The Nikita Nikitin Mess

So here we are. On the verge of the quarter pole mark of the2013-14 National Hockey League season and the Edmonton Oilers find themselves in their usual spot at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. 
Despite having shown signs of marginal improvement in certain aspects of their game, it has essentially made zero difference when it comes to the win column. 

Time to get busy

With the NHL Trade Deadline less than two weeks away, one can’t help but wonder how many players will ultimately find their way off the Edmonton Oilers roster. While the names of Sam Gagner, Ales Hemsky and Nick Schultz continue to make the rounds in rumour mills across the league, there are a number of other players who general manager Craig MacTavish could send packing prior to the March 5th deadline.

Fedun is knocking on the door

For defenceman Taylor Fedun the 2013-14 season has already been one he won’t soon forget.While the twenty-five year old struggled to find his game for much of the 2012-13 campaign with the Oklahoma City Barons, no one should have really been surprised.

It pays to know Dallas Eakins

Another day and another deal involving the Edmonton Oilers and a player who had previously been coached by Dallas Eakins during his time as the Toronto Marlies bench boss. First came the free agent signings of Will Acton and Ryan Hamilton, then the trade for goaltender Ben Scrivens and today we saw the arrival of Toronto Maple Leafs blueliner Mark Fraser in exchange for the rights to Teemu Hartikainen and minor leaguer Cameron Abney.

Make that seven straight!!!

What can you say that hasn’t already been said about the Edmonton Oilers during the 2013-14 season. As the losses continue to pile up, one can’t help but wonder just how bad this might get for Dallas Eakins' crew.

Not even close

When the Edmonton Oilers managed to pull off their surprising come from behind win over Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night, everyone knew Sunday’s tilt with the Chicago Blackhawks was going to be even tougher.

RNH to the rescue!!!

Fans of the Edmonton Oilers have been waiting for last night’s edition of this roster to show up all season long. While much of the 2013-14 campaign has been nothing more than a bad dream that simply refuses to end, Friday’s 4-3 overtime victory over Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins was quite literally a perfect storm.

Finally....it's over!!!

Should any of us have really been surprised? Watching the Edmonton Oilers blow another late third period lead and eventually drop a 4-3 overtime decision to the Phoenix Coyotes seemed to be the perfect way for this group to end what has been a rather tumultuous 2013 calendar year.

Costly mistake

Saturday night’s 4-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers marked the midway point of the Edmonton Oilers 2013-14 campaign. Forty-one games are now in the books and the Oilers sit in the basement of the Western Conference with a 13-24-4 record, good enough for 29th spot in the NHL’s overall standings.

Anyone else up for an 82 game road trip?

Last night’s 6-2 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes pretty much summed up the Edmonton Oilers 2013-14 season. As per usual, they put in a decent effort on home ice but yet again, played with zero energy or urgency in their game.

Could Phaneuf be the Oilers man?

There is no questioning what is currently the biggest issue with the Edmonton Oilers. Above all else, their lack of a legitimate top pairing NHL defenceman is painfully obvious. They have some very nice pieces already in place, see Jeff Petry, Justin Schultz and Anton Belov, with the likes of Oscar Klefbom and Darnell Nurse waiting in the wings.

Make it seven of eight, as Oilers lose in Philly

It was an afternoon battle between two of the league's most disappointing teams and one that would finally see the offensively challenged Philadelphia Flyers find their scoring touch. A pair of third period markers from Claude Giroux and Vincent Lecavalier proved to be too much for Dallas Eakins's side to overcome, falling for the seventh time in eight games, this time by a score of  4-2.

Smid sent packing in questionable move by MacT

Hate to say I told you so but you could see this one coming from a mile away. Just under three weeks ago, I wrote a piece on Edmonton Oilers blueliner Ladislav Smid apparently not being a guy that head coach Dallas Eakins had much confidence in using as a top four defenceman.

Time for Mr. Eakins to change the look of his backend

While the results haven't been what either fans or the organization were hoping for, there is no question Craig MacTavish tried to upgrade the Edmonton Oilers blueline during this past off-season. It was no real surprise that he fell short of acquiring a legitimate top pairing defenceman but he did manage to bring in better players.

Bachman does what a goalie should do but Oilers still lose

It was a night in which a battered and bruised Edmonton Oilers lineup had next to nothing left in the gas tank but still found a way to walk out of the Staples Centre with a point they had absolutely no right having. On the strength of a 47 save performance from call up Richard Bachman, the Oilers managed to head home with at least one point from their weekend road trip, after falling 2-1 to the Los Angeles Kings in a shootout.

Is Laddy Smid in Eakins long term plans?

So what gives? Nine games into the 2013-14 campaign and Ladislav Smid has become almost an afterthought along the Edmonton Oilers blueline. The rugged Czech defender has somewhat struggled to start the year and appears to have fallen out of favour with head coach Dallas Eakins.

2013-14 Preview: Belov is a wild card

He may have arrived late to the Edmonton Oilers training camp due to visa issues but defenceman Anton Belov has done nothing but impress since his arrival to the Alberta capital. In just under two weeks, the talented Russian has already shown enough to cement himself a spot inside the top six and don’t be surprised to see him push for a bigger role as the year progresses.

Pitlick and Belov impress in win over Jets

On a night in which the Edmonton Oilers did not dress the majority of their core forward group, the likes of Will Acton, Jesse Joensuu and Tyler Pitlick used the opportunity to send a message to head coach Dallas Eakins. Second period goals from Acton and Joensuu proved to be all the Oilers would need, as they reeled off their third consecutive preseason win, edging the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 2-1.

2013-14 Preview: Grebeshkov will be Grebeshkov

Denis Grebeshkov is one of those players that generally splits a teams fan base. There are those that love the puck moving abilities that the talented Russian defenceman brings to the table and than there are those that could do without watching the mind numbing turnovers and questionable on ice decisions.

Will Klefbom start in the NHL or AHL?

Ever since being selected with the 19th pick of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Oscar Klefbom was anointed as the next great Edmonton Oilers defenceman. While we have seen our fair share of talented blueliners come through town over the years, one could easily make the argument that current assistant coach Steve Smith was the last high end defenceman this organization actually drafted and developed. To put that into perspective, the Oilers grabbed Smith in the sixth round, 111th overall, of the 1981 Draft.