I’m Yann Danis. Yo, I got this!

Nothing else needs to be said.

Thanks to Steven Christy for the photo. All rights reserved.

However, I feel the need to explain one minor detail as we ponder the new babies existence in our family. Oh the joys of naming your child. For years we’ve considred alternate boy and girl names, and typically we are quite good at it. This go-round it’s quite the same. But with the addition of my daughter into that conversation the water gets a little muddied. You see, she loves Amy Adams, and thus assumes that her admiration must be passed down to her sister. Of course, it’s going to be a sister. That’s what she wants.

Amy Adams, you say? Yes, Amy Adams I say. It all began last Thanksgiving upon a special viewing of The Muppets. I eagerly anticipated the movie like I was 10 years old again. Love Kermit, still do. Love Animal, always will. It was an opportunity for my wife and I to pass down something we sincerely enjoyed as children to our now old enough to understand child. So we braved the crowds. Packed into a tiny theater in mid-Missouri, and loved every second of the most recent incarnation of our beloved Muppets.

Lost in all of the excitement of The Muppets has been the performances of Amy Adams and Jason Segal. They are really going for it in this movie. Singing and dancing and what-not; they are really into it. It is clearly a passion for both of the “real” actors amongst the puppeted characters. This only makes the movie sweeter.

Enough with the Siskel and Ebert, this post is about Amy Adams. Needless to say, my daughter fell in love with Ms. Adams as she graced the big screen. The red flowing hair, the semi-50′s costuming, the singing. All of it was very meaningful to her. Following that cold Thanksgiving viewing, we returned home to the confines of our snuggly house. But the Amy Adams swooning continued.

From that point until now, we have listened and memorized every minute of The Muppets soundtrack. We’ve watched trailers and behind-the-scenes footage daily. We’ve eagerly anticipated the release of the Blu-ray. We’ve also learned that Amy Adams is the bees knees. Even to the point of our daughter giving our new baby the title of Amy Adams Livingston. Has a nice ring to it…doesnt it?!?!?!

Quite frankly, I love Amy Adams as well. She’s a very gifted and versatile actress in our current Hollywood crop. And I don’t think that I’ve seen a movie of hers that I didn’t absolutely love every moment of. Catch Me If You Can, The Wedding Date, Talladega Nights, Underdog, Enchanted, Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day, Sunshine Cleaning, Doubt, Night at the Museum, Leap Year, and the Fighter are all diverse, but enjoyable in their own way. Mainly as a result of Amy Adams. Of course, my daughter has two movies on that list with which she gives Amy Adams two thumbs up – The Muppets and Enchanted. I agree, both are winners.

But back to that name thing. Her desire to see her sister aptly named Amy Adams is a driving force in her conversations about this new addition to our family. Upon telling folks, “My mommy is having a baby”, the questions proceed in the following order:

Person: “Do you want a girl or a boy?”

Daughter: “Girl!”

Person: “What will you name her?”

Daughter: “Amy Adams!”

Person: *giggle* “Wait, what?”

True, the innocence of a little 4 year old is precious, but so is her adherence to the Amy Adams code. She’ll neither delineate nor deviate from this plan. As October approaches, my thoughts are with my wife, my daughter, and the baby that we will one day meet. I’m also a little concerned that there might be some disappointment when the baby doesn’t come out with sparkly red locks, singing and dancing at the top of its lungs. Then again, we may be surprised.

For defender Rodney, his game is completely different for obvious positional reasons. A scoring defender with a good shot, and good puck moving skills. Playing for the Syracuse Crunch, he’s a point gobbler with a smidge of NHL experience, and a not-so-nice +/- for several seasons in a row.

Both had expiring contracts at the end of this season. My thoughts on the swap is hardly glowing. O’Marra would have been a nice minor league asset to have as the Calder Cup playoffs begun. Remember how important the grinders were in last year’s first round against Hamilton? Stortini anyone? No way that series goes 7 rounds without a guy like that.

O’Marra plays on the best AHL team for more than half of the season, works his tail off, plays a few games for the Oilers, but gets shipped off to Syracuse who may or may not string together a finale that gets them into the post season.

