I think his point was that our young players are more enticing for a UFA then Calgary's. I do expect calgary to grab some UFA's. Not so much as Feester is stupid but in Calgary they have 2 types of fans. They have the hardcore fans and they have the lower bowl which is mostly purchased by businesses.

Companies want to see SOMEONE playing and hope for a cup run. The person approving the purchase isn't often the one showing up to the games. They are usually bought to give to employees or clients. They want to see a team compete with a player they can cheer for. If they had all of the first round picks this year it wouldn't help them sell to their corporate clients. They don't know often know the name of rookies, they do know the name of a guy like Horton though. The non rebuilding keeps them in money. Without the corporate seat sales the rink wouldn't sell out.

However the Oilers don't need that. We are surrounded to the north by blue collar people that just want to see their team play. They know the names and they have money to spare. We can sell out if we never made the playoffs again due to our market. We don't sell our tickets. People scrounge to get them. In Calgary if you know a handful of the right people you can usually grab corporate seats for free on any given night. I know I have never paid for a game there.

The proof is in watching the games. You will see a bunch of lower bowl seats and you will see a bunch of guys with Jerseys probably bought from the store that night. Then the odd hardcore fan that scored free tickets. With the Oilers you will see Jerseys from the 80s fans from the 1930s and a bunch of guys wearing any Oilers Jersey, t shirt or wife beater they had lying around the hours, filling almost every seat.

On any given night.
- bsteinley

Let's be honest with ourselves. I'll preface this with I love e-town. Went to school there, worked there, love it. Love the oilers too. But, Calgary is a nicer city, more work, more oil money, white collar and blue collar opportunity, more head offices, etc. etc. Calgary can out recruit us as a city, but... Winning is what brings in the fa's. If we can get this team winning again, fa's will be calling to join for a run into the playoffs.

Do you honestly think Detroit is a nicer city than Edmonton? Safer? better schools? Players go there to win not because of the city. Until we, as an organization, are regarded as a winning franchise,we will struggle to bring in top shelf fa's. I think that is why oilers fans are frustrated with this prolonged rebuilding process.

Ovechkin did not deserve MVP.
- Blackstrom2

So true. How tavares didn't win it I will never know. The guy carried an average isles team to the playoffs on his own!

Let's be honest with ourselves. I'll preface this with I love e-town. Went to school there, worked there, love it. Love the oilers too. But, Calgary is a nicer city, more work, more oil money, white collar and blue collar opportunity, more head offices, etc. etc. Calgary can out recruit us as a city, but... Winning is what brings in the fa's. If we can get this team winning again, fa's will be calling to join for a run into the playoffs.

Do you honestly think Detroit is a nicer city than Edmonton? Safer? better schools? Players go there to win not because of the city. Until we, as an organization, are regarded as a winning franchise,we will struggle to bring in top shelf fa's. I think that is why oilers fans are frustrated with this prolonged rebuilding process.
- unkydav

I live in calgary and its nice but I personally like edmonton more but that's my personal preferance I can see why some ppl would like it more then e-town. But with the oils young talent now they haven't been struggling as of late to sign ufa's as ppl are saying. Schultz, khabbi, eager and a few others. I also know eager sucked with us but him and khabbi were both highly sought after when we signed them.

Let's be honest with ourselves. I'll preface this with I love e-town. Went to school there, worked there, love it. Love the oilers too. But, Calgary is a nicer city, more work, more oil money, white collar and blue collar opportunity, more head offices, etc. etc. Calgary can out recruit us as a city, but... Winning is what brings in the fa's. If we can get this team winning again, fa's will be calling to join for a run into the playoffs.

Do you honestly think Detroit is a nicer city than Edmonton? Safer? better schools? Players go there to win not because of the city. Until we, as an organization, are regarded as a winning franchise,we will struggle to bring in top shelf fa's. I think that is why oilers fans are frustrated with this prolonged rebuilding process.
- unkydav

Don't forget the fact that the taxes are higher in Canada which is why every Canadian team has problems signing UFA unless its a over payment, hockey players are ppl to. If I had the opinion of more money and warmer weather regarding my job id be in florida right now. I do agree a winning culture would change players minds about coming here but there looking for 2nd or 3rd round exits, not a team trying to just make the playoffs. Another thing to think about is how good the UFA is on one team doesn't mean they preform the same on the oilers as there role may change or increase without having the players around them. For example Nathan Horton has Lucic and Krejci to play with and Lucic providing space and Krejci able to finish from anywhere. We don't have these players to accompany him like that yet and don't compare the kids to Lucic and Krejci they have the resume in the playoffs and a ring almost 2.

Wellwood and Zuburs for Center.

Clowe for 2nd line LW

Who should be on the third line LW?

