4 cuts

Rita, Salmelainen, Allen and Wright all sent to Hamilton. Courtesy of Ched.

Just beat me to posting that :)

I am surprised both Rita and Salmelainen were sent down - I expected one of them to stay... I really hope Rita can get his head together and get called up this year, he has sooooo much talent...

Rita, Salmelainen, Allen and Wright all sent to Hamilton. Courtesy of Ched.As long as they're going to Toronto, ;) it's about what I expected.

For God's sake they had better put Rita on the Roadrunners' first line...To showcase him for a trade if nothing else.

Man, Jim isn't going to be happy that Sarno stayed up over Rita/Salmo.

sometimes I think this coaching staff is clueless. Keeping Sarno up over Rita is a terrible move....if hemsky got so much leeway last year during training camp, Rita, who is five times the defensive player hemsky was when hemsky was given his spot, should easily be on this team. I will not give up on Rita, and neither should the oilers. Poti, Comrie, now Rita...why is that some guys with skill are jsut not accepted here.Great job Mac-t.

MacT.... :rolleyes:

sometimes I think this coaching staff is clueless. Keeping Sarno up over Rita is a terrible move....if hemsky got so much leeway last year during training camp, Rita, who is five times the defensive player hemsky was when hemsky was given his spot, should easily be on this team. I will not give up on Rita, and neither should the oilers. Poti, Comrie, now Rita...why is that some guys with skill are jsut not accepted here.Great job Mac-t.

I was surprised he lasted this long. He has had IMO a terrible camp. I don't believe in handing players a spot that they didn't earn. Sends a bad message!

sometimes I think this coaching staff is clueless. Keeping Sarno up over Rita is a terrible move....if hemsky got so much leeway last year during training camp, Rita, who is five times the defensive player hemsky was when hemsky was given his spot, should easily be on this team. I will not give up on Rita, and neither should the oilers. Poti, Comrie, now Rita...why is that some guys with skill are jsut not accepted here.Great job Mac-t.
Hemsky was only here last year because they couldn't send him to Hamilton, and sending him back to junior would have been a waste of time. I'm not saying that Rita doesn't deserve a shot, but Hemsky was given more slack than they normally would have given him because he couldn't be sent down.

sometimes I think this coaching staff is clueless. Keeping Sarno up over Rita is a terrible move....if hemsky got so much leeway last year during training camp, Rita, who is five times the defensive player hemsky was when hemsky was given his spot, should easily be on this team. I will not give up on Rita, and neither should the oilers. Poti, Comrie, now Rita...why is that some guys with skill are jsut not accepted here.Great job Mac-t.


This is in no way giving up on Rita. He's lost out there right now. Sarno earned a spot, Rita didn't, plain and simple. Rita should not "easily be on this team". He was beaten not only by Sarno, but by Torres, Stoll, Salmelainen and Wright in this camp. That's sad for a guy who's supposed to be a hockey player.

Luoma should've gone down too, not sure why he didn't.

This is in no way giving up on Rita. He's lost out there right now. Sarno earned a spot, Rita didn't, plain and simple. Rita should not "easily be on this team". He was beaten not only by Sarno, but by Torres, Stoll, Salmelainen and Wright in this camp. That's sad for a guy who's supposed to be a hockey player.

Luoma should've gone down too, not sure why he didn't.
Rita was having such good chemistry with Reasoner y did MacT break up that line or he could of atleast return him to it when he was not geling with some others. WHY? early in the pre-season almost everyone had
Moreau-Reasoner-Rita as their third line

It's a matter of persepctive IMO. Rita has nothing to learn at the AHL level, other than how to stew and be angry (He's been down there for two years now...it's time for him to make the jump) Hemsky had nothing to learn at the junior level. Hemsky had the talent to play in the NHL, it was his defense/durability that was the question. Hemsky's deficencies, his incompleteness, was overlooked. Rita has the talent to play in the NHL, his defense is in question, yet for some reason, he's incompleteness doesn't get overlooked? I just, at all costs, don't want to see Rita not play for us, go somewhere else, and break out. I believe in Rita. I've seen him play, and I think, had we kept him, he would of been a better player than sarno. I hope he's up soon because he plays well down in the A.

Sarno's a centre and Rita's a winger. There's no guarantee that Sarno's going to be up here for the season or that Rita stays in Toronto all season. Remember injuries happen and by the way things are going this preseason, there could be a lot of callups because of injury.

