Draft Week: Part Two

In the salary cap world of the NHL it's becoming increasingly rare to see big names moving around in trades. Many teams simply don't have the cap room to take on big contracts. That has not been the case this week at all, and I love it!

It started with Montreal shipping playoff hero goalie Jaroslav Halak to St Louis for a couple of prospects. Habs had two goalies that wanted to start, they needed to get rid of one of them. Time will tell if they made the right choice.

The New Jersey Devils picked up a playoff hero from years past. Jason Arnott scored the double overtime winner in the Stanley Cup final for the Devils in 2000. He's spent the last few seasons in Nashville putting up good numbers, but they're going younger. Again.

The Florida Panthers are making big changes. New GM Dale Tallon, a former Blackhawks GM, wants to put his stamp on the team, and started by sending Nathan Horton to Boston for Denis Wideman and a couple of picks. That trade leads me to think the Bruins believe the Oilers are going to take Taylor Hall. The B's need a scoring winger, which is what Hall is. Don't think they make that trade if they think they can get Hall.

The Chicago Blackhawks, in very serious cap trouble, needed to ship out contracts. Boy, they didn't wait long. Another playoff hero, Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager and Brent Sopel were sent to Atlanta for a couple of picks and Marty Reasoner.

The Oilers have even gotten into the mix sending a sixth round pick to Chicago for centre Colin Fraser. Low key move, but just the sort of move this team needs. Fraser has grit and is very good on the faceoff dot. He'll look good as a third or fourth line centre. The Oilers might not be done though. TSN analysts have said the Oilers are very interested in the 15th overall pick, which Florida got in the Nathan Horton deal.

There is, of course, the Sheldon Souray situation. The d-man wants out, and Tambo wants to get rid of him. Buffalo, New York Rangers, Dallas and San Jose have been listed as possible destinations. They're most likely not going to get fair market value for Souray, and are probably going to have to take salary back. Hopefully something can be worked out at the draft.

Every effort is going to be made to trade Ethan Moreau, Robert Nilsson and Patrick O'Sullivan. Don't really see them being too successful in that, but hey, a man can dream. All three will most likely be bought out.

There is one dream scenario when it comes to an Oilers trade. What would it take to pry the second overall pick out of Boston? Is there a scenario that would see the Oilers not only pick first overall, but second as well. Taylor Hall AND Tyler Seguin on the same team? Some proposals have been tossed around in the media. Dustin Penner and Ales Hemsky. Maybe Hemsky and either MPS or Jordan Eberle. I don't see it happening.

Anyways, here's hoping for a trade filled exciting day tomorrow. Bring on Hall or Seguin! (or both)

Draft Week: Part One

So here it is, the week where the rebuild officially begins for the Oilers. It's arguably the most important draft for this team since their first ever draft in 1979, and it will be the first time they pick first overall. In '79 they took a defenceman first, that being Kevin Lowe. This year it will be a forward, either Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin. I'll muse more about them later on this week.

Of course, there are no shortage of decisions to make about players currently on the roster. What to do with under performers Ethan Moreau, Robert Nilsson and Patrick O'Sullivan. Sam Gagner and Andrew Cogliano need new contracts. Which young backup do they keep, Jeff Deslauriers or Devan Dubnyk. When they do pick one, what to do with the other?

One area they seemed set at was behind the bench. One year ago Pat Quinn was hired to be the head coach.

"I didn't want to construct or bring in a good coaching staff. I wanted a great one."

Those were the words of Steve Tambellini after introducing Quinn as the head man. Sitting next to Quinn, former New York Rangers head coach Tom Renney. He had been named an associate coach, and the idea was to move him into the head spot in a couple of years. Well, out of nowhere, that change has come.

Pat Quinn has been 'promoted' to the role of Senior Advisor, and he is not impressed.

"Promoted? I'd say not. My career is coaching. It's why I wanted to come back into the game with Edmonton last year."

