Edmonton is No Good VI: Chia•den•freu•de

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by edslunch

This is probably the wrong thread to start this discussion but starting a new serious thread on the Oilers would feel dirty.... I’m interested in opinions on how one might turn the Oilers around. Start by assuming all the management is replaced by competent people, are there any set of moves that could fix this mess? I would have no idea where to start but it seems like a great challenge for an armchair GM.

To have competent management, you have to first have competent owner. Katz is almost worse than Ballard the now deceased Maple Leafs owner.

[Textcritic]

So, I am listening to the record from last night's cathartic 12-step meeting for demoralized and psychologically abused Oilers fans otherwise known as "Overtime Openline," because I missed it last night. (BTW, 630 CHED has an online audio vault, so you can listen to every hilarious second of every outrageously funny moment in the Oilers's season if you so wish.)

I am struck by something...

Connor McDavid is 6'1", 193 lbs, and he is about to turn 22-years-old. Oilers fans and media not only whine and complain about missed infractions supposedly committed on their golden lottery-ticket, they also seem to be of the opinion that every legal hit that must be endured by McDelicate is somehow simply unacceptable, and must be "answered for" by the opposing team.

What am I missing, here?

It's not like McDavid is consistently disadvantaged by a size-discrepancy like Mitchell Marner, or Johnny Gaudreau, or Clayton Keller, or Elias the-human-stick bug Pettersson. He's not a big player, but surely he is big enough and strong enough to survive the daily rigours of NHL hockey, no? Why is he such a dilettante?

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

So, I am listening to the record from last night's cathartic 12-step meeting for demoralized and psychologically abused Oilers fans otherwise known as "Overtime Openline," because I missed it last night. (BTW, 630 CHED has an online audio vault, so you can listen to every hilarious second of every outrageously funny moment in the Oilers's season if you so wish.)

I am struck by something...

Connor McDavid is 6'1", 193 lbs, and he is about to turn 22-years-old. Oilers fans and media not only whine and complain about missed infractions supposedly committed on their golden lottery-ticket, they also seem to be of the opinion that every legal hit that must be endured by McDelicate is somehow simply unacceptable, and must be "answered for" by the opposing team.

What am I missing, here?

It's not like McDavid is consistently disadvantaged by a size-discrepancy like Mitchell Marner, or Johnny Gaudreau, or Clayton Keller, or Elias the-human-stick bug Pettersson. He's not a big player, but surely he is big enough and strong enough to survive the daily rigours of NHL hockey, no? Why is he such a dilettante?

He's spent his entire life on a different level. I doubt he ever got hit much in his younger leagues purely because few could keep up. This is the NHL. The determination and ability of his opponents is like nothing he's ever encountered. It's not a surprise he gets thrown off by physicality. In his head it's probably calculated as cheating every time. "Hey wait, that's not allowed is it? No one could do that to me before..."

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

So, I am listening to the record from last night's cathartic 12-step meeting for demoralized and psychologically abused Oilers fans otherwise known as "Overtime Openline," because I missed it last night. (BTW, 630 CHED has an online audio vault, so you can listen to every hilarious second of every outrageously funny moment in the Oilers's season if you so wish.)

I am struck by something...

Connor McDavid is 6'1", 193 lbs, and he is about to turn 22-years-old. Oilers fans and media not only whine and complain about missed infractions supposedly committed on their golden lottery-ticket, they also seem to be of the opinion that every legal hit that must be endured by McDelicate is somehow simply unacceptable, and must be "answered for" by the opposing team.

What am I missing, here?

It's not like McDavid is consistently disadvantaged by a size-discrepancy like Mitchell Marner, or Johnny Gaudreau, or Clayton Keller, or Elias the-human-stick bug Pettersson. He's not a big player, but surely he is big enough and strong enough to survive the daily rigours of NHL hockey, no? Why is he such a dilettante?

I'm thing to done like a McDavid apologist, but he doesn't seem to complain much. The fans wasn't there reason for losing to be something simple like the refs have a bias because then they don't have to face the realization the players they there for and identify with aren't very good. For example, it's much nicer to believe Nurse is just poorly used, or over used, or paired wrong than to realize the defenseman you've been so excited about is mediocre.

Mcdavid doesn't scream at the refs anywhere near the rate Johnny does

[Coach]

Yeah I really don't see him whining much, but the fans do constantly, when if anything calls are made in his favor more often than not.

