Former Oiler on pace to nearly double scoring with new team, increasing criticism on Coach

Arvidsson never found his groove with the Edmonton Oilers, to the point where he waive his trade protection to get a fresh start with the Boston Bruins. So far, it's looked like the right decision for him.

Arvidsson signed with the Oilers on a two-year contract for an AAV of $4M. It was a very fair contract for a forward who had scored 59 points in 77 games just 2 seasons prior, but in Edmonton, he plummeted to just 27 points.

Now with the Boston Bruins, Arvidsson is at 26 points in 40 games and is on pace to score 53 points this year - much closer to his career averages. He's near half the amount of his ice time in Edmonton, but is a much more productive scorer again.

When wondering why Arvidsson couldn't produce this much in Edmonton, most fans point the finger at Coach Knoblauch. With his shift towards low-event hockey and not trusting forwards outside the top-six, they may have a point.

The Oilers front office didn't sign Arvidsson with the goal of being a third line grinder, but that's essentially how Knoblauch used him. Other skill forwards like Jeff Skinner were benched entirely.

Looking at the Oilers numbers under Knoblauch over the last 200 games, the team is consistently scoring less, and controlling play less.

The Oilers seem to be gearing themselves to a low-event, low-risk style of play which just doesn't suit the actual strengths of the team or the acquisitions from the front office. Arvidsson is playing with Pavel Zacha and Casey Mittelstadt in Boston - not exactly offensive powerhouses.

It's a real question as to why Knoblauch has consistently failed to get the most out of his players, but it's something that may prevent this team from having the depth to capture the ultimate prize of a Stanley Cup.

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