Quinn joins the training and equipment staff as those being 're-assigned' due to the need of a culture change. All the changes coming out of left field, and not done with the proper amount of class due to the individuals being let go. I understand that change is a hard thing to do, but there needs to be a certain amount of class exhibited when making these changes. Unfortunately, that appears to be lacking.

It's not a good start to the week.

Sports! (and the Sports Cage)

"We've got to get back to our basic principles of drafting and development," Oilers President of Hockey Operations Kevin Lowe said in Oklahoma City this week. "Get out of the free agent business."

HALLELUJAH!

This is the same man that has chased and chased and chased since the lockout ended in 2005. Admittedly it worked that first year, he picked up Pronger, Peca and others and the team ran all the way to game seven of the cup final.

Since then it's been an epic failure. He's chased Hossa, Nylander, Heatley, Briere, Drury and so on. They have all spurned the team. Other lower priced free agents that were already playing here, Reasoner and Glencross to name two, have gone elsewhere, and the Oilers got progressively worse.

Now, it seems, Lowe has seen the light.

"It just seems to be in recent NHL history that the only way you become a contender is you have to go to the back of the bus for a while and regroup. We had a pile of injuries this year to key players and in some respects, having been at this for 10 years now, it's a blessing in disguise."

Yes it certainly has. But wait, he went even further.

"It's almost like something hit us in the side of the head and said, 'okay, if you guys can't figure this out yourself, then we're going to do it for you!"

Perfect. Now don't fuck it up.

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Step one comes at the end of June. That's when the NHL Entry Draft will be held, and the Oilers will pick first. It will be either Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin. Who should they take? I don't know, I can't really say I've seen enough of Seguin's play to make an educated guess on his talent level.

I have however seen plenty of Taylor Hall. He was very good at the World Juniors. He has been a beast at the Memorial Cup. He goes to the net and shows unbelievable intensity on the ice. Two things the Oilers are seriously lacking. I like this kid, and have visions of him wearing number 4 in the Copper and Blue for many years to come.

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It was about this time last year I spoke about the Toronto Blue Jays on this blog. They had gotten off to a tremendous start at 22-and-12, although it was against teams that weren't considered contenders. They had yet to play the Yankees or Red Sox. I wrote that they needed to show they could win against those teams before we start planning any parades. As it turned out, they couldn't beat those teams and went on to look terrible for most of the rest of the season.

This year they've gotten off to another hot start, but it feels different this time. They're getting great defense, they're getting very good starting pitching from all five of their starters, and they're relatively healthy. Vernon Wells looks like the player they signed to a massive extension again, hitting the cover off the ball. They've got some speed with Fred Lewis leading off. Now, I'm not saying they're going to win the division, or even get the wildcard, but this team is making strides. They'll still probably finish fourth in the AL East, but it won't be an embarrassing season. Now, fans in Toronto, how about you actually go and show them some love?

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LOVE the new sports talk show on 620 CKRM. The Sports Cage features my favourite sports guy in the city in Rod Pedersen, and he's joined by a range of guests every day. They talk local sports, they talk NHL and CFL. It's something that I love in sports talk radio, the variety of topics that can come out.

Monday to Friday, 4:00 to 6:00 on CKRM. Listen online, I do from work.

Randoms (some hockey thoughts)

I can't bring myself to cheer for another Canadian team. It goes against my nature. I'm an Oilers fan, plain and simple. I've had to defend this line of thinking many many times since moving to Regina. People here jump on the Canadian bandwagon, and look at anyone who doesn't as unpatriotic. Patriotism has nothing to do with it. Vancouver is a division rival. Montreal fans are nearly as annoying as Leaf fans. The Senators? I'm apathetic towards them. I'm also friends with fans of each of these teams who will lay it on me if they were to win the cup.

To explain it down here I tend to put it this way. Roughrider fans, would you ever cheer for the Blue Bombers? Or Stampeders? Or Lions? I didn't think so.

So, to the Canadiens, Senators and Canucks. Boooooo. The quicker you are all eliminated, the better.

