We knew it was coming. It should be no surprise to anyone that officially the Edmonton Oilers have announced a contract extension for current General Manager Steve Tambellini.

Here's where it gets a bit foggy for me. According to a statement by Kevin Lowe on the Oilers website, one of the reasons for Tambellini's extension was as follows.


Kevin Lowe says, "Three years ago we asked Steve to begin a rebuild which we all know hasn't been easy. However, Oilers fans can take some consolation in the fact that Steve and his staff have acquired some amazing talent which will most definitely be the cornerstone to future sustained success for the Edmonton Oilers."

I really don't have an issue with Tambellini. But I do feel giving him credit for things he really didn't do (or at least have a huge hand in) is the wrong reason to reward someone with an extension. If you want to say "hey, we're curious about where Steve can take this team now that it's time to be competitive" or "Steve has a great international and NHL background and we're confident he can take us the next step" then fine... say those things.

But to give Tambellini credit for building depth that should mostly be attributed to Stu MacGregor and his scouting staff, or to say he's made great draft picks when drafting first overall should be the easy part is hard to swallow. Tambellini's trades have been suspect and his UFA dealings less than sufficient. What we don't know is the mandate Tambellini had going into these decisions.

I'm prepared as likely many fans are to see what Tambellini can do now that the pressure is on and the excuse of a "rebuild" is pretty much over and past it's initial stages. For me the jury's out though on whether Tambellini is the right guy and can make those decisions now.

Oh to be a fly on the wall in the Oilers offices that last couple years and to know if finishing last was on purpose or not.

The title here is somewhat of a rhetorical question. It's highly unlikely that the thought of shopping the first overall pick in this years draft would be something Tambellini considers.

But, from an article today by Darren Dreger on TSN's website, while Tambellini may not be shopping the 1st overall NHL entry draft pick, nor is he sure what it would take to convince him to accept a deal for the 1st overall pick, he is doing his job and answering his phone.

This news may make some fans a tad nervous. It shouldn't. The likelihood that the Oilers would move that pick is slim to none. More likely, is that these comments by the Oilers GM are a way to get action stirred up for Tambellini to see what's out there.

Even in the event that the Oilers were to draft Seguin after swinging some kind of deal with the Bruins, I think it's important to the Oilers organization that they still draft first overall and they intend to do it.

The goal here is for Steve Tambellini to have a long book of options or offers to consider before making his selection. If something is out there that is simply too good to pass up, he'd better have it ready to go well in advance so that pulling the trigger is quick and painless.

Dreger reports that Nathan Horton and Steven Weiss are up for grabs in Florida. It's no secret the Oilers like what Nathan Horton brings and have shown some interest in the big forward before. Florida also drafts third overall. Would Nathan Horton and the 3rd overall pick be out of the question for the 1st?

Would I do it? Probably not. After all Seguin and Hall are projected to be superstars. Horton is good, but not that good.

What if Florida took some aging contracts back in the deal and gave us pieces we needed in areas of our depth we lacked? More attractive, but still probably not.

However; if after all the talk between Talon and Tambellini finally produced a trade proposal too good to ignore and I still could draft at #3, who knows. At #3 the Oilers get a franchise d-man to build the blueline around or, in some kind of miracle, Florida drafts Hall and Boston doesn't want Seguin at #2 because they're deep at center and draft a defenceman. In that case its possible the Oilers could still get Seguin at #3.

While Horton and Seguin for the first overall is an amazing what if (even though incredibly unlikely), the point here is weird things like this are often known to happen on draft day. If Tambellini didn't explore every option, he could never put together something beyond the obvious. If he didn't at least listen to what's being offered, he'd not be doing his job.

As Tambellini says, he can't imagine what it would take to convince him to move that pick. The likelihood is, very little if anything could do it. But GM's have been known to do some crazy things on draft day and if they start to, Tambellini better be prepared.

In an interview with Dan Tencer, Oilers GM Steve Tambellini covered a number of topics. Remaining as political as he has since finding out the Oilers would be drafting first overall, Tambellini did provide some interesting responses.

When asked by Dan Tencer to respond to how he felt about Chiarelli going public with the fact that he and the Boston GM had spoken about switching picks, Tambellini gave no real response other than that he finds it unfortunate and unprofessional for GM negotiations to be shared with the media.

