The Battle of Albertaâ„¢ is Coming Back

[Devonator]

Yep just like the 80's the Oilers are going to dominate the Flames yet again...whether they are cup winners , well both teams are a long ways from that...but Connor alone makes Edmonton an eventual threat that gives them so many options now in terms of trading some of the that great young forward talent for goalie or dman help....McDavid is just massive for you guys.....at the very least, the Oil should challenge for a lower playoff seeding this year...not to mention they have Nurse and perhaps Leon coming online also...the whole team is young....and if they can keep them all together....well that could be concerning for the rest of the league!

 

[McPuritania]

Sure would be fun to face each other in the playoffs.

Pretty sure people who are talking dynasty, and wrecking the Flames and what not, is just having a little fun tweaking noses. Don't worry too much about it.

 

[Aceboogie]

Are people talking dynasty kidding? Oilers will be lucky to make the scf once. The cap struggle will be real in 4 years.

Oilers still need D and G still nurse and brossoit arrive

 

[MC Ride]

Yep just like the 80's the Oilers are going to dominate the Flames yet again...whether they are cup winners , well both teams are a long ways from that...but Connor alone makes Edmonton an eventual threat that gives them so many options now in terms of trading some of the that great young forward talent for goalie or dman help....McDavid is just massive for you guys.....at the very least, the Oil should challenge for a lower playoff seeding this year...not to mention they have Nurse and perhaps Leon coming online also...the whole team is young....and if they can keep them all together....well that could be concerning for the rest of the league!

Ya the uncanny ability of the 80's Oilers to keep all their superstar players and create a dynasty was insane. Especially given that there was a tight salary cap where you could only afford 2 maybe 3 elite level players, and even then, you'd be pushing it, forced to sign a bunch of cheap plug AHL'ers to compensate. I honestly still don't understand, to this day, how even when their young core reached their prime at approximately the same time and each of the 8 or 9 star players demanded 7 million+ or UFA, the Oilers still had their dynasty and didn't have to let a bunch of their young studs walk.

Oh wait. Salary cap.


The series will be great again. I'm sure that both teams will have some of the best lineups in the league in the coming years. That said, there is no such thing as a dynasty or any sort of domination any more. It'll be a very back and forth series, the best kind of series.

 

[BoHo Bangins]

Oilers will be a great team but come on, are some people actually suggesting a Dynasty. It's the age of the salary cap now. Look at Pittsburgh, they have Crosby and Malkin but because of that, they have to sign a bunch of lower end and AHL players to fill the rest of their roster.

Once guys like McDavid, Hall, RNH, Draisaitl, Eberle, Nurse, Klefbom, ect all reach their potential (if they do), the Oil aren't going to be able to keep half of them.

Any 3 of those players is going to take away a third of your salary in their prime.

What interests me is how well Edmonton is going to be able to manage its assets.

This. If McDavid lives up to the hype he will get a 10m+ contract in 3 years. Especially with chia really as their gm.

 

[hockeyfanOU812]

Calgary fans are so cocky. Let's face it, Oilers will be much better.

Are you ignoring the liberal use of the word "dynasty" by Oilers fans?

Top pls.

Maybe they should see if they can actually function and win as a team first.

 

[oilsands]

I never grew up in AB so don't share the Flames vitriol that others do. I actually cheered for Calgary in '04!

Actually hoping they make a deep playoff run. That team is build on honest to goodness smarts, character, and hard work. Also, will put pressure on Oilers mgmt to put up, or shut up.

 

[starling]

We all know that Oilers will always have that asterisk next to them, as a team that drafted 4 firstoveralls in 6 years.

 

[Savagestevo]

I realize that things should be different next year, but nonetheless this seems like something that's said before every season and it hasn't come to fruition yet. I'm a little wary about making this proclamation or saying Edmonton should contend for the playoffs just yet.

 

[La Bamba]

We all know that Oilers will always have that asterisk next to them, as a team that drafted 4 firstoveralls in 6 years.

We all know that Oilers will always have that asterisk next to them, as a team who got to draft Connor McDavid and had Wayne Gretzky play his prime years for them.

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

You seem awful over-confident/cocky for a team that hasn't won **** yet.


Anyways, how will the Oilers be able to keep all of:

Nurse
Schultz
Yakupov
McDavid
Drais
Eberle
Hall
RNH
Klefbom

All under the cap space??

It is definitely doable. McDavid and Draisaitl will be on an ELC for a while. Hall RNH Ebs are signed for 6m each (which is actually fantastic for 1st line calibre players). Schultz will probably be gone - MacT was the one that saw elite potential in him. Yak might break the bank but that'll be a good problem to have.

 

[MC Ride]

It is definitely doable. McDavid and Draisaitl will be on an ELC for a while. Hall RNH Ebs are signed for 6m each (which is actually fantastic for 1st line calibre players). Schultz will probably be gone - MacT was the one that saw elite potential in him. Yak might break the bank but that'll be a good problem to have.

