Zack "KASSASSIN" Kassian Appreciation Thread

[Senor Catface]

 

[rboomercat90]

I know he had his ups and downs with the team but I was always a fan of his because I appreciated what he could bring to the team when he was playing well. That said, he lost me when he did that internet thing a while back for the Calgary fan. I thought his judgement was so poor over that he probably should have been cut loose then. He made the organization and everybody that had been defending him look like jackasses.

 

[Hockeylife2018]

It's a good thing he's going to Arizona because when he's on his game he's a very effective playoff game changer... unfortunately he's too inconsistent for what he's paid but all the best to him!

 

[thadd]

Zack Kassian is one of the most versatile enforcers to have laced up for the Edmonton in franchise history.

 

[Stoneman89]

Zack Kassian is one of the most versatile enforcers to have laced up for the Edmonton in franchise history.

No kidding, the different ways he went on IR were amazing!

 

[5 14 6 1]

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

I will miss him making Tkachuk his bitch.

That is it.

 

[Roof Daddy]

Could we trade for him @ 50% retention at the deadline maybe? Or double retention with a 3rd team? Can’t be considered cap circumvention if he plays 2/3 of the year there.

 

[Dorian2]

Thanks Zack.

Someone had to do it.

Kidding aside, loved his style of play with the Oil.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

Been sitting on this post for a while. Didn't want my opinions about the player to be affected by recent events. Kassian was a fan favourite who put it all on the line here for years and the unquestioned best bottom six forward we had over a half decade stretch. He deserves a proper send off.

Not gonna lie I was not happy when we first picked up Kass. He was the 1st round bust with a horrendous reputation as a teammate who broke Sammy Snowpants' jaw, and to top it all off he had addiction issues. I wanted nothing to do with him and wanted him waived by the end of the year. IIRC we actually booed him his first few games here. But instead of letting that get to him, Zack got to work and earned the fans' respect with his effort and play. And earned his teammates' respect by being a great influence in the locker room who had his teammates' backs on the ice. Did he have some consistency issues? Of course. But ultimately he did everything in his power to deservingly shed the labels he'd been branded in Montreal.

My favourite Zack Kassian moments as a player. First has to be that absolutely electric shift vs San Jose in the 2017 playoffs where the dude threw like 3 earth rending hits in the same shift. "Kassian" "Kassian" I have never heard a crowd erupt and get behind a bottom 6 forward like that, and Kass deserved every bit of it. Second was when a Coyotes player (I forget who) ran Hendricks and Kass immediately retaliated, then dropped the 2 Coyotes who tried to come at him right after. It was that moment that I knew we had a guy who bled Copper and Blue through and through who would go to war for us. And finally, when he absolutely emasculated Matt "the Turtle" Tkachuk and exposed that fraud for the absolute cuckhold he is.

It's too bad that his last years here were marred by the fact that his paychecks began with a 3 instead of a 1. And really I don't blame him. It's not the player's fault for taking more than he's worth if his boss offered it to him, that's on the GM. Everyone would do the same in his spot. But even so, he still left us with some good memories and got involved in some key goals in his final playoff run. Much like other fan favourites whose contracts led the fanbase to turn against them like Moreau and Horcoff, Kass' legacy as an Oiler should be defined by his highs and not his lows.

It's not a secret that I'm one of the biggest proponents of reclamation projects, and I'm sure everyone has seen my rants about how we need to find ours. After days of mixed emotions. It hit me. All these years, I failed to see that our redemption story has been right here all along. Kass came to us as a 24 year old 1st round pick, whose life was turned upside down, who was on the verge of busting due to mistakes he'd made. On the island of misfit toys, Zack was the most broken one of all. He was the screwup of all screwups. The outcast of all outcasts. Yet he was able to not only find a home here, but also become synonymous with the team in ways guys like Marchant, Grier, Moreau, Reasoner, and Pisani did before him. Zack's tenure marked an important moment in Oilers history, and a shift in culture and perception. He showed us that we, as the Edmonton Oilers CAN be the place you find yourself both as a player and a person. He showed us that no matter how low you start from, you can always climb your way back up. Kass embodied this phrase (to steal a quote from Woodcroft) moreso than anyone on the team: "There's room for greatness from everybody".

So Kass. Thank you for your contributions with this team and your presence will truly be missed. I'm glad you were able to exorcise your demons and turn your life around here. I wish you all the best in the next chapter of your life in Arizona and Zack Kassian the person will always be welcome in the city of Edmonton.

Also if you're still a NHL level player when the Yotes buy you out next year, you're welcome back on the team as a player... just please take a league minimum deal to help your boys out this time lol.

 

[McAsuno]

Making Tkachuk his bitch will always be my fondest memory of Kassian.
So long, Kass.

 

[Beerfish]

Kassian got totally screwed by the league when he got suspended for his dust up with turtlechuck.

As for missing him, not in the least. After he signed his contract you could count on one hand the number of good games he had.

The org and Holland put faith in the player and he let us down with really bad play compared to the actual talent he had at his disposal.

Good luck in the future but I won't miss the player at all. Maybe I'll think of him the next two drafts when we are missing a 2nd and 3rd rounder.

