Battle of Alberta Real Talk

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

He sure did not. Flames had the lowest salary in the league.

https://web.archive.org/web/20141226...w.capgeek.com/

Flames salary was $56M that year when the cap was $69M. The floor was $51M and if anything the $10.5M for those 3 were needed just to get to the floor.

Especially since they ended up moving Glencross that season.

They had to buy out Raymond because they needed the cap room. Will never understand why they signed that guy to a three year deal, total unforced error.

To get to the floor one year and then buy him out the next? Mismanagement.

[Sofa GM]

Anyone who thinks this is anything but a complete job by the NHL is blind. The Oilers were a massive embarrassment and black eye to the NHL for a decade, and mid way through last season they were well on their way to missing the playoffs and I think everyone knows McDavid asks for a trade if that happens. Then all the sudden Evander Kane is allowed out of his contract in SJ and allowed to play for the Oilers for a low salary. Does anyone think for a second the NHL would have allowed Kane to sign with the Lightning or the Avalanche for the same money?? So it allowed the Oilers to get to the playoffs and dodge the inevitable McDavid trade request.

Fast forward to this past off-season, Mike Smith with mysterious LTIR injury and Duncan Keith with the retirement decision and becoming a development coach. They gained $6MM in space or they would have been completely screwed. It was 100% clear cap circumvention. The schedule makers then give them an absolute muffin schedule on the backside of Christmas, hoping they would be able to battle the first half with a healthy McDavid and Draisaitl and then hang on to the end in the event of an injury.

A couple of points,

- NHL needs to get their bell cow a title and erase the embarrassment aura from the Oilers.
- NHL PR keeps making tweets about “can McDavid set the playoff scoring record” etc. it’s a complete fix.

We are witnessing a situation where marketing and profits trump the sport of the game. In my opinion there is more suspense in the WWE than the NHL at this juncture. It is completely embarrassing.

[flylock shox]

At this stage I'm more likely to follow the Oilers games in the playoffs, not so much to cheer against them, but just for the McDavid show. Hate him as much as you like, he's still the best offensive player I can recall ever watching, and he's tapped some new level of motivation this year.

I think an Oilers-Bruins final is pretty likely, and I just hope the Bruins have enough depth to prevent the Oilers from taking it (I think they do).

Such a disappointment the Flames fell apart in the off-season. A couple of tweaks to last year's roster and we'd have a proper BOA. Instead we have to just hope this year was voodoo and we don't have years of cap compromised decline/rebuilding to look forward to.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Retina-searing rags, bad horn, nightmarish mascot, perverted owner, criminal employees, $50 burgers, biohacker bros, Ryan Whitney, under the table pay-offs, mechanical sperm, unearned plethora of top picks, team-owned propagandistic media, Principe's unwashed feet on white sheets, city with stink issues..

Knock yourself out, but I'd sooner join a club for mosquito enthusiasts.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by flylock shox

At this stage I'm more likely to follow the Oilers games in the playoffs, not so much to cheer against them, but just for the McDavid show. Hate him as much as you like, he's still the best offensive player I can recall ever watching, and he's tapped some new level of motivation this year.

I think an Oilers-Bruins final is pretty likely, and I just hope the Bruins have enough depth to prevent the Oilers from taking it (I think they do).

Such a disappointment the Flames fell apart in the off-season. A couple of tweaks to last year's roster and we'd have a proper BOA. Instead we have to just hope this year was voodoo and we don't have years of cap compromised decline/rebuilding to look forward to.

I wouldn't expect the Bruins or Oilers to make the finals if history is any indication. Presidents trophy curse is real and hot teams entering the playoffs usually lose out early in the playoffs. I believe the last time the hottest team in the last 10 games to make the finals was the Capitals in 1998.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I wouldn't expect the Bruins or Oilers to make the finals if history is any indication. Presidents trophy curse is real and hot teams entering the playoffs usually lose out early in the playoffs. I believe the last time the hottest team in the last 10 games to make the finals was the Capitals in 1998.

I certainly wouldnt be betting against the Bruins this year.

They just dont have any weaknesses other than playoff experience in net....which could be a factor but not one i would put money on the line for.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by transplant99

I certainly wouldnt be betting against the Bruins this year.

They just dont have any weaknesses other than playoff experience in net....which could be a factor but not one i would put money on the line for.

Based on the regular season they should expect to be in the finals but most Stanley Cup winning teams or even finalists don't win the Presidents Trophy. I would put my money with the line against.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Retina-searing rags, bad horn, nightmarish mascot, perverted owner, criminal employees, $50 burgers, biohacker bros, Ryan Whitney, under the table pay-offs, mechanical sperm, unearned plethora of top picks, team-owned propagandistic media, Principe's unwashed feet on white sheets, city with stink issues..

