from Mark Spector of Sportsnet,

For years now, Oilers’ opponents have looked at the pre-game lineup sheet in search of the type of player who might deter those kinds of plays, and they’ve seen an open stretch of highway. Sure, Mike Brown stepped up to fight Weise to a draw, but he stands just five-foot-10 and is a cruiserweight at best. It was an admirable response, but not enough of a deterrent to keep opponents from taking liberties with the Oilers.

But that all changed Monday when the Oilers picked up a nuclear deterrent in Steve MacIntyre, claiming him off waivers from Pittsburgh. MacIntyre played one game for the Penguins last season, racking up 12 penalty minutes. In 91 career games, the six-foot-five, 250-pound winger has four points and 175 PIM, including 17 fights. There’d be more, if more players had the stones to take him on.

As a Calgary Flame, defenceman Robyn Regehr made a nightly ritual of hammering on Ales Hemsky. Hall and Nugent-Hopkins have both had shoulder surgeries early in their careers. Now Gagner has a busted jaw. Why wouldn’t a Weise or an Andrew Alberts make an impression by running a young, small-ish Oilers skill player? The upside for them is big, the downside nonexistent. Not any longer.

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