Each week, we check in with our readers on social media and e-mail to see what’s on top of their mind, explore the hot topics of conversation and answer hard-hitting questions about the Edmonton Oilers. Here are some of the hot topics from the past week:

The Oilers could have drafted Jesper Wallstedt.— Everybody and their dog

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting more than a little tired of all the draft gurus showing off their perfect 20-20 hindsight. Good job, you might not be able to read the future, but you can sure read the past. And all the way back to whatever draft you want, at that. How incredible?

Too bad there are no coulda, woulda, shouldas involved when it comes to picking prospects in real time, with the pressure of all the future sustainability of a franchise in the world on your shoulders.

The Wild drafted the Wall of St. Paul out of Sweden with the 20th overall selection in 2021 with Edmonton’s first-round pick they traded.

That means by rights, 18 other teams could also just as easily feel like kicking themselves right now, besides the Oilers, who had missed out on former Oil Kings netminder Sebastian Cossa five picks earlier and decided to trade down for Minnesota’s 22nd and 90th overall choices. They turned into winger Xavier Bourgault and German defenceman Luca Munzenberger.

All together now: Who?

Bottom line: There are no sure things when it comes to the draft.

Heck, didn’t a team draft a dead guy once? Make that twice.

And if you have never heard of the name Taro Tsujimoto, do yourself a favour and go look it up … I’ll wait.

In the meantime, might I remind you the entire conversation around hockey in Edmonton would have been mighty different if it weren’t for one little lottery ball coming up at exactly the right time back in 2015.

We’ll leave the last word to Wallstedt himself:

“I’ve seen and I heard and there’s been way too much made about this,” the NHL’s goalie of the month for November after earning his league-leading fourth shutout of the season in a 1-0 win Tuesday at Rogers Place. “I’m drafted by Minnesota and I play here, and I love it since and that’s kind of the end of the conversation.”

Only it won’t be.

Re: Goaltending prospects an embarrassment of riches for Edmonton Oilers, (published Dec. 3): The words “embarrassment” and “Edmonton Oilers” certainly go together … but it has nothing to do with goaltending prospects. — Shawn Tschritter

Clever. Or you could just as easily have omitted the words “prospects” and “of riches” from the headline and make it a direct reflection of the team’s current goaltending (or lack thereof), if you were really looking to snipe a target to blame all the season’s ills upon.

But your generalized aim is actually more accurate, as it turns out. There is more to blame, of course, for Edmonton’s one step forward, one step back season than what’s been going on in the crease so far.

Before they allowed one goal in the past two games, they were dismantled 9-1 by Colorado, 8-3 by the Dallas Stars, 7-4 by Washington and 5-1 by (doublechecks notes) the lowly Buffalo Sabres, all in the past month alone.

Those are bad, bad losses. inexplicable as they are inexcusable, and certainly require more blame than being solely placed at Edmonton’s last line of defence alone. Try the entire defence in front of the crease. And a frightening lack of offence, as well, while we’re at it.

But, hey, thank the Vancouver Canucks for finally taking over the top spot in the NHL when it comes to goals-against this season. Even if it’s just barely.

YOU SAID IT

Dear Gerry:

I have been an Oilers fan since I was old enough to walk, and through thick and thin. Still an Oilers fan, and my truck, my man cave would prove that point. I have been saying it for the last 3 years … NEED GOALTENDING! What the hell is wrong with the management? Every Oilers fan out there knows what’s wrong, except the people that run the team.

If they don’t hurry up and make some changes, there won’t be many Oilers fans left! And they won’t have Connor, he’s going to get tired of waiting around for them to do something. He fricken took less money for them to do just that … So, what the hell did they do with the money? Very pissed off. — Corey Wagner

You know well enough the bridge deal McDavid gifted the Oilers with that leaves at least $4 million on the table over the next two seasons doesn’t kick in until his current contract runs out this year. But your very valid point still stands.

Right now, it appears McDavid’s upcoming allowance will simply cancel out the golden goose Trent Frederic stumbled upon with the new deal he signed that will pay him $3.85 million a year well into the foreseeable future. So far, that one doesn’t look like it’s going to help on the scoreboard or in the penalty box anytime soon.

Solid, consistent NHL-level starter in net is what the fans have been screaming for since the Oilers rediscovered the post-season. And it doesn’t help having Skinner play his best and still result in a 1-0 loss to a younger goalie who absolutely stood on his head.

So, they’re out there. They can be found. And McDavid has done more than his fair share in helping the Oilers make room for one. The rest is up to management.

Just remember, you must give up something in order to get something, and the ol’ cupboards are already getting pretty bare.

For a chance to appear in an upcoming edition, send your questions, concerns and comments on all things Edmonton Oilers related to:

E-mail: gmoddejonge@postmedia.com

On Twitter: @GerryModdejonge

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