Rodney gets a major upgrade. He had this to say (via the Syracuse Post Standard)  about the current situation with the Crunch,

“I’m hoping for a fresh start there,” Rodney said. “Obviously, it wasn’t going well for us in Syracuse. I had a bad feeling from training camp with the way the organization was run. I’m not trying to sound negative. You were on your own from the get-go. You just never knew where you stood. It was just run a lot differently than I’ve ever seen before. It just wasn’t the right environment for me.”

Although he was producing points, he was giving up way too much defensively. Those whom have seen him play had this to say,

SoCal twitterer @DropTheGloves2:

@JonathanWillis @tweetneal Rodney looked terrible in the Ducks training camp, and wasn’t a top 2 D in Syracuse.

Ryan Batty at Copper and Blue dug up these nugget from the Anaheim Calling blog:

“You watch these guys play now, and you can see sparks of potential again. The energy is there. The drive appears to be brought back (unless your name is Dan Sexton). But then Yawney lets Bryan Rodney onto the ice, and everything falls apart.”

AND

“A few games ago, the Crunch lost in OT after Bryan Rodney stepped aside and allowed free reign at a rather rusty Jeff Deslauriers. Everyone in the building knew the game was over as soon as they saw that Rodney was our last line of defense, and sure enough the Crunch went home crying.”

Not a glowing review. So the trade seems a little lopsided despite the ability to compare them positionally.

Yet what the Barons needed was not another so-so puck mover who can score. The OKC philosophy of defense first, open offense second has worked beautifully up until this point. And perhaps Rodney gets good, perhaps he surprises and gives a different edge to the team that they were lacking. On paper I’m not sold.

After one game, and a loss by the Barons, Bryan Rodney was forgettable. Registering a -1 in his first period with his new team. Overall, it wasn’t a very impressive Barons hockey club we saw on the ice on Friday. However, it was the defensive portion of the game that was lumpy. PK was fine, goaltending not Danis-like, but the defense was very sluggish. Paired with another vet puck mover in Bryan Helmer, Rodney nabbed top two like minutes.

There could be more going on here than we actually can see at this point. For instance, perhaps the trade of O’Marra for Rodney means that another puck mover is on the way out. Taylor Chorney, also ending his contract this summer, is similar in play to that of Bryan Rodney, but with more credibility. Was the first Barons trade of the season an attempt to replace a future player? But the real question to ask is who gets bundled in that Chorney deal? Because it would be odd to simply trade for a defensive puck mover when you have several better ones on your squad. Lots of moving parts and speculation in this scenario, and  with the NHL trade deadline quickly approaching the full peripheral of this particular decision might become a little less fuzzy. In the meantime, let’s keep any eye on Rodney vs. O’Marra and how they impact their new teams. Until then…I’m skeptical.

It’s not uncommon for hockey players to make a sudden and impactful difference on the ice in a very short period of time. Whether through a trade or in an off season acquisition, there is denying the numerous examples of “game changers” that instantly add something to their new team. However, there is a rare breed of player that understands life outside of his profession, and embraces the community and its fans in full force. That player understands that part of the game is also about time spent away from the rink. Such goes the legend of Zack Stortini as an Oklahoma City Baron.

Known by some as a hired gun or merely Zorg, Zack Stortini took his demotion from big leaguer to minor leaguer in stride. Nearly a year ago, fans in Edmonton were caught of guard, but ultimately not surprised by his send off to the waiver wires. He’d clear and spend the last half of the season in the American League. From 2006 until 2010, Zack had only played four minor league games (in Springfield) the rest were spent with the team that drafted him, the Edmonton Oilers. The relationship he had with the organization was indeed a good-natured one until the team saw the need for change within the re-build. Unfortunately for Stortini, he wasn’t in those plans.

There was no question that he was loved by some in Edmonton and hated equally as much by others. However, there was no denying that Zack was a scrappy champion of the under-dog. Call me eternally optimistic , but I like players that are hard working in spite of their shortcomings. It somewhat humanizes them, and gives an interesting edge to their persona. This is who Zack became.

