Richard Cloutier: Do Oilers Fans Have a Right to be Angry?

Always...

At least you know what players to boo.

What? The same deficiencies have plagued the team for years and years yet management didn't do anything about it and just hoped that there was enough room on Hall's balls for the rest of the team to tag along?

Nah brah its coo. Don't worry though, they'll sign a new 4th liner and feed some BS about how much better Peckham is this year than last and think things are all according to plan.

Fans have the right to whatever emotion they care to express. It's the fans that pay the freight. Without them there isn't an NHL, something the owners and players seem to forget.

Personally I not get angry with sports teams very often. It's entertainment and a distraction from serious issues in life. I'm not about to give control over my emotions to a hockey team.

What I find frustrating is the fans lack of objectivity. The Oilers have young improving talent and solid improving depth players in OKC. There is absolutely no reason for management to panic and start over paying for positions of need. I keep reading how the Oilers should've done something but none of us knows what Tambo attempted to do at the deadline. It's not simply a matter of picking up the phone, calling a rival GM and acquiring the player of choice. The Oilers have needs but other teams aren't simply going to trade for the sake of trading. They have to receive players that improve their hockey club as well. I expect Tambo tried making some moves at the deadline but either the price was to high or the other GM wanted a player, players, or picks and players Tambo wasn't willing to surrender. Lets face it, trades for picks aren't going to help the Oilers make the playoffs this year so those types of trades weren't on the table.

Each season the Oilers youngsters improve and the team has another draft to add talent. As these young players improve their value improves. I think its far to early to make assumptions about what Tambellini has or hasn't done. There are just far to many unknowns.

What the Oilers have done is show improvement both individually and collectively. They will finish higher in the standings and have been competitive in the vast majority of games this year.

Having stayed the course the Oilers have all options open in the off season. They still have the same players available as well as their draft picks. We may see moves involving picks, players or both. The important thing to remember by keeping the teams assets intact the Oilers have kept all options available.

Personally I believe the team made significant strides this year and have a very positive future. Free agency and the draft could be very interesting this year.

A week in the life of the Oilers: 3 games ago to now.

Why in the hell is everyone so pissed off, ST said this was going to be a 5 year plan and we are/were in the hunt up until now and we lost to an explosive anaheim team and only lost by 1 goal. We came out like a bat outta hell in the first and they got a quick one after. Then in the second we run into penalty trouble which has plagued us this season at the worst possible moments. I personally like the progress I've seen this year compared to the previous 3.

If we miss it next year I might flip my lid.

What? The same deficiencies have plagued the team for years and years yet management didn't do anything about it and just hoped that there was enough room on Hall's balls for the rest of the team to tag along?

Nah brah its coo. Don't worry though, they'll sign a new 4th liner and feed some BS about how much better Peckham is this year than last and think things are all according to plan.
- DTF69

Exactly what opportunities were available that Tambellini didn't take advantage of?

It's easy to sit in an armchair and criticize but when your absolutely in the dark about everything that was attempted it makes zero sense.

To date it would seem the team has followed a plan and they haven't panicked and made stupid moves out of desperation. I'm sure they don't want to undertake the 35 year build template the Canucks so skillfully deployed.

Hey Richard, would u have made a push for Filip Forsberg knowing that he could have been had for so little? or does he not "fit" in with oilers plans?

Like 3 blogs ago you guys were talking about making the playoffs, and I was excited for your team, because I thought this was the first year of the "turnaround"... the hell is going on?

A week in the life of the Oilers: 3 games ago to now.

- DTF69

I think your confused. It's O.K.

I expect that from frustrated fans whose team hasn't won the prize in their 43 years of existence. Canuck fans endured decades of ineffective play and broken promises.

It's alright though. I think the Canucks have the record for most jersey changes. They seem to do that somehow thinking new threads will bring a cup.

ive never been a huge tambs fans.
i think we coulda done alot more, but he decided to take the cautious route and wait for picks..fine. its done now. we're improving and our core should be in place.
ill give him a pass up until this point.

this summer he makes some moves to measureably and obviously help the team towards the playoffs or i want him out the door. no playoffs next year and i want them all fired.

year 4 of the rebuild is deep into it. no more excuses

Hey Richard, would u have made a push for Filip Forsberg knowing that he could have been had for so little? or does he not "fit" in with oilers plans?
- mf1313

How do you know the Oilers didnt try but Washington went with the Preds offer?

How do you know the Oilers didnt try but Washington went with the Preds offer?
- Sabata

good point, just curious about his opinion is all.

Exactly what opportunities were available that Tambellini didn't take advantage of?

It's easy to sit in an armchair and criticize but when your absolutely in the dark about everything that was attempted it makes zero sense.

To date it would seem the team has followed a plan and they haven't panicked and made stupid moves out of desperation. I'm sure they don't want to undertake the 35 year build template the Canucks so skillfully deployed.
- Sabata

What opportunities have they capitalized on? Making bank with top 10 picks? Has there been anything but first rounders get onto the big team and be good? Demoting terrible signings to the minors where they belong? Carrying 8 dmen instead of a spare center so you're not dressing 2 wingers at center for prolonged periods because its not like wins are important?

The first real progressive move they've made in a few years was to sign Schultz and then to extend Smid. And that took 3 years.

I think your confused. It's O.K.

