Roto Exclusive : Guest Contributions and Featured Articles
Roto Exclusive : Guest Contributions and Featured Articles
Roto Exclusive : Guest Contributions and Featured Articles
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Jeff Petry<br />
Another RFA that resigned with the Oilers in the off-season, Petry had a year of ups <strong>and</strong> downs last<br />
season to say the least. For the better part of the first half of last year, he seemed like he was swimming<br />
upstream. Caught out of position a lot, afraid to shoot the puck, etc. Around the mid-way point of the<br />
season it was like someone flicked a switch. He started carrying the puck more, showed great speed to<br />
get back if he was caught out of position. He showed he could be an offensive threat by unleashing his<br />
rocket of a shot from the point as well. He even started blocking shots like a trooper. He went from<br />
looking like a 6/7 defenseman to a 3/4. He was playing a lot like Tom Gilbert, only better, which<br />
eventually made Gilbert expendable. Petry will probably never be a 50-point defenseman, but he<br />
should be able to offer up 30+points, plus a ton of peripherals like hits, blocks <strong>and</strong> should also offer<br />
some solid PPP. Most people this year are expecting big things out of Justin Schultz but let’s not forget,<br />
he will be a rookie D with a ton of pressure on him <strong>and</strong> high expectations. There’s a good chance he<br />
slips up a bit this year <strong>and</strong> if that happens to Schultz, don’t be surprised it it’s not Jeff Petry who gets the<br />
tap to step up <strong>and</strong> take the reins.<br />
Top three letdowns:<br />
Ryan Smyth<br />
Captain Canada started out last year strong. Obviously re-energized<br />
after returning to the Copper <strong>and</strong> Blue, he scored at a point per game<br />
pace for the first 26 games then managed to score just 20 points in the<br />
final 56 games. Fizzle fizzle… At 36 years old, <strong>and</strong> youth being the<br />
name of the game in the City of Champions, Smyth has simply become<br />
a leader in the dressing room more then on the score sheet. If fantasy<br />
hockey gave points for leadership, Smyth would rank quite high but it doesn’t. The only thing going for<br />
Smyth is the lack of experienced depth on the left side for the Oilers. Kruger has said he plans on trying<br />
Yakupov on the left side (if that doesn’t tell you Kruger’s thoughts of Smyth I don’t know what does) <strong>and</strong><br />
others. I expect Paajarvi to get a long look at training camp on the left side of the second line. Smyth is<br />
a third liner at best these days, skating with his ole buddy Horcoff. Smyth should be good for 15-20<br />
goals <strong>and</strong> l<strong>and</strong> somewhere around 40+ points. Not bad for a third liner, but those are probably<br />
generous expected points for Smyth. On the bright side, he will get his wish <strong>and</strong> get to retire as an Oiler.<br />
Ryan Whitney<br />
Whitney came to Edmonton in early 2010 <strong>and</strong> was expected to anchor the defence for years but he<br />
suffered a season ending ankle injury in December of that same year. Coming into the start of last<br />
season he <strong>and</strong> the Oilers hoped his injuries had healed but that wasn’t the case. His season started late<br />
<strong>and</strong> more injuries during the year hurt his play last season. Out of the gate Renney gave him top<br />
minutes but it was obvious he was struggling <strong>and</strong> not 100%. By the end of the season, his play had<br />
improved but his mobility hadn’t. He has admitted this off-season in an interview I recently read that his<br />
ankle still isn’t 100%. To me, if that ankle still isn’t 100%, then I am not expecting Whitney to be either<br />
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