Music: {allcanada} Oilers' Purcell: We let Eakins down

Friday, December 19, 2014

{allcanada} Oilers' Purcell: We let Eakins down

Christmas - Michael Bublé / Elf (2003) / Scrooged

Edmonton Oilers forward Teddy Purcell admits that it was the players' fault that former head coach Dallas Eakins was fired.

"At the end of the day it is our fault," Purcell told The Jeff Blair show on Sportsnet Radio The Fan 590 Friday morning. "We let our coach down and he took the fall for it."

After a stretch that saw the Oilers go 1-12-3 since Nov. 11, Eakins was fired on Monday. The club currently sits last in the NHL with just 20 points through 33 games.

For a team that's been rebuilding for a number of years yet remains near or at the bottom of the NHL standings, patience was thin with Eakins and a move was made.

However, Purcell claims it was not the coach's fault the team hasn't blossomed despite all of their recent high draft picks.

"He did a lot of good things for our organization," Purcell said. "At the end of the day it just didn't work out for him.

"It's unfortunate how things unfolded. But in this business when you don't get the results and things aren't happening, stuff has to change."

That change came in the form of the newly promoted Todd Nelson as interim head coach from their AHL affiliate the Oklahoma City Barons. Currently Nelson is the coach of record, but he and general manager Craig MacTavish serve as a hybrid coaching duo until Nelson takes over the role fully.

Although it's only two games into the current coaching regime, both of which ended in losses, the 29-year-old was happy with the club's effort.

"Our effort has been there the past two games. If we play with that effort, that structure, and that work ethic we'll win more games than we lose," Purcell said. "That's not to say that we're going to win a lot. You don't know the outcome of each game, but we're going to give ourselves a chance to win and that's all that you can ask for."

As for any changes to the club's game plan, the St. John's, NL-product says that will come with time since it's the middle of the season. For now they're just trying a couple of different things with their forecheck.

The Oilers will pick up their NHL schedule against the Dallas Star on Sunday.

Jack Frost (1998) / Wintersong - Sarah McLachlan / The Polar Express