Craig MacTavish stormed onto the scene.

He declared the Edmonton Oilers weren’t going to take it anymore. He promised to be tough. He would be aggressive. He was ready to lift this team from last place to a playoff spot with the greatest of urgency.

“I’m an impatient guy and I bring that impatience to this situation,” MacTavish said the day he was hired, April 15.

“I think we’re at the stage in terms of the cycle of our hockey club right now that we have to do some bold things.

“We have to expose ourself to some semblance of risk to try to move the team forward in a rapid fashion.”

So, what happened?

Five weeks into the NHL season and already the Oilers are thinking about next year. The Oilers, may in fact, be worse under coach Dallas Eakins and the club is stumbling around in last place in the West.

Where are all these “bold” moves MacTavish declared?

The Oilers sent Ladislav Smid and Olivier Roy down the road to the Calgary Flames for a couple of prospects Friday and signed Ilya Bryzgalov to a one-year deal. With any luck, he’ll play well and be trade bait at the deadline.

No, folks, these aren’t blockbusters by any stretch. An NHL executive noted they are more like “distractions” to make Edmonton fans think moves are being made.

“It’s kind of like throwing a flare in the other direction,” said the executive.

Surely, MacTavish will do better than this.

THIS N’ THAT

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman would like to have all the TV deals in place with the major networks — CBC, TSN, RDS and Sportsnet — by next month’s board of governors meetings. With the current deal of $185 million expiring, a league source said Bettman is determined to double the TV money to the $400-million range. The deal is expected to keep Hockey Night in Canada in its current form, but the CBC may end up with less playoff games and possibly lose the rights to some major events like the all-star game and Winter Classic. The expectation is that Sportsnet — which now owns 37.5% of the Leafs with TSN — will be part of the national package, possibly on Sunday nights ... The Rangers sniffed around to gauge interest in left wing Chris Kreider, but he won’t be going anywhere. He has 2-5-7 points in nine games and is a candidate for the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year.

AROUND THE BOARDS

Talks to get defenceman P.K. Subban signed in Montreal are expected to start in about three weeks. Coach Michel Therrien has been feeling the heat for Subban’s ice time and many wonder how much longer that relationship can last? Therrien isn’t in any trouble but the situation with Subban has to improve because he’s a Norris Trophy candidate which may be why he played 27 minutes in Ottawa on Thursday ... The Islanders will have to make a decision with pending unrestricted free agent defenceman Andy MacDonald. There will be a lot of interest, but expect him to stay put if the club is in a playoff race ... Confirm or deny: You can have St. Louis goalie Brian Elliott and his $1.8-million contract without giving up anything in return?

OFF THE GLASS

How tough is it to make a deal? Nine teams are already spending into their long-term injury allowance and another 10 are less than $1 million below the cap. The only deals that can take place are dollar-for-dollar ... Have been told by a couple of teams Boston general manager Peter Chiarelli has been snooping around trying to find a forward. That search will likely intensify closer to the deadline ... Left wing Dany Heatley’s days are numbered with the Wild and Europe may be his only option. Scheduled to become a UFA on July 1, Minnesota GM Chuck Fletcher has been unsuccessful in his attempts to trade the struggling winger to anybody who might be willing to take on the final year of his $7.5—million contract. No such luck.

RUMOURS DU JOUR

Dallas GM Jim Nill has been actively working the phones trying to make changes and has shopped C Vernon Fiddler. Making $1.8 million through 2013-14, I’m told the Maple Leafs looked at the possibility of bringing in Fiddler in a third or fourth-line role but decided they didn’t have the cap space to make that move. Fiddler is an effective player if the Stars want to find him a new hole they will ... It would be surprising if defenceman Matt Niskanen finishes the season with the Penguins. With a cap hit of $2.3 million, he is set to become a UFA and it’s believed GM Ray Shero has been sniffing around to see what he might be able get in return. After signing defenceman Kris Letang to a massive extension last summer, there likely isn’t any room to keep Niskanen and he should be able to bring a good return if Pittsburgh decides to make the move ... Columbus coach Todd Richards is on the hotseat. Since taking over last year, Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen hasn’t played the coach firing card and the club has taken a step back this year. The only guy who can save Richards job is goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and he has to stop the puck.

Wear a poppy on Remembrance Day.