Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 2.26

www.afootinthecrease.com

What a year it’s been for the Edmonton Oilers. From the penthouse to the doghouse in eight months. Last spring, the Oilers went on an improbable run ultimately falling one game short of returning the Stanley Cup to Edmonton. Fast forward to the 2007 NHL trade deadline and there is Kevin Lowe dealing Ryan Smyth, the face of the franchise, to the New York Islanders, a move not designed to improve the present but rather the long term future. Smyth, though is only the most recent piece of Edmonton’s near championship puzzle to leave since last year’s final.

Just days after the Stanley Cup was awarded, Chris Pronger asked for a trade. We never found out why. Free agent Mike Peca wanted to play closer to his home so he signed in Toronto. Sergei Samsonov wanted far too much money for Kevin Lowe’s liking. Ditto for Jaroslav Spacek. Both were allowed to sign elsewhere.

The 06-07 season began with great expectations for the Oilers but even before it began, the Oilers were doomed. They had lost their top two defensemen, their top defensive forward and a productive scorer. Pisani, Horcoff, Hemsky and Torres had all arguably overachieved last season and throughout the playoffs. All four have struggled mightily this year to return to last season’s form.

Worst came to worst when Smyth was dealt after Kevin Lowe realized he could not lose him with no return. Eight months ago, the Oilers had Pronger, Spacek, Smyth, Samsonov and Peca; today it’s Joffery Lupul, Ladislav Smid, long term projects in Ryan O’Marra and Robert Nilson and a whole bunch of top draft picks in return. Years from now, Lupul and Smid might actually show the promise that made them such highly regarded prospects. O’Marra and Nilson may carve out spots for themselves in the Oiler lineup. One or two of those draft picks might turn out to be impact players.

For now though, there is a lot of waiting and a lot of hoping. And if you are looking for an explanation as to why the Oilers rose and fell so quickly, the players subtracted plus the players added should equal all you need to know. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.