Tough week for hockey: Edmonton loses prospect

Oklahoma City Barons (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last week, was a tough week for hockey. While we morn the passing of former Colorado College Tiger forward Scott Winkler. Last week, we also got word that Edmonton Oilers prospect Kristians Pelss had drowned in Latvia.

Joanne Ireland, Edmonton Journal - For days Josh Green held out hope that Kristians Pelss had not drowned, that it was just a horrible coincidence that he was missing and that someone else had jumped into the Daugava River in Riga, Latvia.

Sadly, the search came to a tragic end on Saturday when Pelss, a 20-year-old Edmonton Oilers prospect, was confirmed dead.

“When I heard the initial reports, I was absolutely floored. You just feel sick to your stomach but you keep hoping for a miracle. It’s so sad,” said Green, the captain of the Oklahoma City Barons.

“We spent most of the year with him. He didn’t play in the playoffs but he was with us every day. Just a real good kid, a real hard worker, and he had this dry wit when it came to his humor, which is what I liked about him.”

Travis Ewanyk spent two seasons with Pelss in the Oil Kings fold, a memorable stretch that included the team’s Memorial Cup run in 2012. Ewanyk then closed out this season with Pelss in Oklahoma City. He had many conversations with Oil King teammates and coaches over the course of the past few trying days.

Related articles

• Edmonton Oilers confirm death of 20-year-old prospect Kristians Pelss (metronews.ca)
• Oilers prospect Kristians Pelss reported missing in Latvia (globalnews.ca)
• Oilers prospect Pelss drowns in Latvia (bnd.com)
• Oilers prospect missing: Report (lfpress.com)

(Video) Mike Rupp will not be suspended by the NHL for taking run at Corey Potter

It was pretty obvious that the Edmonton Oilers were taking runs at Zach Parise during the third period of last night's game. I guess when you're a team that isn't going to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs, you might as well try to hurt the other team's star players right. I guess your team can still have an effect on the outcome of the playoff field right?

Finally, after Corey Potter took yet another run at the Wild's Parise, Wild tough guy's Zenon Konopka and Mike Rupp had seen enough and went after the Oilers much traveled Corey Potter. Before Rupp could get at Potter, he was rescued by the linesman. According to Michael Russo, Mike Rupp will not face any additional supplemental discipline. This is a good decision by the NHL Department of Players Safety.

#NHL looked at that Mike Rupp incident last night where he tried to get at an #oilers player & linesman took brunt. No discipline. #mnwild
— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) April 27, 2013

Two days left in the regular season

The Eastern teams are set, it's just a matter of who will play who. If the Minnesota Wild win their game against the Colorado Avalanche tonight, they're in playoffs. If not, their season will go down as a massive choke job, especially with who they added in the offseason. Last night's 6-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers was painful to watch.

Oilers' Taylor Hall faces hearing for dirty hit on Clutterbuck

Let’s see if the league has two sets of rules again, one set of rules for super stars and one set of rules for goons and third and fourth line players.

Taylor Hall might be a super star, but if a star starts racking up questionable and dirty hits, his actions will start catching up with him. Hall is also starting to develop a history with the Wild players as he also was also the guy that broke Wild Defenseman Jonas Broden's clavicle back in November with a shoulder-to-shoulder check. I do expect that it’s time for Hall to answer the bell for that dirty hit on Clutterbuck, the hockey code demands it.

NHL.COM --- Edmonton Oilers forward Taylor Hall faces a hearing with the National Hockey League Department of Player Safety Friday afternoon for a kneeing/clipping incident in Thursday night's game against the Minnesota Wild.

Hall was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for kneeing Minnesota's Cal Clutterbuck at 17:27 of the third period. Clutterbuck was helped from the ice and did not return.

It will be interesting to see how the Vice President of Player Safety Brendan Shanahan deals with this hit by Taylor Hall. It’s time to step up and make the right call. There is no excuse for this hit.

(VIDEO) Taylor Hall cheap shot on Cal Clutterbuck

First off, this is a text book knee-on-knee hit, it's a bush league hit, it's dirty and it deserves a suspension. I do not care that Taylor Hall is a super star.

