The Oilers have some of the most pro-media I've ever seen. What's that call in show where you're cut off if you say anything negative.. the name slips me. Mike Comrie said it best "... it's like communism up there".
While I was in Edmonton in the glory days and I hate to burst the histopric bubble you live in. Even during the glory years there were players in Edmonton who wanted out and only part of it was finacial.
Histopric (<what does that even mean???) Bubble???? What bubble? Do you read much? Apparently not.
I never said that there weren't players who didn't want to play in Edmonton during the glory days.
I was in Edmonton in the glory days too, so i'm not sure why you feel you are better than me...
You are 27 years old. In the PRIME Of your life! Your choice of girlfriend is:
A) A puck Bunny who's lifelong goal is to get pregnant by an NHL player.
B) A supermodel who has the same income as you do, and has many ambitions in life.
You want to celebrate a win, by taking the team out to:
A) A crappy dive on Whyte, surrounded by a bunch of underage schoolgirls with fake IDs and a plethora of dudes who have severe mancrushes on you.
B) Surrounded by girls like Megan Fox, and Adriana Lima, receiving a BJ on the toilet, the Killers are playing up on the stage in the corner, there's a scarface pile of Blow in front of Lindsay Lohan, and Russel Crowe tells you the goal you scored was ridiculously SICK, at a private party at the playboy mansion.
You get to chose having one of these backyard views:
You are 27 years old. In the PRIME Of your life! Your choice of girlfriend is:
A) A puck Bunny who's lifelong goal is to get pregnant by an NHL player.
B) A supermodel who has the same income as you do, and has many ambitions in life.
You want to celebrate a win, by taking the team out to:
A) A crappy dive on Whyte, surrounded by a bunch of underage schoolgirls with fake IDs and a plethora of dudes who have severe mancrushes on you.
B) Surrounded by girls like Megan Fox, and Adriana Lima, receiving a BJ on the toilet, the Killers are playing up on the stage in the corner, there's a scarface pile of Blow in front of Lindsay Lohan, and Russel Crowe tells you the goal you scored was ridiculously SICK, at a private party at the playboy mansion.
You get to chose having one of these backyard views:
A)
B)
How is any of that any different if you replace Edmonton with Calgary in the scenarios? Yet players still seem to want to play there.
You are 27 years old. In the PRIME Of your life! Your choice of girlfriend is:
A) A puck Bunny who's lifelong goal is to get pregnant by an NHL player.
B) A supermodel who has the same income as you do, and has many ambitions in life.
You want to celebrate a win, by taking the team out to:
A) A crappy dive on Whyte, surrounded by a bunch of underage schoolgirls with fake IDs and a plethora of dudes who have severe mancrushes on you.
B) Surrounded by girls like Megan Fox, and Adriana Lima, receiving a BJ on the toilet, the Killers are playing up on the stage in the corner, there's a scarface pile of Blow in front of Lindsay Lohan, and Russel Crowe tells you the goal you scored was ridiculously SICK, at a private party at the playboy mansion.
You get to chose having one of these backyard views:
A)
B)
So every other team in the NHL besides LA, SJ, and ANA have the same problems attracting players as we do? How come those 3 teams have played a combined 70 NHL seasons and have won 1 combined cup? You would think that being able to pick the top players from free agency like fresh produce at a supermarket would give them a very distinct advantage? haha
Here is a Montreal Gazette article from August of 07. It gives a good run down of events. http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/sports/story.html?id=f737f145-7aef-4693-be93-ad7f47db044
It says the highest offere Souray had was from the Canadians, which was 5.5 for 4 years. That offer was then OFF the table after the Canadians signed Hamrlik on July 2nd. The offer was 22 million for 4 years, which is rumoured. Souray confirms those numbers are close. Which could mean higher, or could mean lower. Educated guess means those numbers are higher then what the contract was, or Souray would have signed it.
Souray then said that Edmonton "came out of no where" and he "couldn't beleive they'd spend that much money on a guy like me".
Those two quotes are very telling. Edmonoton put in a bid after the weeks of the offer sheet to Vanek and Penner situations. Souray was mulling other offers and then the Oilers gave him far and away the best contract that was available, that is why he signed so quickly. It was even better then the Montreal offer, because it had another year for 5.5 million attached. When you're getting into your mid-30's that is huge for a player as injury riddled as Souray was/is.
To sum up... Montreal had the best offer at the time, but by the time the Oilers were into the Souray sweeps, that offer was long OFF the table. Souray then received a better offer from the Oilers then the Montreal deal, due to the fact it had another year attached, for the same price per season.
