This Years Unsung Hero

[Supermassive]

+1

The fans are the heroes 10th year in a row.

on ice.. I will go with Gordon. Only a -5 despite getting the tough defensive minutes. Hendricks, Lander and Pouliot as my other choices.

Did he really get the tough minutes this year? I swear I saw the top two lines facing much tougher competition this year.

 

[Replacement*]

Did he really get the tough minutes this year? I swear I saw the top two lines facing much tougher competition this year.

Gordon was still seeing topshelf opposition on a lot of draws, ownzone, and was still being used situationally.

Theres been this narrative that topline is getting much harder minutes and while I would say it is the case it isn't at all exclusive. Even Eakins learned to line match a little this year and try to get his topline out there against easier opponents. Except theres countless examples this year where our topline was getting hemmed in and giving up chances against 3rd lines.

Gordon is unsung, definitely. Is one of the few players on this club that actually does his job adequately.

 

[LTIR]

Did he really get the tough minutes this year? I swear I saw the top two lines facing much tougher competition this year.

Pretty sure he was leading the league in defensive zone starts at one point.

As per puckalytics.com Gordon was on ice for 508 defensive zone starts.
RNH 243
Roy 207

Doesnt mean they took the faceoffs but were out on ice at start.

Not sure how to check the toughness of opponents.

 

[Supermassive]

Gordon was still seeing topshelf opposition on a lot of draws, ownzone, and was still being used situationally.

Theres been this narrative that topline is getting much harder minutes and while I would say it is the case it isn't at all exclusive. Even Eakins learned to line match a little this year and try to get his topline out there against easier opponents. Except theres countless examples this year where our topline was getting hemmed in and giving up chances against 3rd lines.

Gordon is unsung, definitely. Is one of the few players on this club that actually does his job adequately.

You're right, the kids getting hemmed in is what is clouding my memory.

Gordon has been receiving the tough minutes and d zone starts. Obviously I've been taking him for granted.

He's easily the unsung hero. The difference between us and other western conference teams is that they have several Gordons, and we only have one.

 

[Replacement*]

You're right, the kids getting hemmed in is what is clouding my memory.

Gordon has been receiving the tough minutes and d zone starts. Obviously I've been taking him for granted.

He's easily the unsung hero. The difference between us and other western conference teams is that they have several Gordons, and we only have one.

Its interesting that in the Journal Poll only 1% of respondents had Gordon as one of their favorite players.

I get that its not a sexy role he plays but the fanbase has kind of got seduced by top picks and figures that's the be all and end all. As you mention its the guys doing the rowing that result in good teams.
Gordon is one of the few players on this team who positionally speaking, doesn't cheat. Fayne is the other one. (he got less votes than Gordon lol) That's it. Wow, what an awful club and with the fanbase not seeing a good club for so long we forget what to even look for.

 

[Pressure]

Roy, he was 2 months too late.

 

[Master Lok]

Gordon, Hendricks, Lander, Purcell, Fayne, Petry (yes I know he's gone).

 

[Rawg]

I dont know how Fayne or Gordon wont be the answer here, Both played their roles to perfection. Overpaid, but great players

 

[Supermassive]

I dont know how Fayne or Gordon wont be the answer here, Both played their roles to perfection. Overpaid, but great players

$3M for Gordon seems like a good deal to me.

 

[The Nuge]

$3M for Gordon seems like a good deal to me.

Ya, I'd be thrilled to lock up Gordon to an extension for only 3 million. He's not overpaid at all

 

[McArthur]

Ill nominate Benoit Pouliot, blew away my expectations. On pace for over 25 goals despite injury and a -1 on this defensive disaster.

To begin the season, I was pissed every time he took an ozone penalty. He curbed it! My favorite part this season, when he bought a house in E-town. Good on him!

