Andrew Ference does candid interview for 31 Thoughts podcast on state of Oilers.

[CorgisPer60]

As transcribed by Chris Nichols on Twitter.



Ference shares candid perspectives on Oilers


There's an incredible bit of content in there regarding team culture, and how that translates into their status as a team. Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek hit a gold mine here.

Click to read more...

 

[Pilky01]

Sounds insane to be pulling that kind of elementary school shit when you're trying to earn a multi-million dollar paycheque.

Any guesses as to who the players were/are?

 

[backhandsauce]

Hall Whitney Eberle

 

[backhandsauce]

Whitney even talks about partying when he was with the Oilers on Spittin Chiclets.

 

[A4T1L6]

Explains alot, embarrassing for the hockey world.

 

[snipes]

What players are even left from when he was there?

 

[gumgum]

Probably stuff that happens with other teams also that just comes to light or seems much more harmful than it is in reality when your team's so bad

 

[dem]

Whitney wasnt there at the time Ference was... but he definitely influenced Hall and Eberle.

And yes.. this is definitely about Hall and Eberle.

 

[voxel]

"group of players that talked about how they wanted to make the playoffs and talked about how sick they were of losing; and then by Game 3, after losing 6-1, they’re straight out to the bar until 3 in the morning lighting up the nightlife scene in Edmonton. Like, come on - give me a break. It was to the point where it was ridiculous. The lifestyle was way more important than playing the game and making the playoffs. But like I said, talk is cheap. "

Probably Hall, Eberle, Schultz, etc. The party folk are gone. Yak doesn't drink as I recall so it wasn't him.

 

[Zenos]

Sounds insane to be pulling that kind of elementary school **** when you're trying to earn a multi-million dollar paycheque.

Any guesses as to who the players were/are?

Without singling out one player, Ferrence mentions "young guys", "partying", "better players on the team" and "toe drags". I'd say that pretty much narrows it down to Eberle, Hall, RNH, Gagner, and perhaps even Perron and Hemsky.
Given what's transpired since then, and all the other media reports, rumours, and heresay out there, I think it's pretty obvious who he's really talking about.

 

[voxel]

What players are even left from when he was there?

Nuge? He's not a party type I don't think. Management flushed out the problem children.

 

[voxel]

Without singling out one player, Ferrence mentions "young guys", "partying", "better players on the team" and "toe drags". I'd say that pretty much narrows it down to Eberle, Hall, RNH, Gagner, and perhaps even Perron and Hemsky.
Given what's transpired since then, and all the other media reports, rumours, and heresay out there, I think it's pretty obvious who he's really talking about.

Doubt Nuge or Gagner but who knows - I don't live there (and not for a while). Not sure about Perron/Hemsky. Maybe Gazdic? Who did Hall and Eberle hang around with?

 

[DownGoesMcDavid]

Nuge? He's not a party type I don't think. Management flushed out the problem children.

Then brought in church boy Zack Kassian

 

[voxel]

Then brought in church boy Zack Kassian

He's been clean since he joined the Oilers. But yes he was an issue previously.

 

[RalphKing]

Is anyone actually surprised by this? I'm glad Ference said it so bluntly.

 

[Chain Attack]

It sounds like he’s talking about Hall with the toe-drag comment. This would have been more interesting 3 years ago.

 

[Zenos]

Doubt Nuge or Gagner but who knows - I don't live there (and not for a while). Not sure about Perron/Hemsky. Maybe Gazdic? Who did Hall and Eberle hang around with?

Just to be clear, I wasn't offering any personal opinion or suggestions there - Just narrowing down the field based on Ferrence's comments.

Despite drafting two other top-notch centres in Draisaitl and McDavid, I think it's pretty telling that RNH is the only remaining Oiler out of the original 3 "wonder boys" (Hall and Eberle being the other two)...

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Nuge? He's not a party type I don't think. Management flushed out the problem children.

Sure works out

 

[Mez]

Sounds like hes talking about Hall....guy was an ass. He was known to be at clubs a lot and was a jerk to people.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I wonder how much eberle and Hall have taken this behavior to their new teams...

 

[Unlimited Chequing]

Without singling out one player, Ferrence mentions "young guys", "partying", "better players on the team" and "toe drags". I'd say that pretty much narrows it down to Eberle, Hall, RNH, Gagner, and perhaps even Perron and Hemsky.

Eh... I don't think you can include Perron on that list. Didn't he call out the team to the media about their lackluster effort and compliance to losing and was traded not long after?

 

[Paralyzer]

Great. Another Oilers/Edmonton bashing thread. Like we need another one

 

[ManofSteel55]

Is anyone actually surprised by this? I'm glad Ference said it so bluntly.

Nobody should be surprised about it. It's been talked about before. Fans knew the players then were more concerned with partying, that's why so many weren't too sad to see Hall go (just sad to lose the trade in value). I've said for years that we have an unnecessary whipping boy every year. I can remember it all the way back to Cory Cross (who sucked, but wasn't nearly as bad as fans thought). Before that I was young enough that I watched the games, but didn't really worry too much about what was going on in the paper or wherever.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Eh... I don't think you can include Perron on that list. Didn't he call out the team to the media about their lackluster effort and compliance to losing and was traded not long after?

Agreed, and Hemsky was gone by the time Ference arrived, so he shouldn't be in the list either. I'm pretty certain that he is talking about Hall, Eberle and their clique of party boys.

 

[Zenos]

Agreed, and Hemsky was gone by the time Ference arrived, so he shouldn't be in the list either. I'm pretty certain that he is talking about Hall, Eberle and their clique of party boys.

To repeat: I wasn't offering any personal opinion or suggestions there - Just narrowing down the field based on Ferrence's comments.

I think we all know who's really being talked about here.

Ps. Hemsky was still with the team under Eakins / Ferrence.