I'll start this blog by saying if the Edmonton Oilers draft Taylor Hall, he'll be a great player for us, we'll love him, and he'll score hundreds of goals as an Oiler. This blog is in no way against Hall the player or the person.
I decided tonight it's time to get political. It's time for us long-suffering Oilers fans to influence the draft. The best choice for Edmonton is clear, and his name is Tyler Seguin.
Yes, I know, I changed my mind. I'll tell you why: Taylor Hall is a flashy scorer; I've heard some compare him to a Pavel Bure...others compare him to Jarome Iginla. There would be absolutely nothing wrong with the Oilers acquiring a young version of either. But when you think of the great teams; the cup winners, who do you think of? Mark Messier, Steve Yzerman, Joe Sakic...Every great team is lead by a great center.
When I started seriously considering Tyler over Taylor, I considered what was wrong with Edmonton last season. Okay, calm down; stop laughing...yes, there was plenty wrong. But don't forget, the Oilers started out pretty well, and only truly fell apart when they lost Ales Hemsky and Nikolai Khabibulin. The most noticable issues in Edmonton last season were as follows:
1. Team Culture - Anyone who couldn't see the attitude issues in Edmonton last season wasn't paying attention. I don't have to list off the players who need to go, and there are many. Edmonton desperately needs a person who is going to bleed copper n' blue, and will settle for nothing less from his teammates. The Oilers need a new captain, and he needs to be able to lead with his play on the ice, while leading by example in the dressing room. Seguin has the right attitude and the right work ethic. Oh, and he did score 48 in Plymouth last season (to Hall's 40), so it isn't as if he lacks offensive skill.
2. Special Team play - The Oilers sucked. Part of the reason they sucked is because they couldn't win face-offs when they needed to. Shawn Horcoff is decent in the circle, but he can't do it alone. Remember the last time the Oilers ruled in the circle? When they had Horcs, Jarret Stoll and Mike Peca...a collection of two-way centers.
3. The Blocks Didn't Fit - The Oilers have a number of decent players in some positions, and big holes in others. Let's be more specific; they have massive holes at center. Sam Gagner is on his way to being a legitimate Top 6 guy, but he still is developing. Shawn Horcoff looked decent last year when he was on the third line, but completely out of place in the Top 6. Andrew Cogliano is a great person who tries really hard, but he appears to be the second coming of Todd Marchant, and Todd was never an offensive leader. The Oilers at different times ended up playing wingers like Dustin Penner and Gilbert Brule at center, because they were so desperate at the position.
Now that I've complained about the Oilers play last season, it's time to analyze the 2010/2011 edition of the team. The Top 6 this season will be young, fast, and dynamic. The Oilers will likely lose lots of games going with this line-up, but the pain will be shorted lived as this team grows up together. On the left side, pencil in Dustin Penner (who showed he could score 30 goals in a season) and Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson (who tore up the World Championships and the Swedish League). On the right side, there is Ales Hemsky (who has always looked like a franchise winger without the proper center) and Jordan Eberle (Captain Clutch scored 50 goals in 57 games, and was named the CHL player of the year). And at center? Tyler Seguin, and Sam Gagner. For the first time in...ummm....the Oilers will have a legitimate Top 6 to build the rest of the team around. Look at this year's cup finalists this year, and ask yourself how important it is to have a decent Top 6.
Forget about the Oilers trading Dustin Penner and Ales Hemsky this season. Especially the thought of the Oilers moving both to Boston to get both the #1 and #2 picks (Boston isn't stupid, and both Seguin and Hall will likely turn out to be better players than Penner or Hemsky). I am thinking that the Oilers will sign Penner and Hemsky to contract extensions, to solidify the Top 6 core they are creating. With players like Horcoff, Brule, and Linus Omark, the rest of the forward positions will take shape quickly. When the forward situation is settled, the Oilers will focus on finding the missing defensemen and the #1 goalie they need to become a cup contender quicker than people realize. Business in Edmonton will pick up fast.
But it all starts with Seguin. Oiler fans need to make their voices heard. Log into the TSN and Sportsnet websites, and show your support. Go to the Oilers website, and spill your guts. The Oilers Nation website too...the more voices the management hears, the better chance they will make the right selection. Right now, everyone is pointing to Taylor Hall as being the pick Edmonton will make. Like I said, Hall is going to be a great player...but the team can only turn the corner by adding a dominate center. And his name is Tyler Seguin.
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