Martin Gerber and Sheldon Souray have been placed on waivers. Two players exposed for two different reasons. The Oilers are hoping Gerber will pass waivers unscathed and they're praying for Souray to be plucked.
It's unlikely either player will be taken through the waiver wire. However, for the Barons sake, they are in dire need for Gerber to pass through and tend the net for the OKC Barons. If Gerber were to be taken, goaltending in the OKC will be murky at best. Exposing one of Dubnyk or Deslauriers through waivers is playing Russian Roulette, a trade is the likely scenario.
Souray has been through this already, and only to his surprise were there no takers. Expect the same this go around. Until the Oilers place Souray through re-entry waivers and are on the hook to cover half his salary, only then will there be a possibility that a team will gamble on an aging and injury prone defenseman.
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The Oilers also cut four players today, defencemen Jeff Petry, Taylor Chorney, Alex Plante, and winger Colin McDonald. Jeff Petry will be the first call up barring injury to the blue line. Petry has made strides this training camp and looks close to NHL ready. Taylor Chorney will benefit from more playing time in the AHL. Although he did have a pretty good game in his last outing by displaying a physical presence, but don't expect to see it often.
Today the Oilers hit the ice in groups of 2 to work on the basics. 33 players remain in camp.
Deslauriers will be traded this time next week. Dubnyk, the younger of the two, is their future goaltender and will remain with the club. Book it.
ReplyDeleteTwo very different reasons.
ReplyDeleteGerbers was expected - the team, the fans, the pundits, everyone knew he was headed for the A to find out how his game has survived. Gerb knew his only hope of sticking with the Oil was if NK was on the 30-day shower enema program in Arizona. On the bright side, 29 other teams have already had a chance to get their lazy asses moving and sign him for little more than kibbles & bits twice a day and passed on him. Good goalie, hope he survives the gauntlet of bottom-feeding GMs on his way to OKC to fight another day.
Big Sexy, on the other hand, is being pushed on the pack like a $500 hooker with a glass eye and bad teeth. This is the second time he's been shoved out to the curb with a neon sign around his neck saying "FREE - Shipping and handling not included". Steve still has all his options open - he can still haul him back in like last week's uncollected trash and put him on Craigslist without penalty, or he can farm him out to OKC or elsewhere like prison labour. Hopefully Tamby finds a taker soon, he's beginning to smell up the garage.
Thanks for that Oil Disposal - have you ever thought about blogging ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou are correct on the interest regarding Gerber, there hasn't been much of it in the last two seasons. One team that has me a little concerned is the Minnesota Wild. As I'm sure you know, Harding will miss the remainder of the 2010-11 season with a torn ACL and MCL that will require surgery. The Wild's number 1 agenda is to add a back up goaltender.
The Oilers did a great job of advertising Gerber, he played quite well in the pre-season. His cap hit is enticing, and for a temporary fix he could be a candidate for the Wild.