For the short time Stortini was in Oklahoma he did what we fans anticipated him doing. In 29 games he only mustered three points, but did execute 53 penalty minutes. That sounds like a Zorg special if I’ve ever heard of one. He was tough, hard hitting, and risky on the ice. In post-season play he was the tough-as-nails guy that took the Hamilton Bulldogs to seven games. Despite that loss in the first ever OKC playoff run, Stortini was a key component to that teams stellar shutdown line. I love him for that. But it was his time off the ice that had many fans enraptured by his prescence.

He’s one of the good ones. A guy who loves the game of hockey with a passion that far exceeds even his physical limitations. He’s the type of player that will look even the shyest of fans in the eye, shake their hand, and wrap his arm around their shoulder, smile toothlessly for a picture, and do it again because your flash was off. He didn’t do these things out of obligation, but because he is a person with high character. Much like the Bryan Helmers and Andrew Lords of the world, Stortini was hard not to love.

He was very honest about his demotion, but understood the process. He told the Oklahoman in February 2011:

“It’s been one of the harder things I’ve had to do in my career,” Stortini said of dealing with the demotion. “But I’ve had tremendous support from the guys in the locker room there and my family and friends, and there are great people here that are supportive.”

Since he was claimed by the Nashville Predators organization he’s continued his legacy of scrappiness and edgy play. Whether in preseason or with the farm club in Milwaukee, Stortini has been doing things like this:

And also this:

And my what a difference one calendar year makes both for the Oilers and the Barons. For the NHL club, a heart and soul guy like Stortini might be somewhat welcome at this point. For the Barons, the team has moved on without him and proved to be a dominate minor league force. But in the end, Stortini’s move to greener pastures outside of the Oilers organization was inevitable. I’ll always think fondly of his time as a Baron mainly for how he endeared himself to fans including yours truly.

This weekend, the Milwaukee Admirals head to Oklahoma City for a two games in two night tangle. The Ads are struggling in the Midwest Division this season, but at this point are only 9 points out of first. Certainly they could put together a string of games to end the season, and place themselves in the post season. This will also be the first time Stortini has been back in OKC.

There is no doubt that fans remember his magnetic personality and spirit. He’s still someone that fans watch closely and cheer for. And although his time in Oklahoma was short-lived he made a difference. A difference that fans of a new team will always speak fondly of. So, welcome to your ephemeral, temporary, once-was home Zack. We thank you.

Yann Danis is having an amazing season as the number one goaltender for the Oklahoma City Barons. It’s a season that has been unmatched at any other time in his professional career. Statistically speaking, the closest he’s come to resembling this year on the farm was way back in 2003-2004 in his Brown University days. At Brown he was the big man on campus, in terms of hockey. Ivy League recognized and a Hobey Baker finalized, Danis had a pretty nice career with the Brown Bears. But no one could have expected a pro season, at age 30, that he’s currently having in Oklahoma City.

Through 31 games, Yann Danis is number one in GAA (1.94) and SV% (.928). He’s second in wins (21), second in shutouts (5).

Full year-to-date stats:

Through 31 games last season in the KHL his stats were the complete opposite. 3.5% GAA, .910 SV%, 8-17 in regulation, and just overall a defeated player. What a difference a year makes. This last weekend he continued to prove just how solid a player he’s become by not allowing a goal in over 170 minutes of play. Very few goaltenders, in any league, are capable of posting those numbers. He’s considered by some to be the leading candidate for the league’s MVP, and there’s no doubt that he’s been good enough to be considered. Ironically, David LeNeveu is right behind Danis on the stat sheet, but as the back-up he’s played 11 fewer games. But to have two really solid goaltenders in the month of February is absolutely gift from the hockey gods.

So I take a deep breath, exhale slowly, and seek to understand where Danis is at not just on this Barons squad, but where he’s at in the league.

Diluted Goal Scoring

The interesting stat line that evades most of us is goals for when considering minor league goaltending. Simply put, when you look at the goals that teams score it’s interesting to note how often they score. Danis and the Barons play a ton of games inside the Western Division of the Western AHL Conference (nearly half of the now 49 games played). That specific division has only scored 675 times the entire season. By comparison the Midwest and North Divisions are greater at 721 and 689 respectfully. The point being that we also see this in the overall number of saves  by Danis which is at 758 – 16th best in the American League. This doesn’t take anything away from Danis, but rather points out two things. First, the Barons are a really good defensive team not just in net. They don’t give up much room in front of their keeper, and they don’t turn the puck over with glaring regularity. Second, the Barons don’t face stout offensive prowess on a game-by-game basis. There just isn’t much scoring going on in the Western Div nor in the Western Conference. The stats are still pretty strong, but with a very minor asterisks.

