Get Outta Town!

And that's what I did. Holy Christ but I missed a lot.

Here's the quick and dirty:

Gagner: awesome. At least 9 games in regular season. At least.

Cogliano: slowly gaining some hardcore momentum. We need this guy to be a player and he might just step up. Maybe for a couple dozen games before he backslides, but it's looking good. The backsliding has nothing to do with facts, but everything to do with my sense of Constant Impending Doom as an Edmonton Oilers fan.

Hemsky: Sweet Jesus, I love you.

Schremp: Who?

Brodziak: You're doing so good you make me sick. But I want more.

Moreau: Stop getting injured! Hell!

Pouliot: A slow starter, and that's for goddam sure, but he has the potential to be a solid player. It'll be nice to have a couple more of those around...what have got to count on, like 4 other guys?

Sanderson: oh yeah, and Sanderson. He's an NHL player and it shows. Not the best guy on the ice, but so comfortable with the game it's almost pathetically reassuring.

Souray: I think yesterday's game tells us all we need to know about the coming season for Souray. Sooooo good. Sooooo bad.

Grebeshkov: I feel for the Russians. They got hit with capitalism without any inoculations and it's made anyone with an ounce of talent above their former komrades entitled, and dare I say it? a little lazy. I'm not saying they don't work hard, I mean...anyone who works up a sweat five days a week is kicking my ass all over town, but come on. You know what I mean.

Pitkanen: Did somebody say "tradebait"? Guy might become a star, but can we afford to wait? That seems to be the story of Joni's life, but really, does he have any strong chemistry with any of the lines he plays on?

Penner: I think we got the real deal. He's not expected to earn his money this year and he won't. Maybe not even next year. On that third year though. In the meantime he'll contribute in very excellent and entertaining ways, I'm sure. I like what I've heard on the ol' 630 dial. Gagner-Penner-Hemsky (or whatever order they're in) is going to be a great line.

---

There's more, but I'm out of fuel. Love the pre-season so far. Mirtle or mc79 or Lowetide posted a few weeks back talking about how teams perform in the pre-season is a pretty good indicator of how well -or not so well- they'll do in the Regular Season.

Ten more days until October 4th.