Four Words: Assistant Coach Adam Oates

After last night's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Oilers' most glaring deficiencies should be immediately apparent to head coach Pat Quinn:

Faceoffs and the power play.

The Oilers had two power play opportunities in over time to win the game -- at that point tied at 3 apiece -- only to fold on a Tampa Bay powerplay with less than 10 seconds remaining in the game.

There was, however, a bigger story behind it. While the Oilers gave up two power play goals -- both to Martin St Louis -- they also gave up two goals off of clean faceoff losses.

To say that the Oilers were atrocious on face offs would be an understatement. It would be difficult to remember a draw that the Oilers did win, as opposed to just the many, many, many that they lost.

The Oilers faceoff numbers are as bad as they've ever been. But they haven't always been this way.

When the Oilers made their march all the way to the Stanley Cup final in 2006, they did it partially on the back of faceoff domination. Shawn Horcoff, Mike Peca, Jarret Stoll, and (prior to his deadline trade) Marty Reasoner had the faceoff dot on lockdown that season.

The Oilers' faceoff domination was no coincidence. During the previous 2003-04 season (the 04-05 season was scrubbed due to lock out) the Oilers made a mid-season addition in form of the now-retired Adam Oates. Oates' addition to the team proved to be a revelation for the team's core of centremen. Over the next year Horcoff and Stoll, in particular, made huge strides toward being first- and second-line centres (the late-season addition of Petr Nedved certainly couldn't have hurt, either).

The Oilers' current crop of centremen -- in particular Andrew Cogliano and Gilbert Brule -- have the potential to become excellent face-off men in their own right. In particular, many players have remarked on Cogliano's improved strength -- a real asset in the face-off circle.

Adding Adam Oates to Edmonton's admittedly already-crowded coaching staff could be a big help in this regard.

But if Pat Quinn and Steve Tambellini are thinking about making this addition, they need to move fast. Oates has been working the Tampa Bay Lightning training camp as a power play coach, and has expressed interest in staying with the team if he gets an offer.

If he gets an offer to come to Edmonton and step behind the bench with the Oilers first, they just might be able to lure him away.

There's little question that they desperately need the help.

For Now, This is Our Playoffs

Horcoff, Roloson to lead on Team Canada

With the Edmonton Oilers on the outside looking in -- for the third year straight -- the attention of Oilers fans should now be shifting toward the World Championships.

The World Championships have long been treated as Oilers brass as a stand-in for playoff hockey. And perhaps for good reason. The World Championship of Hockey are as close as hockey offers to a best-on-best format outside of the Olympics or the World Cup.

Horcoff and Roloson are two of just nine veteran team Canada hands on this year's squad, which favours youth over experience, yet somehow left Sam Gagner off the team.

Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff will certainly be looking toward Horcoff and Roloson to play leading roles on the team. Roloson is the most experienced goaltender in the tournament. For now he shares the crease with Josh Harding of the Predators and Chris Mason of the St Louis Blues.

While the World Championships may lack the glitz and glamour of the Stanley Cup playoffs, national pride is still on the line, which makes it all the more important for Canadians to watch, even despite the early-morning time slots of the games.