The Last Chapter

It was a beautiful April day. The sun was shining, the sky was clear, little pieces of green had finally started to shoot through the unbearable grey Edmontonians had become accustomed to for the past six months. Homeless people had taken the day off begging, instead choosing to carry old lady's bags and clean the sidewalks. Children held doors for elders, using old colloquialisms like "sir" and "ma'am." During the hustle and bustle of a downtown lunch rush, people stopped to greet perfect strangers. Bus patrons took the unusual step of bathing before riding to wherever it is they need to go. Edmonton police even took the day off from tasering and beating random civilians to try something they hadn't in ages – policing the city.

And it all happened yesterday. April 15, 2009 – the day Craig MacTavish was removed/fired/stepped down/resigned as head coach of the Edmonton Oilers.

I, of course, completely exaggerate. Police were still beating random civilians. But the rest, I'm 99% sure, happened. Even the part about MacT's reign of terror ending after nine horrifying years.

I received about 15 text messages, five phone calls, and even a few emails about the news, but I thought three comments captured my feelings (the average fan's feelings?) better than any other. Here are the winners (one is a facebook status, but I had the pleasure of talking with an over-joyed David Wilson… so it counts):

• C. Nekechuk, aged 18
  

"Hope has risen like a phoenix from a desolate, success-starved prairie city. The day of reckoning is upon us. Let us dance in the streets. Let us be cognizant of where we are and what we are doing because this is a moment the Oilers Nation will never forget. Let us become entirely enraptured by this moment. Craig Mactavish is gone! Horrah!"

• D. Wilson, aged 23
  

"Now I can die in peace."

• S. Tougas, aged 24
  

With that said, my mother always taught me to not revel in others' suffering. She clearly has failed.

But in a strange way, the biggest Oilers story yesterday was not the removal of MacTavish – we all expected that. It was how he was removed. I assumed the Oilers would take the high road and say he "resigned," but Steve Tambellini made it clear that it was a mutual decision, and that "we need a new voice, we need a new start, we need new expectations, new discipline." If anything, this is the day Tambellini took the reigns of the team, showed the doubters (myself included) that he is actually calling the shots, and is making the Oilers his team instead of Kevin Lowe's drunken play thing (of course, the remnants of Lowe's moves will remain for years to come… six years, at least).

It was refreshing to hear a guy in Oilers management talk candidly about the team, acknowledge it needs changes – and actually make them. Here are a few excerpts from his press conference:

One thing I will not put up with is an unemotional game where we can't dictate the outcome with energy. We want a team that is not standing on their heels. We want a team to be productive.

We have time to do this right. Nothing is going to happen for months at this point because nothing can, but we need to have an evaluation of the entire hockey operation. How do we get better from a development standpoint? How do we getter from a scouting standpoint? Our job is make sure we cover all areas.

We have lots of work to do.

We're not a team comfortably sitting in a playoff spot year after year. We haven't been there for three seasons, so I'm going to take my time ... I'll know when I get the right person.

For the first time in years, I have faith the Oilers may get this right. Thank you, Tambo. Thank you.

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A few playoff thoughts:

• Jose Theodore vs. Henrik Lundqvist. I went with the Rangers strictly because of this. If Theodore can screw up three more games (he can!) then the Rangers will win this series.
  
• Remember what I said about the Penguins having the NHL referees in their pockets? Yesterday was a good example. Apparently Philadelphia will get a two minute penalty if Evgeni Malkin as much as falls over. With that said, Scott Hartnell is going to take about 52 deserved penalties in this series.
  
• Yesterday was the first day of the playoffs, so you can't conclude too much from what happened. However, I'm going to do just that. The New Jersey Devils are going to beat the Carolina Hurricanes. After watching last night, I have no doubt. Maybe they've been playing possum, maybe they've been unmotivated, but there is no way they're going to lose that series.