The Tambo years: the fallout, the recovery.

[Up the Irons]

The biggest question regarding their plan is how long they actually thought it was going to take to make it work. I never bought into the five year plan to be a serious contender that was floated by them or the media or whoever it was that was passing it around as gospel back in 2010. The cupboards were completely bare. There was nothing outside of Eberle that was remotely close to being a prospect. They had let themselves fall to lower depths than an expansion team. To make the decision to just go with these kids instead of sheltering them with decent veteran leadership was always going to stretch this out. To me it was going to possibly take ten years to build that kind of a team up and that was if everything went well. If key pieces got tired of losing and they had to give them away it might never happen. As I stated earlier, to blame this entire mess on Tambellini is to ignore what actually went on here. If Lowe wasn't happy with what he was doing he should have fired him 2 years before he did. It wasn't until they started hearing a backlash from the fans that he was let go. Had the fans not become impatient he might still be here.

It's pretty hard to sell a ten year plan to your season ticket holders when you're charging some of the highest ticket prices in the league. It becomes a bit easier when you have a scapegoat you can punt part way through the process and then spend several years continuing to blame the futility on him. I just can't believe how many are still eating it up.

fair enough. I don't think anyone is giving Lowe a pass, but Tambo was the GM. he was the one that didn't make any deals. he was the one that signed Habby, Sutton, Belanger, Eager, and Barker. He hired Quinn. He skidded Renney (which was one of their bigger mistakes)

If you think Tambo was Lowe's puppet, then consider this:

Tambo was a do-nothing manager. His boss was Lowe.
Mact is a wheeler-dealer. His boss is Lowe.

completely different management styles, same boss. that suggests the manager has at least some autonomy. Lowe is a voice. he is on the management team. but the GM is making the calls on player acquisitions.

Tambo deserves a HUGE share of the blame for what happened during his tenure.

 

[guymez]

Well the fact of the matter is we aren't Chicago, Boston, or Pittsburgh.

The Oilers have two options:

Overpay for UFAs, even those of lower quality, or
Do nothing.

Which is the better option?

This is exactly the point IMO.

Until this team starts to win the predicament you outlined will just continue.

Its amazing to me how many people have it all figured out the all of MacT's signings will fail this upcoming season.

I think these signings will help and I dont see any cap issues being created here.

I like my limited viewings of these players and I really like the possession stats. I think Pouliot is just coming into his own and is an elite 3rd liner and can easily play limited 2nd line minutes. I think Purcell is obviously better than the 6th round draft pick for Gagner. Fayne is a solid top 4 dman and Nikitin is a good 4/5 dman.
The wings area as good as I have seen since 2006.

The 2nd line centre is still an obvious hole but I dont think its fair to jump on MacT for that just yet.

I think that RNH will be better having strengthened his shoulder and the goaltending should be much improved over the disaster last year.

I also expect Eakins to have learned from his first year and has really added to his staff with the addition of Ramsay.

This team as it stands right now is much better than it was last season. If MacT fills the 2nd line centre position then (barring injuries) I expect the team to be 20-25 points better than last year.

Tambo was beyond useless and maybe that doesnt just fall on him but on Lowe as well. There was no plan and the results reflected that lack of planning. Just not having to see Tambo's dumb and dumber facial expression at the draft is an improvement.

Like it or not MacT has a plan...identify and acquire possession players. If Katz is willing to overpay these players and it doesnt affect the cap space I really dont get why some posters are getting bent out of shape over the signings.

Maybe it fails but lets let the plan play out before crapping all over it.

Its pretty clear that for some posters this is more about a lack of objectivity and a need to deride MacT.

 

[Klimando Kostani]

Katz has deep pockets. He buried Ben Eager and still paid him after all.

And there are plenty of dumb GMs out there. Someone actually took Scott Gomez's contract after all.

And again, this is the OILERS. You think Fayne or Pouliot come here for a 1 or 2 year deal? It doesn't work like that. Once again, either you overpay (whether dollar, term, or both), or you do nothing. The Oilers are in the worst possible position so either they do that or simply ride it out, which was how Tamby did things.

Exactly, and for a few reasons.

If MacT is selling the 'we are developing this group into contendership' and we see you as pieces of that then you provide term.

