Interesting insight from Andrew Ference (31 Thoughts: The Podcast)

[RegDunlop]

I dont think he was a good captain, and its hard to say if Eakins is any good as a coach(I kinda doubt it).

But if the players arent attempting to row in the same direction youll never know one way or the other.

And I had to watch that, and it was easy to see that the team wasnt on the same page.

I'm not disagreeing.
My take is that I saw Andrew Ferrence as a huge part of that problem. As big as the dome if the stuff he talks about.
In fact I see him and Eakins here as a far greater problem than Hall and friends doing what 20 year olds do.

 

[RegDunlop]

There have been players arrested for violence, drunk driving, and all sorts of other things. Look no further than our front office.

If making fun of other players for working hard is the worst thing Hall has done... Good grief, we can't be that sensitive, can we? Yes it's a dick move. Other players have done worse things.

Remember when Ference flipped off the Montreal crowd for the entire hockey world to see?

And if he did in fact do those things, at 19/20 years old, is he not afforded the same courtesy to be allowed to make mistakes? He did mature. Too bad it couldn't be here.

All these great knowledgable fans give Pulji all the rope in the world saying what? HE'S ONLY 20!!

 

[belair]

This argument is getting ridiculous to me.
Tinfoil hat stuff? I can assure you that every single interview in that recorded podcast was scripted and rehearsed. Not all the answers but the topics to be brought up, discussed, when to move on, and what is allowed to be asked by one party, and what expectation of the response will be. Absolutely the farthest thing from an honest answer to an innocent question. About as legitimate as calling it tinhat.

What the hell should or could Andrew Ferrence be pissed about all these years later? He was paid very well, gifted the C before an inch of his skate blade touched the ice here, and had a great set up with the coach. His failing as a player is in him. What he said may be true but who cares? Personally if people really think about what he said, they'd realize it couldn't happen the way he said it panned out.
And as for Lucic - you have got to be kidding. 2 goals, and absolutely zero interest or enthusiasm for over half a season. Same thing as what? Running him out if town like others? Absolutely not. But in reality he should have been. This fan base realizes what he has been through personally in the last couple of years. The fact that he is an honest, hard working player who is transitioning himself to be beneficial to the team in other capacities that he sas used to, is adhering him to the fans. Of course he hears it when the performance is substandard. So does everyone else (see Draisaitl, Leon!). Also, finishing off about Lucic, he actually came here and had a great season. What the hell did Ferrence ever do? He got a crap treatment because he deserved a crap treatment.

Last, I dont see posters falling all over to shield Hall et al. They absolutely were spoiled brats as you say. Posters are pissed that this assclown comes out years later and disclosing this s**t.

The tinfoil hat stuff is in response to there being some ulterior motive to this line of questioning.

Andrew Ference is after all a former professional hockey player who only gets one shot at a career. You don't think he looks back at those years with disappointment? With anger? With questions as to what went wrong? I thought he was pretty accurate when he mentioned the stuff about Edmonton always finding its scapegoats. There's guilt all around in that era, but it's fair to say everybody there got a bad deal in one way or another--with the exception of this guy...

The interview was career-spanning, so I don't think that Ference was going to carefully lift that era of it from the story. He was an Edmonton-native who got the opportunity to lead his hometown team prior to retirement. I'm not sure about you, but if I'm tuned into a podcast talking hockey history, I wanna hear about the train-wrecks. I want to know what the hell happened.

 

[RegDunlop]

The tinfoil hat stuff is in response to there being some ulterior motive to this line of questioning.

Andrew Ference is after all a former professional hockey player who only gets one shot at a career. You don't think he looks back at those years with disappointment? With anger? With questions as to what went wrong? I thought he was pretty accurate when he mentioned the stuff about Edmonton always finding its scapegoats. There's guilt all around in that era, but it's fair to say everybody there got a bad deal in one way or another--with the exception of this guy...

The interview was career-spanning, so I don't think that Ference was going to carefully lift that era of it from the story. He was an Edmonton-native who got the opportunity to lead his hometown team prior to retirement. I'm not sure about you, but if I'm tuned into a podcast talking hockey history, I wanna hear about the train-wrecks. I want to know what the hell happened.

I agree with your last statement. I'd love to know more about all of not just our incompetent org, but all!

I'm not sure I agree with the narrative of him being pissed off the last few years. Of course disappointed. I'm sure he would have loved to lead his hometown team to glory, I wont take that from him. And as I'm sure you can tell, I was never his biggest fan but I didnt exactly not like what he could bring to the team, if he was here about 6-8 years prior to when he came.

