I must admit, I was looking for a reaction; hopefully Craig MacTavish will get it sorted but it takes time.
- LeftCoaster

Oh I know. In all seriousness, Mac T has been in a "Damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation from day one. Not sure what better options he had than ones he took, what with all the useful players on the market refusing to play in cold ass Edmonton.

MacT has made excuses? We got a 1st round pick in a deep draft and a roster player. Who is going to give up a player who is good in all 3 zones for a guy with 5 goals?
- Dangles13

Nope, I think you misunderstood. I said he should be acquiring roster players that can help this team instead of picks/prospects, even if this season is lost they an at least try to improve now instead of just writing the season off by December as usual and hoping to improve during the summer. I'm not talking about 32 year old rental players, mostly guys on the right side of 30 that are under contract or could be extended once acquired.

He had used the "I've only been on the job for 20 months" or whatever line, yet the team still is just as bad on the ice. But I wasn't talking about him making excuses for himself, just the fans saying that there aren't any deals like the ones I mentioned above to be made, the Oilers have plenty of young talent so I have a hard time believing he doesn't have the pieces to get some deals done and balance this roster out instead of trading proven players for future assets that have "potential".

And by good in all 3 zones, I'm not talking about a Bergeron, Kopitar type. For example, the Canucks have guys like Chris Higgins, Alex Burrows who know what they're doing defensively and can contribute offensively while being solid possession players. The Oilers need a few guys like that up front to go along with the skilled, offensive players. That, and decent d-man or 2.

I sure hope that is the plan. I don't know if a trade would take place now or at the draft however.
- Dangles13

After the season is more realistic.

I bet either he demanded one privately or the team was unhappy with those post-game comments he made and either way he wasn't going to be around for the long haul so a deal had to be made. But at this point they should be looking to add quality roster players(preferably ones who can play good minutes and know how to play in all 3 zones, not more picks/prospects. Maybe a deal like that wasn't out there, but I feel that's the same excuse always used for Mac T.

Now, if they flip the pick for that type of a roster player than I have no issues with it.
- Nucker101

What quality roster player was/is available for Mac T to trade Perron for?

Nope, I think you misunderstood. I said he should be acquiring roster players that can help this team instead of picks/prospects, even if this season is lost they an at least try to improve now instead of just writing the season off by December as usual and hoping to improve during the summer. I'm not talking about 32 year old rental players, mostly guys on the right side of 30 that are under contract or could be extended once acquired.

He had used the "I've only been on the job for 20 months" or whatever line, yet the team still is just as bad on the ice. But I wasn't talking about him making excuses for himself, just the fans saying that there aren't any deals like the ones I mentioned above to be made, the Oilers have plenty of young talent so I have a hard time believing he doesn't have the pieces to get some deals done and balance this roster out instead of trading proven players for future assets that have "potential".

And by good in all 3 zones, I'm not talking about a Bergeron, Kopitar type. For example, the Canucks have guys like Chris Higgins, Alex Burrows who know what they're doing defensively and can contribute offensively while being solid possession players. The Oilers need a few guys like that up front to go along with the skilled, offensive players. That, and decent d-man or 2.
- Nucker101

He used that excuse less than a month ago. Obviously the team isn't magically going to turn around overnight. Good in all 3 zones like Perron? Those 3rd line players aren't going to fix this team. It needs a goalie and a stud defender.

What quality roster player was/is available for Mac T to trade Perron for?
- Jeropotato

I don't know, I'm not a GM. I have a hard time believing all of them are untouchable. I'm not talking about the high-end players here.

What quality roster player was/is available for Mac T to trade Perron for?
- Jeropotato

Vermette?

He used that excuse less than a month ago. Obviously the team isn't magically going to turn around overnight. Good in all 3 zones like Perron? Those 3rd line players aren't going to fix this team. It needs a goalie and a stud defender.
- Dangles13

A first and a player is a great return for a third liner no?

He used that excuse less than a month ago. Obviously the team isn't magically going to turn around overnight. Good in all 3 zones like Perron? Those 3rd line players aren't going to fix this team. It needs a goalie and a stud defender.
- Dangles13

Your forward group is still very flawed, too many guys who rely mostly on pure offensive skill to be contributors in the top 9.

