Source confirms Oilers were one of several teams who had a claim in on Volpatti.Caps lower in standings, they got him.

— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) February 28, 2013

We’re on a road to nowhere. Come on inside.

Just what the Oilers need.  After waiving Hordichuk, a guy who has EIGHT MINUTES OF ICE TIME in the entire season, Ryan Rishaug reports that the Oilers laid a claim on Vancouver’s thirteenth best forward in Aaron Volpatti.

Fortunately, the Capitals (who are simmering with fifteen points in the East) also had a claim on Volpatti.  Because they’ve a poorer record than Edmonton, he’s now he’s all decked out in stars and stripes.

How about a move that helps increase 5 on 5 scoring?  You know, that thing the Oilers are last in the league at?

LET’S PRETEND

For the sake of fun, let’s pretend the Oilers were the lucky winners of the Aaron Volpatti Waiver Giveaway.

Here are tonight’s forwards versus Dallas.  You can go ahead and inject Volpatti anywhere you feel that he’d help Edmonton win.

Now mind you, if you successfully claim Volpatti, you have to send someone to OKC.

Still want to do this?  OK then.

Hall / Nugent-Hopkins / Eberle

Jones / Gagner / Hemsky

Smyth / Belanger / Yakupov

Eager / Vande Velde / Petrell

Going to go ahead and assume that no one wants to scratch any of Hall, Eberle, Hemsky, Smyth or Yakupov.  If you do, please leave a comment.  I’d love to read it.

• PAAJARVI is scratched tonight, and is the only one of this group that wouldn’t have to clear waivers if sent to OKC, although sending him down is a dumb idea.  The fact that Paajarvi is scratched tonight is ridiculous, he’s a better player than at least three on tonight’s roster.
• HARTIKAINEN is on IR.  Pretty much the same explanation as Paajarvi if he’s healthy though.
• EAGER – would have to clear waivers.  You want to switch Eager up with Volpatti?  Send Eager down?  Doubt it’d happen, but OK.
• JONES - would have to clear waivers.  Jones scratched?  Not bloody likely.  Jones’ chance of getting sent down is zero.
• PETRELL –  Another guy who would have to clear waivers.  Inject Volpatti to that fourth line and you’ve got 55-54-Volpatti.  While 55-54-37 is no burning hell, you think the same line with Volpatti is any better?

Volpatti averaged the least ice time out of all 22 Vancouver skaters so far this year.  How effective would he be with four minutes of ice time on the fourth line?  Didn’t we just go through this motion with Hordichuk?

So now Volpatti’s a Capital.  I hope they’re both excited about the process.

Let’s keep eyes on Volpatti and see how integral a job he does protecting Ovechkin, OK?

At least that’s over with.

Hearing the Oilers may be interested in claiming Tom Sestito off waivers. He isn’t 100 percent healthy right now, though.

— Frank Seravalli (@DNFlyers) February 28, 2013

*facepalm*

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B. McGrattan cleared Waivers.Van places. A. Volpatti on Waivers.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 27, 2013

Well then, a fairly minor bit of roster news today ended up setting off a bit of speculation of the Oilers slice of the twittersphere. After all, when the Oilers are struggling, we always hear the same complaints from the media about the biggest problem the Oilers face. No, it’s not the lack of finishing on scoring chances, or the paper-thin defensive depth especially in regards to defencemen that can move the puck with efficiency. Nope, the problem with the Oilers is that they “lack grit”, they’re “easy to play against” and don’t forget “too small up front”.

Does this sound familiar at all? It should. It’s been used time and time again by those who look at some fringe 4th-line bruiser placed on waivers during the season (as such is the case this year with Matt Kassian and now Aaron Volpatti) to justify the Oilers going out and claiming these players. It’s also the logic used to justify the past signings and roster presence of players like Ben Eager, Darcy Hordichuk, Steve MacIntyre, Zach Stortini, JF Jacques and even the remarkably short stint of Jesse Boulerice. And the drafting of the worst 3rd round pick ever, Cameron Abney, who the Oilers no doubt are hoping can “inject” some badly needed “sandpaper” into the bottom six one day.

The Oilers have had no shortage of “grit” or “edgy” players in the bottom six for the past few years. The names have changed through season to season but the roles have remained the same, along with the effectiveness of such a tactic. Which is namely to speak, none. The same thing has been tried over and over and it hasn’t done the Oilers one damn favour on the ice or in the standings. Hence, the definition of insanity.

Why aren’t these players effective? Because they’re not NHL calibre players. Listen, I’m not anti-toughness or against hitting in hockey or anything of that sort. You can punish people with heavy hits? The more power to you, with certain stipulations tacked on. Firstly, are your hits separating players from pucks, in turn creating turnovers and chances for you team? And then secondly, are your other hockey skills up to a level where you’re not a liability on the ice at an NHL level? You say yes to both? I want you on my team. Anyone would. I hear a no to either question, and I don’t care how great of a guy you are in the room, or anything else, I don’t want you on my roster.

Hitting certainly has a place in hockey. Hitting can be an effective way to separate a player from the puck. If you’re fishing for a big hit on someone in the neutral zone long after they’ve dished the puck off? It’s worthless. You’ve taken yourself out of position. To take an example from the last Oilers game: Chicago was transitioning through the neutral zone when Mark Fistric decides to stand up a Blackhawk defenceman near the redline, play goes into the Oilers zone, Fistric is caught up ice and the Blackhawks have all 3 forwards in the attacking zone. It was a nice looking hit, but a terribly ill-advised one.

Not to mention, if I’m the Blackhawks, I’m not looking at that and saying “wow, that guy is hard to play against” I’m licking my chops and going “wow, that guy is easy to get out of position. I’m gonna victimize him if he comes at me like that.”

Good teams that are tough? Their tough guys can actually play hockey and aren’t a liability if the coach puts them out of the ice for more than 2-5 minutes a game. They’re not icing plugs like Hordichuk and Eager. In fact, they’re waiving players like… Volpatti.

The Oilers could use some toughness, yes, I agree, I also tend to think that this will come from players like Taylor Hall, Hartikainen, and Paajarvi as they mature and grow.

Let’s take a pass on the fringe, shall we? It doesn’t work.

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