 

[Marty McSurly]

The dislike button exists for comments like these. Save them for the trade thread not the appreciation thread of a 7 year Oiler who bled Copper and Blue the whole way through. F U C K OFF.

LOL, if he "bled Copper and Blue" he wouldn't have quit playing his game after he signed his contract. I definitely appreciate that his cap hit is G O N E.

 

[TheNumber4]

Been sitting on this post for a while. Didn't want my opinions about the player to be affected by recent events. Kassian was a fan favourite who put it all on the line here for years and the unquestioned best bottom six forward we had over a half decade stretch. He deserves a proper send off.

Not gonna lie I was not happy when we first picked up Kass. He was the 1st round bust with a horrendous reputation as a teammate who broke Sammy Snowpants' jaw, and to top it all off he had addiction issues. I wanted nothing to do with him and wanted him waived by the end of the year. IIRC we actually booed him his first few games here. But instead of letting that get to him, Zack got to work and earned the fans' respect with his effort and play. And earned his teammates' respect by being a great influence in the locker room who had his teammates' backs on the ice. Did he have some consistency issues? Of course. But ultimately he did everything in his power to deservingly shed the labels he'd been branded in Montreal.

My favourite Zack Kassian moments as a player. First has to be that absolutely electric shift vs San Jose in the 2017 playoffs where the dude threw like 3 earth rending hits in the same shift. "Kassian" "Kassian" I have never heard a crowd erupt and get behind a bottom 6 forward like that, and Kass deserved every bit of it. Second was when a Coyotes player (I forget who) ran Hendricks and Kass immediately retaliated, then dropped the 2 Coyotes who tried to come at him right after. It was that moment that I knew we had a guy who bled Copper and Blue through and through who would go to war for us. And finally, when he absolutely emasculated Matt "the Turtle" Tkachuk and exposed that fraud for the absolute cuckhold he is.

It's too bad that his last years here were marred by the fact that his paychecks began with a 3 instead of a 1. And really I don't blame him. It's not the player's fault for taking more than he's worth if his boss offered it to him, that's on the GM. Everyone would do the same in his spot. But even so, he still left us with some good memories and got involved in some key goals in his final playoff run. Much like other fan favourites whose contracts led the fanbase to turn against them like Moreau and Horcoff, Kass' legacy as an Oiler should be defined by his highs and not his lows.

It's not a secret that I'm one of the biggest proponents of reclamation projects, and I'm sure everyone has seen my rants about how we need to find ours. After days of mixed emotions. It hit me. All these years, I failed to see that our redemption story has been right here all along. Kass came to us as a 24 year old 1st round pick, whose life was turned upside down, who was on the verge of busting due to mistakes he'd made. On the island of misfit toys, Zack was the most broken one of all. He was the screwup of all screwups. The outcast of all outcasts. Yet he was able to not only find a home here, but also become synonymous with the team in ways guys like Marchant, Grier, Moreau, Reasoner, and Pisani did before him. Zack's tenure marked an important moment in Oilers history, and a shift in culture and perception. He showed us that we, as the Edmonton Oilers CAN be the place you find yourself both as a player and a person. He showed us that no matter how low you start from, you can always climb your way back up. Kass embodied this phrase (to steal a quote from Woodcroft) moreso than anyone on the team: "There's room for greatness from everybody".

So Kass. Thank you for your contributions with this team and your presence will truly be missed. I'm glad you were able to exorcise your demons and turn your life around here. I wish you all the best in the next chapter of your life in Arizona and Zack Kassian the person will always be welcome in the city of Edmonton.

Also if you're still a NHL level player when the Yotes buy you out next year, you're welcome back on the team as a player... just please take a league minimum deal to help your boys out this time lol.

Like. Your best post.

 

[Oilhawks]

Been sitting on this post for a while. Didn't want my opinions about the player to be affected by recent events. Kassian was a fan favourite who put it all on the line here for years and the unquestioned best bottom six forward we had over a half decade stretch. He deserves a proper send off.

Not gonna lie I was not happy when we first picked up Kass. He was the 1st round bust with a horrendous reputation as a teammate who broke Sammy Snowpants' jaw, and to top it all off he had addiction issues. I wanted nothing to do with him and wanted him waived by the end of the year. IIRC we actually booed him his first few games here. But instead of letting that get to him, Zack got to work and earned the fans' respect with his effort and play. And earned his teammates' respect by being a great influence in the locker room who had his teammates' backs on the ice. Did he have some consistency issues? Of course. But ultimately he did everything in his power to deservingly shed the labels he'd been branded in Montreal.

My favourite Zack Kassian moments as a player. First has to be that absolutely electric shift vs San Jose in the 2017 playoffs where the dude threw like 3 earth rending hits in the same shift. "Kassian" "Kassian" I have never heard a crowd erupt and get behind a bottom 6 forward like that, and Kass deserved every bit of it. Second was when a Coyotes player (I forget who) ran Hendricks and Kass immediately retaliated, then dropped the 2 Coyotes who tried to come at him right after. It was that moment that I knew we had a guy who bled Copper and Blue through and through who would go to war for us. And finally, when he absolutely emasculated Matt "the Turtle" Tkachuk and exposed that fraud for the absolute cuckhold he is.

