The Oil Patch

PAULLY SAYS: Whats a Lou to do?

2010-07-23T14:45:00.000-07:00

JEFF SAYS: Paul Aumack is now a contributing member the Oil Patch since things are getting a little busy for me. The longtime Oilers fan, who lives in sunny Kamloops, B.C., will write about anything and everything that's copper and blue. Enjoy:

After the euphoria about hearing my good friend, Jeff Cummings, getting a new job wear off, we had a little talk about the NHL canceling the contract of Ilya Kovalchuk.

We both acknowledged the hypocrisy of the NHL when there are other contracts as well that make a mockery of the CBA, Marian Hossa with Chicago, Roberto Luongo with Vancouver, and who can forget "my wife hates this town" Chris ****'n Pronger with Philadelphia.

Teams front load the contracts in the productive years of their players and after the age of 35 the hit against the salary cap drops significantly.

If the player retires(after the age of 35) their salary does not count against the cap thereby freeing the team.

Why do I bring this up? While I was musing I realized maybe Lou Lamoriello, circumvented the cap for a reason. This is what he said after the contract had been nullified by the NHL:

"We should not have these" he said to the press, "but they are legal under the CBA."

When asked why they made the deal, the GM blamed his boss. "You would have to speak to ownership about that", he replied.

Lou has stated from the beginning he did not like the contracts being signed that insidiously went against the CBA even though they are legal. Did he do it on purpose to show the NHL how foolish this loophole has become?

To me this man has been one of the best general managers since the 90's. He knows the ins and outs of the CBA(anybody remember his brilliance in ridding himself of Vladimir Malakhov) and always has a plan up his sleeve so to say. Should be interesting to say the least what comes about from this mess.

Update from Lou:

"We are extremely disappointed that the NHL has decided to reject the contract of Ilya Kovalchuk. The contract complies with the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. We will have no further comment until the process outlined in the CBA is complete.”

Lou always keeps us guessing doesn't he?

SHIT-TASTIC: Too little, too late for NHL to quash salary loophole

2010-07-20T21:37:00.000-07:00

Put on your shit-kickers, Gary Bettman, because there’s a shit-storm a comin’.

And that shit-storm could become a massive shit-hurricane by the time collective bargaining agreement expires in 2011. It’s enough to make residents at Mr. Lahey’s Sunnyvale Trailer Park tremble.

At a time when every hockey pundit out there is enjoying his or her summer vacations, the NHL drops a bombshell by quashing Ilya Kovalchuk’s crazy 17-year, $102-million contract with the New Jersey Devils because it circumvents the salary cap.

Even TSN’s Bob McKenzie was enjoying his time off tweeting photos from a Bon Jovi/Kid Rock concert tonight. Unbelievable.

According to the NHL, the last five years of Kovalchuk’s contract was the obvious deal breaker. Everyone knows Kovalchuk will retire in the last five years of the contract, which will see him earning $500,000 a season.

Kovalchuck will be 44 by the time the contract expires — the same contract Devils GM Lou Lamoriello admitted will screw the league during a press conference today.

Yep, it’s a pretty silly contract. But it’s too little, too late for Bettman to clean up the extremely shitty mess.

The shit-pile has been accumulating ever since the league allowed the New York Islanders to sign Rick DiPietro to a 15-year, $67.5 million contact back in 2006.

Roughly four years later, NHL owners and GMs are taking advantage of a loophole by offering up shitloads of front-loaded salaries.

And Kovalchuk’s contract is no different than Chris Pronger’s deal he signed with Philadelphia last summer, or Marian Hossa’s in Chicago. Where was the NHL then?

Pronger’s seven-year extension — worth $35-million — will see him earning $525,000 in the final two seasons on the contract. Hossa will earn $1 million or less during the final four years of his 12-year, $62 million contract.

And here’s an interesting thought: what’s to stop Steve Tambellini from signing Taylor Hall to a 25-year, front-loaded contract after his third season.

Yup, things are going to become even shittier.

FACING OFF: Madden or Wellwood could be good fits

2010-07-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

The Oilers might be a much younger and somewhat grittier team with the deals Steve Tambellini has swung in recent weeks, but he needs to track someone down to play centre.

The Oilers still have problem down the middle with the lack of reliable centremen, especially when it comes to special teams and the third and fourth lines.

Newly acquired Colin Fraser was 47.8 per cent (376 out of 787) on the faceoff circle two seasons ago with Chicago and he is the right pick-up for the Oilers. Fraser does offer a lot of defensive upside, which is why he’s ideal for the team’s second penalty killing unit.

And then there’s obviously Shawn Horcoff who won 53.9 per cent of his faceoffs back in 2008-09, but he slid a bit last season mostly because of a bad shoulder.

Horcoff was 46.4 per cent (621 out of 1337) on the circle and that’s slightly less than Sam Gagner (336 out of 709) and Ryan Potulny (389 out of 820) who were both 47.4 per cent on the dot.

As far as the stats are concerned, the Oilers are in desperate need of a reliable centreman.

And if Tambellini is looking to make another splash this summer, it might not be a bad idea to pick up John Madden to a Mike Comrie-like contract.

The 37-year-old made $2.75 million with the Blackhawks last season, and he could sign to an extremely cheaper contract based on his age.

Adding Madden, who scored 23 points and had a winning faceoff percentage of 53 last season, could also provide some much-needed leadership to a very youthful hockey team.

But if Tambellini is looking long term, there’s also Kyle Wellwood who was a reliable faceoff guy for the Canucks at 53.8 per cent.

The 27-year-old scored 14 goals and 11 assists in 75 games last season, and given his past history with his lack of conditioning, Wellwood could agree to a longer contract somewhere around the $1.5-million mark.

Wellwood is a risk, but he’s an ideal third-line centreman who doesn’t take a lot of dumb penalties.

BY THE WAY…

A team that wins in the NHL must consistently win faceoffs, as far as last season’s stats are concerned.

The West Division-leading San Jose Sharks had the best faceoff team in the league at 55.6 per cent. Boston was second at 52.6, followed by the Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks at 52.4.

The worst faceoff team was the worst team in the NHL last season. The Edmonton Oilers were dead last at 46.4 per cent, followed by the Colorado Avalanche at 47.7, and the Calgary Flames at 48 per cent.

