Mission Accomplished

It appears as though Peter Chiarelli has decided to take the lead of some of his counterparts and get a jump-start on next week’s NHL Trade Deadline. After sending backup netminder Anders Nilsson to the St. Louis Blues earlier Saturday for a prospect and pick, the first year general manager wasted little time in moving what was arguably his only two real trading chips in forward Teddy Purcell and defenceman Justin Schultz. 

Time For Oesterle To Sink Or Swim

These are certainly interesting days in the world of the Edmonton Oilers. With the NHL Trade Deadline a week away and Todd McLellan’s crew buried in the Western Conference basement, the organization has decided to start the yearly routine of shifting  players back and forth between the big club and their AHL affiliate. While the decision to recall Nikita Nikitin prior to Saturday’s tilt with the Colorado Avalanche was nothing more than a last-ditch effort to convince teams across the league there was some gas left in the veteran rearguard’s tank, the call-up of defenceman Jordan Oesterle is the move that should interest fans across Oilers Nation. 

No Need To Try And Steal The Show

To suggest the trio of Bob Nicholson, Peter Chiarelli and Todd McLellan would be anything but disappointed with where the Edmonton Oilers currently sit in the overall NHL standings would be ridiculous. While no one within the organization’s hierarchy expected this year’s club to legitimately compete for a post-season berth, owning the worst record in the Western Conference with just 25 games left in the 2015-16 campaign was never supposed to be part of the equation. 

The NHL Waiver Wire

After ignoring repeated cries from his fan base to jump into the endless carousel that is the NHL waiver wire over the last number weeks, Edmonton Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli finally decided to give them something to talk about. In what was really nothing more than a “shot in the dark” sort of move, the Oilers claimed the well-traveled Adam Clendening from Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday morning in hopes of improving their paper-thin backend. 

2016 Edmonton Oilers Trade Bait

When the Edmonton Oilers return to action from their extended NHL All-Star break to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets on February 2, we will be just 27 days away from the 2016 NHL Trade Deadline. As of this moment, the Oilers sit in the basement of the Western Conference standings and find themselves 10 points out of the playoffs. Meaning they are once again facing the harsh reality of playing nothing but meaningless hockey over the final two months of their season. 

The Return of Justin Schultz

While it may be hard for a fraction of the fan base to accept, the Edmonton Oilers have actually missed not having Justin Schultz in their lineup. By the sounds of it the 25-year old is on the verge of making his return to action and if healthy, he will be a welcomed addition to this team’s backend. For the first time in ages, it looks as though the Oilers could potentially have three pairings in which there is no real black hole on their blue line. 

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. 

The Arrival of Mr. Darnell Nurse

While we may just be seven games into Darnell Nurse’s rookie season with the Edmonton Oilers, the talented blueliner has already managed to become of a fan favourite during his brief time in the NHL. Be it his ability to move the puck up ice, a willingness to engage in the physical side of the game, the exuberance he brings to the rink on a nightly basis or a combination of all three, whatever it is…it is clearly working. 

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. 

Giving Oscar A Helping Hand

The start of the 2015-16 season has been an interesting one for Edmonton Oilers defenceman Oscar Klefbom. After suffering an injury during training camp, the talented rearguard has struggled to find his game over the opening two and half weeks of the year. Unfortunately, the Oilers blueline is structured in such a way that it can ill-afford to have the 22-year old at anything but his very best. 

Power Play Success Or Bust

So here we are. Mere hours away from the start of another Edmonton Oilers season and hockey fans across Oilers Nation can barely contain themselves. While winning games during the 2015-16 campaign will still prove to be a challenge for this group, the addition of Connor McDavid has allowed the masses to focus on the future with renewed optimism. 

One More Year

Following another disappointing season in 2014-15, the writing appeared to be on the wall when it came to the Edmonton Oilers and Justin Schultz. Coming off a year in which the club failed to make any inroads in the Western Conference Standings and the player continued to struggle to find his way as an NHL defenceman, there was only two ways this situation was going to play out.

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. 

Potential Off-Season Target - Mike Green

While he may no longer be the 70-point player he once was, Mike Green is still an effective NHL defenceman. Yes he can occasionally be a bit of a train wreck in his own end of the rink, something which has plagued him throughout much of his ten year career, but few can run a power play as effectively as the two-time Norris Trophy nominee.

Trading Places

While fans of the Edmonton Oilers would love nothing more than for the organization to upgrade their roster prior to the start of the 2015-16 National Hockey League season, many would prefer if they could accomplish it without parting ways with fan favourite and former first overall pick Nail Yakupov.

Will Justin Schultz Still Be Here In 2015-16?

During his two plus years in charge of the Edmonton Oilers organization, Craig MacTavish had more than a few stumbles along the way. While the hiring of Dallas Eakins as his head coach arguably played the biggest role in his eventual dismissal as general manager, there were two comments he made during that time frame that frustrated this fan base until the very end of his tenure.

Does Martin Marincin Stay Or Go?

There is no doubt that Wednesday’s 4-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche will always hold a special place in the heart of Edmonton Oilers defenceman Martin Marincin. When a guy scores the first goal of his National Hockey League career, it generally tends to be one of those memorable moments.