BT Edmonton Blogs

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus…oh, and Oilers forward Dustin Penner prompted two standing ovations with a 5-point performance at Rexall Place Thursday night, putting him fourth in NHL scoring with 14 points in 9 games.

The last time the hulking winger prompted such a raucous reaction from the fans, it was focused in a bit of a different direction, to say the least. Expectations were through the roof when then-Oilers GM Kevin Lowe signed the Winkler, MB product to a 5-year, $21.25M contract in July of 2007. Penner had stormed onto the NHL landscape with the Anaheim Ducks, providing strong secondary scoring and a big physical presence in the forward corps. Cut to a few months into his Edmonton tenure, fans were already “displeased” (code for “losing their minds”) over what was often described as an ill-prepared, lazy effort from #27. Penner couldn’t click with former Oilers coach Craig MacTavish, who took the opportunity (on multiple occasions, but one in particular) to throw his underachieving goal scorer under the bus.

So what’s different? The coaching change is an obvious first focus, with Pat Quinn and Tom Renney leading a team that appears to have its confidence back. Penner’s skating with his head held high, Sam Gagner is showing signs of a breakout this NHL season, Ales Hemsky might actually wind up where he belongs amongst the NHL’s leading scorers at the end of the year. The Edmonton Oilers are off to a 6-2-1 start, contending for the division lead and sitting fourth in a tough Western Conference.

There’s something to be said for the motivation that comes from missing out on the playoffs multiple years in a row. Or new chemistry that comes with bringing in a Stanley Cup-winning All-Star goaltender. Maybe the change in direction has something to do with the Oil rocking those retro sweaters early in the season. Or…maybe all this fight is thanks to the flu.

It’s no secret the Oilers have been decimated by the flu this past week. Mike Comrie and Gilbert Brule are amongst those who have sat out practice trying to get better – there were signs Thursday night against Columbus that a few players might be playing at less than 100%. I can’t help but wonder if this is a team that’s tired of making excuses and sick of succumbing to off-ice challenges and distractions. The players aren’t about to let runny noses slow them down.

It’s a stretch, I know…but when a team looks so drastically different this early in the 2009-10 NHL season, you don’t leave any stone unturned in trying to determine the cause. Hockey players are notoriously superstitious – maybe the sniffles have something to do with Edmonton’s success in the early going. Plus, if I’m right, Penner’s snipes from the hash marks are a much more fun version of a “flu shot” than the alternative.

Reality suggests the flu has nothing to do with what happens on the ice, but you never know. If my theory proves correct (and influenza is providing a “booster” for the team), then the Oilers will want to ignore this sage advice from my great uncle Joe on beating the flu (click on the video below). Enjoy your weekend!

rpj.