An Oilers Shakeup Is Needed

Last night, I let out a burst of anger that has been building up for nearly a decade, ripping the Oilers from their inept ownership all the way down to their clueless coaching staff. If you want to know what is wrong with this team, you can read the piece here.

After a good night’s sleep and a morning of thinking about what the next step is, I think I’ve figured it out. This Oilers team needs a major shakeup roster wise. I’m not talking about screwing around with the fourth line and trading for a guy like Mike Brown or another Andrew Ference, I’m talking about making a move to fill a legit hole on this roster. That’s gonna cost one of the wonder kids. Another change? The Head Coach. Those are the two avenues this team can take.

It’s time to pick one and run with it, because this season is dangerously close to being over after just four games. You can say it’s a knee jerk reaction and that it is early, but when you have been this bad for this long, there are no knee jerk reactions. It’s time to make something happen, and fast.

Coaching:

I was a fan of Dallas Eakins when he was hired, and I stood up for him all year last year. After four games however, he has lost my trust and lost my support. The decisions made, as I mentioned on Wednesday night, are just not defensible right now. Justin Schultz playing the most minutes and Jeff Petry the least minutes is one of the most ass-backwards things I have ever seen.

The decision to send down Marincin is one of the most foolish decisions I have ever seen as well. Marincin is easily one of Edmonton’s top-six defenders, and is sitting in Oklahoma City right now while Brad Hunt is costing the Oilers goal after goal. Eakins has been given six NHL level defenders, but elected to send one away and has been playing his best options, Petry and Fayne, far less than his lesser options like Schultz and Ference.

The decisions are bad, but the system is arguably worse. The “Swarm” as it is called gives up tons of grade A chances a game. Some of them could easily be stopped, but a majority of them just can’t be blamed on the goalie. The system killed Edmonton last year, and is killing them yet again this year.

The decisions are brutal, the system does not work, and the defeated looks are becoming more and more common each night. It’s sad to see really.

What this team needs is a veteran NHL coach that has had success before. Dan Bylsma, who won a Cup with the Penguins, is a very solid candidate, while former Lightning coach Guy Boucher could be another solid get for the Oilers.

What Dallas Eakins is doing right now simply is not working, and the team needs a change here. Personally, I would have pulled the trigger on this earlier today, but I suspect the team will wait until the end of their upcoming seven game home-stand.

A Trade:

The mix in Edmonton just is not right at this time. This isn’t anything new, we talked about this a year ago. The young players in Edmonton, the core, have not yet realized their potential as complete players. Yes, these guys all put up points, but none of these guys have established themselves as defensive players. The two-way game? There is no such thing when talking about the core.

I believe Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins when they say they are frustrated with losing, but I do not believe they have bought in with defensive play. In fact, as I mentioned last night, I have heard that from people within the coaching ranks at the pro level. Yes Dallas Eakins is a problem, but these players not buying in is a massive issue as well.

How can that get fixed? A message must be sent to these guys to get them to buy in, and nothing sends a message like showing someone their job is not safe. One of these “wonder kids” needs to go, and I believe it is going to be Jordan Eberle.

Eberle’s offensive potential is not the same as Hall’s or RNH’s, and the position of right wing is a position of strength for the Oilers. Not to mention, at his age and with his talent, Jordan Eberle could easily get the Oilers a valuable piece or two in a trade, like a legit defender or an actual NHL center, you know, those things?

Personally, I believe that this roster needs a big shake-up, and a trade like this would certainly accomplish just that. It would wake up the young kids, would change the mix, and likely improve Edmonton’s roster in the long-term and short-term if executed correctly. Sure, that may be a rash move, but after eight years, doesn’t there need to be a sense of urgency?

So What’s Going To Happen?:

I just can’t see Craig MacTavish firing Dallas Eakins, as much as he should at this point, I can’t see him doing it. He likes Eakins, and believes in giving him a real extended chance here. On top of that, MacT is loyal, and is willing to ride this thing out with his coach. I get that, hell I respect that, but I don’t think it’s a the right move. That said, no matter how much I write about it, I can’t see Dallas going anywhere.

A trade is much more likely to occur in the near future, as it should. Sadly, I believe that trade will be the dumping of Jeff Petry, which will actually make the team worse both this year, and in the future. Personally, I believe the Oilers should make a move including one of the young kids. Yes, it will suck seeing one of those young guys go, but at this point it is what is best for the team.

You have to give to get, and giving up one of these young guys is going to be the price in order to fill one of those long standing holes.

What will happen? I suspect Jeff Petry is gone soon, and the losing will continue in Edmonton. I’m no expert, but I can’t see the harm in trying one of the two directions I have outlined above.