Oilers vs. Predators

"Dude, you used to play here."

I get to attend an Oilers game again tonight, and I think my excitment at the prospect is a little diminished when compared with the other couple of games I’ve been to this year. For one, the entire city wants nothing to do with the team, respected journalists have swung the ol’ verbatim pendulum completely to ‘trash’, pigeons are finding a place to lay their eggs other than Rexall Place, and Robin Brownlee is staring to sound like he’s the smartest guy around. Truly, the sky is falling.

I’m still pumped though, Nashville has Shea Weber. A couple years ago my roomate at the time (a guy who didn’t even like to breath during hockey games because it would distract his attention) told me that Weber would be the best D-man in the league in good time. He was right, Weber is a faster, more agile Sheldon Souray. The only thing Souray has on Weber these days is a sweet set of lettuce and better facial hair. They are in a bit of a simliar situation because Nashville also seems headed for hockey obscurity like the Oilers, but Weber is younger and the type of guy that can turn a franchise around. It just won’t be that franchise.

I’m excited Visnovsky is back in his boots, he at least makes games against Nashville and Columbus tolerable. Like everyone else I’m battling with my desire to watch the team win to bring joy to my heart, but I think that’s outweighed by the delayed gratification a legitimate first round pick will bring. Visnovsky complicates things, so I’m sure someone will get hurt tonight. The hockey gods have been using injuries to screw the Oilers for too long, it’s about time injuries helped this circus-show.