It's time to bring the EIG back!

[VoiceOfReason]

I know there were a bunch of clauses in the purchase of the Oilers--unfortunately none that address this level of ineptitude. Nichols and Co. always acted in the best interest of the fans, city, and team. They were transparent and visible throughout the years. As a long-serving/suffering season seat holder, I want to hear from Daryl Katz--not Nicholson or Chiarelli. When McTavish stepped up to the podium and spoke of another "developmental year" last April, I knew that I had been misled as a consumer over the past TEN seasons. McDavid comes along less than a week later and my frustration and anger was tempered--perhaps cleansed.

I get that Katz is recluse but at some point he needs to face his investors (ie. season seat holders) and show some accountability. The team has become secondary to the Ice District. What Katz doesn't understand is most fans would gladly forfeit the new rink if it meant all that energy and resources were put back into the team.

I just hope the narrative of the past ten seasons is not forgotten when this team finally turns the corner. We owe nothing to the Katz Group. I don't want to see his face when times are good--as I sure as hell haven't seen his face anywhere but City Hall over the past ten seasons. Daryl Katz ranks amongst the worst owners in NA professional sports. A shiny new arena and another 1st overall pick won't change this fact!

Click to read more...

 

[Replacement*]

Kudos for saying what no media in this city has the balls to state.

I sincerely hope this post and thread is allowed to stand and again thanks for raising this.

It is indeed quite clear the on ice product and management means nothing to Katz as long as theres an Oiler logo on it.

His purview is all about holdings investment, property, ice district.

Every owner BUT Katz in the history of this org has focused on trying to put a winner on ice (ever since Bill Hunter) except this current one.

I've actually stated many times the goal here isn't really a rebuild. Its acquring a collection of young popstar sugar puffs that are marketable commodity.

This is a cereal box team and by intent. The intent is a stable of marketable young stars this market flocks to see. Winning is immaterial. Tickets are sold at ever increasing prices.

 

[Jumptheshark]

they did not have the money---how much moneys katz putting into the arena?

 

[BlackDogg]

I'm not a season ticket holder but have been an Oiler fan since approx 1987 and didn't realize how good we had it then. I was just thinking how you never hear anything from Chiarelli or Katz for that matter, considering the tire fire that is continuing to burn. As you say, Katz should be showing some face here - more so than Chiarelli if this isn't the way he operates.

It really makes one sick and its a shame but I really feel like giving up on them right now. Its hard to just ditch a team after that long, but they really deserve nothing from fans.

 

[Replacement*]

I'm not a season ticket holder but have been an Oiler fan since approx 1987 and didn't realize how good we had it then. I was just thinking how you never hear anything from Chiarelli or Katz for that matter, considering the tire fire that is continuing to burn. As you say, Katz should be showing some face here - more so than Chiarelli if this isn't the way he operates.

It really makes one sick and its a shame but I really feel like giving up on them right now. Its hard to just ditch a team after that long, but they really deserve nothing from fans.

Theres zero accountability here with this present management and org. With the exception of McLellan who at least gets behind the microphone and is expected to every game.

But as I just stated in PGT Chia could be dead for all we know, Katz could be Elvis has left the building.

This org is more reclusive than Howard Hughes. A pretty curious point in time to be that as well.

Nice though that Kevin Lowe has been given a job as tour conductor at the new arena. They should give him a dunce hat instead of a hard hat. That would be better.


This is still run by Edmonton Oilers Country club. They just extended the exclusive memberships. A lot of chiefs in this org collecting pay.

 

[harpoon]

Been saying this for years. In fact I was one of the few fans on this site not cheering Katz as he strong armed the EIG into selling him the team. I recall getting in trouble for calling him 'big daddy drug money'.

I agree that I dont want to see that Bono wannabe lapping up the glory if this team ever does manage to get its **** together. That will just make me sick.

No doubt in my mind that the tank strategy and all the shameful lotto draft picks came straight from him.
He cares only about the rink and ancillary real estate spinoff $.

Owning this team with a new rink is going to be a license to print money though. No way he ever sells now.

 

[Replacement*]

Been saying this for years. In fact I was one of the few fans on this site not cheering Katz as he strong armed the EIG into selling him the team. I recall getting in trouble for calling him 'big daddy drug money'.

