We witnessed a change in culture and an entire revamping of an organization last season in Edmonton. The savior of hockey in a particular community in Alberta named Connor McDavid was the culprit. It still appears to be this way; however, we see a group of individuals just five points ahead of the lowly Arizona Coyotes entering Thanksgiving. What is going on in Oil Country?

There’s never one reason why a club struggles the way they do. A hockey team has 20 pieces to a very complex puzzle. This includes a coaching staff, fans and front office members. Everyone plays a role (like we have discussed before) where one act or one decision can have a huge snowball effect. Are the problems initiated on the ice, in the crowd or in the front offices?

My guess would be everything including the media that’s causing this mayhem. The players on the ice are their own worst enemy. A team’s psyche and mental toughness reigns supreme in their ability to win hockey games. This Oilers team is not entirely different from last season where they made a postseason appearance for the first time in a decade. Nevertheless, this current Oiler squad needs an oil change fast…and in a hurry.

The “Savior of Hockey” in Northern Alberta??

I’m not buying it as of right now, no matter how angry any Edmonton fan gets. Yes, Connor McDavid is the reigning MVP and maybe the most skilled young NHLer since Crosby, Ovi and Wayne; however, he is the captain of the Edmonton Oilers hockey club. He is also 20 years old. Has that responsibility, or that 100 million dollar contract been weighing on him?

28 points in the first 22 games of an NHL season sounds nice for him. What about 18 points in 22 games for the team? That doesn’t sound very good for a preseason pick with the 2nd best odds to win it all coming into the season. Are his leadership skills in question? They say actions speak louder than words. A captain’s notoriety typically goes beyond stats and highlight reel plays.

Wayne Gretzky said he was ‘truly amazed’ (The Globe and Mail) by what McDavid began to create last season. I myself was truly amazed to see him make just one play finally in a game this past Tuesday in St. Louis. Unfortunately for the Edmonton faithful, that one play was made after the Oilers were enduring a 4-0 deficit in the third period.

The Oilers surrendered a season-high eight goals to the Blues that night. We later find out McDavid had ‘flu-like symptoms’ and head coach Todd McLellan described his team’s play as ‘lazy’ (STLToday.com) on that particular evening. Oh well..just another loss in a long 82-game season, right? No need to panic.

That dreaded media that won’t go away..’sorry’

The Edmonton Journal posted an article two hours before I started typing bashing the Oilers’ player development system. Clearly I’m not the only one with harsh remarks for this hockey team. Yes, Mr. Gretzky it’s “hockey 365 days a year in Edmonton”. This is why you came back to the team you helped raise four Stanley Cups. However, that also means the Oilers have to (at the very least) meet expectations.

The article went on to say that “there is a feeling too many of their prospects are not panning out” (Edmonton Journal). There is this youth movement that we have discussed going on in the league. This doesn’t mean the youngest of young players have to be “leading” the charge (McDavid/Matthews/Laine). You have players in their primes leading the way (Pietrangelo/Toews/Crosby/Ovechkin). However, again, these are not the sole reasons the Oilers are struggling.

The media is going to nitpick every little speck of an organization to make stories about how a team is doing. This cannot affect how the players play on the ice. Maybe if the “home” media halted their badgering questions that clearly annoy their team’s players things could change. I have no idea what’s going on in the minds of the entire Oiler community. I just know after that game in early October against the rival Flames, I did not expect these results 22 games into the season.

the entertainment “business”

The folks in Edmonton will still fill up Rogers Place to capacity no matter what. If the Oilers play the Florida Panthers on a Sunday afternoon, they will be there. Entertainment value is never the issue; therefore, there is no excuse for the Oiler front office to not piece together a quality hockey team. I mean look at the roster..

Money can buy you a star-studded hockey club. Money cannot buy you wins and points in this parity-filled NHL. This has caught up to teams like the Capitals, Blackhawks and seemingly now with the Oilers. There are “must-have players” up and down each roster that deserve their money. However, is it the most sensible thing for a 22-year old Leon Draisaitl to be making nine million dollars right now?

You have all these ridiculously young players with fat contracts that may or may not be deserving at this point in time. Whether the Hawks had to or not, they realized they couldn’t keep an Artemi Panarin long-term giving him six million right away. Furthermore, you have the Oilers with 27 million in salary between five players that are not yet 30.

McDavid’s rookie contract is up at the end of this season where his 100-million dollar deal will begin. If the playoffs are not in this Oiler team’s future, we could see some real (oil) changes in 2018.

If it’s broke, fix it.

What’s going on in Edmonton isn’t working right now. The organization has multiple big contracts for players either very young or in their prime. Do these “young guns” feel safe and untouchable with all this money?

Connor McDavid is going to put up great numbers. He knows he has great players around him. The “next one” may know in his mind things will turn around naturally, which it could. Although, nothing ever just happens in professional sports. Is McDavid not worried because $15 million is coming his way by the end of next season?

I’m not saying they don’t care. I’m not saying they won’t get it together. I’m saying they are one of the two worst teams in the West right now. This should not be the case. Figure it out.

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