I'll show you something a little thick...

*zzzzzzzzzzziiiiiiiiiiiippppppppppppppppp*
- laughs2907

lolol

well you got the "little" part right...remember 2 vienna sausages, "Anaconda"

after rescuing him from LA at his request and paying him his 6+mil last year for non-20goal, 46 point season I think he can stand to take the hit.
- OilHorse

Yep, rescuing him from the team that's a game away from a Stanley Cup to come to a lottery team. Boy did we do him a favor.

Tambellini is the GM, is he not? How harder could the negotions get?

Either give Smyth his money, or tell him your pursuing other options. It just should have been resolved by now.

Management has been in-excusably quiet since the season ended. This team needs to make the playoffs next season, or at least come close. Progression is a must, period. They have been way to lackadaisical thus far in my opinion.

But Tambo got his extension! So woop-di-(frank)ing doo for us. Thank god.
- mochoson

So it's all Tambs fault?

How do you know management hasn't been working hard? You only know what the media tells you. We have no idea what's going on behind closed doors.

lolol

well you got the "little" part right...remember 2 vienna sausages, "Anaconda"


- OilHorse

Yep, rescuing him from the team that's a game away from a Stanley Cup to come to a lottery team. Boy did we do him a favor.
- mochoson

He was the one that wanted to leave...doubt that LA would have gotten as as far with him there eatting up 6mil in cap space.

Yep, rescuing him from the team that's a game away from a Stanley Cup to come to a lottery team. Boy did we do him a favor.
- mochoson

Yeah, poor $myth... It's not like he requested to come to Edmonton or anything. I feel so bad about kidnapping him from LA.

He was the one that wanted to leave...doubt that LA would have gotten as as far with him there eatting up 6mil in cap space.
- OilHorse

That remains to be seen, but you kind of missed the general point.

- laughs2907

don't worry Laughs...as long as you get yours it don't matter if you big or small

Yeah, poor $myth... It's not like he requested to come to Edmonton or anything. I feel so bad about kidnapping him from LA.
- laughs2907

For a team that has trouble signing free agents, it's certainly not how we should be treating players that WANT to be here; players that played hard here for a very long time and didn't want to have to be traded back to the team in the first place since they at no point ever wanted to leave.

That remains to be seen, but you kind of missed the general point.
- mochoson

What remains to be seen, that he asked to come here...he asked to get out of LA...kinda well known fact...

But if I missed something you were not clear, so dumb it down for me

So it's all Tambs fault?

How do you know management hasn't been working hard? You only know what the media tells you. We have no idea what's going on behind closed doors.
- laughs2907

I didn't say he wasn't working hard. He better be working hard going into the draft.

I just don't like how lackadaisical they have been. There is stuff that should have been done by now if it was going to be done at all.

For a team that has trouble signing free agents, it's certainly not how we should be treating players that WANT to be here; players that played hard here for a very long time and didn't want to have to be traded back to the team in the first place since they at no point ever wanted to leave.
- mochoson

Typically those players accept less than they're worth... Not more.

But yeah, you're right... Let's just start overpaying as a way to attract guys. That'll make us nice and competitive in the long run.

Typically those players accept less than they're worth... Not more.

But yeah, you're right... Let's just start overpaying as a way to attract guys. That'll make us nice and competitive in the long run.
- laughs2907

Every team has to overpay slightly here and there to keep players.

2.5 million for Smyth isn't an overpayment. It's not even close.

don't worry Laughs...as long as you get yours it don't matter if you big or small
- OilHorse

This true. I may never get a second meeting, but who wants that anyway?

For a team that has trouble signing free agents, it's certainly not how we should be treating players that WANT to be here; players that played hard here for a very long time and didn't want to have to be traded back to the team in the first place since they at no point ever wanted to leave.
- mochoson

I do not blame the team totally on the whole Smyth left thing...that worked both ways...he wanted more money from a team with a self imposed spending limit.

What remains to be seen, that he asked to come here...he asked to get out of LA...kinda well known fact...