Knock yourself out, but I'd sooner join a club for mosquito enthusiasts.

You're fun.

[MoneyGuy]

Wrong thread

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

You're fun.

I've been told I'm a hit at local parties. Not so much Edmonton ones.

[stang]

Originally Posted by Sofa GM

Anyone who thinks this is anything but a complete job by the NHL is blind. The Oilers were a massive embarrassment and black eye to the NHL for a decade, and mid way through last season they were well on their way to missing the playoffs and I think everyone knows McDavid asks for a trade if that happens. Then all the sudden Evander Kane is allowed out of his contract in SJ and allowed to play for the Oilers for a low salary. Does anyone think for a second the NHL would have allowed Kane to sign with the Lightning or the Avalanche for the same money?? So it allowed the Oilers to get to the playoffs and dodge the inevitable McDavid trade request.

Fast forward to this past off-season, Mike Smith with mysterious LTIR injury and Duncan Keith with the retirement decision and becoming a development coach. They gained $6MM in space or they would have been completely screwed. It was 100% clear cap circumvention. The schedule makers then give them an absolute muffin schedule on the backside of Christmas, hoping they would be able to battle the first half with a healthy McDavid and Draisaitl and then hang on to the end in the event of an injury.

A couple of points,

- NHL needs to get their bell cow a title and erase the embarrassment aura from the Oilers.
- NHL PR keeps making tweets about “can McDavid set the playoff scoring record” etc. it’s a complete fix.

We are witnessing a situation where marketing and profits trump the sport of the game. In my opinion there is more suspense in the WWE than the NHL at this juncture. It is completely embarrassing.

Do you really believe this?

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

The only black eye was the oilers receiving two too many first overall picks.

Should've been out of the running for the last two because of their recent consecutive wins at the time.

Which means they wind up with Hall and Nuge, and probably still Draisaitl. But different players in the Yakupov, McDavid drafts.

NHL most certainly ####ed up there, hence the "Oilers rule" later established.

[Sylvanfan]

I see Landeskog was not able to do the Kucherov. Avalanche are ruling him out of the playoffs. So that does take away a possible piece that the Avalanche could have used.

This is the best chance the Oilers likely have before McDavid bolts for Toronto or L.A or New York.

[AFireInside]

Originally Posted by flylock shox

At this stage I'm more likely to follow the Oilers games in the playoffs, not so much to cheer against them, but just for the McDavid show. Hate him as much as you like, he's still the best offensive player I can recall ever watching, and he's tapped some new level of motivation this year.

False.. It's Mario Lemieux.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Originally Posted by AFireInside

False.. It's Mario Lemieux.

Some of us (well, me at least) weren’t around to see Lemieux in his prime. Mario was on his way out when I started watching hockey as a kid. In my time watching hockey him and Sid are the best players I’ve seen

[Cappy]

I threw $100 on the oilers to win the cup. I hope they lose, and I'm ok giving up $100 for bad karma.

If they *spit* win.... well i have $900 to drink until i forget

[Sofa GM]

Originally Posted by stang

Do you really believe this?

It’s a complete sham

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by stang

Do you really believe this?

Do they go door to door and force drinking the koolaid or is it class by class needles by the school nurse?

[flylock shox]

Originally Posted by AFireInside

False.. It's Mario Lemieux.

Fair enough. Maybe better to say McDavid is the most dynamic offensive talent I've ever seen.

From what little I can now recall of Mario, he made the game look easy. The stuff McDavid does looks really hard - he just does it anyway and with lightning speed. I'm still a bit flabbergasted by how he seems to have these incredible fast twitch muscles, but looks unremarkable - like a dude who'd sell you a 7-11 hotdog while you're gassing up in Canmore.

I wish the guy had ended up anywhere else and had a chance to play for Canada on a big stage to boot. Such a waste.

[stang]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

Do they go door to door and force drinking the koolaid or is it class by class needles by the school nurse?

So you’re saying that If I don’t believe that the league made SJS drop Evander Kane so that the Oilers and only the Oilers could pick him up, then I’m drinking the kookaid?

Or that unless I believe 40 year old Mike smith, who was injured multiple times last year, is faking a LTIR injury and the NHL signed off on it, then I got needles? I mean he could have just retired and his whole cap would have come off the books.

Or that 39 year old Duncan Keith. Who made approx 75 million over his career, was forced into retirement by the NHL in some crazy conspiracy to get the Oilers more cap space. Why wouldn’t the NHL give them the cap credit then?

You believe the earth is flat too?