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I remember a time when CBC's hockey coverage was second to none. You watched their broadcast because it was the best. My how the times have changed. I don't know if they've gotten worse so much as TSN has gotten better. Much, MUCH better. Chris Cuthbert (he of fired from CBC fame) calls a great game. Ray Ferarro has turned into one of the best analysts in the game. Gord Miller also calls a really good game, and Pierre McGuire (as annoying as he is) provides good analysis too.

As far as CBC, the team of Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson are still among the best, but there is plenty to dislike about the other crews.

We'll start with Mark Lee and Kevin Weekes. Mark Lee calls a good game, but he almost sounds disinterested. I don't know, he's not exciting. Kevin Weekes is in a bit too deep right now. I'm sure someday he could make a good analyst, but right now he is just too green. He doesn't add anything but tired cliches. This team also misses very obvious calls over and over again. In game three of the Sharks-Ave's series both missed the fact that it was an own goal by Dan Boyle in overtime that ended the game. They continually spoke of Ryan O'Reilly just firing it at the net, and only realized several minutes afterwards when they saw the replay it wasn't actually him. Not good enough.

The other team features Bob Cole, who is very clearly no longer in his prime. I still enjoy listening to him call a game though. Just, this team also misses calls. I'm not exactly sure who the other two in the booth are (I think there are two others) but I think one of them is Glen Healy. Anyways, in the Ottawa-Pittsburgh game Saturday night the Senators scored a goal, but it went under review. Healy was going on about how it should count for several minutes and confused as to why it was being reviewed. It wasn't until after several replays they all noticed that the net was very clearly off it's moorings. Not good enough.

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James Duthie has become the best sports broadcaster in the nation. He's proved it through the NHL season, through the Olympics, and now through the playoffs. He's smooth, he's smart, and controls the TSN panel brilliantly.

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Ugh, my Facebook news feed is filled with Canucks fans and bandwagon jumpers filled with glee over their win. Go Blackhawks go!

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The Oilers fired four of their longest serving employees this week, and only one of them had anything to do with player personnel. Kevin Prendergast was shown the door after 20 years in the team's scouting and management departments. He was in charge of the minor league teams, and they were abysmal. It was time for a change there.

Also let go though were trainer Ken Lowe, and equipment men Barrie Stafford and Sparky Kulchisky. These ones don't make any sense. The only mildly decent explanation floating around is the team is looking for a complete culture change. Not sure how those three were negative influences on the team's culture.

We just better see some players on the way out.

History will be made

The NHL has come out with some terrific promos for the Stanley Cup playoffs. Really, a rarity for this league. But, they have led to a number of hilarious parodies. This is the absolute best one I've seen so far.

Let the rebuild begin! (Steve Tambellini's Oilers?)

As an Oilers fan I haven't had a whole bunch to cheer for in the past few years. They have shown absolutely no progress in developing good talent. In fact, they almost appear to be regressing. The team has missed the playoffs for four straight seasons. Several players have demanded trades or spurned big contract offers, making Edmonton look about as appealing as a mushroom casserole for lunch. It has been a terrible stretch. Here's hoping Tuesday night is the start of something different.

Tuesday night offered us the Draft Lottery special on TSN. It's ridiculous to think that a 30 minute program is devoted simply to what order teams will pick in a draft. It's even more ridiculous to think that I was glued to it. By finishing in last place the Oilers had the best chance of winning the lottery at slightly over 48%. I had no faith in them actually winning though. It's been a long time since this franchise has won anything. A very, very long time. So when Bill Daly opened the envelope revealing the Oilers logo, I actually jumped and cheered. A bizarre reaction. I wasn't alone though, as a live shot of Hudsons on Whyte Ave showed a couple hundred Oiler fans gathered there for a Lotto Party doing the same thing. What can I say, we don't get to cheer much, so we'll take any opportunity we can get. A brief moment of joy that may go all for not if this isn't the start of significant change. Today, Oilers GM Steve Tambellini gave me some hope.

