Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers are last place, again, and something needs to change in this organization.
I have asked a few people what they would like to see changed and have read posts on what others want changed, and it is very clear what the answer is. 
First change, either a new GM or a new coach or both.  Probably a coach first is my guess. And then after that, defensive help and some serious help down the middle.
That's just a start on what they could do to change things.

I have started this post a few times now and then leave it for a day to see what the Oilers have done to improve and think I will come back and add to this in the positive column, but that hasn't happened.  There are very few positives that have come from watching the Oilers games that I have seen, and there are way more negative points that I have noticed.
This is a hard post to try and write about for me because in all honesty, I like the Oilers due to friends who are fans of them. And I keep thinking, much like Oiler fans, that things are going to change for them and start looking up for the team.  But it never happens.
So that led me to this point.  What has to happen for this team to turn things around and start winning? Or at least gather points in a loss.

The Oilers faithful have long wondered what the hell is going on with the management of this club and what they are thinking with some of the moves they have made.
It got so bad last season that people actually purchased space on small billboards and posted "Fire Lowe" on them.  Multiple people have tossed jerseys onto the ice after the team loses games and many others just leave the arena long before the game is even finished.
This is not a good situation in the "City of Champions."

So as far as change goes, this is what my opinions are and what they should do.
First off, Mac T (Craig MacTavish) should swallow his pride and get rid of Dallas Eakins.  Friends or not, they are not winning under his leadership as a coach and it seems the players just have stopped listening to his preachings.
They brought Eakins in last season as a possible solution to the problems they were having but he seems to have just compounded them farther this year.  He has coaching experience as an assistiant coach in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization and as a head coach for their farm team the Toronto Marlies. But he has lacked the tools and experience to help this young squad in Edmonton it seems, and keeps spouting the same points over and over of what this team needs to do.
Before every game and after every game it's always the same thing over and over.  "We need to stick to our game plan and play with heart and good things will happen." " We were really close tonight and things just didn't go our way but there was improvement."
You could probably run most of his pre and post game interviews and hear exactly that in 60% of them.
He is probably a very emotional man, but doesn't show it on the bench from what I have seen, and with a team like this, I think he needs to start showing he actually gives a s**t.  Not just swallowing another loss and moving things along. Get mad, get upset and yell a bit.  Don't just brush your nicely sculpted hair to the side and swallow it. Do something.
The players show some emotion out there but not a lot.  It looks like status quo when things go South for them.
I don't know what it is like in the dressing room with him and I never will, but to take this team to a level they can be decent at, things have to change.  Things have to change in line ups, practices, attitudes and everything else that encompasses this losing way.  And it has to start from the top.  The plan hasn't worked this far, what makes you think it will work at all? Change it.

Speaking of change, the Oilers have made a few changes from last season to this season. But not in the areas that many thought they would.
Many said that they needed a bunch of help down the middle and on the back end, and MacTavish went out and got a few pieces but not a lot and got them with a very high price tag.
He did however trade for two very good goal tenders who are a step up from where they were at the beginning of last season.
Some of the moves made though are head scratchers.  Nikita Nikitin for 2 years at 4.5 million??  Really?  Is he that good he should make that much?  I don't think so.  Did Teddy Purcell really deserve a pay bump from 2.375 mil to 4.5 million?  I doubt it.  Same thing with Benoit Pouliot.  Is he worth a raise from 1.3 mil to 4 million for 5 years?? Highly unlikely.
So you see it seems the Oilers are overpaying average hockey players as if they are the answer to the issue. But the Oilers fan base is waaay smarter than that.  They know a good product when they see it and they know pretty much what that product should be worth.  Don't try and baffle them into thinking you are paying for a superstar when you know you may get a 45 point season out of a guy at 4.5 million.  It's just rediculous. No wonder Oilers fans are so upset with this team.

So what is left for the management to do? 
I think they need help on the back end to help the goalies out and have a true stay at home D-man who is calm and can slow the game down to where the Oilers want it. Not where the opponent says they want it. But to get a player like that chances are they will have to give something valuable up in return.  What pieces are the Oilers willing to give up for that component. 
Another area they need help is down the middle.  With centers like RNH, Arcobello, Draisaitl and Gordon in the line up, you can see just how bad they need help. Again though what would they have to give up? Picks? Prospects? Or one of their young players?
I think to get a decent deal together for a true center and a stay at home d-man, they would probably have to package something with one, two or all of the above.  According to capgeek.com there is only one player on the Oilers roster with a NMC (no movement clause) in his contract and that is their captain Andrew Ference.  So potentially anyone on their roster is available, but not really. Because we all know that Hall, RNH and Eberle are probably not going to be dangled like a worm in a pond. But there is that potential that they could be.

So back to the main question. What do the Edmonton Oilers need to do to turn things around?
I think they give Dallas Eakins his walking papers and cut ties with him.  Put MacT on a short leash and give him a final warning or he's gone too.
Hire a coach the likes of Bylsma or somewhere along those lines. Someone who the players will listen to and buy into the system.
And maybe make a trade for those missing pieces.  Yes you may have to lose a young talent like a Yakupov (who has been one of the better Oilers players the last 2 games) or a prospect like a Greg Chase or Martin Gernat but that's the cost of doing business.  Takes money to make money is what they always say.  And for the Oilers to make anything they will have to change a lot.

What do you think the Edmonton Oilers are going to have to do to right their ship?
Let me know in the comments section.
Until next time.

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