GETTING IT DONE: Khabby's doctor hands out bad news, Tambo gets a B

2010-07-05T18:58:00.000-07:00

It appears signing Nikolai Khabibulin last year was as dumb as my two-week hiatus from blogging recently.

Tyler Dellow, a blogger for mc79hockey.com, apparently scrounged up an interesting find while digging through documents after documents filed in the goaltender’s DUI case.

That find: a letter dated back on May 24 from his doctor who says Khabibulin is still under “activity restrictions” after a January surgery to repair a lumbar disc herniation and a weak right leg.

“We hope for a full recovery, but that has not occurred at this time,” wrote Dr. Robert Watkins in the letter.

“He is making progress and we will reevaluate his condition in June 2010.”

So in other words, that’s 12 weeks. That’s more than half the time longer than expected for his recovery.

Meanwhile, Khabibulin’s cap hit is $3.75 million every year until the end of the 2013-2014 season, according to Hockeybuzz.com.

If the Oilers want to hold on to Devan Dubnyk and Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers one more season, it might not be a bad idea. Both are restricted free agents.

STEVE TAMBELLINI GETS A "B" FROM THE PATCH

Steve Tambellini has accomplished a lot since drafting Taylor Hall, an 18-year-old who was ranked No. 2 by NHL Central Scouting.

I’m already over the decision because Hall is fast and he can put some excitement back into Oilers hockey.

But without getting too off topic, Tambellini has done a good job with free agency, but I wouldn’t call it stellar.

The Oilers are done with Ethan Moreau, Patrick O’Sullivan, Robert Nilsson, Marc Pouliot, Ryan Potulny and Riley Nash.

But who is in is what’s interesting and cheap. Picking up D-man Kurtis Foster for $1.8 million per season for two years was a smart move. Getting Colin Fraser to a $825,000 per season contract will fix the hole on centre in the Oilers’ fourth line.

Brining back Steve MacIntyre was also a good move — a good idea to protect “the kids.”

On the other hand, reportedly offering $7 million over four years for Derek Boogaard was a tad ridiculous.

And not getting rid of Sheldon Souray at the draft is something that should affect his post-season grade from the Oil Patch.

Hopefully, Souray might realize he’s stuck in Edmonton and he will have to play and condition much harder to get out of Alberta’s capital.

TAMBO TUESDAY: Renney is head coach a year earlier and the writing is on the wall for Hall

2010-06-22T12:16:00.000-07:00

Didn’t see that coming.

On top of a new surprising coaching change for the Edmonton Oilers, the other news of the day was a deal between the Florida Panthers and the Boston Bruins

It was a move saw Nathan Horton and Gregory Campbell for defenceman Dennis Wideman and Boston’s coveted 15^th pick.

Earlier, I suggested the Oilers should and must get Boston’s 15^th pick if they ever swapped for first and second. I guess I can throw that out the window.

There is, most likely, something that can be read from this trade. Horton is an upstart winger who has scored 20 or more goals in each of his last five seasons in the NHL.

And Taylor Hall is a winger, so something tells me general manager Dale Tallon is beginning to build his team for a guy like Tyler Seguin, a natural centreman.

Steve Tambellini also told reporters today that he knew that deal was going to happen after talking with Tallon.

So now, it appears, a hat has been tipped for the Oilers to pick Hall on Friday.

WHAT A CRAZY WEEK

The Oilers have also made its third coaching change in three seasons — it was expected, but it was a year too early.

Pat Quinn will take on a senior advisor role with the Edmonton Oilers while Tom Renney will take his place behind the bench.

Quinn was signed for two seasons as head coach of the Oilers and it was expected he would take on a more managerial role after that contract expired.

What I don’t get, and what a lot of fans probably don’t understand, is why make the coaching move now? Steve Tambellini was too vague on why the move was made a year early.

“We must have the right people in the right spots going forward,” said Tambellini during today’s news conference.

By the way, Renney has a lot of work to do. In five seasons coaching the Rangers, Renney’s team failed to make the playoffs twice and the crew never advanced to the second round.

And After finishing dead last as assistant with the Oilers, Renney says he will need to create a new attitude within the dressing room. That will be a tough task.

OUTSIDE THE PATCH: Shut the hell up, Murray

2010-06-21T22:30:00.000-07:00

Probably the worst thing to ever happen to the Ottawa Senators is, without a doubt, promoting Bryan Murray to the team’s general manager.

The guy can’t keep is stuttering lips shut, and because of that, some fans in Edmonton are more than likely suffering from a bad case of déjà vu going into the draft and free agency.

Fans have been put through a giant soap opera with the whole Dany Heatley saga last season thanks to Murray who dangled the disgruntled star forward to Steve Tambellini in exchange for Dustin Penner, Andrew Cogliano and Ladislav Smid.

Back then it was a great deal and fans were buzzing about it. That, however, obviously came to a crashing halt thanks to Heatley who wanted nothing to do with Edmonton.

Looking back, I can’t say I blame Heatley for the mess. He was a player who did have a no-trade clause on his contract. Edmonton wasn’t on his list.

Murray told reporters he wanted to get a deal done of before July 1 and “the Oilers had the best offer on the table.” I’d say that was a pretty arrogant move on Murray’s part since he obviously defied Heatley’s no-trade clause.

Now Murray is feeding the media frenzy in Ottawa again by scrumming with reporters about the team’s star centre, Jason Spezza.

“He didn’t come in and say ‘I have to be traded,’” Murray said, explaining about his meeting with the forward who was frustrated after the team’s first round loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“He said he wouldn’t object to one. I said, ‘Well, unfortunately, that doesn’t happen. You’ve signed a long-term contract. We’ve committed to you. You’ve committed to us. We will look at everything that’s going on to help out hockey team, but I’m not going to make a bad trade.”

Comments like this from Murray make my blood boil, especially after last summer’s fiasco with Healtey.

And I don’t think there is a GM in the entire league that hangs out their own dirty laundry in front of the media like Murray.

Oh, and it gets better.

He talked about Anton Volchenkov who, apparently doesn’t want to re-sign in Ottawa and because of that, Murray is interested in a defenceman.

There’s been some talk that Murray has some interest in making a move for Sheldon Souray.

Let’s just hope Murray stays quiet this time around.

FORTUITOUS FRIDAY: Pisani, Seguin, Daum and a hankerin’ for some heroin beer

2010-06-18T10:17:00.000-07:00

It’s quiet, too quiet as far as Fernando Pisani’s agent is concerned.

