Does Katz Care About The Oilers? Or Does Katz Care Only About The Money?

[tsnTpoint]

I'm saying they would consider signing with us a last resort. What don't you understand about that?

They would definitely sign with us if we offered 500k more than the other teams.

It's a one year contract, not a 7 year commitment. Players signing these one year contracts are looking to get their game/value back on track so they can hopefully land something longer term. There is no way you can tell me that in the summer of 2017 someone like Thomas Vanek signs in Vancouver on a 1 year over Edmonton.

It's not like we didn't have the cap space...

 

[McShogun99]

They would definitely sign with us if we offered 500k more than the other teams.

It's a one year contract, not a 7 year commitment. Players signing these one year contracts are looking to get their game/value back on track so they can hopefully land something longer term. There is no way you can tell me that in the summer of 2017 someone like Thomas Vanek signs in Vancouver on a 1 year over Edmonton.

It's not like we didn't have the cap space...

Exactly, there was all type of depth players available as UFA's that were willing to sign 1 year deals. We were also coming off a season in which we were 1 goal away from the Conference final and had the league MVP on the team. We were a team trending upwards. Many players would sign a 1 year deal based on that. Instead Chia decided to place bets on JP, Caggiula, Slepyshev, Khaira, Benning, Brossoit to take the next step forward. That's to many sophomores to bank on. Then you add the subtraction of a top 6 winger, top PKer, veteran bottom six center and an injured top 4 D and you become a bottom feeder. Instead Chia decided to stock our AHL team with castoffs.

 

[MoneyGuy]

Katz is proof fans shouldn't runs sports teams.

 

[Zerotonine]

You guys do realize teams make the most money in the playoffs right? Players don't get paid for playoffs and the buildings are completely sold out . It's pretty much 100 percent profit during playoffs.

So ask your self again if Katz cares more about winning or money cuz one doesn't come with out the other....

 

[oobga]

It's only a matter of time until his kid with the fro is our GM.

Might be a good thing. I hope all the other wealthy kids he goes to school with in BC are teasing him about the OIlers every day helping him build up a nice grudge. He can come in and actually run this team for real.

 

[I am the Liquor]

They would definitely sign with us if we offered 500k more than the other teams.

It's a one year contract, not a 7 year commitment. Players signing these one year contracts are looking to get their game/value back on track so they can hopefully land something longer term. There is no way you can tell me that in the summer of 2017 someone like Thomas Vanek signs in Vancouver on a 1 year over Edmonton.

It's not like we didn't have the cap space...

If given a choice I pick Vancouver too. Most anyone would. Much nicer city, more international city, and much much warmer in winter. These things matter to players and more importantly, their wives. You guys act like its so easy, hey just sign these three or four guys to crappy one year deals in Siberia and profit. This is real life, not a video game.

 

[nexttothemoon]

I legit do believe Katz does care about the Oilers.

I think he legit dreamed of and wants them to be the 80's dynasty 2.0 but finding out that's much, much, much more difficult in the cap era without a stacked team of Gretzky/Kurri/Coffey/Anderson/Messier/Fuhr/Moog types.

I think there's too many cooks in the kitchen feeding Katz too many false stories about how to get the Oilers back to that dynastic level again when that was never really truly even possible.

Stop suckling on the teet of past dynastic fantasies and let the 80's go.

Get back into reality and realize it's 2018 and realize this team needs to be more like Vegas... a team with ZERO connection to ANY past successes to daydream about and no decades old dynasty period to fondly remember.

 

[Porkleaker]

You guys do realize teams make the most money in the playoffs right? Players don't get paid for playoffs and the buildings are completely sold out . It's pretty much 100 percent profit during playoffs.

So ask your self again if Katz cares more about winning or money cuz one doesn't come with out the other....

Well then he doesn't care about money or the team because if things don't change drastically, they're not making the playoffs next year either or the year after that or the year after that. Well, another decade.

