Chiarelli and Nicholson In. Lowe, MacT, and LaForge Out.

After nine years helping keep Edmonton safe from playoff hockey, Kevin Lowe has been removed from the hockey side of the Oilers organization. Presumably Peter Chiarelli will be announced as the new President of Hockey Operations later today. Will MacTavish stay, will he go? What about Howson? Those are the questions now.

BREAKING: Former POHO Kevin Lowe moves out of hockey dep't in EDM, retains role on business side of Oilers Entertainment Group.

— Mark Spector (@SportsnetSpec) April 24, 2015

While many will rejoice at what they no doubt see as the start of something great for the Oilers, I don't want to lose sight of what Lowe has done for the Oilers organization and the city. This is a move that had to happen. It should have happened a while ago. The list of Lowe's failures is over the last decade is quite long, and very well documented, but Lowe is a lot more than that. He was a great player for this team and I think he would have given anything to make the Oilers into a winner once again. That he couldn't is unfortunate but I won't ever doubt his desire to bring a winner back to Edmonton.

I'm excited about what comes next for the Oilers. But part of me feels a little bit bad for Lowe too. I wish things had worked out differently for him.

UPDATE

Looks like Patrick LaForge is gone too. Good.

I am told only staffing update to Oiler employees this morning was that Patrick LaForge (president/COO) is no longer with the organization.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) April 24, 2015

UPDATE #2

And in a move that seemingly came out of nowhere, Craig MacTavish is no longer the team's GM.

Peter Chiarelli has been appointed #Oilers President of Hockey Operations and General Manager effective immediately. pic.twitter.com/U5XPzTNxKk

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 24, 2015