Face it: If you've followed the Edmonton Oilers over the past few years you'll know that they aren't quite the Oilers of the Messier or Gretzky era. Even that Stanley Cup run from 2006 seems eons ago.
Given the high expectations Edmonton had for this year they've fallen flat on their faces. While the Oilers were suppose to challenge for a playoff spot, they now are fighting for the #1 overall pick, and winning that battle with ease. Injuries along with poor play have crippled the team and ultimately put them out of contention since December. We can pin this to the Khabibulin signing not working out, Ales Hemsky getting injured for the year or Pat Quinn not working out but bottom line is they just flat out suck.
Oh, and Shawn Horcoff has been playing like a pond hockey player.
Okay that last one wasn't needed but if anyone knows me, they know that I despise Horcoff.
For all the bad things about Edmonton there are many good spots. They have an absolute plethora of young talent and their older players are progressing nicely as well. Dustin Penner made the jump to the upper echelon category of forwards with his performance this year especially given that he's had no help around him. Hemsky has been consistent over the past three years as an 80 point forward a year up until tearing his labrum in the shoulder this year. Couple those veterans progression with the youngsters in Gilbert Brule, Sam Gagner, Andrew Cogliano who have had sporadic success in the NHL thus far and other youngsters waiting to jump up to the NHL in Jordan Eberle, Alex Plante and Riley Nash and suddenly have a good young nucleus.
That nucleus could be that much better for the long haul if Tambellini can pull the strings of the NHL Draft. With the upcoming draft being raved about the Top 3 players (Tyler Seguin, Taylor Hall and Cam Fowler) Edmonton is in the works to make a play for two of them.
Reports have come out from Edmonton that Tambellini intends on shopping Hemsky and the 31st pick from this upcoming draft in hopes of landing either the #2 or #3 overall choice. This ultimately means they'll be talking with either the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightening, Carolina Hurricanes or New York Islanders for these discussions.
Seeing that it's more than likely Boston that they'll be having discussions with about #2 and given Boston's need for a scoring winger, this deal certainly has legs. Edmonton already have discussed taking salary back in return so right there is a discussion for the disappointing Michael Ryder for Hemsky swap. Given Edmonton's depth at center as well, they will more than likely have to give up one of Brule, Gagner or Cogliano in that package to help sweeten the pot for Boston given A.) it is the number two overall pick that Boston are giving up and B.) no one knows the severity of Marc Savard's concussion/head injury.
So lets give this a scenario: Sam Gagner, Ales Hemsky and the 31st overall pick in the upcoming NHL draft to the Boston Bruins for the #2 overall choice in the upcoming draft and Michael Ryder.
Let's break this down from both angles.
Boston wins short term and possibly long term. Gagner is at worst a second line center while Hemsky is amongst the elite wingers when healthy. Gagner is under control for one more year while Hemsky has two years left on his deal. Gagner is still emerging while Hemsky should return to form after recovering from injury. Given how anemic the Bruin's offense is, this is an instant shot to the arm to wake them up.
Edmonton will take this deal in a heartbeat. Tambellini wants both Hall and Seguin. He envisions the Seguin-Eberle-Hall line to emulate the Richards-Lecavalier-St. Louis line from '05 Lightening or the Heatley-Thornton-Marleau line from San Jose. With the drafting of those two wingers and coupling them with Eberle, Tambellini would not only have a promising future on his hands but three potential faces of the franchise. While the Oilers might not go anywhere next year, they could make an astronomical leap come 2012 with Seguin-Eberle-Hall being the ones to start the revolution.
Given all the failures of Tabellini over the years, this could instantly right every wrong he has committed: from the Horcoff extension, to the Khabibulin signing to letting Mike Comrie get engaged to Hilary Duff. The 2010 NHL Entry Draft could potentially be the polish to a bright future for the Edmonton Oilers. Right now Edmonton is looking at either Tyler Seguin or Taylor Hall. But come June 25th, 2010 Edmonton could potentially have both.
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