Forgiving No. 44

Despite the 2015-16 season not playing out in the fashion they had hoped, fans of the Edmonton Oilers have always had next week’s home-ice finale circled on their calendars. As we all know, Wednesday’s tilt with the Vancouver Canucks will be the last NHL game to be played at Rexall Place and not surprisingly, it is a pretty big deal in this neck of the woods. While there will be a ton of alumni on hand for the festivities, it is a group which will likely not include one of the best players to have ever worn an Oilers uniform in Hall of Fame defenceman Chris Pronger. 

Something Special From No. 97

With three games left in their season, the Edmonton Oilers are on the verge completing what has been yet another disappointing campaign. While nothing can take away the sting of losing, being able to watch Connor McDavid do his thing on a nightly basis has likely helped soften the blow for all of Oilers Nation. Funny thing is, as good as No. 97 has looked during the first 42-games of his career, all signs are pointing to this kid seizing the moment and closing out his rookie season with a special performance. 

Could Maple Leafs and Oilers Rebuild Mirror One Another?

Going through the process of doing a full rebuild is something few NHL organizations are willing to do. Contrary to popular belief, it is not an easy process and if things don’t break the right way, a franchise could find themselves spinning their wheels for the better part of a decade. The Edmonton Oilers have been living that nightmare for the past six years and in the process, have become the butt of one poorly executed joke after another because of their inability to get this franchise moving in the right direction. 

Maroon Time

Yesterday was one of those days for the Edmonton Oilers. The latest chapter in the Nail Yakupov saga coupled with the red-hot Anaheim Ducks paying their final visit to Rexall Place played out in the exact fashion one might expect.  While the noise surrounding the former first-overall pick’s trade request, another loss to a Western Conference powerhouse and some iffy officiating grabbed all the headlines, Todd McLellan’s long-term vision for winger Patrick Maroon went mostly unnoticed.

Parting Ways

It wasn’t supposed to go like this. After having the good fortune of winning the 2012 NHL Draft Lottery, theEdmonton Oilers used their third consecutive No. 1 pick to select Sarina Sting forward Nail Yakupov. With fellow first overall selections Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins already in the mix, adding the talented Russian to the equation looked to be a move that would eventually help put the Oilers rebuild over the top. Unfortunately, that is not how things have played out and we are now on the verge of watching the two sides part ways after just four seasons together. 

Resisting Temptation

When it comes to targeting players that are headed for unrestricted free agency this summer, Edmonton Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli has likely put together a list of names he will take a serious run at signing on the open market. While the focus will be on improving the Oilers backend, you can bet the Ottawa native will throw his hat in the proverbial ring in hopes of acquiring veteran forward Milan Lucic, should the 27-year old and Los Angeles Kings fail to come to an agreement on an extension over the coming months.