Looking ahead for the Edmonton Oilers: Time for an overhaul

As each NHL team is eliminated from playoff contention -- either mathematically or by losing in the postseason -- we'll take a look at why its quest for the Stanley Cup fell short in 2018-19, along with three keys to its offseason, impact prospects for 2019-20 and a way-too-early prediction for what next season will hold.

What went wrong

According to Edmonton Oilers CEO Bob Nicholson, it's not the players nor the management. It's the plumbing. "We got some real good players. We got some real good staff. But there's something in the water here in Edmonton that we don't have right," he said, infamously, in January.

(Somehow that ended up not being the most outrageous excuse for the Oilers' demise this season, as Nicholson would later blame their playoff shortfall on the goal-scoring prowess of depth forward Tobias Rieder.)

What went wrong was mostly an issue of construction, as it became quickly apparent general manager Peter Chiarelli had failed to build a competitive team around franchise players Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. He threw a Hail Mary pass to save his own job by firing coach Todd McLellan after a 9-10-1 start to bring on Ken Hitchcock, who managed to squeeze a 25-25-8 record out of the team in its next 58 games. But the team never seriously threatened for playoff contention.

Meanwhile, the sum total of Chiarelli's bumbling added up to his own dismissal on Jan. 23, with Keith Gretzky replacing him on an interim basis. That firing came after a series of scrambling cosmetic change trades for players such as Brandon Manning and the completion of one of his ultimate blunders: trading Ryan Strome to the Rangers for Ryan Spooner. Strome was a flop in Edmonton after being acquired for Jordan Eberle and is now having his best goal-scoring run with the Rangers; Spooner was traded again in February, to Vancouver for Sam Gagner.

But like an expelled student tossing one last stink bomb on his way out the door, Chiarelli signed goalie Mikko Koskinen to a lamentable three-year, $13.5 million contract extension with trade protection just 24 hours before his firing.

Meanwhile, McDavid (114 points), Draisaitl (47 goals) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (65 points) all dragged this ocean liner with a breached hull as far as it could go until it sank.

Keys to the offseason

The new GM and the organizational philosophy: The problem with Nicholson diagnosing the problems in Edmonton is that he's a problem himself. He admitted his approach in hiring Chiarelli and McLellan was "a mistake" and that this time, he'll be more thorough in his vetting. What that doesn't indicate is whether he can make the right call, or be trusted to do so.

The "old boys network" remains intact in upper management for a franchise that has one playoff appearance since 2007. Let me repeat: The Florida Panthers have been to the playoffs more frequently in the past 12 years than the Oilers, who have had the best player in the world on their roster since 2015.

All of this is to say the problems with the Oilers go higher than the general manager, but perhaps the right person in that gig could help counterbalance it. The rumored field for the job includes some notable retreads (Dave Nonis, Mike Gillis), executives waiting for their shot at the big chair (Mike Futa, Mark Hunter, Kelly McCrimmon, Sean Burke, Pat Verbeek), the current general manager (Gretzky) and a wild card in Ken Holland, the Detroit Red Wings general manager whose decades-long time with that franchise could be at an end.

Hire the right coach: One imagines this is the end for Ken Hitchcock. New general managers like a fresh start and a chance to hire their guy, and it's not as if the Oilers' performance under Hitch is an overwhelming reason for upper management to keep him in place, especially from a public relations standpoint.

Obviously, without knowing who will be hiring the next Oilers coach, it's difficult to envision who it might be. That said, there are clearly three directions for this team to go: a youthful coach who can grow with the team's stars; an established veteran hand with both regular-season and postseason experience who isn't Ken Hitchcock; or Ken Hitchcock, if only so the Edmonton coaching carousel stops before it speeds up again.

Make contracts disappear: Milan Lucic has four years remaining at $6 million against the cap annually and has full no-move protection, a monument to Chiarelli's ineptitude in Edmonton. The buyout picture isn't pretty, but getting this player and his deal off the cap is essential, and his trade protection makes a "problem for a problem" deal with another team difficult.

Andrej Sekera ($5.5 million annually through 2021, no-movement clause) and Kris Russell ($4 million annually through 2021, no-movement clause ... what, did Chiarelli give these out like a restaurant gives out mints?) are other oft-mentioned buyout or trade candidates.

Dramatically improve forward depth: There's a country mile between the Oilers' third-leading scorer (Nugent-Hopkins) and the next forward on that chart (Alex Chiasson, 36 points). The best teams in the Western Conference are the ones that can roll three dangerous offensive lines. The Oilers' offense has been "Connor, Leon and the power of prayers" for far too long, thanks to Chiarelli's shipping out more scorers than he imported. That has to change.

Impact prospects for 2019-20

Cooper Marody, C/W, age 22: Marody has outperformed my expectations for him in his first professional season after a very strong collegiate career at the University of Michigan. In his first full pro campaign, Marody has averaged 1.12 points per game, good for second on the AHL's Bakersfield Condors. Marody skates well and has some skill, which has helped him put up some really strong numbers. He's appeared in six NHL games this season, but I fully expect him to compete for a depth roster spot next season.

Ethan Bear, D, age 21: It's been another year of solid growth and development for Bear, who is a confident puck-mover. He's done enough this year to at least get himself in the conversation for a roster spot. He's a sturdy right-shot who has made a strong adjustment to the AHL this season in helping drive significant success for the Condors.

Tyler Benson, LW, 21: Benson has long been an intriguing prospect. He battled injuries throughout his junior career, but now in his first full professional season he's looking more like the player who showed such promise in limited action during his draft year of 2015-16. Averaging a point per game for Bakersfield, Benson has showcased the deft playmaking skills that stood out when he was healthy in the WHL. This is a big step forward for him developmentally, and I have to think the Oilers will give him a shot to make the big club next season.

Caleb Jones, D, age 22: This has been a really important and positive season for Jones, who has earned some serious NHL time on top of his solid performance in the AHL. Jones is more of a defender than he is an offensive contributor, but he moves the puck well enough to fit the mold of a more modern-style defensive defenseman. He's not flashy, but steady, reliable and just productive enough to give the team a solid option on the back end. I'm not sure he becomes a full-timer next season, but his stock is rising.

Realistic expectation for 2019-20

Whoever takes over this team is taking over a bit of a mess, one that is talent-deficient and cap-strapped. But you could do a lot worse than trying to build around a star in McDavid who won two straight scoring titles (and is second this season) and a 23-year-old forward who just crested over 100 points for the first time in Draisaitl.

The expectation is the Oilers reverse course and challenge for a wild-card spot at a minimum next season; but realistically, it's going to take a new GM with a few bold moves up his sleeve and the right voice behind the bench.

Of course, this being Edmonton, the Oilers will probably just win the draft lottery again, and then we'll have two generational talents whose careers are being squandered by this franchise. Must be the water.