Kings at Oilers - going for six in a row

I have read a lot of blogs about the five game winning streak and how it didn't mean anything because the Oilers beat bad teams. Huh?

Lets be realistic, the Oilers are not a good team, even after winning five in a row they sit 11th. The win streak basically gave them a chance to compete for a playoff spot, but to say it didn't mean anything because they beat bottom dwellers? Get a clue and look at the standings before each of those games. Hello, Mcfly! What do you think we were? We really aren't that far from that now. There is still a lot of work to do, but for the dive for five sanction, it ain't happening. No matter what happens, no matter where the Oilers sit. They are not going to tear the team apart and start again!

I have read all about the dive for five and how it wonderful it will be because we might have the chance to draft Taylor Hall. A couple things ignored by this faction. What do you think the constant losing would teach Sam Gagner, Andrew Cogliano, Gilbert Brule, etc, etc. This team needs to learn how to win, needs to learn how to become a team. Tanking a season most likely will not get us Taylor Hall (as we simply won't be bad enough) and it will teach our kids how to be perennial losers.

Secondly, lets just ignore the poor hard-working people who pay the freight. The season ticket holder. No, I am not going to gently sit by and watch a team purposely lose and buck up next year when they ask! I can not imagine many season ticket holders feel differently! If they are trying their best and lose we can handle that, we can handle the many injuries this team had that put a bubble team over the brink. But tanking on purpose, not a chance!

Thirdly, do you really think that Darryl Katz hired argubly the most expensive coaching staff in the NHL to tank the season? He hired them to teach the kids to win, he wanted them to change the "culture" of this team. A fancy way of saying that he was sick of losing! Anyone dreaming of a giant sell job are dreaming in technicolor. As I have said previously, if the Oilers are out of the race they may dump a couple of contracts but they won't tear the team apart and start again. It is not going to happen.

Changing a culture and teaching this team to win is not a overnight proposition and the Oilers may end up falling short and getting a high pick anyway but it won't be because they "tanked" the season.

Now back to the game. I worry about tonight's game, the Oilers are coming back from a long road-trip, teams generally do not play well in this scenario and the Kings lost last night so will be hungry. The Oilers need to make sure that they don't get "fat and satisfied" (you have to love Quinnisms)

Go Oilers go!