So there it is and thats that....
I can't say that I'm shocked the Oilers lost in the first round but I really thought Edmonton would win this series. In the coming weeks, I'll dissect what went right and wrong doing the season, but I will say this; this season's nightmare is because of the idiocy that is the Oilers management, coaching staff and a lack of overall culture.
Front Office and Coaching Staff Are Out to Lunch
During the offseason, the signing of Mangiapane was a disaster as he ended up being a healthy and traded to the Hawks at the deadline. I really believe he is a good player but he was poorly utilized. Also, how was player identified by management as an asset to the team, discarded 7 months later....like come on, either have some patience or identify talent better. Either way, wow, fairly bush league.
Furthermore, Trent Frederic was another player who was a a healthy scratch at one point and his name was all over the rumour mill. Seven months prior he was signed to an eight year deal worth 30.8 million dollars. Again, lack of patience or poor talent identification by management. Frederic is a good player. I would not have given him an eight year deal, but I also would have utilized his talents in a far more effective way if I was on the coaching staff.
The goalie issue is still an issue, as the Skinner for Jarry swap was a monumental disaster with Connor Ingram being the starting goalie for the playoffs. I wrote an article pleading for them not to make this deal for Jarry, but it fell on deaf ears. I even suggested last summer that the Oilers should have tried to acquire Jakub Dobes as the Habs seemed set with Montembeault and the emerging Fowler. So it's back to the drawing board this summer as this management team do not have the means to identify young talent and draft a goalie who can be the starter.
Team Culture
Finally there is the question of team culture and structure. Watching Habs and Oilers games is interesting as it a tale of two teams. The Habs have structure, a great team culture, cap culture, and a unified vision of how to play and win hockey games. It helps when your team has one of the best coaches and front office in the game.
Contrarly, watching the Oilers play, I can't see any structure, team culture, and a coaching staff that don't have any answers. Edmonton has a lot of great hockey players but they play a pond hockey game. Offence, offence, offence. It fun but you need to do the not so fun things to win. It not always about points, which I think the Oilers forget. It's about winning, and like I've said 100 times, being unified as one unit. This team is all over the place on the ice.
What needs to happen is this.
1-The leadership group on this team need to modify their play. Forget about goals and points, and focus on a structured game. Don't leave the zone early and stop cheating the game so much. This will tighten things up everywhere on the ice, and will unify the top six to the bottom six. Right now they are disjointed.
2-Replace the entire coaching staff and front office as if you're doing a rebuild. Bring in a coach who has a clear vision of how this team needs to play in order to be successful and not be afraid to explain this to the star players on the team. They are begging for structure, but please do not bring in the Torterellas of the world. Go the Habs way and try to find the next Martin St-Louis.
Bring in people in the front office who are able to evaluate talent appropriately and who have the patience when things get difficult. Not give up on a guy 7 months into a long term contract when the entire team is struggling.
3-Figure out this goalie issue. Get creative, but my God do something.
4-Blow up the d-core. They are a lot of good players, but it's clearly not working. I would look into picking up Engstrom from Montreal (great first pass, skating and hockey IQ) and a big, nasty, stay at home defensemen.
5-Attempt to reacquire Noah Philp. As if they put him on waivers on lost him for nothing. This is the type of player you need in your bottom six. I don't get how they cannot evaluate this.
6-Stop playing pond hockey. Play a system, become one! I've posted this clip before, but it still applies.