"It's fact that we finished 30th in the league. To me it presents clarity to the entire organization that we have to make some change. There's no question about that."

Change. Something this team desperately needs. Sheldon Souray has demanded a trade, and took a big swipe at the organization in the process. He needs to be traded quickly. Patrick O'Sullivan, while extremely talented, quite obviously does not work here. He needs to go. Ethan Moreau is no longer playing at an NHL level. He needs to go. That trio would be a great start, but it's easier said than done. Each have money remaining on their deals, and none are overly attractive assets. This is going to require buyouts. This is going to require taking less than market value. This might even require burying some bad contracts in the minors.

"I am sick and tired of hearing people complain about this city, this organization, the coach, the cold."

"If you can’t develop your own core of expectations of what an Oiler is, respect for the logo, for the city, you’re always going to be spinning your wheels."

Pride. There was a time the Oilers were a proud franchise, and an honour to play for. This team has a rich history of championships and tremendous players. But, the glory days of the 80's are long gone, and the fast and workmanlike teams of the late 90's are just a faded memory. It was very obvious that this wasn't a true team this season. It was a collection of individuals. Most nights the effort wasn't there. There appeared to be no desire to win, and very little frustration about losing. This team needs players who are proud to wear the Oilers jersey. Men that will play for each other, not just for themselves.

"If we're only reliant upon a trade or a free agent signing then I'm going to be sitting here possibly ten years from now and we're going to be talking about the same thing. We have to take care of our own business as the Oilers. We have to do a better job of drafting, of scouting, of assessment."

The Oilers weren't the only team in this organization to finish in last place. The Springfield Falcons of the AHL, the Oilers top farm team, also finished last. A damning assessment of how this team has done at player development. Yes, there are a number of exciting prospects on the way. Jordan Eberle and Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson are the two highest profile. But neither have played in the Oilers system yet, and both were first rounders. What makes a franchise truly successful is how you draft and develop prospects in the later rounds, and the Oilers have been abysmal. It's nice to finally see someone in the organization stand up and say so.

Tuesday night the Oilers won the draft lottery, giving them the first overall pick in June. It will be between Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin. Both are viewed as game changers. Can't miss prospects. Reset buttons. Here's hoping the Oilers not only do their homework and pick the one best for this franchise, but start a culture change in the locker room this summer so the poison of these last four seasons doesn't infect the change they so badly need.

Number 44 in our program, number one...douche

The terrific season continues for the Edmonton Oilers, even after it came to an end with a whimper of a 7-2 loss in Anaheim.

"It’s not a players thing. It’s not a fans thing or a city thing. It’s a management thing, they’ve given up on me, and it’s a two-way street."

And with that, Sheldon Souray has demanded a trade. Not privately with Steve Tambellini, but very publicly, in an interview with Mark Spector of Sportsnet.ca. I appreciate that he's frustrated with how his tenure with the Oilers has gone. Three seasons, and two of them spent mostly injured. But, I find it very classless to go about demanding a trade in this manner. If you like the players, the fans, and the city, why on earth would you bury the franchise like this so publicly? Selfish move, but whatever.

Really, the fact Souray is still an Oiler is his own fault. The Oilers have made it no secret that they would have liked to have moved Souray this season. He submitted a list of teams that he would be willing to go to at the trade deadline, but that was dashed when he stupidly fought Jarome Iginla, breaking his hand, and ending his season. Nice move. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out this summer, it might break your brittle hip.

I'm getting pretty tired of these big name players dissing this franchise year after year, but maybe it's time Daryl Katz started to listen. Souray pointed directly at management for his desire to ditch. A management team that has pushed this team up to the cap with bad contracts, and finished out of the playoffs four straight seasons. I'm more than willing to see Steve Tambellini try and tear this team apart this summer, but it's his last opportunity. If we don't see a real commitment to rebuild, a real commitment to make changes, and some sort of progress in the fall, it will be time to clear the pressbox of that team entirely. Otherwise we might start seeing young stars start demanding a ticket out of town. (Patrick O'Sullivan, you're more than welcome to demand a trade by the way.)

