Edmonton is No Good Episode 4: New Rink, Same Stink

[Locke]

Originally Posted by CrazyCaper

With that significant amount of money being doled out and no revenue coming in, ownership has to have extremely deep pockets. I know Katz is stupid rich but if I'm the owner, I hate paying for something that is just sitting there idle for what could equate to an entire missed season.

Not saying they won't do it but it's not like every player in the league has this kind of structure.

Alright, that makes sense to a degree I guess, it just seems to me that if the player wants more 'lockout-protected' money then that has to have value to them, similar to NTC/NMCs, so that should help the team then bring down the AAV.

Give and take. They get lockout protected money, but they have to take less of it or give up something else.

[saXon]

I hope McDavid never wins a cup. I also hope the Oilers never win another one either.

Would be a hilarity to watch on both fronts.

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by iloveicedhockey

But kuznetzov's 8 year deal bought 6 years UFA, therefore if the oil buy 3 years UFA for Draisatl it should in theory come in pretty similar, if you assume he's a little better than kuznetzov. However, this is the oilers, so it wouldn't surprise me if it was 8.5 ish.

sure, but all I am saying is that that scenario isn't comparing apples to apples.

could the oilers get a contract at the same AAV as Kuznetsov? Sure, but it would be on a 5 year deal...not on an 8

the extra dollars, like a 9 million AAV, buy those extra UFA years.

If the Oilers want to roll the dice on Draistl going to UFA in 7 years/27 years old, they can certainly reduce the AAV by going shorter term

but i don't believe that's what they are arguing.... Some believe that the signing is setting the ceiling for Draistl... I don't; i think Kuznetsov's contract sets the floor

[MisterJoji]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

Klefboms contract is pretty nice.
Talbot as well.
Kassian
Letestu deal is fair

I think thats all hes done outside of other ufa contracts. Most of those are overpays but Treliving has done the same thing when it comes to UFAs.

Thats the nature of UFA deals really.

Klefbom's is okay as long as he keeps trending up. Still think Brodie's is better given that his "off" year last year was only 2 points behind Klefbom and had two 40+ point seasons prior to 2016/17. Brodie is also better defensively.

Talbot's deal is decent.

Kassian is making more than Versteeg and has worse numbers.

Letestu's is nothing special.

Russell's is atrocious.

[drewtastic]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

To be fair, that was far and away the most level headed and unbiased piece I've ever read from Staples. His points at the bottom are all valid.

I hear what you're saying (given the source), but even then, it's still strange to see a professional writer include statements like this in an article:

"As an Oilers fan of course I would have greatly preferred McDavid to sign up for eight years at $12 million per. I want every single player that the Oilers sign to take a discount, as that will help the team win."

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by CrazyCaper

With that significant amount of money being doled out and no revenue coming in, ownership has to have extremely deep pockets. I know Katz is stupid rich but if I'm the owner, I hate paying for something that is just sitting there idle for what could equate to an entire missed season.

Not saying they won't do it but it's not like every player in the league has this kind of structure.

McDavid is one player where that shouldn't be any consideration whatsoever. He has guaranteed tremendous revenue for the team. They should still be on year 12 of no playoffs and enjoying a below capacity new arena.

[Erick Estrada]

It's one thing for McDavid to take a discount if he's say in Toronto close to home and on the team he dreamed of playing for. I could see maybe why he would cut the Leafs some slack to play there but he's looking at spending the next 9 years in Edmonton. You know the city that's just behind Winnipeg for least desired location in the NHL? Oilers fans should feel incredibly lucky he's even willing to accept an 8 years deal yet they have the gall to insinuate he's being selfish by trying to get market value for his services for what a lot of players in the league would consider a jail sentence.

[Realistic]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

It's one thing for McDavid to take a discount if he's say in Toronto close to home and on the team he dreamed of playing for. I could see maybe why he would cut the Leafs some slack to play there but he's looking at spending the next 9 years in Edmonton. You know the city that's just behind Winnipeg for least desired location in the NHL? Oilers fans should feel incredibly lucky he's even willing to accept an 8 years deal yet they have the gall to insinuate he's being selfish by trying to get market value for his services for what a lot of players in the league would consider a jail sentence.

How long until McDavid asks/demands to be traded out of Edmonton if he does sign a long term deal?

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Realistic

How long until McDavid asks/demands to be traded out of Edmonton if he does sign a long term deal?

I will say he's probably having second thoughts about taking 8 years after hearing the fans and media in that city whine about him getting paid what he's worth.

[Rejean31]

Originally Posted by Realistic

How long until McDavid asks/demands to be traded out of Edmonton if he does sign a long term deal?

I say, regardless of how many years he signs for, that McDavid won't be in Edmonton any longer than 5 years maximum. Even less if it appears the team is regressing.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I find it hilarious that the media is trying to shame their only good developed prospects into taking less money so that the incompetent GM can have a bit of assistance in building a team around them.

This is the same organization that essentially pissed away the NHL's best prospect pool.

Hall - best LW'er who knows how to win!
Eberle - he is going to be the most clutch goal scorer in the NHL!
RNH - this guy has vision and puck distribution skills second only to Wayne himself!
Yakupov - he is going to light the goal lamp like crazy!
Nurse - hello Mr. Pronger!

What do they have left?

Now they FINALLY get a generational absolutely can't miss McDavid. Then through some divine intervention (probably involving human sacrifices - has anyone seen Gary Coleman since that Messier pick in the locker room???) Draisaitl (who was trending to be yet another bust), 'busts' out.

Yes, better shame them. Shame on them for actually doing well enough to deserve good contracts. Our incompetent GM who couldn't manage an elite team handed to him decided to trade away all our young players in managing the team like Seguin and Kessel.