But I do think physicality does throw him off, which is strange for someone who's a relatively big guy. I think thats what TC is getting at.

[FlamingHomer]

Originally Posted by midniteowl

To have competent management, you have to first have competent owner. Katz is almost worse than Ballard the now deceased Maple Leafs owner.

Harold Ballard figured out that Leaf fans would watch anything as long as there were Leaf jerseys out there. So he got rid of all his high priced players and sure enough, attendance didn't suffer. The Oiler situation is very similar. Hand over more taxes for a shiney arena and keep supporting the on ice product no matter how dismal. Year after year. The only difference is the owner is overpaying for his on-ice debacle.

Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

[djsFlames]

Well, hopefully yesterday helped drive home the reality that neither Vancouver nor Edmonton are good enough to make the playoffs, but only flirt with the .500 mark, so hopefully the Pettersen and McDavid talk swirls down the tubes soon, in favor of more talk about the two competent western Canadian teams and their established stars. There are many to choose from, SNET!

[taxbuster]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

Why me?

It was Reggie Dunlop that came up with it.

Slaps head....!

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Coach

Yeah I really don't see him whining much, but the fans do constantly, when if anything calls are made in his favor more often than not.

Calgarypuck seems to have a large number of the conspiracy theorists who believe that the NHL is out to get them and every time a stick touches Gaudreau there is an outcry. It is the exact same thing that happens up in Edmonton.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Coach

Yeah I really don't see him whining much, but the fans do constantly, when if anything calls are made in his favor more often than not.

But I do think physicality does throw him off, which is strange for someone who's a relatively big guy. I think thats what TC is getting at.

He can and does fight through a fair amount, but also embellishes a lot. The refs probably could call more infractions on McDavid (they already call a lot), but they would also have to start calling him more for embellishing. I don't think the NHL wants their golden boy getting that reputation, and I doubt the Oilers want him sitting in the penalty box all the time.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

Calgarypuck seems to have a large number of the conspiracy theorists who believe that the NHL is out to get them and every time a stick touches Gaudreau there is an outcry. It is the exact same thing that happens up in Edmonton.

Cool. And?

[sureLoss]

Jason Gregor @JasonGregor
Russell will play. Expect Manning to come out. Add a $2.25m Dman, with another year on contract for three games and he is healthy scratch. Not ideal asset and cap management.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

Calgarypuck seems to have a large number of the conspiracy theorists who believe that the NHL is out to get them and every time a stick touches Gaudreau there is an outcry. It is the exact same thing that happens up in Edmonton.

lol

You might want to start preparing yourself for the pending Pettersson paranoia

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

I'm thing to done like a McDavid apologist, but he doesn't seem to complain much...

No, but he sure does get discouraged by physical play awfully easily.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

Calgarypuck seems to have a large number of the conspiracy theorists who believe that the NHL is out to get them and every time a stick touches Gaudreau there is an outcry. It is the exact same thing that happens up in Edmonton.

NO. Here is the difference: Oilers fans are complaining after last night's game about body checks. Body checks that are completely within the rules that somehow require an "answer" from another member of the team. Fans on the call-in show are not even suggesting that these are missed infractions; they are complaining that McDavid gets hit with completely legal body checks. I don't see a single poster here whining about legal contact on any Flames players and some outcry for other players on the team to address it. It's entirely different.

[Shazam]

New rumour going around, the Oilers have a new TV deal upcoming, all their games are going to be broadcast in 4K on the Comedy Network.

[Traditional_Ale]

Is there a contractual/legal reason the other 30 owners couldn't vote the Oilers out of the league?

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

Is there a contractual/legal reason the other 30 owners couldn't vote the Oilers out of the league?

I believe they would have to pony up and buy the franchise from Katz for full market value. And he'd probably make them go through the courts to do it.

The days are long gone when Frank Calder could arbitrarily revoke one owner's franchise, sell it to a different owner, and quietly put the proceeds in his own pocket. (Yes, that actually happened.)

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

Is there a contractual/legal reason the other 30 owners couldn't vote the Oilers out of the league?

Why would they? They make good revenues and are easy to beat.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by troutman

Why would they? They make good revenues and are easy to beat.

Plus they are a great place you can trade bags of pucks for decent players, once you wash the stink off.