To read Mark Spector's entire article, you can click right here.

Quit smoking! (and maybe more)

Okay, this is unbelievable. We all know quitting smoking is one of the hardest things anyone has to go through. There are now a bunch of different medications on the market that help people do so, but, like most medications, they come with side effects. This is the most ridiculous list of side effects I have ever heard! Why on earth would anyone take this stuff?

T-Rex and Zombie

Apart from this toothache I'm suffering through today, I've had a terrific first half of my day. It's a rare Thursday off for me, so I'm taking advantage of it by getting caught up on chores. I have had my Ipod plugged in the entire time, dancing and singing along while doing the chores. U2, The Airborne Toxic Event, Foo Fighters, Matthew Good Band, Coldplay, Radiohead and more all the soundtrack of my day.

Ultraviolet (Light My Way) while cleaning the plates. Everlong while swiffer mopping my bathroom floor. Fix You to my laundry. And now Fake Plastic Trees as I blog. Well, at least as I write this sentence.

I know I haven't been a very good blogger of late. Really, it's been months and months of declining production, but February was an all time low. One entry in 28 days, hardly the stuff of champions. Well, I'm going to turn that around. I have things on my mind, and I'm going to put them on here! Starting with how I'm going to spend this evening.

I've been looking forward to this evening since last night! Your favourite random minded blogger has found a like-minded girlfriend. You read that right, I have a girlfriend. Her name is Sarah. She's cute, brilliant, driven and, just like me, she' a bit random minded! Tonight we're going for dinner to either Houston Pizza or Western Pizza. I can't remember which one, so it's a good thing she's driving. We decided on this through text messages last night. Text messages because we didn't actually get to see each other yesterday.

We're at that stage where we hate going long periods of time without seeing each other. Quite frankly, I hope this stage never ends, because I like seeing her all the time! (I know, how ridiculously annoyingly cute have I gotten? Who saw that one coming?)

It was a romance that started from an introduction while working together, and grew through our common love of cheesy 80's movies. Our first official date included watching The Breakfast Club. The night where we, I don't know what the right term is here, decided we were a couple? Anyways, the official "now a couple" night included Say Anything and Weird Science (the movies, not actual actions.) We listen to Bryan Adams on the drive to work. I think we're one step away from crimped hair and a mullet. Or at least acid wash jeans.

So there you have it. My life as a boyfriend. I'm loving it, and I'm sure it will be filled with hilarity. This blog will still be about random things of course, the Oilers, U2, my shoes, but maybe I'll share some of those hilarious moments as well. Be sure to stay tuned!

Oh, and I have a dentist appointment on Monday to take care of this toothache. I'm sure that will make for a stirring read, right?

My role in mediocre (an Oilers tanking story)

I'll admit, I was a bit worried earlier this week. The Oilers started to string together some pretty good hockey. A 2-1 win over Minnesota and a 2-0 shutout of the New Jersey Devils, and all of a sudden the Oilers were four points back of Toronto for 29th place in the NHL. That's a bit too close for comfort!

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Thomasean, are you nuts?! Four points out of 29th is too close for comfort?" To that I say YES! If the Oilers finish 30th overall they are guaranteed one of the top two draft positions, and a shot at either Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin. If they finish 29th, there is a chance they could pick third overall. Cam Fowler will be picked in that slot and he is a terrific hockey player, but not the immediate game changer Hall and Seguin are projected to be. And let's be honest, the Oilers need immediate help. Last night the Oilers played the Senators. They lost 4-1 and I discovered that I have a very important role to play in the tanking.

I didn't see a minute of the Wild or Devils game, two games the Oilers played terrifically in. I also didn't see the first two and a half periods of last night's game. My friend Raj texted me midway through the second very angry about JDD's strong play in goal. I turned on the game and it was tied 1-1. Ten minutes later the Oilers were trailing 4-1 and looked awful in the process. Coincidence? Probably. But I'm not risking anything!

