my 2 cents

u have too many of the same player.

RNH
Hall
Eberle
Yakupov
Gagne

these guys are all highly talented players, who can pass, shoot, score and rack up points. none of them are overly strong along the boards, physically strong infront of the net, or incredible 2 way players.

a bit of a variety pack of players helps fill all roles, so yes, time is needed, but so is a shake up. if you can move a quality forward for a good stay at home D man and a strong winger who can win battles in the corners and or stand infront of the net and make it hell.

goaltending isnt exactly strong, but D.B. isnt that bad cmon..the team needs to play better, but the tending also needs to be more consistent.

id consider moving one of the players i posted above to see if you can get some of your needs.
- big_dion

You forgot Hemsky... and it's Gagner not Gagne.

As a former season ticket holder in Edmonton from 2007 to 2012 , I felt your pain and unfortunately still do. I think Oilers management and most of the fans felt like success was sure to come with all of the high draft picks that were assembled over the years. Now we are all seeing that it is of equal or even more importance to surround those high draft picks with quality , hard working NHL veterans. This is one area where the Oil have failed terribly in the past 5 years. There defense and goaltending are still horrible and they need to do whatever it takes to rectify this problem. I am afraid if they don't show vast improvement very soon , you will see Hall , the Nuge and others want out of Edmonton ASAP.

You forgot Hemskey... and it's Gagner not Gagne.
- dshiddy

true, and spelling yeah that was wrong, but you knew what i meant so i dont think it was worth commenting on.

Not sure how much more I can take. I've been as patient as any fan but this is just....
- TheTaoOfSemenko

There is no reason for this $hit show of a season.

As a former season ticket holder in Edmonton from 2007 to 2012 , I felt your pain and unfortunately still do. I think Oilers management and most of the fans felt like success was sure to come with all of the high draft picks that were assembled over the years. Now we are all seeing that it is of equal or even more importance to surround those high draft picks with quality , hard working NHL veterans. This is one area where the Oil have failed terribly in the past 5 years. There defense and goaltending are still horrible and they need to do whatever it takes to rectify this problem. I am afraid if they don't show vast improvement very soon , you will see Hall , the Nuge and others want out of Edmonton ASAP.
- HawkfaninBC

pretty sure they are all signed but yak. -long term.

There is no reason for this $hit show of a season.
- Reveen

if you look at your D signed for next year, there is only 2 of them, and they are both pretty decent.

id say this is the year/off season to make it happen.

if you look at your D signed for next year, there is only 2 of them, and they are both pretty decent.

id say this is the year/off season to make it happen.
- big_dion

Waiting til the off-season might lead to an exodus of players not wanting to be here anymore.

pretty sure they are all signed but yak. -long term.
- big_dion

You're right they are, but players sometimes ask to be traded when they feel cornered or a sense of hopelessness.

Goes back to the Gretzky/Messier/Fuhr/Anderson/Kurri era. Always liked the style of play much more than the grind it out New Jersey style of play.

But you have to have enough skill to pull it off, and right now it's just not there yet for the Oilers
- Rang

I'd like to thank you for having enough common sense and logic. It's a nice change from 90% of the typical leafs fans that come through here and most people experience.

since I moved to toronto, I've slowly enjoyed watching them improve, please I also really like the white and green ball caps the leafs have!

if you look at your D signed for next year, there is only 2 of them, and they are both pretty decent.

id say this is the year/off season to make it happen.
- big_dion

Why wait.... It's clear something isn't working.

Waiting til the off-season might lead to an exodus of players not wanting to be here anymore.
- Lahey

You complete me

That's all I got.....
- Iggysbff

Why wait.... It's clear something isn't working.
- Reveen

u guys love hall in EDM

so keep him, maybe move eberle then, his value is high and you could surely fetch a forward who has some size and grit, and a good stay at home D man.

it sucks, but sometimes u gotta give to get.

unless u want to risk moving yak, you just dont know exactly what you have in the kid yet.

eberle is awesome.

Waiting til the off-season might lead to an exodus of players not wanting to be here anymore.
- Lahey

thats why this season may be the time to do it, lots of UFA/RFA's next year for the oil on D.

My deepest apologies if this has already been repeated by other Sabres fans like myself, but change the name "Oilers"in that column for "Sabres" and you are talking about our team.
That blog was well thought out and written so good i wish our ownership would feel this same pain you speak of because as outsiders running our organization they simply cannot understand our suffering. Bravo for someone finally writing a genuine, from the heart, blog that a lot of fans can relate to.

stupid comments from little pissants like you are getting tiring. I'm discussing my hockey team with my other Oilers friends. What is your purpose here? What is your motivation for making this comment? Find a mirror...look in it.
- JLO961

Discussing your team? Or just name-calling?

