After the Edmonton Oilers’ first two games, scores of bloggers and media members urged everyone not to panic, highlighting every hint of silver in the team’s pitch-black cloud. Don’t panic. Don’t even worry. There isn’t anything to agonize over, because the window of contention has slammed shut and the 2014-15 season is already over. The death knell sounded minutes into Edmonton’s 6-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night. Once again, the Oilers have been exposed as a group of also-rans.
Pin it on whoever you’d like, because nobody in the organization is free from blame for this debacle. Management focused on building an NHL team, rather than assembling a squad that can compete with other NHL teams. The coaching staff can be criticized without much complaint, especially after choosing to make Jeff Petry a healthy scratch against the Kings. The players themselves don’t inspire any confidence, from the unproven goaltenders, to the ramshackle defence, to the punchless forwards.
Look to the Lottery
It only took three games, but the Oilers are already at the bottom of the NHL standings, tied with the injury-plagued Carolina Hurricanes in the Connor McDavid sweepstakes. Once again, the NHL Draft Lottery is becoming the only reward for another wasted season. Think things are going to get any better? Think again. We’ve seen how this plays out before, and victories don’t magically appear as injuries pile up, confidence wanes, and the road to respectability gets steeper. It’s done. It’s over.
When you’ve missed the playoffs since 2006 and your time in the playoff race can be measured in days—not weeks, not months—it increases the early-season urgency. That’s why I entered the season with the mindset that it’s never too early. I’ve woken up during the first week of November asking what happened, and the answer is always the same. October happened, and if you didn’t care enough to worry from the season’s opening puck drop then you missed the only relevant hockey the Oilers play.
Making a Case for McDavid
I’ve seen enough to know how this story ends, so let’s officially begin the Oilers’ only meaningful race of the season: Obliterated For McDavid. Erie Otters centre Connor McDavid is supposed to be a generational talent, along the lines of a Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, or Sidney Crosby. He’s a can’t-miss game-changer, the type of player that can turn around an entire franchise’s fortunes. There’s been talk of Boston University centre David Eichel, but the Oilers can’t afford to settle for second-worst.
McDavid is the crown jewel of the Ontario Hockey League, scoring 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) through his first six games of the season. Having McDavid on the top line means that injury-prone Ryan Nugent-Hopkins shifts to a more natural spot on the second line, Leon Draisaitl is able to settle into the NHL game on the third line, and Boyd Gordon sticks as the mainstay on the fourth line. Craig MacTavish was unwilling to bolster the Oilers’ centre depth, but McDavid’s arrival will instantly solve the problem.
In addition to stunning talent, creativity and hockey sense, McDavd’s competitiveness is exceptional. He refuses to take a shift off, which should bolster the Oilers’ entire roster. Having a franchise-foundation leader like McDavid on the squad will increase Edmonton’s respectability overnight, giving fans in the Heartland of Hockey something to get excited about before the new downtown arena is completed. So don’t panic, people. Don’t agonize over losses or seek signs of progress, just embrace the suck.
Embrace the Suck
When you break it all down, nothing else makes sense. Today, right now, the Oilers are three points out of a playoff spot. At their current pace, it takes Edmonton nine games just to muster three points. I’m setting the bar for respectability at a point per game, and even that might be setting the bar too high. Does anyone really expect a playoff berth with Andrew Ference on the ice, Petry in the press box, Nugent-Hopkins on the shelf, and Viktor Fasth icing down a pulled groin? There’s absolutely no chance.
After each loss, Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins praises how his players handle the adversity of getting their asses kicked. That’s a good thing, because the Oilers are going to be taken to the woodshed several times this season, so they’d better get comfortable staring at a lopsided scoreboard. At least they’re handling the adversity well, and adapting to decreased (or unstated) expectations. I’m not saying they should take shifts off or stop trying to win games. Stick with the gameplan, because it works just fine.
Finishing anywhere from 17th to 27th doesn’t really help the long-term situation. The Oilers won’t have a realistic shot at McDavid without securing a bottom-three spot, and the lower the better, so Obliterated For McDavid is the only way to go. Edmonton already has a head start on the majority of the league, so there’s no point wasting a legitimate shot at a generational talent. Give MacTavish a vote of confidence, keep Eakins around, and look forward to brighter days, because this season is already done.
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