Two years ago, at Comox’s Filberg Festival, I heard Fred Eaglesmith tell the crowd at his musical show that he was looking for his sixth ex-wife. People laughed. Of course, the joke was the mix of optimism and realism such a statement evokes – one would think that, after five failed marriages, a bit of reality would set in. Alas, one is always hoping for better – thinking that this time is THE time but knowing somehow that you are probably wrong.

So, Oiler fans, here we go again. And the metaphor about being married to the team isn’t far wrong. New season: new romance. The past season and off-season was filled with love, hate, rejection, being left at the altar, and all sorts of junior high antics of “who likes whom.” Sheldon Souray – who whispered in the wrong ear about considering a new lover – gets totally rejected in a move more of anger than insight. Mike Comrie, cute-enough without much of a downside, gets let go for who knows why. And the new boys in summer camp bring out the swoons of the public – they are, after all, so very winsome. And they promise to make our hearts flutter widely.

Like it or not, we are married to our Oilers. Our romance is more of heart than head. Yet, with all our heart-fluttering optimism, isn’t there just something in our heads that reminds us that perhaps this year’s team will be like looking for our 6th ex-wife? Will we start with wild romance and end with heartbreak?

There is an old Buddhist story about a man chased off a cliff by a charging lion. Falling to his death in the valley below, he happens to grab a slender flowering plant growing from the side of the cliff face. He looks up: lion. He looks below: valley floor. Then he looks at the plant and says: “What a beautiful flower.”

Perhaps we Oilers fans should become Buddhists and come to appreciate the “beautiful flower” that Oilers’ hockey has always been and always will be to us. We might be on our way to another train wreck, but there will be beautiful scenery along the way.

I was hoping the delay was one of simple timing. That Comrie would eventually be signed.

He was-- just with the wrong team. This is great news for Mike Comrie, but I'm disappointed that Comrie will now be playing in Pittsburg instead of Edmonton as he signed a league minimum 1 yr deal worth $500,000.

Steve Tambellini did say that the likelihood the Oilers would sign more forwards was slim, so I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised. I blindly assumed that list didn't include a veteran forward who would have been a great role model for the many rookies on the Oilers this season.

Good luck Mike. I suppse you don't need the money and your chances of winning a cup before the end of your career sure just went up 10-fold.

The Oilers have officially announced Rod Phillips replacement for Edmonton Oilers play-by-play radio broadcasts -- Jack Michales of the Alaska Aces in the ECHL.

A tidbit from the Alaska Sports Broadcast Network tells us the following about Michaels. "Last season, Michaels was selected to do the play-by-play for the NHL Network's broadcast of the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game, his third such honor. Jack won "Goldie" Awards, issued by the Alaska Broadcasters Association for "best live play-by-play" in each of the last three years (2006, '07, and '08)."

This was no easy selection for the Oilers. A plethora of who's-who applied and a number of qualified candidates turned away. The Oilers franchise must feel as though Michael's voice is the new voice to move a new Oilers team into the future. I can't imagine this job being one that Michael's won't be keeping for years.

This clip has been posted by others, but in case you haven't heard it yet, here is a sample of some of his work.

Congrats to Jack Michaels. I wasn't familiar with him, but after listening to this clip, I won't mind getting a lot more familiar with it. I can see why the Oilers made this choice.

As was already reported today by a number of sites, Fernando Pisani is no longer a man waiting by the phone and waiting for a job. After reports that not a single team had called Pisani and not a single GM expressed interest in the somewhat healthy veteran --including Oilers GM Steve Tambellini -- that all changed on Wednesday.

In what took very little time to finalize, Pisani signed a one year, one-way deal with the Chicago Blackhawks for $500,000. In many ways this makes sense for both parties and while it's understandable the Oilers have chosen to walk away from Pisani, Pisani could be a great surprise for the Hawks.

The chances were Fernando wouldn't be returning to Edmonton. Without him (or veterans like him) the Oilers are sorely lacking in veteran leadership.

Ryan Whitney, Ales Hemsky, Shawn Horcoff, Jim Vandermeer, Jason Strudwick, Sheldon Souray, Kurtis Foster and Nikolai Khabibulin are the only current roster players who have played more than five seasons in the NHL. Sounds at first like a decent assortment, but at closer look 5 of the 8 are defencemen, while Souray and Khabibulin may not be of much help if either doesn't return.

On a team greatly lacking in veteran leadership, one could have argued bringing back a veteran forward like Pisani could have been important in a transitioning Oilers team bound to have a few bumps in the road. To give the new young Oilers futures a chance to talk, follow and understand the game at their position instead of looking to each other as rookies and struggling through changes they've not yet faced, someone with experience has to be added to the top twelve to round this roster out.

Is that someone Mike Comrie? Comrie is patiently waiting. Recently married, he's had other things on his mind, but his goal has clearly been to stay with the Oilers. Pisani going could have increased his odds Comrie's doing so ever so slightly.

Comrie is the type of player who makes sense for the Oilers. He'll take a one year deal at around $1 million dollars so the money seems to make sense. He's seen and been through everything a hockey crazed city like Edmonton can throw at a skilled young forward. Offering a mentor to the Halls, Eberles and Pajjarvis on the team is a smart move. One who is similarly skilled, and been where they are now seems logical.

