There’s a storm brewing in Edmonton and it’s bound to leave some people upset. The Edmonton are in 30th place in December yet again, an inexcusable result. To put it politely, this season will be a massive failure for Peter Chiarelli and Todd McLellan if the team doesn’t make up ground in the standings. A step backwards was NOT supposed to happen.
See, Bob Nicholson didn’t leave Hockey Canada to come here and lose. Peter Chiarelli could have had a few GM jobs but he picked Edmonton, and he certainly didn’t pick it to lose. Same with Todd McLellan, he could have gotten a few other coaching jobs but decided on Edmonton, to win.
These guys are not going to sit back and watch this team sink to the bottom again. Yes, they are preaching patience, but this isn’t the same patience that Steve Tambellini and Craig MacTavish preached. These guys aren’t connected to many people on this roster.
Chiarelli will pick his core young players and be patient with their development, but just like in Boston, he won’t be patient with the group around that core, a group that should be so much better than it currently is. Chiarelli’s disappointment on the weekend speaks volumes, he truly believed that this team would be better.
I did do, and I know a lot of you share that same sentiment.
The Core:
Edmonton’s core is not the group that was identified by Steve Tambellini over five years ago and it’s not even the group that was identified last spring by Craig MacTavish. This group has shrunk, and some surprising names are being left off the list.
TSN’s Ryan Rishaug and 630 CHED’s Bob Stauffer are both EXTREMELY connected to the Oilers and they gave their thoughts on the core on Tuesday. These probably aren’t random guesses either, this is probably PC’s thought process.
@Bob_Stauffer: I build around McDavid, Leon, RNH and Hall as core pieces up front. All 4 in top 6. McLellan had success playing C’s on the W in SJ
@TSNRyanRishaug: IMO only untouchables are McDavid, Hall, Nurse and Draisaitl, everyone else can be moved. 93 and 14 among them if return is right.
Zero surprise that Connor McDavid and Taylor Hall are apart of this group. McDavid has the potential to be the game’s best player during his career and he was already posting sensational numbers through his first twelve games. Taylor Hall, on the other hand, has taken steps to be an elite offensive chance machine for the Oilers. Both are studs.
Leon Draisaitl is the big and skilled center that the Oilers have been looking for for years. Drai’s ability to produce offense while being a physical beast is exactly what the doctor ordered, plus he has great chemistry with Taylor Hall. All three of these guys should be great players for the Oilers moving forward.
If Stauffer included defenders, the young and dynamic Nurse would be there too. Nurse is going to be a top-pairing defender in the NHL, I’m 100% confident in that fact.
Rishaug does not mention Nugent-Hopkins, eluding to him as “soft skill” in an earlier tweet. Stauffer does mention RNH, saying that McLellan had success playing C’s on the W in San Jose. That’s true, and it’s also true that center depth wins in the NHL. The Oilers finally have it with these three guys.
The two names surprisingly not on the list of either guy? Oscar Klefbom and Jordan Eberle.
What The Insiders Are Saying:
Chris Nichols does a sensational job of transcribing all of the interviews from the insiders on the radio. He was filled with Oilers material today.
Bob McKenzie:
@NicholsOnHockey: McKenzie: “I think there’s going to be more tough love” from McLellan,
#Oilers specifically w/ RNH, Eberle. 1/3McKenzie thinks
#Oilers are probably open to dealing RNH, Eberle, but doesn’t think there’s anything imminent or front-burner. 2/3McKenzie: Even if
#Oilers don’t trade RNH, Eberle, maybe merely calling them out in transparent way will wake them up. 3/3Pierre LeBrun:
LeBrun: I think Peter Chiarelli will have to ask himself over the next few months if he’s willing to move either Eberle or RNH.
#OilersLeBrun thinks trading Eberle or RNH – terrific players – would be “symbolic cutting of the cord to the failed rebuild of past era.”
#OilersLeBrun: “Nothing imminent, I don’t think.” What I can tell you is there is a lot of frustration.
#OilersDarren Dreger:
Dreger spoke to Peter Chiarelli this morning. “He’s definitely making calls and looking for improvements.”
#OilersDreger: “I think when you look at the Edmonton
#Oilers roster, there would be few untouchable players.” McDavid, Hall, Draisaitl, Nurse. 1/2Dreger: “Do I see a big deal like that coming down the pike anytime soon? I don’t.” Doesn’t mean appetite to do something isn’t there.2/2
You can visit Chris’ website here, it truly is a tremendous read on a daily basis.
My take away from this is that the Oilers are frustrated, working the phones, and contemplating something rather big to change the complexion of this organization. The name Jordan Eberle keeps popping up in both national and local media circles, which is interesting.
It might not be until the off-season, but it certainly seems like Peter Chiarelli is ready to make this team look more like a Chiarelli built team. A soft skilled player like Eberle is the most logical player to be moved out.
Bob Nicholson To TSN (via Lowetide):
Bob Nicholson ”Patience is running out, Peter will do what is right. We’re not going to put anyone up on the block just to make a trade, but if we feel a trade is right for us, especially long term, Peter has the right and will make that deal.” (via Lowetide’s blog)
When the big boss says that patience is running out, that is a bad sign for everyone else. He also pretty much said that Chiarelli has the reigns to do what he thinks is needed to fix this team. People, that doesn’t get said if something isn’t brewing. The Oilers are another loss or two away from really shaking this roster up in the core. That’s no small point.
Final Thoughts:
The Edmonton Oilers should be better than this and 30th place is frustrating. We as fans are frustrated and clearly this organization is frustrated. The Edmonton Oilers acknowledge that there is a problem and they are now looking at the core of the organization.
If I was a betting man, I’d wager that one of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins or Jordan Eberle gets moved within the next calendar year to change the complexion of the current roster.
It’ll be a move that upsets some fans, but after ten years a shakeup to strengthen the defense or the depth in Edmonton might just be the right play. Getting tougher, bigger and overall better has to be the goal for this organization. Trading a core piece may be the only way.
I, for one, am not opposed to this.
Interesting times lay ahead my friends.
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