I feel for Edmonton and like their young players but at some point the players are going to need to grow a pair and sacrifice. Pittsburgh perhaps was a laughing stock for a while as was Chicago but after Sid and Geno emerged, there weren't excuses that needed to be made. It seems since the lockout with 10 - 20 games, Oil fans excusing them for their performance when they really should be more critical. The only player worth mentioning is Hall, he has had a terrific season.

Problem with EDM is why would Hall want to resign in a culture of losers? Call me cocky or whatever, I am not under 20, I am nearly 30 but you don't see players waiving their NTC to go to the Oil. Even Gabby waived for Columbus. Ouch
- ernmerica

Hall re-signed already.

I get your point but the core Pitts put together during there tank yrs makes edms laughable
- Bieksa#3

Disagree. Aside from a generational talent in Crosby.

What is laughable is the comparison of veterans that the team has surrounded them with.

Hemsky, Smyth, Horcoff, Belanger or Hossa, Gill, Roberts, Sykora, Gonchar, Recchi, LeClair

my source says u need a shrink in the worse way.......bi-polar ping pong ball.......no professional athlete with anything pumping inside his ribcage would consider your idiotic rant.........please just go away or look at other team bloggers on this site and act accordingly.......

Wasn't Eberle a mid to late first round pick? Who says you can't get a quality prospect in the middle of the first round?

The problem you've got in Edmonton is that you burn too many draft picks on crummy players AND you don't develop your players properly.

If I was an Oilers fan, I'd be less concerned with them not having traded the few veteran NHL caliber players they have in their organization, and more concerned with the very obvious deficiency they have with scouting and player development at the minor league level. You're absolutely right when you say that you've got a problem in Edmonton, you're just really bad at acknowledging what the problem actually is.

It's thinking like this that is the reason there is a losing mentality in Edmonton. Competing for a playoff spot is a good thing, a step forward, even if the chances are slight.


And packaging the first should happen no matter what position they pick.

Disagree. Aside from a generational talents in Crosby and Malkin

What is laughable is the comparison of veterans that the team has surrounded them with.

Hemsky, Smyth, Horcoff, Belanger or Hossa, Gill, Roberts, Sykora, Gonchar, Recchi, LeClair
- Gunslinger

Fixed.
For what its worth the Pens did try. They had no money so they couldn't sign anybody. They only drafted 1st overall once(twice if you count them trading up to take MAF)
Tamby has put himself into quite a situation. With Yaks and RNH going to get in the area of 6 mill just like Hall and Eberle. And Gagner and Schultz getting around 5, the Oilers have no wiggle room to go after a high profile FA to help them out. The cap is going no where for a couple yrs due to buyouts being part of the players share

It's thinking like this that is the reason there is a losing mentality in Edmonton. Competing for a playoff spot is a good thing, a step forward, even if the chances are slight.


And packaging the first should happen no matter what position they pick.
- batjester

Exactly

Wasn't Eberle a mid to late first round pick? Who says you can't get a quality prospect in the middle of the first round?

The problem you've got in Edmonton is that you burn too many draft picks on crummy players AND you don't develop your players properly.

If I was an Oilers fan, I'd be less concerned with them not having traded the few veteran NHL caliber players they have in their organization, and more concerned with the very obvious deficiency they have with scouting and player development at the minor league level. You're absolutely right when you say that you've got a problem in Edmonton, you're just really bad at acknowledging what the problem actually is.
- the_terror

Great post

I get your point but the core Pitts put together during there tank yrs makes edms laughable
- Bieksa#3

They have been compared several times. Canucks are not even part of this discussion..never were. People go to Canucks games to see the other team.

Nope! Play for all your worth and let the cards fall were they may. The draft has become managements "crack pipe" and they can't get by with out it. (Frank) 'em!
Let the players play their hearts out and let Tambellini and Lowe take their lumps this summer for their inability acquire needed players.

They have been compared several times. Canucks are not even part of this discussion..never were. People go to Canucks games to see the other team.
- JLO961

yep that's why the Oilers attendance is so much better then Vancouver. Excellent post Skippy. And no very few if any credible hockey people have compared Edms young core to Pitts. They both rebuilt through the draft but that's where it ends

I feel for Edmonton and like their young players but at some point the players are going to need to grow a pair and sacrifice. Pittsburgh perhaps was a laughing stock for a while as was Chicago but after Sid and Geno emerged, there weren't excuses that needed to be made. It seems since the lockout with 10 - 20 games, every year Oil fans excusing them for their performance when they really should be more critical. The only player worth mentioning is Hall, he has had a terrific season.