I also, find it hilarious that Edmonton Oilers fans are defending this hit on twitter tonight. Second; would the NHL referees, please stop rescuing the players that do these hits on the ice. Whenever Matt Cooke or some other hack does something like this, the refs and linesman immediately come to their aid, don't. Screw-em  they deserve what they get. They just hurt someone, they deserve what they get. Hall didn't care about Clutterbuck as he was trying to end his season with that dirty leg check.

Let the players have some say on the ice before you throw them in the box or send them to the locker room. The hockey code demands that an act this be answered to, if not this kind of stuff will fester for a very long time, until you end up with Todd Bertuzzi type incidents.

First point of contact on Hall vs. Clutterbuck after replay showed in press room. Knee on knee
— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) February 22, 2013

Brodziak on Hall: "First thing I did was ask the refs if it was dirty. They said yes. We just hope (Clutterbuck's) all right."
— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) February 22, 2013

Buffoon of the day (from a comment on Sports Net)

tbizz17 Feb 22, 2013 9:54 AM in response to: sportsnet_ca Re: Oilers' Hall delivers questionable hit

Clutterbuck's one of the dirtiest players in the league...he deserves every bit of that. If the guy didn't bail out at the last second that's a clean hit...it's when guys start jumping out of the way that knees get tangled...a guy like Clutterbuck should have his head up all the time....he would have done the same thing to Hall if it's the other way around. I'm not a fan of either team, but sometimes you reap what you sow and Cal learned that. He won't miss a game...it's his thing to role around on the ice for a while after a hit...

Is Nail Yakupov’s goal celebration over the top?

Check out this goal by Edmonton Oilers rookie forward Nail Yakupov. There is a school of thought that the NHL is starting to look like the European soccer leagues with some of the over the top celebrations of the players after they score a goal.

I don't know what to think... I don't like showing up an opponent. I get it the kid is excited as well.

Alexander Ovechkin took some heat after he scored a goal and then dropped it to the ice and acted like it was too hot to pick up.

Dillon Simpson from boy to polished defenseman… UND’s defensman steps up to make major impact on team.

Edmonton Oilers (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is what I wrote for the Hockey Writers - Combine. 

University of North Dakota Junior defenseman Dillon Simpson accelerated his high school studies to come to UND at a very young age of 17 years old. His first season with UND, Simpson could have been attending high school with kids his own age instead of playing in a league full of 20 year old men.

Simpson was drafted in the fourth round, 92^ndover-all in the 2011 NHL entry level draft by the hometown Edmonton Oilers.

The Edmonton Oilers Hockey’s Future page

has Simpson listed as a project.

Simpson is a project in the purest sense. It’s unlikely he leaves school early, barring an incredible jump in production, so it won’t be clear where he fits for a couple years.

This season has kind of been a coming out party for the young defenseman.

This season, Simpson has shown us a peak of what we can expect from him in the weeks to come.

On the ice Simpson’s play oozes with confidence.

Head coach Dave Hakstol had this to say about Dillon Simpson’s play during the last series and more specifically last Saturday Night.

“I thought this past Saturday especially in a game where we weren’t happy with a lot of things – there were very many things that we did. I thought he was one guy that continued to play at a real efficient level. We’re happy with his play – he’s made a nice step forward from where he was as a sophomore and he has held that level of play at a pretty consistent level. So there have been a lot of positive signs for him.

Coach Hakstol on whether Dillon Simpson is physically stronger this season.

He’s stronger, he’s more mature, Hakstol said. You always have to remember that everyone’s body matures at a different age. But also, Dillon’s a junior but he just turned 19 years old, he’s a young junior. I think what we’re starting to see is some of that physical maturity starting to kick in and that combined with a lot of the hard work that he has put in over the last couple of years you’re starting to see the payoff of that added strength and improved conditioned levels and that usually leads to an improved level of consistent play.

Coach Hakstol was asked whether junior defenseman Dillon Simpson has improved dramatically from last season.

“Number one he [Simpson] is getting a little more opportunity,” Hakstol said. “But usually opportunity comes with performance. The two have a coincidently way of meeting in the middle. You perform well you tend to see more opportunity. I think it’s a combination of the two for Dillon, he has very good offensive instincts, that’s a hole that he jumped into obviously it’s part of the power playset up but it’s also a read from his stand point – he made a good read – he jumped into a hole and finished a play. That’s something that we hope to see more and more out of him, we hope to see more of his offensive talents coming through.”

