News and Blog Report: Training camp & Preseason News & Notes, **New Pole Added**

[smokersarejokers]

Anyone else going to the open practice tomorrow? I assume one group will be at practice and the other group will play vs Winnipeg?

 

[MessierII]

Agreed that the bottom 6 doesn’t tend to have anything going until January. Hopefully not the case this year. If Henrique/Brown/Janmark are as good as they were in the playoffs, I’d like to see the line used as a checking line and used in some defensive and open net situations at end of the game just to get more guys going.

There won’t be as much pressure on the bottom 6 to produce because the top 6 is absurdly stacked even without Kane.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Yup, if DT was truly dieing then building the ice district there was genius idea. Central location where no one wanted to go previously. Now because of it parking costs can remain outrageous.

"Lets build it where they won't come."

No help either that the entertainment industry is flat as well. Outside of hockey not much to see. Back to hockey then..

 

[Tobias Kahun]

With lots of jobs now having work from home options, downtowns won’t thrive nearly as much as they used to even 10 years ago

 

[Cerebral]

Philp, Savoie, Kemp according to Stauffer yesterday.

That’s great news. I think Savoie starts with Bakersfield regardless but Kemp could compete with Emberson, Brown, and Stecher (along with all the AHL guys like Gleason and Carrick) for one of the two right defence spots and Philp could earn that 4th line centre role with some strong play.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

That’s great news. I think Savoie starts with Bakersfield regardless but Kemp could compete with Emberson, Brown, and Stecher (along with all the AHL guys like Gleason and Carrick) for one of the two right defence spots and Philp could earn that 4th line centre role with some strong play.

I think Philp would have to show strong in one of the last couple Preseason games to get that push, I think he'll need a bit of time in Bako to get used to game pace again, but it does bode well for him getting a shot at the NHL this year.

 

[Lay Z Boy GM]

I’m very pumped over here guys. Preseason is whatever. Nuge said the vets sweet spot is 3-4 games. I agree, don’t work them too much. I’d prefer the last couple games to basically be the full roster and a few hopefuls maybe get a chance in those games to prove themselves.

This is basically warmup for the elite players and a possible audition for the 4th line and RD.

I’m going to the last game so hopefully it’s 90% of the full roster and we absolutely trash the Nucks.

 

[Oildrum]

Sunday is a must win, if they lose I'm out for the rest of the season and just shows how much of a terrible decision hiring Bowman was.

 

[Heavy Dee]

With lots of jobs now having work from home options, downtowns won’t thrive nearly as much as they used to even 10 years ago

It's more about where people live, not work.

If you can reside downtown with amenities, recreation, night life etc that will appeal to younger adults.

 

[Oilslick941611]

Last seasons slow start had little to do with the team meshing. It was the team peaking too early in training, even according to McDavid who felt fatigued and not 100% at seasons start.

The topline this year will be identically the same. The players knowing each other in their sleep. The Drai line will need time to work together. Big changes there as well as D pairings I guess.

Last season schedule was odd as well. We played nucks 3X early and that seemed to be their Stanley Cup beating us early in season. Also tough games Florida, Carolina, Tampa etc.

Most of our troubled start was atrocious goaltending and coaching.

just shows that regular seasons purpose to make the playoffs. we lost to the Canucks but beat them in the playoffs. We shouldn't be throwing too much weight on winning the regular season. Goal is the cup, goal for the season to make the playoffs comfortable and with our division that shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Senor Catface]

Sunday is a must win, if they lose I'm out for the rest of the season and just shows how much of a terrible decision hiring Bowman was.

I think we should, without irony, forbid Spawn from starting a "Fire Bowman" topic at any point this season.

 

[Drivesaitl]

After getting to game 7……I am having trouble getting excited about preseason like I normally would. I find myself not really caring about prospects or lineups.

I need game 1 yesterday.

Pretty much. Want season to start.

 

[LTIR]

"Lets build it where they won't come."

No help either that the entertainment industry is flat as well. Outside of hockey not much to see. Back to hockey then..

As if getting people to get to Oilers games is a struggle in Edmonton. No one has issues getting to ice district and moss pits when Oilers are playing.
Say whatever you want about rest of downtown amd entertainment industry but ice district has been the saviour of many DT businesses post covid.

That’s great news. I think Savoie starts with Bakersfield regardless but Kemp could compete with Emberson, Brown, and Stecher (along with all the AHL guys like Gleason and Carrick) for one of the two right defence spots and Philp could earn that 4th line centre role with some strong play.

With Jarventie and Kane injured a roster spot is up for grabs for Savoie and about a half dozen others.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Edmonton is still ranked as the best value living for a major city in Canada. Its because of affordable (relatively) housing and a growing and diverse job market.

