Great expectations that just over a quarter into the hockey season have yet to be fulfilled.
A 9-10-2 record has left the Oilers well below what the coach had wanted. In a results driven business when there are more losses than wins it leads to speculation that a trade or a change behind the bench are the ways to go.
Having your job discussed as being on the line isn't anything new for the man who has spent nine years as the Oilers head coach.
"That's what happens when you don't win," said Craig MacTavish. "People start to speculate and the coach isn't immune to that. As a coach I take responsibility for what has happened. It's up to me to get the best out of my players."
As for those players he speaks of, they are positioned directly behind MacTavish.
"We believe in the coach," said Sheldon Souray. "It's not MacT losing the games, it's us.
Those thoughts were echoed by the core veterans on the team.
"No one in this room would say anything to fuel the speculation of our coachs’ job," is how the captain Ethan Moreau put it. "We believed in him before and we continue to do so now."
"We can't do anything about the speculation and really we try and shut it out because it's the farthest thing from the truth and from our minds," Steve Staios offered. "We are prepared and we are ready thanks to our coaching staff. After that it's up to us. We won't use our coach as a fall guy for what is happening"
All involved understand that after few wins there will be a few less things this team will have to deal with.
"It's the nature of the business" said MacTavish. "It's happened before me and will happen after me. The coach gets looked at when things aren't going well but I believe we have the personnel to change that."
Edmonton will get a chance to do so in back-to-back weekend games in St. Louis and Dallas Saturday and Sunday.
While the Oilers are winless in their last five at home they have won three of there last four on the road.
