Speculation: Predicting Edmonton's ranking in the West

[Mcnofool6110]

15th in west, 29th in NHL

Taylor Hall will demand a trade

Sadly I agree, I wonder if Hfboards crashes because it will complete pandemonium if this happens.

This is more likely than the Oilers making the playoffs.

I concur.

Well, I'd take that bet with you, Gone. It would involve expansion in the West, because there are 14 teams in the Western Conference.

 

[McIce Whole]

Won't even bother making a prediction this year. I'm excited for the season but this might be the first season in probably forever where I have no expectations of this team. I just expect us to be awful.

 

[Bauer83]

I for one will remain optimistic going in. Two years ago, this team was sitting in 8th with a stretch run remaining and fell under the pressure following an embarrassing trade deadline. I have zero clue what happened last year, but my optimism is based on that everyone regressed last year and for someone like Hall or Eberle, this just doesn't follow normal development. With everyone being so negative this year, it's easy to rally the troops. Just take snapshots or snippits from TSN and listen to them prior to every game.

 

[Blue And Orange]

I for one will remain optimistic going in. Two years ago, this team was sitting in 8th with a stretch run remaining and fell under the pressure following an embarrassing trade deadline. I have zero clue what happened last year, but my optimism is based on that everyone regressed last year and for someone like Hall or Eberle, this just doesn't follow normal development. With everyone being so negative this year, it's easy to rally the troops. Just take snapshots or snippits from TSN and listen to them prior to every game.

The Oilers have a chance to prove the doubters and negative nancies wrong.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I'll make a bold prediction.

If the Oilers win their opening game, they'll be playoff contenders (but still fall short).

If they lose... Hello McDavid.

 

[ghostnights]

My heart says 8th but my brain says 11th. It just scares me that if we keep doing poorly players like Nuge and Hall will want out.

 

[PaPaDee]

I'll make a bold prediction.

If the Oilers win their opening game, they'll be playoff contenders (but still fall short).

If they lose... Hello McDavid.

Haha, HFOil summed up nicely.

 

[Tekneek]

So are you saying your own point makes no sense then? MacT brought in a ton of new guys, including many veterans, yet somehow he's only "happy to wait"?

I have no problem with MacT. I think he is good talent evaluator. I was skeptical about Tambo right from the start and never saw anything to make me change my mind. The only thing about MacT is standing by Eakins, but unless Dallas finally delivers on the hype he will be shown the door next. If we could get a goaltender to seize the number 1 job, we would be ready for a real coach.

 

[Tekneek]

My heart says 8th but my brain says 11th. It just scares me that if we keep doing poorly players like Nuge and Hall will want out.

They have spent all this time learning how to be perennial losers, which is what I was afraid would happen when we started celebrating the landing of these top picks by tanking in the league. You can end up creating a culture of losing that can be hard to break.

 

[Gone]

Well that Kevin Lowe Must Go movement made Lowe think about taking a leave of absence until Katz stepped in and said no.

If the Oilers have another year like last year, the Lowe Must Go movement will pick up steam. It will be more than just billboards, this whole movement could end up on the national spotlight further increasing the pressure on Lowe to step down.

The same Katz who forced management to draft Yak? Harold Ballard lite.

In the Ferraro recording he intimated nothing could loosen the current Oiler management groups grip on this team.

 

[Gone]

Well, I'd take that bet with you, Gone. It would involve expansion in the West, because there are 14 teams in the Western Conference.

What's the bet? If the Oilers finish 29th in the league or worse (15th is obviously impossible) then I pick your avatar for the playoffs; while if they make the playoffs you pick mine? How does that sound.

 

[Mcnofool6110]

What's the bet? If the Oilers finish 29th in the league or worse (15th is obviously impossible) then I pick your avatar for the playoffs; while if they make the playoffs you pick mine? How does that sound.

Oh I was taking the impossible bet of 15 to be facetious hahaha

And were so not making the playoffs. But, what the heck. This is harmless! You're on!

 

[Aerrol]

I'll make a bold prediction.

If the Oilers win their opening game, they'll be playoff contenders (but still fall short).

If they lose... Hello McDavid.

Bahahaha, exactly this.

