I joined host Sandra Batson on the CBC Edmonton News to discuss all things Oilers. Clip is here and starts at the 18:20 mark: CBC Edmonton News (2018, October 11)
Topics we covered:
- The poor performance against the Devils in Sweden and what the Oilers will need to improve on.
- Todd McLellan on the hot seat and for good reason.
- Importance of having a good program in Bakersfield and players to watch.
- Tonight’s match against the Bruins.
- Realistic expectations for the 2018/19 season.
The SuperFan 
The first cracks appeared during the Germany Game…you could see they were being out competed…and their System was being controlled totally…which is exactly what the Devils did to them.
Todd has been a figurehead behind Kevin Lowe…all of us Tier-Two fans know he is still lurking like a Great White Shark.Todd delivered exactly as promised…the NHL evolved and the Oilers were caught with an outdated System in Todds San Jose Model.That is on Oilers Management not Todd.Chalk it up to poor timing or to stubbornness,T-Mac could be playing out his last string of Games as an Oiler.
The Oilers support System is fine…yes it is important but its not a game-stopper ,they didn’t even have a Farm team and they weren’t doing much better at the NHL level back then.When you draft 4 Number One Overalls in less than 2 decades you are the Lords Team and must screw it up on your own.The Oilers have done just that.I mean they have CANNED the entire NHL by powdercoating 4 #1 Overalls.
The Bruins played a simple basic E/W focused game and set up their triggermen in the middle of the o-zone…..in todays NHL you cannot allow that….a predatory hitter like Stevens would stop this type of gameplan from being popular against the Oilers..Boston telegraphed their Gameplan early and did not veer from it….the Oilers were not prepared and could not compete…the Bruins of this season are EXACTLY like the Bruins of last year and there really is no excuse for such a poor showing…vanilla comes to mind….playing out the T-Mac string hoping to all drop the dime on T-Mac maybe to my fine eye.
Realistic expectations considering there is no reasonable sign of past causality are that the Oilers will finish within six points of last season.= or-.
What are my personal expectations….that the Oilers go out and find a better System and Philosophy….Maybe I-Mac doesn’t want to re-boot his playbook at this stage of his career and would prefer to take his toys and paycheques and be gone like the wind….I like T-Mac but the stench of Kevin Lowes fingerprints are all over this years Oilers as usual.