HoweHullOrr
Registered User
- Oct 3, 2013
- 11,651
- 2,241
1. Well, considering you were wondering why people were making the "assumption" in the first place, I feel the entirety of my response was correct/significant enough.
2. You're following up your critique of my answer with a bunch of what-ifs, though, which was exactly my point in the first place - The Oilers haven't done anything to warrant a change in peoples' expectations.
3. You talk about our past 10 years as if they're at all comparable, when the only similarity is that both teams were mismanaged for a while. The Leafs corrected this 4 years ago, but we still had to prove ourselves - even after drafting Matthews - before anyone actually took us seriously. The Leafs had a top-5 pick in 2008, yes, but they weren't doing the long-term draft-and-develop process that the Oilers have been mired in for the last decade, and Schenn and Kadri, as 5th- and 7th-overall picks, respectively, shouldn't have had the same expectations of turning around a sinking franchise that multiple 1st-overall picks in consecutive years should have.
We went in a different direction, failed, and then corrected. The Oilers have just been a steady cluster**** for 10 straight years.
Could the Oilers suddenly turn it around? Sure, they definitely have some pretty fantastic pieces on their squad. But if you're going to ask why people assume they'll suck, the obvious answer is because they haven't given anyone any reason to believe they won't suck. We could at least point to new management, new philosophies, and new talent as reasons why we would quickly reverse our fortunes - What are the Oilers pointing to, other than McDavid and Draisaitl?
I've numbered some of your sentences/paragraphs for organizational purposes. My responses will be in-line with your points and the numbered items.
1. I was trying to be polite, so phrased it as "wondering". I guess being polite is the downfall here. But, I really wasn't wondering at all.
2. * Two years ago the Oilers were in the playoffs and went to the 2nd round. So your statement about my use of "what- ifs" is erroneous. I merely supplemented (i.e. an additional point) this fact (*) with the idea that if they made the playoffs this year, that would be playoff appearances in 2 of the last 3 years. For some people, that would end the debate. I suspect that won't end it for some here though.
3. We have drafted quantity eight (8) top eight overall picks since 2008. And our record of futility goes further back than the Oilers. We have been bad since the first CBA up until 2 years ago. If people can make themselves feel better by saying we are a little better than the Oilers, then OK. In my mind our accomplishments are not strong enough and there's too much similarity for us to be making this is a point of accomplishment or pride.
Other relevant general points:
a. Defining when a rebuild starts is an user definable parameter. Its a rather arbitrary process and is typically used here (HF) to support an agenda/narrative. Chicago for example still had big contributions from players like Keith, Seabrook and Crawford who were drafted years before they drafted Kane and Toews. Kadri, Reilly, etc. are our equivalents in this regard. We like the vast majority of the teams are the same in this regard.
b. I would think it would behoove us to wait until we've had some actual, real playoff success before we knock others & talk smack. Even then, I won't be denigrating other teams or their fans because I can't see what is to be gained by such behaviour.
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