 

[Zerotonine]

Well then he doesn't care about money or the team because if things don't change drastically, they're not making the playoffs next year either or the year after that or the year after that. Well, another decade.

I'd rather wait atleast until the draft and of course July 1st to assume this my self .but your right nothing looks promising

 

[Sugi21]

You guys do realize teams make the most money in the playoffs right? Players don't get paid for playoffs and the buildings are completely sold out . It's pretty much 100 percent profit during playoffs.

So ask your self again if Katz cares more about winning or money cuz one doesn't come with out the other....

But.... you do realize winning teams or teams who make the most money subsidize the squandering teams so profits are shared especially during the playoffs maybe Katz hates sharing? Lol

 

[XXIV97]

Katz does want the team to be successful, but he has surrounded himself with idiots. And the idiots are his childhood heroes so he won't fire them.

 

[fuswald]

Katz does want the team to be successful, but he has surrounded himself with idiots. And the idiots are his childhood heroes so he won't fire them.

Don't think they are close to being idiots. Not successful at getting a top tier team together for sure (too many cooks) and may not suit the job they have been given.

I think much of the problem is hockey players may know what kind of team they want but suck at business. Business people suck at hockey. Getting the correct combination is very difficult and Katz is swayed by jocks. We still are missing the business mind. Some would say Katz is that but his empire was built on an easy to sell product (at the time) so only needed to be ok and a bit ruthless. Chiarelli is better at the hockey side (not great for sure) but poor at business. OBC makes it difficult for him. Needs to please too many bosses as well as the scrutiny of Edmonton media and fans.

Katz wants to win desperately and wants to make more money as well. He is in a very difficult place. (I don't feel sorry for him he's got money to stay happy)

 

[Sugi21]

Money? but even then I have no idea

If he cared about the Oilers they wouldn’t be in the state that they have been in since he bought the team. To him the teams just his billionaire play toy/country club/collectors item/status symbol he can talk about with his other billionaire friends

If he cared about money, he would do whatever he could to improve the team to make that sweet playoff money, but maybe he doesn’t care about making money from the team since he’s already so filthy rich.

I just know I don’t like the guy

Also if he respected his fans and cared he'd show his face once in a while!!! As the owner he should face the music like his coach and GM and not just send out a letter!!!!

 

[GMofOilers]

MacT would be still GM and Buchberger would be coach if he didn’t care about results.

 

[fuswald]

Also if he respected his fans and cared he'd show his face once in a while!!! As the owner he should face the music like his coach and GM and not just send out a letter!!!!

No he shouldn't he pays employees to do that. Besides he has done his part mostly. New arena and tons of money to mess with.

 

[Sugi21]

Accountability starts at the top and that's Katz but I guess it's a good thing he doesn't show that hideous face of his

 

[XXIV97]

Don't think they are close to being idiots. Not successful at getting a top tier team together for sure (too many cooks) and may not suit the job they have been given.

I think much of the problem is hockey players may know what kind of team they want but suck at business. Business people suck at hockey. Getting the correct combination is very difficult and Katz is swayed by jocks. We still are missing the business mind. Some would say Katz is that but his empire was built on an easy to sell product (at the time) so only needed to be ok and a bit ruthless. Chiarelli is better at the hockey side (not great for sure) but poor at business. OBC makes it difficult for him. Needs to please too many bosses as well as the scrutiny of Edmonton media and fans.

Katz wants to win desperately and wants to make more money as well. He is in a very difficult place. (I don't feel sorry for him he's got money to stay happy)

Yeah, Kevin Lowe and Craig Mactavish were very good hockey players during their career. If Kevin Lowe was assistant GM behind a successful GM like Lamoriello, I think he could have been a pretty decent GM today. The Oilers needed a GM like Lamoriello a couple of years ago, who could have helped train one of our AGM to become a GM after he retires.

 

[MoneyGuy]

I have no doubt Katz cares. The fact that he's clueless about running the team doesn't prove otherwise.