Around the League - 2023/24

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He's a good coach, but definitely flawed. He's better than Yeo, but he doesn't have a neck and is clearly in the overrated category. In terms of their coaches, he is by far the best they have had. My argument is that he's eventually going to get fired if they continue down this route and I just don't know how you get somebody better. Gallant helps the defence scheme, but he's shown that he isn't a coach that players want to play for.

E: McLellan definitely is a better coach, but he didn't really play to their strengths which they are under Woodcroft.

lol at he doesn't have a neck. Missed opportunity to say that's why he's in over his head though.
 
McJesus with 2A in his last five games, including zeros across the board in his last game against a team that has given up 10 goals twice already this season. You have to wonder if he's just gone full Matt Duchene DGAF on the Oilers.

When he demands a trade this summer, the drama levels will spike so high the Oilers board may just collapse into a black hole of misery.
 
Is McDavid still playing hurt? I know he gets flack, but I've never thought he's to blame for the Oilers problems. He may not be the solution, but one guy isn't the problem with a team.

They need to build around him properly and they haven't done that. They don't have a good defense, they don't play good team defense, and they don't have good goaltending. That's a recipe for disaster.

I know Evander Kane has played well for them, but the Oilers being one of the few, maybe only teams that was willing to sign him is just further proof they don't understand a winning culture. They need to surround McDavid with character individuals.

They did nothing really to fix their defense. They gave up too many goals last year and they're even worse this year. Just like the old Avs, they're never going anywhere until they address the blueline.

Nate's an all world player, and a proven playoff performer, but you stick him on a shitshow team, and he's probably not going to bring it to the promise land either. He wasn't able to until Joe finally built a good D core, and they started playing committed team defense.
 
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When he demands a trade this summer, the drama levels will spike so high the Oilers board may just collapse into a black hole of misery.

Forget the board, the city of Edmonton itself is gonna be in for it. Remember when Chargers fans burned all their merch in San Diego when their team left? I really do think something similar will happen in Edmonton.

Moreso likely when you consider it's more likely McDavid walks in free agency than gets traded.
 
Forget the board, the city of Edmonton itself is gonna be in for it. Remember when Chargers fans burned all their merch in San Diego when their team left? I really do think something similar will happen in Edmonton.

Moreso likely when you consider it's more likely McDavid walks in free agency than gets traded.
It's certainly not impossible, but I can't imagine how even the Oilers could f*** things up so badly that McDavid walks. 365 days before his contract expires, Oilers management is going to ask him what his price is to stay. If he doesn't give them a number, they have no choice but to try to trade him for whatever they can get. The only way a deal doesn't get done is if McDavid uses his NMC to block all trades as an explicit f*** you to the team and the city on his way out, and that's a level of petty that I can't imagine coming from a guy like him.

Now, I can't imagine how you negotiate a trade for a player like him in the cap era. There's literally no modern precedent for a generational player getting traded in his prime. But I am eagerly awaiting the show.
 
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It's hard not to enjoy the delicious schadenfreude with Edmonton.

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Man it is so delicious watching the Oilers lose to the Sharks but it sort of feels empty considering how we lost last night. Still though, the Oilers are the prototypical example of it can always be worse.
 


It's crazy that there used to be a lot of people who would say Drai is actually really good defensively. You still even hear some people say it. Dude's one of the biggest floaters in the league.

Remember the playoff round against them when he had his ankle sprain? On defense he looked like he could barely skate and was favouring his leg. The SECOND the Oilers got the puck all of a sudden he was better and was flying into the zone and all over the puck. When the puck went the other way again, all of a sudden his ankle hurts again and he's barely able to skate. That series was embarrassing for him.

PS, the Oilers are going to get another first overall pick, aren't they?
 

The NBA reached a one-year agreement with embattled Diamond Sports that, according to Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand, “essentially guarantees” the Bally Sports regional networks will continue to carry games through this season. What the NHL and its teams watched closest is Ourand reported the 15 clubs agreed to a 16 per cent reduction of their 2023-24 rights fees. Each will be able to sell 10 games to an over-the-air broadcaster in their market. That gives an opportunity to make up for money lost, and test local interest. Vegas (NHL) and Utah (NBA) are both experimenting with this on a larger basis. The Golden Knights’ numbers are strong.

Cap wise this is something to keep an eye out on. I'd imagine the reduction would be higher for the NHL, and given how the CBA is written this really impacts the 25-26 cap, but even 16% would be huge and put the 92ish m cap for that season in a bit of danger.
 
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You sound like an interesting teacher to have. I can't tell if they love you or hate you. Maybe it depends on if they're Oiler fans or not. :laugh:
I have a fantastic relationship with all of my high school kids.

The other day I was showing a kid how to smack another kid in the neck because it's Arab tradition to do that after someone gets a haircut.

He did it yesterday out of nowhere and I felt like a proud father.
 
I have a fantastic relationship with all of my high school kids.

The other day I was showing a kid how to smack another kid in the neck because it's Arab tradition to do that after someone gets a haircut.

He did it yesterday out of nowhere and I felt like a proud father.
Did the kid he hit have a haircut or did you just teach students to smack each other in the neck? It’s hilarious if it’s the latter
 
It's certainly not impossible, but I can't imagine how even the Oilers could f*** things up so badly that McDavid walks. 365 days before his contract expires, Oilers management is going to ask him what his price is to stay. If he doesn't give them a number, they have no choice but to try to trade him for whatever they can get. The only way a deal doesn't get done is if McDavid uses his NMC to block all trades as an explicit f*** you to the team and the city on his way out, and that's a level of petty that I can't imagine coming from a guy like him.

Now, I can't imagine how you negotiate a trade for a player like him in the cap era. There's literally no modern precedent for a generational player getting traded in his prime. But I am eagerly awaiting the show.

The Oilers are doomed either way, really:

- No doubt, his price to stay is going to be astronomical. I don't see him (or Drai for that matter) taking team-friendly contracts. That'll really wreak havoc on an already beleaguered roster to say the least, and if anything, they've not been so team-friendly themselves.
- If he doesn't give them a number, they'll try to trade him, but what team will give 'em a fair trade? The Oilers would be working from a position of incredible weakness. Not only that, but can you really trust the current brain trust to make the right call? And do you think Katz won't meddle? I mean, he's the one who cleared "the trade is one for one," among many other things, and like Aquilini in Vancouver, I could see him brute forcing a particular choice, no matter the damage done afterward.

That's why I think he (and Drai) will walk. Either sign them at such a cost that you'll be fielding an even worse team (Parise/Suter-era Wild on steroids) or trade 'em for whatever the other team can cobble together for a lark (like what the Spurs got from Toronto for Kawhi - granted, the Spurs losing Kawhi led them to Wemby, but who knew at the time?)

Not only that, but I don't think McDavid even understands how vital he is to the very brand itself. If he were to leave the team regardless of circumstance, the Oilers brand will take a severe hit. You'll always have the diehard fans, but the casuals will flee en masse. Their franchise valuation will take a pretty big hit to say the least. Will that finally be what gets Katz to stop fooling around and properly clean house?
 
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