Souray's deal from the Oilers was the best he recieved because he was suprised at the price they were willing to give him. Why would Souray be suprised, if he had similar deals on the table.
See I found different Articles
Quote:
“I’m heading home to Alberta and I can’t wait to step onto the ice at Rexall Place”, said Souray. “It’s always been a terrific building to play in. I couldn’t be happier with my decision and I can tell you it was an easy one to make. I’m looking forward to playing in Edmonton for a great organization and believe me, I know how good the fans in Edmonton are.”
It is, he says, “a pretty huge dream realized,” pulling on the jersey of the club he cheered for as a boy growing up on the Metis land of Fishing Lake, Alta.
Ultimately, Souray says, he didn’t sign the richest offer.
from the above article. This is the most telling quote, and we will never know what other offers were on the table for him, but for what it is worth Souray seemed to be sincere about signing in Edmonton and made it clear that he was thrilled to be playing for the team that he grew up cheering for. But you like so many others can't see the signing for what is was but have to interpret it as a negative signing like the Oilers were his last and only choice. I am still under the belief that if Souray had signed for the Sharks or the Ducks that his signing would have been praised as one of the best UFA signings that off season.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tretiak09
The management isn't new. It's still Lowe's show IMO.
As for the media... what city doesn't have similar things that you've listed. Calgary has guys like Francis and Dowbiggen who are seemingly paid to write negative things about the Flames. The Oilers have some of the most pro-media I've ever seen. What's that call in show where you're cut off if you say anything negative.. the name slips me. Mike Comrie said it best "... it's like communism up there".
Even Lowe has said publicaly this is Tambos Team and Lowe is not making the decisions, he is stepping back from the team to work on other things for the organization (hopefully the Arena deal!) I guess that is where our opinions differ.
Not to mention the tropical paradises of Detroit and Pittsburgh that have been the only attending teams at the last two Stanley Cup finals?
Good point...most UFA's choose the team's city based on the current lineup of the team and the teams ability to win. It is utter foolishness to assume players like Calgary better than Edmonton based on chinooks and a view of the mountains. When Edmonton improves their lineup and shows some consistency (ie. winning games) maybe we will become a target team for UFA's. I guarantee you it was the most desired destination for FA's and traded players back in the 80's. Just win baby and then this thread doesn't come around next summer.
The trade to Edmonton, also for Pronger, stunned Lupul. Everyone said, how nice, he's going home. Lupul was looking at the palm trees and the surf and the other, uh, scenery and saying, wait a minute. This is home.
"I was shocked," he said. "That was a tough year for me. A lot of pressure, and a lot of things I didn't handle very well. The positive side was that a lot of my friends got to see me play."
"Edmonton is a very tough market, almost like Montreal," said Pierre McGuire, the TV analyst. "It's not an easy place to play, especially if you're from there."
Lupul was sitting under a canopy in a quiet spot on the Lido Peninsula. There was a lot of foot traffic around, but none of the feet stopped to notice him.
"In Edmonton I'd be getting asked for autographs," he said, "or, most likely, I'd be getting advice from people."
I've never been to Edmonton, but I'd guess that like all places, it probably has its advantages and disadvantages. Any perceived failure to attract stars may well be a failure on management to target the kind of players who would like the kind of environment the city provides (hockey-enthused, but high pressure; less urban or urbane type city but perhaps more personal or better access to outdoor recreation).
Some people like the limelight, some like the anonymity. Nothing's inherently wrong with either.
what team did comrie start out with???hmmm oh yeah the oilers.
That's because he was drafted by them. It's also hard to turn down 10 million dollars over your first three years. Then he heldout after that contract was up because he wanted more money than he was being offered.
Yea, sounds like a guy that really wanted to play in Edmonton.
To what I know, Gretzky actually lured Messier to leave Edmonton. Coffey wanted out because of Slats. Could it be that Slats was the problem during the dynasty years. He was arrogant. Now that the Oilers do have the money, players still avoid Edmonton. Could it be that the arrogance of Slats that has blacklisted Edmonton as a result. I'm beginning to think the problem of the Oilers luring UFAs has a lot to do with the arrogance of Slats.
You are 27 years old. In the PRIME Of your life! Your choice of girlfriend is:
A) A puck Bunny who's lifelong goal is to get pregnant by an NHL player.
B) A supermodel who has the same income as you do, and has many ambitions in life.
You want to celebrate a win, by taking the team out to:
A) A crappy dive on Whyte, surrounded by a bunch of underage schoolgirls with fake IDs and a plethora of dudes who have severe mancrushes on you.
