The view from the press box at Rogers Place on Tuesday night was expensive. While the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Nashville Predators, nearly $7.5 million in active payroll was sitting on top of suits. Andrew Mangiapane and Trent Frederic – the Oilers’ two biggest bets of the summer – were healthy scratches. For a franchise in a desperate win-now period, seeing Frederic’s massive eight-year, $30.8 million contract sitting in the rafters instead of patrolling is a tough pill to swallow. It’s a stark reminder of the hole left when the front office let a specific veteran walk last July.
The “Worm” is partying in LA
When Corey Perry signed one one-year, $2 million deal at the rival Los Angeles Kings, critics claimed he had been washed. When they were forty, they thought his legs were gone; no longer an effective player. The reality? Perry smiles all the way to the scoresheet. In 34 games he scored 9 goals and 21 points. He’s not just surviving; he may be an important part of the Kings’ heartbeat. Should fans be surprised?
Perry has found a fit wherever he has been and whatever role he has been asked to play. Whether it’s a non-regular who offers experience on the fourth line or someone who fills in on the top line, Perry finds a way to contribute. He embraces the role and the opportunities and makes the most of it.
Identity crisis in Edmonton
Edmonton’s gamble was that Trent Frederic could deliver that same “sandpaper” with more youngsters – 13 years younger than Perry. It didn’t happen; three points in 41 games. Write for Yahoo Sports on January 6 Gerry Moddejonge did not hold back when discussing both Mangiapane and Frederic:
“There doesn’t seem to be a future here for Mangiapane… and what are the chances that Frederic’s story in Edmonton ends in anything other than a buyout?”
Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch also appears to have reached his breaking point. He reporters explained:
“They didn’t play as we expected, and I think they can give us more.”
The hard truth
Love him or hate him, Corey Perry fit the Oilers’ DNA like a glove. He brought an annoying net presence that Frederic simply hasn’t matched. When they look in the mirror, the Oilers must ask themselves: Have we been blinded by “potential” and “age” while, arguably, we have let the real heart and soul of the recent back-to-back Stanley Cups runs run away?
The statistics are clear. However, Edmonton didn’t just lose a roster player; looking at several variables related to Corey Perry’s play, they appear to have lost their edge.
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