Stortini, a Good Trooper/Who Steps In?

Many here know that I'm not a big fan of #46, however even I felt bad for the guy when his knee twisted like a pretzel and the back of his head slammed to the ice. Stortini had been playing some of the best hockey of his career prior to the injury. Now he could be out for quite some time.

While this may mean that a roster spot opens up for Guillaume Lefebvre, I still feel bad for the guy. Not like this. He dished out a big hit after Sam Gagner looked like a 12 year old in a mosh pit with the Hells Angels the shift prior. Then even with MacIntyre out there Storts answered the bell.

Suddenly the team looks to be racking up the man games lost to injury stat and last year that was our cue to make a run. Maybe a new cast of characters will emerge this time? Guillaume Lefebvre's tenacity could really spark the team, and his left handed massacre's of larger opponents could get some momentum swinging in our direction.

With MacIntyre back as the big man on campus, maybe the coach can look to a more skilled approach? Yeah, and there will be peace in the Middle East in a week too.

Unless Pisani is ready to return, it's time to get Lefebvre signed and bring him up. The only other possibility is to see how JF Jacques looks after returning from a lengthy absence . The time away from the ice could have him re energized and the pressure of the NHL might be minuscule in comparison to what he's had to overcome to get back to pro hockey.

Either way, it was bad timing for a guy that was coming into his own, but sometimes one mans misfortune can lead to another mans opportunity.

Do the Oilers Really Need Zack Stortini?

Often times I find myself under fire for not going along with the crowd. This apparently is one of those times.

Zack Stortini brings to the team a disturber and a guy that is willing to drop the gloves. What happens when the gloves come off is an entirely different story. Any which way, the guy bleeds for his team, and that is always admirable. I am not questioning his heart, his guts, or his mental toughness. However I am questioning why this is a player that needs to be a fixture on this team. A team with Steve MacIntyre and Jason Strudwick on it.

Do we really need 3 goonish players? Do we need more than 2 of these guys on any given night? Strudwick has been much more than a goon this season, he has been a reliable 6th defenseman.
This team is not in an offensive position to play Stortini and MacIntyre together more than a handful of games. Do we really need a hybrid agitator/heavyweight? A guy that has some skill, but not nearly enough to take this team to the next level?

I'm sure that the people that view this post knows where I'm heading with this.


The answer is a resounding NO! Part of this teams woes is due to the fact that the kid line has too much pressure on it to score. Perhaps the revamped lineup will change this, but why not just go for something new. A coach that believed vehemently for 2 seasons that the team didn't need a heavyweight who then made a complete 180 in that belief this offseason could surely change his mindset that the team is in need of an agitator, couldn't he?

Look at Marc Pouliot, here's a guy that some people would've felt was a smaller cog in the Oilers wheel than Stortini just a few weeks ago. Now Pouliot has established himself and has finally shown that he can start the year awake instead of always sleepwalking into the season.

Why not see if the same could happen with Rob Schremp? Or perhaps Gilbert Brule? Maybe even Ryan Potulny?

When will this team come to realize that it will either have to trade away a number of solid young players or change its mindset and embrace a 3 scoring line team?

It maybe impossible for the current coaching regime to grasp the concept, but it needs to happen. There is simply too much skill coming of age to keep buried in the AHL for a player that is a better than average skilled Heavyweight (minus the intimidation) and a below average skilled disturber.

MacIntyre serves a purpose, and if he can continue to provide a big hit here and there, there really is no need for a player like Stortini in the City of Champions.