THE PLAN...I am sure you folks who read my blogs remember me talking about THE PLAN. For those of you who are new or just don't read past the first few paragraphs, let me explain my theory about THE PLAN.The plan in Edmonton is to develop a core of 12 players. This group includes: 3 centers, 4 wingers, four defensemen and a goalie. The idea is to draft/acquire a group of players who are approximately the same age; to let them develop together, to let them lead the team to the playoffs, and hopefully, a cup or two. If acquired and developed correctly, the Oilers could keep this core group together for 6-8 seasons.You might have noticed the Edmonton Oilers are a very good team right now. No one is exactly sure why they are, but the immediate goodness of the Oilers was not part of THE PLAN. The hope this season was for the Oilers to be a .500 team. While management indicated a playoff spot was the goal, no one actually believed this team would be good. In truth, we're only 11 games into the season, so there's plenty of time for losing streaks and terrible play. But you get the feeling watching the Oilers play that the players themselves are believers in the team. No matter how good or bad the Oilers are doing, adhering to THE PLAN is the most important thing.Where are the Oilers with respect to THE PLAN?1. They have a top line. And what a top line! Taylor Hall is a 40g guy, without question. Jordan Eberle is a double threat, as he's a sniper with sick hands and excellent vision. And Ryan Nugent-Hopkins...he's exceeded everyone's expectations, and he'll clearly be a franchise center during his career.2. Devan Dubnyk is developing into a quality NHL starter. Nikolai Khabibulin is the starter now, and he's putting up great numbers, so he deserves the job. But over the long term...three or more years from now, Dubey will be the guy, and he'll be a quality player.3. The Oilers have acquired perhaps the biggest pool of quality prospects out of any team in the NHL.That's about all we know for sure. I mean no disrespect to any other Oilers players in saying this. If anything, the great play of veteran players have completely obscured timelines of The PLAN. Allow me to explain:- Ryan Smyth is having what could turn into a career year. He's on a 37g and 74pts pace. Smyth is here for the next two or three seasons. Yes, he's a UFA at the end of the season, but he's not going anywhere. He came back to the Oilers so he could play out his career here. If he's here three years, he fits into the immediate future, but perhaps not so much into THE PLAN.- Shawn Horcoff is here for four seasons. He's having a decent year...strong defensively, so-so offensively. He fits into THE PLAN more than Smyth because of the length of his contract. But still, Horcoff's role in a core group three years from now might be in the form of being the 3rd line center, but nothing more.- Ladislav Smid, Tom Gilbert, Ryan Whitney and others...all good bets to be here over the next three seasons, but perhaps they won't be part of the core group that will bring cups to Edmonton.That deals with the vets. What about the kids? Magnus Paajarvi, Linus Omark and others have yet to show enough to convince me they will be part of the core group. This is not to say they can't be or won't be. I'm just saying they need more time.I can't predict the future, but if I had to make guesses at who the Oilers core will become...Centers: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Anton Lander, and perhaps Ryan Martindale or Shawn Horcoff. Tyler Pitlick could also be at center.Right Wingers: Jordan Eberle, perhaps Pitlick (who plays center and wing), Teemu Hartikainen or someone yet to be acquired.Left Wingers: Taylor Hall. Perhaps Magnus Paajarvi, Curtis Hamilton or Hartikainen (he plays both sides).Defense: Martin Gernat (where did MBS find this guy?), David Musil, Ryan Whitney (if healthy) and Tom Gilbert. Other possibilities include Colten Teubert, Oscar Klefbom, Martin Marincin, Brandon Davidson, Jeff Petry, Ladislav Smid or Taylor Fedun. Or, of course, any other young-enough legit Top 4 guy the Oilers have the ability to acquire. Three years from now, the Oilers D will be ridiculously talented.Goal: Devan DubnykAs you can see, the Oilers future core still has a number of elements to be defined. So the question must be asked: Should the Oilers be moving quality pieces now, keeping THE PLAN as it looked before the season as