Where exactly did the rebuild go wrong?

[Stud Muffin]

physically Nuge was not ready


we point too much to pts sometimes as examples of players being ready

how many times has Nuge played 80 game in a season? Once(if you pro rate the shorten year then 2) but he took a lot of hits in year one and I think that affected his ability. He was a little boy against men and got his head handed to him that year--pts aside--physically he could have used that extra year

No such thing as not physically ready. I he can play he can play.
By your logic Jonny gaudreau will never be ready.

 

[Jumptheshark]

No such thing as not physically ready. I he can play he can play.
By your logic Jonny gaudreau will never be ready.

Was Johnny hockey 18 when he played his first nhl game? You fail to understanD about body growth as you age and how bones get stronger

 

[Young Lions*]

Was Johnny hockey 18 when he played his first nhl game? You fail to understanD about body growth as you age and how bones get stronger

That RNH wasn't physically ready and that he has been impeded by the choice to bring him into the NHL at such a young age is simply a matter of opinion.

It seems far more likely that playing a major role on a terrible team with no cover at all is the issue.

 

[MessierII]

Nuge made it physically impossible for us to send him down. He was probably the best player on the team through 9 games and throughout the year.

 

[Dorian2]

Some good points on both sides here. I think Nuge could've used more time in the minors, but again Oiler Hockey (lack of any real center, GM and Management rushing things etc ad extreme amount of nauseum (a)) got in the way of proper development both physically and play wise.

Just my opinion

 

[KarmaPolice]

Pretty obvious: ownership.

If Katz wasn't such a ****ing **** rider of Lowe and the rest of the Oilers' OBC, they would've been sent packing a long time ago. No other owner who has any sense of logic and rationality would've kept Lowe around this long. How many more years of failure do we need before he's finally kicked out of the org? I don't even care what his current position or capacity is. How does he deserve ANY job at all? Execs and regular employees (especially in the hockey world) get fired ALL the time for MUCH less. Katz was the worst thing to happen to this team.

Unfortunately, the list of Edmontonian billionaires who wanted to buy the team was probably very short. There was probably no alternative. But that doesn't make him a good owner. Neither does the ability and willingness to throw cash around. You have to hire wisely, fire wisely, and spend wisely. The first two are his responsibility, and he has failed miserably at it. Even with the overhaul FINALLY done a couple years ago, I'm sure there was an executive order of "do NOT fire Lowe" and some of his cronies. Their bromance is sickening, and has really hurt this team for a long time.

Starts with ownership, THEN you can go down the list of MacT, not having any D, etc. But it always starts at the top. Winning players, after they win the championship, who do they usually thank first? The ownership. Players aren't stupid; they know their sport, and they know when the owner is doing the right things or wrong things in terms of what's best for the success of the team. I think a lot of apathy of this team in the past can be linked to the players seeing how Lowe and his cronies kept their job no matter what, and ownership that was not just indifferent, but was STILL actually supportive, so they lost faith -- in many ways, I can't blame them. The best organizations always have great ownership. Think of all the winning teams of any sport, and think of their ownership. Without exception, they are smart and willing to do the right things for the team. Not put personal relationships first, and ahead of what is needed; they put the needs of the team FIRST, just as it should be. Katz is just a ****ing disastrous train-wreck of an owner, and it's about time someone said it. He may just be the worst owner in all pro sports.

I know there will be a lot of Katz defenders. People like to defend their rich over-lords, for some reason. That's just how the common masses are.

 

[Beerfish]

Pretty obvious: ownership.

If Katz wasn't such a ****ing **** rider of Lowe and the rest of the Oilers' OBC, they would've been sent packing a long time ago. No other owner who has any sense of logic and rationality would've kept Lowe around this long. How many more years of failure do we need before he's finally kicked out of the org? I don't even care what his capacity is. How does he deserve ANY job at all? Execs get fired ALL the time for MUCH less. Katz was the worst thing to happen to this team.

Unfortunately, the list of Edmontonian billionaires who wanted to buy the team was probably very short. There was probably no alternative. But that doesn't make him a good owner. Neither does the ability and willingness to throw cash around. You have to hire wisely, fire wisely, and spend wisely. The first two are his responsibility, and he has failed miserably at it. Even with the overhaul FINALLY done a couple years ago, I'm sure there was an executive order of "do NOT fire Lowe" and some of his cronies. Their bromance is sickening, and has really hurt this team for a long time.

Agreed, it all starts at the top.

 

[THall4]

Rebuild went wrong when the Oilers started the rebuild and put no emphasis on development. Outside of the first round the Oilers hadn't really developed a whole heck of a lot.

