This is more like it! Keep up the E=NG material everyone! Almost brings a tear to my eye.
Speaking of tearing up, the PA must love Chia as a NHL GM. He does a tremendous job of keeping those NHL contracts costs up there with some of the lovelies he has offered since his Boston days. When he first came to Edmonton, I was actually a little concerned he could turn that franchise around. I thought, the cap hell Boston was in was no real fault of his, right? They had recently won the cup. That will drive salary demands up, right? Nope, apparently, you can outright suck too and you still get paid by Chia.
Mind you, Lucic was a UFA signing. Terrible contract to say the least. Who could have seen that coming? Not the paid professionals in Edmonton. Russell's contract... I actually like his heart, but worth 4 mill? I don't think so. Throw in some over payments to other Oilers and you have a team in a cap crunch going nowhere fast. Really, take McDingles out of that lineup and what do you have left? A whole lot of nothing.
Now, I know people will say if Edmonton didn't offer that contract to Lucic, another team would. If Drai wasn't paid his 8+ mill, someone else would love to have him at that price. McDavid is "the best player in the world", he deserves to be paid the most. The other inflated contracts? Which team doesn't have those? I know, all true in their own way. I get it. Or not, depends who you talk to.
Then you throw in gems like David Staples who pitches a fit when someone dares talk down the Oil or doesn't agree with his take on anything Oilaz. Seems like a smug guy who lacks maturity or professionalism. However, he does fit in perfectly with that organization.
The bottom line is, E=NG. That equation, unlike the Oilers and D Staples, always makes sense.
Cheers.
