At what point does belief become delusion for the Edmonton Oilers?

“We’re gonna start to win. I believe in the coach, I believe in the team, I believe in the leadership of the team. I believe in their determination."

That’s Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland speaking in a press conference the local media all but demanded, looking for answers in the midst of a number of unfortunate circumstances swirling around the team. The club is 2-9-2 in the last 13 games, the second-worst record in the league since Dec. 3, while the team also hasn’t played in nearly a week and isn’t scheduled to do so for another four days, because — at last count — about 10 guys on the roster are on the COVID list.

None of this is ideal, obviously. But much like travelling the continent in the midst of an ongoing pandemic necessarily results in a lot of guys testing positive f