Edmonton Oilers a year in review

[yave1964]

PRESEASON EXPECTATIONS

 

After years of disappointing their fans the club added the hot new coach in Dallas Eakins, brought in veteran two way players in Boyd Gordon and David Perron and Andrew Ference to shore up the blue line. Expectations were high that they would make the playoffs.

 

FINAL RECORD 29-44-9 67 points last in the West

 

HIGH POINT/LOWPOINT OF THE SEASON

 

In the opener they went ahead 4-2 on a goal by Jesse Joensuu. THAT WAS the high point of the season, as the Jets stormed back and won the game, The Oilers went on to lose the next game as well, losing 7 of their first 8.

 

The low point was the entire season. Nothing worked. The fans were in an ugly mood all year. Dallas Eakins even talked about how difficult it was for his kids to go to school in Edmonton.

 

 WHAT WENT RIGHT

Taylor Hall (27-53-80) had a great year. Jordan Eberle (28-37-65) did as well. David Perron was a magnificent pickup. Boyd Gordon was a faceoff king. Justin Schultz showed flashes. Mid season acquisitions Ben Scrivens and Viktor Vasth showed signs of stabilizing the goaltending.

 

 WHAT WENT WRONG

  Starting with the netminding, Devan Dubnyk was putrid, downright awful, he was dealt to a desperate Nashville and finished the year in Hamilton.  Sam Gagner was injured and was never himself after returning. RNH was okay but wildly inconsistent. If the player who delivered the least with the highest expectations was not Nail Yakupov I am at a loss to figure out who it might have been. Just plain bad. The defense was indefensible and the secondary scoring was non existent. A bad mesh of so called talent.

 

 MVP

Easily Hall. Point a game production playing against the other teams top defense night after night with this bunch, he deserves props for a great year.

 

UFAS

Ryan Jones

Anton Belov

Mark Fraser

Ben Eager

 

OFFSEASON QUESTION MARKS

 

What do you do with Yakupov? Can you trade him or do you think he can eventually get it together?

 

Gagner and RNH, is that all there is? Can you expect more? Is it enough?

 

 Can one of these forwards be dealt for a real defenseman?

[hf101]

The biggest problems with this team are the moves MacTavish didn't make.  Had he traded Yakupov he could have added some forward veteran depth, a better netminder and / or a stronger defense.  Trading their former #1 pick last summer could have maybe been enough to get this team to the playoffs.  He won't get as much for him this year as he could have last summer if he is traded.  So they might as well keep him for next season.

 

This summer I see MacTavish trading Gagner for a veteran second line center.  The one thing for sure that the team has going for them in the future is the chemistry between Hall, Eberle, and RNH.  They need to build around them.