So here is my mission. The Oilers have 16 games left, and it is up to me to sit through those games and bring my particular brand of luck. They are going to be awful games, but I must make this sacrifice, especially this weekend. The Oilers visit the Leafs. If Toronto wins, they will be eight points up on the Oilers. That's a nice cushion.

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I know it's over a week late, but I do have some thoughts on the trade deadline moves by the Oilers. They made three trades, sending Denis Grebeshkov to Nashville for a draft pick, Steve Staios to Calgary for Aaron Johnson and a draft pick, and Lubomir Visnovsky to Anaheim for Ryan Whitney and a pick.

I'll start with Grebeshkov. I actually liked Grebs on our blueline. Yes, he was prone to making very boneheaded giveaways that lead to goals against, but you can say that about most of the Oiler's roster. He is a very mobile defenseman that can make some very nice plays on offense, and that type doesn't fall off trees. Unfortunately, he's a bit expensive, and for a team that's bumping against the cap, the $3+ million that would be due to him in contract negotiations is steep. They already have Gilbert locked up for several years at $4 million, so Grebs was expendable.

Staios needed to go. He has been a great war horse for this franchise, but has lost a step and wasn't any help to this team any longer. His $2.7 million for next season was money that could be spent much more effectively elsewhere, say on a fourth line centre that can win faceoffs and kill penalties, and a crusty stalwart defenceman. Think Marty Reasoner and Jason Smith types.

I know a few people unhappy with the Visnovsky deal, but I really like this one. Lubo is a $5.6 million cap hit and over 30 years of age. By the time this team has turned it around and is a perennial threat (hopefully) to make the playoffs, he will be past his prime. In return they got a 27 year old American Olympian in Ryan Whitney. He hasn't figured out the game entirely just yet, but he still has quite a bit of upside, and is a $4 million cap hit for four more seasons. A nice young d-man to build the backend around.

With those three moves alone the Oilers cleared more than $7 million in cap space for next season. A pretty good start to the full on rebuild.

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Changing gears, the line of the day comes courtesy of one Chad Jeremy.

"Isn't that the Saskatchewan way. We're still mathematically still in the Brier, but we need a lot of help. It's only day three."

Randoms (I could use a shower)

The most played song in my Ipod this week, another track by the Airborne Toxic Event. Wishing Well. Love this song. And it makes me want to buy a Buick.


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My latest gym membership certainly isn't going to waste. I've already had several sessions with a personal trainer, which has gotten me into a pretty good base of shape. Is that a term? Base of shape? I'm making it one. Anyways, he's been on vacation for the last week and won't be back until next week, so I've been on my own in the gym. With this baseline of fitness though I've been having some terrific workouts without someone forcing me to! The only thing though is by the end of the workout, I stink. Physically stink. Why does that have to happen?

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Does it make me a bad fan that the Oilers two game winning streak last week had me worried? They were tied 2-2 with Minnesota on Thursday night, then Harding got hurt making a ridiculous save and some kid I'd never heard of replaced him. I actually thought to myself "ah shit, the Oilers are going to win." Does that make me a bad fan? NO! It makes me a committed fan. Fall for Hall!

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Oh, by the way, the Oilers lost 6-1 in Phoenix tonight and looked brutal doing so. It still is strange to see how epically bad this team has actually gotten. Injuries or not, they should be at least a bit more competitive.

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I've heard a couple of people say this year's Superbowl wasn't all that good, not sure what they were hoping for! It was a tight game right up until the very end, and a great story with New Orleans finally winning one! A game doesn't have to end 56-55 for it to be a good game! Come one.

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Are we even going to recognize the Riders when training camp kicks off this spring? What is it with this team and the number of defections each and every year. Not just players, but coaches too! Hopefully Taman can find someone to play DE this season. Losing one of Chick or Baggs is manageable, but both? That's a pretty big gap to fill. Welcome to Saskatchewan Brendan, enjoy the rabid fan base while trying to fill the roster.

