Six games left in the season and the Oilers are playing hockey like it is still October and the attitude that a few losses won't do them in just this second. But here we are, March 31st, and yet another loss to a conference rival at home no less. It's like they play well for a game or two and then run into a brick wall they have built themselves because no one feels it is their job to step up and raise their performance level to that of an NHL hockey player. Few have played up to their potential and even fewer have played consistantly well. Where is Hemsky, where is Gagner, where is Penner?!?
Wow, don't get me started on Penner - overpaid, overweight, and by and large deadweight to a team that showed enough faith in his abilities to do what they did two years ago by signing him to an offer sheet and causing huge issues around the league. Give me a guy with heart and I'll pay him what Penner is making... oh wait we traded that guy away over a few bucks. Man am I ready to yell!
The only bright spot has been a guy that most feel shouldn't even still be in the league... that he is a career back up goalie... and that his success in Edmonton has been a fluke. Dwayne Roloson... keep pluggin' away my brother. I can't believe you are the MVP of the team this season by a country mile, but you are. 51 saves against Anaheim, 46 against the Wings in a 3 - 2 loss, and too many other games to mention where the story is the same. Way too many shots taken on him, maybe 1 or 2 goals against and the team in front of him can't muster more than 20 shots, nevermind more than a goal most nights.
I will never stop being a fan of this team, after the lean years of the 90's this will hopefully be a bump in the road. But you can't go from being one game away from raising the cup in 2006, to missing the playoffs for a third straight year because your team has no balls, no heart, no desire to play hard, and make the sacrifices necessary to win EVERY night.
If they lose after trying their hardest, putting the best effort possible on the ice, and playing to their capabilities then I have no problem missing the playoffs. That's not their fault, that's Tambo's and MacT's fault for not preparing and not putting the best team possible on the ice. But if they show up thinking any team is going to be a cake walk... in today's NHL that doesn't fly. Just ask the Columbus Blue Jackets who are poised to clinch their first ever post-season birth with a team that works hard together with what they have under a coach that has his team believing in his systems and themselves. They play hard every night with a less than stellar roster and are winning because they don't settle for lacklustre effort.
Come on, fellas... you are the Edmonton Oilers... it is time to live up to that name, that tradition, and play like it. It is a priviledge to put that jersey on for those fans, for that city... not a right. The door needs more stickers so get it together so Sparky can add a long line of them to the little amount of space that is left on it. Let's go Oilers!
No comments:
Post a Comment