The Merits of Last Place

As I sit down to write this entry the Edmonton Oilers sit dead last in the Western Conference, and third last in the league overall. The only two teams in the NHL right now with fewer points are the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes. Normally, this would send me into a fit of rage. I'd be shouting at the television, I'd be throwing my coke bottle or can or whatever onto the floor. Kicking Kleenex boxes, and all sorts of other productive ways of expressing myself. But not today. Today I'm filled with a strange sense of hope.

Let's take a look at the top four teams in the NHL at the moment. San Jose, Washington, Pittsburgh and Chicago. Three of them have something in common. The Capitals, Penguins and Blackhawks were all wretched just a few short years ago. They couldn't beat anyone, and there was absolutely no sign of hope they would ever turn it around. But there's a positive consequence to being brutal, and that is getting a string of high draft picks. Those three franchises have completely rebuilt themselves through the draft, and it didn't take all that long to see results.

In the 2004 NHL Entry Draft the top three picks were actually owned by those teams. Washington took Alex Ovechkin first overall. Pittsburgh followed with Evgeni Malkin. Chicago took Cam Barker third. That year the Oilers finished 9th in the West, two points out of the playoffs. They selected Devan Dubnyk 14th overall.

Because of the year long lockout, the 2005 Entry Draft was a lottery, so we have to weight it a bit differently, but it's safe to say the right team got the first overall pick. The Penguins were the worst team in the league in 2004, and most likely would have been again in 2005. They won the lottery, and selected Sidney Crosby first overall. The Oilers were drawn 25th and picked Andrew Cogliano.

In 2006 our three model teams were once again brutal. Pittsburgh took Jordan Staal with the second overall pick, Chicago got Jonathan Toews third and Washington picked Niklas Bakstrom fourth. The Oilers, in need of a goaltender, sent their first round pick to Minnesota for Dwayne Roloson. He led them, along with Chris Pronger, on a magical run in the playoffs all the way to the Stanley Cup final. But let's remember that the team very nearly missed the playoffs, only qualifying for eighth place in the final week of the season. Once again, they would have earned a mid-first round pick. LA ended up with their pick and selected Trevor Lewis 17th overall.

By 2007 Pittsburgh was starting to see dividends from all their high draft picks. Sidney Crosby led the league in scoring, and the team finished fifth in the Eastern Conference with 105 points. They would fall to Ottawa in the first round of the playoffs, but they were clearly a team on the rise. Washington and Chicago were still struggling, and the Oilers completely tanked after trading Ryan Smyth at the trade deadline. The Blackhawks took Patrick Kane first overall that year. Washington got Karl Alzner fifth, and the Oilers got Sam Gagner sixth. They also got Alex Plante 15th and Riley Nash 21st. There was some thought that maybe the Oilers were going to commit to a rebuild that summer. Kevin Lowe thought otherwise.

When free agency opened, the Oilers made a massive contract offers to Chris Drury and Daniel Briere. Kevin Lowe wanted to make a big splash with new owner Darryl Katz signing the cheques. He wanted a superstar right away, rebuild be damned! We all know that neither of those players ended up agreeing to join the Oilers. Michael Nylander actually did verbally agree to sign, but reneged and signed with Washington instead. Sheldon Souray did eventually agree to a deal, but he wasn't the goal scorer they wanted. So they went the way of offer sheets to group 2 free agents. They signed Sabres forward Tomas Vanek to a seven year $49 million offer sheet. Buffalo promptly matched it. Then Lowe signed Dustin Penner to a five year $20.25 million dollar offer sheet. Ducks GM Brian Burke declined to match it, but we all know the fallout from that one. Granted, Dustin Penner has played tremendous this season, but that signing cost the Oilers their first, second and third round picks in 2008. Not exactly the way you rebuild a franchise. That season Pittsburgh finished second in the east, just ahead of Washington. The Penguins would eventually lose in the Stanley Cup final to the Red Wings. The Oilers finished ninth in the west, just ahead of Chicago.

Remember, the Oilers had lost their first three picks in the 2008 draft because of the Dustin Penner signing. They did own the 22nd overall pick from the Chris Pronger trade to Anaheim. They took Jordan Eberle with that one. A great take at number 22.

To recap, between 2004 and 2007 the Penguins have drafted Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Jordan Staal. They now have a Stanley Cup ring.

Washington selected Alexandre Ovechkin, Niklas Bakstrom and Karl Alzner. If they get some decent goaltending, they're a lock to win their division, and are a threat to win the Stanley Cup.

Chicago has drafted Cam Barker, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. Like the Capitals, if they get some decent goaltending, they could make a run to the finals.

Each team has drafted players that are now the faces of their franchises.

The Oilers drafted Dubnyk, Cogliano and Sam Gagner. All good players, but not franchise players. Not difference makers. Not the sort of player you're going to be able to draft unless you make a commitment to rebuilding. That is what gives me hope this season.

The Oilers are the same old team they've been for the last 15 years, middle of the road. But with all the injuries and the flu bug that they've been dealing with, they're even worse than that. They're too small. They don't have enough fight to play defense or enough skill to score goals. This is a franchise in need of a difference maker. Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin are sitting 1-2 in the pre-draft rankings for next summer, and either one of them would look fantastic in the Copper and Blue. Both are franchise players. Both will play in the NHL next year.

So, to Steve Tambellini. Tank. Cut the fat off this team. If you can get rid of some contracts, do it. Tom Gilbert is taking up space. This team has enough offensive defensemen, and he's the softest of the bunch. Robert Nilsson, Fernando Pisani, Patrick O'Sullivan and Ethan Moreau are not the forwards of the future for this franchise, do what you can to get rid of them. It's time to strip down this franchise and start from scratch. With the current make up the Stanley Cup is not an option this year, next year, or even the year after that. But, with a couple of high draft picks in the next couple of years, it might just be the Oilers making big jumps up the standings in a couple of years.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it's time to tank.