their focus? Or are the Oilers good enough now just to focus on trying to win over the next few seasons?Perhaps I need to offer some examples to demonstrate the inner confusion I am feeling towards the current roster:- Nikolai Khabibulin has the best stats in the league right now. The Oilers couldn't give this guy away last summer. But if he can sustain his current play, the Oilers absolutely could move him at the Trade Deadline to a team making a run at the cup. Dealing Khabibulin would hurt the Oilers chances this season. Maybe next too. But is the focus on the now, or is it on the future? If you could get, let's say, a 2nd round pick in 2012 if you dealt him tomorrow, would you do it? I would. His value is never going to get higher.- There are a billion rumors currently swirling that teams want Sam Gagner. I'm not sure if he fits into THE PLAN. If Nuge is the Oilers #1 center, the #2 guy has to be bigger physically and better defensively than Gagner. Meaning, Martindale might be the pony to bet on. If teams are asking about Gagner now, and if the return would be, let's say, a younger potential Top 4 defenseman, take it. Do it now. Gagner is playing on the 3rd line right now and his value is going to drop, not rise, because of it. If he doesn't fit into the long-term plan, move him if you can get a potential core piece back.- Linus Omark is absolutely rotting in the Oilers press box. Omark himself wouldn't bring in a core piece, but perhaps bundle him with Gagner or a draft pick and make something happen. The longer he sits without playing, the move his trade value decreases.- I'd say the Oilers should deal Ales Hemsky, but he has no real value right now, and won't develop one again until he shows he can stay healthy for more than four periods of hockey. If he does get back playing this season, and if he can stay healthy, he absolutely needs to be moved. THE PLAN isn't going to work if the Oilers are a roster full of constant injuries. Hemsky might have tremendous talent, but he's a distraction.Winning feels good. Oil fans love their team and that means a decision needs to be made as to whether or not THE PLAN that existed a few months ago is the best way to go. Perhaps; just perhaps...if the Oilers acquired one more Top 4 D man and if they had Hemsky back and healthy, this would be a team that would not only make the playoffs, but could win a round or two. Should Management have the green light from ownership to go for it in 2012, or should it stay the course of THE PLAN? I know where I sit on this issue.The Oilers are so much better of a team than last season, but they aren't the same quality as teams like the Hawks and the Kings. They will be someday very soon...the Oilers have way too many great prospects not to turn into a fantastic team. Management needs to temper current success with realistic goals and work under the realization that there is a reason to stick to THE PLAN, even if it means short-term pain this season.Besides, look at the Oilers roster and ask yourself how they are winning games. It isn't Hemsky doing it. Or Gagner, Lander or Theo Peckham. Those four players likely don't fit into THE PLAN, and they aren't really winning games now. Perhaps the current needs of the team and THE PLAN can both be respected while management makes some moves?- Lotso rumors that Gagner is on the move. I've heard the Rangers, Devils and Jets all mentioned. Asking price is a quality younger defenseman, hence why a deal has yet to occur. Who gets him? I'd bet on a team like the Preds, Coyotes or Jets winning the prize. Those three teams have younger D-men they could move.- I am thinking Linus Omark and/or Ales Hemsky will end up in Carolina. Eric Staal is dying right now, desperately needing an offensive winger to play with. The Hurricanes have a young defenseman or two that the Oilers would love to acquire (I want McBain).- The Oilers obviously won't deal all three of Hemsky, Omark and Gagner. They'll keep one, and my guess is that it will be Hemsky, because he'd be the hardest to move. Hemsky, Smyth and Horcoff on a line is a natural, anyway.***********KINDLE USERS: Please subscribe to Oilers Buzz; a one-stop feed for all things Edmonton Oilers-related on HockeyBuzz. Content is automatically updated whenever a new Oilers-related blog is published. Your subscription includes a free 14-day trial and costs just 99 cents per month thereafter. For more information, click here