It is no secret the Edmonton Oilers will be looking to give their roster a new look over the coming months. While the organization could go in any number of directions when it comes to addressing their lineup, a potential swap with the Colorado Avalanche could be something worth exploring. With defenceman Tyson Barrie about to receive a massive hike in pay via restricted free agency this summer and Matt Duchene no longer an untouchable piece of the puzzle, Peter Chiarelli would be nuts to not give Joe Sakic a call and talk a little shop leading up to the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
In a perfect world, fans of the Edmonton Oilers would love nothing more than to have their general manager go big game hunting this summer and come back with one of Erik Karlsson or P.K. Subban in his back pocket. Unfortunately, the chances of Peter Chiarelli pulling off such a move with either the Ottawa Senators or Montreal Canadiens are likely next to non-existent and could ultimately lead to him parting with a piece he probably has no real interest in moving in order to improve his backend.
When it comes to sports, there is no question that the belief an individual and/or team has in their own abilities to achieve their goal plays a part in how successful they will ultimately be. The Edmonton Oilers have demonstrated how a lack of confidence and self-doubt can result in a team continually spinning their wheels over the course of multiple seasons and in the minds of some, it has led to a “losing culture” apparently becoming an acceptable way of life for players inside their dressing room.
So we are finally here. After playing out the string for the better part of the past three and a half months, the Edmonton Oilers 2015-16 campaign finally came to an end on Saturday evening in Vancouver. While no one has any complaints with what we saw from Todd McLellan’s side during last night’s finale, an entertaining 4-3 shootout loss to the Canucks, a 29th place finish in the overall standings was not exactly what Peter Chiarelli had in mind for his first year at the helm of the organization.