But if I missed something you were not clear, so dumb it down for me
- OilHorse

My point is if the Oilers said no, and he stuck with LA, he's still on a pretty competitve team and had a shot at the cup this year. Unless he pulls a Thomas and just didn't play at all, he was stuck in LA.

No player is going to complain about getting a shot at a cup.

I do not blame the team totally on the whole Smyth left thing...that worked both ways...he wanted more money from a team with a self imposed spending limit.
- OilHorse

Just trying to put it into perspective is all.

If the guy's asking for the last two years of his career at 2.5, I just don't see the need to bicker over 500k. He wants to be here. He's been apart of this franchise forever. Idk, I guess it sounds silly to just me.

It'd be different if his demands were ridiculous, but he started off at a pretty reasonable number.

Every team has to overpay slightly here and there to keep players.

2.5 million for Smyth isn't an overpayment. It's not even close.
- mochoson

And according to Oiler sources he was offered something that was about 2.25 mil and has countered with 1mil more.

Enough games. If he came back with a counter of 2.5 the team would have signed him. Instead he wants to negotiate after the team did him a "good one" and traded for him in the first place.

For a team that has trouble signing free agents, it's certainly not how we should be treating players that WANT to be here; players that played hard here for a very long time and didn't want to have to be traded back to the team in the first place since they at no point ever wanted to leave.
- mochoson

Its the term that matters...

I dont think overpaying guys cause they 'want' to be here is the answer. Hasnt worked for us thus far...

If he truly wants to be here, you'd think he'd at most just ask for comparable money to peers of his stature...not more.
If he doesnt give a fuk about possibly handcuffing us financially at a later date, why should we give a fuk about treating him better than he deserves?

I dont mind overpaying abit for him, but only for 2 years, or he can walk

My point is if the Oilers said no, and he stuck with LA, he's still on a pretty competitve team and had a shot at the cup this year. Unless he pulls a Thomas and just didn't play at all, he was stuck in LA.

No player is going to complain about getting a shot at a cup.
- mochoson

Fact is the team did not say no...Fact is that Smyth was the one that wanted to leave. It was not Edm that courted him to go to Edm, it was the other way around.

The whole situation was driven by Smyth.

And according to Oiler sources he was offered something that was about 2.25 mil and has countered with 1mil more.

Enough games. If he came back with a counter of 2.5 the team would have signed him. Instead he wants to negotiate after the team did him a "good one" and traded for him in the first place.
- OilHorse

I had not heard that.

I don't think 3.25 mil is all that ridiculous, but this is where it gets confusing to me.

If Smyth truly wants to be here, which is the impression I am making this argument under, then a deal should have been done by now.

If the Oilers have been fair to him and he is making this more about money, then that's a different story. If he keeps upping his price to try and squeeze every penny out of him, that's a little bit ridiculous.

(frank) Smyth. If he wants to be greedy again I say we try to sign Penner again

Just trying to put it into perspective is all.

If the guy's asking for the last two years of his career at 2.5, I just don't see the need to bicker over 500k. He wants to be here. He's been apart of this franchise forever. Idk, I guess it sounds silly to just me.

It'd be different if his demands were ridiculous, but he started off at a pretty reasonable number.
- mochoson

Thing is he was offered about 2.5. He wants more. The whole bicker thing is happening because Smyth wants MOAR...

I had not heard that.

I don't think 3.25 mil is all that ridiculous, but this is where it gets confusing to me.

If Smyth truly wants to be here, which is the impression I am making this argument under, then a deal should have been done by now.

If the Oilers have been fair to him and he is making this more about money, then that's a different story. If he keeps upping his price to try and squeeze every penny out of him, that's a little bit ridiculous.
- mochoson

Considering where he would be in the lineup, that is ridiculous.

Thing is he was offered about 2.5. He wants more. The whole bicker thing is happening because Smyth wants MOAR...
- OilHorse

I hope that isn't true. It amazes me how greedy professional athletes are nowadays. My god.