Pisani, who made $2.5 million this season, is set to reach free agency after July 1 and so far, that could happen since Oilers brass have not talked to him, reports Jim Matheson with the Edmonton Journal.

Pisani’s agent, Mark Witken, told the newspaper he’s also still waiting for a call.

Obviously, Pisani will have to agree to a pay cut, like somewhere around $1.3 million or less. It’s too bad since he was prolific in the 2006 NHL playoffs by scoring game winning goals.

He’s also battled through bad injuries and struggled through a possible career-ender: ulcerative colitis. You have to respect a player like that.

Unfortunately, if Pisani doesn’t bite on the pay cut, he’s gone.

Others who will probably hit free agency include Jason Strudwick, Aaron Johnson, Mike Comrie and Ryan Stone.

I’d expect Comrie will stay in Edmonton, or at least offered a deal, given he was a strong, two-way player when he was healthy. And the same can be said for Stone.

When it comes to the blueline, Steve Tambellini could be looking to others in the free agent market for some “minor” tweaking.

By the way, Tambo will more than likely begin to negotiate with the mentioned players after the draft since he will be making a deal or a few deals in Los Angeles next weekend.

GENUINE SEGUIN HAPPY TO BE AN OILER, ONLY IF HE’S PICKED

During a NCAA recruit-like tour of Edmonton Thursday, Tyler Seguin says it would be a “win-win” situation if the Oilers drafted him.

Seguin appeared to be really savvy when it came to answering questions from the media, and that’s something surprising considering he’s only 18.

And Hall was the same way during his tour of the city last week.

Tambellini and company do have a tough decision to make, but those who read this blog already know how I feel about who the Oilers should draft.

DRILL BITS

Tambellini says he’s getting a flood of calls from teams interested in Edmonton’s top pick, and that includes Flordia GM Dale Tallon. Florida is rumoured to be offering up Nathon Horton and the Panthers do have the third overall pick. All I can say is good luck with that bad deal.

Letting go Rob Daum this week was also bad for the Oilers considering he coached an AHL franchise without Devon Dubnyk, or most of last season without Taylor Chorney, Theo Peckham and Ryan Potulny. Daum deserves to be in the NHL and I’m betting he will be back somewhere in the league in three to four years.

And here’s a thought: Oiler fans paid big bucks to watch a last place team all season long at Rexall Place, and that includes dropping $8 for a plastic cup of beer. How about cutting a buck or two from the current beer cost next season to say, “thank you fans”?

WHEELIN' AND DEALIN': 2nd pick must include a 15th pick

2010-06-16T19:08:00.000-07:00

The Oilers will obviously pick Tyler Seguin, but Steve Tambellini and company could make that decision after it swaps picks with Boston at the draft June 25.

By now that’s pretty much common knowledge.

Boston needs a player like Taylor Hall and GM Peter Chiarelli is the only one in the league who could dangle something in front of Tambo to successfully swap picks — say, possibly adding Boston’s 15^th pick.

That’s a massive haul for the Oilers if they can swap it’s first pick for the second and 15^th, and Chiarelli would more than likely bite on that kind of deal since Boston is, allegedly, desperate for Hall.

And the Bruins need to make a splash after a colossal letdown against the Philadelphia Flyers in this year’s playoffs.

There’s a few future prospects the Oilers could choose from after a deal like that, including skilled Swiss forward Nino Niederreiter, rugged defenseman Dylan McIlrath of the Moose Jaw Warriors, or two-way American defenseman Jonathon Merrill.

Niederreiter was the talk of the 2010 World Junior Championship with his 10 points in seven games and that included helping his Swiss team take down Russia in a 3-2 upset.

Then there’s McIlrath — a six-foot-four 17-year-old who is mean, physical, and he makes opposing puck carriers nervous. Scouts say puck carriers would dangle to the other side of the ice to avoid McIlrath.

Scouts compare Merrill to Jordan Leopold, a two-way defenseman who can make plays, along with doing some crashing and banging.

The Oilers have 10 selections at this year’s entry draft, including two picks in the second round.

THE DEABTE IS OVER: Oilers must pick Seguin

2010-06-15T19:19:00.000-07:00

Another big reason why I’ve been away from blogging is because I couldn’t get my head around the Tyler Seguin/Taylor Hall debate.

When the topic came up over a beer with some friends, I had a tough time trying to decide who the Oilers should draft June 25 in Los Angeles.

I’m first to admit this. I’ve flip-flopped like a fish out of water on this topic every week. In one week I thought it should be Hall only because the Oilers are in dire of a sniper who could put fans on the edge of their seats.

Then the next week I think it should be Seguin only because he’s the type of player that makes every player around him better.

Obviously, both players will be stars in the NHL and finally, it’s a discussion that gives fans of the copper and blue some hope.

But, as far as I’m concerned, after doing a lot of thinking, the debate is OFFICIALY over.

THE OIL PATCH SELECTS, FROM THE PLYMOTH WHALERS, TYLER SEGUIN

Seguin is the right player for the Edmonton Oilers for all the right reasons. Sure, he’s probably not leading other pundits’ scouting lists, or the right pick among Oilers fans.

Seguin, however, must be picked based on what the Oilers are looking for long-term.

REASON #1: HE’S EXTREMLY COACHABLE

Seguin had a less than stellar first half of his rookie season last year with the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers — a team that picked him ninth overall in the league’s selection draft.

The rookie was regulated to the team’s fourth line under a coach who preferred to play veterans.

Siegen probably wasn’t happy about the move considering it was the first time he had ever played on the fourth line in his entire hockey career, but he didn’t complain about it.

Imagine if a move like that happened to Dustin Penner, Ales Hemsky, Sheldon Souray and some other Oiler pre-madonnas. Oh wait, that already happened a few times and fans heard all about it. I forgot that it’s an annual event in Edmonton.

But once Mike Vellucci was brought in as the Whaler’s head coach, Seguin was promoted to the team’s second line then the top-line where he quickly scored 16 goals and 43 points in the final 19 games that season.

For a player to emerge so strong that quickly shows that he leaves his ego at home. Fans in Edmonton have been begging for a player like Siegen for a long, long time.

Hall hasn’t really faced that much adversity throughout his hockey career compared to Seguin.

And unlike Hall, Seguin never made Canada’s World Junior team mostly because the squad was already loaded with talented and more experienced centremen. Remember, Seguin was only 17 during tryouts. Hall is older.