"and just imagine...as bad as things are, they are STILL less of a disappointment than the Canucks!

Most hated team in sports with the longest record of futility. Now THAT'S failure."

To me that sounds like ignorant, defensive whining. What's more important could be questions like: what's wrong with Eberle? I thought he would keep developing positively...but he seems stagnant. Or: is Justin Schultz going to be the player we thought? As offensively gifted as he is, he doesn't really help do much positive. Just so you know I'm not dumping on you, those are my 2 favourite Oilers that I'm sort of criticizing with questions.

u guys love hall in EDM

so keep him, maybe move eberle then, his value is high and you could surely fetch a forward who has some size and grit, and a good stay at home D man.

it sucks, but sometimes u gotta give to get.

unless u want to risk moving yak, you just dont know exactly what you have in the kid yet.

eberle is awesome.
- big_dion

Hall / Nuge / Ebs are the keepers. I would say Yak, 2014 1st and some of our defense prospects (not named Nurse) should be dangled to acquire what we need.

Hemsky and Smyth should be flushed.

Serious question. How has Belov been for you guys? I thought he looked decent in the game last night. Bigger than i expected and he laid some good hits on us.
And how has Ferrence been? He seemed invisible in the game, but hes a guy i wanted the Leafs to pick up.

my 2 cents

u have too many of the same player.

RNH
Hall
Eberle
Yakupov
Gagne

these guys are all highly talented players, who can pass, shoot, score and rack up points. none of them are overly strong along the boards, physically strong infront of the net, or incredible 2 way players.

a bit of a variety pack of players helps fill all roles, so yes, time is needed, but so is a shake up. if you can move a quality forward for a good stay at home D man and a strong winger who can win battles in the corners and or stand infront of the net and make it hell.

goaltending isnt exactly strong, but D.B. isnt that bad cmon..the team needs to play better, but the tending also needs to be more consistent.

id consider moving one of the players i posted above to see if you can get some of your needs.
- big_dion

Agreed Bubba 100%.
The problem is that Oiler fans have fallen in love with theses players and are unwilling to trade them. The truth is that the "Best LW in the NhL + one of the smartest , most talented Young Centers in the NHl + one of the slickest snipers in the NHL+ a young veteran Center loaded with heart + a future 40 goal scoring RW = an absolute garbage team.

Ryan Garner: Assessing a Bad Relationship: Leafs Rout Oilers
- Ryan Garner

Great blog.

(It's all so personally fitting too, was just back in Edmonton for my Grandma's funeral and the dating life for me lately can be a heart wrencher).

Atta boy RG.

Agreed Bubba 100%.
The problem is that Oiler fans have fallen in love with theses players and are unwilling to trade them. The truth is that the "Best LW in the NhL + one of the smartest , most talented Young Centers in the NHl + one of the slickest snipers in the NHL+ a young veteran Center loaded with heart + a future 40 goal scoring RW = an absolute garbage team.
- Jeropotato

1 of these guys moved = power winger, stay at home D - both quality and young.

im sure u guys could get that return.

A friend of mine went fishing with Lowe this summer and asked him if the oilers were going to be good, Lowes response was "we are a long ways away".

Not trading hemsky, Gagner and yakupov were the biggest mistakes IMO.
- Scooby_Doo

I think that's a bit of revisionist history. After the season Yakupov had last year, there was no real consideration to trade him.

Hindsight is 20/20, not that I think yaks had no future here

Hall / Nuge / Ebs are the keepers. I would say Yak, 2014 1st and some of our defense prospects (not named Nurse) should be dangled to acquire what we need.

Hemsky and Smyth should be flushed.
- Reveen

Hemsky has been playing rather well I think. Smyth yeah we he...uuuumm...yeah...has a heart beat

Well we know its not the Coach the oilers have fired MackT Pat Quinn, Tom Renney, Kruger and now have Eakins none of the coaches worked.

That tells me its the players.

You have weak Golatending and Defense decent Offense but lack size and grit upfront.

It's really a simple fix with the Oilers trade for a Goalie and Defensive help.

The issue is Oilers brass doesn't want to pull the deal because they sold the fans on this rebuild. Why Kevin Lowe thought it would be a good idea to draft small forwards and not shore up the Goal-tending situation is beyond me.

If I'm MacT I Trade Eberle. He's small can score but his stock is still high.

Your not going to get anything for Yakupov right now, and Hall I believe can still be a franchise player.

Hemsky has been playing rather well I think. Smyth yeah we he...uuuumm...yeah...has a heart beat
- Yeti1181

Hemsky's skill set is redundant on this team.