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

[Scorch]

Originally Posted by zamler

I dunno what to think maybe he wanted to pad his retirement.

That’s exactly why.

Hitch wasn’t in it for the money, but just to build on his legacy as the coach who turned a struggling and sinking Oilers team into a playoff candidate. His arrogant “I know what’s wrong with the Oilers and I know how to fix it” statement was the most naive thing I’ve heard anyone in the NHL have said.

Fast forward 20+ games under his watch and now he knows what we all have known for a while. The rot is so deep in the organization that no coach or even the GM could fix.

Sorry Hitch, you should’ve stayed retired

[CedarMeter]

Did anyone else have time to waste and listened to David Staples lastet podcast that he posted on Twitter? Swear to God the guy sounded like he was going to break down and cry two or three times during it.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1084361926329552897

[ColoradoFlamesFan]

I watched a couple seconds of the Glen Anderson interview

I recall a recent story where Glen was asked to leave the current Oilers alone?
Not sure if it was a dressing room thing or hanging around them at a bar, but it was a cringe worthy story.

Can anyone help me out?
E=NG

[Red Slinger]

Hitch, Anderson, Chiarelli, Lowe, and others are all perfect Oilers. Arrogant and pompous attitudes born from some previous success that was largely due to a combination of luck or the talent of others.

The entire Oilers organization was built on the back of a shady business deal to acquire Gretzky.
Then you had an arrogant con man owner (Pocklington) running the team like his personal piggy-bank while actively ripping off Albertans.
A cigar chomping ego-maniac in Sather who actually thought the teams owner winning Gretzky in a game of cards somehow made him a genius GM.
Now there is Katz who built his empire taking advantage of the lousy American health system and more recently swindling the gullible yokels in Edmonton by way of city council.

Oilers fans are a little like Roughriders fans. They are very passionate and loyal but largely delusional. I was skiing yesterday and I saw 5 Oilers jerseys at Lake Louise (and 1 Flames jersey). Is it because there were more Oilers fans skiing at LL yesterday? It's more likely that, like Saskatchewan, the Oilers are a large part of the identity of Edmontonians. The team is inextricably intertwined with 'being from Edmonton'. This often happens when there just isn't that much else to be proud of: people turn to the local sports heroes even though all of their (largely tainted) accomplishments are in the distant past.

The organization, coaches, players and fans are continuing the tradition of wallowing in arrogance. Lowe knows about winning. MacTavish has the answers. Eakins is a savant. Anderson is the fastest. Sather could win the Cup every year with a salary cap. They're building something special. It's not a matter of 'if' but 'when'. It's not a matter of A Cup but how many. I see 600 goals and 1300 points. McDavid will score 100 goals this year. Hitchcock will teach these guys how to win.

The Oilers truly are a modern dynasty.

tldr E=NG

[Boreal]

So true. Not only are they an identity of being from Edmonton. They’re the identity of loads of fair weather Gen X hockey fans who associate their childhood/teenage years with the 80’s. They come out of the wood work any time they win a game.

My advice when I speak to any of them is...

“Why don’t you just walk away from that dumpster fire & get in on Seattle at the ground floor?”

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by ColoradoFlamesFan

I watched a couple seconds of the Glen Anderson interview

I recall a recent story where Glen was asked to leave the current Oilers alone?
Not sure if it was a dressing room thing or hanging around them at a bar, but it was a cringe worthy story.

Can anyone help me out?
E=NG

Some CP posters talk about this around post 6150 in this thread.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by nobles_point

Smyth was traded away in 2007.

I know Oiler fans are bad at math & great at revisionist history, but one would think Ryan’s airport tears would be something to remember.

I screwed up dates on Wikipedia, looked at the Kings trade. Doesn’t change that the 2nd rebuild on that list is part of the first and third.

Are you calling me an oilers fan?

[GGG]

Originally Posted by zamler

A real thread on HF

If the refs would just be fair the Oilers would be in a playoffs spot

They forget that the rest of the leagues top lines would improve just as much. Can you imagine if JG wasn’t allowed to be slashed.

