That's a good point.

If Lowe was fired, who would replace him? And if we got someone (Ray Shero?), wouldn't he almost certainly want to bring in his own guy for GM? and wouldn't that GM almost certainly want to bring in their own coach? And wouldn't that new coach make a pretty severe appraisal of guys he might not be familiar with?

So now, even firing Lowe means a new GM and a new coach, and likely a few major trades. That could be good or be bad. Who knows?
- Morris

Or do we stay the course and hope as Eakins matures as a coach and MacT puts better players at his disposal that he can get this team to the edge of making the playoffs and then look at replacing the coach?

Or do we stay the course and hope as Eakins matures as a coach and MacT puts better players at his disposal that he can get this team to the edge of making the playoffs and then look at replacing the coach?
- Dangles13

Maybe best of both worlds is Lowe resigning and the Pres. role sitting vacant for a bit.

That's a good point.

If Lowe was fired, who would replace him? And if we got someone (Ray Shero?), wouldn't he almost certainly want to bring in his own guy for GM? and wouldn't that GM almost certainly want to bring in their own coach? And wouldn't that new coach make a pretty severe appraisal of guys he might not be familiar with?

So now, even firing Lowe means a new GM and a new coach, and likely a few major trades. That could be good or be bad. Who knows?
- Morris

That's the issue right now is that this thing is obviously not working, but it seems almost an impossible task to diagnose exactly why that is. To say the least I don't envy MacT.

Maybe best of both worlds is Lowe resigning and the Pres. role sitting vacant for a bit.
- Morris

I'm not sure what Lowe's day to day includes but maybe Katz can take over some and have an outsider come in as an adviser? Just throwing out an idea as I have no clue what happens in the head office.

Or do we stay the course and hope as Eakins matures as a coach and MacT puts better players at his disposal that he can get this team to the edge of making the playoffs and then look at replacing the coach?
- Dangles13

The sense I'm getting from the organization is that they seem willing to deal with whatever bumps there will be as far as Eakins development. It truly feels like this is there guy which is fine by me. A little consistency is a great start. It seems to me that we don't have he right mix of players on our team to accomplish what Eakins wants and that will be something MacT will need to address. Figure how who fits and who doesn't, then move out the ones who don't along with our other assets (prospects, picks) to acquire the personnel that they feel fit into the system.

In saying all that, it sure does seem as though it is getting tougher for MacT to make any moves without it being a total overpay.

I'm not sure what Lowe's day to day includes but maybe Katz can take over some and have an outsider come in as an adviser? Just throwing out an idea as I have no clue what happens in the head office.
- Dangles13

I think if Lowe is out than Nicholson has to be the guy to take over right? I mean the side he's on right now dealing with the brand and arena already has Laforge

The sense I'm getting from the organization is that they seem willing to deal with whatever bumps there will be as far as Eakins development. It truly feels like this is there guy which is fine by me. A little consistency is a great start. It seems to me that we don't have he right mix of players on our team to accomplish what Eakins wants and that will be something MacT will need to address. Figure how who fits and who doesn't, then move out the ones who don't along with our other assets (prospects, picks) to acquire the personnel that they feel fit into the system.

In saying all that, it sure does seem as though it is getting tougher for MacT to make any moves without it being a total overpay.
- MayorMcCheese

Hall keeps defending him and when Perron ripped the team it sounded like a lot of players making mistakes with Perron being upset with the lack of accountability. I don't know about Eakins but until he is given some NHL players to coach how do we know what he will be?

I think if Lowe is out than Nicholson has to be the guy to take over right? I mean the side he's on right now dealing with the brand and arena already has Laforge
- MayorMcCheese

It really seemed like they wanted to keep those two aspects of the business separate though.

Hall keeps defending him and when Perron ripped the team it sounded like a lot of players making mistakes with Perron being upset with the lack of accountability. I don't know about Eakins but until he is given some NHL players to coach how do we know what he will be?
- Dangles13

What if we did land Coburn for picks and picked up someone to slot in at 2C would our record be as bad as it is? I would think we would be a little better off. I don't totally agree with all of Eakins moves but I don't think there is a coach out there that I would 100%. At the end of the day I'm just a fan watching from the outside and don't know the inner workings of the team.

What if we did land Coburn for picks and picked up someone to slot in at 2C would our record be as bad as it is? I would think we would be a little better off. I don't totally agree with all of Eakins moves but I don't think there is a coach out there that I would 100%. At the end of the day I'm just a fan watching from the outside and don't know the inner workings of the team.
- MayorMcCheese

Bang on man. We don't know what happens at practice or in the training room, we don't know who listens and who doesn't.

I wonder if Philly would revisit the Coburn deal now. Their season is toast and our 2nd is pretty much a first, our 2nd next year might not be worth as much but we could make it conditional where if we make the playoffs it becomes a 1st.

We won't make it I know.

I think to a certain extent hockey talk still falls victim to a fallacious view of fandom.

Just because being an Oilers fan might make a person biased about matters concerning the Oilers, doesn't mean that someone who isn't an Oilers fan is speaking from anywhere near the authority simply because they're immune to that bias.

There are

homers who know a ton about their team,
homers who know very little,
evenhanded fans who know a ton,
evenhanded fans who know very little,
fans of other teams who know a ton about your team,
fans of other teams who know very little,
knowledgeable trolls who love to hate your team,
stupid trolls who love to hate your team.

And most of the time, someone is skirting the boundaries of a few of these categories. I have very little time with the "well you're just blinded by your oilers fandom" routine if it's not backed up by a solid argument. And to this guys credit, he made some pretty good points in this thread.
- Morris

My issue with him is:

Non-factual statements due to a lack of knowledge of the team;
His trolling the Oiler blogs previously.

and so coming in passing off the nonfactual statements as if fact just triggers a reaction in me that says that his previous reputation to just come in to troll is earned and at work again...all in the guise of "Honest Hockey Talk".