And then not bringing in the proper players to fill the holes of the team and insulate the younger players.

 

[BlackDogg]

Is K Lowe still lurking in the operation? Thought I'd check in.

 

[BlackDogg]

Checking in again. Is K Lowe still here???

K I'll go back to work now.

 

[sportsdynasty]

Lowe and MacT took a trip to Seattle with Katz, where they threatened to move the Oilers. This ploy helped blackmail the city into buying a new arena, using taxpayer dollars.

Katz doesn't care about hockey fans or the citizens of Edmonton. He only cares about money. Katz guaranteed Lowe and MacT jobs for life because they helped make him billions.

 

[Narnia]

Lowe and MacT took a trip to Seattle with Katz, where they threatened to move the Oilers. This ploy helped blackmail the city into buying a new arena, using taxpayer dollars.

Katz doesn't care about hockey fans or the citizens of Edmonton. He only cares about money. Katz guaranteed Lowe and MacT jobs for life because they helped make him billions.

That's a bunch of BS.

 

[I am the Liquor]

That's a bunch of BS.

Which part? Sounds pretty accurate.

 

[BlackDogg]

Lowe and MacT took a trip to Seattle with Katz, where they threatened to move the Oilers. This ploy helped blackmail the city into buying a new arena, using taxpayer dollars.

Katz doesn't care about hockey fans or the citizens of Edmonton. He only cares about money. Katz guaranteed Lowe and MacT jobs for life because they helped make him billions.

Sounds about right. Something must explain why these guys who drove the organization into the ground are still here.

 

[Farmboy]

The Oilers had an inactive AHL franchise from 2005 to 2010. The development of the Oilers prospects were, IMO, stunted during that time. I believe this move it pushed back the Oilers organization at least 10 years just to catch up to that blunder. I believe this had a huge impact that resulted in a decade of failure.

 

[harpoon]

Sounds about right. Something must explain why these guys who drove the organization into the ground are still here.

There were a few of us who said so from the day Katz hired Tamby. Right then you just knew the man either didn't care or was really really dumb about hockey. By the time the Seattle trip rolled around it was plain as day Mr Katz was using the Oilers to leverage a realestate windfall for his corporation(s). Yet still many many posters here continued to drink the KoolAid and posted about Oil Change and how great it was that MPS/Lander/Omark were going to be such a solid second line to roll out behind the Lotto Line etc etc.

Sad to see the same posters who mocked the idea of Katz being a bad owner, mocked anyone who wasn't down with losing on purpose for the draft picks, now, finally, five years later posturing and blustering about how awful Katz is. Better late than never I guess.

 

[Lacaar]

This is classic mob rules mentality here haha.

Katz just wants to rip us off! This team blew monkey chunks long before he got here.

RNH would be twice the player if he was allowed to grow in Juniors? Ahh the classic crutch defence of keeping a player in Junior... The land of what ifs defence.

This rebuild went wrong because every damn department of this hockey team failed.

Scouting.
Development.
Coaching.
Pro Scouting.
Trading.

Seriously you pretty much have to fail miserably at them all to produce the horse crap team we've seen over the years.

There's something fundamentally wrong with how this team operated.
Now the jury is still out on the New management.. who knows how much Katz has allowed them to change. But if Katz put any sort of reigns on them then that's not a good sign. Less of a chance of changing whatever it is that plagues the team.

My official mob answer though.

Rexal is cursed. The hockey gods have it out for us.

 

[Up the Irons]

This is classic mob rules mentality here haha.

Katz just wants to rip us off! This team blew monkey chunks long before he got here.

RNH would be twice the player if he was allowed to grow in Juniors? Ahh the classic crutch defence of keeping a player in Junior... The land of what ifs defence.

This rebuild went wrong because every damn department of this hockey team failed.

Scouting.
Development.
Coaching.
Pro Scouting.
Trading.

Seriously you pretty much have to fail miserably at them all to produce the horse crap team we've seen over the years.

There's something fundamentally wrong with how this team operated.
Now the jury is still out on the New management.. who knows how much Katz has allowed them to change. But if Katz put any sort of reigns on them then that's not a good sign. Less of a chance of changing whatever it is that plagues the team.

My official mob answer though.

Rexal is cursed. The hockey gods have it out for us.

this x 1000. And you can add "playing players in positions that are above their heads'. You could argue that, for that last 2 or 3 seasons, they have played 1... ONE!!!!.... player at his correct position, that would be Hall. He is a 1st line winger. Maybe you can say Eberle is also used properly. Every single other skater was playing in a position that was/is above their head.