I agree that I dont want to see that Bono wannabe lapping up the glory if this team ever does manage to get its **** together. That will just make me sick.

No doubt in my mind that the tank strategy and all the shameful lotto draft picks came straight from him.
He cares only about the rink and ancillary real estate spinoff $.

Owning this team with a new rink is going to be a license to print money though. No way he ever sells now.

Truth. One of the few other posters here that raised Katz questions and a breath of fresh air in what was an outright tidal wave of "Katz is great, Katz is good"

you get it, you always have

kudos

 

[GMofOilers]

How was the EIG any better? If we had Katz during the EIG era we could of been spending Colorado or Detroits wages and been winning cups.

Even EIG had the old boys club, and Katz is starting to get rid of it.

The Oilers probably would be the leading candidate to be moved right now to Vegas without Katz.

No no no.

Thank you Katz!

 

[Replacement*]

How was the EIG any better? If we had Katz during the EIG era we could of been spending Colorado or Detroits wages and been winning cups.

Even EIG had the old boys club, and Katz is starting to get rid of it.

The Oilers probably would be the leading candidate to be moved right now to Vegas without Katz.

No no no.

Thank you Katz!

Care to compare the winning records and playoff frequency of respective owners?


Thank Katz for what?


not moving this team to seattle? sarcasm

 

[GMofOilers]

Care to compare the winning records and playoff frequency of respective owners?


Thank Katz for what?


not moving this team to seattle? sarcasm

Who started this whole KLowe and MacT mess?

 

[Replacement*]

Who started this whole KLowe and MacT mess?

Pocklington.

 

[GMofOilers]

Pocklington.

hahahhaha no but serious

I cant believe it took Katz that long to no use Lowe in the President category any longer, but at least he finally hired Nicholson last year.

The EIG had full trust in Lowe to, we can thank them for hiring the guy. We can thank Lowe for where we are today. Changes are happening its just taking longer than what fans want.

 

[McWeber]

How does ownership affect on ice performance? Katz doesn't know jack **** about hockey but he realized Lowe wasn't getting it done and replaced him with someone with a history of success in Nicholson. Nicholson put the most qualified GM on the market in charge immediately and gave him autonomy. I would rather have an owner that sits back, pumps money into the team and lets the hockey people take care of the hockey side of things then have him poking his fingers in where it doesn't belong.

 

[harpoon]

Who started this whole KLowe and MacT mess?

Are you kidding?
Lowe was doing fine on a budget. No worse than any other GMs, until CFP ****ed us all that is. MacT was not a problem during EIG years period.
You honestly think two guys who bled for the crest would willingly disgrace it the way its been disgraced in recent years? No, they wouldn't.
How about a guy who probably can't even skate and lives in Vancouver? Think he cares about the crest?

 

[Replacement*]

hahahhaha no but serious

I cant believe it took Katz that long to no use Lowe in the President category any longer, but at least he finally hired Nicholson last year.

The EIG had full trust in Lowe to, we can thank them for hiring the guy. We can thank Lowe for where we are today. Changes are happening its just taking longer than what fans want.

Nicholson is nothing but the latest big smile pitchman.

The guy would be indiscernible from someone doing commercials for the big brick warehouse. If I saw this guy coming across a room with his big painted on smile and shining teeth I'd run for the next exit. Last thing I would do is hire him or deal with him.

Nicholson has fostered hiring of two candidates that were recently failing in their respective duties elsewhere. Typical Oiler hires. Meanwhile we entirely disregarded and demoted our own guy. Typical Oilers disrespect of those not in the trusted circle.

same old same old.

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

Are you kidding?
Lowe was doing fine on a budget. No worse than any other GMs, until CFP ****ed us all that is. MacT was not a problem during EIG years period.
You honestly think two guys who bled for the crest would willingly disgrace it the way its been disgraced in recent years? No, they wouldn't.
How about a guy who probably can't even skate and lives in Vancouver? Think he cares about the crest?

Except Lowe had been running the team for years. Katz just funds it. He does nothing on the hockey side of things, that was good old six rings.