Problem with EDM is why would Hall want to resign in a culture of losers? Call me cocky or whatever, I am not under 20, I am nearly 30 but you don't see players waiving their NTC to go to the Oil. Even Gabby waived for Columbus. Ouch
- ernmerica

It's not the team, it's the city.

Fixed.
For what its worth the Pens did try. They had no money so they couldn't sign anybody. They only drafted 1st overall once(twice if you count them trading up to take MAF)
Tamby has put himself into quite a situation. With Yaks and RNH going to get in the area of 6 mill just like Hall and Eberle. And Gagner and Schultz getting around 5, the Oilers have no wiggle room to go after a high profile FA to help them out. The cap is going no where for a couple yrs due to buyouts being part of the players share
- Bieksa#3

Ehh, I don't see the cap troubles line.
a) I don't see Nuge getting 6 million in a years' time, short of throwing up a monster season. Ditto for Yaks in two year's time.
b) I don't see Gagner get 5 million in cap hit, if they sign him longterm.
c) Even if they do, That's not incomparable to other teams who have 30 million wrapped up in six key guys. That's not an inherent team structuring problem; it's only a problem if those guys can't lead us to victory, which is kind of the gambit of the whole rebuild anyway.
d) Plus the cap not budging during the next two years seems like a problem they'd have in re-signing the players, not filling out the depth of the roster. Or are you saying the cap will be at 64.3 for 3+ years?

yep that's why the Oilers attendance is so much better then Vancouver. Excellent post Skippy. And no very few if any credible hockey people have compared Edms young core to Pitts. They both rebuilt through the draft but that's where it ends
- Bieksa#3

I had season tickets at Canucks games that I gave to kids and clients. They're the most unsophisticated fans in the league.

If you knew me in person you would call me "skippy" you little f...ng stain. I could eat you.

It's thinking like this that is the reason there is a losing mentality in Edmonton. Competing for a playoff spot is a good thing, a step forward, even if the chances are slight.


And packaging the first should happen no matter what position they pick.
- batjester

But thing that doesn't make sense with this is that everyone has unilaterally disagreed with Cloutier and called him bi-polar.

How does ONE BLOGGER, let alone a blogger everyone disagrees with, cast a losing mentality across a team of professional athletes?

Cloutier wants to rip away the progress this team has made on the ice. Oil are 3 points out of the playoffs!

There is the unspoken mental effect on these guys. Lose forever, they'll think they're losers. If they finish 3 points out of the playoffs ,it's better for them to think, "we're close" when the season ends, and know that management has faith in them, instead of ripping the barn down around them and sending the message, " you're not good enough". If it were up to Cloutier, the oil would've traded Smid as well. You should be adding to the depth around the kids now, not stripping away their support. Especially with the history of D this teams had since Prnger left.

Cloutier is the worst kid of fan.
Lol Cloutier, you would pull the carpet from nder this team when they are close to taking the next step. Forget continuing to develop a winning mentality- you're like a Pokemon draft pick player- gotta catch em all!

Ehh, I don't see the cap troubles line.
a) I don't see Nuge getting 6 million in a years' time, short of throwing up a monster season. Ditto for Yaks in two year's time.
b) I don't see Gagner get 5 million in cap hit, if they sign him longterm.
c) Even if they do, That's not incomparable to other teams who have 30 million wrapped up in six key guys. That's not an inherent team structuring problem; it's only a problem if those guys can't lead us to victory, which is kind of the gambit of the whole rebuild anyway.
d) Plus the cap not budging during the next two years seems like a problem they'd have in re-signing the players, not filling out the depth of the roster. Or are you saying the cap will be at 64.3 for 3+ years?
- Morris

It will be in that range for a couple yrs. Like I said the buyouts go towards the players share. Hall and Eberle were solid before their extensions but for the post part paid on potential(Hall more then Ebs) RNH had a good rookie yr(better then that of Hall and Ebs) regressed a bit this yr but sophmore slump is pretty standard. A good yr next yr gets him Halls contract.
Gagner is at close to a point a game. Look at what players his age who put up a point a game get around the league. Schultz IMO is the only one not all but guarenteed 5 mill

Disagree. Aside from a generational talent in Crosby.