It's too bad that his last years here were marred by the fact that his paychecks began with a 3 instead of a 1. And really I don't blame him. It's not the player's fault for taking more than he's worth if his boss offered it to him, that's on the GM. Everyone would do the same in his spot. But even so, he still left us with some good memories and got involved in some key goals in his final playoff run. Much like other fan favourites whose contracts led the fanbase to turn against them like Moreau and Horcoff, Kass' legacy as an Oiler should be defined by his highs and not his lows.

It's not a secret that I'm one of the biggest proponents of reclamation projects, and I'm sure everyone has seen my rants about how we need to find ours. After days of mixed emotions. It hit me. All these years, I failed to see that our redemption story has been right here all along. Kass came to us as a 24 year old 1st round pick, whose life was turned upside down, who was on the verge of busting due to mistakes he'd made. On the island of misfit toys, Zack was the most broken one of all. He was the screwup of all screwups. The outcast of all outcasts. Yet he was able to not only find a home here, but also become synonymous with the team in ways guys like Marchant, Grier, Moreau, Reasoner, and Pisani did before him. Zack's tenure marked an important moment in Oilers history, and a shift in culture and perception. He showed us that we, as the Edmonton Oilers CAN be the place you find yourself both as a player and a person. He showed us that no matter how low you start from, you can always climb your way back up. Kass embodied this phrase (to steal a quote from Woodcroft) moreso than anyone on the team: "There's room for greatness from everybody".

So Kass. Thank you for your contributions with this team and your presence will truly be missed. I'm glad you were able to exorcise your demons and turn your life around here. I wish you all the best in the next chapter of your life in Arizona and Zack Kassian the person will always be welcome in the city of Edmonton.

Also if you're still a NHL level player when the Yotes buy you out next year, you're welcome back on the team as a player... just please take a league minimum deal to help your boys out this time lol.

Great post. Thank you

 

[thadd]

No kidding, the different ways he went on IR were amazing!

????
If you don't like the Oilers don't bother coming to the Oilers forum.

 

[Aerchon]

I really liked the player. Typically has so much more offense...

This early in his career that shouldn't dry up as bad as it did. His contract was bad from day 1 but only became gross because his hands/brain went bad. Hope it isn't concussions even tho it almost certainly is.

I wish him all the best and I hope he doesn't have any permanent damage for the hits he took.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I really liked the player. Typically has so much more offense...

This early in his career that shouldn't dry up as bad as it did. His contract was bad from day 1 but only became gross because his hands/brain went bad. Hope it isn't concussions even tho it almost certainly is.

I wish him all the best and I hope he doesn't have any permanent damage for the hits he took.

Kass is following the arc of almost any puglilist hockey enforcer. How many of them hit age 30 and still have hands and fine motor coordination:?

Invariably what you see in the slot is players like Lucic that are so bad they hardly get on ice and have diminishing roles on clubs.

Still, Kass did his the last couple seasons and was certainly bringing the hits, was being a pest, was getting in grills, While it could be said he picked his spots he also got into fights after being in concussion protocol.

Anybody remember the fight he had with some kid tough this season. The Kid really wanted to go, but Kass mentioned he just had a concussion and tried to defer. Kass ended up accepting the fight but they agreed to only throw rightys or something like that. It was a special moment of sorts. No way Kass ought to accept the fight but he did it to help out a young opponent trying to make his mark in the league.

 

[Dynamic]

As much as it is time to move on I'm going to miss Kass. It is pretty rare for players of his caliber to stay for more than a few seasons and it almost feels like the end of an era in a way. That entire story arc with the Flames that one season with the Calgary goalie rubbing that win in our face, turtle boy getting pounded, and turtle boy basically waiting his entire all star break to finally fight Kass should honestly be some ESPN doc. one day. It was beautiful. Hopefully he has a few more years in him and can enjoy the rest of his career.

 

[Stoneman89]

????
If you don't like the Oilers don't bother coming to the Oilers forum.

Don't be a little silly willy, and get all sensitive. Kassian spent a lot of time on the IR when here, and if you don't think that, you haven't been paying attention. I just don't think it's that big of a loss as much as you do.

 

[thadd]

Don't be a little silly willy, and get all sensitive. Kassian spent a lot of time on the IR when here, and if you don't think that, you haven't been paying attention. I just don't think it's that big of a loss as much as you do.

Yeah I was being a bit sarcastic, but Kassian was actually our most versatile enforcer since I can ever remember.

 

[Supermassive]

Thanks Zack.

View attachment 567595
Someone had to do it.

Kidding aside, loved his style of play with the Oil.

I know, kidding and all. But it was an incredibly dirty play by a shitty person. The org used his feel-good recovery narrative just like he used them to sign a rich deal and then dog it. I can't respect either. Or the fans who look up to him.

 

[Dorian2]

I know, kidding and all. But it was an incredibly dirty play by a shitty person. The org used his feel-good recovery narrative just like he used them to sign a rich deal and then dog it. I can't respect either. Or the fans who look up to him.

To each their own I guess.