just chill and serve

Well, well, well. Ten games later and the Oilers are now in the 11th spot in the Western Conference. They are 7 points behind the Canucks for the 8th and final playoff spot and 9 points behind the NW division co-leaders, Flames and Avalanche. Although they’ve managed to jockey themselves up three spots, they are still the same amount of points out of a playoff position.

The season is realistically over for the 2007/08 Oilers but they sure aren’t playing like it! They have won 7 of their last 8 games and a major reason for the hot streak is the emergence of the Kid Line. With that in mind, let’s look at how the roster will look like next year:

Forwards
Penner (4.25) - Horcoff (3.6) - Hemsky (4.1)
Nilsson (1.5) - Gagner (1.625) - Cogliano (1.133)
Moreau (2) - Stoll (2.5) - Pisani (2.5)
Torres (2.25) - Brodziak (0.498) - Stortini (0.6)
Ext: Glencross (0.6)

Defencemen
Pitkanen (4.25) - Gilbert (2.75)
Staios (2.7) - Souray (5.4)
Grebeshkov (1.25) - Greene (1.15)
Ext: Smid (0.886)

Goaltenders
Garon (1.1)
Roloson (3.667)

** Cap Hits in blue are estimates **

TOTAL: $50.309M on 22 players
CAP LIMIT: ~$53M
CAP SPACE: ~$2.691M

Looks like Kevin Pendergast was right when he said that we had “no holes”…

With only 22 games left in the season and the Oilers sitting in 14th place in the conference, it is very unlikely that they will usurp the 8th and final playoff spot. Although they are only seven points out, they’d have to leapfrog six other teams and in the world of “loser” points, it’s damn near impossible.

So instead of pining for the 2008 playoffs, I’ll be looking at what the lineup will be like in October:

Forwards
Penner (4.25) - Horcoff (3.6) - Hemsky (4.1)
??? - Gagner (1.625) - ???
Moreau (2) - Cogliano (1.133) - Pisani (2.5)
Glencross (0.6) - Brodziak (0.498) - Stortini (0.6)
??? (0.6)

Defencemen
Pitkanen (5) - Gilbert (3)
Staios (2.7) - Smid (0.886)
Souray (5.4) - Greene (1.15)
Roy (0.5)

Goaltenders
Garon (1.1)
Roloson (3.667)

** Cap Hits in blue are estimates **

TOTAL: $44.909M on 20 players with 2 roster spots remaining
CAP LIMIT: ~$53M
CAP SPACE: ~$8.091M for 2 people (enough dough to fill that 2nd line)

I left Stoll, Torres and Nilsson off the list because they don’t seem to fit anywhere. Perhaps Nilsson will grab one of the winger spots on the 2nd line with Gagner as they’ve been developing some chemistry but if that is the case, that would be one very small line :\ Stoll has been terrible this year although he’s looking a bit better in the 2nd half. As for Torres, he just doesn’t do enough to justify that contract.

I’ll try to search the UFA list to see who can fill the 2nd line. Michael Ryder is a name that seems to come to mind.

To be continued…

Just got back from a five week vacation in Singapore, Thailand and Australia. As I look back, I have to say it was a blast!

Memorable moments:

• Mike’s wedding
• Singapore Transit System
• McDonald’s Samurai Pork Burger in Thailand
• Muay Thai Boxing
• Ping Pong Show
• Rob Longstaff Band in Melbourne
• Sleeping on a Picnic table in Townsville
• Sailing the Whitsundays
• Surfing in Byron Bay (BEST ORANGE EVAR)
• Sydney
• Ribs from Hurricanes in Bondi Beach
• Peroni Birra