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Oh, CTV, I get it. The Olympics are coming up. Enough with the commercials! Maybe that's what ruined the Superbowl for people, the annoying douchey "Do You Believe" commercials. What's with that one where that girl is singing for what feels like 15 minutes? Canadian networks have a way of making the Olympics very lame. Not going to convince too many 18-34 year old males to tune in with those promos.

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No, I don't want to talk about The Bachelor.

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I had a dream the other night that the intro to the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson changed it's opening song, and I was quite upset about it. When I woke up I actually was worried that the dream was true. Perhaps I like that show a bit too much.

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Isn't that Wishing Well track terrific? If you didn't listen to it, damnit, go up and click on the video. It is worth your time!

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Okay, that's all from me for now. I just got home from the gym, and I stink. Time for a shower, then it's off to bed. Goodnight.

It's Time To Tank (UPDATE)

Nearly two months ago I wrote an entry called The Merits of Last Place. It was December 3rd. The Oilers were last in the Western Conference, and third last in the league ahead of only Carolina and Toronto. At that point I called for them to tank for a shot at either Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin in June. They proceeded to win five straight games, all of them on the road. Now, I'm not one to believe the Oilers read my blog and said "oh yeah, screw you!" But clearly the Hockey Gods read it, and weren't about to let me have my way. That is until December 15th.

It has been an epic slide for Edmonton. The night of December 15th the Oilers lost 3-2 to a very good Los Angelas Kings team. That was the start of a seven game losing streak. On December 28th the Oilers managed a 3-1 win over Toronto, but they haven't won since. Twelve straight losses. No wins in January. One win in their last 19. Ladies and Gentlemen, the tank is on! The Oilers sit last in the entire league, five points clear of Carolina. In the west, they're 13 points back of 14th place Columbus! Rumours are rampant that the for sale sign is up in GM Steve Tambo's office window. Sheldon Souray, Ethan Moreau, Lubomir Vishnovsky, Fernando Pisani all available not just to the highest bidder, but any bidder really. The Edmonton Oilers have finally committed to a full rebuild. Usually I look forward to the trade deadline to see who the Oilers pick up. This year I'm looking forward to seeing who they're able to get rid of!

Tonight the Oilers visit Calgary, who are also having some epic struggles. They are winless in nine games, and have fallen back to ninth place in the Western Conference. I can't describe the joy this brings me! If the Oilers are going to win the odd game down the stretch, this is one I definitely want. Could life be any better? The Oilers looking in great shape to earn one of the top two picks, and maybe kicking the Flames a little while they're down? (Hockey Gods, please don't screw this up for me!)

Shower Talk (What the fuck?!)

I'm now a full member at Gold's Gym here in Regina, and I go to the north location several times a week. There's a changeroom with lockers there that I use to get in and out of my workout gear. There is also a shower in there that I don't use, but a lot of guys do. Well, as I was getting changed after my workout, I heard a very loud and excited conversation between two buds.

Guy 1 - Wassup!

Guy 2 - Wassup!

Guy 1 - Wassup!!!

Guy 2 - Wassup!!!!!!

Guy 1 - (higher pitch) WASSUP!!

Guy 2 - (even higher pitch) bud, WASSUP!!!

Guy 1 - Bud, I have a water bottle in my bag.

Guy 2 - Don't you dare.

Guy 1 - It's ice cold!

Guy 2 - Don't you dare squirt me!

Guy 1 - I'm serious man, ice cold!

Guy 2 - (higher pitch) Don't you squirt me!!

Guy 1 - What are you doing in the r'tard shower anyway?

Guy 2 - What?

Guy 1 - What you doing in that shower anyway?

Guy 2 - It's nice!

Guy 1 - Man, the water is ICE cold!

Guy 2 - (even higher pitch) Don't you dare!!

At that point I was fully changed and left before I heard something I really didn't want to hear. What the fuck?!