B) Surrounded by girls like Megan Fox, and Adriana Lima, receiving a BJ on the toilet, the Killers are playing up on the stage in the corner, there's a scarface pile of Blow in front of Lindsay Lohan, and Russel Crowe tells you the goal you scored was ridiculously SICK, at a private party at the playboy mansion.
You get to chose having one of these backyard views:
A)
B)
Dude, that was awesome. Totally awesome, I laughed out loud on that one. You get my vote for funniest post of the year.
You are 27 years old. In the PRIME Of your life! Your choice of girlfriend is:
A) A puck Bunny who's lifelong goal is to get pregnant by an NHL player.
B) A supermodel who has the same income as you do, and has many ambitions in life.
Supermodels have ambitions? Like what, getting knocked up by a rock star?
Quote:
You want to celebrate a win, by taking the team out to:
A) A crappy dive on Whyte, surrounded by a bunch of underage schoolgirls with fake IDs and a plethora of dudes who have severe mancrushes on you.
B) Surrounded by girls like Megan Fox, and Adriana Lima, receiving a BJ on the toilet, the Killers are playing up on the stage in the corner, there's a scarface pile of Blow in front of Lindsay Lohan, and Russel Crowe tells you the goal you scored was ridiculously SICK, at a private party at the playboy mansion.
Except that Adriana Lima is too high to understand you, Megan Fox is too dumb to know what you're talking about, Lindsay Lohan is too busy crying over the girl that left her, and Russel Crowe has never heard of you.
Quote:
You get to chose having one of these backyard views:
A)
B)
You got me on that one, although I must admit I've always wondered how anyone who plays a winter sport for a living could be afraid of snow.
I don't think so.
Its not the worst place to play but its definitely not the nicest.
In Canada, I think that someone would rather play in Toronto. It's a bigger city more exciting and its like hockey central of the world. On the other side there's Vancouver. Beautiful place, voted the most livable city on the planet.
Edmonton is too cold in the winter. The team is not in the position to even make the playoffs. This isnt the 80's.
Players don't want to come here because we don't win.
If the oilers made the playoffs year after year instead of making the playoffs one year then missing them three years in a row players would consider playing for Edmonton.
Is this THE Pattern? Does this mean that since we have missed it 3 years in a row that this year we make the playoffs?
Is this THE Pattern? Does this mean that since we have missed it 3 years in a row that this year we make the playoffs?
If you've looked at our roster you wouldn't even need to ask this question. Absolutely we're making the playoffs this year! Our team is well-built for a deep playoff run!
Just curious, but do the top players in the NBA, MBL and NFL pick and choose the teams they want to play for based on how easily they can blend in and not be noticed by the masses, or is that strictly an NHL phenomenon?
Just curious, but do the top players in the NBA, MBL and NFL pick and choose the teams they want to play for based on how easily they can blend in and not be noticed by the masses, or is that strictly an NHL phenomenon?
How is any of that any different if you replace Edmonton with Calgary in the scenarios? Yet players still seem to want to play there.
It is a management issue more than anything. The Oilers have earned a reputation around the league. If you don't think that Lowe's shenanigans were noted by players and agents around the league you're kidding yourself. Lowe gave this team so many black eyes its not even funny. This team will continue to struggle to attract players until they get the front office in order and that won't happen until the Boys on the Bus are cleaned out. As long as Lowe and his puppet regime are around Edmonton will be considered the ghost story that agents and other general managers threaten their players with.
No way. You really think a high-profile player like Shaq would have accepted a trade to Cleveland if Lebron wasn't there and they had the winning percentage of the Clippers? You think Kobe would let himself be traded to Washington?
That's because he was drafted by them. It's also hard to turn down 10 million dollars over your first three years. Then he heldout after that contract was up because he wanted more money than he was being offered.
Yea, sounds like a guy that really wanted to play in Edmonton.
1.you're an idiot if you thought i implied comrie wanted to be here, and (2) i was implying that alberta born players do want to play for an alberta team. comrie did at one point became selfish and left.
No way. You really think a high-profile player like Shaq would have accepted a trade to Cleveland if Lebron wasn't there and they had the winning percentage of the Clippers? You think Kobe would let himself be traded to Washington?
Exactly the opposite. The post I responded to asked if the desire for players to be able to blend in and not be noticed was and NHL phenomenon. So I think we are actually in agreement. In the NBA, the star players want to be in the most high profile markets. With few exceptions, they want to have a high profile and will go out of their way to make that happen.
