Theo Peckham and Jeff Petry were awful. Devan Dubnyk looked great for most of the game, but let a back-breaking terrible goal that sank his team. The Oilers D as a group couldn't get out of their own zone with the puck. Ales Hemsky played disinterested hockey. Shawn Horcoff had Horcoff Hands. The line full of kids got pushed around, because no matter how talented they are, they just can't survive against physical opposition in the defensive zone. The only real offense to be found was on the powerplay, because no one on the team believes in shooting the puck at even strength.

Sadly, I could go on, and on, and on complaining. But, you've heard me whine about these things many times before.

The Oilers aren't playing poorly, actually. This is the best they can do. With the players they have, the coaches they have, and their level of experience, what you're seeing now is what the rest of this season is going to be like. This team just isn't very good. It's time we all accept it. The players, coaches and management realize they aren't good. We're the last ones to catch on.

What makes me angry is that it doesn't have to be this way. The Oilers could be making immediate changes that won't hurt the long-term plan. Heck, play the cards right, and changes might help the long-term plan. But no one in the Oilers front office is listening or cares as long as hockey-mad Oilers fans continue to buy tickets. This isn't about wanting to win in Edmonton. It might be for the fans, but it isn't for the team itself. We're here for the hockey, and they're here for the money. If they cared about winning, they'd be working a little harder, you'd think.

Here's the part of the blog where I ramble about the Oilers moving Hemsky or Gagner for a defenseman, or part with a draft pick, or whatever. I am so sick of writing that crap over and over and over again. I've never run a hockey team in my life, and I could do a better job with this right now. The last thing the Oilers should be doing at a management level is nothing. Yet nothing is what they are doing. They can't even seem to have the courage needed to send Magnus Paajarvi, who is rotting in the press box, down to the minors where he could be playing 20 minutes a game. How hard is it to send someone down? Just do it.

What really makes me mad is seeing the Phoenix "crowd" of 39 people. No one cares about the team there, and the players work their butts off to win games. Everyone in Edmonton is hockey-mad, and the players don't seem to care. It's embarrassing.

Whatever. Tom Renney will tell the players off behind closed doors, and perhaps bag skate them tomorrow. Everyone in interviews will mumble about how they had a few bounces go the wrong way and how they need to be better. Management and the media they control will explain how fans need to be patient, and that there are no big problems with the team. Fans will continue to feel ignored and frustrated.

Just another loss for the Oilers. Ho hum. This is going to be a long, ugly season.

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