WEDNESDAY COMMENTARY – THE OILERS MISSING PIECE

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FIGURED WE’D GIVE IT A DAY TO LET THE OILERS SEASON COOL DOWN.

EMOTIONS WERE PRETTY RAW AFTER MONDAY’S 6-5 OVERTIME LOSS TO COLORADO IN GAME 4, WHICH GAVE THE AVALANCHE A SWEEP OF THAT STANLEY CUP WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL.

SO THERE ARE TWO QUESTIONS FACING EDMONTON’S NHL TEAM IN THE AFTERMATH: WAS IT A GOOD SEASON OR NOT? AND, WHERE DO THE OILERS GO FROM HERE?

ALL IN ALL, YES, IT WAS A GOOD SEASON. OF COURSE IT WAS. LONG ABOUT MID-JANUARY IT DIDN’T LOOK LIKE THE OILERS WERE GOING TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AT ALL BUT AFTER SOME VERY DRASTIC MOVES, THEY WOUND UP MAKING THE FINAL FOUR.

HOWEVER I’VE BEEN AROUND SPORTS LONG ENOUGH, AND BESIDE THE GUYS ON THE FRONT LINES ENOUGH, TO STILL HAVE THE FEELING THAT UNLESS YOU WIN IT ALL, THE SEASON WAS A DISAPPOINTMENT.

BUT THAT’S NOT THE CASE HERE, AND THE OILERS AND THEIR FANS KNOW THAT.

AND I SHOULD STOP RIGHT HERE AND TELL YOU THAT THERE’S A TON MORE GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE EDMONTON OILERS THAT NONE OF US KNOW. THAT’S THE KIND OF STUFF ONLY PEOPLE ON THE INSIDE KNOW, AND A LOT OF THEM AREN’T EVEN SURE OF ALL THE DETAILS.

ALL WE KNOW IS WHAT WE SEE ON THE ICE, AND LARGELY THAT’S ENOUGH.

ALTHOUGH WE WERE TOLD THE DECISION TO FIRE DAVE TIPPETT DIDN’T COME FROM GM KEN HOLLAND. I GUESS IT DOESN’T MATTER, BUT IT PAINFULLY LOOKS LIKE IT WAS THE RIGHT ONE.

SO CLEARLY IT SEEMS HEAD COACH JAY WOODCROFT SHOULD BE RETAINED. IF THE PLAYERS WERE PLAYING GUILTY BECAUSE TIPPETT LOST HIS JOB – WHICH IS A THEORY I’VE HEARD – THEN THAT’S A DEEPER PROBLEM THAT I DON’T EVEN WANT TO GET INTO.

SIGNING BAD BOY EVANDER KANE DEFINITELY WORKED OUT, WHICH I NEVER SAW COMING. SO KUDOS TO WHOMEVER’S RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.

BUT IF THE OILERS ARE SERIOUS ABOUT WINNING A STANLEY CUP, THEY’RE GOING TO NEED A NEW GOALTENDER AND NOT JUST ONE THEY’VE GOT WAITING IN THE WINGS.

THEY NEED A GOALIE THEY CAN TRUST. GRANT FUHR MIGHT’VE GIVEN UP NEARLY FOUR GOALS A GAME IN THE 80’S BUT HE ALWAYS CAME UP WITH THE BIG SAVE WHEN THE OILERS NEEDED IT.

MIKE SMITH, UNFORTUNATELY, DOES NOT. AND AT THIS STAGE OF HIS CAREER, I DON’T THINK HE EVER WILL AGAIN.

THE CREASE IS THE MISSING PIECE FOR THE EDMONTON OILERS.

UNFORTUNATELY FINDING THAT IS FAR EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA. Call your cable provider for details. You can also watch on YouTube Live or listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)