Congratulations to Kevin Lowe for identifying the proper young players to build around. Congratulations to MacT to helping develop this young players. Congratulations to Ales Hemsky and Shawn Horcoff for proving their worth in this league. Congratulations to Denis Grebeshkov for being the most improved player on the team. Congratulations to Sam Gagner for a ridiculous season as an 18 year old. Congratulations to Dustin Penner for building on a poor start and not allowing it to ruin his season. Congratulations to Robert Nilsson for digging down deep, taking a good look in the mirror and doing what he had to do to become an NHL player. Congratulations to Andrew Cogliano and Tom Gilbert for fantastic rookie seasons. Congratulations to Fernando Pisani for overcoming all odds to finish the season on pace to score 20 goals. Congratulations to Geoff Sanderson on a splendid career. Congratulations to Curtis Glencross to playing with his heart on his sleeve and proving his worth in the NHL. Congratulations to Matthieu Garon to proving he can start for an NHL team. Congratulations to Zach Stortini and Marc Pouliot for answering the bell and having the will to carve themselves out an NHL career. Congratulations to Brodziak for a fantastic rookie season. Congratulations to Matt Greene and Ladislav Smid building upon their games immensely this season. Congratulations to Steve Staios for hanging in their and providing much needed veteran leadership on this team. Congratulations to Roli for playing his heart out down the stretch when everyone was counting him out, and making several huge saves to keep the team alive.
From a Flames fan, nice work, the oilers showed a ton of heart and character and if the season was a week longer probably would have got in... now go and beat the most vile, disgusting team in the league, the Canucks.....
It's been a treat to watch a young, hungry and talented team these past several weeks. I'm looking forward to next season in a big way. Kudos to the Oilers!
This season was yet another reminder of why I absolutely love this team. In a word: HEART. Whenever you count them out or think they're done, they bounce back.
After they traded Gretzky, winning another Cup seemed highly unlikely. But they did it in 1990. After sucking and missing the playoffs for years during the mid-90s, they returned to the post-season with upset wins over the Stars in '97 and the Avs in '98.
During the 2006 run, how many times did they step up at unlikely times? Game 6 vs. Detroit, after falling behind 2 games to none vs. the Sharks, and in the Finals, they not only lost their starting goalie, they battled back from 2-0 and 3-1 deficits to force a Game 7.
The end of last year is the only time I can recall the Oilers "giving up" on a season and even that is debatable.
This year, however, has been special.
No other team underdogs their way into your heart like the Oilers. They never quit, they never give up and if they get injured in the process, someone steps in and steps up on their behalf.
They truly are a team and I can't wait to watch them next year and for the rest of my hockey-watching life.
Congratulations to Kevin Lowe for identifying the proper young players to build around. Congratulations to MacT to helping develop this young players. Congratulations to Ales Hemsky and Shawn Horcoff for proving their worth in this league. Congratulations to Denis Grebeshkov for being the most improved player on the team. Congratulations to Sam Gagner for a ridiculous season as an 18 year old. Congratulations to Dustin Penner for building on a poor start and not allowing it to ruin his season. Congratulations to Robert Nilsson for digging down deep, taking a good look in the mirror and doing what he had to do to become an NHL player. Congratulations to Andrew Cogliano and Tom Gilbert for fantastic rookie seasons. Congratulations to Fernando Pisani for overcoming all odds to finish the season on pace to score 20 goals. Congratulations to Geoff Sanderson on a splendid career. Congratulations to Curtis Glencross to playing with his heart on his sleeve and proving his worth in the NHL. Congratulations to Matthieu Garon to proving he can start for an NHL team. Congratulations to Zach Stortini and Marc Pouliot for answering the bell and having the will to carve themselves out an NHL career. Congratulations to Brodziak for a fantastic rookie season. Congratulations to Matt Greene and Ladislav Smid building upon their games immensely this season. Congratulations to Steve Staios for hanging in their and providing much needed veteran leadership on this team. Congratulations to Roli for playing his heart out down the stretch when everyone was counting him out, and making several huge saves to keep the team alive.
I couldn't have said it better myself. Thanks guys, I look forward to next season...I just wish we didn't have to wait sooooooo long.
I just want to say that Lowe said during the off-season, at some point, that it was time to go back to Oiler hockey... For some time, a lot of posters here in the first half were saying this team lacked "identity"... But I think when things finally gelled... We got Oiler hockey... and we won a lot of games in spite of lots and lots of adversity...
And that's why we are proud and happy of this team... All yous who can't see it isn't because "we like mediocrity", stay the **** out of this tread...