Katz and other developers understand they need people residing downtown before they can grow the development around it.

Drive downtown and see all the new condo units under construction everywhere. It will feed the district and it will thrive over time. It's a long play.

What bs. Housing starts and population increase higher everywhere than it is in the DT.

All I see under construction DT is all the LRT, bike lanes, road closures etc. You'll find more builds almost anywhere else.

Agreed that Edmonton is still affordable and better option than some other places but I don't know anybody that doesn't regret living dt now.

Indeed Edmonton DT is one of the few that has had population decline at times.

Planner sees need for 'granular' projects to build downtown population

The latest census shows that Edmonton is one of a handful of Canadian cities to see a decline in its downtown population between 2016 and 2021. The decrease is surprising, says urban planner Neal LaMontagne, but he doesn't think it is necessarily a sign that the city is headed in the wrong...

edmonton.taproot.news

So the bolded is straight up misleading.

Downtown Growth has Stalled — and Tensions are Mounting | Urban Affairs

Developers are frustrated by council’s rejection of a plan to subsidize residential builds in the core

urbanaffairs.ca

Edmonton population growth is frenetic, but NOT in the DT which is stagnated.

 

[Frank the Tank]

It's more about where people live, not work.

If you can reside downtown with amenities, recreation, night life etc that will appeal to younger adults.

Yeah, I loved living in and around the downtown of Chicago for over a decade. There was always so much to do and it had a great atmosphere to meet new people.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

 

[Heavy Dee]

What bs. Housing starts and population increase higher everywhere than it is in the DT.

All I see under construction DT is all the LRT, bike lanes, road closures etc. You'll find more builds almost anywhere else.

Agreed that Edmonton is still affordable and better option than some other places but I don't know anybody that doesn't regret living dt now.

Indeed Edmonton DT is one of the few that has had population decline at times.

Planner sees need for 'granular' projects to build downtown population

The latest census shows that Edmonton is one of a handful of Canadian cities to see a decline in its downtown population between 2016 and 2021. The decrease is surprising, says urban planner Neal LaMontagne, but he doesn't think it is necessarily a sign that the city is headed in the wrong...

edmonton.taproot.news

So the bolded is straight up misleading.

Downtown Growth has Stalled — and Tensions are Mounting | Urban Affairs

Developers are frustrated by council’s rejection of a plan to subsidize residential builds in the core

urbanaffairs.ca

Edmonton population growth is frenetic, but NOT in the DT which is stagnated.

How do you know anything about the downtown when you clearly stated its if no use to you and you don't profit from it?

Do you spend your time digging up opinions to support your position or have you actually been down there lately?

Go for a drive instead and talk to people half your ago instead of yelling at the clouds in Millwoods.

 

[Drivesaitl]

As if getting people to get to Oilers games is a struggle in Edmonton. No one has issues getting to ice district and moss pits when Oilers are playing.
Say whatever you want about rest of downtown amd entertainment industry but ice district has been the saviour of many DT businesses post covid.


With Jarventie and Kane injured a roster spot is up for grabs for Savoie and about a half dozen others.

The district saw the benefit of the full length of playoffs. So that it was an uncharacteristically better year. More hockey events, but overall not a lot of huge draw events through 365days and otherwise the DT is dead. Went through there on Alberta Day and there were more people at the Leg on a Sunday than walking around DT. You might see one person on a block and ALL the businesses, restaurants, bars were closed. Walked from 100st to 107st along Jasper Avenue and the only place open was the Wee book inn. Deader than dead down there.

City Center Mall is half boarded up or vacant. Nobody wants to have a business there.

I didn't say its difficult to get DT. Any of the slimebucket LRT trains go there. If you don't mind secondhand crack smoke. Valley line not as bad yet as Capital line for druggies but give it time, they'll take that over too.

Parking DT? lol, no way I'm spending 30bucks to go there. Not the only one as Downtown parking revenues are a lot lower than had been expected. The city response to this is to make parking rates more expensive. lol

 

[Drivesaitl]

How do you know anything about the downtown when you clearly stated its if no use to you and you don't profit from it?

Do you spend your time digging up opinions to support your position or have you actually been down there lately?

Go for a drive instead and talk to people half your ago instead of yelling at the clouds in Millwoods.

Must be better to make up shit. Like I said I was DT on Alberta Day. Walked all over there and the only positive thing I could say is I saw less crack smoking on the streets than expected. I saw windows broken all over, boarded up, Saw every place on Jasper Avenue closed on a Sunday. Everything but tumbleweeds.

But apparently you're immune to the facts that DT is stagnated and has been for a longtime.

Maybe try substantiating your position. DT retail, housing starts etc is flat as a pancake. I've cited all that. You respond with crap.

