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“He’s been awful, beyond awful.”

I love a good rant, and that’s certainly what we got from TSN hockey commentator Ryan Rishaug on Jason Gregor’s radio show on Wednesday, a diatribe against the work ethic and performance of Oilers winger Benoit Pouliot.

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Rishaug gave some strong hints that the Edmonton Oilers are frustrated with Pouliot, 30, not playing to his potential. Rishaug put forward his own notion that Edmonton has been trying to move Pouliot for more than a year now but no other team will take him.

He started off his rant by discounting the notion of playing Pouliot with Connor McDavid, saying he favoured Patrick Maroon or Milan Lucic on McDavid’s left wing.

“I wouldn’t put Pouliot on the left side with him. Absolutely not… You can’t put Pouliot there. He’s been awful. Beyond awful. Not only has he been awful, but you listen to Todd talk about the way he plays and he talks about some commitment to the fundamentals of defence, and they see some issues with him committing to making plays that he knows that needs to be making. So he’s not just in the doghouse, he’s out in the back 40 in the snow somewhere and they’re not happy with that player, and it’s obvious. You can’t put him next to Connor McDavid.”