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

Nicholson is nothing but the latest big smile pitchman.

The guy would be indiscernible from someone doing commercials for the big brick warehouse. If I saw this guy coming across a room with his big painted on smile and shining teeth I'd run for the next exit. Last thing I would do is hire him or deal with him.

Nicholson has fostered hiring of two candidates that were recently failing in their respective duties elsewhere. Typical Oiler hires. Meanwhile we entirely disregarded and demoted our own guy. Typical Oilers disrespect of those not in the trusted circle.

same old same old.

That's just ridiculous. You almost NEVER get a gm or coach that hadn't been let go recently. That's how they become available.

You are basically saying that if you were ever fired you are a failure and should never get a job again.

 

[GMofOilers]

Nicholson is nothing but the latest big smile pitchman.

The guy would be indiscernible from someone doing commercials for the big brick warehouse. If I saw this guy coming across a room with his big painted on smile and shining teeth I'd run for the next exit. Last thing I would do is hire him or deal with him.

Nicholson has fostered hiring of two candidates that were recently failing in their respective duties elsewhere. Typical Oiler hires. Meanwhile we entirely disregarded and demoted our own guy. Typical Oilers disrespect of those not in the trusted circle.

same old same old.

I guess you would rather have Lowe as President, Mact as GM and Eakins as coach.

All good.

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

I guess you would rather have Lowe as President, Mact as GM and Eakins as coach.

All good.

Chia and his boss didn't get a long cause his boss tried to control things and was let go after a single bad year.

McLellan and San Jose mutually parted ways after a single bad year.

It's not like these guys have been horrible for a long time.

We were begging for a qualified coach and a qualified gm for years now people are saying "well they were let go from their last teams therefore they suck"

 

[VoiceOfReason]

hahahhaha no but serious

I cant believe it took Katz that long to no use Lowe in the President category any longer, but at least he finally hired Nicholson last year.

The EIG had full trust in Lowe to, we can thank them for hiring the guy. We can thank Lowe for where we are today. Changes are happening its just taking longer than what fans want.

Of course the EIG had full trust in KLowe up until 2007! This city and team had survived the "lean years" pre-salary cap (under KLowe's watch) and managed to sustain a competitive team throughout. It's 2008-present that I'm talking about here! The NHL has never seen this level of incompetence and ineptitude--yet I can count on two fingers the about of times Katz has spoken specifically about the on-ice product.

 

[Replacement*]

That's just ridiculous. You almost NEVER get a gm or coach that hadn't been let go recently. That's how they become available.

You are basically saying that if you were ever fired you are a failure and should never get a job again.

I'm consistent in saying a team, or org, should hire from within if it has quality candidates like Nelson available. I maintained that Nelson did a good job with these players and should have been retained. I've maintained that throughout. Instead, once again, this org goes in search of a new coach when nothing was wrong with the incumbent. Cites Krueger.

If my mechanic fixes problems that are not problems and ignores the real difficulties on a clunker I get a new vehicle or new mechanic or both.

 

[Replacement*]

I guess you would rather have Lowe as President, Mact as GM and Eakins as coach.

All good.

Lets play strawman argument on things I would never state. Won't that be fun.

This is what you've become as a poster here. Sad that, you used to offer more.

Of course the discussion goes nowhere when you're not even engaging in what is discussed.

 

[Replacement*]

Except Lowe had been running the team for years. Katz just funds it. He does nothing on the hockey side of things, that was good old six rings.

A little bit of the point of the thread.

But more accurately phrased;

"he cares nothing on the hockey side of things" (sic)

 

[Narnia]

One thing that's missed is that Slats left because of EIG. EIG ran Slats out of town. Slats had no intention of leaving Edmonton until he was run out of town by EIG.

 

[VoiceOfReason]

Katz's motivation for keeping KLowe on all these years has little to do with loyalty and everything to do with business. As long as KLowe is associated with this team he remains (in large part) the face of this team's demise (right or wrong). It's mind numbing to examine the narrative ten years later and realize that the guy steering the ship--our "home grown" saviour--the "community" billionaire--has somehow skirted any and all responsibility for this dumpster fire while still turning a handsome profit on the backs of his stakeholders.