Pressure Point

The ability to have the best goal tending tandem in the league is more than an asset, it’s why and how the Barons win with such consistency. David LeNeveu’s stats are incredible for a back-up guy on a minor league contract. In the important goal tending stat columns, LeNeveu is in the top ten but with 11 fewer games played than Danis. David is certainly the best backup in the minor league business.

Full year-to-date stats:

And although Danis is considered the number one guy, I think he’s also had to earn that title. His really stellar November and Decembers won him the top spot. But being able to rely on the number two guy for consistency also adds to Danis’ effectiveness. When Yann had to miss a game or two for family reasons (new baby) LeNeveu stepped in with little warning, and the Barons didn’t miss a beat. Having the weight of winning on your shoulders can be tough when you are the only guy doing so. Case in point. Ben Bishop in Peoria is a very strong goaltender with Danis-like numbers. He has been a solid part of that St. Louis farm club for three seasons. Behind him in the lineup is Jake Allen, who’s nowhere near the level that Bishop conducts himself. Thus Peoria finds themselves in third place in the Midwest Division. If Jake Allen were to win at least two of the games he’s lost this season (4-10-1 in 16 games) the Rivermen would be closer to first rather than fighting for the third spot. Taking the pressure off the number one guy goes a long way both in the regular season and the post season. Just a year ago, Martin Gerber was the run-away number one tender in OKC, and quite frankly, he had to pick up a lot of slack for Deslauriers. I think that ultimately crippled them down the stretch. That’s not the case this season.

From this point forward, both will need to be exceptional for the team to finish the regular season strong, and make a charge through the Calder Cup Playoffs. Does LeNeveu make Danis a lesser goaltender? Absolutely not. They actually compliment each other nicely.

 The Callup

The Oilers goal tending situation this year isn’t atrocious by any means, but it’s certainly no tea party either. There’s no doubt that Oilers fans want to know, “Is Danis capable in the NHL?”. To which I quickly retort, “Did anyone think Gerber was ready last season?”. The play at the AHL level is quite different, obviously, than that in the NHL. Both speed and pressure are greater. However, if I had to pick just one character trait I admire most about Danis’ work on the ice I’d go with coolness. In a very Martin Gerber like fashion, Danis rarely gets rattled. We all have heard the stories of goalies being somewhat of a strange bunch. Well in most situations they have to be. It’s a high pressure situation. One with which I never want to endure even in an old man league. If a callup were to come, the Barons would survive (see above), but Danis’ success with the Oilers could be fun to watch. With that classic butterfly, Danis is a cool customer who’s also a really smart stick user. Very little gets in on the glove side, the five hole, or over the blockers. You’ll have to go high shoulder corner to beat him, and that’s hard to do with a cool customer that runs angles beautifully.

Tracking his NHL readiness is nearly impossible. But given the chance, I think he’d surprise a few.

Is Yann Danis the AHL MVP? Today, I’d absolutely agree with anyone that said “YES” to that statement. With a lot of hockey to play down the stretch it’s too early to even wager a bet on who’ll finish near the top. It would be an incredible turn of events for Yann given where he has been throughout his career. I like his style. I admire his intensity. And more than anything, he’s a really great human being. Those are a rare commodity in the sports world we live in today. I’m grateful to see him perform feats of hockey that no one saw coming. So I’ll continue to think diplomatically about Danis while simultaneously praising his incredible season.

FIN. THE END. BEAT THE HEAT

Huge Thanks To Rob Ferguson for the amazing photos! 

As a fan of minor league hockey, the American Hockey League has had a tumultuous idealogy when it comes to the annual All-Star Game. For years it was Team Canada versus Team Planet USA. Basically those in the American League whom were born in Canada played for Team Canada. Everyone else fell into the strangely named Planet USA. I guess that sort of adds to the intrigue a little. However, it also alienates fans of the game outside of Canada for various reasons, but mainly because it assumes Canada is dominating in the sport of hockey. Which, of course, it is.