 

[rboomercat90]

this x 1000. And you can add "playing players in positions that are above their heads'. You could argue that, for that last 2 or 3 seasons, they have played 1... ONE!!!!.... player at his correct position, that would be Hall. He is a 1st line winger. Maybe you can say Eberle is also used properly. Every single other skater was playing in a position that was/is above their head.

This would certainly fall under the development category. Lots went wrong here. This isn't the only thing.

What angers me the most though is that the problems could be seen years before any significant changes were made to the organizational operations. Why was it allowed to continue for as long as it did when it was obvious big changes were needed? Worse though is why Katz publicly defended these people when the fan base started to complain?

 

[Smartguy]

Every time I see this thread on here all I can think is the Kruger firing and the Eakins hiring. We came off our most successful year having been in the playoffs at trade deadline, yes I know it was lockout shortened. Our young players were having strong years, yak looked like a 30 goal scorer, only coach I've seen who used him in a one timer roll on the power play with success. Shultz had a strong year as well.

Then Eakins came in and tried to reinvent hockey, and I believe ruined both those players and stunted the rebuild.

What goes through Macts mind here, " yes we had a successful year but this guy is good with words better fire the coach our players know and love and bring this guy in"

 

[I am the Liquor]

This is classic mob rules mentality here haha.

Katz just wants to rip us off! This team blew monkey chunks long before he got here.

RNH would be twice the player if he was allowed to grow in Juniors? Ahh the classic crutch defence of keeping a player in Junior... The land of what ifs defence.

This rebuild went wrong because every damn department of this hockey team failed.

Scouting.
Development.
Coaching.
Pro Scouting.
Trading.

Seriously you pretty much have to fail miserably at them all to produce the horse crap team we've seen over the years.

There's something fundamentally wrong with how this team operated.
Now the jury is still out on the New management.. who knows how much Katz has allowed them to change. But if Katz put any sort of reigns on them then that's not a good sign. Less of a chance of changing whatever it is that plagues the team.

My official mob answer though.

Rexal is cursed. The hockey gods have it out for us.

The year before Daryl Ballard bought the team they were one game away from winning the Stanley Cup.

Just how is that "blowing monkey chunks"?

In the ten years since the team hasn't played one playoff game and have drafted first overall four times. Mob mentality? Do you work for the Oilers?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

The year before Daryl Ballard bought the team they were one game away from winning the Stanley Cup.

Just how is that "blowing monkey chunks"?

In the ten years since the team hasn't played one playoff game and have drafted first overall four times. Mob mentality? Do you work for the Oilers?

Flukes do happen. See the Flames.

 

[Beerfish]

Flukes do happen. See the Flames.

That's why the Oilers have been the worst sports organization over the last 10 years. Despite all odds they have managed to not even have one flukey, close to the playoffs year, let alone a playoff year.

 

[TheRebuild]

The Oilers had an inactive AHL franchise from 2005 to 2010. The development of the Oilers prospects were, IMO, stunted during that time. I believe this move it pushed back the Oilers organization at least 10 years just to catch up to that blunder. I believe this had a huge impact that resulted in a decade of failure.

My only issue with that narrative is, you have to draft good players to develop in the first place. Very few of the players drafted outside the first round in that time span ever made an impact in the NHL (within or outside the organization). If it were merely a case of development, you'd think guys like Chorney, Peckham, Schremp, Omark, Paajarvi, JF Jacques would have showed some level of bounce-back with other organizations. As far as I know, none of the lot has accomplished anything worth noting in the NHL. Also, you have guys like Curtis Hamilton (drafted 2nd round 2010) who had the benefit of a LOT of development, playing 4 seasons for OKC, and then 1 game for the Oilers, now he plays in the Czech league. Terrible drafting has absolutely gutted the Oilers since 2000, when they drafted Mikhnov 17th overall. To get an idea of how bad that pick was, think of it this way, Mikhnov played 2 games in the NHL, the combined games total of the remaining picks in the first round following that pick is 6,608 NHL games, with an average of 508 games.

 

[rboomercat90]

Terrible drafting has absolutely gutted the Oilers since 2000, when they drafted Mikhnov 17th overall. To get an idea of how bad that pick was, think of it this way, Mikhnov played 2 games in the NHL, the combined games total of the remaining picks in the first round following that pick is 6,608 NHL games, with an average of 508 games.

Wow! I didn't know this.

I remember Mikhnov and the bust he turned out to be but I never realized that the rest of that first round draft class turned out so well. Anybody else would have been a big improvement. It's amazing how bad our scouting has been for so long.