Metro - Edmonton : Columnist - Capital Sports by Robin Brownlee

capital sports by robin brownlee

Unusual coaching approach may be best for Oil

May 11, 2009

Maybe two heads are better than one when it comes to replacing Craig MacTavish behind the Edmonton Oilers bench.

MacTavish may not be totally gone

April 27, 2009

Craig MacTavish is done as coach of the Edmonton Oilers after being relieved of his duties April 15, but does that mean he’s off the payroll and out of the organization altogether?

Crawford should do his homework on Oilers

April 20, 2009

So, Marc Crawford wants to throw his hat into the ring as a head-coaching candidate for the Edmonton Oilers.

MacTavish dodges speculation

April 14, 2009

After three straight years out of the playoffs, MacTavish sounded like a coach frustrated

Mac-T likely out; Braidwood’s adventure in the boxing ring

April 13, 2009

If things unfold as I expect they will, it won’t take the dominos long to start tipping in the wake of the Edmonton Oilers missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season.

Texts, Facebook and slim hopes

April 06, 2009

Non-stories get more play than they should when there’s no legitimate news to pass along, and we saw an example of that last week with the Oilers playoff hopes all but mathematically over.

Jacques’s comeback a remarkable story

March 30, 2009

If you like feel-good stories about fighting back from adversity, you’ve probably already taken note of J.F. Jacques’s comeback story with the Oilers.

It’s called Old Man Power. Hall-of-fame pitcher Nolan Ryan showed some in 1993 when he slapped around Robin Ventura. George Foreman did likewise in 1994 when he knocked out Michael Moorer to win the IBF and WBC heavyweight boxing titles. Dwayne Roloson is doing the same thing now with the Edmonton Oilers.

Giddy is not the word

March 16, 2009

Back in the pre-season, one tabloid columnist in town wrote, “Get giddy. The next few years are going to be a lot of fun in Edmonton.”

All eyes on Moreau’s condition

March 02, 2009

The initial reports about the extent of Ethan Moreau’s eye injury aren’t good

It’s the same old story

February 23, 2009

Correct me if I’m wrong...

Who’s a seller these days?

February 17, 2009

With the Edmonton Oilers in the thick of their annual push for one of the final two or three playoff berths in the Western Conference, the situation dictates GM Steve Tambellini will be a buyer at the NHL trade deadline.

Oilers’ power play failing to get it done

February 09, 2009

For a guy who was supposed to be the odd-man out when the season began, goaltender Dwayne Roloson won’t be going anywhere between now and the NHL trade deadline March 4.

Bandwagon rides like a roller-coaster

February 02, 2009

Say what you want about the Edmonton Oilers, there’s seldom a dull moment for people riding the roller-coaster that doubles as the team’s bandwagon.

Taking it outside could take away the boredom of all-star weekend

January 26, 2009

I wouldn’t lose sleep if the NHL decided to do away with the NHL all-star game and simply give the players four or five days off to rest and heal in preparation for the stretch drive.

Brule handling seems strange

January 12, 2009

Of all the questionable decisions the Edmonton Oilers have made with players this season, the handling of Gilbert Brule ranks up there in terms of head-scratchers.

New year, new Oiler attitude?

January 04, 2009

To put a hockey twist on an old axiom, the Edmonton Oilers went out like lambs in 2008 but looked like lions ringing in 2009 against the Dallas Stars at Rexall Place Saturday.

Nilsson deserves heat; Lowe behind the bench?

December 22, 2008

Robert Nilsson’s been given plenty of rope to show he’s capable of being as consistent as he is talented, but the enigmatic Edmonton Oilers forward has run out of slack with embattled coach Craig MacTavish.

Penner making Mac-T look good

December 15, 2008

Dustin Penner obviously didn’t like the way the message was delivered by coach Craig MacTavish, but it’s abundantly obvious the big Edmonton Oilers’ winger got the gist of it and has taken it to heart.

Rollie’s play making things tough for GM

December 08, 2008

Dwayne Roloson is as marketable as any 39-year-old puckstopper can possibly be, but do the Edmonton Oilers really want to get rid of him to solve their three-goaltender situation?

Oilers showed hustle for Mac-T

December 01, 2008

If the Edmonton Oilers had really quit on Craig MacTavish, if the players had tuned him out and wanted him fired, they had the perfect opportunity to push him one step closer to the door Saturday in St. Louis.

Oilers’ true test ahead

November 24, 2008

If the Edmonton Oilers can’t make a move into a playoff spot in the Western Conference over the next 20 games, it's a neighbourhood they don’t belong in.

Lots of questions for Eskimos

November 17, 2008

After two years out of the playoffs, the Edmonton Eskimos performance this season represents a quantum leap over 2007, but Danny Maciocia’s team didn’t cover nearly enough ground to stand a chance when it counted against the Montreal Alouettes.

Can Mr. Perfect make it 6-0?

November 10, 2008

If Ricky Ray’s playoff history means anything, the Edmonton Eskimos have to feel pretty good about themselves heading into Saturday’s East Division final against the Montreal Alouettes.

Esks must win to silence coach’s critics

November 03, 2008

The Edmonton Eskimos 37-14 win over a team dressed up as the Montreal Alouettes on Halloween was a tidy way to finish the regular season, but it won’t mean as much to coach Danny Maciocia’s future as this Saturday’s East Division semifinal cross-over playoff game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.