It's likely this isn't going to be the year we make it to the playoffs and really break out. We still have our (hopefully) best 3 D developing, our long term 1/2 C developing, our russian all-star goal sniper developing and our top line is likely still 2 years away from it's absolute prime. For a guy like Pouliot his value would actually go down if he came here and we are a middling team for the two years he plays and then he's looking for a new contract but if he sticks out his prime years with this group at the end of the contract he's going to look like a solid piece to add to ride out the rest of his NHL days.

I think the Pouliot signing was in part because of what he has proven and in part because he is capable of more and has shown an ability to follow coaches and be a role player. Further, as others have said he isn't impossible to get rid of either if it doesn't work out.

 

[Up the Irons]

for those Tambo defenders, here's a good read from Bruce McCurdy:

http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/20...monton-oilers-gm-put-the-club-in-a-deep-hole/

pretty damning stuff, the most being that not a single NHL veteran acquired by Tambo remains on the team. Every single one wasn't worth keeping or has retired. this should put any defense of Tambo into the waste bin.

He was brutal, we may never recover, and Lowe should have been skidded for hiring him. And absolutely disasterous managerial tenure.

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

What's the option if (when) these guys don't pan out and you're stuck with them on your roster for four seasons?

Then you deal with it then. If we sign them for two years and play great, they will use that to sign with a better team.

Every signing is a risk. We could of signed Paul Statsny and next year he could pull a Clarkson.

I rather the Oilers take risk on players that have shown skill and that aren't 40 then them just trying for the big guy, failing and calling it a day.

 

[Tarus]

That's bottom 5 in the league to you?

Yep. Even in the teams you listed further down, they all have harder working vets and superior coaching.

People have been predicting that the Oilers would pass the rest of the declining teams and league fodder years now. Yet it's happened only once, and they promptly regressed due to a rash of terrible decisions.

There is zero reason to sit around believing there will be improvement. The existing problems are still around, and the incoming players are more risk than known quantities.

14-15-4 is well below .500 hockey?

For the record the Oilers were 29th when Scrivens was brought in. With him on the team they were 26th.

That's pretty far below .500 in a league where there were only 5 teams in total finished with less wins than losses.

29th place pace to 26th pace place is still a horrible hockey club

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

Buf, flo, cal, van, Phoenix those are off the top of my head but if I looked into it I'm sure I'd have more to put in.

This is the best team we've iced in years and I think that games will at least be interesting this year. Call me optimistic but this lineup isn't terrible, definitely not bottom five in the league.

I see you brought up coaching staff, I'm in the camp that says Eakins should get a chance to start the season and yank him if it doesn't work out.

Edler-Bieksa
Hamhuis-Tanev
Sbisa-Weber/Carrado/Stanton

Miller

That alone is reason enough for the Canucks to finish ahead of us.

Florida improved big time from last season, adding a top-10 goalie, a top-4 d-man, and will have a healthy Barkov and Huberdeau to start the year. We're in tough to pass them.

BUF, CGY I see, but even the Yotes are 50/50 based on the fact that Tippett coaches them and they have a strong defense & M. Smith.

 

[Klimando Kostani]

I disagree and think that this is a lineup capable of breaking out of the bottom and a gm that can at least give us that chance. You doom and gloomers can have your parade in the rain if you like. I'll wait for the season to start before calling mcdavids agent.

 

[Klimando Kostani]

Edler-Bieksa
Hamhuis-Tanev
Sbisa-Weber/Carrado/Stanton

Miller

That alone is reason enough for the Canucks to finish ahead of us.

Miller is on the decline and will not be the brick wall that we've faced when playing Vancouver in the past.

That defence, while more veteran isn't substantially better than ours and it definitely won't make up for the black hole which will be Canucks scoring next season.

 

[McSuper]

Yep. Even in the teams you listed further down, they all have harder working vets and superior coaching.

People have been predicting that the Oilers would pass the rest of the declining teams and league fodder years now. Yet it's happened only once, and they promptly regressed due to a rash of terrible decisions.

There is zero reason to sit around believing there will be improvement. The existing problems are still around, and the incoming players are more risk than known quantities.



That's pretty far below .500 in a league where there were only 5 teams in total finished with less wins than losses.

29th place pace to 26th pace place is still a horrible hockey club

Maybe you should stop being an Oiler fan . TML ? Calgary ? Van ? Pick one .
Are we allowed to trade fans on here ?

 

[Tarus]

Maybe you should stop being an Oiler fan . TML ? Calgary ? Van ? Pick one .
Are we allowed to trade fans on here ?

Is ignoring reality and being endlessly optimistic on your list of requirements for fandom?