I believe the sky is the limit with Dillon Simpson and as his play improves, his minutes increase and so does his points total.

In case you were wondering, Dillon is the son of former NHLer, Hockey Night in Canada television broadcaster and MSU Spartans Alumnus Craig Simpson.

Related articles

• Joey Holka check on Dillon Simpson (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• Jordan Schmaltz hit on Drew Leblanc (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• UND Slips Past UAA (insidehockey.com)
• UND third in CHN's Preseason Top 10 (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• North Dakota Wednesday Press Conference notes. (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• Und 4 Uaa 1 (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• North Dakota Wednesday Press Conference notes. (thehockeywriters.com)

Tyler Seguin gets contract extension.

The NHL owners have been saying that they want to roll back player salaries. The onwers also want to limit the amount of money that the owners pay to players out of Hockey Related Revenues.

The NHL owners said in their first and second CBA proposals to the NHLPA that the owners were also concerned about the length of player salaries and that the owners don’t want any contracts to extend past the five year mark.

Based on everything that we have seen lately – it would appear that the “certain” owners haven’t got that memo yet – nor are they ready to get into line.

As we have been told all summer long that there are owners who are claiming that they’re suffering financial hardships and need the NHLPA to make huge concessions to the owners. The owners led by Gary Bettman are going to lock the players out if they don't get NHLPA to agree to roll back players’ salaries.

While to some that might seem reasonable – the amount they are asking – doesn’t seem all that reasonable. I don’t know too many people that would like to have their pay checks cut 11-14 percent.

If you looking at this from the outside it would appear that owners are saying one thing; while other owners are doing another thing. To some it could appear like the NHL owners are talking out of both sides of their mouths.

Today, the number two pick of the 2010 NHL draft – Boston Bruins center Tyler Seguin signed a six year contract extension for 34.5 million dollars, if you’re doing that math that’s worth $5.75 year for the life of the deal.

While the NHL owners and NHLPA have three and a half days to avert a lockout – there are still NHL owners that want the maximum length of an NHL contract to be 5 years – nothing seems to have changed on that point. Then why is it that NHL teams continue to sign players to contracts that are longer than five years long?

The Tyler Seguin contract isn’t an enigma.

Cough, cough, cough!!!

Just to name a few... The Edmonton Oilers recently signed the number one pick of the 2010 NHL Draft Taylor Hall for seven years contract extension worth $42-million that is 6 million dollars per season.

But the Edmonton Oilers weren’t done there the team also signed another one of their top young forwards Jordan Eberle to a six-year year extension worth $36M that is 6 million dollars per season.

What will Seguin get?

Today, the Edmonton Oiler's re-signed one of their up and coming stars Taylor Hall to a restricted free agent deal. Hall just finished his second season of a three year deal, the Oiler's decided not to wait as they have Hall locked up for the next eight seasons. Hall signed a seven year extension worth 42 Million dollars. Taylor Hall has played in 126 games and scored 49 goals and 46 assists — 95 points. Hall was selected first over-all in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Boston Bruins drafted Tyler Seguin number two in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft (thanks Phil Kessel). Unlike Hall who failed to finish either season he played in, due to injuries -  Seguin was pretty durable and played a in 155 games  and has scored 40 goals and 49 assists — 89 points.

Seguin was eased into the Bruins line up because of the Boston Bruins depth and Hall played more of a larger roll with the Oiler's earlier. 

While he has only played two season in the NHL, Seguin already has a Stanley Cup ring to resume as he was a member on the 2011 Stanley Cup Championship team.

It will be interesting to see what kind of contract that Seguin will command when his time comes to sign a restricted free agent deal.Recently, the Carolina Hurricanes resigned Jeff Skinner to a six year deal worth 34.35 million. Skinner will receive $4.35 million in 2013-14 and then will receive $6 million for the other five seasons – if my math is correct that is roughly $5.725 million per season. 

$925,000 question answered - Schultz to the Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers have won the Justin Schultz sweep stakes and have signed him to a two year entry level deal.The former Wisconsin All-WCHA defender was one of the most sought after free-agents this year.

Chris Johnston, Edmonton Journal --- Justin Schultz was able to pass the baton off to Zach Parise.