He added that he fully expects teams to contact him about his first overall pick and "provide advice on what the Oilers should do with it". Tencer followed up by asking if other GMs had and Tambellini's response was he hasn't even given thought and "has no idea what that kind of deal would look like."

Tambellini followed up with noting that while he is obliged to listen to offers, it would have to be one heck of an offer to then get him to go to Kevin Lowe, Daryl Katz and anyone else involved to suggest that the Oilers flip their first ever #1 overall draft selection.

I like Tambellini's response on a number of fronts. First, if Chiarelli wants to play public games in terms of creating or limiting trade leverage, Tambellini has very subtly showed he's ready to play ball. Tambellini understands the value of the first overall selection. For Boston to take it from his clenched little fingers is going to take an offer Chiarelli won't consider small.

This tells me and should tell people thinking that Wheeler or another NHL ready forward plus is too much, should think again. Tambellini is going to try to hit a homerun. If he can't, he'll just go on up and draft first overall.

Quietly, Tambellini just figureatively said 'hey Chiarelli... don't even ask if you can't come up with something that is going to knock my socks off'. Good for you Steve. The first overall pick is a big deal. Boston wants it and to get it, they have to pay dearly. When you have all the leverage, you better damn well use it.

This also tells me that the Oilers really may not have made up their minds yet as to who they consider the best pick at #1.

When asked how the scouting staff was leaning in terms of the selection. Tambellini showed maybe his only real excitement of the interview by discussing how passionate his scouting staff has been in relaying their findings on both players. They've formed some strong opinions on both sides and for both players and the Oilers GM is having a blast and taking as much time is required to hear everyone out.

Tencer switched gears and also covered the idea of the newfound Jason Spezza blitz, by not directly asking or naming names, but mentioning if Tambellini would consider trading for an impact forward and how his relationship with Bryan Murray is. As expected, Tambellini remained neutral avoiding at all costs getting into a conversation about a rumor and saying his relationship with every NHL GM is great including having a great one with Murray.

On the topic of newest Oiler Magnus Svensson, Tambellini was asked about the Swedish player's status. The question itself came not long after a prior Pierre McGuire interview in which Pierre did everything but label MPS a "monster" and emphatically state Magnus would be in the NHL next season and a superstar for Edmonton in the years to come.

Tambellini confidently stated he's excited about MPS and his track record, but more importantly his attitude. Tambellini won't be at all surprised if MPS starts the season with the big club.

McGuire as we all know is a bit more easily excitable, and Tambellini's review wasn't quite as glowing as Pierre's, but this is good news all around for Oiler fans.

Whether more speculation stirs up in respect to Spezza remains to be seen, but don't expect Spezza to say anything negative about the Sens after what he witnessed with his "good buddy" Dany Heatley. Spezza has more class than to run down his current team (even one he may want to leave) while they try to explore trade options for him. If there is action, expect whatever will happen to do so before July 1st when Spezza's no trade clause kicks in.

This could be an interesting draft for the Oilers, whether they are part of this Spezza talk or not.

The Edmonton Oilers and the Boston Bruins are talking. Fans have been waiting a while for confirmation of what they figured was an obvious future discussion between the two GM's, but the recent NHL combine created the stage for these two team bosses to have a chat.

The question now, is should news coming out of that conversation be news Oiler fans and more importantly Steve Tambellini should believe?

From a recent ESPN article by Pierre Lebrun,"Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli and Oilers GM Steve Tambellini briefly chatted this week at the combine in Toronto." Lebrun goes on to add, "Right now, the Bruins remain undecided on which player they like most, Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin."

This sounds an awful lot like a strategy being employed by a GM who doesn't want to lose his shirt obtaining the player all reports until now suggest was/is Taylor Hall.

Are we to believe that Chiarelli, despite no real changes in his roster and his need for a winger, believes Seguin can be that winger, while Bergeron, Krejci and Savard clog up his center spots?

As unlikely as that seems, Chiarelli is wise not to tip his hand. My guess, is that both GM's remain fence sitters (at least in the public eye) and for this type of back and forth to go on until just before that first pick is selected, when finally one GM gives in as if the two were playing a game of chicken.

If Tambellini sticks to his guns, the GM who gives should be Chiarelli.

Edmonton being a much less talented team, could use both a stud winger and a stud center, thus their conflict revolves more around drafting the better player versus the better prospect. Yes, the Oilers need a center, but outside of Hemsky and Penner, have no real proven depth at wing either and would be stupid to completely ignore that other glaring weakness.

