again, that's great he had a wonderful 2005-06...but let's not forget he was handed a darn good team to begin with and was tasked to simply survive until the 2004 lockout
Pretty much.
meanwhile, Calgary managed to build a really good team that went to the Cup final in the same competitive climate the Oilers were in
nah these are all excuses...the Sens were a much smaller market than the Oilers and managed to win the President's Trophy, make the Conference Finals and routinely won 40+ games every season pre-lockout
They looked shaky at the start of the year, as was probably to be expected after so much turnover, but the team has been gelling, and their record is as good as in the last couple of seasons. Basically, twice as many wins as losses now. So 6-3-1 rate, for all intents and purposes.
The Sens had some really strong pieces in the prime of their career and incredible depth. Alfredsson, Hossa, Spezza, Chara, prime Redden, Phillips, Volchenkov and a bunch of solid depth forfards, like Fisher and Schafer, Neil, Kelly. That team would be a perenial cup contender if it played now. The only glaring weakness was goalting. Lalime was their Skinner.
Rattled by the Jets buzz saw on game 1. They weren't sharp in pre-season and looked lethargic to start the season Lots of considerations. Shooting % was subterranean. Specialty teams were underwater. Goaltending brutal. Looked lethargic, slow in their pace. This team was going to reset eventually with x-stats and actual production results evening out with the talent. A big get from coaching was moving Kulak to stabilize the 2RD position.
This would be posted by somebody young. As much as I hate to say it around that time period Calgary Economy and investment and even revenue was better than the Oilers. Edmonton was for years one of the locations that was up for relocation along with Winnipeg and Quebec. Only some rallying of owners really prevented that. Edmonton during that time was existing in a period where the Oil economy had been crushed, where there were no building or office or tower starts etc. Edmonton was in absolute stagnation. People now don't reflect that even during our cup run the economy here was shattered. Tickets were dirt cheap back then, and would be the only way to get people to even go to the games.
I do think that overall he was a bad GM, but he definitely did an amazing job in that short window. My main point was that his reputation after that cup run was riding so high that it kept him in his job far too long.
They start slow under Knoblauch, which is probably a good thing. Last year they did not get into a playoff picture until the new year's. In the past, it was often the opposite, even with the crappy teams during the decade of darkness. They would win a bunch of games to start the season, only to be eliminated from the playsoffs by Christmas time.
This is nonsense. Ottawa Metro population in say 1996 was just over a MIllion. Edmontons was 864K. Ottawa also located in a much more densely populated portion of Canada where not at all unrealistic for people in Toronto, Montreal to go to Ottawa to see a game and go there even by Commuter train. So that Ottawa would have severalX the commuter or visitor draw potential that Edmonton had in respective regions. You won't look at any of this either but these are the facts.
www.macrotrends.net
www.macrotrends.net
Ekholm said a week or more ago, and people can call this not being professionals, but they were not ready or even thinking of playing those first few games. They said it was very hard to get amped after losing a game 7 cup final. They were down.
This is the deepest team they've had going back to Dynasty Days. They are now big game tested, matured, and not really phased by things. We as fans ride the game by game ups and downs but the players with coaching guidance really live 'the process' without panic. Hopefully this continues to build through regular season and into a deep run. They've lived through virtually all situations including bitter playoff losses. It's Winning Time!
good veteran teams can pick it up when they need to. It’s why I anticipate this team and its individuals will look better in the second half and alot of the complaining we see from the usuals around here will turn into the typical “who would of known”.
I used to live in Edmonton, and now live in Ottawa, and you are absolutely correct. From a population perspective, and especially when you consider near by townships, the Ottawa area is bigger.This is nonsense. Ottawa Metro population in say 1996 was just over a MIllion. Edmontons was 864K. Ottawa also located in a much more densely populated portion of Canada where not at all unrealistic for people in Toronto, Montreal to go to Ottawa to see a game and go there even by Commuter train. So that Ottawa would have severalX the commuter or visitor draw potential that Edmonton had in respective regions. You won't look at any of this either but these are the facts.
Edmonton, Canada Metro Area Population 1950-2024
Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Edmonton, Canada metro area from 1950 to 2024. United Nations population projections are also included through the year 2035.
Ottawa-Gatineau, Canada Metro Area Population 1950-2024
Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Ottawa-Gatineau, Canada metro area from 1950 to 2024. United Nations population projections are also included through the year 2035.
There just isn't any of the fervor here for the team like there was when I lived in Edmonton.At one point, Ryan Smyth and Ales Hemsky were our superstars.
Still, there's Skinner minding the goal.
Both would not be superfluous on this team either. Smyth and Hyman on the same team would drive J-S Giguerre absolutely insane!
I think he gave up the dream. Got paid, banked that, and he's not the same competitive level now. But he's also been pushed aside in the Sharks movement and they have a lot of young players with upsides. Kostin from reports trained with MMA fighters that kind of thing. he bulked up even more than he was here and it impacted his playing weight. Stupid thing to do really, and he and his agent must've misread how much value fighting alone is in NHL today. In that it doesn't put you in the lineup. Maybe it does 10-20 games a year. Kostin can't play anymore and his speed is down even from what it was here. I think he really mistrained during summer. Bad advice, bad plan.
I still remember watching the game where JS Giguere lost his mind on Smyth.
So he basically became a goon when those have been phased out of the league? In fairness, he was a limited player even when he had success with the Oilers. Very physical and great shot, but also slower and bad defensively.
If the Oilers could get Kostin retained for fairly cheap, I wouldn't be opposed to it.
I think they are on a similar level. Smyth was better tipping the pucks and had an incredible wrap around ability. Hyman is bigger and stronger and probably wins more puck battles in front of the net. Also plays well with the top guys.
They've definitely trended as a second half team. And they are most definitely a steeled veteran team basically living through it all with volatile regular seasons to tough playoff losses and a miracle marathon to game 7 Stanley Cup after a super turbulent season.