I just dont buy all he's selling. No way in my hockey world experience would that have been continued to be allowed and accepted. I'm not disputing single acts at times were as he said, but to portray it like it was everyday occurance that this went on is something I can't get my head around.
Everyone here is up in arms, arguing that what he says is true, or that Hall and Ebs and friends were garbage teammates etc.
My point is that we all thought and assumed thus anyway. And why should I take Andrew Ferrence at his word when I think his presence here was a major part of the whole problem.

And actually I do think there is ulterior motives to this. Not conspiracy like some suggest, but definitely an agenda. They all knew what was on the menu before the tapes were recording. Why?

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

Why is friedman trying to throw shade anyway?

 

[HumbleEgomaniac]

Perfectly fine.
But for what reason should I 'ignore it and move on'? What cant I handle?!


I dont have any proof of there being no direction. I just saw it. Pretty hard to direct when you cant even make the line up.

And let's all just pretend Andrew Ferrance was asked a legitimate question by his good friend Jeff Merek, about his time here, as well as about thier other buddy Eakins, then answered so honestly as hes a fantastic guy.
Go ahead and believe that s**t. I prefer in living in reality, knowing 31 thoughts is never a live Q and A hit, and not scripted.

And if you cant handle my opinion you can certainly move on as well.

Dude, I don't even know what you are trying to say anymore. But feel free to continue being angry about whatever you need to be angry about.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

At least we know that Ference was a failure off and on the ice. Good to know.

 

[RegDunlop]

Dude, I don't even know what you are trying to say anymore. But feel free to continue being angry about whatever you need to be angry about.

!!
I am too engaged in this - you're right! I'll back off!

 

[MaxR11]

No.
Not my point at all. I'm sure a lot of what he said was true.
But IMO there's no way it could possibly be as he described.
I just replied to another post about why I think this. I'll find it and quote for you if you'd like.

sure give me the quote.
anyways, it wouldn't surprise me if the picture ference painted may (or may not) have been slightly more hyped up than actuality. but i think at the very least the main point he conveys holds true. based on all the things that have come out and things i've heard it's way more likely that hall and co were a significantly bigger problem than ference or eakins was.

if ference was kinda out to lunch you don't have dreger basically complying and coming out and saying a few players are the cause of the sagging culture on the oilers and if you want to put a face on it it's Taylor Hall. you don't have klefbom, scrivens, belanger, kass etc saying the things they said after the hall trade. there's other articles that had spoke on hall that interviewed nhl execs and coaches and they also had similar things to say about hall by watching and having their teams play against him. i've heard reasons why hall did not make team canada olympics that had more to do with attitude.

my point is the facts against hall is fairly overwhelming.

 

[McShogun99]

Why is friedman trying to throw shade anyway?

Probably because all members of the media are POS that only want to further their career, even when it makes others look bad.

 

[TB12]

Probably because all members of the media are POS that only want to further their career, even when it makes others look bad.

MASSIVE tangent here...but I find it hilarious how quick they are to say bad things about players or criticize errors. Yet when one of the media does that they are so quick to band together and protect them.
ie. when Friedman made that massive error calling swimming in the Olympics in Rio, the media was so quick to defend him and call out people on social media for “bullying”. Yet, you listen to their shows and if a player is struggling or makes an error, they absolutely BURY the guy.

Sorry.

/end rant

 

[Jumptheshark]

I am just amused by how much of an argument this is causing. Leading up to the McDavid draft some people like myself made statements that there was a problem in the dressing room. Many on this board called us out for it saying we knew nothing. We now have evidence that there was and now the same people are finding it easier to blame Ference then anyone else.

I posted earlier a comment from Nuge here it is again

“For us, in our room, we don’t really care what (Ference) said,” said Nugent-Hopkins. “We’re a new culture, we’re a new team in here. We’ve grown over the years like all young teams and young people do.”

They have a new culture on the team and to get that culture players got moved out

there are nearly no players left from the last year Ference played a full season in the NHL and his comments reflect why.

Now this has turned into the Pro-Hall people blaming everyone and anyone and refusing that Hall may have had something to do with the creations of the culture of the team dressing room.

IS Hall a bad player? no. Is he a bad guy? Never met him, don't know. But I have met a few former oilers who now play here in Europe that are not members of his fan club and think even less of the organisation.