If Chiarelli appears to be "helping" the Oilers, he deflects attention away from the real truth... the Bruins still want Hall.

Chiarelli's claims that any team might want to consider Seguin for his strength at wing and that it would be wise to start Seguin there while he learns the NHL, is a bit of a stretch. Seguin's ability to play wing wouldn't be why you'd draft him. He's a natural center, he's taken huge strides in one hockey season at center and he's made his claim as a possible top pick in that position. Chiarelli is simply playing a game of positioning to lessen Taylor Hall's value as the top winger in the draft. Boston's needs are a bit more defined there and they'd rather not give up to much to fill them.

Perhaps Chiarelli's thought is, convince the Oilers Seguin can do both equally well and Seguin then becomes a natural choice for the Oil, who in turn leave behind Boston's real need in Taylor Hall. Might the Oilers be considering Seguin anyways? Sure, but Chiarelli's odds are better the Oilers take the natural center and less popular fan and media choice if he personally adds his two cents like he's publicly doing now.

Admittedly, we did an article a couple of weeks back stating the importance of having versatility at both positions in any player, arguing that gift being a strength in your draft selection. It's obviously a factor the Oilers are considering.

I only believe it to be a major factor if you don't require filling one position more than another. Chiarelli and the Boston Bruins to me is/are that exception.

Their lack at wing is much more glowing than their lack at center and I'm still not sold you'd draft Hall to play in the middle nor would you draft Seguin to be your star winger.

If what Chiarelli is doing works, thus costing the Oilers a greater return, is yet to be seen. Hopefully, Tambellini and company call that bluff and realize Chiarelli is just trying to add a little fuel to the fire, so as not to give up his 15th overall pick or a player/prospect he'd rather not lose.

Unless the Oilers truly are sold on and want Hall more than Seguin, they must see these commnets for what I believe they are and truly drip every last drop from the Bruins bucket. Edmonton won't be hurt by drafting either Hall or Seguin and if Boston doesn't bite, the Oilers are still completely in control of the first overall pick. A betting man would see the Bruins hand and bet that the Bruins will never get closer than a few minutes prior to draft time without ensuring they've got their man.

Tambellini simply saying to Chiarelli ahead to time, "if you give me this... I'll leave Hall alone. If you don't, the Oilers will be taking him and nothing less than our asking price will do." Does that have to be true? Of course not, but they key is what you can get Chiarelli to think. It's much more likely Chiarelli will believe the Oilers who need both positions filled, than the Oilers currently believing Chiarelli's latest comments.

The only lose scenario for Edmonton, is the slight chance Chiarelli is actually telling the truth. But even if he is, Tamebellini's cards will be on the table knowing full well, he's laid out a reasonable deal to walk away from Hall and that Chiarelli won't gamble when push comes to shove if Chiarelli isn't wanting to make massive changes to his whole roster which adding another top center might require.

With the facts, a little gamesmanship and logical thinking, the worst Edmonton can do is take the player they really want first overall, which is a pretty good day for Oiler fans. Hopefully by the draft, the Oilers have decided who that player is.

One of the beautiful things about being a blogger, is that I can sit in the comfort of my own office when I'm not busy doing the work I'm supposed to focus on and suggest "what if". What if I could trade this guy for that guy? What if I could cut or waive this guy? It's just so easy from this position to make those decisions. But when you consider what is staring Steve Tambellini in the face this summer, would you really want his job?

Think about all that Steve has to do. Some of it which he's already started.

Sure, the whole NHL world knows about how much the face of the Oilers franchise is likely to change at the end of June thanks to the NHL entry draft. The Oilers will pick first overall. Great place to be right?

Of course, except that even this good news comes with bad news. Steve Tambellini can quickly be known as the GM who drafted the wrong guy. Yes, Steve has stated he'll be leaving that decision up to his scouting staff, but it will be Tambellini who falls on the sword if something goes wrong.

In this draft year like no other in recent memory, there is no clear indication of who will or who should go first overall. Taylor Hall was ranked as the top prospect for a while. His play of late as the Memorial Cup is adding fuel to the fire that the Oilers would be nuts to pass up on him. Of course, there was the incredible season of Tyler Seguin in which he won OHL player of the year and was ranked 1st by NHL central scouting.