Curious choice of teams you have as alternates btw.

 

[Klimando Kostani]

There is zero reason to sit around believing there will be improvement. The existing problems are still around, and the incoming players are more risk than known quantities.

Well the reasons anyone brings up you certainly dispute but that doesn't mean they aren't reasons.

 

[Tarus]

Well the reasons anyone brings up you certainly dispute but that doesn't mean they aren't reasons.

Yeah, you're right

A more reasonable position would there are few reasons to expect improvement, as opposed to the extreme statement that there is nothing.

 

[McShogun99]

If out goaltending can maintain a .910-.920 SP we're probably looking at 20 extra points next year which would put us in contention for 8th place. With the improved for war and defensive depth I think we will be in competition for a playoff spot next season.

 

[GMofOilers]

Our drafting record has to be blamed more than Tambo.

 

[Klimando Kostani]

If out goaltending can maintain a .910-.920 SP we're probably looking at 20 extra points next year which would put us in contention for 8th place. With the improved for war and defensive depth I think we will be in competition for a playoff spot next season.

At the very least, the games will be interesting to watch. Which is a major improvement over last year.

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

At the very least, the games will be interesting to watch. Which is a major improvement over last year.

Exactly. Does no one remember how many games we did great in the first two period but let go in the third? Or would lose by a goal? We had a lot of close games last year. Improved defense will see less shots toward our improved goaltending and an improved forward core means more shots going the other way. People can never see the brightside. Taylor Hall and David Perron had more combined points then any top 6 Left wing pair in the league. Let that sink in. Both Hall and Eberle were also both in the top 30 for scoring.

People seem to not understand how a bad start sue to our goaltending last year set a pace for the season. It would be hard going to work and performing well knowing that after the first month the rest of the year is almost pointless with how bad they did.

The team has been bad for so long that all people worry about is our holes and don't look at our strengths

 

[Klimando Kostani]

Exactly. Does no one remember how many games we did great in the first two period but let go in the third? Or would lose by a goal? We had a lot of close games last year. Improved defense will see less shots toward our improved goaltending and an improved forward core means more shots going the other way. People can never see the brightside. Taylor Hall and David Perron had more combined points then any top 6 Left wing pair in the league. Let that sink in. Both Hall and Eberle were also both in the top 30 for scoring.

People seem to not understand how a bad start sue to our goaltending last year set a pace for the season. It would be hard going to work and performing well knowing that after the first month the rest of the year is almost pointless with how bad they did.

The team has been bad for so long that all people worry about is our holes and don't look at our strengths

We had 4 players with more points than the highest Canuck, who as far as many are concerned have gotten worse, and on top of that we have added secondary scoring and actual NHL players.

I think it is possible to imagine we will at least take their spot in the rankings.

Coaching was brutal last year. I can't imagine it being any worse and so for a number of reasons I think it will be better and at the very least if it looks just as bad the guy will be sent packing.

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

We had 4 players with more points than the highest Canuck, who as far as many are concerned have gotten worse, and on top of that we have added secondary scoring and actual NHL players.

I think it is possible to imagine we will at least take their spot in the rankings.

Coaching was brutal last year. I can't imagine it being any worse and so for a number of reasons I think it will be better and at the very least if it looks just as bad the guy will be sent packing.

He was a rookie coach coming from a different league so he didn't know the team that well with a coaching staff that was God awful and the GM hadn't had the time to change the lineup into something that works with the coach.

But ya, if Eakins starts as bad he is gone easy as that.

 

[rboomercat90]

fair enough. I don't think anyone is giving Lowe a pass, but Tambo was the GM. he was the one that didn't make any deals. he was the one that signed Habby, Sutton, Belanger, Eager, and Barker. He hired Quinn. He skidded Renney (which was one of their bigger mistakes)

If you think Tambo was Lowe's puppet, then consider this:

Tambo was a do-nothing manager. His boss was Lowe.
Mact is a wheeler-dealer. His boss is Lowe.

completely different management styles, same boss. that suggests the manager has at least some autonomy. Lowe is a voice. he is on the management team. but the GM is making the calls on player acquisitions.

Tambo deserves a HUGE share of the blame for what happened during his tenure.