Gordon and Hendricks are probably our MVP's, but they're not unsung. With how little we've had to talk about, the same goes for most of the guys who would typically fall into that category. I'm probably going to take some flack for this, but my pick is... gulp... Purcell. I was his harshest critic the first half of the year, but he's quietly had a decent 2nd half. He still gets ragged on a lot, but he went from being butter soft, and less than useless defensively, to actually quite reliable, and has been using his size to win some battles, and protect the puck. His revival has been almost equal to Yak's imo.

I hear ya, its too bad he didn't land up getting rewarded for the effort, but has definitely helped making that second line a legitimate one. Good pick, easy target for criticism, but playing a 200' game and not asking for any special treatment.

 

[McArthur]

Roy, he was 2 months too late.

no... then we'd still have Eakins

 

[tinfish]

I don't think I'm watching the same Fayne other people are. He has 8 points and is -21 in 74 games.

Nikitin has 10 points -12 in 42 gp

Ferrence has 14 points -17 in 70 gp.

Both put up better numbers.

Keith Aulie has actually impressed me 1 assist and even through 30 gp

Fayne doesn't make a lot of glarying mistakes, but he doesn't really stand out either, and our D is atrocious. I thought we were getting a legit #4 in Fayne. Looks like more of a 5/6 to me.

 

[Broilers]

Roy. His not keeping noise off him and quitely makesplayers better around him. I would sign him for 2 years.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Do the Oilers really have an "unsung hero'? This roster finished in 28th place and spent times in 30th vs. Teams that were legitimatly tanking.

Not to say that there weren't any players who deserved praised, but with how dark this year was, I think any glimmer of light was seen and recognized

 

[fuswald]

Roy and he doesn't get fair kudos from most. "Give him a million for 2 years" and stuff like that. He is scoring at the same pace as Yak. Before Roy Yak couldn't score. Before Roy Purcell couldn't score.
"3 million sounds fair for Gordon"

 

[Meanashell11]

I have to go with Gordon as well. Before he arrived I had no faith we could win a faceoff, now look, it's contagious. It is like with Oats came here, he taught guys like Stoll the art, Gordon is rubbing off on the likes of RNH and Lander. He brings calm to the rest of the team, starts every shift in purgatory and never complains, just does his job. The definition of "unsung"!

 

[The Nuge]

I hear ya, its too bad he didn't land up getting rewarded for the effort, but has definitely helped making that second line a legitimate one. Good pick, easy target for criticism, but playing a 200' game and not asking for any special treatment.

Ya, he's quietly becoming a decent option to keep as a 3rd liner.

I don't think I'm watching the same Fayne other people are. He has 8 points and is -21 in 74 games.

Nikitin has 10 points -12 in 42 gp

Ferrence has 14 points -17 in 70 gp.

Both put up better numbers.

Keith Aulie has actually impressed me 1 assist and even through 30 gp

Fayne doesn't make a lot of glarying mistakes, but he doesn't really stand out either, and our D is atrocious. I thought we were getting a legit #4 in Fayne. Looks like more of a 5/6 to me.

You can't judge defensive dmen by points... Fayne, imo, is a #4/5. He was looking like a legit #4 earlier, but his play fell off a bit.

Do the Oilers really have an "unsung hero'? This roster finished in 28th place and spent times in 30th vs. Teams that were legitimatly tanking.

Not to say that there weren't any players who deserved praised, but with how dark this year was, I think any glimmer of light was seen and recognized

That's why I went with Purcell. Gordon, Pouliot, Roy, etc got praised a ton, and don't really deserve the unsung title

 

[ponokanocker]

Katz. He bamboozled millions out of fans and gave them a terrible team, again. What a genius.

 

[TheGuyInTheChair]

They were all awful. Not sure how you can choose any sort of "hero".

 

[Henkka]

how were Ference and Klefbom? They did look solid for me.

 

[McArthur]

how were Ference and Klefbom? They did look solid for me.

I thought Ference came as advertised, the wheels come off a little along the way, but he's also the guy that would probably rather play through injury and still went to injury reserve. Klefbom was our best defenseman with more opportunity.