The Edmonton Oilers announced today that long time play-by-play voice Rod Phillips will be hanging it up only to return a few times next season to call some games the Oilers will call "Rod's Classics".

It will be strange to hear a game on the radio without Rod's voice calling the action, but like anything that ends, so does a staple with the Oilers of over 37 years. For many Oil fans, Rod's voice is the only one they know.

There isn't a better time do this in my opinion. Rod's exit creates a place for a new Oilers voice. A voice that will lead radio listeners and fans into a new Oiler era. If the team is rebuilding, why not rebuild the way we listen to it.

There has yet to be any announcement on who will be taking the reigns from Phillips this coming season, but logic suggests that Oilers color man and Oilers Lunch radio host Bob Stauffer is the obvious choice.

Stauffer, not only on merit, experience and pure hockey knowledge alone is worthy of the gig, but his fairly obvious friendship with Oilers owner Daryl Katz won't hurt his chances. Stauffer was brought in last year suddenly to replace Morely Scott. One has to imagine doing so was a way to set the table for Phillips exit down the road.

Here's to hoping Bob can bring some passion and excitement to his calls knowing he has some pretty big shoes to fill, should he in fact be the guy.

Thanks Rod, you will be missed.

The argument always tends to be BPA. Draft the "best player available" at all times. I would tend to agree if and when you are drafting a selection in the first or second round.

Once picks start moving into the third, fourth and fifth rounds; the philosophy of BPA turns into a muddled up mixture of drafting for need and who, regardless of position, is the best player available at the time.
So, when the Edmonton Oilers, who will draft first overall in this years NHL entry draft are ready to make their selection, who do they take knowing to many, Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin are a six of one and a half dozen of the other scenario?

With Hall's play at the Memorial Cup, many are leaning to Hall pushing past an idle Seguin as the consensus top pick. Others still contend that in the long run, Seguin is the better prospect. One consideration that the Oilers will make, is that they have a number of winger prospects in the system and a lack of true number one centers.

If we don't follow the rule of BPA, that leads us to believe the Oilers might be leaning towards Seguin. He fills a massive need and moreso than Hall might.

What if we're over-looking something? If we say the rule is to always draft the best player available (especially in the first couple rounds) and Taylor Hall is currently the "best player", why are the Oilers considering Seguin?

Simple. The rules don't always apply.

If that's accurate, what does that mean if the Oilers can make many of the rumored moves that might be coming prior to the first overall selection?

Talk has been on and off in terms of the interest in the Oilers moving either Ales Hemsky or Dustin Penner. I would hate to see them move either if the return wasn't tremendous, but should they actually do so, how much does that change the landscape of then drafting Taylor Hall? Logic would suggest that if you lose one or heaven forbid, two wingers, you better replace them. Hall is NHL ready. Would he then be the replacement?

If you're moving Penner or Hemsky for picks (the only scenario that makes sense to me), what new picks would you be obtaining?

The Edmonton Oilers have a lot of work to do to repair a lousy lineup/roster. It's not silly to assume that outside of the as many as 10 draft picks the Oilers have in this years draft, they'll be heavy on the trade front and Tambellini walking the floor a lot to swing other deals, potentially drafting some of those picks in higher positions.

Edmonton has a history of making moves on draft day and this year more than most, we know the Oilers want to move up to draft again in the top ten. We know the Oilers need to unload some bodies and salary. And we know the Oilers are actively shopping Sheldon Souray.

Should they pull it off one or many of these objectives, who would you draft and would it change who you are leaning towards as your number 1?

Regardless of your opinion of the rule of BPA, changes before the pick could drastically alter who we think goes first. I have no doubt about that.

When you consider that the Edmonton Oilers have at least three extremely hot prospects possibly attending this upcoming seasons training camp, its no wonder fans and media are all talking exciting changes.

The bad news if you're one of the those fans, is that you may have to hold your breath or wait a little bit longer for those sweeping changes to occur.There is a possibility, a better than slight one at that, that the Oilers are and will be dressing a very similar line-up this coming season to the one that placed 30th less than a few months ago.

Knowing what we know about the new and future Oiler faces coming, why would I say that?

One would never think that with the first overall draft pick that the Oilers would choose not to insert that player into the lineup. We are hearing some rumblings that this may be exactly what happens.

With the Oilers new rebuild philosophy that no prospect, no matter how itchy management is to put them in the NHL, will be rushed before they are 100% ready for the role of a big league professional, the first overall draft pick may not play immediately.

