Top Oilers insider goes on heated rant after blowout loss to Avalanche

The Oilers have started this season as a disappointing team, but last night's loss will trigger full alarm bells. Nothing is working as expected for this team - not the forwards, defence, goaltending, coaching staff, or the leadership group.

At the conclusion of the horrific 9-1 loss, insider Bob Stauffer immediately went off on the post-game radio show, taking aim at every level of the team.

Stauffer began with the fact that the Oilers are far too easy to play against so far this season, and that a change is needed immediately. Roster moves may be coming now to add some veteran players returning from injury, which hopefully will help them on the ice.

The Oilers powerplay went 0/7 against Colorado. Both goalies were horrendous again. The defence, believed to be the strength of this team, keeps giving away turnovers. Stauffer mentioned Ekholm, Walman, Nurse, and Kulak in particular as playing poorly - and he begged for a save.

There was absolutely no physical response from any of the Oilers too. Getting blown out on home ice, not one player had a physical response or even showed frustration. Stauffer called Frederic a total non-factor.

The Oilers clearly just gave up halfway through this game. That's an insult to the hard-working fans who paid the price of admission.

Fans were impressed with Stauffer's rant to this point - but then he took serious aim at the coaching staff.

Just signed to a 3 year contract extension, Coach Knoblauch has been a failure this year to establish anything resembling a team with these players.

The constant line mixing has so many players unfamiliar with their linemates, unsure of their roles, and now outmatched by other teams. Stauffer mentioned how cohesive the Avalanche played, while the Oilers are still tweaking lines every game after 20% of the season.

Almost boiling over with frustration, Stauffer called out every player and the coaching staff to look in the mirror, and figure out what's going on.

This doesn't look anything like the team that was able to make back-to-back Cup Finals. In fact, they've only beat one playoff team from last season so far: the Ottawa Senators.

There should be no assumption they'll do the same this year, based off their level of play.