Don't Look At The Old Boys Club

To suggest the past thirteen years have been rough on the Edmonton Oilers organization is about as big of an understatement as one could make. Their record over said time period speaks for itself and has directly led to certain “narratives” surrounding the team on an on0going basis. Most notably, the perception of the “Old Boys Club” running the show but that simply hasn’t been the case since the summer of 2015. 

Oilers History: Captain Lee

As we all saw during this summer’s NHL Expansion Draft, there is no guarantee a club will net a player or players who are likely to make a meaningful impact on the franchise. Though we will have to wait and see how things play out for the Vegas Golden Knights, history tells us the Edmonton Oilers picked up such a player back in 1979, when they used their second pick to select defenceman Lee Fogolin from the Buffalo Sabres.

RIP Dave Semenko

For a certain vintage of Edmonton Oilers fan, the name Dave Semenko has and always will hold a special place in their hearts.  With that said, no one held the former second-round pick in higher regard than the men who played with him during his time in the Alberta capital. Not surprisingly, all of Oil Country was taken aback by Thursday morning’s stunning announcement of his sudden passing, after he lost his battle with cancer at the age of 59.

Is The Curse Really A Thing?

For a team that has won three NHL Draft Lotteries over the past six years, one which ultimately landed them the league’s next great player in Connor McDavid, suggesting the Edmonton Oilers organization may be cursed seems a tad ridiculous. While luck has clearly been on their side when it comes to draft placement, they are at the complete opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to losing key contributors to injury for an extended period of time.

Offer Sheets

Over the last number years, it has almost become an annual tradition for fans of the Edmonton Oilers to concoct a list of potential restricted free agents for the organization to target by going the route of the always popular offer sheet.  During each and every one of those occasions, there has always been a so-called primary target and this year that appears to be Boston Bruins blueliner Dougie Hamilton.

Get Ready For Something Bold!!!

While it would be next to impossible to view the removal of Kevin Lowe and Craig MacTavish from their positions within the Edmonton Oilers organization as a questionable decision, Friday’s announcement that both would be relieved of their duties effective immediately was still rather shocking. 

These Guys Need Your Help

There is no question fans of the Edmonton Oilers have every right to be pissed with how things have gone to start the 2014-15 NHL campaign. After suffering through eight consecutive seasons with no playoffs and coming off a year that was arguably the most disappointing of all, sitting with a 6-12-2 mark at the quarter pole on the year is simply unacceptable. 

Could this finally be it?

Prior to the start of the 2008-09 season, the Edmonton Oilers organization decided to add former captain Kelly Buchberger to their NHL staff as an assistant coach. After working at his craft for the previous four seasons as an assistant with the now defunct Edmonton Road Runners, an organizational developmental coach and the head coach of the Springfield Falcons in 2007-08, the time had come for the fan favourite to get his chance in “The Show”.

Fans are rightfully pissed but let's not get carried away

Edmonton Oilers fans can certainly be a funny bunch. No one would ever question their passion for their hockey team but at times, some of those fans have been known to take on a bit of a pack mentality. Be it with certain players or management personnel, they can certainly make life fairly uncomfortable for whoever their target might be.

There is no way this team, should be this bad

There are those who feel the Edmonton Oilers organization is generally given a free ride by local sports media. With that said, many across Oil Country were thrilled to see Edmonton Sun columnist Terry Jones take a run at the likes of President Kevin Lowe and owner Daryl Katz in his Monday morning piece - “Oilers Should Wear It”.

Oilers History: Gretzky Trade marked the end of an era in Edmonton and the NHL

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the day the Edmonton Oilers decided to trade Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings. To this day, most refer to it as a sale as opposed to trade but in the end, the distinction really doesn't matter. Regardless of how or why, trading away the greatest player in the history of team sports, signalled the end of the line for one of the finest groups of players to have ever been assembled.

Horcoff leaves town with head held high

Edmonton Oilers captain Shawn Horcoff will have a new home at some point on Friday morning. Word is the veteran centre has been traded to the Dallas Stars, in exchange for a 2016 seventh round pick and defenceman Philip Larsen. Not exactly a king's ransom but a return which should have been expected, considering the Stars agreed to taken on his entire $5.5 million cap hit, for the next two seasons.

Johansen could wind up being the Oilers eventual target

With the 2013 NHL Entry Draft just around the corner, the Edmonton Oilers organization are about to embark on an important time in this club's immediate future. Come June 30th, general manager Craig MacTavish will have some very tough decisions to make. In the minds of most, the Oilers GM will have four options at his disposal.

Eakins will be on the hot seat, as the Oilers new head coach

Craig MacTavish made the worst kept secret in hockey official on Monday afternoon, naming Dallas Eakins as the new head coach of the Edmonton Oilers. Eakins and the Oilers agreed to a four year pact, which will see the former Toronto Marlies bench boss take over a team that has now missed the NHL playoffs for the seven consecutive seasons.

Krueger is not the problem

Saying the Edmonton Oilers have hit the skids down stretch, would be putting it nicely. Since grabbing hold of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference back on April 3rd, this team has become completely unglued . They have posted a staggering 1-9 mark over their last ten and once again find themselves battling for the right to select first at this summer's NHL Entry Draft.

Oilers fans are less than thrilled with Kevin Lowe

With the Edmonton Oilers recent history being what it is, Kevin Lowe was basically in a no-win situation on Monday morning. After watching the team suffer through a late season collapse, that has all but guaranteed this franchise missing the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season, the majority of fans wanted to see major change within the organization.

MacTavish in, Tambellini out as Oilers General Manager

Apparently losing to a Calgary Flames side which dressed six American Hockey League players on Saturday night against the Edmonton Oilers, was the final straw. After watching this team lose five consecutive games, when it mattered most and hearing the masses screaming for change, President of Hockey Operations Kevin Lowe and Owner Daryl Katz had seen enough.

Step Taken: Oilers Playing Meaningful Games

Heading into the 2013 NHL season, the plan for the Edmonton Oilers was to take that next step in their re-build. In some minds, that meant a post-season berth. In others, a marked improvement on their 30th, 30th and 29th place finishes would have been more than enough.

Dustin Penner and the Oilers are a perfect short term fit

Dustin Penner was arguably one of the most polarizing figures in the history of the Edmonton Oilers. There are those that will argue that he is as lazy player as you will find in the National Hockey League and could care less about anything other than his next pay cheque. While on the other hand, you have those that will go to their grave defending the value he brings to any team, fortunate enough, to have in their lineup.

Oilers would be foolish to not shakeup roster until the off-season

With the Edmonton Oilers in the midst of what has now become a yearly tradition of plummeting down the Western Conference standings. The vast majority of those in Oil Country are calling for the dismissal of one or all three of head coach Ralph Krueger, General Manager Steve Tambellini and President of Hockey Operations Kevin Lowe.