No.
- Maxbone

So you are not serious?

Good.

So you are not serious?

Good.
- OilHorse

Is he ever?

Is he ever?
- sanfordnson

Sometimes I am not sure how to take it all.

He just acted like he is their biggest supporter, which is a lie.

I am not saying that we can't afford it... My point is at .500 hockey I doubt many will accept it... Further I think MPS will change many people's minds this yr...
- saskoil21

Pretty sure those kids haven't hit their peak.

Pretty sure those kids haven't hit their peak.
- Lahey

I sure as (frank) hope not.... But it would be nice to dominate a bit during the cheap years don't u think?

Is he ever?
- sanfordnson

If you agree with what he says then he is serious.

If you disagree with what he says then he is not serious.

If you agree with what he says then he is serious.

If you disagree with what he says then he is not serious.
- Oilersforlife

It's like climate change - no debate, you're covered one way or another.

I sure as (frank) hope not.... But it would be nice to dominate a bit during the cheap years don't u think?
- saskoil21

As individuals some have already.

Insofar as the record projects to 20-16-12, we're playing borderline playoff hockey.

I never had illusions we were going to be a cup run team. I wanted to see them have the option to be a buyer at the trade deadline. That was my hope, and I don't think we're far off.
- Morris

this

however i dont take near the encouragement out of last night as some seem to. "we woulda lost those games in the past"
but i guess everyone can choose to look at it how they want.

if we continue to play like that, i dont think we have any real hope of being close in the end

No you're not serious, or No you're not going to stop breaking your arm patting yourself on the back?
- Morris

Barry Horowitz.

It's like climate change - no debate, you're covered one way or another.
- Salvo

What kills me is that someone has read this blog and assumed because Rich is a blogger on a hockey site, that he has credible sources within the Oilers that have informed him the plan for this club for this season is to evaluate talent for the upcoming seasons. Don't worry because 2013 2014 the plan is to try and make the playoffs. But this season is really just a training camp for next season. I'm sure that's what his mission statement says on it.


Katz: "Hey Tambs we gonna win tonight?"

Tambs: "Not sure, but we are going to take another look at Sam to see if we think he can get it done next season."

Tambs: "Good Call. Let me know how he plays. We might have to plan for a cup in 2014 2015 if you think he might take an extra year."

What kills me is that someone has read this blog and assumed because Rich is a blogger on a hockey site, that he has credible sources within the Oilers that have informed him the plan for this club for this season is to evaluate talent for the upcoming seasons. Don't worry because 2013 2014 the plan is to try and make the playoffs. But this season is really just a training camp for next season. I'm sure that's what his mission statement says on it.


Katz: "Hey Tambs we gonna win tonight?"

Tambs: "Not sure, but we are going to take another look at Sam to see if we think he can get it done next season."

Tambs: "Good Call. Let me know how he plays. We might have to plan for a cup in 2014 2015 if you think he might take an extra year."
- Oilersforlife

i love this post

What kills me is that someone has read this blog and assumed because Rich is a blogger on a hockey site, that he has credible sources within the Oilers that have informed him the plan for this club for this season is to evaluate talent for the upcoming seasons. Don't worry because 2013 2014 the plan is to try and make the playoffs. But this season is really just a training camp for next season. I'm sure that's what his mission statement says on it.


Katz: "Hey Tambs we gonna win tonight?"

Tambs: "Not sure, but we are going to take another look at Sam to see if we think he can get it done next season."

Katz: "Good Call. Let me know how he plays. We might have to plan for a cup in 2014 2015 if you think he might take an extra year."
- Oilersforlife

fixed

Barry Horowitz.
- Maxbone

Not a wrestling afficianado, but I found this

What kills me is that someone has read this blog and assumed because Rich is a blogger on a hockey site, that he has credible sources within the Oilers that have informed him the plan for this club for this season is to evaluate talent for the upcoming seasons. Don't worry because 2013 2014 the plan is to try and make the playoffs. But this season is really just a training camp for next season. I'm sure that's what his mission statement says on it.


