The lowest of Lowe

Oilers President Kevin Lowe's news conference in Edmonton to announce Craig MacTavish's promotion to general manager and Steve Tambellini's firing could have been the biggest PR disaster in Alberta's capital since the trade of Wayne Gretzky.

In one of the most ill-advised statements ever uttered by team management, Lowe, while getting heavily questioned by Edmonton Journal columnist John MacKinnon, fired back, "We have two types of fans: We have paying customers and we have people that watch the game that we still care about. But certainly the people that go to the games and support, we spend a lot of time talking to them, delivering our message."

Essentially, Lowe said if you don't come to games, you don't matter. Fans flipped, forcing him to put up an awkward video apology two days later.

"If I offended anyone, I apologize," Lowe said from behind his desk.

He also said at the presser that "I think it's safe to say half the general managers in the National Hockey League would trade their roster for our roster right now."

Bizarre statement when you just fired the GM that allegedly put that underperforming roster together.

Ruff: 'It's a lonely feeling'

One of the biggest free agents this summer could be former Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff. Every team with a vacancy will look at him. He will coach Canada at the World Championships. "There's days you feel lost," Ruff said of not coaching since being fired. "It's a lonely feeling."

Holding out for 2015 Winter Classic

Much has been made that the Wild isn't scheduled to host any of the five additional outdoor games the league plans to put on next season. This actually is a good thing.

The Wild wants the 2015 Winter Classic — the actual Winter Classic — and this could be an indicator that it has a good chance.