The 8 Year-drought and counting...which season has been the worst? (and rank them)

[Alberta]

For me it's pretty easy...this year

Massive expectations and the team was basically out of it by Halloween...it was a combination of:
-horrible goaltending by Dubby and Labarbara
-arrogant coaching by Eakins (swarm defense?)
-not enough commitment to the all-around game
-team checked out early mentally and physically
-fans becoming irate to the point of jerseys thrown on ice

Rankings:
1. 2013-14 Massive expectations, major failure...season over by Halloween
2. 2009-10: Pat Quinn disaster...fall for Hall
3. 2006-07: Smyth trade...losing 18 of 19 games afterwards
4. 2010-11: Last place again...getting RNH
5. 2011-12: Fail for Nail...Cam Barker era
6. 2012-13: Shortened season...Wreck-It Ralph era...choked down the stretch
7. 2008-09: Almost a playoff team...blew it with 10 games remaining...POS era with MacT era coming to an end
8. 2007-08: Huge March push with Gagner, Cogs and Nilsson as stars...shootout kings, 2 point out of a playoff spot

I'd have to say I 100% agree with this.

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

I like your rankings. I'll go with this. other years were bad, but this year was the first time i almost gave up on being a hockey fan. I actually tried to do other things on Saturday nights; chose UFC over HNIC most times. I am not looking forward to the playoffs; I pretty much couldn't care less. I'm not sure if I will ever recover from this season. I am definitely permanently damaged and will most likely never have the passion for the Oilers and NHL hockey that I had before this year. Even if they end up being good, I'm not sure I will recover completely. I know that if Kevin Lowe is still part of this organization if and when they are good, it will taint it for me. I will never respect this organization as long as he is part of it.

they would have to win at least 2 cups to make up for it, maybe even 3. One cup would nice, but won't make up for 9 or 10 years out of the playoffs, this horribly executed rebuild and absolutely pathetic management.

the only good thing is I descovered lacrosse and the Edmonton Rush. Got into March Madness more than ever before, as well. Give me anything to latch on to and care about other than the Oilers and NHL. If I could replace the NHL with a new passion, I would in a heartbeat, but its easier said than done.

I was a die-hard fan... that died hard. just a casual, tier 4 fan, now, that enjoys these board.

Excellent post. Word for word about how I feel. Not only have the Oilers made me apathetic towards the team but I have a tough time enjoying any sort of hockey these days because it reminds me just how horrid the Oilers as a team are and how incompetently the organization is managed.

I am still an Oilers fan but if you had told me three, four, five years ago they'd be lower on the sports totem pole than the Denver Broncos, Tiger Woods and other various golfers, Federer, Williams, Genie and other various tennis players, Formula One etc. I'd have thought you crazy. The passion and fanaticism once reserved mostly for the Oilers has been waning for a few years but this year destroyed most of what was left of it and now I put all that energy and enthusiasm into cheering for other franchises and athletes that I've long been a fan of. I find it impossible to be optimistic and/or cheer for a franchise that looks like they're perpetually taking one step forward and two steps back. That light at the end of the tunnel simply isn't there. It's like being stuck in some sort of ****ed up hellish purgatory where you're given reason to get your hopes up, you buy into the hype and the nightmarish reality sets in almost immediately thereafter. It's depressing that there is simply no sign of improvement; not even the slightest hint.

Perhaps the saddest aspect of this mess is that it's turned Oilers fans against each other and has irrevocably divided this fan base.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Perhaps the saddest aspect of this mess is that it's turned Oilers fans against each other and has irrevocably divided this fan base.

You don't think we all love, adore and worship each other as much as we always did?