If he is not actually trolling and just misinformed then I am happy to see him come in and look for honest information, but I won't just assume he isn't trolling when his history shows he does troll the Oiler fanbase.

Bang on man. We don't know what happens at practice or in the training room, we don't know who listens and who doesn't.

I wonder if Philly would revisit the Coburn deal now. Their season is toast and our 2nd is pretty much a first, our 2nd next year might not be worth as much but we could make it conditional where if we make the playoffs it becomes a 1st.

We won't make it I know.
- Dangles13

I've always been curious what Philly actually wanted for Coburn that the 2 2nds weren't enough. I would think that would work. Even if it was our 2nd this year and Marincin for Coburn. Maybe they would want a more proven NHL player though?

I've always been curious what Philly actually wanted for Coburn that the 2 2nds weren't enough. I would think that would work. Even if it was our 2nd this year and Marincin for Coburn. Maybe they would want a more proven NHL player though?
- MayorMcCheese

They need cap relief so they probably wanted Klefbom or Marincin plus our 2nd. Might have been worth it in hindsight.

The sense I'm getting from the organization is that they seem willing to deal with whatever bumps there will be as far as Eakins development. It truly feels like this is there guy which is fine by me. A little consistency is a great start. It seems to me that we don't have he right mix of players on our team to accomplish what Eakins wants and that will be something MacT will need to address. Figure how who fits and who doesn't, then move out the ones who don't along with our other assets (prospects, picks) to acquire the personnel that they feel fit into the system.

In saying all that, it sure does seem as though it is getting tougher for MacT to make any moves without it being a total overpay.
- MayorMcCheese

+1

They need cap relief so they probably wanted Klefbom or Marincin plus our 2nd. Might have been worth it in hindsight.
- Dangles13

Yeah especially considering how this year is playing out for Marincin. Not really too sure what's going on with that. But I gotta believe that whatever the asking price it has probably gone up considering the start we've had this year.

Yeah especially considering how this year is playing out for Marincin. Not really too sure what's going on with that. But I gotta believe that whatever the asking price it has probably gone up considering the start we've had this year.
- MayorMcCheese

I think they set the bar high for Marincin and he's not there yet so he got sent down and he should stay down for a while and gain some confidence and experience.

I think they set the bar high for Marincin and he's not there yet so he got sent down and he should stay down for a while and gain some confidence and experience.
- Dangles13

Well I must admit that if they aren't going to play him up here then he might as well be playing in OKC. It just seems like they have a shorter leash with him compared to other players (nikitin, aulie). Although it could just have to do with which kind of roles they want guys playing. Obviously Aulie is more physical and Nikitin has a better shot. I guess it was 1 spot open for either Klefbom or Marincin and it seems like they like what they see from Klefbom more.

Well I must admit that if they aren't going to play him up here then he might as well be playing in OKC. It just seems like they have a shorter leash with him compared to other players (nikitin, aulie). Although it could just have to do with which kind of roles they want guys playing. Obviously Aulie is more physical and Nikitin has a better shot. I guess it was 1 spot open for either Klefbom or Marincin and it seems like they like what they see from Klefbom more.
- MayorMcCheese

MacT always preaches about how the young players have to force their way on the team. They don't have to worry about developing Nikin or Aulie but they have to be careful how they treat Marincin.

Klefbom should be sent down as well but we don't have anybody who can take that spot.

MacT always preaches about how the young players have to force their way on the team. They don't have to worry about developing Nikin or Aulie but they have to be careful how they treat Marincin.

Klefbom should be sent down as well but we don't have anybody who can take that spot.
- Dangles13

I think we can all agree we are not making the playoffs this year. It seems like it might be more beneficial at this point to just bring in some veteran guys to help our young guys along this season. Not necessarily go for that home run of a trade that everybody loves. Bring in another Boyd Gordon type center a vet who plays hard and wins draws and a defensive dman competent enough that we can leave the kids on the farm. I'm not entirely sure who could be available but usually these types of players don't cost too much. I mean we just saw Allen and Brewer moved for very little.

I think we can all agree we are not making the playoffs this year. It seems like it might be more beneficial at this point to just bring in some veteran guys to help our young guys along this season. Not necessarily go for that home run of a trade that everybody loves. Bring in another Boyd Gordon type center a vet who plays hard and wins draws and a defensive dman competent enough that we can leave the kids on the farm. I'm not entirely sure who could be available but usually these types of players don't cost too much. I mean we just saw Allen and Brewer moved for very little.
- MayorMcCheese

We could offer Buffalo a 3rd for Meszaros or something.

We could offer Buffalo a 3rd for Meszaros or something.
- Dangles13

Exactly! Not that major flashy move but a solid pick up to get through this season at least.

Exactly! Not that major flashy move but a solid pick up to get through this season at least.
- MayorMcCheese

Maybe at the trade deadline we could steal Vermette for a 2nd.

Maybe at the trade deadline we could steal Vermette for a 2nd.
- Dangles13

It's funny because when I first heard that Vermette's name was out there I thought to myself he might just be the perfect pickup to help us down the middle. If we could get him for a 2nd I would be thrilled.

It's funny because when I first heard that Vermette's name was out there I thought to myself he might just be the perfect pickup to help us down the middle. If we could get him for a 2nd I would be thrilled.
- MayorMcCheese

I think he's worth more but I like to lowball in my fantasies.

I think he's worth more but I like to lowball in my fantasies.
- Dangles13