The big asteriks here of course, is that the Oilers are looking at Tyler Seguin at #1. While nothing official has been said to indicate as such, some in the know like Robin Brownlee of Oilers Nation, Dan Tencer of 630 CHED and Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal media have now come out and all agreed on a hunch that the Oilers like Seguin based on interviews they've conducted with chief Oilers scout Stu McGregor and may be leaning towards drafting him.

The problem (if you call it a problem because your hoping the Oilers take Hall) is that Seguin is touted as a better prospect than Taylor Hall, not a better player. That alone suggests he's still a work in progess and may not be ready for the jump to the NHL like most Oiler fans are hoping. If the Oilers are committed to the new philosophy and Seguin isn't quite there yet, he might not be playing at Rexall Place on opening night.

Marc Spector of Sportsnet fame, went so far as to publicly bet that Seguin would go back to junior after the Oilers select him (which he too thinks they will), which of course drew some laughter from many Oiler fans.

Oiler fans might not be laughing if Spector is correct.

Take two that the Oilers are seriously considering giving more time to popular prospect Jordan Eberle in the AHL to see him dominate among better pros and the only real shining hope left is Magnus Svenson, who at this point hasn't even signed with Edmonton and could stay in Sweden one more year.

The word is that MPS does plan to leave Sweden for North America sooner than later, but that's no guarantee that he cracks the Oilers line-up starting in October. He's a great offensive talent, has size and speed and surprised many at the IIHF by leading Sweden in scoring after being a last minute addition, but some are finding weakness in his defensive game and he's still extremely young in terms of age.

Could it be, that the Oilers who could have MPS, Eberle and Seguin as their top tier prospects in less than a month, will not place any of them in Oiler uniforms to start the 2010 season? Sadly...yes.

If that's correct, there are a few things that have to happen for me not to be like many fans and who are bound to be completely upset.

1) If you're going to draft Seguin instead of Hall (which I have no problem with by the way), there better be some serious return from the Bruins. Everyone knows Boston wants Taylor Hall. Not using that leverage in terms of a trade to squeeze something from the Bruins is enough that I would immediately expect Tambellini to lose his job. There's no way that Boston tries to call Edmonton's bluff and doesn't give something to the Oilers for them to stay away from their guy.

2) Here's to hoping that if they don't in fact draft Taylor Hall (who is ready for the NHL), that the team stays healthy or we can say goodbye to Ales Hemsky. It's just recently that word is coming out that Hemsky likes the idea of a rebuild. I'm guessing however, he assumes immediate change. With limited time left on his current deal, change can't wait forever if the Oilers expect Hemmer to stick around

3) The Oilers need to make other non-prospect related changes. Those could include trading Souray and Moreau or buying out Nilsson or O'Sullivan, because if they don't; it will be an extremely long season for everyone.

Magnus Paajarvi-Svenson and second-round pick (40th overall) Anton Lander are closer to being Oilers than ever before. Robin Brownlee reported that while Tambellini is obviously visiting the IIHF hockey tournament to see Canada and Jordan Eberle play, the big reason for his visit is to finalize contracts with the two Swedes.

As Brownlee put it, "Don't be surprised if announcements about contracts for both are made by the end of the tournament." MPS is becoming widely known as the one Oiler prospect above all others most ready to step into the NHL lineup. Jordan Eberle and whomever the Oilers draft are among the most anticipated arrival by Oiler fans, but experts suggest MPS could have the biggest impact.

If his current play for Sweden is any indication, the experts may be right.

Anoton Lander is known as the type of prospect that not only has great skill but is a natural leader and been considered captain material on almost every team he's played.

Both signings would be big for Edmonton and take care of one of Tambellini's and the Oilers biggest obstacles in the summer of Steve.

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?

For a minute, I'd like to pose a question.

It seems that the debate over Taylor Hall vs Tyler Seguin isn't one debating the skill of either player. The debate seems now to revolve more around where the Edmonton Oilers need the most help and for that reason alone, Seguin supporters are suggesting the Oilers draft him at #1.

I've yet to actually hear anyone say that Seguin should be drafted simply because he's better. Even Central Scouting, the latest and I think only major scouting agency to list Seguin at #1 overall, isn't doing so for his current skill, but more for his potential at a position that comes in higher demand around the NHL.

Furthermore, Seguin is being projected at a higher level than Hall. David Staples has a great read here on what that means if interested.

