Anton Lander

Of all the Edmonton Oilers draft picks who have failed to meet expectations over the last number of years, the two that likely stand out above all the rest are Magnus Paajarvi and Anton Lander. While the ninth of overall pick of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft has been unable to find his way since been shipped off to the St. Louis Blues in the summer of 2013, it is the play of his good friend that has many an Oilers fan scratching their head. 

Positive Signs

On an evening in which the Edmonton Oilers put together one of their finest all around performances of the season and managed to score three goals for the first time in the month of December, it was still not enough to keep this group from dropping their sixth consecutive game.

Not Good Enough

For those who were hoping to see some sort of positive response from the Edmonton Oilers in their first game after the dismissal of former head coach Dallas Eakins, last night’s 2-1 overtime loss to the Arizona Coyotes probably wasn’t how things were supposed to play out. 

Finally!!!

Heading into the 2014-15 season, Dallas Eakins was walking a very fine line. While no one within the organization was publicly talking about this team as one that “absolutely had to make the playoffs”, there was no doubt the Edmonton Oilers needed to show real signs of improvement after taking a major step backwards in 2013-14. 

Where Have All The Goals Gone?

For all the bitching and moaning we have heard about the Edmonton Oilers unwillingness to play the game the “right way” over the last couple of seasons, this group’s inability to put pucks into the back of the opposing team’s net remains its biggest problem. 

Are They Really This Bad?

At this point, what can be said about the Edmonton Oilers that hasn’t already been said countless times over the last number of years? With a roster that is simply not good enough to compete on a nightly basis in the National Hockey League, this group clearly does not have the mental makeup to try and at least make something out of what has truly become a new low point in franchise history.