Moose Jaw vs Medicine Hat! (Craig Ferguson Monologue)

Conan? Leno? Who cares, Craig Ferguson is funnier than both. Here's the second half of his monologue on Thursday night where he talks about city rivalries. It is hilarious! (PS, I hate you Calgary!)

Rediscovering A Lost Love (Canadian Style)

Some of my earliest childhood memories are of learning how to skate. I couldn't have been much older than three years old when my Mom and Dad would lace up these little black and red plastic skates, and send me off onto the ice. At that age you don't so much skate as you just try to remain standing up without falling. As I got older, I obviously got much more comfortable. I took a year of powerskating to help improve. I didn't play much league hockey, a year of Novice 'A' in elementary, and a year of PeeWee in grade 8. I loved the game, but I wasn't very good. I figured I had a better shot at making the NBA, so I focused more on basketball. Still, I would go play shinny at the rink with my friends after school and on weekends. The town built an outdoor rink when I was in Junior High, which I would go out to with my brother and my friend Shane well after midnight. Just being on the ice shooting the puck around felt so comfortable. Typical Canadian kid. Somewhere along the way I got away from it though.

It's the same old story. You turn 18 and you get into other things. You get a job and your free time evaporates. You move away and make new friends that have different interests. What free time I did have I spent going to the bar, or to the movies. I can sit here and honestly say I have no idea how long it's been since I've gone skating. Maybe ten years. While I watch it every week, and talk about it every day, I've gotten away from the part of hockey I loved the most, actually playing it.

Two days ago my buddy Shawn sent me a text. "Bud, ODR?" His way of asking if I wanted to hit the outdoor rink just two blocks from his apartment. I hadn't even thought of hitting the ice in years. I was in. Just one problem though, I have no equipment. The last time I saw my skates was before I moved away from Edmonton in late 2002. My hockey gloves were even longer removed, and I left my stick up in Grande Prairie because there was no room in my car when I moved down here. I needed to restock. This afternoon I picked up Shawn and we headed to Canadian Tire. I love shopping for hockey gear, and because it's now mid-January you can find some pretty good deals. I grabbed a pair of Easton Reflex skates for $100, an Easton Synergy stick for $20 and some Easton gloves. It all added up to under $200, and I'm now completely ready to hit the ice. We headed right for the rink.

I really didn't know what to expect. It was like when I hopped on the bike for the first time in a decade this past summer, was I going to still be able to do it? Would I still be able to not just skate, but stop. Do cross overs. I was nervous. When I slipped on those skates for the first time a flood of memories from my days at the old Derald Palmer Memorial Arena in Fox Creek came back to me. Lacing up in the old dressingrooms there. Pulling the nets off the boards by the penalty box with my buddy Shane as we were the only two on the ice at times. The skating drills we used to do in practice to improve our mobility. Just how much I love being on the ice. I tightened up the skates, it was the moment of truth. Can I still do this?

While I'm obviously not as good as I once was, I went out there without missing a beat. With each stride I picked up speed. It felt amazing. Just being out there carving through corners and coming to a stop. I could still do it all. I just skated laps to feel the wind in my face. It's such an exhilarating feeling, and I'm hooked all over again. My puck handling skills leave something to be desired. Shawn and I attempted a couple of passes, and they didn't click all that well. Also, I don't have much of a shot anymore. Not that I ever did. After 20 minutes on the ice a teacher brought a bunch of his what looked to be Junior High students out to play some broomball, so we got out of their way. It was a short stint, but an amazing one. We're going to go back out tomorrow night, and I hope to get out at least once a week until the ice melts. I might even give Pat Quinn a call, someone of my current skill set would fit right in on the Oilers top line.

I can't believe I let this go on for so many years. For all of you reading this, think of that one thing you loved to do so much as a kid. When was the last time you tried it? Why do we let these things just go by the wayside? Just because we aren't kids anymore doesn't mean we can't still go out and have a great time. If you haven't gone skating in years, get out on the ice. Trust me on this one, it's just as much fun as you remember it.