I know your team's save percentage sucks, but isn't strange how all of these guys seem to have career-worst seasons in Edmonton? I'd suggest fixing the holes in the roster before spending assets on trying to acquire yet another new goalie. You also don't have to have a stud d-man to be a competitive team, if you have 4 top 4 guys, but not a true stud you'll still be more than fine.

A first and a player is a great return for a third liner no?
- VanHockeyGuy

Yes but that wasn't the point. You were saying we should be looking for those guys when in reality they aren't going to stop this team from receiving sub AHL goaltending.

Vermette?
- VanHockeyGuy

Who knows if he would re-sign though, plus I've read that he wants 5M+ per.

Your forward group is still very flawed, too many guys who rely mostly on pure offensive skill to be contributors in the top 9.

I know your team's save percentage sucks, but isn't strange how all of these guys seem to have career-worst seasons in Edmonton? I'd suggest fixing the holes in the roster before spending assets on trying to acquire yet another new goalie. You also don't have to have a stud d-man to be a competitive team, if you have 4 top 4 guys, but not a true stud you'll still be more than fine.
- Nucker101

Dubnyk had a 92.1% the season before last and he just imploded. Scrivens and Fasth are playing like poop and they are better than this but we need an honest to goodness NHL starting goalie.

4 top 4 guys? Like Petry, Ference, Fayne, Nikitin? We keep bringing in guys who were top 4 elsewhere and that isn't enough without goaltending.

Dubnyk had a 92.1% the season before last and he just imploded. Scrivens and Fasth are playing like poop and they are better than this but we need an honest to goodness NHL starting goalie.

4 top 4 guys? Like Petry, Ference, Fayne, Nikitin? We keep bringing in guys who were top 4 elsewhere and that isn't enough without goaltending.
- Dangles13

Ference and Nikitin were described by fans of CBJ/BOS as being better suited for a 5/6 role when they were signed. Fayne/Petry is a start though.

If Mac T was really a genius he'd flip Schultz while people still think he has high upside. I'm sure there's a GM or two out there that still believes it.

How many picks and or players did Yzerman throw at finding a goaltender for Tampa, Oilers need better goaltending or they'll continue to struggle.

Ference and Nikitin were described by fans of CBJ/BOS as being better suited for a 5/6 role when they were signed. Fayne/Petry is a start though.

If Mac T was really a genius he'd flip Schultz while people still think he has high upside. I'm sure there's a GM or two out there that still believes it.
- Nucker101

Yep, they essentially got him for nothing.

Ference and Nikitin were described by fans of CBJ/BOS as being better suited for a 5/6 role when they were signed. Fayne/Petry is a start though.
- Nucker101

Ference still played top 4 in Boston when we brought him in but he is getting old. Nikitin has been plauged by back inuries all year and he sucks the dong. Klefbom has been our best defender this season and we are leaning on him heavily.

Once Nurse hits the NHL and and starts hitting his potential we will finally have a stud but it's going to take time for him to get there.

EDIT: I would love if MacT were to get rid of Schultz.

Ference still played top 4 in Boston when we brought him in but he is getting old. Nikitin has been plauged by back inuries all year and he sucks the dong. Klefbom has been our best defender this season and we are leaning on him heavily.

Once Nurse hits the NHL and and starts hitting his potential we will finally have a stud but it's going to take time for him to get there.
- Dangles13

Nurse will be a good one.

James:

Your article wasn't so much a troll blog as it was a exercise in attempting to explain away the futility that the Oilers have become.

They are quite possibly one of the worst run professional franchises of the last decade. From the scouting department - to the GM - to the owner and president they haven't made one smart or beneficial long term move that they didn't luck themselves into.

The Scouting department - if the GM is listening to them - should be taking a long look into the mirror and realizing they are mainly responsible for the most horrid mid round drafting we've seen.

Mac T hasn't been responsible for all of this but he's had a hand in and influenced things for a long time.

You can't pin this pathetic organization on one person.....it's been a total and epic melt down from the top down.

I really truly feel badly for the Oilers fans. They deserve better.

Why Mac T is an idiot....