Obviously, with his determination, not making the World Juniors would become a distant memory once Seguin plays in the NHL.

REASON #2: HE’S A NATURAL CENTREMAN THE OILERS NEED

There are more than a few reasons why Seguin is drawing comparisons to Steve Yzerman. He’s a natural, right-handed, two-way centreman who has an unbelievable playmaking ability — just like a former Detroit Red Wings captain.

Seguin would also never hesitate to shoot when he sees an opportunity — cough, pay attention Hemsky, cough. The six-foot-one centreman did finish his OHL season tied for first (with Hall) with 106 points (48 goals and 58 assists).

Seguin is probably the type of player Kevin Lowe thought of when he signed Shawn Horcoff to his lucrative, yet ridiculous contract.

Horcoff was paid to be that type of player that could do it all — win faceoffs, score plenty of goals by taking passes from Hemsky, and clamping down defensively when his team needs him.

Obviously, Horcoff’s contract appears to be a mistake and the centre position is something the Oilers have a huge hole in the short term and the long term. And Sam Gagner isn’t quite up to snuff when it comes to his faceoff abilities.

Drafting Hall, for obvious reasons, wouldn’t be the right fit in Edmonton based on what the Oilers need. Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson, Linus Omark, and Jordan Eberle are wingers.

Riley Nash, a 21^st pick by the Oilers in the 2007 NHL entry draft, has reportedly had it with the organization over being told to play in Cornell this season. If that’s the case, Nash won’t be around and he’s a centreman.

REASON #3: SEGUIN IS A PROVEN LEADER

Speaking of Yzerman, Seguin does have an ability to lead.

During his 19-game offensive surge in his rookie season, Seguin played on the Whalers’ first line with Chris Terry and Matt Caria. When the pair left the squad at the end of the season, critics said Seguin would struggle.

Boy, were they wrong.

Seguin led his team into the playoffs with no first round prospects. He obviously has the ability to make his teammates around him better, as mentioned before.

Hall, on the other hand, had a load of talented weapons on his Windsor Spitfires team, including Cam Fowler.

A player like Seguin is someone the Oilers need and if things go well after two or three seasons, Seguin is an obvious choice as the team’s captain.

By the way, Yzerman was only 21 when he was given the “C.”

AND WHY NOT HALL?

Hall is a terrific player, and obviously he will be a huge star in the NHL. However, Hall is not a great fit for Edmonton.

Drafting Hall would serve only one thing: it would be a public relations Band-Aid. Fans are pissed this season, as they have been since Chris Pronger wanted out of town after the “run” in 2006.

With no solid centreman to complement Horcoff, or visa-versa, the Oilers will still be a pathetic hockey team even after Hall is drafted.

The debate is done, son.

A buyout or two will happen before June 30

2010-06-14T19:11:00.000-07:00

Daryl Katz will soon have a lot in common with American TV network NBC.

The network spent tens of millions in cash — wastefully, I might add — to buyout TV talk show star Conan O’Brien and his Team Coco. Possibly, it was a polite way to replace him with old-school late-night host Jay Leno, but it wasn’t the right move.

Yup, O’Brien got screwed, and Leno is, well, Leno. But good things did happen for Team Coco. O’Brien is hosting a late-night talk show on another network and everyone lived happily ever after.

The story, on the other hand for the Edmonton Oilers, will take a new twist beginning tomorrow for a two-week long drama.

Sometime between tomorrow and June 30, Steve Tambellini could go to Daryl Katz and beg him to sign off three gigantic cheques to buyout a trio of forwards who have been absolutely dismal. That trio is none other than captain Ethan Moreau, Patrick O’Sullivan and Robert Nilsson.

And just like NBC, a big buyout is a waste of money for the Oilers because it was management who agreed to sign Patrick O’Sullivan to $2.95 million, or signing Nilsson to $2 million after being hot for one half of a season. Thank you, Kevin Lowe.

Expect a buyout or two to happen during or after the NHL Entry Draft June 25. Tambo will try to make a trade to dump O’Sullivan or Nilsson at the draft, but that won’t happen.

On the other hand, Toronto might bite on O’Sullivan simply because the Leafs are in dire need of forwards, but that’s a very, very long shot.

OH CAPTAIN, BYE CAPTAIN

Keep in mind, buying out both of those contracts will shave close to $5 million off the cap and odds are Moreau and his $2 million salary will be traded for a third or fourth round draft pick to a contending team that’s desperate for some grit. Now there’s an easy salary dump.

A team like the Boston Bruins might consider taking on a player like Moreau, especially after blowing a three game series lead to the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Final.

The Flyers physically dominated the injury-plagued Bruins, and a player like Moreau could have been a difference, especially on the penalty kill.

And after Boston drafts Taylor Hall (yup, that’s a blog post I’m working on for tomorrow), Moreau would be a great third or fourth line addition in Beantown.

Or there’s the Washington Capitals, a team that was in dire need of leadership in Game 7 of the opening round of the playoffs against the Montreal Canadians.

With the three contracts gone, the Oilers have plenty of cushion room when it comes to next season’s salary cap, so long term, they can afford to keep their young stars by signing them to long-term contracts. That’s if Tambo and Katz are smart about it.

By the way, go Team Coco.

-AR-

The Oil Patch is back!!

2010-06-14T14:49:00.000-07:00

That's right. The Oil Patch is back.

You know how it is. Working, going to school, watching Chicago's run to win the Stanley Cup. Let's just say, I've been busy.

Now, with some time on my hands, get ready for some titillating chit-chat from your truly about the NHL's greatest franchise, the Edmonton Oilers.

-AR-

Will this season ever end?

2010-01-23T14:20:00.000-08:00

Someone e-mailed this to me today, so I thought I would share this on the Oil Patch.

I don't really know who wrote it, but it appears it's an e-mail that went viral. Think of this as the Onion covering the Edmonton Oilers.

So here it is:

Oilers Lose Skills Competition 

The Edmonton Oilers lost their own skills competition for the first time in NHL history this week.

“I know we are having a rough season, this is getting out of hand,” said Oilers Coach Pat Quinn.
Highlights from the exhibition were Sheldon Souray getting injured when the Zamboni ran over him, Zack Stortini assaulting Gene Principe at center ice for no reason, and Robert Nilsson missing 20 for 20 in the shooting accuracy competition. 

