I'm sure Kassian was told not to fight last night as we've got a lot of injuries, at the very least I'm sure he was told to fight on his own terms - not Edmonton's. Let's get one thing straight, Kassian is not afraid to fight, he's answered the bell many times including Ben Eager. I'm sure he knows and respects Gazdic, he's a tough customer.
- LeftCoaster

It was mentioned (although not confirmed) that Gazdic was told not to fight too.

Maybe he was told not to fight, but then quit the chirping. Or chirp and back it up.
- doon

NHL players are incapable of not chirping - all of them, it's in their DNA.

It is many people's conventional wisdom that a poor team's best chance to rebuild is to become as poor a team as possible and try to build through top draft picks. This is the path the Edmonton Oilers have followed. They have picked first overall in the NHL draft three years in a row netting them Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov. They have picked up other young talented players in Jordan Eberle, Justin Schultz and Sam Gagner. This rebuild has netted them a team in last place in the West Conference. In fact, that same conventional wisdom that lead to the first rebuild would suggest now is the time to trash the team again and rebuild in exactly the same way that has failed them so far.

While it is true that none of the young players the Edmonton Oilers have picked up are on Hall of Fame tracks. They haven't "hit a home run" with any of their first overall picks - at least not yet. It is still quite possible that one or more of them does project to a Hall of Famer in the future. It is also clear that this route to building a winning team has no guarantees. In fact it appears to be no better than any other method - and possible worse than them.

What is the way to build a winning team today? The top teams today have had to acquire their core at early ages in their career. Most often this occurs through the draft, although good players can come from anywhere. For example, first place Anaheim's top goalie Jonas Hiller was a free agent signee from Europe. There is no excuse to give away talent. There is no excuse to stop looking and tank a team. You need a scouting staff that is good enough to find these players. That is the problem in Edmonton. There isn't any player currently on their roster who makes a significant contribution to their core who was drafted in a later round in the draft. Had Edmonton been able to find players like Brandon Saad and Corey Crawford in Chicago or TJ Oshie in St Louis or countless other players on top teams.

The secret to rebuilding a team is not to tank the team and get top draft picks. It is to rebuild your scouting system and continue to find core players both with your early draft picks and also by finding players elsewhere (such as later in the draft, undrafted free agents etc.). The Edmonton Oiler method of rebuilding their team hasn't worked. They may have been a better team before the process began than they are now six or seven or possibly even eight years into the process.
- Jurco_28

I'm not reading your blog.

It was mentioned (although not confirmed) that Gazdic was told not to fight too.
- nated81

Coach was sure giving him the opportunity

I don't think the billboards, paper bags, facebook campaign etc.. Have anything to do with it after all how could any franchise that has been dead last or at least near the bottom of the standing for so many years not be a laughingstock?
- Jjp202

It's actually quite a simple concept that he wrote but I will explain it for you. When a teams own fans start to mock and chastise the team on a large scale, it makes matters far worse than if the team just did bad, but the fans were supporting them. Those who otherwise would normally show some class and not kick a horse when it is down, start kicking that horse when they see the teams own fans doing it. So stop thinking that your paper bag wearing and facebook pages don't make things worse, because it does.

NHL players are incapable of not chirping - all of them, it's in their DNA.
- LeftCoaster

Fair enough.

Gazdic vs Lucic = best fight of the year.

Where does it make sense that 2 nd liners fight 4 th liners.

If Kassian is going to fight Gadzook then Hall fights Sestito?
- VANTEL

Are you seriously this retarded? Kassian may be a 2nd line player on the canucks, but when he swings his stick recklessly and chirps the guy whose jaw he broke with his stick, he is acting no better than a fourth line player so pull your head out of your arse.

NHL players are incapable of not chirping - all of them, it's in their DNA.
- LeftCoaster

You get caught up in the emotions, happens in pro sports and pickup games with your friends. I agree with you that he(and the other top 9 forwards and all d-men) was probably told not to fight, with all the injuries he's a top 6 forward and a lot of the guys have been playing big minutes because of the penalty box parade the last few games.

Gazdic vs Lucic = best fight of the year.
- LeftCoaster

That was a good one.

Messier would take any management position you offer him. That is why he is there. He smelled the decay all the way from New York. He thinks he is qualified for President of hockey operations but might take the GM job on an interim basis. Name him coach and he will get Lowe fired in less than one season. You still won't make the playoffs but the blood bath will satisfy the hordes for a few more years!

I'm not reading your blog.
- doon

Well played sir. Well played.

Maybe trading for Reimer rather than his backup would have been a better plan...No???

I'm not reading your blog.
- doon

its not mine.

Maybe trading for Reimer rather than his backup would have been a better plan...No???
- Fruitcakenipple

Shut up

Shut up
- Yeti1181

- Fruitcakenipple

I hate you ha ha.

I hate you ha ha.
- Yeti1181

Boring tonight this place dead.......


Scotch tape beat me up in Habs thread over "To..Too"...He spelled the fk out of me...

Boring tonight this place dead.......
- Fruitcakenipple

Vancouver thread is always fun they are a touchy bunch.

Part of our problem is the hiring of a rookie at BOTH the GM & Head Coach positions at a critical time in the rebuild. Both have made mistakes, as must be expected from rookies, so we've taken a step back. Who hired MacT? Lowe. He's hired/fired other GMs. He's put together the scouting staffs, overseen the drafts, etc. This is KEVIN'S Team, not MacT's.
But Katz says no, this is MacT's team; ridiculous. MacT had nothing to do with the planning for this team.
Why hasn't Lowe obtained some fast, sizeable players capable of keeping the pace and supporting the smaller, talented top drafted forwards? Why hasn't Lowe signed a top level goalie? The upper management were convinced Dubs was that NHL Starter--mis-calculation of talent, and on it goes.
The sooner there's a clean sweep of management, replaced with experienced Coaches, a GM and Pres. of Hockey Ops., the better off we'll be IMO.

Gazdic vs Lucic = best fight of the year.
- LeftCoaster

Although to make your guys' point Lucic being off for 5 granted a wonderful advantage to the Oilers in that game.

Not that Kassian is Lucic...

Part of our problem is the hiring of a rookie at BOTH the GM & Head Coach positions at a critical time in the rebuild. Both have made mistakes, as must be expected from rookies, so we've taken a step back. Who hired MacT? Lowe. He's hired/fired other GMs. He's put together the scouting staffs, overseen the drafts, etc. This is KEVIN'S Team, not MacT's.
But Katz says no, this is MacT's team; ridiculous. MacT had nothing to do with the planning for this team.
Why hasn't Lowe obtained some fast, sizeable players capable of keeping the pace and supporting the smaller, talented top drafted forwards? Why hasn't Lowe signed a top level goalie? The upper management were convinced Dubs was that NHL Starter--mis-calculation of talent, and on it goes.
The sooner there's a clean sweep of management, replaced with experienced Coaches, a GM and Pres. of Hockey Ops., the better off we'll be IMO.
- haymac

Maybe removing Lowe from the organisation is the answer??


No??

Although to make your guys' point Lucic being off for 5 granted a wonderful advantage to the Oilers in that game.

Not that Kassian is Lucic...
- Morris

He's close according to some...

He's close according to some...
- Fruitcakenipple

My sources tell me that in 2 years Lucic will actually be a poor man's Kassian.

My sources tell me that in 2 years Lucic will actually be a poor man's Kassian.
- Nucker101

Say with in a year he is improving