Sarno's a centre and Rita's a winger. There's no guarantee that Sarno's going to be up here for the season or that Rita stays in Toronto all season. Remember injuries happen and by the way things are going this preseason, there could be a lot of callups because of injury.
Sarno is not actually playing is he? I thought he's just a press box guy centers Smyth/York/Reasoner/Stoll so that leaves him out right?

It's a matter of persepctive IMO. Rita has nothing to learn at the AHL level, other than how to stew and be angry. Hemsky had nothing to learn at the junior level. Hemsky had the talent to play in the NHL, it was his defense/durability that was the question. Hemsky's deficencies, his incompleteness, was overlooked. Rita has the talent to play in the NHL, his defense is in question, yet for some reason, he's incompleteness doesn't get overlooked? I just, at all costs, don't want to see Rita not play for us, go somewhere, and prove me right. I believe in Rita. I've seen him play, and I think, had we kept him, he would of raised to the occasion. I hope he's up soon because he plays well down in the A.

I think the real problem for the organization at this point is going to be whether to sign him next season (or when they play) or let him go back to Finland.

It's clear he's a heckuva player, but it's also clear the Oilers have terrific options up front.

The other side of this is of course that Rita could be the first callup, as others have said.

Rita was having such good chemistry with Reasoner y did MacT break up that line or he could of atleast return him to it when he was not geling with some others. WHY? early in the pre-season almost everyone had
Moreau-Reasoner-Rita as their third line

The chemistry that alot of people seem to be pointing to was overestimated. He scored a bad angle goal, and played alright in the Joey Moss cup. Fact is, he's just not moving at NHL speed right now(I don't mean skating speed). Rod said a couple times on Rita "You just can't make that mistake in the NHL". He's just not clicking. Let him go score a ton of points in the AHL, get confidence goin, and then come back. He has never dominated down there.

You don't wait for a guy to get to the regular season and bring his game up, pre-season is to prove you belong and make the team. Your job is on the line, if you can't raise your game then, then you're not ready.

Rita can still learn alot from the AHL, let him prove he deserves to be here.

Again, he's not even going to be the best player in Toronto to start, so there's no reason he should just be handed an opening night spot.

Let him show the talent he supposedly has, then, maybe, he'll be an Oiler.

sometimes I think this coaching staff is clueless. Keeping Sarno up over Rita is a terrible move....if hemsky got so much leeway last year during training camp, Rita, who is five times the defensive player hemsky was when hemsky was given his spot, should easily be on this team. I will not give up on Rita, and neither should the oilers. Poti, Comrie, now Rita...why is that some guys with skill are jsut not accepted here.Great job Mac-t.From what I've seen, heard and read, Rita has earned a spot in TO. He's not ready to be a regular here yet. Sarno has earned a 4th line/PP/pb spot.

I don't think anyone is "giving up" on Rita. There are things he needs to work on. If he does, he'll be the first call-up.

I think Rita's done here and I am guessing that the Oilers are going to make their first straight-up Neely/Pederson deal soon.

That's my final answer.

I am surprised the oilers kept both sarno AND stoll...i think that says that Smyth's experiment at center is done for sure

I think Rita's done here and I am guessing that the Oilers are going to make their first straight-up Neely/Pederson deal soon.

That's my final answer.

You're gonna compare the loss of Jani Rita to the loss of Cam Neely................ :rolleyes: I don't think I should even be dignifying that.

You're gonna compare the loss of Jani Rita to the loss of Cam Neely................ :rolleyes: I don't think I should even be dignifying that.Yeah I just said that Rita was going to be a 20/200 guy. Congratulations, you cracked the code.

the cuts also come down to contracts. Rita makes first round money as the 14th forward $950 per year or you can have Sarno as your 14th forward at half of the salary. Every dollar counts with the Oilers

...more so than seeing Rita go down. From all reports it seems Rita once again faded during the exhibition games, while lighting it up in training camp. I sure hope he gets his game together in Toronto, because he has the talent to play in the NHL. It should be interesting to see how Sarno does with limited ice time (exception being PP I suppose).

MacT's impression of Rita at this point sounds pretty weak; not sure how many here get the Journal but his take in today's edition was that Torres knows and reads the plays well, mostly making the right decisions and keeping the play going. With Rita, the perception seems to be that plays tend to die because his hockey sense is not quite up to par yet? Wish I had a chance to see some of the games myself, so I don't feel so ignorant posting based on other people's perceptions alone :rolleyes:

Sarno is not actually playing is he? I thought he's just a press box guy centers Smyth/York/Reasoner/Stoll so that leaves him out right?
Cross out Smyth and add Horcoff. :yo:

Cross out Smyth and add Horcoff. :yo:
Horcoff when is he expected to be able to play again from his injury?
You want Horcoff on the first line? or do u mean the common
York-Horcoff-Dvorak
P.S. I am using that line in NHL2k3 and it seems to have trouble scoring but maintains pressure in the zone for ever.

