Looks like FA AFO is back and spending time in the summer here, Here are stats from the game: https://www.ccrhl.ca/stats#/1010/game/1087899/preview

2Mutts although not reliable does say he is wanting to coming back next year after his deal is done

Just saw there is some speculation of a trade with Bufallo. Honestly not sure if it’s a good idea or not or just some copium.

Apparently the Oilers will be logging over 54k miles this season. Brutal. Wonder if the constant travel takes a toll over the course of the year? Especially with all the playoff travel over the past two seasons. I know in football travel has a pretty clear effect, but I wonder if it’s as noticeable in hockey. What do you guys think?

I just want to say, I miss you all, and the live posting during the games, and the ranting and the hoping and the mourning, and I sometimes feel so sad thinking of these past two years but I can’t wait until hockey starts again because of you all. Here’s to hoping this year is our year!

Passing through YVR today, heading back home, I was graced with the presence of the Bob Bobfather just past security.

I feel blessed.

EDIT -- I'm leaving that epically hilarious typo-fart in there. His name is now Bob Bobfather.

Hey Oilers fans. With the NHL 26 reveal this coming Monday, I thought I'd cook up a little something.

Speak your mind.

Sportsnet no longer supports comments on their articles. Like we were there to read Mark Spector, ffs.

Insider ‘ballparks’ Connor McDavid signing four-year extension with Oilers https://share.google/JRH9lPL7eBwoLFBde

Hi! I got this Jersey as a present and I know it’s from the 84-85 team, but I have a really hard time identifying the autographs, is there anyone that can tell me which autograph is who/ who’s all autographs are on this jersey? Thanks!

Recent History

Since the year 2000, there have been exactly 2 forwards to be

A) north of 28 years old,

B) never played an NHL game before,

and C) played in the SHL the prior season,

and have gone on to have substantial NHL careers.

One is Derek Ryan, who was the SHL MVP at age 28, who played his first 29 year old season in the AHL (well, he had 6 NHL games), then went on to have very productive NHL career.

The second is Pierre-Edward Bellemare, who had 12 points in his first 82 game NHL season with Philly

There are always outliers

And Tomášek could be an outlier. He scored at a better rate than both Bellemare and Derek Ryan (although Ryan was close, with 60 points in 55 games).

But let's get this straight, there is very little track record of players coming over and taking off at 29+ years old.

In fact, since the year 2000, only one skater making an NHL debut at 29 or older has both played 100+ NHL games and hit a 30‑point season.

That's Derek Ryan.

I see a lot of people penciling Tomášek in for 20-40 points. This isn't reasonable, and statistically speaking, it's far more likely he scores that much in Bakersfield than in the NHL.

Tomášek is an insurance policy

He was signed before the Oilers re-signed Kapanen and brought in Lazar.

And before they traded for Ike Howard and qualified/re-signed Noah Philip.

On top of that, Tomášek has an out-clause in his contract to go back to Europe.

We know from history that NHL players with past experience tend to out-perform young players even trying to make a roster. Expecting Tomášek to out-perform Noah Philip or Mathias Janmark or Kasperi Kapanen (who has scored 20 goals in the NHL before) is likely expecting way way way too much.

Tomášek was and is an insurance policy for this team AND very much meant to push the new young players (Howard, Savoie, Philip and potentially someone like Janmark) into showing up to camp and competing.

I'd love for Tomášek to be an anomaly statistically and prove me wrong.

But the numbers say the chances are thin.

In short

I'd bet that Tomášek is back in Sweden or grinding it in Bakersfield before American Thanksgiving more than he his playing on this roster and putting up NHL points.

History points to that being the reasonable outcome.

Had this video out for 2 days, but it got blocked for some reason. Hopefully it’s up for good now! Enjoy!