oilers Not Guaranteed Last Place Standing This Year
by Lisa McRitchie on 08/16/11 at 10:00 PM ET
Comments (4)
A story that has made a lot of noise with the Edmonton sports media was The Hockey News saying that the Ottawa Senators could finish last in the east, and the Edmonton Oilers finish last in the west. The funny thing is that it has just created noise and even chatter with most writers and even fans having a hard time disputing that this may be a likely scenario. I am a little late to the party, but shockingly, I also have thoughts on this list.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Edmonton Oilers, Lisa McRitchie | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Lottery+Teams, The+Hockey+News,
Simpson the Scholar
by Lisa McRitchie on 08/16/11 at 12:30 PM ET
Comments (2)
Dillon Simpson has been blessed to have had a father who has won so many awards, had so many accomplishments, and processes so much skill and talent. At the same time, this could be seen as a bit of a hindrance; much like one of Dillon’s best friends Keegan Lowe. If there is one thing about Dillon Simpson’s game or pursuit of hockey that may aid him in trying to find his own path it just might be the position he plays. While Craig Simpson was a left winger, his son Dillon has made his career at defense.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Edmonton Oilers, Non-NHL Hockey, College Hockey, Lisa McRitchie | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Dillon+Simpson, University+of+North+Dakota,
Busy Summer for Bunz
by Lisa McRitchie on 08/11/11 at 10:30 AM ET
Comments (0)
There are several Oilers prospects that will add up to make for an excellent Oilers team going forward. One of my favourite prospects is Tyler Bunz. Bunz is a favourite for various reasons. For starters, he is from Edmonton and was fortunate enough to be drafted by his favourite team. Bunz also has an excellent work ethic and has persevered to rise to a position at the top of the WHL goalie list. Some will say he was the second, and some the third best goalie but ultimately, he was tops in the league.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Edmonton Oilers, Lisa McRitchie | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Team+Canada, Tyler+Bunz,
Oilers Invite Undrafted Goalie to Young Stars Tournament
by Lisa McRitchie on 08/10/11 at 08:59 AM ET
Comments (0)
The Edmonton Oilers have announced that they will once again be participating in the Vancouver Canucks Young Stars Tournament in Penticton B.C. Several young Oilers prospects are guaranteed three games in this round robin tournament; one against the Vancouver Canucks’, Calgary Flames’, and San Jose Sharks’ prospects from September 12th to 16th. At this tournament last year, many Oilers fans were given the opportunity to see Magnus Paajarvi, Jordan Eberle and Taylor Hall play together in a game situation for the first time.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Edmonton Oilers, Lisa McRitchie | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Adam+Brown, Olivier+Roy, Tyler+Bunz,
Barker Gets Another Chance In Edmonton
by Paul on 08/10/11 at 08:33 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Paul Friesen of the Winnipeg Sun, Emotionless.
Too often, pointless. And finally, luckless.
Those are some of the words used to describe defenceman Cam Barker’s 2010-11 season with the Minnesota Wild.
After a lackluster start which left him sitting in the press box some nights, followed by an offensive dry spell that lasted longer than the one we just had, Barker finished his first full season in Minnesota with a bad back.
Not that many weeks ago, the Wild paid the Winnipegger to go away, buying out his contract in perhaps the ultimate indignation for the man chosen behind only Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin in the 2004 entry draft.
“It was an extremely tough year for me,” Barker, in town for the summer, was saying, Tuesday. “It just seemed like everything went wrong at once.”
This isn’t where the man’s career path was supposed to lead. Not after he put up 40 points with the Chicago Blackhawks two years earlier.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Edmonton Oilers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Cam+Barker,
Ryan Smyth Honoured By Standing Ovation
by Lisa McRitchie on 08/07/11 at 06:00 PM ET
Comments (2)
Fan favourite Ryan Smyth is beloved by many hockey fans throughout the world, but especially throughout the nation of Canada. Smyth not only played for Team Canada on many occasions, but also captained Canada’s World Championship team for a record six years Smyth has won several gold medals playing for his country including an Olympic gold in 2002. The nickname Captain Canada is fitting for the man who has left it all on the ice; blood, sweat, teeth and tears.
Smyth had the chance to return to the ice of Rexall place for the Team Canada U20 development camp’s Red and White game and was given the honour of performing the ceremonial puck drop and interacting with the young players.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Edmonton Oilers, Lisa McRitchie | KK Hockey | Permalink
Team Canada Red and White Primer
by Lisa McRitchie on 08/06/11 at 07:13 PM ET
Comments (2)
It’s a rainy, muggy morning in the City of Champions, and hockey fans were arriving long before the 9:30am start time to team white’s practice. The Oilers’ faithful, the friends the family, and general supporters of the nation’s favourite pass-time, are all in attendance.
The reason of course for the draw to a practise is likely to do the free sneak preview of Oiler’s prospects Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Tyler Bunz. Surely a name like Sean Couturier doesn’t exactly make fans shy away. To have this opportunity to see such high profile, top picked prospects is an excellent use of a Saturday morning in August, in the hockey crazed city of Edmonton, Alberta. Days like this, I truly feel like an Edmontonian, let alone a Canadian.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Edmonton Oilers, Lisa McRitchie | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Dillon+Simpson, Ryan+Nugent-Hopkins, Team+Canada, Tyler+Bunz,
Klefbom To Miss World Juniors Camp
by Lisa McRitchie on 08/04/11 at 09:32 PM ET
Comments (2)
Swedish defenseman Oscar Klefbom, selected 19th overall at this year’s NHL Entry Draft, missed the Oilers development camp held early in July due to a schedule conflict. The conflict was with the team he is currently under contract with, Farjestad of the Swedish Elite League.
NHL.com writer Adam Kimelman reported Wednesday that Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson and Gabriel Landeskog will all miss Sweden’s junior camp which takes place next week at Lake Placid, NY.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Edmonton Oilers, Lisa McRitchie | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Oscar+Klefbom,
Fraser Feud
by Lisa McRitchie on 08/03/11 at 02:04 PM ET
Comments (23)
It has been common to just use the word gate behind any misunderstanding or wrongdoing. In this case, I don’t believe that the Oilers set out to pull the wool over the heads of the Kings. So, I hereby propose this subject be called the Fraser Feud.
I was in St. Paul at the NHL entry draft amidst all of the Ryan Smyth trade talk, and everyone was excited about it, no matter what team they were there representing or covering. TSN cameramen were telling me how wonderful they felt the move would be for Edmonton. The heart of the matter seemed to be at what cost.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Edmonton Oilers, Lisa McRitchie | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Colin+Fraser, Dean+Lombardi, Ryan+Smyth, Steve+Tambellini,
About KK Hockey
Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.
From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.
Email Paul anytime at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Make extra cash while playing online poker. Rakeback is free and comes with rake races.
Kukla’s Korner is always a free service for readers, but it costs some money to maintain. If you’re ever in a position to donate a few dollars to help out, we’d be very appreciative.
Most Recent Blog Posts
John Davidson Wants To Stay In St. Louis, But Will He?
Could The Canucks’ Dressing Room Be Divided?
Shane Doan Talks Handshake Line
Willie Mitchell Is No Longer Dreaming
Reporting From Between The Benches
Nine Minutes With Gary Bettman
KK Members' Blog