Tyler Seguin was a great player on a not as great a team in Plymouth. Taylor Hall was a star winger on a loaded team in Windsor. Those are facts as we know them and explanations by many who suggest that because Seguin was able to produce with a lesser supporting cast, his numbers mean more.

So, here's my question.

What if both players had played their junior career at center?

Sure, it's a loaded question because we know that's not what happened and we don't know what Hall's numbers would have looked like.

What we do know from the accounts of the many scouts, coaches and players who've provided information and testimonials about Hall, is that he's a natural athlete. He possessed skills that made him a great draft when he was selected into the OHL and his inability to play the position wasn't reason for the switch to LW.

Windsor coach Bob Boughner stated Hall's move to LW wasn't because Hall couldn't effectively play the center position, but because Boughner had a team with plenty of center depth and he thought a player with Hall's skills could make the switch. Moreover, Boughner enjoyed watching a player with Hall's speed play wing and literally fly around the defender on an offensive rush. He slated him there to better utilize the other members of the Windsor team.

Had Boughner not had that extra depth, Hall might have spent his OHL time at center. It's a bold guess and there isn't much evidence to suggest Hall's numbers would have been the same as they are now, but it's not a stretch to imagine they'd still be great and Hall wouldn't still be listed as a top tier draft choice in this years NHL lottery.

For those out there that are looking less at the player and more the position that the Oilers need to fill, would you think differently if Hall were thought of as a center and not a winger? Or even a 50/50 split should he have played a lot of time there?

Does it help or confuse your decision if you were given the impression that Hall could play either position in the NHL effectively? Since we really don't know how either player will make the transition, would that versatility be nice to have in your next superstar and would it make you change your mind knowing Hall can play both while Seguin is known purely as a center and not a winger?

Food for thought.

A couple of quick posts by the Edmonton Journal's Jim Matheson and Oilers Nation Robin Brownlee suggests what they thought was an unhappy and likely to be exiting Ales Hemsky, may have changed his tune.

Information presented to them in respect to a year end exit meeting between Hemsky and the Oilers, suggest Hemsky is now not only perhaps not looking to sign elsewhere at the end of his current contract, but excited about the Oilers current plans. If both Matheson and Brownlee were previously under the impression Hemsky was giving out feelers that he'd be leaving; what exactly happened at that meeting?

It's no secret that Ales Hemsky hasn't exactly been surrounded by a winning supporting cast. Ryan Smyth, Shawn Horcoff, Dustin Penner and other temporary fill-ins have tried, but none have yet to live up to the "superstar" billing that seems to surround Hemsky (even though Hemsky's numbers do not fully suggest he himself is a superstar). Ryan Smyth might be the closest.

As a result, the Oilers have done literally everything in their power to land a scoring winger to play with Hemsky. Marian Hossa, Dany Heatley, Thomas Vanek, even Dustin Penner who has had some mild success, were sought out or brought in to work with Hemmer and create that "top line" the Oilers haven't had in years.

In many cases, this never-ending quest has come at the detriment of the team.

This isn't to say that the attempts at centers like Michael Nylander or Paul Kariya weren't also done for the same reasons; but the publicity surrounding the failed attempts of someone Hemsky might click with, seem to start and end with well known and top level talent wingers. Heck even the Jagr rumors continued to float around until it was recently announced Jagr had officially re-upped in the KHL.

Does that mean that when the Oilers Steve Tamebellini and possibly Daryl Katz (as we have learned spent a good two hours chatting with Hemsky one-on-one over coffee) sat down with Hemsky to end this horrid season, that something like, "Hemmer...we're about to draft you the linemate you've always wanted. This is a big opportunity for you and the Edmonton Oilers" came out?

If anything similar to it was the focus of that conversation, the natural fit might seem to mean that Taylor Hall fits the bill better than Tyler Seguin would.

Hall, by all accounts, will make an immediate impact in the NHL. It won't come as a surprise to anyone to see him get top line ice time in 5-on-5 situations and the powerplay; and the logic behind it being to bury some of the beauty passes Hemsky can dish out. Hall has proven to be a big game player, has the ability to shoot and pass and he along side Hemsky should improve a player like Shawn Horcoff immensely, who everyone knows the Oilers can't and aren't getting rid of.

Perhaps the thought a player like Hall has Hemsky excited. That maybe, Hemsky can be a new leader on this team with a young scoring superstar who has the potential to be just as flashy as he is.

