Early this morning Lowetide reported that the Oilers
had recalled Brad Hunt.
The Tank is now official.
The Oilers are not interested in getting better. They are not interested in playing their best possible lineup. The goal is quite obviously McDavid and it is entirely embarrassing.
As of right now the Oilers have Tyler Pitlick, Mark Arcobello, Steve Pinizzotto, Luke Gazdic, Keith Aulie, and Brad Hunt on their roster. A full 1/3 of their team belongs in the AHL. The fact that this team is 30th in the NHL is no mistake. No unhappy accident. This is purely by design.
It doesn't take the brightest minds in the country to come up with easy fixes for this team. The Oilers opted not to put a claim on Chipchura when it was clear they had no depth at C. Gordon went down and the club didn't want to push Gazdic or Pinizzotto out of the lineup when Hendricks came back so they haven't recalled Lander or any other C from the Barons. Iiro Pakarinen impressed greatly when he came up and they decided not to bring him back.
But the topper to it all has been the recall of Hunt. He wasn't good enough for NHL action before and now with Fayne's ability to play in question the team has decided upon bringing him back. Meanwhile Martin Marincin remains firmly stuck in they AHL for reasons that are at best idiotic and at worst purposeful.
The only thing that has shaken loose has been that the team wanted to "send a message" to Marincin. What message that was isn't really known. The most consistent approximation of what they said to MM has been that the Oilers wanted him to be more physical. That, of course, is just the stupidest damn thing imaginable. Especially so given that the Oilers have a problem on D and just recalled Brad "Hobbit" Hunt.
"But Martin Marincin struggled!" Some Oiler apologists will cry. Yeah, he did have some trouble at the beginning of the year. I imagine adding 15 pounds in one summer because your team wanted you to get bigger might produce some issues for a professional athlete. Those troubles though, turned around when he was moved away from Fayne as his partner. Here are his possession numbers with various defensive partners:
Marincin + Fayne: 41.3%
Marincin + Petry: 57.6%
Marincin + Schultz: 64.8%
Tough start playing with Fayne who isn't a noted puck mover and against the toughest competition available. Partnered with any other RHD he was gangbusters.
This idiotic fixation on his physicality is hurting the Oilers and by now I have no choice but to conclude that Eakins and MacTavish are hurting the Oilers on purpose.
Lander is top 10 in AHL scoring and plays the exact position the Oilers have needed all year. Marincin is an NHL player by eye and number and also by the word of his AHL coach. Neither is an Oiler as of this morning.
Welcome to another Tank, Oiler fans. Keep paying big bucks for your tickets and don't ask questions. Your management team is working on resolving the problem.
LINEUP
Oklahoma Barons Hunt, Pitlick, Aulie, Arcobello, Pinizzotto, and Gazdic lead the way. What else needs to be said?
Hall RNH Pitlick
Yak Draisaitl Eberle
Perron Baron Purcell
Baron Hendricks Baron
Klefbom Schultz
Ference Petry
Baron Baron
Scrivens
OILERS KEY TO THE GAME
1) The NHL Steps In. When a team has been rebuilding for 9 years, has 3 1st overall picks and several other high 1st Rounders but still can't compete for anything more than 29th place someone needs to step in. The Oilers are not trying to be competitive and it is the responsibility of the NHL to step in and take control of this team. It is against the best interest of the NHL to allow Lowe, MacT, and Eakins to keep control of this club.
2) Everyone Is Fired. I was just telling family last night that I would keep Eakins around all year and see who becomes available at the end of the year. Maybe Babcock, maybe someone else. You never know. Nope. I changed my mind. Fire everyone from Nicholson down the line. Place Nelson in charge as the Interim HC. Give him full control of the roster. The decision makers are hopelessly out of their league. I don't care if the NHL makes Chris Pronger the interim GM of the team.
3) Change. The only way this team ever recovers from years of making losing an integral part of its day to day operations is meaningful change. Maybe that means sending away parts of the core. Everything that has been touched by these people has been tainted.
Puck drops at 7:38 PM Mountain Time on Sportsnet West. Tank On!
Follow me on Twitter @Archaeologuy 
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»