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10 Reasons To Keep Watching The Oilers

By Derek Zona Updated
GLENDALE, AZ - APRIL 03: Dustin Penner #27 of the Edmonton Oilers awaits a face off against the Phoenix Coyotes. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - APRIL 03: Dustin Penner #27 of the Edmonton Oilers awaits a face off against the Phoenix Coyotes. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
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It's brutal to watch this.  The references to "playing out the string" have been numerous, but "watching out the string" is more painful.  The Phoenix game may have set hockey back to Gary Bettman's ideal of the clogged early naughts.  There's not much fun in being an Oiler fan and even less fun knowing that we still watch with no chance of a management change.  There are a few small milestones left, however.  After the jump - the top ten things left to look forward to in the last four games.

  1. Dustin Penner could tally 60 points.  He would be the first non-Ales Hemsky Oiler to do so since 2005-2006. 

  2. Fernando Pisani needs two more games played to reach game 400 for his career.  Fernando's path to the NHL is well-known.  Combine that with the IBS and it's remarkable that Pisani has a chance at 400 games.  If he doesn't win the Masterton Trophy this year, the league should stop handing out the award. 

  3. Zack Stortini needs to go -2 or better to remain a plus player for the year.  Though he's only played fourth-level minutes for the year, on this squad, it's an accomplishment nonetheless.

  4. Marc Pouliot needs to go +1 to get back to even for his half-season, or +2 to finish in the black.  On this team, that's an accomplishment worth recognizing, especially since his games have come during the worst stretch in franchise history.

  5. Robert Nilsson needs to go +2 in scoring chance differential over the last four to finish in the black for the season.  He would be only one of two Oilers to have finished the season with the club and finished in the black in scoring chances.

  6. Dustin Penner could score 30 goals.  He would be the first Oiler to do so since Ryan Smyth in 2006-2007.

  7. The Oilers need five points in the next four games to avoid the worst finish in team history.

  8. Jeff Deslauriers needs to win two games to avoid a thirty loss season.  Perhaps making a short-side save for once this season might help him avoid this accomplishment.

  9. A win over the Avalanche on April seventh would go a long way towards getting the Flames into the playoffs.  A loss to the Avs would help to keep the Flames out of the playoffs. 
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  10. Dustin Penner needs to go +1 or better over the last four games to become only the second player in Oilers' history to lead the team in Goals, Assists, Points, and +/-.