On the other hand, since we know little about what's really going on in Hemsky's mind, perhaps he's more open to the idea of a true first line center?

And, all of a sudden we're back to where we started. I guess, this is why it's fun to speculate, but really know nothing until the parties involved start to actually tip their hands. What do you think?

If you're a hockey fan you might be watching the playoffs no matter which teams play each other. Perhaps you are a Canadian and Montreal or Vancouver are your teams of choice. My suggestion, is that if you're an Edmonton Oiler fan, perhaps you take just a moment to give a little nod to the hockey gods that the Boston Bruins get to the finals.

The catch? In the end, we need Boston to lose.

If the Boston Bruins can do everything except win the actual Stanley Cup, imagine what the mindset of the team, the GM and the fans would be knowing that perhaps they are just a mere nip and tuck away from winning the whole thing next season.

Take into consideration a few things that lead me along this line of thinking.

First, the Bruins already have the 2nd overall pick coming to them in this years NHL entry draft. They'll be getting either Tyler Seguin or Taylor Hall. Who they get, is up to the Oilers.

That said, it's no secret the Bruins want Taylor Hall. They're deep at center and want a player who will make an impact sooner rather than later. Everything we've heard to date about Hall fits their needs perfectly and the Oilers hope to take advantage of the Bruins need for a winger and not a center. The Oilers need both so Boston shouldn't gamble on thinking they know who the Oilers will take.

Second, the Bruins have most of their core locked up for just one more season after this current campaign. Come 2011/2012, players like Zdeno Chara, Marco Sturm and Patrice Bergeron all hit the UFA market. The Bruins will be unlikely to keep that core in tact and for them to win, the time is either this year or next with the squad they have. Can they replace other peices down the road? Sure. Would they rather make slight improvements to what seems to be a winning formula? That's more likely.

In short, the Bruins are the exact opposite of a rebuilding Oilers team. Their attitude is win now, as it rightfully should be.

If Boston comes ever so close without winning it all, they'll have tough decisions after using available money to resign players like Blake Wheeler and possibly Miroslav Satan or Recchi on the cheap (if they can get them on the cheap both are having tremendous playoffs seasons and have likely garnered some attention from other GM's).

If Boston successfully signs these players and then whatever draft selection they take, they'll quickly use up much of their $8 million in cap space for next year and will contemplate clearing out space. Maybe they'll look to trade a player like Michael Ryder. Maybe they'll toy with not re-signing with a player like Denis Seidenberg. Both cut even more into the limited space available and might be seen as less than key ingredients in this current and future cup runs.

Part of the decision will boil down to whether or not players available to them in trade or free agency are a slight improvement over the options available to them currently. Free agency might be a stretch since Boston just doesn't have the space to pay the going rate. So too, free agency doesn't allow them to eliminate cap space while a trade or two would.

Enter the Edmonton Oilers.

Would Sheldon Souray be an improvement over Denis Seidenberg? Boston might think so. A one two punch of Souray and Chara has a nice ring to it and if in the process Boston could move Michael Ryder they'd consider it. I'd bet the Oilers would make that move as well, if for no other reason than to say goodbye to Souray and hello to a lesser cap hit for one year.

Maybe even more, the Bruins take interest in a fourth line grinder like Ethan Moreau. Moreau brings playoff experience, grit and leadership. He also brings a contract about to expire which could make Moreau more attractive to the Bruins when other teams have clearly shown no interest.

The Oilers would be happy to send an overpaid Moreau for an overpaid Ryder, if it meant they could get rid of an overpaid and unhappy Souray. Perhaps adding Souray means the Bruins move one more peice of the blueline and an experienced NHL defencman like Andrew Ference to clear more space? He sounds like a thrown in, but Ference is a legit experienced d-man who can help the Oilers.

In one swoop, the Oilers move Souray and Moreau while adding Ference and Ryder. The Oilers pick up $6.2 million in cap space and move $7.4. It adds $1.2 million to the Bruins current payroll, but nothing that hampers them to make other smaller moves and they improve their team for another push to finally win the cup.

Don't think Boston would do it? Consider this a lateral move at best? What if the Oilers offered up the 1st overall pick for the 2nd, thus guaranteeing that the Bruins get their man Taylor Hall and the Oilers draft Tyler Seguin?

The Bruins have Souray, Hall and Moreau while the Oilers have Ryder, Ference and Seguin. I don't see this as too big a stretch. The beauty is, this isn't the only combination of options that work between Boston and Edmonton. What would you do?