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Bring Back The Bruise Bros

Edmonton Oilers

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Don't look now, but the Oilers sit atop the Northwest Divison and tied for #1 in the Western Conference at 7-2-2. The young kids are really producing. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have lived up to the hype with 11 points in 11 games. Taylor Hall has produced 9 points in 10 games. Jordan Eberle has 10 points in 11 games. Ryan Smyth seems to have rejuvinated himself, scoring 10 points in 11 games, and served as a mentor for the young kids.

Nikolai Khabibulin looks like he's returning to his former self. He is 5-0-2 with a .960 save percentage. Devan Dubnyk is 2-2 with a .938 save percentage.

Theo Peckham and Andy Sutton have provided a scrappy, physical presence on the blueline.

Now, it is still really early in the year, but the Oilers are awful fun to watch this year, and they look like they could be a contender, assuming the goal-tending continues to be solid, and the defense can stay healthy.

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It seems likes it took the Pens, Caps and Hawks a few years to figure it out; I guess it's finally these guys turn. I think it's kind of exciting to see teams come up like this, even if it may probably cause the Wings fits at times.

Good for them... I hated them after '06 but then I kind of felt sorry for them for a while.

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young players will get worn out.

It seems likes it took the Pens, Caps and Hawks a few years to figure it out; I guess it's finally these guys turn. I think it's kind of exciting to see teams come up like this, even if it may probably cause the Wings fits at times.

Good for them... I hated them after '06 but then I kind of felt sorry for them for a while.

it really isn't that fun, because all these teams do is suck for years and then pile up draft picks, then again there are teams like florida and winnipeg that get high picks and do poorly, but it isn't that hard when you get that many top picks.

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Guest Shoreline

I notice that too, but given they're so young, I wonder if they can keep up the intensity level I've seen from them the entire season, plus any possible playoff series'.

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young players will get worn out.

Interesting, that's normally what people say about old players. A lot of people think young guys can just keep going and going. I assume what you are suggesting is that they don't have the experience to know how to get through the rigors of an 82 game schedule, etc., which I think is definately a valid comment, but I also wouldn't discount their young legs either.

They are on a hot streak, no doubt, I don't think that will last, but I also get the feeling that this team will be in the hunt for a playoff spot. Not saying they'll make it, just suggesting they won't be near the bottom of the league.

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Guest Shoreline

I love Edmonton, they have an insane group of young talent all apparently ready to play this year. Good to see Smyth back as well. Hopefully they can keep it up.

I'm glad to see him back there as well. Seeing him in a NYI, LA and Colorado jersey just seemed weird, and I never got the impression fans in Edmonton didn't want him there. I'm pretty sure he is happy to be back as well.

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It seems likes it took the Pens, Caps and Hawks a few years to figure it out; I guess it's finally these guys turn. I think it's kind of exciting to see teams come up like this, even if it may probably cause the Wings fits at times.

Good for them... I hated them after '06 but then I kind of felt sorry for them for a while.

this +1

Looks like when Smyth requested that trade over the summer it wasn't that bad of an idea afer all. They are playing solid but a long ways to go imo. Still the young guns are showing up and producing. I don't mind them now but let's see at the half way point where they are sitting...

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I like seeing the kids do well, but I seriously don't think this will be sustained over a season. Remember how last year the Aves were one of the top teams in the league for the first 20 games or so?

Still fun to watch them, I wish I got to see more of their games.

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I like seeing the kids do well, but I seriously don't think this will be sustained over a season. Remember how last year the Aves were one of the top teams in the league for the first 20 games or so?

Still fun to watch them, I wish I got to see more of their games.

And the Blues...

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Guest Crymson

this +1

Looks like when Smyth requested that trade over the summer it wasn't that bad of an idea afer all. They are playing solid but a long ways to go imo. Still the young guns are showing up and producing. I don't mind them now but let's see at the half way point where they are sitting...

IMO being in Edmonton at all is a bad idea. It's a terrible place to live, especially during the winter.

This reminds me of the Pens and Hawks.

Years of sucking ass has resulted in many high draft picks. It's going to start paying off eventually, if not already now.

Yeah, it's going to start paying off, but they did need to suffer through those years of being terrible.

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Interesting, that's normally what people say about old players. A lot of people think young guys can just keep going and going. I assume what you are suggesting is that they don't have the experience to know how to get through the rigors of an 82 game schedule, etc., which I think is definately a valid comment, but I also wouldn't discount their young legs either.

They are on a hot streak, no doubt, I don't think that will last, but I also get the feeling that this team will be in the hunt for a playoff spot. Not saying they'll make it, just suggesting they won't be near the bottom of the league.

Young players between 21 and 29 with nhl experience are the ones you don't need to worry about, but inexperienced 18-20 year olds yes you do. They will be worn down mentaly and physically.

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Guest Shoreline

Young players between 21 and 29 with nhl experience are the ones you don't need to worry about, but inexperienced 18-20 year olds yes you do. They will be worn down mentaly and physically.

Experience also brings temperament and knowing how to better regulate one's intensity level so as not to wear themselves down faster, exposing their self to injury, prominent especially with forwards, but I've seen it in a couple D-men too. Barret Jackman I think would be a classic example of a person who overextended himself so much he was the major cause of his own injuries, and eventually wised up to keep his NHL career longer than just a few seasons.

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Experience also brings temperament and knowing how to better regulate one's intensity level so as not to wear themselves down faster, exposing their self to injury, prominent especially with forwards, but I've seen it in a couple D-men too. Barret Jackman I think would be a classic example of a person who overextended himself so much he was the major cause of his own injuries, and eventually wised up to keep his NHL career longer than just a few seasons.

Doughty needs to learn the same lesson. There was the concussion last season, but already this season he's had an upper body injury because he tried to be Bobby Orr and got rocked with his head down crossing the blueline. He tries to do too much sometimes and it often doesn't end well.

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it really speaks to the oils franchise that they r having a successful rebuild. in a few seasons theyll prolly be up their with the other success's like the caps, pens, and hawks. we dont need anymore yotes, blues, sens, isles, jackets, panthers, or wild.

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