In an attempt to create a more even ground, and more NHL-like environment, the AHL in recent years has gone to the West vs. East. Needless to say, it neither heightens the importance of the All-Star weekend nor does it make the players any more enthused. For all practical purposes, the AHL is not the landing spot, but a refueling station on the way to the NHL. Plain and simple, a minor league All-Star Game is absolutely pointless in terms of game or play.

What it could mean is dollar signs. A time for the league to figure out a way to put on a good show, in a smaller town, for exposure purposes. Let the record state – I’m against minor league All-Star things. Possibly because it’s done so poorly, but mainly because minor league hockey typically does things in minor league fashion. It’s just the nature of the beast.

But I always come back to the almighty bling. If the league continues to want/need an All-Star Weekend, then make it something interesting. How about those All-Stars putting on hockey clinics in the community? What about a “meet the future stars” outdoor festival? Why not plan a unique skills competition? Trick shot? Best fighter? Hurdles? Goalie mask designing? The point being, it’s time to move away from being a minor league copy cat, and time to get original.

In spite of all those things, the simplest of moves would be to place these All-Star interactions in a town further south where hockey is still fresh. In 18 years, the American Hockey League All-Star Game has never been played outside of the Eastern Time Zone. As a matter of fact, the AHL ASG has NEVER been played outside of the East. That’s a problem. I fully realize that the majority of the AHL hockey community is in the East, but the Western teams are where the growth lies. Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Austin, Houston, and Abbotsford certainly deserve a shot at hosting a game. But the truth is found in what the American League fears the most – more lost revenue. A team out West can’t support an ASG, and all that it entails. But I beg to differ. Austin or Cedar Park, would be a fantastic venue. Great food. Great music. Great people. Great buildings. It would be an enjoyable experience for players, coaches, fans, and those curious about hockey in the south or sports in general.

This week the AHL released its plans to again have the ASG in the East. This time in Providence, home of the minor league Bruins. The fear of losing ground continues. The simple route towards promoting the sport has again kicked you in the tail. I forsee a day where the AHL ASG again becomes defunct because it remains unimportant. Why not roll the dice for once, make it a fun event for all involved, and always think outside the box.

I’m a fan of minor league hockey for two reasons. I love the sport and the closest to live hockey I can get is here following the Oklahoma City Barons. I also am a fan because it affords me the opportunity to see future NHLers in the making. It’s a treasure really. I love the process by which the American Hockey League functions. I like the relationship directly to the NHL. It’s a much-needed, and enjoyable league. So I believe that it’s time for a change. A change in almost all regards. But let’s start with location.

Linus Omark is healthy enough to practice these days and has given Oilers nation a reason to cheer his return as he had this to say via his not often used twitter page:

Im ready to play but wont play tonight. Next week on thursday for sure !! #comback

— Linus Omark(@Limpanomark) February 3, 2012

He later encouraged fans by not only referring to himself in the third person, but also claimed his return was anything less than a big deal:

thanks for the congratulations, had a great birthday. Three days left to Omark show really excited!!

— Linus Omark(@Limpanomark) February 6, 2012

As a fan of the Oklahoma City Barons, and subsequently the Oilers, it’s hard to imagine this organization without Omark. He’s a fun player to watch, and is even more fun to listen to. What comes off as arrogant, pompous, and showy is what makes him the eye-popping player that we all know he can be. A well rounded hockey players with some sass. The world needs a few of these to make things interesting.

Needless to say, his return from a broken ankle in what seemed like a slew foot incident has been long anticipated. The Barons have moved on without him with great results. The Oilers have moved on without him with terrible results. But in the speculation of when he’d be back on the ice we’ve seemingly watched two teams morph. One team a juggernaut the other completely jinxed. So where does Sir Linus go from here?

