Oilers Say Thanks But No Thanks

These are curious times for the Edmonton Oilers. With Darnell Nurse not yet ready to return to the lineup, Matt Benning headed to the IR list and Kris Russell banged up, the organization was forced into making an internal move to help address their current situation. Instead of making the obvious move of recalling veteran rearguard Mark Fayne and one of Jordan Oesterle or Griffin Reinhart, the club decided to go with the two youngsters in their time of need. So what’s up?

The Oesterle - Reinhart Duo

Reading too much into what a player does or doesn’t do during the final weeks of an NHL season for a team playing out the string is, more often than not, a pointless exercise. Different guys react in different ways to taking part in meaningless games and in some cases, it can be a dangerous time for organizations. The Edmonton Oilers find themselves in that very situation when it comes to a pair of young defensemen in Jordan Oesterle and Griffin Reinhart. 

Adjusting Expectations

It is no secret that a good chunk of the Edmonton Oilers fan base was not overly pleased with the organization’s decision to part with a first and second round pick at last summer’s Entry Draft in order to acquire defenceman Griffin Reinhart from the New York Islanders. To make matters worse, Peter Chiarelli decided to try to sell the former Edmonton Oil Kings captain as an NHL ready prospect after pulling the trigger on the deal and not surprisingly, it has led to the 22-year old becoming a whipping boy of sorts in this neck of the woods. 

The Reconstruction Continues

It has been roughly nine months since the Edmonton Oilers decided to hand the title of general manager to Peter Chiarelli. While the expectation was for the 51-year old to come in and help clean up an organization that had been spinning its wheels for the better part of a decade, everyone knew there wasn’t going to be a quick fix. In inheriting the roster he did, this was always going to be about the 2016-17 season and beyond and not the here and now. 

The Emergence of Brandon Davidson

Edmonton Oilers defenceman Brandon Davidson was in a bit of a tough spot heading into training camp. In order for the 24-year old to start the year in the NHL, he needed to make enough of an impression on head coach Todd McLellan to slot him above two of Mark Fayne, Andrew Ference, Oscar Klefbom, Nikita Nikitin, Darnell Nurse, Griffin Reinhart, Justin Schultz and Andrej Sekera. To his credit, he accomplished exactly that and has not looked back since. 

Andrej Sekera and the Edmonton Oilers

It’s no secret that fans of the Edmonton Oilers have had little to cheer about since watching their team reach the 2006 Stanley Cup Final. With that said, most were hoping things would take a turn for the better under the guidance of Bob Nicholson, Peter Chiarelli and Todd McLellan. Unfortunately, those who were hoping for a turnaround overnight have been disappointed with the start of the 2015-16 season. 

Finding The Right Role For Mark Fayne

On a night in which the Edmonton Oilers spotted the Calgary Flames multiple two-goal leads but still found a way to get themselves back into a game they really had no business being in, Cam Talbot picked the worst possible moment to cough up an absolute stinker of a game-winner. While the Flames Michael Frolik may have been the star of the show, with as ugly a three-goal effort as anyone has witnessed in some time, it was the Oilers starting netminder who ended up with the spotlight squarely on him in what was a rather disheartening 5-4 loss. 

Sending The Wrong Message

The Edmonton Oilers are now ten games into their 2015-16 schedule and find themselves with a 3-7 record. While there were those who were expecting more from this group, they have actually started to show signs of meaningful improvement. Regrettably, it has not led to more wins and much of that can be attributed to the lack of quality players on their defence. 

An Easy Decision

While the odds may have been stacked against Darnell Nurse making the Edmonton Oilers' opening night roster against the St. Louis Blues, it really was only a matter of time before the 2013 seventh overall pick would find his way onto this blue line in 2015-16. However, no one likely expected to see him back in the fold so quickly. 

Game 1 - A Solid Showing

On night in which Edmonton Oilers centre Connor McDavid made his long-awaited NHL debut, it was a childhood friend of the 2015 first overall pick who stole the spotlight in yesterday’s showdown with the St. Louis Blues. Fellow rookie Robby Fabbri scored what proved to be the eventual game-winner midway through the third period, as the Oilers dropped their season opener 3-1 to the reigning Central Division winners. 

Growing Pains

With the Edmonton Oilers mere days away from starting their 2015-16 schedule, the organization finally pulled the plug on the Nikita Nikitin experiment. While you can bet management was hoping the veteran blueliner would rebound from what was a disastrous first season in Oilers silks, Peter Chiarelli and company wasted little time in recognizing the situation for what it was.

Growing Pains Along The Blueline

It may not be what fans of the Edmonton Oilers want to hear, but chances are Peter Chiarelli is done upgrading his blueline for the 2015-16 campaign. While many appear to still be holding out hope on the pipe dream of acquiring Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Brent Seabrook, it looks as though Todd McClellan has a pretty good idea of what he will be given to work with during his first year behind the Oilers bench. 

The Times They Are A Changin'

It has been quite some time since the Edmonton Oilers were a major player in the free agent market. That all changed on Wednesday morning. Peter Chiarelli decided to go big game hunting and came away with defenceman Andrej Sekera for his troubles. While it didn’t come cheaply, a six-year deal that will see the veteran rearguard earn $33 million, it was the sort of move this organization desperately needed to make.

Adding More Depth For The Future

Heading into last night’s 2015 NHL Entry Draft, it was a foregone conclusion who the Edmonton Oilers would be selecting with the first overall pick. Calling out the name of Connor McDavid was not only predictable but also the easy part of the evening for Peter Chiarelli. While the Oilers general manager was a fairly busy man, throwing his hat in the ring on more than a few potential trade fronts, it was the deal he made that ultimately took many  by surprise.

Drafting Aaron Ekblad

There is no question that the Edmonton Oilers greatest area of organizational need is at centre ice. 
Outside of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and the polarizing figure that has become Sam Gagner, the Oilers cupboards are completely bare when it comes to options down the middle of the rink. 

Time to be bold!!!

With the NHL Entry Draft roughly three weeks away, fans of the Edmonton Oilers appear to be split on who the club should grab with the third overall selection. In a perfect world they would love to have Aaron Ekblad fall into their lap but the chances of the Barrie Colts defenceman still being around appear to be slim and none. 

Your 2014 Memorial Cup Champions!!!

Hate to say I told you so but after watching the Edmonton Oil Kings get by the Val-d’Or Foreurs in the fashion they did to reach the 2014 MasterCard Memorial Cup Final, you just got the sense this group of kids would not be denied.

Oil Kings: One win away

To say the Edmonton Oil Kings have had a rather eventful week in reaching the 2014 Memorial Cup Final would be understatement. After opening the tournament with a disappointing 5-2 loss at the hands of the Guelph Storm, everyone inside their dressing knew reaching Sunday’s finale wasn’t going to be easy.

How Predictable

When NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly opened up the final envelope of the 2014 Draft Lottery and pulled out the card of the Florida Panthers, all I could do was shake my head. Through eighty-one games, the Edmonton Oilers sat 29th in the overall standings, one point ahead of the Panthers.

Ehrhoff and Stewart...yes please

In a perfect world, the Edmonton Oilers would walk away from the 2014 NHL Entry Draft with defenceman Aaron Ekblad in their back pocket. As of this moment, they sit 29^th in league standings and are just three points ahead of the last place Buffalo Sabres. While the Sabres have won two straight since the Olympic break, they have already started to deplete their roster via trade.