Now that Glen Gulatzan has been fired by the Calgary Flames, the Oilers can finally complete their NHL all-star team of coaches by adding him to Todd McLellan’s staff. Right? I mean depending on what Barry Trotz, Bruce Boudreau, Alain Vigneault, and Darryl Sutter are doing, the Oilers should probably pass on that potential and scoop up the uber-successful Glen Gulatzan before anything…

I know my boys at the Oilers Live Podcast through their support behind Bill Peters and I’m simply not convinced with him. I mean he hasn’t had a whole lot to work with in Carolina but I still feel like that roster should’ve performed better than it did but most likely it was sabotaged by shite goaltending and potentially a GM that was happy to sit on his hands more often than not.

Tell ya what. If Trotz and Boudreau lose their jobs then they should be immediately considered for the Head coaching position in Edmonton. They are two of the most successful regular season coaches in the history of the NHL. Not only that but if they hire Barry Trotz, that most likely means you get the goalie whisperer, Mitch Korn as well. And if they hire Filthy Bruce, it’s almost a certainty that the team will ascend to becoming a perennial playoff team. Albeit, Stanley Cup not guaranteed.

That said, those were probably the same feelings we had when the Oilers hired Todd McLellan because he had a helluva good history with the Sharks.

Another idea might be to hire Todd Nelson AND Rocky Thompson, two coaches who are probably not going to graduate to head coach in either of their organizations. Detroit in Nelson’s case and Las Vegas/St.Louis in Thompson’s.

Funny thing with those two is they worked together on the same coaching staff in Oklahoma City for the Oilers when they coached the Barons. Gerry Fleming was the other asst. coach.

But Thompson and Nelson are both lauded for their communication skills (something that Trotz has troubles with on the bench according to Alan May) and working with young players. Perhaps it’s time to go away from the experienced NHL coach and cash in on some of these blue-chip coaches that are just waiting for their chance to run an NHL squad.

Changes have to be made though, the disconnect between Todd McLellan and Peter Chiarelli couldn’t get any wider. The fact that McLellan couldn’t get a grip on his special teams and line combinations for nearly the entire season, that he possibly alienated his star players and goaltender 5 games into the year, and the exit meetings w/ players revealed “lack of commitment” on the ice.

If Jared Bednar can take his 40pt team, a team that is far less talented than the Oilers, to the playoffs and McLellan can’t figure out how to get a team’s PP out of the gutter with the best player in the league on his team…

He gone.

One last thing before we get to the links.

In your esteemed opinion, did Milan Lucic forget how to play hockey after Christmas or did the NHL somehow speed up on December 26th?

The reason I ask those two questions is that if you feel the answer to both or either of them is ‘Yes’, you might need to re-visit how you analyze players and you might want to ask yourself if your problem is more to do with Chiarelli and the Larsson trade than Lucic himself.

Cory Schneider, New Jersey’s $6M starting goaltender, went winless from Christmas until the 1st round of the playoffs this year… I feel like that’s a million times worse than the slump Milan Lucic went on but maybe the game simply passed Schneider by and lucky for the Devils they had Keith Kincaid to ride into the playoffs on.

OILERS NEWS

Coaching:

Cult of Hockey – Who are Peter Chiarelli and Todd McLellan considering for the new Edmonton Oilers bench coach positions – With Todd McLellan all but guaranteed to be back as head coach of the Edmonton Oilers, in 2018-19, the task of the General Manager and his Head Coach now turns to the matter of who will flank Mclellan.

Cult of Hockey – Glen Gulutzan to the Edmonton Oilers as an assistant coach? – You can’t have enough strong coaches and it would be excellent for the Oilers to have a coach or two who was capable of leading an NHL team as an asst. coach on the team. So why not Gulutzan?

Edmonton Sun – Edmonton Oilers’ assistant coach likely returning to his former post at the University of Alberta – The ball’s in Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli’s court after end-of-season exit meetings with Herbers and the other assistant coaches as to whether any or all are rehired. If Chiarelli and McLellan want him back, he may choose to stay.

The Draft:

Oilersnation – Love the D – Would you rather have a veteran in their late twenties on the verge of passing through their prime or an 18-year old that you could have under control for close to a decade?

The Hockey Writers – Oilers Options at the 2018 NHL Draft – The NHL Draft Lottery takes place a little over a week from now and the Edmonton Oilers have the ninth-best odds (five percent) of winning the thing. For argument’s sake, let’s say the Oilers are picking ninth. Do they trade the pick? Do they keep it and add a piece for the future? What should the Oilers do with their 2018 first round pick?

NHL RUMORS

Friedman eyes potential offseason NHL changes

McKenzie | Carlson has been bargain for Capitals

NHL Rumors: Los Angeles Kings – Muzzin, Doughty and the Need for Offense and Speed

NHL Rumors: Coaches – Rangers, Stars, Flames, and Hurricanes

NHL Rumors: Dallas Stars and the New York Rangers

NHL Rumors: Vancouver Canucks – Ben Hutton and Sven Baertschi

Please SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel! We’re on the hunt for 1000 amazing subscribers! You’ll find comedy, tragedy, optimism, pessimism, interviews, highlights, top 10 lists, and hilarious shootout videos.