I expect that from frustrated fans whose team hasn't won the prize in their 43 years of existence. Canuck fans endured decades of ineffective play and broken promises.

It's alright though. I think the Canucks have the record for most jersey changes. They seem to do that somehow thinking new threads will bring a cup.
- Sabata

The truth has put ants in your pants!

Like 3 blogs ago you guys were talking about making the playoffs, and I was excited for your team, because I thought this was the first year of the "turnaround"... the hell is going on?
- theblueandgold

I don't think us guys were talking about the playoffs. Richard liked the teams chances but those suggesting the Oilers were in the hunt probably didnt look at the remaining schedule.

I think you can continue to be excited. Most objective fans like what the Oilers have accomplished this year. Certainly it would be nice to make the playoff's but they're going to fall short in a year where the team made significant strides and the youngsters improved. They played some very solid hockey this year.

The truth has put ants in your pants!
- DTF69

No, not at all. I just get tired of fans of other teams making stupid comments about the Oilers. Especially when their team had decades of futility and even when a good team has been iced haven't won a cup.

Hey Richard, would u have made a push for Filip Forsberg knowing that he could have been had for so little? or does he not "fit" in with oilers plans?
- mf1313

i still cant believe Washington traded his away so stupid

No, not at all. I just get tired of fans of other teams making stupid comments about the Oilers. Especially when their team had decades of futility and even when a good team has been iced haven't won a cup.
- Sabata

Yes because it wasn't a week ago the playoffs were in pissing distance before laying 3 straight eggs.

Thus,


Ants. Location: Your pants.

I have a suggestion to all oilers fans. We need some pay back after the way the ducks fans treated the shultz's tonight. So aside from salenne lets boo the (frank) out of them, lets boo perry, lets boo getslaf, lets boo EVERYONE. idiot duck fans need to relize they are having a fluke season. Radik dvorak with 40 points the broadcaster said tonight. I hope i miss heard him. Dvorak with 40 points now thats a fluke. We need to teach them ugly ducklings proper respect for the best up and coming team. They'll be cryin in their stews when we start whoopin their asses. We gotta stick up for our players and they will raily behind us. Maybe we'll even win some games. Can't hurt to try.

What opportunities have they capitalized on? Making bank with top 10 picks? Has there been anything but first rounders get onto the big team and be good? Demoting terrible signings to the minors where they belong? Carrying 8 dmen instead of a spare center so you're not dressing 2 wingers at center for prolonged periods because its not like wins are important?

The first real progressive move they've made in a few years was to sign Schultz and then to extend Smid. And that took 3 years.
- DTF69

You're the one with all the answers. That's why I asked you to provide firm examples of opportunities Tambo didn't pursue. The reality is you can't. Your just making silly assumptions.

What progressive moves were available to the Oilers? You keep making assumptions without any knowledge of Tambo's discussions with other teams.

You seem to have all the answers about the Oilers roster don't you?

Perhaps there are valid reasons why the Oilers are carrying certain players. Perhaps some were on display in hopes of trading them. At the start of the season Tambo clearly stated it was a season of evaluation. The Oilers were short centers due to injuries. Exactly which players do you think the Oilers should have carried?

Your comments about Smid are also terrible. It's in the best interests of teams to be comfortable with a player and be sure they want to retain him before signing him prematurely to a contract. By waiting the inked Smid to a very reasonable contract.

Perhaps the Canucks should have done the same with Luongo. Then they wouldn't have him signed forever. These are precisely the types of mistakes teams have to avoid. No one wants a player signed to a contract that makes them virtually untradeable.

All of your opinions are formed with no knowledge of why the Oilers are doing things this way. You're free with your assumptions but don't seem to provide any ideas of what they should be doing.

So what trades should Tambellini have accepted?

What players should be in the minors and which players should take those vacated roster spots?

Yes because it wasn't a week ago the playoffs were in pissing distance before laying 3 straight eggs.

Thus,


Ants. Location: Your pants.
- DTF69

Right. Those things don't happen to other teams, just the Oilers.

Right. Those things don't happen to other teams, just the Oilers.



- Sabata

It's interesting that even with all these poor seasons the Oilers all time winning percentage is 5th overall while those dazzling wet coasters are 25th.

As someone at ON pointed out, our stats (G/G, GA/G, SH/Diff.) are actually worse this year than last year. Yeap, we are really improving there. The only reason the Oilers were in a playoff hunt is because other teams have also struggled, we do not play Eastern teams (which does make a difference in the standing, some teams in our conference do play better against Eastern teams than the Oil) and there are now 2 teams in our division that are very weak that we couldn't beat before (Hello Flames and Avs).

Duby and Hall's play has been keeping this team alive. We have turned into Calgary, just like the iggy and the kipper show, but with a far worse defense. As for Tamby not paying "the price" despite the fact we were only 2 points out, all I can say to that is the reason he didn't improve the team was because he didn't want the team to improve. It was against his "Master Plan", and considering some of the trades that happened, he could have picked up several players that would have helped the team make the playoffs. He wasn't even bright enough to dump contracts for "future Considerations" like what several other teams did.

Look at this list of trades: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/trade-tracker/ andf tell me that there was no one here that could have helped this team, and considering the price just of draft picks, we could have easily outbid some of these teams just by matching.

Not optimistic at all, the exact same management problems happened this year just like they have happened the previous years, and as the saying goes, "a leopard never changes his spots"