Hemsky on the fourth line

Jones on the third

Hall-Gags-Yak
Clowe-Nuge-Ebs
____-Zuburs-Jones
Smyth-Wellwood-Hemsky

Oh, and you don't have "6 first overall" you have 3.
- TandA4Flames

I love how people keep pointing this out.



Cloutier wins again

Wellwood and Zuburs for Center.

Clowe for 2nd line LW

Who should be on the third line LW?

Hemsky on the fourth line

Jones on the third

Hall-Gags-Yak
Clowe-Nuge-Ebs
____-Zuburs-Jones
Smyth-Wellwood-Hemsky
- Oilers4Life14

fuk wellwood. hemsky on the 4th???
lapierre is a better choice by a mile in that 4C spot. and why are we ditching mike brown on the 4th wing? we need to add grit and toughness, not subtract.
hemmer isn't gonna play in that spot. he needs to be moved or worst case 3rd line

I love how people keep pointing this out.



Cloutier wins again
- robin_steele264

but it's lame that even tries to 'win' for more hits. it's not even fun reading his blogs anymore. cant tell which comments are just to get hits and which one's are serious and prove how little he actually knows.

With the oilers not likely to make the playoffs this year or if they do most likely wont be past the 1st round. I wouldnt go crazy with UFA signings unless in the 2m to 4.5m with 2 to 3year deals. I would play the heck out of the kids and dubynuk and find out how they deal with it, sink or swim time. Hopefully with are UFA signings turning out and playing like they want to be here and are draft pick making improvements in the minors. With the kids improving and dubynuk proving hes a number1 we could have a realistic shot of making a dent in the playoffs next year. Belov does have a good shot of becoming a permanent piece playing on the team maybe even J.shultz stay at home D, so Shultz can join rushes more. If klefbom is as good as expected we could all be in for a surprise and another D to grow this year with the kids and be ready next year for a serious push for the playoffs. One can hope, with all the other teams having luck getting unexpected players turn out its about time the oil did to, my pick for Edmonton is belov.

Wellwood and Zuburs for Center.

Clowe for 2nd line LW

Who should be on the third line LW?

Hemsky on the fourth line

Jones on the third

Hall-Gags-Yak
Clowe-Nuge-Ebs
____-Zuburs-Jones
Smyth-Wellwood-Hemsky
- Oilers4Life14

Don't forget nuge isn't going to play till Nov Dec

Don't forget nuge isn't going to play till Nov Dec
- time2produce

By all reports he's progressing extremely well. Wouldn't surprise me to see him earlier. Young guys heal fast.

Let's be honest with ourselves. I'll preface this with I love e-town. Went to school there, worked there, love it. Love the oilers too. But, Calgary is a nicer city, more work, more oil money, white collar and blue collar opportunity, more head offices, etc. etc. Calgary can out recruit us as a city, but... Winning is what brings in the fa's. If we can get this team winning again, fa's will be calling to join for a run into the playoffs.

Do you honestly think Detroit is a nicer city than Edmonton? Safer? better schools? Players go there to win not because of the city. Until we, as an organization, are regarded as a winning franchise,we will struggle to bring in top shelf fa's. I think that is why oilers fans are frustrated with this prolonged rebuilding process.
- unkydav

Totally agree...players want to go to a team that WINS...the city of Detroit destroys everyone's theory that players want to be somewhere warm etc. etc. In the '80's EVERYONE wanted to go to Edmonton, and it's nicer there now than it was then...and has always been far nicer than half of the cities in the NHL...there is NO substance to this "I don't want to go to Edmonton" garbage...people need to wake up...players want to WIN.

I live in calgary and its nice but I personally like edmonton more but that's my personal preferance I can see why some ppl would like it more then e-town. But with the oils young talent now they haven't been struggling as of late to sign ufa's as ppl are saying. Schultz, khabbi, eager and a few others. I also know eager sucked with us but him and khabbi were both highly sought after when we signed them.
- BleedOil06

eager and khabbi highly sought after???um ok.. in tat case u can have all the fa's of that caliber

By all reports he's progressing extremely well. Wouldn't surprise me to see him earlier. Young guys heal fast.
- TheTaoOfSemenko

True but don't want to rush it either id be looking for a replacement so he doesn't feel rushed.

- Cheeseballin

how is that laughable? Johansen was a healthy scratch in the AHL playoffs, Umberger is signed at 4.6M and just had 18P.

So true. How tavares didn't win it I will never know. The guy carried an average isles team to the playoffs on his own!
- BleedOil06

HE DIDN'T CARRY THE TEAM!! (frank) people. Stop eating up the words up pierre mcguire, pj stock, and don cherry, the three dumbest hockey "analysts" I've ever seen

Wellwood and Zuburs for Center.

