Oilers fire GM Steve Tambellini, hire Craig MacTavish
Despite hitting the draft jackpot with three can't-miss top picks, the Oilers' progress under Steve Tambellini was slow. (Abelimages / Getty Images for NHL)
Minutes after the Edmonton Oilers announced a 12:30 EDT press conference, TSN is reporting that the team has fired general manager Steve Tambellini. His replacement will be Craig MacTavish, who currently serves as Edmonton's vice-president of hockey operations.
The club added a treasure trove of young talent over Tambellinin's four-plus years with the organization, including three consecutive first-overall picks -- Taylor Hall (2010), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2011) and Nail Yakupov (2012).
But the team's failure to make the playoffs druing his run, and more importantly, Tambellini's inability to acquire complementary pieces to help get the youngsters over the hump this season, led to his downfall.