 

[guymez]

The same Katz who forced management to draft Yak? Harold Ballard lite.

In the Ferraro recording he intimated nothing could loosen the current Oiler management groups grip on this team.

I have posted many times about this very thing.
Katz has been a brutal owner and if he doesn't get a clue and keep his nose out of hockey ops then his reign will rival Ballards in that regard.
He will drive this team down so deep it will take years to recover.

 

[McArthur]

I have posted many times about this very thing.
Katz has been a brutal owner and if he doesn't get a clue and keep his nose out of hockey ops then his reign will rival Ballards in that regard.
He will drive this team down so deep it will take years to recover.

who ever has bad things to say about katz, obviously doesn't live in Edmonton

 

[guymez]

who ever has bad things to say about katz, obviously doesn't live in Edmonton

You seem to have glossed over the part of my post where I specifically mentioned Hockey OPs.

This has nothing to do with the Arena and Downtown redevelopment..

 

[Moose Coleman]

I have posted many times about this very thing.
Katz has been a brutal owner and if he doesn't get a clue and keep his nose out of hockey ops then his reign will rival Ballards in that regard.
He will drive this team down so deep it will take years to recover.

This isn't about Katz, but to even compare him or any owner today with Ballard betrays a stunning ignorance of what Ballard was actually like.

 

[guymez]

This isn't about Katz, but to even compare him or any owner today with Ballard betrays a stunning ignorance of what Ballard was actually like.

I suggest you reread my post.

I know exactly what Ballard was about in a broader sense.

I am referring to hockey ops and how Ballard messed up that aspect of the Leafs...nothing more nothing less.

 

[McArthur]

You seem to have glossed over the part of my post where I specifically mentioned Hockey OPs.

This has nothing to do with the Arena and Downtown redevelopment..

for me its simple, the best comparibles to what the oilers have gone through would be a expansion team in regina. good players don't sign here for less, mediocre players come here for more money. which is better than brutal players coming here for more money... ie. Belanger. when its all said and done, we won't need a "rebuild" but that's where we started. with nothing. with no one wanting to come here. and players that didn't want to stay here. I live here and the only reason why is because of how much money I make here. why would I want to be here if I could play and hockey and golf all year round? so i'll thank the oilers and katz for being better people than I am. they are the reason I have a team to cheer for.

 

[Moose Coleman]

I suggest you reread my post.

I know exactly what Ballard was about in a broader sense.

I am referring to hockey ops and how Ballard messed up that aspect of the Leafs...nothing more nothing less.

I'm aware. My point stands: the extent to which Ballard meddled in hockey ops is almost unparalleled in the NHL. Katz would have to pull a lot more questionable **** than he has to deserve to be compared to Harold.

Hell, no one even knows to what extent Katz has meddled in the hockey ops side. All we have are rumours and innuendo.

 

[rboomercat90]

It means a lot, because MacT acquired professional hockey players and Tambellini acquired Eric Belanger (and let's not forget the mighty Smithson, to solidify our playoff push).

Let's watch this team play together before we praise MacT's acquisitions. As awful as those guys Tambellini brought in were, most of this board approved of them the same way the newer guys have been.

 

[Blue And Orange]

Let's watch this team play together before we praise MacT's acquisitions. As awful as those guys Tambellini brought in were, most of this board approved of them the same way the newer guys have been.

I remember when fans were excited about the acquisition of Ben Eager and Eric Belanger. That they'd bolster our bottom 6.

Eager was a career AHLer and Belanger did nothing but win faceoffs

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

36-36-10= 82 Pts

5th in division...11th in conference

 

[Jumptheshark]

I remember when fans were excited about the acquisition of Ben Eager and Eric Belanger. That they'd bolster our bottom 6.

Eager was a career AHLer and Belanger did nothing but win faceoffs

Uhm

Eager played 407 nhl games and from the time he made the flyers after a season and half in the AHL--he did not see the ahl until he signed with the oilers

so about 8 full nhl season (take away injury time)

 

[Tekneek]

Let's watch this team play together before we praise MacT's acquisitions. As awful as those guys Tambellini brought in were, most of this board approved of them the same way the newer guys have been.

There is a certain percentage of fans (and posters here) that approve of anything because they are just so excited about the team.