The Importance of Klefbom and Larsson

At the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, the Edmonton Oilers felt they had secured a pair of key pieces in their rebuild with the selections of Swedish forwards Magnus Paajarvi and Anton Lander. While both were expected to develop into productive NHL players, neither one managed to live up to their advanced billing. Ironically enough, the organization went out and found another pair of fellow countrymen to fill a need but this time around the duo of Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson have delivered on their promise.

Time To Celebrate

In our day to day existence, eleven years is a long time to go without something. In the world of sports, such a timeframe can feel like an eternity…just ask any fan of the Edmonton Oilers. As memorable as watching their team’s run to the 2006 Stanley Cup Final might have been, going a decade plus between playoff appearances was never supposed to be part of the equation. Certainly, a tough road to haul for all involved but one that is mercifully about to come to an end. 

Staying The Course

It is next to impossible to go out and find an NHL coach who doesn’t make his share of bad decisions over the course of a season. No matter who we are talking about, mistakes are going to be made. In a campaign that has seen little go wrong for the Edmonton Oilers, very few of Todd McLellan missteps have come back to bite him or his team. However, the decision to start Cam Talbot against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night could potentially prove problematic. 

Oilers Sitting Pretty

In a year in which the Edmonton Oilers were looked upon as being a team with nothing more than a “decent shot” of ending their decade-long absence from the NHL Playoffs, they are on the verge of potentially doing much more. With ten games remaining on their schedule, this club has not only earned its way back into the post-season but also given itself a legitimate shot at taking a run at the Pacific Division crown.