Katz: "Hey Tambs we gonna win tonight?"

Tambs: "Not sure, but we are going to take another look at Sam to see if we think he can get it done next season."

Tambs: "Good Call. Let me know how he plays. We might have to plan for a cup in 2014 2015 if you think he might take an extra year."
- Oilersforlife

You're partially right on this. You're right when you say that anyone can write a hockey blog, sources or not. The part you can't seem to accept is that over time, especially if your work is popular, people start coming to you with information.

Obviously the Oilers are not a contender yet. This is not to say the goal is to ignore trying to win this season. But make no mistake; there's a plan and Oilers management are following it. This year is all about preparing to be a contender. Anyone who suggests otherwise doesn't understand how much time and work goes into developing a winning team.

You're partially right on this. You're right when you say that anyone can write a hockey blog, sources or not. The part you can't seem to accept is that over time, especially if your work is popular, people start coming to you with information.

Obviously the Oilers are not a contender yet. This is not to say the goal is to ignore trying to win this season. But make no mistake; there's a plan and Oilers management are following it. This year is all about preparing to be a contender. Anyone who suggests otherwise doesn't understand how much time and work goes into developing a winning team.
- Maxbone

Can you give us an example, without naming names, of something in the past about the Oilers that you were privy to before it happened?

Can you give us an example, without naming names, of something in the past about the Oilers that you were privy to before it happened?
- Morris

You know and I know they don't work that way. The Oilers ever since Katz and Tambellini have been an extremely secretive organization that says absolutely nothing to anyone. The only person with real inside information is Stauffer, because of who his friends are. Whenever there are information leaks about the Oilers, it's always the other teams (see Bryan Murray in Ottawa) who are doing the babbling.

It is a well-known and well-established thing that the MSM in Edmonton hate how Oilers management don't talk to them anymore. The contempt shown for Stauffer from some guys is embarrassing.

But let's not get off topic...If you read my blogs I constantly explain that I'm giving opinions and offering ideas. There have been blogs where I have discussed things like the inner workings of the arena mess. I had an actual source there, and I have absolutely no willingness to discuss who it is. Obviously I'll never get information from that person again if I give more details. Why do you think they'd come to an idiot blogger like me? Because I'm 1. Well read, and 2. No one takes me seriously, so the source has no fears of ever being connected to me.

I get more information than you realize...but of course, you've made up your mind about me already, so I'm wasting my time explaining this.

A morning blog with a positive tone? Did you get some actual sleep last night clouts, and blood sugar levels are normal?

Richard Cloutier: 5-4-3 Is Not 3-4-5
- Maxbone

Thanks for the dose of reasonable expectations!

Fans are IMO just filled with pent-up excitement that has been building slowly for 3 years. This team is getting better and better and it's getting more and more obvious just how good it's going to be in 3 years. All that excitement leads people to have giddy thoughts of pulling the trigger on a big sweet trade now to jump-start the process.

It's OK though cause Steve Tambellini is all about doing nothing - we owe the success of the rebuild so far largely to him!

A morning blog with a positive tone? Did you get some last night clouts?
- ruttager17

Fixed

A morning blog with a positive tone? Did you get some actual sleep last night clouts, and blood sugar levels are normal?
- ruttager17

I did sleep a fair amount for me: 6 hours. And my blood sugar hasn't been too bad lately, thanks for asking.

You know and I know they don't work that way. The Oilers ever since Katz and Tambellini have been an extremely secretive organization that says absolutely nothing to anyone. The only person with real inside information is Stauffer, because of who his friends are. Whenever there are information leaks about the Oilers, it's always the other teams (see Bryan Murray in Ottawa) who are doing the babbling.

It is a well-known and well-established thing that the MSM in Edmonton hate how Oilers management don't talk to them anymore. The contempt shown for Stauffer from some guys is embarrassing.

But let's not get off topic...If you read my blogs I constantly explain that I'm giving opinions and offering ideas. There have been blogs where I have discussed things like the inner workings of the arena mess. I had an actual source there, and I have absolutely no willingness to discuss who it is. Obviously I'll never get information from that person again if I give more details. Why do you think they'd come to an idiot blogger like me? Because I'm 1. Well read, and 2. No one takes me seriously, so the source has no fears of ever being connected to me.

