Interesting, isn’t it, that the feeble Edmonton Oilers gave up on a couple of veteran players who promptly got bigger jobs on better teams.
Fernando Pisani did not hesitate long when approached by the Chicago Blackhawks. Similarly, Mike Comrie moved quickly to join the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In case you haven’t noticed, both of those players now have a shot at the Stanley Cup. If they had remained as Oilers, their only positive should would have been aimed at the bottom rung of Western Conference playoffs.
At this point, it’s impossible to tell whether general manager Steve Tambellini was right to unload all of the veterans. Only time will tell, but it’s obvious that Tambellini wants to unload every memory of the miserable season he endured as big hockey boss a year ago.
You can’t question Pisani’s character, but his health is another matter.
You can’t question Comrie’s fearlessness, his work ethic or his ability to score goals. But he lacks straight-ahead speed and of course is considered too small for a long and healthy life in the current NHL.
Comrie put up with a lot of pressure when he returned to Edmonton last seasonl. Pisani has fought both illness and injury in recent seasons.
There’s always a chance that some youngster can step up to fill Pisani’s role as a disciplined and consistent third- or fourth-line player. And there’s an equal chance that Comrie can be replaced by one of the presumed rookie hotshots on the roster.
An immediate candidate is Jordan Eberle, whose brilliant junior career was not as good as Comrie’s.
Whoever the replacements are likely to be, they can’t be expected to step in immediately. I guess that’s why the Oilers’ current situation is being described, with fingers crossed, as a rebuilding process.
Lord knows, there’s a lot of rebuilding to do.
Vetran
Tags: Edmonton Oilers, Fernando Pisani, jordan eberle, mike comrie
Loading ...