Horcoff First Player Traded to 29 Teams 

After months of trying, the Edmonton Oilers were finally able to move disappointing center Shawn Horcoff.

On Wednesday, Horcoff became property of 29 other teams, after a league committee decided that cost-sharing between all teams was the only way to justify his salary.

Horcoff’s contract comes with a cap hit of $5.5 million per season.

“We look forward to having Shawn in our line-up almost as much as we look forward to seeing him suit up for rival teams,” quipped Barry Trotz, head coach of the Nashville Predators.

In return for Horcoff, the Oilers received the rights to Alexei Yashin.

Oilers Select “Some Guy” 4th at NHL Entry Draft 

Even though the Oilers finished 30th in the league this season, the team drew a disappointing fourth overall at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft lottery.

Boston, who had first selection thanks to a brain cramp by Toronto GM Brian Burke, selected Center Taylor Hall.

Carolina used their second pick to select American standout Defenseman Cam Fowler, and Columbus, with the third overall pick, selected Canadian junior Tyler Seguin.

The Oilers drafting fourth overall, selected Some Guy, from the Pawtucket Loyalists of the Western Florida League.

“We’ve watched Some Guy all season, and we truly believe he will be a great asset to the Springfield Falcons for the next 12 seasons,” beamed Oilers Assistant GM Kevin Prendergast.

Guy, who plays left-wing, is 5’ 6”, 126 pounds, and has yet to start shaving.  

Trade Deadline Filled with Heartache and Disappointment 

Disappointed Oiler fans who prayed for yet another miracle at the trade deadline were crushed to learn management continued their streak of sucking under pressure.

While names like Nilsson, Grebeshkov and Souray remained on the roster by the end of deadline day, the Oilers were far from inactive, completing a number of deals.

Ales Hemsky is on the move, dealt to the New York Islanders for Rob Schremp.

“The moment I saw that YouTube video of Schremp scoring with a baseball swing, I knew he was just the man to turn the offense around in Edmonton,” exclaimed Oilers GM Steve Tambellini.

In another deal, the Oilers dealt Jordan Eberle, Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson, and Sam Gagner to the Detroit Red Wings for the rights to Dominic Hasek.

“He’s going to be in the Hall of Fame someday,” remarked Tambellini, with an evil grin.

Grebeshkov Signs 16 year/$160 Million Contract 

Oiler fans can rest easy now: Denis Grebeshkov isn’t going anywhere.

The Oilers made Grebeshkov the richest man in the NHL, by rewarding his physically superior defensive-zone mastery with a contract that will see him in Edmonton until he is in his 40s.

Oiler fans, delirious with joy at the news, rioted on Whyte Avenue long into the night.

“I predict at least eight Stanley Cups,” cried Jason Thomas, 19. “Excuse me now as I need to barf in that mailbox!”

Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel estimates the damage to stores on Edmonton’s busiest street to reach over $23 million.

“It’s a small price to pay for the success of our beloved hockey team,” quipped Mandel.

Katz Renames Rexall Place to “The Pill”

Rexall Place is no more. Say hello to “The Pill.”
“It’s round, and from a helicopter, it looks just like a pill you could buy from one of my drug stores,” stated Daryl Katz, owner of the Edmonton Oilers.

“Personally, I love the name,” explained Kevin Lowe, President of Hockey Operations for the Oilers.

“Every time I see the Oilers play, I feel like taking a pill. Sometimes several. So now The Pill will take people. About 16,300 each home game.”

When asked if Katz has considered names for the proposed downtown arena, Lowe said considered names include The Tablet, The Capsule, and The Tube of Anti-Fungal Cream.

Losing Tambo and Lowe answers everything

2010-01-15T21:18:00.001-08:00

For those who keep logging on here wondering why I haven’t typed anything on this blog since the first game of the season, I have news for you: Who cares?

The Oilers are bottom-feeders in the NHL, their farm team (the Springfield Falcons) is in the basement, and the farm team’s farm team (the Stockton Thunder) is in second last place in its league.

These are, indeed, bad times in Edmonton.

But the sad thing is many saw this coming. As soon as training camp began, many players were on the payroll with hefty contracts.

There were talks and rumours about players needing to be shaved off the roster even before training camp, but Oilers GM Steve Tambellini opted to keep all of them while adding Mike Comrie for $1 million.

With the amount of payroll, the Oilers should be a first place team on paper or a Stanley Cup contender, but this is a team Kevin Lowe wanted to keep together since 2006 and now the results come with a record of 16-25-5.

To those that look and the glass half full, last place in the NHL is good enough for a lottery pick, but having Taylor Hall playing with bright prospects like Jordan Eberle, Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson and Anton Lander won’t be a big enough fix for this team.

Once this long and horrific season is said and done, Tambellini will have to work hard in signing coveted restricted free agents like Sam Gagner and Andrew Cogliano. That won’t be easy since this team is so close to the cap.

And there is someone running a team in Toronto who still has a grudge about how Dustin Penner was taken from the Anaheim Ducks.

Tambellini can’t just get rid of players for cap space simply because no one wants them.

Patrick O’Sullivan, who is really struggling this season, comes with a $2.95 million cap hit. Then there’s Tom Gilbert with his $4 million cap hit, and same thing with Steve Staios at $2.7 million. No GM in the league wants these players with those kinds of contracts.

The team’s blueline alone comes with a $22 million cap hit, and I won’t bother talking about Shawn Horcoff’s contract. That’s like beating a dead horse.

The only thing that’s going to be a solid fix for this team is a major shake up in upper management. Tambellini and Lowe must resign after promising to build a team destined for the playoffs.

But as long as Daryl Katz owns this team, fans can expect to see Lowe for a long time as the team’s president of hockey operations, and the same can be said about Tambellini.

Katz and Lowe are longtime buddies. Their friendship is full of bro-mance, but fans won’t be putting up with it much longer. They will be mad as hell and they won't take it anymore.

Horcoff is hurt, but no reason to panic

2009-11-04T11:15:00.000-08:00

There is one thing the Edmonton Oilers are known for in hockey and that’s not hitting the panic button.

This team doesn’t make a first-instinct trade when trouble strikes or fire a coach in the middle of a long season, at least not since Glen Sather sacked George Burnett back in the 1994-95 season.

With Shawn Horcoff’s shoulder injury after taking a hard, late hit by Andy Sutton during a 3-1 loss to the New York Islanders, fans in Edmonton are already hitting that giant red button.