It's easy to see how this is a decision that could go quite well or quite poorly for the Oilers GM. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Jordan Eberle comes a close second in propsect expectation among media and fans in Edmonton and in the eyes of those who recently caught a glimpse of what he did against Norway at the World Championships.

His four point night only adds speculation that it would be a no brainer to see him in an Oiler uniform next season. Yet, should Tambellini rush that decision and do what has been done to so many prospects before Eberle and hamper his ability; Tambellini again will be to blame. Eberle would become just another name in a long line of players like Sam Gagner, Andrew Cogliano and others who were in Edmonton before they might have been ready.

Sure, Eberle might in fact be ready. But, how would you like to be Tambellini as the guy who says no, when an entire city and experts watching think you should say yes? Everything points towards giving him a shot in the NHL, but it's a big big risk. One that has proven ineffective before and against everything Tambellini has said thus far in his new plan to give all Oilers prospects time to develop.

Of course, one can't ignore the play of Magnus Svennson who's been nothing short of spectacular for Sweden and a bright spot for the Oilers. A last minute addition to the World championship team, he leads all Swedes in points and is looking more and more like he's the most NHL ready prospect the Oilers have.

Only problem is, MPS isn't officially signed yet. Word is, the signing is close if not imminent, but it's just another item in a long grocery list of things to do for Tambellini and crew. Every day Svensson plays, the Oiler fans grow more weary and concerned the Oilers could somehow miss the boat.

When you consider signings, the Oilers now have a number of players signed. In fact too many. Not enough contracts end this season for the prospects who are anticipated to shake things up in training camp to give them all jobs. Players like Linus Omark, Jordan Eberle, Svensson (when signed), Hartkinen, Cornet and others will be here or in the new AHL farm team. To make matters more complicated, many of these names lack some of the attributes missing from last years team that Tambellini needs to address. He'l be looking to trades and free agency to find more grit, faceoff help and special teams help.

Who goes where is up to Tambellini, but every selection and placement either here or in the AHL will be scrutinized. Those Tambellini keeps will need space on the big club and those they'll be replacing need new homes. Not an easy task when you consider the contracts left to Tambellini by the old regime.

Players like Nilsson, O'Sullivan, Moreau, Souray a goalie and a couple other possibles are the obvious players being shopped, but with likely few takers. The more likely option is that teams will want the services of the Hemsky, Penner, Gilbert, Cogliano, or Gagner type. Will Tambellini make those trades? Only he would know, but they can't be easy decisions to make and ones everyone will second guess over and over.

And of course, these are just the surface problems. Tambellini has a coaching staff to re-evaluate. One that includes a coach like Pat Quinn who recent rumblings are starting to suggest isn't a lock as the repeat head coach for this season. That a possible rift or lack of agreement in coaching philosophy existed between he, his associate coaches and a number of the veterans on the team.

Tambellini has a new training staff to hire, he's got a new Oklahoma City club to staff, roster to fill and is smack in the middle of a new arena debate in the city of champions.

I'm not sure if I could armchair a current GM job, it would be that of the Oilers as the job I'd be looking forward to Would you?

These days in the NHL, there are all sorts of people making mistakes. Mistakes, that if the person claiming the mistake was made had their way, would likely cost the offender their job.


Take referee Stephane Auger for example. Alex Burrows was so upset and found Auger's actions so unacceptable, he felt real NHL punishment was warranted. To Burrows credit, he had a lot of people believing him. All of course except the NHL, who decided there wasn't enough proof to remove Auger from his role as an NHL referee; which would have likely been the only real option should he have been found guilty.

Others will contend that what Auger did (if he in fact did it) was something that likely often happens and that in the end doesn't affect a referees overall ability to be objective over the course of their career.

What does this have to do with the Edmonton Oilers?

I bring up Auger and Burrows only as an example as to the extremes that fans will side on an issue. Some find no other option but to fire Auger citing the credibility of the refs in the NHL from this day forward, while others think its so small that its silly to have gotten this much attention.

Right here at home, the Oilers might have a similar issue.

After it was announced today that Nikolai Khabibulin would undergo surgery that will likely put him out for the remainder of the season, one would have to say signing Khabibulin was not just a mistake, but one so big, it could theoretically set the Oilers back two to three years.

Others might suggest that the sky has not yet fallen.

What's your take?

Everyone knew signing Khabibulin was a risk. He was not much younger than Dwayne Roloson, who of course the Oilers weren't shy about suggesting was too old for a two year contract. Bulin has a history of injury, and even if none of that were a factor, has one Stanley Cup run that seems to have outweighed the less than stellar career numbers he has attached to his name in the NHL. At most, he's a better than average veteran goaltender.

