Each week, we check in with our readers on social media and e-mail to see what is on top of their mind, explore the hot topics of conversation and answer hard-hitting questions about the Edmonton Oilers. Here are some of the talking points from the past week.
Knoblauch Under Fire
As long as Kris Knoblauch is behind the bench, it will continue to be a slumber party. I want to blame the players, but I cannot. A few shots of Knoblauch behind the bench imitating a statue sends me to sleep as well. I think a dynamic team — but one with motivational issues — needs a 'live wire' to inject some life into them.
— Alexander
I have often wondered how Kris Knoblauch still has such a perfect head of hair after being head coach of the Edmonton Oilers for the better part of three seasons. The way this team is stacked so high in talent, yet lacks so much in consistency has to leave him wanting to pull it all out. Yet there he is, standing behind the bench all stoic and statuesque. A foundational pillar holding it all up, if you will. Or a statue, showing as little life and emotion as the stone it is carved from.
However you look at it, the fans often wonder why he does not show the same level of excitement, anger or frustration that they were left feeling all too often while watching Connor McDavid and company underperform all season long. But could you imagine? He would have been ranting and raving like a lunatic if that was the case. Instead, he has to keep it all buttoned down. Sure, he shot off at officials over a bad call or two; that is just part of the coach's job.
But just once in a post-game press conference, would it kill him to drop the robotic delivery of overanalyzed responses and show a little life? Perhaps even a 'goshdarnit' or a 'shucks'? You are right. Somebody needed to wake this sleeping giant of a roster at some point. Only nobody did.
Missing Spark
Hey, remember when Oilers prospect Connor Clattenburg was called up for a brief spell early on and looked like an absolute lightning rod, throwing his body around, dropping his gloves and, yes, even scoring his first-ever NHL goal?
How fun was that? It did not last long before he got hurt and sent back down to Bakersfield of the American Hockey League, but in just a few short games with the club, he could not help but show them exactly what they were missing.
Energy. Enthusiasm. Never saying die, no matter how bleak it might look. That goal came in the middle of a route at the hands of the Dallas Stars on Nov. 25 that ended up 8-3. And the downtrodden Oilers already looked out of it before the opening puck drop.
But still, Clattenburg celebrated just like a kid dreaming of one day scoring his first NHL goal, arms in the air and running on his skates even though the rest of his teammates continued to hang their heads and go through the motions, almost catching them by surprise with his enthusiasm.
You could already see it back then; this team was missing a pulse. But it should not be up to some 20-year-old kid called up out of the blue to kickstart their heart. It starts with the head coach.