Signing Pouliot
Signing Fayne
Signing Nikitin
Rushing Drasatyl
Hiring Eakins

Genuis?

Getting OK value for Perron?
- RoloTahmasee

how are these bad? Pouliot maybe gets 500K too much, but him and Fayne were two pieces EDM desperately needed

Oh I know. In all seriousness, Mac T has been in a "Damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation from day one. Not sure what better options he had than ones he took, what with all the useful players on the market refusing to play in cold ass Edmonton.
- Jeropotato

Pretty much my thoughts exactly. If he did what people wanted - like move one of his future studs for a current great D and goalie - the Oilers would be fighting for 8th, and the team wouldn't get that much better.

My theory is that knowing the best way to impove the team is through drafting the franchise guy the team didn't get despite picking first 3 times, he cleverly orchestrated it to look like he was trying to improve the team, the whole while knowing that his main goal was to pick one of Eichel or MacDavid.


Which, assuming those guys are as good as advertised, the Oilers could then trade their 2016 pick for a goalie and maybe Yakupov and that pgh first for a D and suddenly they are not just good, but a Cup Contender.

how are these bad? Pouliot maybe gets 500K too much, but him and Fayne were two pieces EDM desperately needed
- TheNugeIsHuge

Well we shouldn't try to fix our roster holes with NHL players and we shouldn't try to fix them with draft picks because it's unfair to the other teams if we suck and it's unfair if try to get better.

Nope, I think you misunderstood. I said he should be acquiring roster players that can help this team instead of picks/prospects, even if this season is lost they an at least try to improve now instead of just writing the season off by December as usual and hoping to improve during the summer. I'm not talking about 32 year old rental players, mostly guys on the right side of 30 that are under contract or could be extended once acquired.

He had used the "I've only been on the job for 20 months" or whatever line, yet the team still is just as bad on the ice. But I wasn't talking about him making excuses for himself, just the fans saying that there aren't any deals like the ones I mentioned above to be made, the Oilers have plenty of young talent so I have a hard time believing he doesn't have the pieces to get some deals done and balance this roster out instead of trading proven players for future assets that have "potential".

And by good in all 3 zones, I'm not talking about a Bergeron, Kopitar type. For example, the Canucks have guys like Chris Higgins, Alex Burrows who know what they're doing defensively and can contribute offensively while being solid possession players. The Oilers need a few guys like that up front to go along with the skilled, offensive players. That, and decent d-man or 2.
- Nucker101

But what is the point of that? Nothing he could get comes even close to the quality of player he'll draft in the summer.

Pretty much my thoughts exactly. If he did what people wanted - like move one of his future studs for a current great D and goalie - the Oilers would be fighting for 8th, and the team wouldn't get that much better.

My theory is that knowing the best way to impove the team is through drafting the franchise guy the team didn't get despite picking first 3 times, he cleverly orchestrated it to look like he was trying to improve the team, the whole while knowing that his main goal was to pick one of Eichel or MacDavid.


Which, assuming those guys are as good as advertised, the Oilers could then trade their 2016 pick for a goalie and maybe Yakupov and that pgh first for a D and suddenly they are not just good, but a Cup Contender.
- James_Tanner

You sir are an idiot and not a troll.

If we could package that 1st from Pittsburgh and Yakupov and get a good player/package from a cash strapped team I would be ecstatic.

James:

Your article wasn't so much a troll blog as it was a exercise in attempting to explain away the futility that the Oilers have become.

They are quite possibly one of the worst run professional franchises of the last decade. From the scouting department - to the GM - to the owner and president they haven't made one smart or beneficial long term move that they didn't luck themselves into.

The Scouting department - if the GM is listening to them - should be taking a long look into the mirror and realizing they are mainly responsible for the most horrid mid round drafting we've seen.

Mac T hasn't been responsible for all of this but he's had a hand in and influenced things for a long time.

You can't pin this pathetic organization on one person.....it's been a total and epic melt down from the top down.

I really truly feel badly for the Oilers fans. They deserve better.
- Canadian kid

Thanks for the good points, I mean it. I however, respectfully disagree. The Oilers will draft Eichel (most likely) and win a cup within 3 years.