from Robert Tychkowski of the Edmonton Sun,

The dream has always been the three of them — Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins — hoisting a Stanley Cup at centre ice, sharing in hockey’s ultimate joy and reflecting on all the hard miles it took to get there.

That’s not going to happen.

Whether the Edmonton Oilers will ever win another Stanley Cup remains a continuing debate between the optimists and pessimists (with the pessimists riding a 10-year winning streak), but if the latest rebuild ever culminates in a championship, it won’t include all three former cornerstones.

The end of an era is upon them.

“For sure, (winning a Cup with them) was the dream, they’re great guys and great friends,” said Hall, adding they are all well aware that the core of this team is on the verge of being dismantled.

“I could be gone, it could be Jordan, it could be Nuge. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but the fact of the matter is that nobody, aside from Connor (McDavid), has played well enough to solidify a spot on this team, and everyone realizes that.”

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