“The Oilers need to claim someone off waivers, like (Erik) Christensen,” said one caller to the Team 1260 Tuesday. “Steve Tambellini needs to make a trade now.”

Not so fast, fans.

Horcoff’s injury, if it is a long-term injury, is probably a good thing for the copper and blue. Players like Sam Gagner and Andrew Cogliano will have to step up, and we all remember what happened when Horcoff was last on the long-term injured list.

Does anyone remember 2008?

Horcoff only played 53 games that season when the Oilers missed the playoff for the second time since the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2006. But unlike last season, or the other failed season in 2007, 2008 gave fans hope.

Fans everywhere got to see how good Gagne and Cogliano really are as rookies and, with them paired up with — back then — a talented Robert Nilsson, they helped the Oilers get close to the playoffs as rookies.

Now the pair of young guns are older and much wiser after their poor sophomore seasons.

Both are restricted free agents after this season, so they have something to prove. And Cogliano, who has struggled a bit this season, has much more to prove after his name was linked to that botched Dany Heatley trade this summer.

And with a healthy Mike Comrie, and with Gilbert Brule continuing to play well on the dot, the Oilers are fine without their $7-million man. (Yes, I know Horcoff is a cap hit of $5.5 million. Woptie-doo.)

When the Oilers fight off this flu bug, and when they can fight off the injury bug on their blueline, the Oilers are capable enough to be an eighth to a fifth place team in the West Division without Shawn Horcoff. (No, I don’t have the homer glasses on.)

There is no reason to hit the panic button, or for fans to abandon ship.

Oilers looked good, despite a dud from the Wall

2009-10-03T23:38:00.000-07:00

Talk about being disappointed by a hot date on prom night.

You know what I mean. You get the courage to ask her out for that special night. And once that big, successful night happens, everything goes well until you catch her making out with your best friend near the end of the dance.

Sounds somewhat familiar.

After a strong and solid 60-minute effort by the Oilers, their coveted goalie — someone who they lured through free agency — duffs one in the last minute of the game and essentially gift-wraps two points for Calgary. Maybe Nikolai Khabibulin was feeling generous.

Everything was going well for the Oilers. Sam Gagner was close to scoring a Gordie Howe hat trick tonight after Coach Pat Quinn demoted him to the fourth line. Yes, Gagner dropped the gloves last night and a he scored a goal.

Dustin Penner, who was in everyone’s doghouse last season, made a big impact in the game with a goal and an assist and so did Quinn’s new “gritty” additions to each line like J.F. Jacques, Gilbert Brule and Ryan Stone who knocked Flames defenseman Mark Giordano into the Oilers bench in the third.

Everything was clicking. The Oilers were forechecking, outshooting, outhitting, and they were even digging and clawing their way in the corners, even when they were down 3-1. This is definitely something that didn’t happen during most of last season.

Quinn’s system looked like it was making a solid difference in every player. Every check was finished and the effort was solid.

And after Gagner scored his goal to tie it up in the third, Khabibulin duffs a clearing attempt on a bouncing puck with 49 seconds left in the game. Flames forward David Moss took advantage of the poor clearing attempt by Khabibulin.

“It doesn’t feel very good right now,” said Khabibulin after the game.

“It feels like I basically lost a point, but I can’t get it back now. I got to take some positives out of the game and look forward.”

It could have been worse. It could have been Game 1 in the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals. Cough, Ty Conklin, cough.

Besides being kicked in the groan on prom night, there is a lot of things that looked very well for the Oilers and if every player buys into Quinn’s system, the copper and blue will be in the playoffs quite easily. Tonight’s game is proof for all the Oiler haters out there.

Let's get random!

2009-09-25T22:48:00.001-07:00

Pardon for this post, but I have a lot on my mind. That means, just like Lady Sovereign, it’s time get random…

…Big Dustin Penner is starting to do things Oiler fans have never seen before and that’s digging in the corners on the forecheck. Penner has had a strong showing so far this pre-season, especially with how he is going to the net. This could be — cross your fingers — a breakout year for Penner after having a terrible season…

…If Penner does have a breakout year, that will be crucial for the Oilers since the team still has nine forwards on the roster who are all under six-feet-tall, and everyone is getting tired of hearing about it. TSN analysts talk about it, bloggers yak about it like it’s the be all and end all in Edmonton — yawn. The size issue will be addressed before the season starts…

…And like I said back in Sept. 24, the Nashville Predators are pitching the Oilers for a deal, and word is that’s not the only team interested. Tambellini could work out a deal that could mean making large salary dump for the Oilers as it gets a solid, tough forward in return. It’s simple math. The Oilers are over the cap by $800,000 and it has plenty of young, small and talented forwards. A deal will be done before Oct. 3…

…Speaking of young talented forwards, and since this is a random post, signing Theo Fleury to a small contract would be one way of sticking it to Calgary after the Flames inked Curtis Glencross last season when he bolted from the Oil. Fleury, who is definitely aging, has created waves in the NHL pre-season with his performance after kicking his much talked-about drug and alcohol addiction. His performance this pre-season was inspiring until GM Darryl Sutter showed him the door. The Oilers do need a player that has plenty of heart, especially after looking uninspired throughout all of last season…

…Grant Fuhr’s last season in his career was with the Calgary Flames back in 2000, just to add more fodder to the Fleury idea. Fuhr’s last game ever was against his old Oilers and he was a backup until late in that third period when the game was out of hand for the Flames. I was there and it was a memorable game in the Saddledome…

…Flames suck…

Preds interested in Nilsson, Pisani

2009-09-24T17:40:00.000-07:00

Something is brewing in Edmonton, or should I say Winnipeg.

As the Oilers only dress a handful of veterans in tonight’s lineup against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Winterpeg, two players could be wearing different colours when the first puck is dropped in the regular season.

The Nashville Predators, which has plenty of cap room, are very interested in players like Robert Nilsson, Fernando Pisani, and, maybe Marc Pouliot for some draft picks.

Word is the Preds are interested in one or two of the mentioned players and the Oilers need to make this kind of deal only because it would give them some breathing room going into the cap, especially if Pisani and Nilsson are dealt.

If the Oilers traded the pair away for one or two draft picks, it could give Oilers GM Steve Tambellini $5 million in breathing room when it comes to swing a deal before the trade deadline.

The move would be an ideal one since both Nilsson and Pisani have each had a less-than-stellar pre-season so far.