We are arguing amongst ourselves over a period of time that we all agree was a bad time for the oilers and fans of the team. A lot of stuff just did not work and there were a lot of failures for everyone involved

a player has now gone on record that there was a problem in the room and people are pissed because it can be viewed that certain players may have been involved and it is a player some have on a high peddle stool.

lets move on

 

[MaxR11]

I am just amused by how much of an argument this is causing. Leading up to the McDavid draft some people like myself made statements that there was a problem in the dressing room. Many on this board called us out for it saying we knew nothing. We now have evidence that there was and now the same people are finding it easier to blame Ference then anyone else.

I posted earlier a comment from Nuge here it is again



They have a new culture on the team and to get that culture players got moved out

there are nearly no players left from the last year Ference played a full season in the NHL and his comments reflect why.

Now this has turned into the Pro-Hall people blaming everyone and anyone and refusing that Hall may have had something to do with the creations of the culture of the team dressing room.

IS Hall a bad player? no. Is he a bad guy? Never met him, don't know. But I have met a few former oilers who now play here in Europe that are not members of his fan club and think even less of the organisation.

We are arguing amongst ourselves over a period of time that we all agree was a bad time for the oilers and fans of the team. A lot of stuff just did not work and there were a lot of failures for everyone involved

a player has now gone on record that there was a problem in the room and people are pissed because it can be viewed that certain players may have been involved and it is a player some have on a high peddle stool.

lets move on

excellent post. people keep saying the trades were to bring in better defensemen or whatnot etc but i think the exodous of the old regime was way moreso to change the culture of the team.

 

[bone]

I am just amused by how much of an argument this is causing. Leading up to the McDavid draft some people like myself made statements that there was a problem in the dressing room. Many on this board called us out for it saying we knew nothing. We now have evidence that there was and now the same people are finding it easier to blame Ference then anyone else.

I posted earlier a comment from Nuge here it is again



They have a new culture on the team and to get that culture players got moved out

there are nearly no players left from the last year Ference played a full season in the NHL and his comments reflect why.

Now this has turned into the Pro-Hall people blaming everyone and anyone and refusing that Hall may have had something to do with the creations of the culture of the team dressing room.

IS Hall a bad player? no. Is he a bad guy? Never met him, don't know. But I have met a few former oilers who now play here in Europe that are not members of his fan club and think even less of the organisation.

We are arguing amongst ourselves over a period of time that we all agree was a bad time for the oilers and fans of the team. A lot of stuff just did not work and there were a lot of failures for everyone involved

a player has now gone on record that there was a problem in the room and people are pissed because it can be viewed that certain players may have been involved and it is a player some have on a high peddle stool.

lets move on

Nice. An IT Crowd reference.

 

[BudBundy]

sure give me the quote.
anyways, it wouldn't surprise me if the picture ference painted may (or may not) have been slightly more hyped up than actuality. but i think at the very least the main point he conveys holds true. based on all the things that have come out and things i've heard it's way more likely that hall and co were a significantly bigger problem than ference or eakins was.

if ference was kinda out to lunch you don't have dreger basically complying and coming out and saying a few players are the cause of the sagging culture on the oilers and if you want to put a face on it it's Taylor Hall. you don't have klefbom, scrivens, belanger, kass etc saying the things they said after the hall trade. there's other articles that had spoke on hall that interviewed nhl execs and coaches and they also had similar things to say about hall by watching and having their teams play against him. i've heard reasons why hall did not make team canada olympics that had more to do with attitude.

my point is the facts against hall is fairly overwhelming.

So Nuge is lying when he says it’s exaggerated?

 

[McFlash97]

Why is friedman trying to throw shade anyway?

Friedman is such a closet homer.


The other day on Tim and Sid.

"you better not offer sheet any Leaf because Toronto is the financial kingpin of the NHL, and sooner or later the Leafs will get you ! "


hey goof......Its a cap world, All teams can only spend to the cap, this is not a free for all.

 

[gordonhught]

So Nuge is lying when he says it’s exaggerated?

Plausible deniability.

 

[Yablo21]

KILL THIS THREAD...pls...

 

[BudBundy]

KILL THIS THREAD...pls...

Honestly ya. Lock it up. Nobody is ever going to convince me that Hall shouldn’t still be here and couldn’t be the dominant player he’s become here (and that Chia is an idiot who got rooked). Nobody who believes Hall was an irredeemable cancer who was responsible for the Oilers losing is going to change their minds either.

 

[HockeyGuy1964]

KILL THIS THREAD...pls...