After being courted by NHL teams at the Newport Sports offices in suburban Toronto for much of the week, Schultz agreed to terms with the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday afternoon. The first big free-agent decision of the summer came several hours before the floodgates were set to officially open at noon ET Sunday and left Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini in a celebratory mood.

"What a way to start the free-agent period," Tambellini told reporters in Edmonton.

It gave Schultz plenty of time to clear out of Don Meehan's high-powered agency before Parise's expected arrival on Sunday. The former University of Wisconsin defenceman took advantage of a loophole in the collective bargaining agreement to become a free agent and garnered plenty of interest.

Matt Kassian vs. George Parros

I think this is the reason that the Wild have sent Brad Staubitz down to Houston and probably the reason we will never see Staubitz in a Wild uniform again. The emergence of Matt Kassian has made Staubitz expendable. Maybe the Wild can trade him to a team that needs toughness.

Related articles

• Dion Phaneuf plants Zack Kassian into the boards. (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• Wild continue dominance over Oilers (canada.com)

Shanny blows up "Car Bomb"

Let's see, Daniel Carcillo has been suspended nine times by the NHL, this is the third time that Carcillo has been suspended this season. Do you see a pattern here? Either the league is picking on Carcillo or he hasn't learned his lesson.

NEW YORK – Chicago Blackhawks forward Daniel Carcillo has been suspended for seven games and will forfeit $66,158.54 in salary for boarding Edmonton Oilers defenseman Tom Gilbert during NHL Game #571 in Chicago on Monday, Jan. 2, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

Carcillo, who was suspended on Nov. 28, 2011, is classified as a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Accordingly, he forfeits his salary based on the number of games in the season (82), rather than the number of days (185). The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

The incident occurred at 7:23 of the second period. A major penalty for boarding and a game misconduct were assessed on the play.

Carcillo will miss games Jan. 5 at Philadelphia, Jan. 6 vs. Colorado, Jan. 8 vs. Detroit, Jan. 10 vs. Columbus, Jan. 12 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 14 at Detroit and Jan. 15 vs. San Jose. He will be eligible to return Jan. 18 vs. Buffalo.

Carcillo will forfeit in salary what some people don't make in one year. It's not quite clear whether Carcillo will have to be healthy before he can begin to serve is seven game suspension, because Carcillo was severely hurt on the play and was placed on the injured reserve list. In this situation, I must commend Brendan Shanahan for throwing the book at Carcillo.  

Related articles

• Bourque, Carcillo suspended for 'reckless' hits (thestar.com)
• Dan "car bomb" Carcillo suspended indefinitely (mvn.com)
• You can't say dumb with out Carcillo (mvn.com)
• Carcillo to have hearing for dangerous hit on Oilers' Gilbert (tsn.ca)
• Carcillo to be suspended for 6th time (cbc.ca)

Dan "car bomb" Carcillo suspended indefinitely

This is going to be the third suspension of the season for Dan Carcillo, you would think this guy would have learned by now. How long of a suspension would change his on ice behavior? I say throw the book at this buffoon, 5-10 games, if Carcillo is injured he should have to serve his suspension after he comes back from his knee injury.

Jesse Rogers ESPN CHICAGO -- News that Blackhawks forward Dan Carcillo is suspended indefinitely for his boarding of Edmonton defenseman Tom Gilbert can't be a shock to anyone who follows the Hawks or Carcillo. He will be able to state his case to the league at some point and then he'll finish serving his third suspension of the season. And this all happens after he recovers from his injuries.

That's one costly hit.

After talking with hockey people around the league on Tuesday, the consensus is Carcillo will get 4-6 games for the blow. No more.

Related articles

• You can't say dumb with out Carcillo (mvn.com)
• Dan Carcillo gets ejected for hit on Tom Gilbert (prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com)
• Carcillo to be suspended for 6th time (cbc.ca)
• Watch Dan Carcillo earn himself a probable date with Mr. Shanahan with this hit on Oilers Tom Gilbert (hubballsbubble.wordpress.com)

Matt Kassian works Darcy Hordichuk X2

The Minnesota Wild have been pushed around a lot as of late so the Minnesota Wild called up Matt Kassian from the Houston Areos to send a message. The Wild Forward Matt Kassian absolutely destroyed Edmonton Oilers forward Darcy Hordichuck twice.