I get more information than you realize...but of course, you've made up your mind about me already, so I'm wasting my time explaining this.
- Maxbone

No I haven't. There's a reason I keep reading and commenting .

I've always taken you for a guy that makes educated guesses. Note: not wild speculation, but actual educated guesses based sometimes on what the Oilers' organization has done/said, and sometimes on the seemingly-out-of-nowhere rumours that Ek brings up. (I definitely enjoy blogs based on the former moreso than the latter).

Sometimes though, you appear to be talking to sources about what could/is going to happen. And it's not always clear when you're making educated guesses, and when you are speaking based on external sources. That gets confusing.

My only critique would be that sometimes I feel as though you're purposely creating that confusion, to stir up controversy and make your educated guesses seem like they're based on external info. This may be unintentional, but that's the sense I get sometimes, which is frustrating.

On the other hand, that helps your blogs become a firestorm in the comments section, and your reaction and clarification blogs are good reads too. You like a spectacle, and you're more dedicated than perhaps any hockey blogger on the net. You're not always clear about which kind of speculation is which though.

No I haven't. There's a reason I keep reading and commenting .

I've always taken you for a guy that makes educated guesses. Note: not wild speculation, but actual educated guesses based sometimes on what the Oilers' organization has done/said, and sometimes on the seemingly-out-of-nowhere rumours that Ek brings up. (I definitely enjoy blogs based on the former moreso than the latter).

Sometimes though, you appear to be talking to sources about what could/is going to happen. And it's not always clear when you're making educated guesses, and when you are speaking based on external sources. That gets confusing.

My only critique would be that sometimes I feel as though you're purposely creating that confusion, to stir up controversy and make your educated guesses seem like they're based on external info. This may be unintentional, but that's the sense I get sometimes, which is frustrating.

On the other hand, that helps your blogs become a firestorm in the comments section, and your reaction and clarification blogs are good reads too. You like a spectacle, and you're more dedicated than perhaps any hockey blogger on the net. You're not always clear about which kind of speculation is which though.
- Morris

No I haven't. There's a reason I keep reading and commenting .

I've always taken you for a guy that makes educated guesses. Note: not wild speculation, but actual educated guesses based sometimes on what the Oilers' organization has done/said, and sometimes on the seemingly-out-of-nowhere rumours that Ek brings up. (I definitely enjoy blogs based on the former moreso than the latter).

Sometimes though, you appear to be talking to sources about what could/is going to happen. And it's not always clear when you're making educated guesses, and when you are speaking based on external sources. That gets confusing.

My only critique would be that sometimes I feel as though you're purposely creating that confusion, to stir up controversy and make your educated guesses seem like they're based on external info. This may be unintentional, but that's the sense I get sometimes, which is frustrating.

On the other hand, that helps your blogs become a firestorm in the comments section, and your reaction and clarification blogs are good reads too. You like a spectacle, and you're more dedicated than perhaps any hockey blogger on the net. You're not always clear about which kind of speculation is which though.
- Morris

A couple of comments. First, see my earlier comment on "sources". A person develops a few actual ones over time if people read their junk. But that being said, I freely admit the vast majority of my blogs are opinion pieces.

Other comment: I absolutely go out of my way to be manic and be all over the map with my blogs as a way to stirring up chaos. I could come on here and write "sports reporting" and those blogs would suck because everyone is doing them and they completely lack controversy. A "blogger" is so not a reporter. My role here is to entertain, and chaos is entertaining.

I'm reading plenty of bashing of Oilers Head Coach Ralph Krueger today too. Am I missing something?
- Maxbone

Yawn... No system in place. We play to accommodate other teams' styles, without having one ourselves. This is why we suck when both teams are playing at even strength... The only systems we have in place is during our special teams. The rest of the game, we're spending too much time worrying about what the other team is doing, and not enough time worrying about what we're going to do.