As is, the Oilers sit 15th in the western conference. They're not just a bad team, they're a team that can't compete in a lot of cases and while it's hard or unfair to lay blame on two near rookie goaltenders in Deslauriers and Dubnyk, not having a number one goalie is a huge part of the problem.

The Oilers will now be without one for a while. Khabibulin's injury will remove him from action for at least 12 weeks. Not good news, but also not unexpected.

The problem is, they'll be paying him, and while they can use injury to delegate that money elsewhere this year should they choose to, have another three years of the same type of worry to look forward to. Should this be an ongoing issue, the Oilers have $15 million nad four years locked up in a goalie who while in and out of the lineup will cost Edmonton every penny of that deal whether Khabibulin chooses to retire or not.

When a mistake like this is made, what does an organization do? It's hardly a mistake one should overlook. To some, the error is so large, it warrants removing the man responsible even if that person has only had a small run in their current position.

Is it a mistake that can be compared to trading Roberto Luongo for Todd Bertuzzi? Probably not. But it's no small potatoes either.

If Tambellini is behind this move, it says a lot about what he finds is a priority for this club moving forward. It also says a lot about how he handles his business and begs the question; for an Oilers team that badly needs improvement, is the way in which Tambellini makes decisions, the best option for this franchise?

The Khabibulin signing was a quick, rash and impulse decision. The Oilers didn't think he was available. They were suprised by his interest and scooped him without clearly thinking it through, simply because they had the chance to land "the most proven goaltender in free agency". They were competing, (or least led to believe they were), got pulled in and bit hard.

As a result, do the Edmonton Oilers as an organazation allow Tambellini to make this kind of mistake again?

On the contrary, if Kevin Lowe was behind it, some will suggest the time is now clearly obvious that Lowe did more harm than good as a man pulling the strings for the Oilers franchise during his tenure. Something like this after a series of three years of poor decisions demonstrates that he should gracefully walk away from his role and allow someone with a better grasp on the salary cap, the state of the NHL, and control over their emotions to make decisions.

On the other side, some will argue that Khabibulin's injury, like any other before him, was as much luck (or unlucky in this case) as it was something predictable. That the Oilers signed the best option available to them and if given the chance should always make that kind of decision, even though this one didn't pan out as many had hoped.

What would you do? Are you of the mind that Tambellini can still be the right person for the job? His track record thus far isn't glowing. Is it a clean house before it gets any worse attitude in your eyes?

For me, I'm not certain, but if I were Daryl Katz, I can't imagine overlooking a mistake this big. A decision that the minute it was made, was questionable even if Khabibulin could have stayed healthy and considering the other options available to Edmonton at that time.

For this season, we know it doesn't matter. The Oilers will deal with the news as best they can. It could mean a lottery pick, so silver lining is there. For the final three years of Kahbibulin's deal?

That's possibly another story.

The Dany Heatley saga has come to an end in Edmonton, but don't think the drama has. On Friday, Edmonton Oilers GM Steve Tambellini publicly announced he's no longer interested in the disgruntled Ottawa Senators sniper.

After a month of everything from constructing the trade to Heatley declining the trade, to holding the trade and eventually removing the trade, Edmonton finally decided earlier this week that enough was enough. "We gave ourselves an allotted amount of time internally ... to explore every opportunity to see if there was something that would work -- it didn't," Tambellini said during a conference call with reporters. "It's time for us to move on. We're very comfortable with that."

Speaking of "internal" conversations, I wish someone would have asked if the Oilers GM, new coaches and management have had some internal conversations with players who underperformed last year since we seem to have decided changes are not in the forseeable future. We can only hope so, because if what Tambellini says is true or we as fans choose to read between the lines, Tambellini believes that the addition of goalie Nikolai Khabibulin and continued development of a young core is enough to make the Oilers playoff contenders next season.

Now that he's done chasing Heatley, Tambellini stated he's not likely to try and make any other big moves and that's a scary thought if those "internal" conversations don't change much. Based on what we saw last year and how this team has changed this summer, the Oilers are not a playoff team and are not even close to the gritty hard to play against style that Tambellini claimed needed to be added.