Comrie also provides a strong example of a desire to be in Edmonton, when in the past that desire hasn't been at it's height. The argument that a team like Edmonton only keep players who want to play here regardless of skill is an old and tired one. Comrie doesn't fit that category or into that argument.

Comrie can still score. If healthy, it shouldn't be hard to see 20-25 goals. Should the rookies struggle, Comrie can play anywhere in your top six and on the powerplay.

Most want to see the Gagner deal get done. I do too. I'd rather add Comrie first. It's not likely Comrie will keep waiting. Gagner has no choice.

Were a ways away from talking on-ice product, but the NHL isn't exactly quiet these days. Even the Oilers have given us some news worth taking a look at:

PPV

No more PPV's? I'm all for it.

According to a press release by the Edmonton Oilers, a new agreement between the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames and Rogers Sportsnet means fans can watch the remaining games on the Oilers schedule not normally broadcast on TSN or CBC without having to purchase a Pay-Per-View broadcast.

In order to view games, fans will need to purchase the newly launching Sportsnet One, but at a fraction of the price of some 13 games on PPV. Word is that somewhere in the neighbourhood of $2-$3 per month the channel will offer all the games we couldn't otherwise watch. For me, I couldn't think of a better birthday present. The channel launches on the same day and not having to buy PPV's all year is a nice treat.


Kovalchuk is a no-go, but so are others?

After the NHL struck down the ridiculous 17 year contract built to obviously circumvent the NHL salary cap, TSN is now reporting that at least two NHL GM's -- Peter Chiarelli and Mike Gillis -- have confirmed the NHL is examining the validity of contracts like Marc Savard, Roberto Luongo, Marian Hossa and Chris Pronger.

There is little doubt these contracts were also set to lower the cap of each respective player. Evidence suggests neither the team nor the player expected the full length of the term to be honored and with Kovalchuk having been denied, could we see others voided?

If so, what happens? Do players like Robert Luongo become free agents again? If so, this can't be great news for the players, who with the new trend in salary signings, likely won't receive the same cushy contracts. Would Gillis really sign Luongo to another contract in the neighbourhood of 7 million per year deal if that was the cap hit? I doubt it. Would Pronger get the same lengthy term he got before at his age? Unlikely.

Using Roberto as an example, starting in 2019, Luongo's salary drops more than 50% from the previous year and 90% from the first year of the deal. In the case of Marc Savard and Chris Pronger, the cases are even more telling as both players last couple years will be paid what could be at that time less than the league minimum.

It will be interesting to see if a trend has started with the Kovalchuk ruling and how messy this gets. Could it have a factor on the new CBA and a possible lockout? We all know the NHL can't afford another one, but the players can't be happy about this new information.

Oilers Sign Liam Reddox

Is this a minor league signing? Or as Jason Gregor suggests, is Reddox the answer the Oilers are hoping to find to the questions about the penalty kill?

There is no doubt that Reddox's game is built around hustle and effort. He lacks both the size and skill not to work his butt off. Can he be the 3rd line checker to replace Fernando Pisani or Ethan Moreau the Oilers need are seem to be missing?

I would suggest yes, but I might wonder if now is that time. Reddox could become that player. I see the same type of skill set and he lies somewhere in the middle ground between a Pisani and a Moreau style of player. That said, starting the season with him there is a huge question mark and unreliable at best. I'm not sure Reddox is more than a signing to start with the Barons right now. He'll get a chance at camp to prove otherwise.

Gagner and Cogliano Still Un-signed?

Some are starting to wonder what the delay is here. Does the fact that neither contract has been signed yet mean money is an issue?

I would suggest no. I see this more as a timeline issue and something that wasn't high on the immediate priority list of Steve Tambellini because he was well aware of how much time he had to get these signings done.

Fans shouldn't worry. Players like Bobby Ryan are RFA's still available. It's unlikely Gagner or Cogs will receive offersheets. Even if they do, not ones that make the Oilers hard-pressed to choose to match.

At first this looks like an odd signing. The Oilers have 3 goalies. Two of these in Deslauriers and Dubnyk are young and fit the mold on a kids getting the majority of the time style team. To boot, both also have newly and barely dry inked deals.

The Oilers also have a veteran in Nikolai Khabibulin, who to say the least, has a future that is somewhat up in the air. It's not so much that the Oilers are 50/50 on getting rid of Bulin (if onl it were that easy). It's that his court dates continue to be pushed back and the only way Edmonton can move his contract off the books, is if the result of those court rulings result in some time behind bars for the former Stanley Cup winning netminder. Even the specifics on that are foggy.

So with three goalies, all of whom are likely to see time with the Oilers this season, why would Edmonton sign another aging veteran for $500,00 dollars? Simple. The uncertainty of the situation.

Gerber comes from the KHL where he spent that last season after some time in Ottawa and Carolina. His track record is shaky at best and he's not by any stretch, a number one goalie. His age, his past performance and his cache around the league make him a good fit in Edmonton only at this time and on this team.

