Monday, September 21, 2009

Oilers Make Typo - Send Out Wrong Ryan

Seriously. Pick one player to cut based on last year's AHL numbers:

62 GP: 1-9-10, 49 PIMs, no NHL callup

70 GP: 38-24-62, 48 PIMs, 8 NHL games

According to TSN the Oilers have shipped three more players to Springfield assuming they all clear waivers: Dean Arsene, Chris Minard and Ryan Potulny. Ryan O'Marra lives on. Crazy. Now, it's quite possible that there are more guys that are going to be cut and TSN only reported the guys who were put on waivers but if not, each of these guys is feeling awful.

For Arsene, getting shipped out before Taylor Chorney, Theo Peckham, Jake Taylor, Alex Plante and Bryan Young must sting. Arsene probably realized that he didn't have much chance to make the team out of camp but if this cut is an indication of the call-up depth chart he's a long way down the list.

Chris Minard and Ryan Potulny both played some at the NHL level last year and each had an outside shot at a roster spot in this camp. I mentioned that both didn't do much last night and indeed both were cut today. Being cut this early has to be bitterly disappointing, especially for Potulny who got his NHL time with the Oilers. The one potential bright spot is that there's enough time before the season that another team might make a waiver claim to take a look. Ryan Potulny scored 38 goals in the AHL last year. Chris Minard is 6'1'' and scored over a point per game in the AHL last year. That's not nothing. Someone may want to take a look and decide in a week if they're worth keeping. If it happens, I wish them luck.

4 comments:

Black Dog said...

Looks like it was just a case of timing as nearly everyone else got moved out as well.

Now we're down to the end. Rajala and Peckham and the two scrub goalies will go next and I would think that they're keeping Chorney as a reward as it seems that he has had a nice camp.

The big questions remain up front. Gregor apparently is saying Pouliot is on the bubble but I can't see how based on his play.

Scott Reynolds said...

I don't put much stock in what Gregor says to be honest with you. People do say that the man is somewhat connected and maybe he is, but I haven't seen much evidence that he's connected to the right people. Plus, I doubt the organization's made their final decision on who's staying at this point. Pouliot's probably in the mix of possible cuts but he can win a draw, PK a bit and potentially play up in the lineup if there are injuries. I really do think there's a role for him here.

Black Dog said...

Yeah I have no idea if Gregor is connected. Some folks claim that he is but they say the same about Matheson and a lot of the stuff that he has come out with has been off.

Canadian Press says the usual for the ten locks:

Horcoff, Hemsky, Cogliano, Penner, Comrie, O'Sullivan, Moreau, Pisani, Stortini, Gagner

No ifs ands or buts.

And Gregor in his latest projections has Pouliot on the club. Quinn has praised him at least twice, maybe three times, so almost every game he has played.

Scott Reynolds said...

Stortini has done an amazing thing. I would have thought he'd be a guy who could be in danger of someone like Brennan under Quinn but it just isn't happening. New staff, and yet, there he is coasting through. He must work his balls off at practice.

As for the MSM thing, I don't put much stock in anyone but TSN. If TSN is reporting it, it's almost surely true. If not, it may as well be a guy in the bar. I actually find many of the blogs better about this kind of stuff since they're more concerned with discussion and analysis than breaking news.