"We've got a team that we're looking forward to seeing in September." said Tambellini. That statement was quite the opposite of his previous press conference in which he relieved Craig MacTavish of his coaching duties and also used that time to address his players and their lack of intensity and desire to win hockey games. "This does not absolve the players and their performance, or lack thereof." were Tambellini's exact words when addressing one of the reasons his coach was let go.

So knowing that this team consists of exactly the same players it ended the season with, less a few key components, do the Oilers truly believe that Pat Quinn and Tom Renney can turn a group of non-gritty, but skilled underachievers into a hard to play, in your face squad that rattles off 10 more wins than last year? Or was this press conference more a smoke screen to slowly lower the expectations of fans and media clammering for a change?

Whatever it is, we better hope that either just attempting to land a Dany Heatley says to some of the players on this team, "we better get our butts in gear or we could be next" or August proves Tambellini wrong and that these "hard to find" trades and opportunities to move contracts present themselves. Because, if they don't, the Oilers have neither improved nor rebuilt anything to remotely represent an improved roster.

To me, this press conference wasn't about Dany Heatley. It was about letting fans and media know the Oilers tried to make changes and couldn't. That we're about to rely almost entirely on a different set of coaches and on minor league players looking to crack the line-up.

Don't be surprised if the next public comments from Tambellini suggest the "internal" conversations have been going well. Not the kind of news I think most fans were hoping for.

While the Oilers examine their ability to fill a need at the top 3 left wing forward position, a few viable options exist within Edmonton's roster. Obviously the Oilers would like to improve on what is currently available, but should they not be able to; Tambellini, Quinn and Renney may have already discussed who might be playing along side Hemksy and Horcoff to start the season.

Tambellini saw something at the trade deadline last year he liked -- that being Patrick O'Sullivan. Drafted in the second round of the 2003 NHL entry draft at 56th overall by the Wild, O'Sullivan played his first season for their AHL affiliate, the Houston Aeros. He had a great season, scoring 47 goals, with a total of 93 points, breaking all Houston Aeros' rookie records. A nice start and strong showing of character for a youngster growing up with the shadow of an abusive father hanging over him.

Seemingly able to put all of that behind him, he began the 2006/2007 season with the Kings when he made his NHL debut on October 6, 2006, and became the first person from North Carolina to play in the NHL. O'Sullivan didn't really break out in L.A. until 2007/2008 until he played all 82 games, scored 22 goals and 31 helpers for 53 points. He played in all situations and showed his willingness to shoot the puck, leading the Kings with 220 shots taken that year.

Edmonton saw their first taste of him as an Oiler, when on March 4, 2009, O'Sullivan was traded by the Kings with Calgary's second-round pick to the Hurricanes for Justin Williams, then was traded by the Hurricanes along with a second-round pick to the Oilers for Erik Cole and a fifth-round pick. Cole being a UFA at the end of that year; the Oilers needed to move Cole for risk of losing him in the summer for nothing. By most accounts, it was a win trade for Edmonton as O'Sullivan was argueably the best player to change hands.

Before coming here from L.A. that year, O'Sullivan looked to be on pace for another good season, however; seemed to hit a block as tended to be the case for a lot of offensive minded players under Craig MacTavish. O'Sullivan did little to spark the team and they nose-dived out of a playoff spot as both he and the rest of the team struggled.

That said, I don't want to write him off just yet. O'Sullivan likes to shoot. A lot. He finished last season with 259 shots, which was 39 higher than the year before and 51 more times than anyone on the current Oilers roster that year. Shooting the puck has not exactly been the Oilers strong suit.

Hemsky is a known passer and play-maker and Horcoff, more known for his passing and two-way style than ability to finish plays will both require someone who can keep up, (O'Sullivan is a good skater), who can finish (he knows how to put the puck in the net), and more so than anything is willing to try to score. Even more, O'Sullivan may be a spark for a Shawn Horcoff, who at times was so heavily relied upon last year to be defensively responsible for his linemates, that his offense took a massive hit.

O'Sullivan is a well rounded forward, not afraid to play defense and get back into the play. His plus minus hasn't been stellar over his NHL career, but much of that can be contributed to his career being played in L.A, where goals against was a regularity.

Should the Oilers not be able to make a move this summer, look for a debate between Penner and O'Sullivan as starting LW. I expect to see Penner, but my vote goes to O'Sullivan. He makes more sense in his style of play and Penner fits well on the 2nd line, but first unit power play where I wouldn't expect his numbers to drop.