from David Staples of the Edmonton Journal,

Eberle was blasted after Saturday’s loss to the Calgary Flames by former player Kelly Hrudey on Hockey Night in Canada. On Monday it was Hall’s turn to get attacked, this time by sportscaster Ryan Pinder and, to a lesser extent, by his broadcast partner, former NHL player Rhett Warrener.

Hall has proven he’s not captain material, Pinder said. “The biggest awkward part of it in Edmonton is that Connor McDavid should be the captain of that hockey club, but Taylor Hall still struts around like he’s king of the jungle. It’s over. If he was a great leader, he’s have a ‘C’ on his chest and this team wouldn’t be in the basement every year… There seems to be an acceptance of poor result and that is not what you see with some leaders. They don’t allow that to happen. They get mad. They call teammates onto the carpet. And that’s not what Hall does. And he’s the guy that has the biggest value. Trade him for a bloody defenceman that knows how to play defence.”

Pinder said Eberle wasn’t a winner either. “This notion that these guys are winners is so bogus. They are losers. McDavid should be their captain and they’ve got to cut bait with Hall while there’s still value there. And there is.”

Warrener then brought up Olli Jokinen, who consistently scored for the Florida Panthers, but the team was still was lousy. “That was always my thing,” Warrener said. “If a guy is that good why is he not helping his team?”

read on for Staples' take...