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head coach:
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Ron Low
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roster:
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C - Todd Marchant, Rem Murray, Boyd Devereux, Josef
Beranek, Daniel Lacroix. LW - Dean McAmmond, Mats Lindgren, Ryan
Smyth. RW - Bill Guerin, Mike Grier, Andrei Kovalenko, Fred
Lindquist, Pat Falloon, Bill Huard, Craig Millar, Kevin Brown. D -
Sean Brown, Roman Hamrlik, Boris Mironov, Frank Musil, Janne
Niinimaa, Tom Poti, Marty McSorley. G - Bob Essensa, Mikhail
Shtalenkov.
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injuries:
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Mats Lindgren, lw (dislocated shoulder, indefinite).
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transactions:
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Mats Lindgren, lw, placed on injured reserve
indefinitely; traded Valeri Zelepukin, lw, to Philadelphia for
Daniel Lacroix, c; traded Greg deVries, d, Drake Berehowsky, d,
and Eric Fichaud, g, to Nashville for Mikhail Shtalenkov , g, and
Jim Dowd, c; signed unrestricted free agent Marty McSorley to a
one-year contract; lost goon Dennis (the Menace) Bonvie, lw, to
Chicago and Zdeno Ciger, lw, to Nashville in the waiver draft.
Signed Ryan Smyth, lw, to a one-year contract.
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game results:
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10/11 Los Angeles L 2-1
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standings:
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Northwest Division GP W L T PTS GF GA
Calgary 2 1 0 1 3 8 6
Vancouver 1 1 0 0 2 4 2
Edmonton 1 0 1 0 0 1 2
Colorado 2 0 2 0 0 3 7
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team news:
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by Aubrey Chau, Edmonton Correspondent
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Oilers Weight-less
The Oilers opened the season in the building formerly known as
Edmonton Coliseum against the Los Angeles Kings. The building, now
known as the Skyreach Centre, hosted a sold-out season opener which
saw the Oilers without two of their top forwards, center Doug
Weight and left winger Ryan Smyth. Both restricted free agents were
still trying to hammer out a contract.
Oilers' GM Glen Sather and Weight's agent, Steve Bartlett, are still
reportedly $1 million dollars apart on a contract. Sather is
offering one year for $3 million, while Bartlett is looking for $4
million a year.
Smyth was closer to signing as he flew into town this week to
practice with the University of Alberta Golden Bears. Smyth and
Sather finally agreed on a new one-year deal on Monday.
But Sather still had better sign Weight soon, because without him
the Oiler's season could end up looking like Mr. T's career
by December. We all cringe at the thought of Joe Beranek as our
first-line center...hmmm...maybe we should see what Mr. T is doing.
What about Bob?
Bob Essensa started in his first season opener in a long time
against LA. The last time he started a season opener was in his
good 'ol Winnipeg Jets days. But Bob had to leave late in the
first period after an ankle injury. Mikhail Shtalenkov was solid
in his place for the rest of the game, facing 23 shots in the last
two periods, until Luc Robitaille netted the winner late in the
third. Luc had left his hands in LA, and after stops in Pittsburgh
and New York maybe he found them again.
No word on the extent of Essensa's injuries or how long he'll be
out.
Notes, and other stuff:
Billy (the Butcher) Guerin was wearing the "A" on his jersey in Doug
Weight's absence. It's a contract year for the laziest man in the
universe, Andrei Kovalenko, so look for 25 goals from him this year.
Don't be surprised if Roman Hamrlik is gone by Christmas, he makes
$2.7 million a year, which in Sather's books makes him expendable,
especially with the excess of puck-rushing defencemen. Young Boyd
Devereux is looking more confident this year, and with Kevin Brown
and Kelly Buchberger, they combined for the best line for the Oilers
opening night. Let's hope young Devereux doesn't become a pure
defensive specialist, like what they did to Mats Lindgren. The
Oilers top five D -- Boris Mironov, Roman Hamrlik, Tom Poti and Craig
Millar -- easily form the best offensive blue line in the NHL.
After seeing the Oil hard-pressed to score against the Kings, the
Oilers' solution is simple: sign Weight fast!
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