Let’s start at square one. He’ll indeed play in a couple of days against the Abbotsford Heat as an Oklahoma City Baron. Honestly, this couldn’t have been scripted any better. He’ll have Oilers fans, media, talking heads, and a slew of scouts watching his every move; including that ankle. Prior to the injury, which took place on November 16th, 2011, Omark was the dominate AHL player we’d grown to love. 7 points in 7 games without showing any sign of slowing. It will take some time for him to get his sea legs back, but for a guy that is all about strategic puck possession and scoring, he won’t take long to make a difference.

Coach Todd Nelson is a throw-them-into-the-fire kind of guy. When a player returns fully healthy, and with some practice reps in, Nelson assumes said player is ready for action. There is no doubt that there will be some protection of Omark, but nothing that keeps him from doing what he does best.  So look for him to fall one of two places.

Top Line

To say there is a top line on this Barons squad isn’t exactly the truth. The rotation of top liners has been frequent. As of the last couple of games, the top line had rotations of Ryan Keller, Mark Arcobello, MPS, Ryan Keller, Josh Green, Hunter Tremblay, and Curtis Hamilton. Tremblay began the season on shut down rotation with O’Marra and House. Hamilton usually falls into the third line grind. My have things changed quickly. Nonetheless, certain players lend themselves to top line treatment and Omark certainly fits that bill. He’ll need a strong centerman who’s willing to feed the puck to the wings. The easy choice would be the seasoned Josh Green who’s patient, but lacking in speed. I prefer to think that Mark Arcobello will be the guy that Omark will run with. Why? He’s fast and is consistently in the top two in face-offs won. Which means Omark can bounce off an offensive face-off win. He kind of likes that role. But who plays the right? This could go one of two ways. One solution could be Ryan Keller. The quick-charging dedicated right winger. The other option, the suddenly offensively aware Hunter Tremblay who can play both sides on the wing.

Second Line

If Omark needs a little nurturing, the other option is to drop him to the second line. Most likely playing with Josh Green down the center and perhaps Teemu Hartikainen, Philippe Cornet, or Magnus Paajarvi to the right. None of these guys play much right wing, but are willing to do-so in a heartbeat. So here’s my realistic Barons lineup for at least game one:

The Lines Proposition

Linus Omark-Mark Arcobello-Ryan Keller
Magnus Paajarvi-Josh Green-Philippe Cornet
Teemu Hartikainen-Ryan O’Marra-Hunter Tremblay
Tanner House-Chris VandeVelde-Antti Tyrvainen

Forwards scratched: Cam Abney, Curtis Hamilton, Tyler Pitlick (DTD; nagging leg injury), Andrew Lord (concussion), Triston Grant (injured)
*Hamilton & Pitlick are the odd men out for now, but certainly might hit the lineup w/ so many Oilers officiandos in attendance.

Alex Plante-Dylan Yeo
Kevin Montgomery-Colten Teubert
Bryan Helmer-Dan Ringwald

Defenders scratched: Kirill Tulupov, Ryan Lowery (injured)
*Don’t count out Tulupov just yet. When Abbotsford gets under your skin; he’s the guy you want on your side.

The sudden success of the Barons, in this their second year of existence in Oklahoma City, has forced the media to look long and hard and often at how a minor league team can soar while the NHL team is a bore. I’m here to tell you, that this Barons squad is not without its imperfections. The late period “fade” is something the coaching staff is trying to correct in the latter half of the season. The lack of power play scoring to begin and end games is improving, but still lumpy. At this point, I’m just nitpicking, but for the right reasons. As someone whom watches more minor league hockey on a weekly basis than that of the major league variety, I like to think that I know a thing or two about this Oklahoma City squad. So as the Edmonton writers enjoyed a really good steak, some warmer weather, and FINALLY a couple of wins in a row, I too ponder the success in the “A” and the failures in the “N”.

G To The M
The most interesting talk over the last three weeks has been about Steve Tambellini and the inevitable contract extension that many believe he is due. One wrinkle to the re-up has been the success of the farm team, and the attention laid to promoting wins through strong roster maneuvers. Those who argue the contrary are absolutely right in my opinion. An NHL GM being graded on his AHL team is ludicrous, especially when you have a GM in the AHL. Bill Scott, former AHL Director of Hockey Operations has made deep roster moves that have stitched this team together. Tambellini can take credit for Hartikainen, Plante, Cornet, maybe Keller, maybe Green, and a few marquee names, but give credit to the minor league GM for Montgomery, LeNeveu, Yeo, Helmer, Ringwald, and Martens who have been the back end of this team when the callups and injuries are in full effect. I choose to believe, and history does as well, that a deep team is a winning team. I’d go as far as to say that a team is only as strong as it’s bottom pairings and lines. Don’t believe me, look at the Oilers.