They revamped their scouting department a few years ago, and it is too early to tell if that move is paying off now. However, compare that to the Flames who probably have the best NHL depth organizationally. The players on the team + the prospects. Defencemen are the league's second best form of currency, with actual draft picks being first.

I trust that Treliving will have a much easier time building a contender than Chiarelli can maintaining a playoff team.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

big image

I think this is the best use of this meme i have ever seen, hockey or otherwise.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by drewtastic

I hear what you're saying (given the source), but even then, it's still strange to see a professional writer include statements like this in an article:

"As an Oilers fan of course I would have greatly preferred McDavid to sign up for eight years at $12 million per. I want every single player that the Oilers sign to take a discount, as that will help the team win."

Yeah, that's something I don't think any Flames writer has ever put in an article, at least that I've seen. They speak about the fanbase as a separate entity to them, but I don't think any of our guys have made 'fan' statements and admitting to be speaking as fans in their work. Maybe 'as a fan of the game', but I've never seen anything like that. It's awkward because you can't help but get the idea that this is someone who is too close to their work to see it clearly, and separate of their emotions, particularly when there is a heated or controversial topic at hand.

From an outsider's perspective, stuff like that just sucks the feeling of credibility from their work when they do that. It's doesn't look professional IMO, but Oiler heads seem to have a different definition for such things.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Yeah, that's something I don't think any Flames writer has ever put in an article, at least that I've seen. They speak about the fanbase as a separate entity to them, but I don't think any of our guys have made 'fan' statements and admitting to be speaking as fans in their work. Maybe 'as a fan of the game', but I've never seen anything like that. It's awkward because you can't help but get the idea that this is someone who is too close to their work to see it clearly, and separate of their emotions, particularly when there is a heated or controversial topic at hand.

From an outsider's perspective, stuff like that just sucks the feeling of credibility from their work when they do that. It's doesn't look professional IMO, but Oiler heads seem to have a different definition for such things.

To be fair, Staples writes for a EJ blog. He's not a journalist per se

[Reggie Dunlop]

Originally Posted by drewtastic

I hear what you're saying (given the source), but even then, it's still strange to see a professional writer include statements like this in an article:

"As an Oilers fan of course I would have greatly preferred McDavid to sign up for eight years at $12 million per. I want every single player that the Oilers sign to take a discount, as that will help the team win."

Staples is the Journal's civic affairs columnist. That's what he gets paid for. The hockey blog he does on his own time.

Postmedia brought in a bunch of "citizen bloggers" for online content a few years ago as a cost-cutting measure. They are essentially unpaid (to my knowledge). The Journal has a stable of fanboy hockey bloggers, of which Staples is one.

At least that was my understanding when I worked at Postmedia.

[CaptainCrunch]

All other teams when they look at Edmonton's long term future and chances at the cup




Edmonton fans (in the middle) when they look at their team

[Lanny_McDonald]

Was just reading the kool-aid stand - er, HFOil - and was looking at the thread about McJesus being resigned. One the ring masters of that clown show suggested that McDavid should be happy with $88M instead of $112M. I wonder what these morons do in their lives? If they're lucky enough to be a position where you can make some major coin, like the high five to low six figures, who is going to turn down $24K if that is what the market would bear? So why do these dopes think McDavid should turn his nose up at $24M? This clown suggests McDavid at $11 million and Draisaitl at $7M, both well under market. I hope to god that if any of our fans suggested such garbage we would take turns jumping up their kiester. Unbelievable. E=NG.

[PeteMoss]

McDavid's contract isn't the problem.

The problem is overpaying a bunch of other guys when you know McDavid is going to get a huge contract once his ELC ends.

The problem is burning the first year of Draisaitl's ELC when he clearly wasn't ready to play in the NHL.

The problem is playing Draisaitl on McDavid's wing so he racks up points in his contract year if you want him to be a centre long term in the NHL basically guaranteeing the fans turn on him when his points go down considerably next year when's a 2nd line centre.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

...The problem is playing Draisaitl on McDavid's wing so he racks up points in his contract year if you want him to be a centre long term in the NHL basically guaranteeing the fans turn on him when his points go down considerably next year when's a 2nd line centre.

I agree with everything else you are saying, but a coach's job is to win hockey games. It is not to endear the fan base to a specific player, nor is it to ensure that the cap structure of the roster remains intact. Playing Draiaitl on McDavid's wing was never a "problem," it was a solution to an issue caused by a lack of depth.

As it so happened Draisaitl proved to be the best winger on the roster, and the only one who was consistently effective with McDavid on the top line. This was much more important at the time than developing balance on the second line for the future, but it ultimately shows with resonating clarity that Edmonton is no good.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

The problem is playing Draisaitl on McDavid's wing so he racks up points in his contract year if you want him to be a centre long term in the NHL basically guaranteeing the fans turn on him when his points go down considerably next year when's a 2nd line centre.

Are you suggesting that Calgary was smart in the way they handled Bennett, so he would not get that massive pay day? I agree. You play a guy where you expect him to be long term and let him grow. Letting him ride shotgun with the best players on your team is likely not going to benefit his development and only pad his stats. Can you imagine what Bennett would have done with Gaudreau and Monahan? Can you imagine the contract we would have to cough up to re-sign him? Tough love was the right call and will make Bennett a better player in the long run, the team better in the long run, and provide greater value to the team salary structure. Mean while, Edmonton is screwed because they let Draisaitl ride the tails of McJesus' robes. McDavid is the ultimate stat inflator. If Maroon can score 27 goals on his wing, then you have a pretty good indication what he can do to someone's stats. Can't wait to see Draisaitl get that big contract and turn into a middling center as he has to carry the mail on his own.