 

[RegDunlop]

sure give me the quote.
anyways, it wouldn't surprise me if the picture ference painted may (or may not) have been slightly more hyped up than actuality. but i think at the very least the main point he conveys holds true. based on all the things that have come out and things i've heard it's way more likely that hall and co were a significantly bigger problem than ference or eakins was.

if ference was kinda out to lunch you don't have dreger basically complying and coming out and saying a few players are the cause of the sagging culture on the oilers and if you want to put a face on it it's Taylor Hall. you don't have klefbom, scrivens, belanger, kass etc saying the things they said after the hall trade. there's other articles that had spoke on hall that interviewed nhl execs and coaches and they also had similar things to say about hall by watching and having their teams play against him. i've heard reasons why hall did not make team canada olympics that had more to do with attitude.

my point is the facts against hall is fairly overwhelming.

I am going to back away from this but I'll reply to your post.

It's not at all that I don't for one second believe most of what he said. It just bothers me that s person like him - who was given do much (and in my mind undeserved), I'd the one spouting off about this. I would have more respect for the substance if it came from someone more credible (to me) I suppose.

I loved Taylor Halls play. But not all of it and I'm not naive. I will excuse any young player for some mistakes but there was just a little bit too much smoke around him. I'm sure the fire was there. I guess my exception is twofold.
1 - that its Andrew Ferrence bring this up whim to me was an abject failure and..
2 - that his derogatory comments were directed at players mostly when I feel its the org that allowed this crap to happen if indeed or did.
Thanks!

 

[Panda Bear]

In all likelihood, Hall was an ******* and ringleader of the young group that disrupted the locker room while Ference and the older crowd weren't talented enough to command their respect. Hall and co. probably felt like management failed them in their 12-13 playoff push and were pissed off that Krueger got fired. Eakins and Ference came in with a "my way or the highway" approach, which would be frustrating for someone if they feel like the problems were otherwise, and quit on them once results went sour. Eakins and Ference probably felt like Hall and co were unprofessional and unwilling to listen. Eakins was not skilled enough with people to make the locker room harmonious, and he wasn't good enough as a coach to command everyone's respect. Eventually, everyone checked out into their own cliques (if they were even lucky enough to have one).

Firing Renney was a big blunder, and firing Krueger was a massive one. Getting rid of Horcoff, who connected with everyone in the locker room, was a mistake too even though we, the fans, all wanted rid of him as a player.

Tambellini--on behalf of Lowe--fired the first shot in ruining the team dynamic and MacTavish fired the next five.

 

[rboomercat90]

In all likelihood, Hall was an ******* and ringleader of the young group that disrupted the locker room while Ference and the older crowd weren't talented enough to command their respect. Hall and co. probably felt like management failed them in their 12-13 playoff push and were pissed off that Krueger got fired. Eakins and Ference came in with a "my way or the highway" approach, which would be frustrating for someone if they feel like the problems were otherwise, and quit on them once results went sour. Eakins and Ference probably felt like Hall and co were unprofessional and unwilling to listen. Eakins was not skilled enough with people to make the locker room harmonious, and he wasn't good enough as a coach to command everyone's respect. Eventually, everyone checked out into their own cliques (if they were even lucky enough to have one).

Firing Renney was a big blunder, and firing Krueger was a massive one. Getting rid of Horcoff, who connected with everyone in the locker room, was a mistake too even though we, the fans, all wanted rid of him as a player.

Tambellini--on behalf of Lowe--fired the first shot in ruining the team dynamic and MacTavish fired the next five.

I agree with everything here except for the thought that it may have been a mistake to get rid of Horcoff. He wasn’t much of a professional either the last few seasons he was an Oiler. He became way too comfortable with losing and I’d argue that was the lasting lesson he taught those young kids.

 

[Panda Bear]

I agree with everything here except for the thought that it may have been a mistake to get rid of Horcoff. He wasn’t much of a professional either the last few seasons he was an Oiler. He became way too comfortable with losing and I’d argue that was the lasting lesson he taught those young kids.

That's fair. I just had a flashback to a post-game interview he gave where he blamed all the youth but not himself.

Keeping him may not have helped correct the losing part, but I still think he'd have been a valued locker room broker. I mean, Hall and Eberle etc used to eat at his house all the time, you know?

 

[rboomercat90]

That's fair. I just had a flashback to a post-game interview he gave where he blamed all the youth but not himself.

Keeping him may not have helped correct the losing part, but I still think he'd have been a valued locker room broker. I mean, Hall and Eberle etc used to eat at his house all the time, you know?

We can certainly agree they needed to bring better veterans in. I just don’t believe Horcoff was any type of positive influence outside of maybe Hall and Eberle’s first season. I remember the interview you mentioned too. He was dialed out for a long time and the only passion I remember seeing from him after the 2010-11 season was during the lockout when he was on that stage declaring nobody was taking his money away from him. I think he was the architect of that losing culture because he really didn’t give a shit.