The Oil Patch is getting a facelift

2009-09-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

For those noticing some changes on this site today, you had better get used to it. I am trying to give the Oil Patch a bit of a facelift to make it standout as a great site and blog for Oilers fans.

So far I've battled with its appearance, but Google's blogging engine can only do so much.

If you read the site and like what you see, or you think it's a waste of a web page, please e-mail me at alberta.ranger@gmail.com.

I need to hear some feedback into how I can improve this site and any suggestions would be very appreciated.

-AR-

Nilsson's days in Edmonton are numbered

2009-09-16T22:42:00.000-07:00

If tonight’s 3-2 win against the Islanders is any indication about where Robert Nilsson will be after Oct. 1, odds are he won’t be in Edmonton.

Nilsson mustered an assist on a line with Sam Gagner and Ales Hemsky, but it was one single highlight in a game where he mostly floated during all of his 16 minutes and 20 seconds of ice time.

For a guy who has his job threatened in Edmonton, he sure didn’t play like it. Nilsson was like a rusty third wheel while playing alongside two very talented players.

If Nilsson wants to stay an Oiler he had better play like he’s desperate and the guy who could be forcing Nilsson out of town is young Jordan Eberle who looked very impressive tonight with Andrew Cogliano and Dustin Penner.

Eberle was robbed by the crossbar in the third period after undressing veteran defenseman Andy Sutton during a rush to the net on a night when it was all about John Tavares’s NHL debut for the Islanders.

The young player doesn’t want to go back to the Regina Pats and he proved his point tonight by looking explosive in nearly every shift. Eberle was the game’s first star.

OTHER THOUGHTS…

…Dustin Penner looks much faster than what he was during all of last season. The big forward scored on a breakaway in the third. Yes, Penner was actually on a breakaway. Looks like his summer diet has paid off so far…

…Northlands (the non-profit group that runs and owns Rexall Place) should look into buying some much stronger plexiglass after a pair of Sheldon Souray slapshots cracked two panes in the second period. Souray wasn’t happy about it, either. He looked frustrated after the second errant shot and he didn’t want to talk about it to reporters after the game…

…Swedish prospect Johan Motin looked dangerous on the blueline for the Oilers. He was strong on the body check…

…Who pays $8 for a plastic cup full of Molson Canadian or Coors Light at a hockey game, especially in these tough economic times?

Not a smart move by the Oilers, but Hilary Duff could be playing more shows in E-town!

2009-09-10T20:22:00.000-07:00

Kevin Lowe and, lately, Steve Tambellini were both always able to swing a deal or two on Trade Deadline Day simply because they both played it safe by giving themselves plenty of wiggle room in salary cap space.

With Mike Comrie now inked, and some other large contracts, the Oilers are now automatic sellers when it comes to this season’s trade deadline.

Picture this: The Oilers are fighting with Nashville, Vancouver, and maybe, say Calgary for a playoff spot and Team X is looking for it’s long term interests as it struggles all season.

Team X has a star forward who can score goals and that player wants out of town to play for a playoff bound team, but he’s a cap hit at $5 million.

While Comrie does come cheap at a cap hit of $1.125 million, the Oilers are now, officially, $800,000 over the $56.8 million salary cap.

Tambellini can’t pull off a deal with Team X even if he axed a player in his roster — something that he must do before Oct. 1.

Scuttlebutt says Robert Nilsson is the player Tambellini is looking to ship out of town, but Nilsson is only a $2 million cap hit. It’s still not enough to make an impact trade during the season.

And forget about Dustin Penner, Penner haters. You can’t ship out a big-sized player from a team that lacks size.

Yes, I’m happy for Comrie. He did a lot of growing up since he parted ways with the City of Champions. It’s nice to see he’s home and the fans will forgive him.

They won’t forgive Tambellini and Lowe, however, because Comrie just adds to a giant mess for the Oilers coaching staff.

Tambellini said it himself after firing Craig MacTavish. He told a packed room of reporters that this team lacks size and grit — a reason why this Comrie deal doesn’t make sense.

Now the Oilers have a bunch of small, 30 to 50-point players (Ales Hemsky, Comrie, Patrick O’Sullivan) and other players who are known for their speed (Gilbert Brule, Rob Schremp, etc.).

To make four solid lines out of what the roster is now would be like digging through a rain forest for Patt Quinn. You won’t have one or two solid checking lines with this team — the Oilers are too small.

With Comrie’s addition, here’s what Pat Quinn might do to:

LINE 1 : Comrie, Horcoff, Hemsky

LINE 2 : O’Sullivan, Gagner, Penner

LINE 3: Moreau, Cogliano, Pisani

LINE 4: Nilsson, Brule, Pouliot

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Schremp, Jacques, Stortini, Eberle, MacIntyre, and many, many more prospect forwards.

Comrie is a good news story for the Oilers after its struggles with the Dany Heatley saga, but fans and hockey pundits are wondering how Comrie will fit in the roster.

Makes you wonder why Tambo inked Comrie in the first place?

Mike Comrie an Oiler again?

2009-09-09T22:57:00.001-07:00

The Oilers are too close to the cap, but Oilers Nation blogger Robin Brownlee tonight says Mike Comrie and Steve Tambellini will work out a new contract before Friday at noon.

Stay tuned...

It's the final countdown for Rob Schremp

2009-09-09T19:04:00.001-07:00

Rob Schremp will have a lot in common with Europe on Saturday — and when I mean Europe, I mean the one-hit hairband rockers from the 1980s. Google it.

Come Saturday, the first day of training camp for the Edmonton Oilers, it will be “the final countdown” for the former London Knight who has only played a total of seven NHL games for the Oilers since 2006.

And after signing a $715,000 two-way contract with the Oilers last week, Schremp has everything going for him now.

There is no Craig MacTavish barking at him to step up his defensive game during this camp. This is the same coach who called everyone up from the Springfield Falcons, including the beer vendor, before deciding to call up Schremp last season. But you can’t blame MacTavish for that decision.

Schremp only scored 42 points in 69 games last season in the minors for a train wreck of a hockey team. That’s a very big drop from the 64 points he scored the year before for the Falcons.

Since Schremp has now played three full seasons in the minors, the Oilers would have to put him through waivers before shipping him back to Siberia.

If that happens, New York Islanders and the Philadelphia Flyers are rumoured to be very interested in making a move to scoop him up.