Well, keeping both Sarno and Stoll seems to indicate that

a) Symth or Horcoffs injury is more than minor

or

b) Symth or Horcoff or York isn't going to play center


This also suggests that

d) One of Chimera, Pisani, and Torres will NOT be a regular. Pisani hasn't had a great camp, but he seems to be the shoe in if you beleive what you read?

and

e) Mike Comrie returning to the Oilers lineup is obviously NOT likely! And that doesn't sit to well in my books!

Horcoff when is he expected to be able to play again from his injury?
You want Horcoff on the first line? or do u mean the common
York-Horcoff-Dvorak
P.S. I am using that line in NHL2k3 and it seems to have trouble scoring but maintains pressure in the zone for ever.
Horcoff is just resting up so he is ready for the season. He will be playing come the first game.

I pick all 4 of those guys over Sarno...Rita I hope is now delt, not cause I don't like him, but he needs a shot and a fiar one

I'm not going to rehash what I've said before, but I will say this:

When Rita was sent down last year, I felt bad for him. This year, I don't.

Right now he's closer to being the next Mariusz Czerkawski than the next Cam Neely IMO. Either this demotion fires him up and matures him as a player, or he sulks and feels sorry for himself. The ball's in his court.

keeping stoll and sarno i think obviously means that smyth is over at centre... as others have said. i think york moves up to 1st line C and horcoff takes over 2nd line C. then reasoner and stoll at 3rd and 4th respectivly. though i think that you could interchange york and horcoff and the lines will be pretty much the same otherwise.

smyth-york-hemsky
isbister-horcoff-dvorak
moreau-reasoner-chimera/pisani
torres-stoll-laraque

pisani and sarno as press box

at least thats the way it looks for now. depending on smyths and horcoffs injuries that could change... but from what ive heard both will be ready to go this thursday.

on a side note how sweet would these top two lines be?

smyth-comrie-hemsky
isbister-york-dvorak

*sigh* im starting to realize that comrie may end up with the upperhand in this negotiation after all

I still don't understand why some people are so willing to give up on Rita after a grand total of what... 15 NHL games? Forget training camp - I want to see how he does on the Oilers, and he's not being given that chance.

I'll be ready to declare him a bust when he's turned 25, played a gazillion years with the team, has done nothing, is finally bought out, and signs with Phoenix for a third of what he was making here.

But really... who did we expect him to beat out? Smyth? Isbister? Moreau? Torres? It wasn't going to happen.

But I very much expect to see him up again during the year, provided Lowe doesn't make a tremendous mistake by shipping him off for nothing.

keeping stoll and sarno i think obviously means that smyth is over at centre... as others have said. i think york moves up to 1st line C and horcoff takes over 2nd line C. then reasoner and stoll at 3rd and 4th respectivly. though i think that you could interchange york and horcoff and the lines will be pretty much the same otherwise.

smyth-york-hemsky
isbister-horcoff-dvorak
moreau-reasoner-chimera/pisani
torres-stoll-laraque

pisani and sarno as press box

at least thats the way it looks for now. depending on smyths and horcoffs injuries that could change... but from what ive heard both will be ready to go this thursday.

on a side note how sweet would these top two lines be?

smyth-comrie-hemsky
isbister-york-dvorak

*sigh* im starting to realize that comrie may end up with the upperhand in this negotiation after all
I don't like that first line too many play makers u got to spread the love around to the other lines. Secondly Isbister has been less than consistant his entire career and everytime I have seen him lately he has been playing quite well I would like to see him stick with Smyth it's too early to be shaking things up on him when he's finally finding his game, I realized he played well without Smyth past couple of games but he needs stability right now.

I still don't understand why some people are so willing to give up on Rita after a grand total of what... 15 NHL games? Forget training camp - I want to see how he does on the Oilers, and he's not being given that chance.

I'll be ready to declare him a bust when he's turned 25, played a gazillion years with the team, has done nothing, is finally bought out, and signs with Phoenix for a third of what he was making here.

But really... who did we expect him to beat out? Smyth? Isbister? Moreau? Torres? It wasn't going to happen.

But I very much expect to see him up again during the year, provided Lowe doesn't make a tremendous mistake by shipping him off for nothing.

The team is going to go through injuries. We remember how many injuries the team had last season. Rita will most likely be the first callup when the team runs into injury.