There will have to be a lot of roster changes in the off-season to accomodate the players coming back/not coming back, but I'm leaning towards keeping all the guys we had at the end of the year, plus one or two from the ir. Don't want to go there now though.
Klo, the 29th best gm in the league, sure has a lot of good players to say good-bye to at the end of the season. Just imagine how many good players he'd have to get rid of if he was a better gm
Besides the obvious defensive lapses, this team requires a Selke winner type forward that is in his prime. Defense wins cups, but with defensive forwards too. We can't always rely on our defenseman/goalie to stop a guy from scoring, we need to shut down other teams when they hit the neutral zone.
All in all I am okay with not making the playoffs, we didn't quite deserve to be there because of October to December. Great job of impressing the hell out of me in
2008, "the kids are alright".
I am more optimistic about our team than last year. Youg enthusiasm and speed back to oilerville. Much more fun to watch this team. This team is going to be one of the best in west. Lets pray we don't run into injuries. Thank you oilers!! New era begins starting with Katz. I am proud to be an oiler fan. LETS GO OILERS
Congratulations to Kevin Lowe for identifying the proper young players to build around. Congratulations to MacT to helping develop this young players. Congratulations to Ales Hemsky and Shawn Horcoff for proving their worth in this league. Congratulations to Denis Grebeshkov for being the most improved player on the team. Congratulations to Sam Gagner for a ridiculous season as an 18 year old. Congratulations to Dustin Penner for building on a poor start and not allowing it to ruin his season. Congratulations to Robert Nilsson for digging down deep, taking a good look in the mirror and doing what he had to do to become an NHL player. Congratulations to Andrew Cogliano and Tom Gilbert for fantastic rookie seasons. Congratulations to Fernando Pisani for overcoming all odds to finish the season on pace to score 20 goals. Congratulations to Geoff Sanderson on a splendid career. Congratulations to Curtis Glencross to playing with his heart on his sleeve and proving his worth in the NHL. Congratulations to Matthieu Garon to proving he can start for an NHL team. Congratulations to Zach Stortini and Marc Pouliot for answering the bell and having the will to carve themselves out an NHL career. Congratulations to Brodziak for a fantastic rookie season. Congratulations to Matt Greene and Ladislav Smid building upon their games immensely this season. Congratulations to Steve Staios for hanging in their and providing much needed veteran leadership on this team. Congratulations to Roli for playing his heart out down the stretch when everyone was counting him out, and making several huge saves to keep the team alive.
What a great post. You almost had tears in my eyes.
When I got to work this morning one of my co-workers asked me if I was in mourning (he knows what kind of fan I am....I wore all black the day after game 7 in '06)..but I could honestly say no. I'm too proud of the team & what they accomplished this season to be upset. They fought a good fight & gave it everything they had. They accomplished a lot more than I thought they'd be able to just a few weeks ago.
I'm very proud of the team & proud to be an Oiler fan. The heart & determination they showed in the past few weeks was unbelieveable. And during the season with all of the injuries too - someone always stepped up to contribute. And I still have to pinch myself when I think of the fact that Gagne is only 18 years old!!!
The future of this team is VERY bright....I can't wait for next season....it's going to be a loooong summer.
To have been able to do what you have done without so many regulars is just incredible. Oilers are my 2nd favorite team. Love watching you guys on the Saturday doubleheaders at night.
And don't worry, you'll have the last laugh. With some acquisitions, and your young guns, and a healthy lineup, you'll be a force to be reckon with.
Thanks for the great run, and the new hope for a promising future. The playoffs would have been great, but the fact we could even talk about the playoffs was an incredible feat.
I never thought a year in which the Oilers missed the playoffs could be still be so fun. Just a genuine treat to see everyone develop and emerge at the same time.
I usually get rid of games that the Oilers lose right away but that was a great game they played last night. I might just cue that baby up somewhere around draft day when I'm burnin to see some hockey.
My favorite thing about this team is how they just continuously beat the trap. When they're losing they just keep on gaining the zone and getting control of the puck, they looked like they were on the pp last night when they were 5x5 for Pete's sake. That's an aspect of Oilers hockey that we haven't seen since about 1988.
The 4th line is frickin unbelievable. They had 19 goals in the last 25 games, that's almost the same pace that our first line scored at this year.
Congratulations on the congratulations of PDO's post, oil4life34.
Actually, I'm still rather choked on the 'coulda' 'shoulda' 'woulda' s --> if you will recall all those late third period collapses, heck, even Sakic's tying goal with 5 seconds left, that could have spelled the difference between golfing now and making a deep run into the playoffs, which I remind you means CAD 1 million per home date...