It's doable but it'll be tough. Let's say Draisaitl and Yakupov reach their potentials and sign for 6 million as well. Then there's McDavid who'll, let's be honest, cost at least 10 million a year.

You're now spending almost 60% of your salary on 2 lines, assuming the cap doesn't drop (which is inevitable)

With 30 million, you have to sign 2 more lines, an entire defensive core, and a starting goaltender.

I'm still super jealous though, that's a good problem to have.

 

[Trollmark*]

It's doable but it'll be tough. Let's say Draisaitl and Yakupov reach their potentials and sign for 6 million as well. Then there's McDavid who'll, let's be honest, cost at least 10 million a year.

You're now spending almost 60% of your salary on 2 lines, assuming the cap doesn't drop (which is inevitable)

With 30 million, you have to sign 2 more lines, an entire defensive core, and a starting goaltender.

I'm still super jealous though, that's a good problem to have.

That would be extremely exciting.

 

[KCC]

We all know that Oilers will always have that asterisk next to them, as a team that drafted 4 firstoveralls in 6 years.

Winning cures everything. If they can win, put 50 asterisks beside them for all I care.

 

[Nizdizzle]

How many years in a row have we heard that the Oilers are about to be "scary good"? Come on folks, lets see at least a LITTLE improvement before handing them the crown. Playoffs are a long way off for a team that has no idea what defense means.

Note: I realize the Leafs are in the same boat, that doesn't make the statement any less valid.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Very excited for Edmonton to finally turn it around. I can't wait to hate you all intensely!

 

[Kerricthebig]

Very excited for Edmonton to finally turn it around. I can't wait to hate you all intensely!

Likewise!

Though TBH a team led by Gio and Hudler, that gives as much as the Flames do nightly, is pretty tough to hate.

You guys should totes trade for Kessel so I can hate you for realz

 

[Svencouver]

How many years in a row have we heard that the Oilers are about to be "scary good"? Come on folks, lets see at least a LITTLE improvement before handing them the crown. Playoffs are a long way off for a team that has no idea what defense means.

Note: I realize the Leafs are in the same boat, that doesn't make the statement any less valid.

Getting McDavid has put them in a really good spot. Not only is he a nigh-generational talent, he also really puts the Oilers into the drivers seat as far as improving their defense and goaltending. And that's not even considering their changes up top.

As a Canucks fan I'll enjoy watching this rivalry, but I won't enjoy everything else that comes with it.

 

[MPStoEberletoHall*]

Very excited for Edmonton to finally turn it around. I can't wait to hate you all intensely!

I'm literally so excited for the "Battle of Alberta" to finally begin again. I honestly can't stand the Flames, but you guys have some unbelievable young pieces who will continue to improve. Time now for Chiarelli to turn our ship around.


It's on

 

[MC Ride]

As a Canucks fan I'll enjoy watching this rivalry, but I won't enjoy everything else that comes with it.

Oh don't worry, you'll be sucked right into the rivalry. It's more of a three way than anything else

 

[KaseMeOutside]

oilers have had their young players hyped up for years, let's see some actual results before projecting greatness for them again

 

[BobDobolina]

Oilers will be way, way better.

Hall, Eberle, Paajarvi. The future is here. Then came RHN and Justin Schultz we heard how to Oilers will be better.

Well Jordan Eberle will be 25 in a couple weeks and he hasn't played in a single meaningful NHL game. I'm still waiting...

 

[QcFlames12]

Hopefully the cap evens out the Oilers a bit because honestly a roster with that much talent is just crazy and this is coming from a flames fan. The thing the Oilers do have to worry about is how the flames are building themselves. The Flames are in the midst of building a two way team, who is responsible everywhere on the ice. We have physicality, we have speed, and we have skill and the oilers can have all the skill in the world but not being responsible all over the ice, not playing defensively and not being physical will make you lose games. This is why I become a bit less worried about the situation because to properly make a team thT can truly dpminate and compete the Oilers will have no choice to start dismantling all this skill to fill their needs in other areas. Logically speaking that is, this should be a war on ice in a few years I just see it hard for any team but buff being better than the flames in five years though( if evrything goes right)

 

[Nizdizzle]

Getting McDavid has put them in a really good spot. Not only is he a nigh-generational talent, he also really puts the Oilers into the drivers seat as far as improving their defense and goaltending. And that's not even considering their changes up top.

As a Canucks fan I'll enjoy watching this rivalry, but I won't enjoy everything else that comes with it.

The same thing was said with Hall, RNH, Yakupov, and Draisitl. I agree actually, but right now I think they need to prove anything before anyone should give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

[MPStoEberletoHall*]

The same thing was said with Hall, RNH, Yakupov, and Draisitl. I agree actually, but right now I think they need to prove anything before anyone should give them the benefit of the doubt.

Enough with this s***. When have the Oilers ever said Hall, RNH, Yakupov are generational players? They were all considered "weaker" 1st overall picks compared to the ones in the past.


The Oilers hate is real, and I'm going to love every minute of it. Jealousy is a beautiful thing.