*sigh* im starting to realize that comrie may end up with the upperhand in this negotiation after all

I don't know if you can even call it a negotiation anymore...usually a negotiation requires...you know...dialogue? We're hearing nada right now.

Heck, we don't even know for sure what kind of dollars are being bandied about.

I guess the next step will be the Oilers' start: If they're hot off the mark or even just holding their own, Comrie will continue to stew and maybe his resolve wavers. If the Oilers fall off the rails and lose lots of games while averaging 2 goals/game, Lowe either capitulates or is forced to deal him from a position of weakness (yet again).

But really... who did we expect him to beat out? Smyth? Isbister? Moreau? Torres? It wasn't going to happen.

That's why Prendergast stated in one of GuyF's interviews that if Rita was going to make this team, it would be as a RW.

For the record, I haven't given up on him...I want him to come up here and prove his worth.

I have stopped feeling sorry for him though.

So the deeds been done, Rita has been moved down to Toronto to start another year in the minors. I agree with some of the poster stating that this will be a test of his character, and that if he's the player we hope he would one day become; he has to start lighting it up in the minors. The trouble is, if he's on a team with no one to play with seeing how both Stoll and Sarno are up here then who's gonna be his centre? I think Winchester is a developing centre who may one day make it to the bigs, but this is going to be his first year as a pro, he's going have to learn quickly. That's why Stoll would of been a better move to be sent down. A) Stoll can show leadership to an ALL Oilers prospect cast instead of being in the shadows of Gratton. B) Better ice time, chance for Stoll to hone in his skills on the PP, PK and 1st line ice time. With two of the top prospect centre in the Oils line up, Rita gets the shaft again. He'll be expected to put up the numbers without a setup man. I think he's being set up for disapointment.

GXL

So the deeds been done, Rita has been moved down to Toronto to start another year in the minors. I agree with some of the poster stating that this will be a test of his character, and that if he's the player we hope he would one day become; he has to start lighting it up in the minors. The trouble is, if he's on a team with no one to play with seeing how both Stoll and Sarno are up here then who's gonna be his centre? I think Winchester is a developing centre who may one day make it to the bigs, but this is going to be his first year as a pro, he's going have to learn quickly. That's why Stoll would of been a better move to be sent down. A) Stoll can show leadership to an ALL Oilers prospect cast instead of being in the shadows of Gratton. B) Better ice time, chance for Stoll to hone in his skills on the PP, PK and 1st line ice time. With two of the top prospect centre in the Oils line up, Rita gets the shaft again. He'll be expected to put up the numbers without a setup man. I think he's being set up for disapointment.

GXL

I think the Sarno/Stoll issue will sort itself out once the Comrie soap opera is dealt with, either in a Comrie signing or a trade.

i think that with both rita and salmo being cut, along with the talks of comrie back in edmonton/winter at the game tontie, that smyth will move back to the wing and comrie will sign soon

Has he shown enough for the Oilers to re-sign him,though? His rookie 3 year contract will be up at the end of this season, and that means the Oilers and Rita have options.


The Oilers can:

1. Give him a one way contract ala CHimera/Torres.
2. Try to sign him to a two way contract.
3. Trade him.
4. Let him slide back to Finland for more seasoning.


Rita can:

1. Sign a contract in Europe.
2. Push for a one way contract.


I wonder if it might be an idea to deal him,maybe at the deadline in a package? With Mikhnov taking another step forward, perhaps the money ticketed to Rita can go there.

I was a huge Rita fan going into this season but I have to wonder how many of the posters who think Rita was shafted or not given a fair chance saw any of the pre-season because Rita was just not any good. Apparently he had a good second period on the second day of scrimmages and scored some goals (I only saw the first half of that game) but in the three days of scrimmages and the 7-4 Oiler win over the Flames that I saw Rita just plain didn't belong on this team. And it didn't have anything to do with who he was playing with. He was sucking wind from his first sprint and always seemed to be the first guy on his line to go off and never back checked. Now I know what his teammates in Hamilton last year said about him and I know that he won top prospect the year before but he had a just godawful camp. GODAWFUL. Blaming MacTavish and Lowe is just not on. He had a godawful camp. I don't know why. I am totally confused by how badly he played. He looked like he didn't have a clue what was going on half the time. But he most definitely did not deserve to make this team off of this camp. It almost looked at times like he was trying to get himself traded. Sarno, I think, is short term but Salmo looked closer than Rita.

Does the fact that they kept Luoma mean that Ferguson is going to be traded in the next couple of days? I have thought that Bergeron was going to start at #6 and Ferguson would sit at #7 but I can't think why they would keep Luoma to make him the last cut.