At least three Wild players -- including Marek Zidlicky, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and most recently Jared Spurgeon -- have been run at in recent games. Yeo has been talking about players standing up for teammates. Just a week ago, in a very physical loss in Edmonton, the Wild got pushed around a little. For this rematch -- the sixth and final game between the two teams -- Kassian got the call. [Star Tribune]

Weise hit on Plante - no suspension.

This is the hit that Vancouver forward Dale Weise put on Edmonton defenseman Alex Plante. The NHL has ruled that this was a shoulder to shoulder hit, and I concur. The head coach of the Edmonton Oilers Tom Renney wasn't very pleased with the hit and said that a suspension might be in order.

Asked about the hit by Vancouver forward Dale Weise on Edmonton d-man Alex Plante in Monday night’s game, Edmonton Oilers head coach Tom Renney suggested a suspension might be in order.

“Pretty tough hit. Maybe a little sabbatical,” Renney said.

“He came pretty hard. He had a pretty full head of steam up. And he was after one thing, and that was to hurt and hit the kid.”

Martin Havlat injured on line change

Former Wild and current San Jose Shark forward Martin Havlat has been known as being a soft player that get injured a lot, but this is just a freak accident. Havlat was traded to San Jose in the trade that brought Dany Heatley to the Wild. We hope that Havlat isn't hurt too bad.

Another hot dog shootout goal by Linus Omark

I guess you could classify this video as a must watch, Edmonton Oiler prospect Linus Omark is at it again, this is the latest video that has been circulating around the Internet showing off Linus Omark's shootout skills... I have already seen some of the comments; some fans are impressed with the latest display, others fans are not impressed.

While it's obvious that Linus Omark has a lot of offensive talent and great hand eye coordination, I could see how some might think this is hot dogging and showing up an opponent. Personally I think it's creative and the NHL needs more flashy stars, I would rather see this than a bunch of diving frauds. Posted below is a video compilation of Linus Omark highlights from the 2009-2010 season.

#believeinboston - The Boston Bruins win the Stanley Cup

I honestly don't know what to say, I am experiencing all kinds of emotions, I am sure many Boston Bruins fans are especially the ones that are my age... I have followed the Boston Bruins since the 1988 season when I was stationed at Fort Devens, Massachusetts as a soldier in the U.S. Army, a woman I was dating at the time introduced me to the Boston Bruins, I have followed them religiously since. As a Boston Bruins fan I have witnessed the lean years and I have seen some very bad Boston Bruins teams come and go. I can remember the cup runs in the late 1980's and early 1990's that ended in bitter defeat at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.

Fast forward to this years Stanley Cup playoffs, the so called "hockey pundits" the "flat bellied experts" never gave the Boston Bruins a chance, they had all but given the Stanley Cup to the Vancouver Canucks before they had even played a game in the Stanley Cup Finals. Yeah! How did that work for you? The Boston Bruins not only won the cup but they out scored the Canucks 23-8, breaking it down further, Tim Thomas stopped 201 of 209.  In the four games that the Bruins won against the Canucks the Boston Bruins made Roberto Luongo look human.

I believe that the turning point in this series was when Aaron Rome knocked Nathan Horton out with this bush league check. The Canucks woke the sleeping bear and ended up losing four out of the last five games.

Related articles

• Boston Bruins Win Stanley Cup (npr.org)
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• Boston Bruins Win Stanley Cup On Tim Thomas Shutout In Game 7 (sbnation.com)
• Your Boston Bruins-Vancouver Canucks 2011 Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 primer (prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com)
• The Boston Bruins are the 2011 Stanley Cup Winners! (slog.thestranger.com)
• Boston Bruins Stanley Cup 2011 champions: Bruins win the Stanley Cup: Video (globaltvbc.com)
• Vancouver Canucks vs. Boston Bruins LIVE UPDATES: Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 (huffingtonpost.com)

Raffi Torres Hit elbow Jordan Eberle

Check out this obvious elbow by the Canucks Raffi Torres on Oilers winger Jordan Eberle. How many games does Torres sit for that hit? I am going with two games. What do you think?

Linus Omark shootout goal

Check out this goal by Linus Omark the rookie from Sweden was playing in his first NHL game and he scored this highlight goal beauty to help the Edmonton Oilers win the shootout against the Tampa Bay Lighting.