“Get a new goalie” and “fire the coach” are two common refrains in Oil Country as the Edmonton Oilers struggle, having won just twice in their last 15 games.
However, winger Warren Foegele isn’t buying that all the struggles can be blamed on head coach Dave Tippett and goalie Mikko Koskinen.
“I think it’s unfair, to be honest,” said Foegele Friday afternoon. “We’re a team, and we’re here to win. You just can’t be pointing fingers and saying it’s that guy’s fault, it’s this guy’s fault. That’s not how you win.”
“You feel responsible,” added forward Colton Sceviour. “As much as people want to say it’s one guy or one thing or another, it’s on all of us. When you hear the talk — and it’s hard not to hear it — you can’t help but feel responsible that there’s something you could be doing differently to help your teammates and the other guys on the ice out.”
The Oilers are back at it Saturday night at Rogers Place against the Calgary Flames.
“When you’re not getting the results you want, you have to chip away at it,” said Tippett. “You can come out and win a big divisional game, you start moving in the right direction. We had a hard week of practice, a good week of practice.”
The Oilers placed forward Kyle Turris on waivers on Friday. Forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was placed on long term injured reserve while goalie Mike Smith went on injured reserve. Forward Seth Griffith was called up from Bakersfield and put on the taxi squad.
The game against the Flames can be heard on 630 CHED Saturday with the Face-off Show at 6:30 p.m. and the opening face-off at 8 p.m.
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