Assessing The Rubble – Part Four

Within the last week, we’ve taken a look at the Oilers coaching staff, the back-end, and the forward group, looking at possible moves and what holes need to be filled on the roster moving forward. We learned a number of things during this series that opens the off-season for Oilers fans.

On top of all that, we’ve also come up with an official shopping list of sorts that will be the guide to a successful summer in Oil Country. I know we all said it last year, but this truly is one of the most important summers in Edmonton Oilers history. Failing to make improvements will only dig a deep hole deeper, and the Oilers can’t have that.

What We Learned:

MacT said it in his year end press conference, but there is a lot of work to do in Edmonton with this roster. There are areas where things don’t need to be done, like goaltending, but overall the roster needs another overhaul. That means a number of moves on the blue-line and in the forward corps.

We learned that the defense needs a lot of help, and that the top-six nearly has all the pieces, but is about one piece away still. We also learned that the team needs to work on the bottom six, but that it has some decent pieces moving forward. We also learned, and pretty much came to a conclusion, that assistant coaching changes need to happen in Edmonton.

Of course, and maybe most importantly, we learned that a majority of the changes to make this team better must happen with the players, which is a change from years past. The Oilers seemingly every year try to pin their failures on a coach, a GM, or even the training staff (The purge of 2010). Now, it’s squarely on the players.

Let’s Go Shopping:

Today is April 26th. It’s still the first round of the playoffs, and the entry draft is still nearly two months away. It’s the toughest time of the year to be an Oiler fan, but it’s also a very important one. This is where the battle plan is drawn up, and the shopping list is made.

Let’s look at the shopping list we have compiled in the last week here on the blogs…..

1. A top-pairing, veteran defender, think Brian Campbell here
2. A veteran second line center to be the defensive mind for Yakupov and Perron
3. Two third line wingers that can bring the tough, defensive play that is lacking
4. At least one, ideally two, new assistant coaches
5. A fourth line center
6. A veteran bottom pairing defender to play the Mark Fraser/Theo Peckham/Andy Sutton role
7. Decisions on the young defenders and what is best for their development

Those seven things, in my mind, are the biggest things that need to be taken care of during this off-season. If the Oilers can fully take care of this list, then you’ll be looking at a team competing for a playoff spot next year. Just remember, this is much easier said than done.

I’d love to hear your shopping list, so let me know in the comments section or on twitter @Alex_Thomas14