It's clobbering time!

The NHL released it's 2009-2010 schedule and it's not bad for our Oilers. No two months on the road to start the season, few back to backs, no huge road trips (6 is the longest) and home and home series with all the Canadian teams. I'm quite okay with the schedule. One problem: only 4 home games on a Saturday and none after December. That's odd. Lots of Tues/Thurs again which is okay but I'd like to know why the Oilers never seem to get a ton of weekend home games. As a season ticket holder, I'd love to have some more weekend games.

I'll make due with another year of Sheldon Souray (got that Tamby?)!!

A douche to rival the douchery of Pronger? Thy name is Heatley

Dany Heatley demands a trade, then vetoes it. Make a decision. You've spent two days on the decision. You wanted more options. You think Ottawa didn't try hard enough to get a trade. You're blindsided that a deal with Edmonton is in front of you even though the Oilers have stated for a month they are interested and you claimed you would be interested in coming here. You think Ottawa should try harder. You you you you!!!

Walk away Edmonton. Two days ago, I was giddy as a schoolgirl about the prospect of bringing Heatley to Edmonton, but now his true colors are showing. He's a selfish, arrogant prick who thinks of no one but himself. He doesn't get why people are angry with him. He thinks he's being portrayed inaccurately, he's being crucified in the media....blah shut up!

Make a decision!

Say no to the douche!!

Draft Day 2009 - Rock on Oilers!

This is the Oilers first round draft pick from last year, World Junior Championship hero Jordan Eberle. This year the Oilers will pick 10th barring any trades up or down. The scoop is they are trying to trade up into the top 8. There are also rumors they are trying to trade for Ottawa's Dany Heatley (or Jason Spezza) and they are having discussions with Minnesota over goalie Josh Harding.

They still need to either sign or cut loose Roloson and Kotalik. If Roloson won't take a one year deal, he's outta here. Even a one year deal is not that appealing to me. He played well but Roli is old and is going to break down sooner rather than later. I would prefer the Oilers to find a nice young goalie of the future (JDD is not that guy yet). That's why I liked hearing discussions had started over Harding. I like him a lot.

Anyways, there could be a couple big blockbuster trades today or in the upcoming days. Heatley, Lecavilier, Kessel, Kaberle, etc.

Hockeybuzz is staying the Oilers are closing in on moving up to #4 pick. They're usually full of shit, but you never know.

Another rumor of Souray to LA for pick 5 and others. I love rumors!

Anyways, check out some of the draft day blogs and mock drafts out there. Some interesting stuff. Big story: who goes number 1? Tavares or Hedman? If New York is smart, they take Tavares. He's a bona fide scoring machine. Don't be dumb!!!

GOILERS!

Game Seven - Let's get ready to rumbleeeeeeeeeee!!

Puck in net.

Pens win.

Wings can suck it.

One more night of hockey.

Good.

Bring on the Oilers.

I'm tired of the crap playoffs

Finals have been boring.

Oilers go all the way in 2010!!

Butch and Sundance!

Please welcome your new Edmonton Oilers head coach, Pat Quinn, and his associate coach, Tom Renney.

I have to admit all of us in the Oilogosphere were taken a bit by surprise with this announcement yesterday. The Oilers kept this signing under wraps big time. They are very good secret-keepers (KGB-like). I believe most of us expected the announcement to come after the playoffs had finished; interview a few more people maybe?

This is a fairly safe hire. He went with experience. What makes this more interesting is he went with two experienced head coaches. That is going outside the box a bit, but staying safe. The more I think about it, the more I like it. Quinn is the motivator while Renney is the technician. Taking the safe path does not mean it's wrong.

What I do not like about this is the retention of Kelly Buchburger over Billy Moores and Charlie Huddy. In particular, I'm upset about the loss of Huddy. He has worked wonders with the defence and I think he's got a lot of skill. Keeping Kelly may work out though. He's a young coach; always been a hard worker and willing to learn. He's being mentored here!