Gerber signed a two-way deal. Meaning he can move up and down between the NHL and the AHL. Waivers play somewhat of a role here, but what other NHL team, with a number of more suitable options still on the UFA market, would claim Gerber off waivers? Even if by some stretch they did, how much would it really impact Edmonton's future? None.

Gerber brings a much better option the AHL than the unproven goalies currently in the system. It was an area Tambellini needed to address after taking care of many other holes on the Barons roster. If Gerber sees time in the NHL, he's motivated to perform. He brings enough game action and experience that in the event Bulin is gone or hurt (both possibilites) and Deslauriers and Dubnyk crap the bed (also both possibilites), Gerber can be called up and is a reliable option.

No, Gerber is not the ideal situation when all else fails. But, all else shouldn't fail at the same time, thus Gerber becomes a piece of a tandum puzzle.

With the uncertainty in Edmonton and Oklahoma, Geber makes some sense. He has a name to back him for kids who need to be comfortable that their goalie can handle the job. He has a Stanley Cup finals run in his back pocket (even though he wasn't the key factor in that run), and he knows the game well. At $500,000 dollars, he also doesn't create any kind of financial cap burden.

Those viewing this signing as writing on the wall in the Khabibulin situation are likely off. Moreso, this tells us the Oilers don't know what's happening here. Because they don't know and their other options are young and younger, Gerber makes sense.

Big day for the Edmonton Oilers. The franchise has inked a key part of this coming season and a real problem come arbitration if things went off the board a bit, by signing forward Gilbert Brule to a 2 yr deal worth $1.85 million per.

Edmonton wanted to get to a situation where trading Brule wasn't going to be a "have-to" scenario. With the recent rulings in arbitration, it became critical to get pen to paper on Brule if the Oilers wanted to avoid going higher than $2 million per season.

$1.85 for a player who should be getting better by the season is a very respectable allocation for Steve Tambellini and this should be considered another strong move in a summer of good moves by the Oilers GM.

Brule will play a number of roles on the club, likely starting in the 3rd line center position. He's gritty, he's not a faceoff liability, he's strong in 5-on-5 situations and he should be a character guy for this team if his recent off-ice news is any indication as to the type of person he'll be for this franchise.

I'm a real fan of this move.

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This should be the start of a few key RFA signings, with Sam Gagner now high on the priority list. Brule had to get done first. Deslauriers if the Oilers choose to keep him may be next and Gagner won't be far behind.

If what Tambellini has managed to keep his players around for is an indication, expect $2.25-$3 million per for 2-3 years for Sam Gagner. If the Oilers see him as a player who can outplay that value, he may get a longer deal.

Inking Sam Gagner will give the Oilers 14 signed forwards. Brule and Gagner the last two integral pieces. The fact that Brule got done today, won't be major news around the NHL as a whole, but it's a big peice of the Oilers pie.

This has been a slow week in hockey if you're a hockey fan. Outside of the fiasco that is Ilya Kovalchuk, not a lot of newsworthy items have been available for us "need to know" hockey fans to chew on.

A few items came to us over the past couple of days. They've been all about former Oilers, getting second chances.

Robert Nilsson Signs in Russia and Kent Nilsson Is No Longer With the Oilers

No one seems too sure on the reason that Kent is no longer with the organization. There was word that Edmonton was going to keep Nilsson on in a scouting capacity.

It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone however that both Nilsson's departures took place not long after each other. With Robert one of the last thing the Oilers franchise wanted to promote, that can't leave a yummy taste in a father's mouth. Kent was one of the first people to suggest that Robert needed to put in more time and had made mistakes, but being waived by Edmonton and then moving on from the Dad is likely connected just to sever the ties completely and eliminate any possible tension (like we said, we don't know this for a fact).

Robert Nilsson will get a chance to show he has the gumption to play in the NHL. A one year contract in Russia where he performs well may mean another shot here in North America.

Marc Pouliot Signs with Tampa Bay

Pouliot was bound to find a home. He didn't do much when he was in the Edmonton, largely thanks to injury, but a team was bound to give him a chance.

Tampa is that team and Pouliot, depending on where he plays in the lineup could make Steve Yzerman look like a very smart man. Pouliot's deal is a two-way contract so his playing in Tampa isn't a lock, but I'd bet Pouliot has his best year in the NHL with the Lightning.

Wayne Fleming Goes to Tampa

The Oilers hired some coaching in Steve Smith and Kelly Buchberger. Some thought and still think another coach is going to be added. That coach isn't Wayne Fleming.

The extremely experienced bench boss has been added as an assistant coach with the Lightning giving some much needed NHL experience to a rookie head coach.

Khabibulin Held Off Again

Bulin's court date in Arizona on a severe DUI charge has been again pushed back. While it doesn't change what could happen with Khabibulin and the Oilers, it definitely could change how many goalies the Oilers bring to camp.

Deslauriers was looking like the odd goalie out, but the Oilers may have to bring two for sure if no one knows what is going to happen with Khabibulin. Should Edmonton not sign Deslauriers which is still a possibility, there are a number of goalie options still available on the UFA market.