I'll start this blog posting a video of what the song "The Final Countdown" should sound like at tonight's Oilers game:
Yep, the 2013 season if you're the Oilers is all over. We laughed. We cried. We cried some more. We threw things on the ice while sobbing uncontrollably. It was a very Oilers season.
I mentioned in yesterday's blog the concept of the team getting Ryan Smyth off the ice in 2013/2014 by making him a coach. Considering that brought a far longer list of questions. New Oilers GM Craig MacTavish as an issue to deal with. The Ol' Boys Club.
Oilers fans first started shrieking in horror when Scott Howson was hired by the team to do a little pro scouting. As several people reported, Howson was offered opportunities with four other organizations, so his decision to choose Edmonton raised some eyebrows obviously he and the Oilers knew his role was going to be more than that of a pro scout. Tambellini job was gone from that moment.
Oilers fans again shrieked in horror when Tambellini was replaced by MacTavish, with Howson getting MacT's job. Ol' Boys Club, here we come. All of a sudden we've gone back in time five or six seasons, and the team that couldn't get it done back then was reunited. Don't suggest to Kevin Lowe the Oilers stuck. Some poor SOB brought that up at the news conference and Lowe almost made him eat his cup rings. It was a WWE moment if I ever saw one.
So here's MacT's challenge: It looks like Carolina is losing tonight, meaning, the Oilers will finish 23rd in the NHL. An improvement over last season, sure, but not as much as people were hoping for. The team from Lowe on down has said major changes are needed. Everyone is confused as to what it means....some suggest the Oilers could be dealing away a superkid or be moving their likely-7th overall draft pick. I don't think either is going to happen.
First two changes will come in coaching. Head Coach Ralph Krueger will be safe, but we could be saying goodbye to Kelly Buchberger and Steve Smith. The Oilers have the need for a tactician. Here's a crazy thought: What if Lindy Ruff was brought in as a Co-Head Coach? Would Krueger be okay with that? Or what about Barons Head Coach Todd Nelson becoming one of Krueger's assistants? I could list all sorts of names here, but you get my point: Buchberger and Smith are vulnerable.
The farm teams haven't exactly been churning out quality stuff in recent years, so maybe Director of Player Development Mike Sillinger walks the plank.
And then there are MacT-favorite players. What happens with Ryan Smyth, Ales Hemsky and Shawn Horcoff. Keep in mind it's the kids who lead this team now, and they do all the impressive stuff. Sooner or later full leadership of the team needs to become theirs.
Ryan Smyth doesn't want to coach; he wants to play. Sad thing is, I don't think he realizes he can't keep up with the game anymore. His contract is too small to be a compliance buyout, and considering the 'ol Boys Club MacTavish is trying to avoid, adding Smyth as a coach doesn't work well. Maybe the idea is to hope the player decides on his own retirement is more dignified than sitting in the press box every game? New season is going to be hard on Smyth.
I think it's a bit of a foregone conclusion that Shawn Horcoff will not be bought out, and he'll play a significant role on the Oilers next season. I think equally obvious is Ales Hemsky will be moved, although the return for him in a deal is extremely debatable. He had just a good enough season not to be considered junk, but just bad enough season to no elevate his status to anything impressive. The fact that Hemsky played a month of this season with a broken foot does not really help his trade value. Makes him be a tough SOB, but people like stats.
Tonight's Oilers/Canucks game means a big pile of nothing, so therefore, you could see an Oilers victory. I'd like to see Nail Yakupov finish the night clearly owning the NHL rookie scoring lead.
Oilers leadership promised us some bold moves this summer. Hmmm...7th overall pick, followed by free agency, followed by the need to change around some of the coaches and support staff. All eyes are on you, MacT.
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
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