Along with two new coaches, there will be some player changes as well this off-season. It shall be an interesting couple of months. The draft and free agency is about a month off. Get to work boys!

And did anyone see the Flames presser yesterday? Daryl Sutter sure thinks highly of himself. It was hilarious. Apparently, he's the fourth best coach in the league.

"All the best coaches in the league are under contract and I think there are three guys that are excellent... and then I'm fourth."

Wow what an ego. And he's sooooooo wrong, it's sad! But hilarious! Thanks Shames for being so damn funny!

Oh and someone told me the playoffs are still going. Whatever......hockey sucks without the Oilers!!!

They sucketh ass!

What a great playoffs it has been for the Calgary Flamers, aka Lames, aka Shames.

I completely forgot to make fun of the Calgary Flames for sucking ass this playoff season. Thank you very much Calgary. I was busy celebrating your dismissal from the playoffs to post.

Goodbye Celine!!! Have a nice off-season!!!

Swwwweeeeepppp!!!

With no Oilers hockey to watch these days, I've been watching a bit of the playoffs. The game is on in the background, I couldn't care less about most of the teams. There are several things I want: Calgary, Montreal and Washington out in the first round. After that, I want everyone to lose. Yes, I am cheering against everyone.

Montreal got swept....I'm happy.

Craig MacTavish is out!

Craig MacTavish has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the Edmonton Oilers. This was the right decision. It's time for a change for both sides and I wish MacT all the best. He couldn't get any more out of these players, was erratic all year long in his decision-making and did not have the respect of his team. Sure, the players are still just as culpable for the end result but you can't fire the entire team. Someone needs to be help accountable and today it is MacT. The team is better than their record this year and MacT just couldn't get them to play for him any longer.

You will be remembered for 2006!!

Fear and Loathing in Edmonton

Mactavish has two games left in the season and his Oilers coaching career comes to an end. He will find work elsewhere and that is fine. He is a good coach, not great, but good! His time in Edmonton is simply over, he made too many critical mistakes this year and did not handle his bench very well.

Back in October, MacT declared this team was good enough to compete for the division title. I think they were too but MacT put the pressure on this team and they were too scared all season long. The team was scared to make mistakes, scared from the drop of the puck and man did they grip their sticks tight all year long. This is on Craig's head.....he put too much pressure on this team. When a player had a bad game, he was in the pressbox (Nilsson and Penner in particular). When they played badly or maybe more accurately, when he perceived them to have played badly, he called them out publicly. The team was full of fear all year long.

It didn't help matters when it appeared certain players were off-limits to criticism. Moreau, Horcoff and Staios come to mind instantly. Other players were hammered for poor play, bad penalties, no intensity but MacT had his favorites and rarely, if ever, did he criticize their play. How do you explain to the rest of the team why Reddox or Moreau is playing with Hemsky? How is Strudwick on the ice in overtime or in the last minute of a game? You can't tell me this didn't cause a disconnect between some of the players and the coach. You can't treat the players with an uneven hand all year and have it not affect you. You can't coach a team that doesn't respect you!

The best example: MacT explains to the media several weeks ago that he has no explanation why the team won't shoot more. They go over it in practice all the time and in particular, they went over it that very morning. That night, they continue to not shoot when opportunities arise. A disconnect!

Another example is when Hemsky starts complaining about being made a checker, you know you're putting too much emphasis on the defensive side of the game. This is a player that never speaks out, so you know there are problems. During their last three games, MacT changed his game plan and started focusing more on the offensive part. Gagner, following the Vancouver game, gave a great interview to CBC where he explains the new system, how much he likes the new aggressive approach and how it's working better. It took MacT until game 78 to bring the system out. Oilers hockey has always been an aggressive, forechecking, skating hard type of system.....he forgot that this year.

MacT, you will always be remembered for 2006 but time is up! Good luck and good bye!

You have to stay!!

Craig's reaction after Katz's text message that he is not going anywhere.