Edmonton Oilers general manager Craig MacTavish is an intelligent man, so he had to have known there was blood in the water long before he waded into it Sunday afternoon. He surely knew the decision to demote defenceman Martin Marincin in favor of Oscar Klefbom and Brad Hunt would not be a popular one. Marincin earned mostly positive reviews during 44 games for the Oilers last season, more than twice as many NHL contests as Klefbom and Hunt have played in their careers, combined. Perhaps that helps explain why MacTavish was backpedaling before the first question had finished during his post-parting press conference.
“It’s not a decision that we can’t unwind in a very short amount of time. … Does Marty Marincin do some things better than Brad Hunt? Absolutely. But Brad Hunt definitely does some things and can help us in an area of need.…
MacTavish has a difficult job, standing in the crosshairs as the primary representative of one of the worst franchises in North American professional sports. He always presents a picture of poise and professionalism, although we never see his tattered pant legs, gnarled by the recalcitrant dog (media) and stretched by the resentful child (fans). Adding to both his degree of difficulty and level of scrutiny, nobody’s quite sure how much authority he has. Flanked by failed former general managers Kevin Lowe (president, hockey operations) and Scott Howson (senior vice president, hockey operations) it’s hard to tell exactly who’s pulling the strings.
Whoever’s leading the way, people crave confidence and conviction. Even if they’re being led astray, they want to march to their demise with certainty that they’re taking the best course of action. MacTavish didn’t show much confidence or conviction on Sunday. In more than 20 minutes at the podium, he didn’t claim that his roster decisions would give the Oilers the best chance to win their next game. Considering the team was out of playoff contention by the end of October last season, you would think every decision would be focused around winning games. Instead, MacTavish made the regular season sound like an extended audition.
“It is the third year of (Marincin’s) entry-level deal. It’s the last year that we have the flexibility to try and test drive a couple other players before we have to make a clear decision. … When’s the best time to give Brad Hunt a shot? Is it sending him down and then bringing him back up, where it’s a little bit more of an awkward situation, or just keep him rolling? He’s deserved the right to fail, and he’s played very well.…
Deserving the “right to fail… doesn’t exactly sound like a vote of confidence, but that’s life in Edmonton, where players have been exercising their right to fail for nearly 25 years. That’s how long it’s been since the team last won a Stanley Cup, and expectations remain vague this season. Stanley Cup? Not on your life. Pacific Division title? No dice. Playoffs? If that’s the goal nobody’s saying, both to avoid embarrassment and maintain NHL employment. That’s probably wise after last season’s train wreck, but straight answers don’t come easily, whether MacTavish is discussing long-term goals or the differences between Marincin and Klefbom.
“Oscar gives us a bit of a different element. I think he had a better camp than Marty. Marty started slowly in camp. I thought Marty played better the last little bit of training camp, as he had to.…
Oddly, MacTavish’s press conference reminded me of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith. In 2005, following a 12-0 season at the University of Utah that culminated in a Fiesta Bowl victory, Smith was trying to decide whether to declare for the NFL draft. He hired a consulting firm to review all of his game film, compare it to the other quarterbacks in the 2005 draft class, and project which round Smith would be drafted in. The consultant figured that Smith was likely to be draft high in the first round, so Smith decided to forego his final two seasons at Utah to enter the NFL. He was drafted in the first round, first overall, by the San Francisco 49ers.
Smith’s decision to hire a consultant, while prudent, demonstrated a lack of confidence that seems to have plagued him throughout his NFL career. He didn’t fight to keep the starting job in San Francisco, and hasn’t proven to be much more than an adequate quarterback during his career. Basically, if you’re good at football, you shouldn’t need a consulting firm to break down the game tape and tell you that you’re good at football. Likewise, if you make roster decisions based on training camp and the preseason, and you’re confident in those decisions, there’s no need to keep pulling the ripcord on the excuse parachute.
“Nothing is permanent. This is to start the season.…
Most Oiler fans feel beholden to MacTavish, mainly because he inspires more confidence than his predecessor. Intentionally or not, Steve Tambellini made tanking look easy, but MacTavish is proactive in addressing needs when they arise, and has been one of the busiest general managers in the NHL since he took over the reins in April 2013. People are always optimistic when a GM makes moves rather than sitting on their hands, and it remains to be seen whether the Oilers show any improvement from last season. However, MacTavish didn’t demonstrate much confidence on Sunday, and certainly didn’t reassure anyone with his closing statement.
“It’s not permanent. (Keith) Aulie could be back shortly.…
ryan.garner@hockeybuzz.com
More dismayed by #Oilers reasoning/tone than decisions. MacTavish Lacks Confidence/Conviction Discussing Camp Cuts http://t.co/kkpfmiGtLh
— Ryan Garner (@RyGarner) October 6, 2014