NHL Rumors: Edmonton Oilers Coach On The Hot Seat

According to Emily Kaplan of ESPN, the Edmonton Oilers appear to be contemplating a coaching change and next week's game against the Ottawa Senators has been circled as a must-win. 

There is some doubt the game takes place as COVID rips through the Senators but Kaplan went on to mention the following:

Ken Holland the GM — it’s important to note in all of his years in Detroit he never made an (in-season) coaching change. I’ve talked to a lot of sources in the league who don’t know what Ken Holland is going to do, but if he does make a move, January 10th is their next game, they play the Ottawa Senators. If they lose to the Senators, there will be a lot of pressure from fans and that would be the time to do it as they have 10 days before their next game.

Anytime a new coach takes over you want to have a slew of practices to get everyone accustomed to the new systems and having 10 days between games is certainly the perfect time. There's been a ton of rumblings about Mike Babcock waiting in the wings in Western Canada but Kaplan believes the in-season move would be to promote one of the assistants or from their American Hockey League affiliate.

The Oilers are struggling at the moment with a 2-6-2 record in their past 10 games. Even though they currently sit in the second wild card position in the West, the team has a ton of holes and has been playing some terrible hockey of late. 

If the Oilers don't end up shaking up their coaching staff, all of hockey's insiders believe the team makes a trade for a netminder and some help up front. Mikko Koskinen and Mike Smith are not performing well of late and the offense needs more balance as the two-headed monster won't be able to carry them to the promised land. Keep an eye on the Oilers next game, it could be Dave Tippett's last.

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