The Oilers won a hard fought contest against the Dallas Stars on Thursday. For the team, it was a coming out of sorts in 5-on-5 play -- an area the Oilers were awful and dead last in the NHL.

In the first 18 games of the season, the Oilers had something like sixteen 5-on-5 goals. In the last two games - Dallas and St. Louis, the Oilers have six 5-on-5 goals in four periods. A welcome change.

Yet, in the process of increasing production at even-strength, the Oilers power play, 6th in the league as of last nights game versus St. Louis, has been dreadful. Edmonton had three two-man advantage opportunities in Dallas and failed to score on any of them. They went zero for three on the power play in St. Louis as well.

With a team so loaded in skill, the power play, especially when two players up should be an area almost guaranteed a goal for the club. That is, unless you put the wrong people on the ice.

Nail Yakupov, Edmonton's number one draft pick and super-rookie, has excelled on the man-advantage. Of his six goals, four have been on the power play; but in the last couple games, Yakupov has seen very little time when a man up.

Not too many can or should argue with Ralph Krueger's stance of moving Yakupov up and down the line-up, switching him back and forth between the second and fourth lines throughout his short career as an NHL'er. However, it's shocking to see a player with such offensive talent, and one willing to shoot the puck, sitting when the Oilers aren't in a defensive situation that could see the opposition come back and either tie or win a game against Edmonton.

In Dallas, the Oilers were up by three and four goals, yet Yakupov was on the bench. If the Oilers got the set-up they wanted, the team appeared to settle for passing the puck, getting very little going. However, the culprits stayed on the ice for most of the 5 on 3 time and Yakupov, who when given a chance just a bit later, hit the post on a shot which eventually led to an Ales Hemsky goal, had to ride it out.

I'm wondering, why is Yakupov not being given a chance?

Yakupov has been prone to some untimely turn-overs. Rookie mistakes come with the territory, but when 5 on 5 and in a shortened season, mistakes like these are not the kind of plays a coach wants or likes to see. To Yakupov's credit, he has busted his butt to get back in the play when he makes a mistake, but Krueger must feel it's a risk he's not willing to take.

This may be a situation where the coach feels it's necessary to teach the rookie a lesson. That defensive smarts will get him offensive opportunities. If that's what's happening here, I understand the rationale, but as a fan, I can't stand not seeing the best offensive players on the ice when a real opportunity for the Oilers presents itself to score a goal.

All that said, Yakupov has a great amount of respect and liking for his coach. In an article with Andrey Osadchenko, Nail Yakupov covered a lot of topics some of which revolved around his power-play time and his coach.

"Besides, we have got an excellent coach. He's great not only as a coach but on a personal level too. I have never met a coach like him. He's always there for us. You want to go out there and win games just because of him."  says Yakupov. 

Here's to hoping with the change in limited ice-time and less power play opportunities, Krueger continues to keep a good relationship with his team including Yakupov. I believe Yakupov to be a true talent, but an interesting personality -- one that could quickly change the way it feels about any given situation.

While there's a lot going on in Edmonton Oiler-land, is it me or does it seem to feel like a lot of the same old, same old?

Let me start by saying, that I'm not opposed to the hiring of Ralph Krueger as head coach of the Edmonton Oilers. I think in fact it's the type of hire the Oilers needed to make. A coach with experience (maybe not NHL head coaching -- but a healthy resume none the less), and a man who is respected and liked by the young core of this team and a man with a passionate vision. If there is one thing Krueger is known for, it's on his ability to deliver a motivational speech.

He's going to need to be not just good at it, but really good at it if he expects to see change in the results column where change is not very present inside the dressing room.

To date, only one new face has arrived since the Oilers finished 29th place last season. That being the draft selection of Nail Yakupov, who should be playing right wing when the Oilers open the season in October and is currently showcasing his skills at the Oilers development camp at Millenium Place in Sherwood Park.

The hire of Krueger and the retaining of both Steve Smith and Kelly Buchberger as assistant coaches means the faces will stay the same in the directors chair, but the message -- one that Steve Tambellini has touted as the real need for a new coach -- must change. That's hard to do when new blood and a new delivery isn't a by-product of a new coach that hasn't already been here.

Krueger has his work cut out for him. His biggest hurdle will be in finding a way to do what Renney and Pat Quinn before him couldn't -- that is get the veterans to chip in. The Edmonton Oilers are a team of youth. That is their future. But to succeed, they'll need contribution from the Horcoff's, Hemsky's, and Belanger's of the team to try and match the intensity level and effort put forth by the youth on a nightly basis.

I believe that's why Krueger was hired. That message has to be not only delivered, but received and demonstrated as understood by everyone on the team. If it isn't, a lot of people will be held accountable and none faster than current GM, Steve Tambellini.

Tambellini is putting a lot of faith in Krueger who will get his first chance to really showcase his motivational talents when he, along side Kevin Lowe, Steve Tamebellini, and Taylor Hall will pitch young defensive college prospect Justin Schultz on the merits of becoming an Oiler.

Schultz has placed Edmonton on a short-list of five teams -- Edmonton and Vancouver considered by many to the be the two favorites. My hope, is that if Krueger is as good as they say he is at sending a message and having it be received and accepted, Krueger and Taylor Hall will do most of the talking. Young star to potential young star and coach to prospect wanting a chance to produce results leading into a big time contract in a couple years.