Imagine you work for the circus. You’re the guy responsible for booking the acts, as freakish as they might be. You know the elephants are the big showstopper, but lately that portion of the show has been really bad. The elephants are belligerent, your trainer isn’t pushing new portions of the act, and people are starting to complain. However, you keep your job. Why? Because the bearded lady has had a big crowd for a year now. People love her. Children are in amazement of her. But remember, the main show is brutally unbearable. Sound familiar? Even Barnum & Bailey know better.

The System
Coach Todd Nelson is a diamond in the rough. He’s honest with the media, respected by his players, and really good at motivating play. Not lost on we OKC fans is his ability to coach youngsters. He’s a system guy. A guy that preaches “work the system” in practice, the dressing room, the weight room, and in game time situations. That system is defensively sharp and offensively open. For two seasons it has worked. It’s taken on different shapes and forms, but it’s a system that works. He does add pieces into the fray according to opponents, and this is where Nelson’s sweet spot lies. He has a knack for keeping opponents off the game plan. Rarely do you see a hockey coach that can get opponents bumfuzzled even on back-to-back nights. He does this posturing in two ways. He’s a line mixer. But only to a point. He doesn’t fuss with those that are producing. He lets them evolve. But 2nd, 3rd, and 4th lines are the meat and potatoes, and this is where he’s a magician. He knows the Checkers are a quick team, and so he places Pitlick on the left wing where he can defensively stab opponents around the boards. He realizes that the team needs some bite against Texas, so he pops Tryvainen centered by O’Marra. The same goes for defensive pairings. On nights where the puck needs to move quickly, you’ll see Chorney and Helmer get the top spots. Nelson will counter large teams with Plante-Teubert, Tulupov-Yeo. There’s just enough “buying into” the system that the rotation of players and injuries don’t ruffle enough feaathers to get the Barons into bind in the standings.

Hearts
If you’ve watched the Oilers for a year or so it’s evident that at times they play lifeless hockey. Much of that comes from losing so much, but some of that happens to be a direct result of the culture that begins in the dressing room. Don’t get me wrong, the Oilers have players w/ heart, but at times the team isn’t uniformly moving in the same direction. This is tough for any sports team, organization, or business to overcome. One thing that has pushed the Barons through the last two seasons has been heart. The heart and soul of this team is about determination. Determination to get better on the ice, stay focused off the ice, and be positive in the locker room. From practice to Friday nights, this team doesn’t deviate from that heartbeat. Coaching, player leadership, and fan support all help, but ultimately it’s an individual concept that requires “buying into”. The Barons, even when in defeat, never lose heart. A concept that continues to run its course.

Developing
It’s important to remember the main reason for a farm team’s existence. Unfortunately for those in OKC, it’s not always about seeing that team succeed. It’s more about feeding quality talent to the parent club, seeing them succeed, and rightly contribute. Omark, Hartikainen, Plante, Teubert, Petry, McDonald, and Reddox are just a few players who have made great strides as a result of farm play. Except for Jeff Petry, some continue to develop in the minors, and have probably reached a level of potential that necessitates a move to another organization. However, there’s no denying their improvement while in OKC. The only problem is that very few have been able to translate success to the NHL club that equals their dominance in the AHL. It’s also a strange time. The Oilers are seemingly in desperate need of good players NOW. But the process seems to be working. Winning while working is just a nice bonus.

When the dust settles on the Oiler GM’s contract re-up (or not), I’d be hesitant to assume that it was a direct result of the minor league Barons success. I’d even take it one step further. Perhaps the AHL team is succeeding in spite of Steve Tambelinni’s so-called meddling in the farm team in OKC. In reality, it’s a pretty sad state when that’s how you might intend on pitching your reasons for an extension. I’m not saying that Tambelinni is doing so, but he just might. After all, what does he have left?