A couple of days ago there was an interesting article regarding Joffry Lupul’s time in Edmonton and what he thought about his play.  To tell you the truth I could care less that Lupul isnt part of this hockey team and good on him for reemerging as a goal scorer in Philly but what got me interested in this whole mess was the comment he made in reference to MacT “playing favorites”.  The more I think about it and the more I watch these last couple games I cant help but agree that MacT has a soft spot for all the defensive forwards and old veterans on this team, why the likes of Marty Reasoner and Patrick Thoreson are on the ice in the final minute when we’re trying to tie up a hockey game has got me mind boggled.

I cant remember the last time we actually tied a game up in the final minute, Im leaning all the way back to Cogliano’s shorthanded in Anaheim as the last one I can remember.   But this isnt a shot at Reasoner, I know some people out there in Oil land believe that the only way a player should be on this hockey team is if he’s scoring goals.  I look back to last year and look at Shawn Horcoff as a prime example.  Fans were irate, they couldnt believe he was our first line center and every other night you could hear some dummy in the crowd complain about Horcoff’s play…where has it all gone?  Now that Horcoff has proven he can score again the fans have shut up and finally given him the respect he deserves.

All these so called hockey fans in Edmonton dont take into consideration the things a guy does away from the puck which is astonishing when this place is considered (by some) to have one of the most knowledgeable fan bases.  It’s great Horcoff is getting props because despite having a miserable offensive season last year he still was one of our better players.  Third on the team in scoring, tied for second in goals, all while playing the most minutes of any forward.  His only knock was a -22 rating which is somewhat hard to control when you’re playing those kind of minutes usually matched up against other teams top players.

Still despite the bad plus minus Horc was given ample playing time, something that has carried over into this season…which is fine because he has started producing.  The real question I have is on guys like Marty Reasoner, don’t get me wrong I understand what Reasoner brings to the table.  The guy is a checking line center, he wasn’t brought back to Edmonton to score 20 goals…if he does then great!  I know it, you know it, I’m sure Reasoner knows it, so why exactly doesn’t Craig MacTavish know it.   Time and time again, even more so in the last month when the Oilers squander another lead in the third I see Marty Reasoner, Jarret Stoll, Raffi Torres, or even tonight Patrick Thoreson as our extra attacker.

Why?

What have these guys done to deserve to be put out there in the closing moments when we need a goal.  Penner,  who has really come on as of late was parked on the bench after having a pretty solid game in favor of Reasoner or Thoreson?  Maybe one of you can explain it to me.

While you’re at it maybe you can explain why Dwayne Roloson is getting as much playing time as he has been.  I’ll be the first to say he hasn’t been Conkanen terrible, but he hasn’t been brilliant either.  The guy is giving up key goals at key moments in every game played, his rebound control is terrible, and for a guy who is based more on position then reflexes that cant happen.  Garon has a winning record in 20 games, two shutouts on a poor hockey team, a better G.A.A and a better save percentage yet he’s still getting dogged because they are giving Roli a fair shake to take back the starting job.

I look at the Chicago Blackhawks and ponder why our coach cant give our youngsters/new players the same responsibility.  Gagner and Cogliano are not on the same level as Kane and Toews but when two rookies are fourth and fifth on team scoring with just over an average of ten minutes of ice time why are they not being given the green light in the last minute of a hockey game, surely Cogs speed and Gagner’s playmaking are a better option then two defensive forwards.  Hell why not put Gilbert out there, the guy has been nothing short of spectacular this year as a rookie defensemen.

Gagner is being given more minutes but the guy I feel really sorry for is Cogliano who is drifting further and further down the bench because MacT cant find him anywhere to play.

It’s getting tough to be a fan of this team when you keep questioning your coach and GM’s motive.  At the start of the season a lot of people were excited because we had some potential franchise rookies in our future but the more I see our coach dog them and limit there ice time I begin to wonder what kind of effect it will have on them as players.  At some point this season I wouldn’t mind seeing

Penner – Horcoff – Hemsky
Nilsson – Gagner – Cogliano
Moreau – Reasoner – Pisani
Brodziak – Stoll – Sanderson

Yes, three rookies on the second line but they are our future and they seem to already have good chemistry together when any combination of them are on the ice.  If they get eaten up defensivly then make the change but we need to find some players who can score goals. Get rid of Stortini and I could care less if Torres ever plays on this team again because until he realizes what type of game he has to play to be effective he has no business in the NHL. Also with the way his buddy Stoll has played I see no business in giving him extended ice time either.

Apparently though Gags, Cogs and the rest of the rooks will have to mold into a MacTavish-esq player before they are capable hockey players.  The funny part is seeing our checking line players have a worse plus minus then most our rookies.

Heaven forbid some of our best offensive players actually go out and score goals in the final minute, we might as well keep it close and lose by a goal.

Walks
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