Confirmed with Link: Jeff Jackson (McDavid's now former agent) named Oilers CEO of Hockey Ops

[brentashton]

and who's responsible for that stigma? people say Pronger but that's B.S...players want to play where they can win and he traded Pronger for magic beans that immediately signaled a mini-rebuild
then traded heart-and soul Smyth 2 years later that signaled a bigger re-build


he was average...some good, some bad... but he's the main reason the Decade of Darkness occurred with bad signings, bad trades and the hiring of Tambo

Organizational financial constraints had as much on that than just the actions of GMs. During the Cal Nichols ownership they had multiple cash calls and lesser owners not wanting to ante up. They were cash strapped big time. Frankly, they signed the quality of players that they could afford.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

I would disagree with that. The main reason that started our spiral down was our franchise player deciding he wanted out after one year, and pretty much every player acquired for that SC run following suit.

Lowe could've kept the team VERY competitive had he traded Pronger, who probably would've won the Conn Smythe if we won, for actual NHL players
especially since he knew Pronger wanted out for months before it became public....he wasn't blindsided
instead he traded for very young players that wouldn't move the needle for years (or never)

Now, not having a contingency plan and going into panic, scramble mode once Pronger wanted out was definitely on Lowe, and once the decision was made to re-build through the draft was made, the actual execution of those draft picks was pretty bad as well.

If Pronger stays and plays out his 5 year deal he signed with Edmonton, we don't spiral as bad as we did, not even close.

of course not, he's one of the best d-men in the world at the time....and he never replaced him the best he can, only added a rookie in Smid and Tjarnqvist, who was out of the NHL in a year...on the back end
but the core of the team was still here...Smyth, Hemsky, Horcoff, Stoll, Torres, J. Smith, Staios, Pisani, Roloson...good players undone by poor management decisions
and then Lowe gave up when he traded Smyth in Feb 2007

this whole "Pronger is at fault" narrative needs to die....Lowe didn't get enough for him, and decided to start a mini re-build on the fly

Organizational financial constraints had as much on that than just the actions of GMs. During the Cal Nichols ownership they had multiple cash calls and lesser owners not wanting to ante up. They were cash strapped big time. Frankly, they signed the quality of players that they could afford.

meh excuses Ottawa Senators is the best example of a small market pre-cap team that was perennially a good team

 

[brentashton]

Sure.ok.

 

[MessierThanThou]

Lowe could've kept the team VERY competitive had he traded Pronger, who probably would've won the Conn Smythe if we won, for actual NHL players
especially since he knew Pronger wanted out for months before it became public....he wasn't blindsided
instead he traded for very young players that wouldn't move the needle for years (or never)


of course not, he's one of the best d-men in the world at the time....and he never replaced him the best he can, only added a rookie in Smid and Tjarnqvist, who was out of the NHL in a year...on the back end
but the core of the team was still here...Smyth, Hemsky, Horcoff, Stoll, Torres, J. Smith, Staios, Pisani, Roloson...good players undone by poor management decisions
and then Lowe gave up when he traded Smyth in Feb 2007

this whole "Pronger is at fault" narrative needs to die....Lowe didn't get enough for him, and decided to start a mini re-build on the fly

That Smyth trade undid most the goodwill Lowe accumulated by building that Game 7 roster WITHOUT a McDrai. Wasn't the discrepancy between Smyth and Lowe a difference of 100 K? That could've been crowdfunded tenfold....

And yes, Pronger is the biggest reason why we got to Game 7, with an assist to Roli. Oilers win the Cup, Pronger is a no-brainer Smythe winner and it's not stupid to suggest he deserved the Smythe anyway. I'll always be grateful for him getting us there and totally understand why he had to leave. And it's not like what we gave up for him crippled the team...that was Lowe's idiocy, which indirectly paid off with McDrai. But still, f*** Lowe. f*** MacT. f*** Tambellini. Pronger...you're cool.