Guess all those bikelanes, LRT lines, Arena district and tons of other funded developments didn't help. The RAM even has less visitor numbers than the closed Provincial Museum had. Nobody wants to go there.

 

[BIeucheeseWithWings]

Replacement does not want to go downtown. Therefore, NOBODY wants to go downtown. This guy and his opinions presented as facts is nauseating.

 

[LTIR]

The district saw the benefit of the full length of playoffs. So that it was an uncharacteristically better year. More hockey events, but overall not a lot of huge draw events through 365days and otherwise the DT is dead. Went through there on Alberta Day and there were more people at the Leg on a Sunday than walking around DT. You might see one person on a block and ALL the businesses, restaurants, bars were closed. Walked from 100st to 107st along Jasper Avenue and the only place open was the Wee book inn. Deader than dead down there.

City Center Mall is half boarded up or vacant. Nobody wants to have a business there.

I didn't say its difficult to get DT. Any of the slimebucket LRT trains go there. If you don't mind secondhand crack smoke. Valley line not as bad yet as Capital line for druggies but give it time, they'll take that over too.

Parking DT? lol, no way I'm spending 30bucks to go there. Not the only one as Downtown parking revenues are a lot lower than had been expected. The city response to this is to make parking rates more expensive. lol

So you seriously think that having the arena in DT was bad for the city? DT businesses? Somehow it contributed to shutting down of city mall? homelessness?

You are right that there are very few reasons left for a couple or a family to go DT after office hours. ice district oilkings/oilers games are certainly a major one.

Replacement does not want to go downtown. Therefore, NOBODY wants to go downtown. This guy and his opinions presented as facts is nauseating.

There are some who argue(d) that Oilers landing McDavid was the worst thing that could've happened to this franchise.
Ice district is #97 of DT.

 

[Drivesaitl]

So you seriously think that having the arena in DT was bad for the city? DT businesses? Somehow it contributed to shutting down of city mall? homelessness?

You are right that there are very few reasons left for a couple or a family to go DT after office hours. ice district oilkings/oilers games are certainly a major one.


There are some who argue(d) that Oilers landing McDavid was the worst thing that could've happened to this franchise.
Ice district is #97 of DT.

DT Edmonton is probably a lost cause. It has been mostly since the end of the 70's.

Does the Arena district make it better? One can argue that. But as much analysis has said most of it is just bean shifting. For instance money going to Marriot used to be going to the Sutton and Westin that are doing poor business now. Most of the uptick in the Ice District is countered by a decrease in the Arts district.

Yes, as well, security and policing has had to be diverted to arena district, inordinately, and away from other regions of the DT. So in that it does add to other problems.

No easy answers. But DT is not a people or family friendly place. Nothing evokes that more than the cliff drop off in visitors at the RAM or the DT EPL etc.

There will be families there tomorrow, which is good, but probably not for long after the practice.

 

[jeffff]

You admit to visiting downtown once this summer yet talk like you work, live and spend all your time off downtown.

I live in the westend and the wife and I (and the kids) frequent downtown, have reservations this evening in fact. Most of the cities best restaurants are downtown. Beautiful hiking/biking along the top and into the river valley. Not to mention tons of events throughout the summer (including Okoberfest, which we have tickets). To say that the ice district is bad for the city or didn't help the downtown core is ridiculous. It also doesn't cost anywhere near $30 to park downtown.

We're a large city, a real city, with real city obstacles.....just like every large city in Canada/US....I've been to dozens. Heading to London and Paris soon, arguably the 2 of the best cities in the world. I wonder if they have homelessness, boarded up windows, drug issues, policing issues???.....probably not, only Edmonton does.

I suggest either getting off your high horse and actually spend some time in YOUR downtown, you might actually appreciate it more than think. If you choose not to, thats ok....more room for the rest of us.

 

[Drivesaitl]

You admit to visiting downtown once this summer yet talk like you work, live and spend all your time off downtown.

I live in the westend and the wife and I (and the kids) frequent downtown, have reservations this evening in fact. Most of the cities best restaurants are downtown. Beautiful hiking/biking along the top and into the river valley. Not to mention tons of events throughout the summer (including Okoberfest, which we have tickets). To say that the ice district is bad for the city or didn't help the downtown core is ridiculous. It also doesn't cost anywhere near $30 to park downtown.

We're a large city, a real city, with real city obstacles.....just like every large city in Canada/US....I've been to dozens. Heading to London and Paris soon, arguably the 2 of the best cities in the world. I wonder if they have homelessness, boarded up windows, drug issues, policing issues???.....probably not, only Edmonton does.

I suggest either getting off your high horse and actually spend some time in YOUR downtown, you might actually appreciate it more than think. If you choose not to, thats ok....more room for the rest of us.

No.