With no MacTavish and the possibility of playing with another team, this year’s training camp is a clean slate for Schremp who has been working out with Sam Gagner in London, Ont. all summer long.

Some players have already said he is stronger, much quicker than last season, as well as having an attitude adjustment since March. He’s hungry for a permanent spot in the NHL.

It's a $7 million make or break season for Horcoff

2009-09-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

If TSN’s Pierre Maguire would describe Shawn Horcoff’s six-year $33 million contract, you can pretty much guess what he would have to say.

“It’s a monster.”

In today’s tough economic climate and at a time when the NHL’s salary cap isn’t getting any higher, Horcoff’s monster contract has turned into Godzilla for GM Steve Tambellini. Thank you Kevin Lowe.

The contract has handtied the Oilers from making any deals, so forget about signing free agent Mike Comrie or making any earth shattering trades during the season. The Oil would have to give up a lot for a star player.

With no changes in store for the copper and blue, Horcoff now has the world on his shoulders and fans will more than likely remind him about his contract if he struggles this season — just as they did with Dustin Penner.

The centreman inked his name to the deal back in July 2008 before earning $3.6 million during the 2008-09 season.

Now Horcoff is set to make an eye-popping $7 million this season for a player that notched 17 goals and 36 assists for 53 points in 80 games last year.

Ottawa Senators star forward Jason Spezza was an $8 million player last season when he scored 32 goals and 41 assists for 73 points in 82 games.

Calgary Flames forward Jarome Iginla inked his name to a contact last year that would see the player earn $7 million a season until it expires in 2013.

And not to rub it in Oiler fans, but Iggy scored 35 goals and 54 assists for 89 points during a $7 million season in 2008-09.

Horcoff hasn’t had a 70-point season since 2005-06 when he was on a line with Ales Hemsky and Ryan Smyth. The top-line centre scored 22 goals and 51 assists in the same season when the Oilers made that infamous run to the Stanley Cup finals.

Here’s a quick breakdown of Horcoff’s stats and salary, according to capgeek.com:

2006-07: 16 goals +35 assists = $3.6 million

2007-08: 21 goals + 29 assists = $3.6 million

2008-09: 17 goals + 36 assists = $3.6 million

2009-10: ? goals + ? assists = $7 million

2010-11: ? goals + ? assists = $6.5 million

2011-12: ? goals + ? assists = $6.5 million

2012-13: ? goals + ? assists = $6 million

2013-14: ? goals + ? assists = $4 million

2014-15: ? goals + ? assists = $3 million

Horcoff needs to score around 70 points or more this season to be worth $7 million. There will be lynch mobs hanging outside Rexall Place come April 2010 if he doesn't.

The Oilers are the NHL's biggest question mark

2009-09-08T08:15:00.000-07:00

Ah, September.

Training camp is ready to begin, rookies are trying their best to crack the roster and there are stacks of NHL preview magazines to read through.

And I just picked up the Sporting News preview and where do they rank the Copper and Blue? Twenty-third in the league? What the fuck?

OK. Settle down. Oiler fans go through this every year. While we’re optimistic about a new season, we need to be reminded about what we have on paper before we’re disappointed in April.

There are good reasons why the Oilers won’t make the playoffs this year on paper because of a dismal off-season.

Nikolai Khabibulin is in, Dwayne Roloson is out and so is Ales Kotalik, as well as the team’s second best faceoff guy in Kyle Brodziak.

Then there’s that two-month Dany Heatley ass-sucking saga and now there are rumours about Mike Comrie coming back to Edmonton.

And since the Oilers are so close to the cap thanks to some very large contracts this season, Comrie will not become an Oiler again, at least not this season.

Lubomir Visnovsky is set to make $7 million this season, and so is Shawn Horcoff. Sheldon Souray is set to make $5.5 million and Dustin Penner will continue to make $4.25 million.

On paper, this is the same team as last year with one or two subtractions, but there’s a much larger payroll. That doesn’t make sense.

The only thing that could turn into a positive for the Oilers is the revamped coaching staff, which really makes this team very unpredictable going into this season.

Pat Quinn and company could bring new life to a team that played with little emotion on the ice last season, or you could see the same players (Penner, Robert Nilsson) create problems for Quinn’s staff.

When it comes to predicting the season outcome for the Oilers, NHL preview publications are bang on to rank them near the bottom of the barrel.

But with a new coaching staff, the Oilers are currently the NHL’s biggest question mark other than what team Heatley will play for.

The silence is over, but the questions continue

2009-08-21T11:36:00.001-07:00

Dany Heatley has spoken and as expected, his words didn’t move mountains.

The City of Champions was not an option for Heatley because “it was the only option,” he said during a teleconference call today.

Are you scratching your head right now after reading that? Edmonton wasn’t an option because it was the only option? What?

That’s like an airplane pilot opting to sit in his chair and give up, even though pressing the eject button is his only option before it crashes.

“This has nothing to do with Edmonton, this has everything to do with options,” said Heatley who refused to answer why Edmonton wasn’t a good enough fit.

Heatley confirmed Edmonton wasn’t on his list of his preferred teams even though Edmonton was the only team publicly interested in the 50-plus-goal scorer.

“I thought we has some good talks with (Steve Tambellini and Kevin Lowe), but we (Heatley and his two agents) wanted options, said Heatley.

“I needed options in order to make the right decision.”

Heatley says he maintained his silence since news broke about his trade request from Ottawa because he never wanted to make his request public.

(Actually he was told to talk to the media before he laces up at the Hockey Canada Olympic orientation camp in Calgary Monday)

And Heatley says he wanted out of Ottawa because he wants to be an “integral” part of the Ottawa Senators, something he feels has “diminished” since he inked his name to a contract two years ago.

“I regret the way it’s been this summer. It’s been a tough summer. It hasn’t been fair, especially to Edmonton and Ottawa but that’s the way it went,” said Heatley.

No it hasn’t, especially in Edmonton.

Fans here still don’t know why Edmonton is not a destination for superstars. It’s a city where hockey fans have had their hearts broken over and over again every summer.

They’re tired of the Prongers, the Nylanders, and now the Heatleys.

If a player doesn’t want to be in Edmonton, or wants out of Edmonton, he should show some balls and explain why the city isn’t the right place. Or why the team is not the right fit.

That’s all we want to hear. Be honest. Tell us Edmonton is a shithole if that's the reason you don't want to stay or come here.