If the Oilers can't convince Schultz, and our history as Oiler fans should let us know that it's a bad idea to get  our hopes up too much, there will be major need to use free agency and trades to bolster their blue-line. Again, where have we heard this story before? Go after the big name free agent and strike out. Try your hand and only succeed by drastically overpaying for the wrong player.

Even at Oilers prospect camp where fans are delighted to see the youth (mainly Yakupov) energize crowds with his goal celebrations, many are stopping to suggest that he cool it before insulting goalies and veterans he hasn't even played with yet.

These same veterans that are the problem in Edmonton. If you ask me, what Yakupov is doing is exactly what the Oilers need right now. A brash, confident young potential star to rub a few noses in the same old, same old. There needs to be a wake-up call to this team, and while we sit here waiting to see if we'll again come away empty handed in the Schultz sweepstakes or if the same coach who's already been in the room can change the perception, Yakupov is the only real visible difference. It's a difference I like.

There is a very stupid rumor floating around that Toronto defenseman Jake Gardiner is being considered for the #1 overall draft pick this year. The entire purpose of the next few paragraphs is to clearly demonstrate how stupid a rumor I believe this is.

I'll admit to hearing lately that there has been considerable steam being built up that Edmonton is in fact strongly considering moving the first pick, but there better be more than Gardiner on the block.

I don't think Gardiner and the #5 pick get it done. In fact, I don't think Gardiner, the #5 pick and a prospect would get it done. And, this is not because I over value the selection of Nail Yakupov -- an unproven, but by all accounts should be dynamite prospect.

Why I think you can't make a trade in any of the above situations, is because we're talking about moving down four spots, where it's very likely that of Edmonton's top three or four player draft selection wish list, all of those players could theoretically be gone come the time the Oilers get up to draft at #5 overall.

If at the end of draft day on June 22nd the Oilers leave the draft with only one player who they could plug into the lineup, and that one player isn't who they deem the best selection at the draft, that's a huge mistake.

Unless they grab a single star player, any trade that the Oilers make will have to include at least two, maybe three ready to play NHL roster players. Otherwise the Oilers miss out on the help they desperately need to climb out of the bottom five and push for a playoff spot. Without that return, you take the best player available -- who seems to be Yakupov, put him in your lineup and make other moves before the season starts.

Part of this crazy speculation comes from Toronto fans who feel that by adding Gardiner to your team, you immediately will see college prospect Justin Schultz follow. If I'm a betting man, I consider those odds at best 4 to 1. Those are not odds I'm willing to gamble on if I'm in the Oilers shoes.

Gardiner and Justin Schultz are buddies. But Schultz will have other factors weighing on his mind when he ultimately decides where he'll end up playing. If friends is the only reason, Schultz wreaks of bad news to me.  A player who come contract time will be a problem. A locker room distraction in a locker room the Oilers spent years cleaning up and are still working to make the best it can be.

If the Oilers do in fact trade the pick, I see only two possible destinations. Columbus or Montreal. This leaves Yakupov, Murray and Reinhart who I believe are the three players the Oilers truly believe are the best options at this years draft and can be plugged into your roster immediately.

* UPDATE: Damien Cox has come to say that Brian Burke has denied even considering a trade of Jake Gardiner or Luke Schenn for the #1 pick. If that's the case, there is definitely no chance the Leafs and Oilers make any type of deal involving that selection.

We did it when it was Taylor versus Tyler. We did it when it was Nugent-Hopkins versus Larsson and we're doing it again.

It seems as though the increased exposure and constant lack of being able to talk about anything other than the NHL draft has people losing their minds in respect to who truly is the best prospect at the draft. Oilers fans aren't the only ones either.

When Sean Couturier was ready to be drafted, but had to wait a full year before he was actually eligible, at the time, scouts were aware he was a consensus at a top pick. Over the draft eligible year however the scouts had already seen the good, so it became time to pick apart the bad. It was done so much, that Couturier's stock actually dropped all the way to the Flyers who selected him eighth overall. He showed in the playoffs and with his sound two-way play, that he really was the good that scouts saw earlier and before they began to tear apart his play having seen him too often.

When Taylor Hall was drafted over Tyler Seguin, there were some who thought the Oilers made the right choice -- the consensus choice. There were others who had worked Seguin into the equation as the smarter of the two options. While the jury is still out, Hall has done more in a limited time that Seguin and proven to be the top selection. Hall is a true leader on the Oilers and I don't think if you asked fans, that many if at all would trade Hall straight up for Seguin at this point.

Nugent-Hopkins was tops in the NHL as a rookie on a point per game basis and he's likely going to be punished by not winning the Calder trophy due to injury. Of course, there was a contingent of fans and media that believed because the Oilers needed better defense and that Adam Larrson was the better option. Larrson has spent much of the playoffs as a healthy scratch.

The point here is that we can over-hype the draft. Picking #1 should be the easy part. It's picking #3, #4 and #5 where things aren't so clear.

The Oilers haven't had that problem so with the #1 pick, is there really any reason the Oilers shouldn't take the guy who's been the talk of the draft for the last year and a half? Yakupov is not a defensman. That much is true. But, he is the best player available this year and he would be by leaps and bounds had everyone not had nothing better to do that dissect his every little move.

Take the best player available. From there, if you have to move him or another piece to fill the holes you need to fill if that in the long run benefits your team.