If Lowe was unhappy with the direction Tambellini was taking with this team then why did he wait so long to fire him? He was on the job for almost five years. He was very consistent with how he operated. It wasn't like he made a series of horrible moves and decisions in a short period of time like gillis did in Vancouver where you could say "man this guy has really lost his mind!!). This was the direction the organization was interested in taking at that time. It doesn't matter if it was Tambellini's idea or Lowe's or even Katz', the point was EVERYBODY involved was comfortable with it. If they weren't he would have been fired pretty quickly. Did you ever stop to think the reason He didn't make a lot of mid season trades was because he wasn't trying to improve the roster?

If Mactavish is operating differently now it's because the mandate of the organization has changed. Not sure how much differently Mactavish is operating than Tambellini just yet other than he is paying more money and giving out longer term for players who are role players. If these players turn out to have the same lack of success as Tambi's players then Mactavish is hurting this team more than Tambi did. If he sticks his head in the sand regarding his head coach like he did last year then the chances of that happening are pretty good.

I get why you hate Tambellini. His name will forever be associated with the worst time in Oiler history. That's why Lowe and Katz put him there. Anybody coming in after him will seem like he's doing a good job. It doesn't mean they are though. For all the trades that Mactavish made last year the best this team could finish was 28th. I'm still waiting for this team to start to show something on the ice before I become a believer in him.

 

[rboomercat90]

He was a rookie coach coming from a different league so he didn't know the team that well with a coaching staff that was God awful and the GM hadn't had the time to change the lineup into something that works with the coach.

But ya, if Eakins starts as bad he is gone easy as that.

Let's hope he's gone if this seasons start is just as bad. No guarantees he will be and that will fall on Mactavish.

 

[sepHF]

I feel like Tambellini did exactly what he was hired to do.

This team intentionally dressed a bad roster for years and years to get high draft picks. He was brought in as the sacrificial lamb, Lowe and co knew someones head would have to roll after collecting 1st overalls for years so they knew they had to put someone in place who could take the fall later. He was handcuffed by ownerships mandate IMO.

 

[oobga]

I feel like Tambellini did exactly what he was hired to do.

This team intentionally dressed a bad roster for years and years to get high draft picks. He was brought in as the sacrificial lamb, Lowe and co knew someones head would have to roll after collecting 1st overalls for years so they knew they had to put someone in place who could take the fall later. He was handcuffed by ownerships mandate IMO.

Yup, Tambo was not GM material and that was apparent pretty early on, but there was a reason Lowe kept him on board. He was kept to keep the team terrible and collect top picks and then to be cut loose when Lowe and MacT thought it was time to take over again with the stockpiled talent from the draft.

You can see why they cut Tambo loose in the 12-13 season, it looked like we were finally on the way back up after coming close to challenging for a playoff spot late in the year. Then we got that 13-14 season with the chosen one Eakins bumbling his way through everything on and off the ice making basically every Oiler regress compared to 12-13. Good times. LoweT completely misjudged how hard it is to turn a team around from the deep depths of suckatude Lowe allowed the team to sink to. They probably realize now how behind the curve they are compared to the rest of the league and their cup wins in the 80/90's won't just make them awesome at management by default, so they're starting to scramble a bit. Hence why they finally cut out a couple useless friends from the coaching staff and why we're overpaying for mid-range to low end UFA's to put us right back near the cap with what may be a bottom 2 team in the west again.

 

[Suxnet]

Stauffer, is that you?

 

[Mr Positive]

I feel like Tambellini did exactly what he was hired to do.

This team intentionally dressed a bad roster for years and years to get high draft picks. He was brought in as the sacrificial lamb, Lowe and co knew someones head would have to roll after collecting 1st overalls for years so they knew they had to put someone in place who could take the fall later. He was handcuffed by ownerships mandate IMO.

Tambi also made some bad decisions though. He let Roloson walk so he could sign a younger Khabi, even though Rolie had more hockey left in him. Khabi's injury issues were well known before hand. In hindsight this one hurts because Rolie is now a great hockey coach. If he retired with us I bet we could have had him in that role.

Tambi's final year was very bad as well. He got Fistric and Smithson for more than they were worth, and they weren't even used much by Krueger, showing a disconnect between the GM and coaching. This also happened with Omark, where Tambi called him up, his waiver exemption was used up, and yet the coach hardly used him. I also find it deplorable that Tambi wasn't in on Bishop (They claim he was but I call BS on that). We had an advantage over Tampa since we were out of Ottawa's division, and we had good trade assets too. It was okay to support Dubnyk at the time, but Bishop was the perfect guy to challenge him and push him.