FIRE LEMAIRE!!!!!!!!

What an idiot.

His team has only won 2 in their last 10. They're in LAST PLACE in the division right now. He can't develop youth (Koivu? Who the **** is that anyway?). His team just can't win the big game. Again - LAST PLACE IN THE DIVISION! What the **** is wrong with this team? Clearly he's lost the dressing room. He overplays pluggers all over the place. Andrew Brunette on the PP? WTF? That's not even getting into Benoit Pouliot. Who the hell does he think he is, Brunette? I mean, the guy has 5 ****ing goals this year and he keeps getting ice time.

This is just unforgivable.

As a closet Wild fan, I am beyond disgusted. If this team had a real coach, one who could coach youth and fire up the troops while playing a system I can understand while drinking a 6 pack... well THEN they would be leading the division.

.....

Now, how many of you would agree with that?

... now, go back, and sub the word "Lemaire" for "MacT" and "Wild" for "Oilers."

I'm not saying, but I'm just saying.

Merry Crosby to all and to all a Crosby night. Crosby!

Via the pervs at Four Habs Fans, here's Sidney Crosby giving wickedly-named Atlanta Thrasher Boris Valabik a little something I like to call "the stocking stuffer."



Have a merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah, a kwaazy Kwanza, a tip-top Tet, and a solemn, dignified, Ramadan.

I was all set yesterday to write a snarky post this morning about Trevor Linden night here in Vancouver. Linden was a class act for a lot of years, but he never won a thing and he certainly will never be counted in the pantheon of All-time greats. Yet he’s a god among men around these parts, which says a lot about the kind of teams that have come and gone out here on the west coast.

But I can’t muster much snark for the Canucks after last night’s back alley abortion at Rexall. The whole thing reminded me of playing NHL ’94 on the Genesis back when Roenick was an unstoppable, pixelated force and the Oilers were absolute garbage (I think the top line had Klima and Ciger on it). Last night Joel Q. and the boys were playing the computer with the offsides turned off.

Kane and Toews (anybody know if he’s related to author and fellow Manitoban Miriam?) are for real, certainly more so than the young “talent” the Oilers are mustering. I took a lot of shit at HF last year for saying in one of my frequent fits of pique that Ganger is going to top out as a second liner, but he’s making me look like Nostra-fucking-damus thus far this season. Seems to me that if you’re going to run with as many infants as the Oilers are this year either they need to be world-class talents or have a veteran supporting cast that can mask the folly of youth. Edmonton has neither and the results pretty much bear that out.

Getting the message across via media

Interesting words being channeled through the media in recent weeks.

RILEY NASH

Bolting college early for fat pro paychecks is the preferred option for many top draft picks.

It's also one that Nash wants to leave hanging for now.

"It's a tough answer," Nash said. "I'm not going to go just when they (the Oilers) ask me to go. I don't feel I need to go and bounce around in the minors for a few years. Cornell is a nice place to be."

KEVIN PRENDERGAST

"Was I surprised he didn't make it? Not really," said Prendergast. "He was a longshot. They've got (John) Tavares and (Zach) Boychuk as their top two guys, and could move (Angelo) Esposito. Riley can't play the wing.

"Riley had a good second day of camp, but was ordinary in the other ones and you can't have that at a short camp. Not playing enough games at Cornell hurts him."

It's no secret the Oilers feel Nash isn't progressing at Cornell. They don't feel that school plays enough games (Nash has played in only eight so far this season), but even if Nash were to leave after his sophomore season, putting him in the American Hockey League for a short time for a trial-run might not work, either. He's pretty slight.

KEVIN PRENDERGAST - ONE MONTH AGO

The Oilers' slippery situation

Different NHL teams have varying opinions on NCAA hockey, but it's safe to say that all prefer one aspect of the Canadian junior leagues -- the amount of games they play.

In the NCAA, teams generally play in the neighborhood of 35-40 games, though Ivy League schools can end up playing as few as 31. The three major Canadian junior leagues play 68-72 games in the regular season, plus a more expansive playoff system.

That's why the Oilers say they are essentially making the best of a not-so-ideal situation.

"Given the amount of games that Cornell plays, and there's not a lot of high-end games on the weekend, there has to be consistency," said Kevin Prendergast, Edmonton's assistant general manager. "It's a mental thing. He's got to be the best he can be every week. He's got tremendous hockey sense -- it's one of the reasons we drafted him. But there are things that go with that, and we've had a long talk with him about that."

Such as the aforementioned consistency and physical development, which the team has emphasized.

But Prendergast said the issue of where Nash is playing isn't something he harps on. In fact, Big Red coach Mike Schafer said that members of the Oilers organization he's talked to are "ecstatic" with Nash's development.

"You know, it's his decision," said Prendergast, who added he's "happy" with Nash's progress. "We'll back him up whatever he decides to do. ... We're not going to interfere with education. If that's the route he wants to go, we're prepared to wait. But if he decides to stay at Cornell, we're going to do everything we can to make him a better hockey player while he's there."

It will be interesting how this plays out. While going the education route is admirable, these are key years in his development stage. I can see the Oilers position.

Your thoughts?

Hockey!

Canadian Polar Bears enjoying the fabric of Canadian culture

William Houston reports that the NHL is cherishing exceptional numbers North of the 49.

Two months into the NHL season, national audiences for hockey telecasts in Canada have shown considerable increases.

At the CBC, the Hockey Night in Canada viewership has grown in all time slots, with the pregame show making the largest gain. It's averaging 527,000 viewers, for an increase of 56 per cent over last year.

The Game 1 audience is 1.348 million, up 13 per cent.

Game 2's 763,000 is 19 per cent higher than last year.

The late night wrap-up, After Hours, is watched by 281,000 for an increase of 53 per cent.

TSN's NHL telecasts have an average audience of 496,000 viewers, up 21 per cent from last year.

RDS is averaging 773,000 viewers for Montreal Canadiens games, available nationally, up 21 per cent.

EDMONTON >>> CALGARY

Audiences for the Calgary Flames (130,000) and Edmonton Oilers (145,000) are up 11 and 29 per cent respectively.

Any theories for such spikes?

Enquiring minds would like to know.

Gloria in excelsis Deo

“For unto us a Schremp is born, unto us a son is given: and the team shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Hockey Jesus, Sugartits, Robimus Prime, The everlasting speedo, The Prince of Popcorn.” - Isaiah 9:6

BONUS: Great moments in speed reading

I was over at OilerNation reading Brownlee's game day article on Schremp Year Zero and came across this bit that seems lifted straight out of a gay porno script:

Sitting with a big dip in his mouth, Schremp and I talked about this being the right time for him. He was almost at ease.

Um...okay.