Nicholson caught in brutal lie over Koskinen contract at Oilers press conference

In case you somehow, someway missed it, the Edmonton Oilers officially relieved general manager Peter Chiarelli of his duties last night, just hours after the team lost an embarrassing home decision against the league worst Detroit Red Wings.

The team made the news official earlier today but did not name an immediate replacement for the position.

Peter Chiarelli has been relieved of his duties as #Oilers President of Hockey Operations & General Manager. The process has begun to hire a new General Manager & Bob Nicholson will oversee Hockey Operations in the interim.
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) January 23, 2019

Oilers CEO Bob Nicholson spoke to the media earlier today and outlined his plan for moving forward. Nicholson’s focus is on hiring the team’s next general manager while assistant general manager Keith Gretzky assumes Chiarelli’s responsibilities in the interim.

Keith Gretzky will assume many of Chiarelli’s duties in the next few weeks, with Vice Chairman Bob Nicholson being more involved until they find a new GM.
— John Shannon (@JSportsnet) January 23, 2019

During his press conference Nicholson had several poignant quotes about the team’s failings, but maybe none more impactful than this:

It's clear the Oilers failings run much deeper than the GM or coach. Bob Nicholson acknowledges as much. "There's something in the water here in Edmonton that we don't have right."
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) January 23, 2019

When pressed further about the team’s culture, character and chemistry and the management group’s tendency to hang on to the “glory days” of the 1980’s Oilers dynasty, well… let’s just say that Nicholson’s response didn’t exactly inspire confidence that things will changed.

“I hear that all the time. It’s the old guard, it’s the Oilers of the 80s that are making the decisions. That’s not true at all. Peter Chiarelli was the president and GM of this hockey team and we gave him the authority to make decisions. He brought in the majority of his own staff.”

Sounds good right? But Nicholson followed up with this…

“Kevin Lowe is so important to this organization. But Kevin Lowe hasn’t been in hockey operational decisions. Kevin Lowe is a leader and he’s leading us now in different parts of the organization.”

Hmm… and what about Craig MacTavish? What about failed former NHL GM Scott Howson? How big of an impact do they have on player personnel decisions?

Nicholson was also pressed about the $13.5 million contract handed out to Oilers goalie Mikko Koskinen just 30 hours before Chiarelli was fired. If the decision had been made to can Chiarelli, how on earth does the team allow that contract to be handed out?

Nicholson said signing Koskinen was a collaborative effort/decision, not solely made by Chiarelli. He said they had to make a choice given the goalie UFA landscape. The organization believes in Koskinen over Talbot.
— Daniel Nugent-Bowman (@DNBsports) January 23, 2019

The only problem is… Oilers insider Mark Spector is now reporting that’s a bald faced lie and that the Koskinen deal was negotiated by Chiarelli and Chiarelli alone.

Can report that the Koskinen deal was negotiated between Chiarelli and the agent, Markus Lehto. No one else from Oilers end.
— Mark Spector (@SportsnetSpec) January 23, 2019

Regardless of what’s true and what’s not true, there’s the very real perception out there that the Oilers front office staff is nothing more than a country club of former Oilers players. Again, whether or not they’re the problem for the team’s failures is irrelevant. What’s clear is that this team has a LOT of on ice and off ice work to do if they’re to get back to respectability.