*Bullet points from the rink, December 15, 2014...
- The Edmonton Oilers have fired Dallas Eakins. It's a significant announcement, since this is a franchise that seems to have a hard time admitting it's trotting down the wrong path, even though the stats say the team hasn't made the playoffs in eight years. (Confirmation. That's true.)
- Craig MacTavish is still the general manager, which is fair since he just started there. But Kevin Lowe's still the Oilers' president/conductor on a train to Hell. And firing Eakins won't redo the Yakupov draft or the epically dysfunctional mishandling of several elite young assets since 2010.
- And apparently, Taylor Hall might be the guy the Oil want to move... which is shocking, really. (Story via Yahoo's Puck Daddy/TSN's Darren Dreger)
- Is it a coincidence that the Oilers canned their coach on the same day Connor McDavid was cleared for contact? Destiny, meet the mirror.
I think RNH is most untouchable Oiler because he's No. 1 centre, unless they somehow got Connor McDavid.#oilers.
— Jim Matheson (@NHLbyMatty) December 15, 2014
World Juniors: Connor McDavid wants Canada gold, 10 years after Crosby's (VIDEO) http://t.co/l2l43clBVw pic.twitter.com/h2rcB0IQrE
— Black Press BC (@BlackPressMedia) December 12, 2014
- It seems Abbotsford kid Jake Virtanen has done enough to earn himself a spot on Canada's World Junior team – or, at least, he's done everything he could or was expected to. (Story via AbbyNews.com)
- In case you're wondering whether it's a bad sign for the Canucks that their sixth overall pick from last year's draft is a bubble pick for Canada's junior team, don't worry... it's not.
- Several players who have been stars at the U20 level have failed to transition to the NHL – Nail Yakupov and Cody Hodgson (remember him?) so far, for example, plus Shawn Belle or Justin Pogge. And others have been disrespected by Canada and have then turned into stars – take 2009, when Jamie Benn and Evander Kane were fourth liners on Canada's gold medal-winning team, and Kane only made the roster as an injury replacement.
- Other players who didn't make that team? Nazem Kadri, Travis Hamonic, Brayden Schenn, a 16-year-old Taylor Hall, and even Matt Duchene.
- And Tyler Seguin, who didn't make the 2010 team, currently leads the NHL with 23 goals in 29 games.
Hockey fans: Is there a better player Canadian player in the last 20 years who never played in the World Juniors than Tyler Seguin? #NHL
— Max Harris (@maxgharris) May 18, 2011
Jake Virtanen, Brayden Point stand out for Canada at World Juniors camp – http://t.co/SjYlWJ4vja pic.twitter.com/QEHI7AEYOb
— Black Press BC (@BlackPressMedia) December 15, 2014
- Some new details on the Slava Voynov case:
"Slava Voynov's wife told police the Los Angeles Kings defenceman hit, choked and pushed her into a television in their bedroom during a fight in October, an officer testified Monday." (Story via Canadian Press/Surrey Leader)
- Voynov is currently serving an indefinite suspension and hasn't played since he was arrested in October.
- On Monday, a Redondo Beach Police Officer Gregory Wiist gave his testimony: "She was crying, sobbing... I saw tears streaming down her face. She was an emotional wreck."
- Story via Deadspin: 'Slava Voynov's Domestic Violence Arrest Was A Bloody Scene'