You Just Don’t Get It, Do You?
I’ll often engage in Twitter conversations about ‘the rebuild’, and the state of this team going forward.
Many times, I’ll be countered with the pleasant fact that losing is all part of the rebuild. “We have to tank in order to get better” or something of the sort. And while I’m quite aware that only one team gets to bring home the silver trophy every year, at least competing in the dance is a nice touch. Every year this team misses the playoffs, I tend to ask more and more questions about the state of ‘the rebuild’ and where it’s going. Just because you’re ‘rebuilding’ doesn’t mean that you have to intentionally take the gas pipe, right?
Management must know what they’re doing, right?
This brings me to what happened with Magnus Paajarvi yesterday, and I’m less than enthusiastic about it.
Here’s a quick update of what happened yesterday, if you missed it:
- Team recalled Magnus Paajarvi from OKC to play in last night’s 4-1 loss to the LA Kings.
- Rumblings through Twitter suggest Linus Omark will be scratched. Put two and two together, and the evidence suggests that 91 will play instead of 23. Not a decision that I support 100% (can’t both play?) but it is what it is.
- Magnus Paajarvi arrives in Edmonton.
- Magnus Paajarvi cannot play in last night’s game, because Edmonton has made their maximum am0unt of callups since the trade deadline (4).
- SO, Magnus Paajarvi gets on plane back to OKC. Magnus Paajarvi cannot be called up to Edmonton unless there is an emergency call up needed.
- Linus Omark is scratched anyway.
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When the trade deadline hits, the parent club has the option to call up four players between then and the end of the season. Edmonton has exhausted that number. They were: VandeVelde, Omark, Hartikainen, and Paajarvi (earlier this month). Here’s the part that I forgot: the Paajarvi deal was a ‘paper transaction’, where Paajarvi was with the Oilers, but was “sent down” and “called up” immediately. (He didn’t board a plane to OKC only to turn around five seconds and get back on a plane to Edmonton like he did last night). The team exercised this option so that Paajarvi would be on the Barons playoff roster, allowing him a chance to play in the AHL playoffs. (Players not on the ‘clear day’ roster don’t get to play the remainder of the season with the Barons, and have no chance to play in the AHL playoffs).
So, the problem here is: The Oilers recalled Paajarvi yesterday without being permitted to. Almost immediately after Paajarvi got off the plane, he was forced to board another plane back to Oklahoma City. This is a problem.
Why is it a problem? I fully admit that I completely forgot about the Paajarvi paper deal. Problem is, it counted as a callup (he was essentially demoted and called up in one swoop). The Oilers, however, also forgot about the deal, and called up Paajarvi anyways. Because they were out of callups, Paajarvi had to get right back on the plane to OKC.
How bad does it look to your first round draft pick when you step off the airplane only to be told to hop right back on, because the parent club doesn’t have its act together? It might not seem like much at face value, but put yourself in the skates of Magnus Paajarvi. What do you take from all this?
So! Back to the game! Without Magnus Paajarvi, at least Linus Omark would get to play. Perhaps the Oilers will pull out all the stops against a team on the cusp of a Western Conference playoff spot. Play the spoiler, you know?
Yeah, not so fast.
Hordichuk played for 7 minutes and accrued ten penalty minutes. The Kings scored four goals, Jordan Eberle scored Edmonton’s lone tally.
First the Paajarvi gaffe, then 16 plays over 23?
Are you angry yet?
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