[Scorch]

So a poll asking Oiler fans which do they prefer of 2 choices:

A) make the playoffs and keep Chia as GM

B) miss the playoffs and fire Chia

Of 470 who has voted so far, Nearly 75% of Oilers fans would rather B)

https://www.strawpoll.me/17222108

[keratosis]

Voted A

[killer_carlson]

I think Hitchcock was an excellent hire - whether intended or not.

Here is why. Hitch:

A) isn't a member of the old boys club
B) is a hall of fame coach (or has that resume)
C) has nothing to prove
D) (perhaps most importantly) is going to give his opinion on the situation
E) knows how important the Oilers are to the fan base and knows the fan base deserves better than they have been getting.


If Lowe, Mactavish, Gretzky etc really are pulling the strings and dabbling in hockey operations (because the organization is about "Loyalty" ) then Hitch is the guy to call this out publicly, which he has started on twice.

This will boil over and Hitch won't go down quietly.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

I think Hitchcock was an excellent hire - whether intended or not.

Here is why. Hitch:

A) isn't a member of the old boys club
B) is a hall of fame coach (or has that resume)
C) has nothing to prove
D) (perhaps most importantly) is going to give his opinion on the situation
E) knows how important the Oilers are to the fan base and knows the fan base deserves better than they have been getting.


If Lowe, Mactavish, Gretzky etc really are pulling the strings and dabbling in hockey operations (because the organization is about "Loyalty" ) then Hitch is the guy to call this out publicly, which he has started on twice.

This will boil over and Hitch won't go down quietly.

People.over think things. Hitch is a hockey Canada guy. He likely got asked for a favour by Nichsolson, Lowe and MacT and decided to help out his buddies but he isn't going to sugar cost things because I think he's retiring after this season anyway.

[Rejean31]

Connor McDavid is good at skating fast. That is all. He is not a good leader. His junior teams never won anything. The only time Connor McDavid was associated with anything of championship caliber was when he was on the gold medal winning team with the Canadian juniors in 2015 and some would say he was overshadowed on that team by the likes of Sam Reinhart and Curtis Lazar. Other than that, Connor McDavid led hockey teams have won absolutey squat.

[Shazam]

We should send a letter of support to Chia.

[killer_carlson]

If you really want to stir things up, the target for a grassroots campaign is Katz.

Encourage fans to demand that Katz sell the team.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

If you really want to stir things up, the target for a grassroots campaign is Katz.

Encourage fans to demand that Katz sell the team.

This is a terrible idea, and should never be spoken of again.

[Vinny01]

Oilers fans are truly living a nightmare season so far. The rebuilding Canucks are right there with them and the hated Flames at the top of the league. Playoffs look impossible and they have minimal assets and wiggle room. They have the best player in the league yet remain a joke.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by Scorch

So a poll asking Oiler fans which do they prefer of 2 choices:

A) make the playoffs and keep Chia as GM

B) miss the playoffs and fire Chia

Of 470 who has voted so far, Nearly 75% of Oilers fans would rather B)

https://www.strawpoll.me/17222108

I can’t find the option ‘for miss the playoffs and keep Chia as GM’ anywhere.

[JackIsBack]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

I can’t find the option ‘for miss the playoffs and keep Chia as GM’ anywhere.

You're Right! The Damn poll is broken.


I know, I know.... wait for the draft lottery - another 1st overall pick would certainly change the Oilers fortune. Wait till next season, make no management level changes (they're all great past champions don't you know), lead all the other teams and their players in preseason scoring - brag about how great the Oilers are and just how many cups they are about to win (because it's more than one for sure, anyone can see that).... be disappointed about the season and complain about how the ref's screwed them out of a playoff spot again. Dream about how your next number 1 overall draft pick will change things - Repeat over and over again.

[Scorch]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

I can’t find the option ‘for miss the playoffs and keep Chia as GM’ anywhere.

Oiler fans have been denying realistic outcomes since 2006

Why start now?