Where is your panic meter on the Edmonton Oilers?

I joined Oilersnation Everyday with Liam Horrobin on Friday. Tyler was away, hence this long-haired scrub getting a chance on the show, amidst some tension, of course, about the team. We tackled panic meter questions surrounding the coaching and the front office’s ability to make moves.

I put my meter at seven for both Kris Knoblauch and his staff, then another seven for Stan Bowman and his decision-making. I should qualify this by saying I’m never lower than, say, a four, on a list like this. That’s my baseline heartbeat. Call it Oiler fan trauma if you like.

One question we didn’t get to, though, was about the players. The player’s performances warrant a seven as well.

It’s only fair.

At some point, the way the Oilers cycle through coaches can’t all be placed on the coaches. There are trends. But this is no trend – it’s quite literally how the whole McDrai era has gone. Barring two coaches in franchise history in Glen Sather and Craig MacTavish – maybe Ron Low as well – this is how it’s gone through the entire franchise’s history.

The players bear responsibility too. Putting them collectively at a seven out of ten is fair.

Paul Coffey

We’re going to find out a lot about Knoblauch as a coach after this Olympic break. Rarely are you afforded a significant pause in the schedule like this to re-evaluate your approach.

It’s the type of break that, if used well, would be a talking point in the collector’s item DVD of a championship team.

“We were really struggling, but we used that break, and it turned our season around…”

Stauffer’s vague riddle from last week hinted at adding another coach to the staff. That’s an easy adjustment to help divvy up responsibilities even further.

Remember, the staff a year ago under Knoblauch was Paul Coffey, Glen Gulutzan, and Mark........

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