Will the Oilers Become Pioneers in the New NHL? Part Deux

With the solid play of Rob Schremp, and the potential for Gilbert Brule to also turn some heads, this idea of mine could be on the horizon. Those that have followed my blog from the start will have likely remembered my original post on this topic. Here is the sequel after over 1/4 of the NHL season being gone and both Rob Schremp and Gilbert Brule getting a chance to strut their stuff. Unlike many, I would be fine with having all 5 of Schremp, Nilsson, Gagner, Cogliano, and Brule in the lineup this season. Here's a look at the advantages and disadvantages...


Disadvantages:
1) Battling down low. Against bigger/stronger players they would have to rely on their speed and quick sticks to make up for the lack of size.

2) We wouldn't intimidate a pee wee team, let alone an NHL team

Advantages:
1) How will opposing teams with slower d-men and big lumbering forwards keep pace with these shifty little water bugs out there for 60 minutes a night?

2) You won't have to worry about skill if a player goes down, as this would be one of the most highly skilled forward corps in the league, and that's without factoring in guys like Hemsky, Horcoff, and Penner.

3) Excitement, every shift these guys would get the paying customers at Rexall standing. It'd be almost as much sitting and standing as Sunday Mass.

This is only 1/2 of the equation, the other 1/2 is our puck moving defensive core. Gilbert, Grebeshkov, Visnovsky, and Souray and to a lesser extent Smid.

A d-corps that will have this kind of puck moving ability could surely work in combination with a speedy and skillful forward unit.

Of course you'll always need some beef on the blue-line and Souray and Staios will provide that as well as some solid first passes out of the zone, and Smid could do the same.

So what am I proposing?

Bare with me...

A 3 line scoring team with 1 true checking line and 4 offensive defensemen.

Penner-Horcoff-Hemsky
Schremp-Cogliano-Pouliot
Nilsson-Brule/Gagner-Gagner/Cole
Moreau-Brodziak-Pisani
MacIntyre, Gagner/roster filler

Souray-Gilbert
Grebeshkov-Visnovski
Smid-Staios
Strudwick

This is a team that would have the most skill that has worn the oil drop at any one time since the dynasty Oilers of the 80's and '90.

A combination of shrewd drafting and solid player acquisitions has this team on the verge of being able to go in a number of different directions. It would be a shame if they wouldn't allow this team to return to a skilled approach like it was way back when.

Will the Oilers Become Pioneers in the New NHL?

The Oilers appeared to have been looking in a different direction in the '05 draft. they went for speed and skill and didn't care about size. However including that draft, or top 3 picks averaged about 5'10" tall. Andrew Cogliano, Sam Gagner, and now Jordan Eberle complete a trio of sub 6 feet tall forwards that have skill and at least decent speed.

Why would this lead to a team becoming a pioneer? Well, because along with those 3 smallish forwards, the Oilers also have other sub 6 footers (we'll call them smallfoots). The list includes Robert Nilsson, Rob Schremp, and the recently acquired Gilbert Brule. That is a whopping SIX forwards that are under six feet tall.

So what you ask? Well, from where I sit all 6 could have careers with the Oilers, 3 have cemented their spots already, 2 more could as early as this season, and the last could also with-in the next few years.

So could the Oilers roll with a team that has as many smallfoots at forward as they do 6 feet plus forwards? Sure, why the heck not! Of course it will provide the team with some disadvantages, but it will also have its advantages.

Disadvantages:
1) Battling down low. While guys like Brule, Cogliano, and potentially Gagner and Eberle could become solid in this area, they'll still have a difficult time dealing with bigger players down low.

2) We wouldn't intimidate a pee wee team, let alone an NHL team

Advantages:
1) How will opposing teams with slower d-men and big lumbering forwards keep pace with these shifty little water bugs out there for 60 minutes a night?

2) You won't have to worry about skill if a player goes down, as this would be one of the mosthighly skilled forward corps in the league, and that's without factoring in guys like Hemsky, Horcoff, and Penner.

3) Excitement, every shift these guys would get the paying customers at Rexall standing. It'd be almost as much sitting and standing as Sunday Mass.

This is only 1/2 of the equation, the other 1/2 is our puck moving defensive core. Gilbert, Grebeshkov, Visnovsky, Chorney, Wild, Petry, Bisaillon, and to a lesser extent Smid and Peckham.

A d-corps that will have this kind of puck moving ability could surely work in combination with a speedy and skillful forward unit.

Of course you'll always need some beef on the blue-line and young Theo Peckham will provide that as well as some solid first passes out of the zone, and Smid could do the same.

So what is BBO proposing?

Bare with me...

A 3 line scoring team with 1 true checking line and 4 offensive defensemen.


Yes, I'm cereal, I'm not talking about manbearpig here, I really think that this could be the way to go. Let's take a look-see at what this line-up would look like.

Penner-Gagner-Hemsky
Nilsson-Schremp-Eberle
Cogliano-Horcoff-Brule
Moreau/Jacques-Brodziak/Pouliot-Pisani/Goon

Grebeshkov-Gilbert
Peckham-Visnovski
Smid-Chorney
Wild

Gone would be Staios and Souray to clear the way and cap space for the youth, and gone would be the old model of building a winner. This is a team that would have the most skill that has worn the oil drop at any one time since the dynasty Oilers of the 80's and '90.

A combination of shrewd drafting and solid player acquisitions has this team on the verge of being able to go in a number of different directions.

Innovative, going with the teams strengths, or off my rocker? You decide.