Clowe for 2nd line LW

Who should be on the third line LW?

Hemsky on the fourth line

Jones on the third

Hall-Gags-Yak
Clowe-Nuge-Ebs
____-Zuburs-Jones
Smyth-Wellwood-Hemsky
- Oilers4Life14

I will fly to edmonton and sh*t on eakins if Ryan "the barely NHL quality" Jones played ahead of Hemsky on the depth chart.

Don't forget nuge isn't going to play till Nov Dec
- time2produce

Arcobello?

HE DIDN'T CARRY THE TEAM!! (frank) people. Stop eating up the words up pierre mcguire, pj stock, and don cherry, the three dumbest hockey "analysts" I've ever seen
- TheNugeIsHuge

yeah he did for the most part. no Tavares. no playoffs for the isles. period.

u need to stop using halls stats as some sort of measuring stick. our team didn't make the playoffs. so what that u think hall's better. he clearly wasn't more valuable to his team.

have u seen matt moulson skate? he provides an essential style to provide Tavares room etc. but NO CHANCE he gets points like that without Tavares. I don't care what pierre McGuire says, I watch the isles. not only that, but virtually every isles fan/player would and has said the same thing.

its not about who's the best player in the game. its about who matters most to their teams success.
and I think for sure ovi and Tavares deserved nominations. the only guy they left out was bobrovsky.

I will fly to edmonton and sh*t on eakins if Ryan "the barely NHL quality" Jones played ahead of Hemsky on the depth chart.
- TheNugeIsHuge

Jones works x10 harder then Hemsky...

fuk wellwood. hemsky on the 4th???
lapierre is a better choice by a mile in that 4C spot. and why are we ditching mike brown on the 4th wing? we need to add grit and toughness, not subtract.
hemmer isn't gonna play in that spot. he needs to be moved or worst case 3rd line
- hugefemale dog77

Like I said, Jones works 10x harder then Hemsky. He may not produce because of who he plays with, for Brown, he and Smyth can switch.

Jones works x10 harder then Hemsky...
- Oilers4Life14

Jones just looks like he's working hard because he falls a lot. Also his energy input doesn't matter if he plays like sh*t.

I suspect he doesn't get signed by an NHL team this summer.

With the oilers not likely to make the playoffs this year or if they do most likely wont be past the 1st round. I wouldnt go crazy with UFA signings unless in the 2m to 4.5m with 2 to 3year deals. I would play the heck out of the kids and dubynuk and find out how they deal with it, sink or swim time. Hopefully with are UFA signings turning out and playing like they want to be here and are draft pick making improvements in the minors. With the kids improving and dubynuk proving hes a number1 we could have a realistic shot of making a dent in the playoffs next year. Belov does have a good shot of becoming a permanent piece playing on the team maybe even J.shultz stay at home D, so Shultz can join rushes more. If klefbom is as good as expected we could all be in for a surprise and another D to grow this year with the kids and be ready next year for a serious push for the playoffs. One can hope, with all the other teams having luck getting unexpected players turn out its about time the oil did to, my pick for Edmonton is belov.
- time2produce

Yes. Great point. We have to channel our inner mr.miagi and be patient Daniel-San. What the long term plan? You want to make the playoffs and get drummed out in the first round each year? Ordo you want to win a Stanley cup?

We all saw what consecutive first round losses and drafting 18 or 19 overall looked like in the 90's. no (frank)ing thank you! I'll wait a little longer if I have to, to hopefully see a legit cup contender.

Totally agree...players want to go to a team that WINS...the city of Detroit destroys everyone's theory that players want to be somewhere warm etc. etc. In the '80's EVERYONE wanted to go to Edmonton, and it's nicer there now than it was then...and has always been far nicer than half of the cities in the NHL...there is NO substance to this "I don't want to go to Edmonton" garbage...people need to wake up...players want to WIN.
- Yobble

I agree to a point but to say taxes and weather aren't an important reason why players don't come here is just wrong. Please don't ever compare Detroit and Edmonton again milessssss apart as in hockey clubs. Datsyuk,Zetterberg, just lost one of the best D ever in Lidstrom and still made it to the 2nd round of the playoffs almost the 3rd. The best coach in my eyes in the last ten years not to mention Scott bowmen behind the scences. They also have made the playoffs every year for the last 20 years with afew cups. Except for are lucky run in 06 with Pronger please tell me how we are comparable to the wings again? We had Gretzky,kurri,Coffey,Messier,Fuhr back in the 80s not so much now.

Jones works x10 harder then Hemsky...
- Oilers4Life14

I could work 10 times harder than jones but I wouldnt be nearly as affective. There's a reason he doesn't make 5 million and score 20 goals. He's just not good.