What is laughable is the comparison of veterans that the team has surrounded them with.

Hemsky, Smyth, Horcoff, Belanger or Hossa, Gill, Roberts, Sykora, Gonchar, Recchi, LeClair
- Gunslinger

Well Smyth in this case is analogous to Roberts, Recchi, or Leclair, who were all gone by the time the Pens were truly successful.

It's funny you mention Horcoff and Hemsky, because they are the extent of the "veteran talent" we started with. Horcoff, who was once called the most overpaid NHLer and Hemsky who is widely regarded as one of the most overrated NHLers.

Tambs had a LOT of building to do to begin with. He's been slow, but let's not mistake this as a team that had any key players in place really. Smid and Gagner are about the closest to "key players" outside of Horcs and Hemmer, and both were quite green when the build began.

I think the Oilers would have to be morons to avoid making deals like the Hossa and/or Gill deals - playoff rental deals made by teams who are already in cup contention. I don't know whether this year was the year to make deals like that.

I had season tickets at Canucks games that I gave to kids and clients. They're the most unsophisticated fans in the league.

If you knew me in person you would call me "skippy" you little f...ng stain. I could eat you.
- JLO961

You make up something with zero basis your gonna get called on it

It will be in that range for a couple yrs. Like I said the buyouts go towards the players share. Y'all and Eberle were solid before their extensions but for the post part paid on potential(Hall more then Ebs) RNH had a good rookie yr(better then that of Hall and Ebs) regressed a bit this yr but sophmore slump is pretty standard. A good yr next yr gets him Halls contract.
Gagner is at close to a point a game. Look at what players his age who put up a point a game get around the league. Schultz IMO is the only one not all but guarenteed 5 mill
- Bieksa#3

Gagner is point per game for the first time ever in a 48 game season. I love the kid, and I love that he wants to be here, but he's not a true PPG player yet. If Gagner is PPG, is Ryane Clowe only going to score 5 goals from here on out?

Speaking of Clowe, reports were that Vancouver balked at his 34 million over 8 years contract wishes (which is a good call by the way). I look at a guy like Gagner, who wants to be here, wants to see this thing through, and who at the beginning of the year didn't even know if he'd be here at this point, and offer him 34-36 million over 8, or 26 over 6, I think he's happy with that.

Gagner is point per game for the first time ever in a 48 game season. I love the kid, and I love that he wants to be here, but he's not a true PPG player yet. If Gagner is PPG, is Ryane Clowe only going to score 5 goals from here on out?

Speaking of Clowe, reports were that Vancouver balked at his 34 million over 8 years contract wishes (which is a good call by the way). I look at a guy like Gagner, who wants to be here, wants to see this thing through, and who at the beginning of the year didn't even know if he'd be here at this point, and offer him 34-36 million over 8, or 26 over 6, I think he's happy with that.
- Morris

Cabt say I personally disagree with this way of thinking. However pro sports is a what have you done for me lately type of business. You run this risk with one yr contracts

Cabt say I personally disagree with this way of thinking. However pro sports is a what have you done for me lately type of business. You run this risk with one yr contracts
- Bieksa#3

Yeah we'll have to see what the comparable players in the league are getting. Feaster's O'Reilly sheet may have kicked off the summer of young semi-proven guys getting huge dollars, with Gagner, Bozak, Kadri, Hodgson and others following in line.

You guys, including me, are feeding this moron and shame on Ek for letting trash like this allowed on this site.

Shut up.
- robin_steele264

Hahaha , this!!

I think the is the blog that takss the cake. I'm all for opinion, but how does tge admib of tgis site actually let this kind of dribble come to light. Seriously a whole blog about justifying losing... I don't even know how someone can think like that.

Only a true "loser" would write or justify this kind of thinking. Also tge oil don't need more youth to solve the problems this team has.

Pretty sure the oilers have had enough top 5 picks for a lifetime....time to step aside and let some other teams that will actually do something with those players get those picks.