Great NHL teams do it. So do good teams. Bad teams see it occur the most.
What is it?
Roster changes. From the end of one season to the beginning of the next. It is inevitable in sports, and while I watch tonight’s game I’ll be wondering how many players will play their final home game in an Edmonton Oilers jersey, and how many are playing their final home game in the NHL? But also, how many season seat holders will be doing the same?
The reality of sports is tonight will be the final time many of the current 26-man roster will play a home game as a member of the Oilers.
Even if this team was good there would be off-season changes, but sitting in 25th place means many changes if the Oilers want to improve next season.
It is difficult to accurately say how many changes there will be, but out of the 26 players currently here, I’d say at least ten won’t be on the opening night roster next season.
They have five UFAs in Alex Chiasson, Anthony Stolarz, Alex Petrovic, Kevin Gravel and Brad Malone, and five RFAs in Jesse Puljujarvi, Jujhar Khaira, Ty Rattie, Tobias Rieder and Joe Gambardella. I expect they will try to re-sign Chiasson, and Puljujarvi, Khaira and Gambardella will for sure receive qualifying offers.
That leaves 16 players under contract, but some will be traded. Where and for whom will unfold over the summer.
There has been much discussion over potential buyouts, but no matter how often I crunch the numbers, I don’t see how buying out Milan Lucic helps the Oilers.
They would save $2.375 million in year one, $1.875 million in year three, but only $375, 000 in years two and four. Considering they have to replace his spot on the roster, even at the league minimum of $750,000, they would actually lose cap space in years two and four.
The day he signed his contract I felt there was a good chance the cost-per-point in the final three years of the deal would be tough to swallow. If he doesn’t improve, it will be the final five years. That hurts, no question, but unlike the second half of last season, Lucic wasn’t an emotional drain on the team this year. He’s played hard, he just hasn’t produced much.
The Oilers are likely better off to just keep him on the roster, play him in a bottom six role and hope he produces 20-25 points. The Tampa Bay Lightning are the best team in the NHL and they have Ryan Callahan and his $5.75 million contract on the books. He has 17 points compared to Lucic’s 21. I realize the Oilers aren’t close in overall talent to the Lightning, but my point is even the best teams have an unbalanced contract or two.
What the Oilers need is to have a few forwards on cheap contracts put up 35-40 points, and that will balance out the Lucic deal. Maybe there will be a compliance buyout for the expansion draft, although I doubt it, or maybe a trade is possible in the future. We’ve seen other players, with hefty contracts deemed untradeable, get moved.
I’m hesitant of any buyout because it leaves dead cap space at the end. The Oilers could buyout Andrej Sekera and save $3 million in cap space in each of the next two seasons, but then they would have $1.5 million of dead cap space in 2022 and 2023. Sekera can play in the NHL. He is a very good third pairing defender, he is just overpriced at this point. This summer the Oilers can trade him to 15 teams, and maybe a deal can be had where the Oilers retain some salary, and still save some cap space.
The Benoit Pouliot and Eric Gryba buyouts combine for $1.633 million of dead cap space next year and $1.3 million the following year. Adding to that is far from ideal, and if I’m the new GM, I’d look at trades and retaining salary before adding more dead cap space.
TOUGH DECISIONS…
What is very unique about this off-season, is that it just won’t be the organization making tough decisions. Many season ticket holders (STH) have told me they aren’t renewing their seats. That isn’t as easy of a decision as some think. If you’ve been a season seat holder for 40, 30, 20, 10 or even three to five years, walking away isn’t easy. Being a season seat holder is a financial and emotional investment.
It is much easier to switch the channel at home, or only watch games when you feel like. Being a STH is a big commitment. Not only are you buying the seat, but you are also driving to the games and usually buying food or merchandise, or even 50/50 tickets. Some STH commute anywhere from 30 minutes to five hours depending on where they live. And that is one-way.
To give up the seats now is tough, because most fans still want to believe the team will be good. If you paid for seats since 2007, there have been very few positive emotional returns. You give up your seats now, and then next season the Oilers make the playoffs, some STH might feel like they gave up too early.
It might not sound rational, but I’ve spoken with many STH over the past decade and that internal battle goes on. Those who watch every game and read every article, have the same doubt, but if the Oilers are suddenly competitive next season, it is much easier to turn the TV back on, than it is to get your season seats back.
Many people have gotten to know the people in their section. They have bonded. They have become friends or the familiar face you see 40+ times a year and you share the same passion for the team. And there is the excitement, anger, frustration and jubilation that you share with 18,000 people every night.
To give that up isn’t easy, but many STH have reached their boiling point, and that should be a major wake up call to the Oilers organization.
LONG TIME STH SAYS GOODBYE
Every year a few people don’t renew for various reasons, but not very many. This year I’m hearing it could be upwards of 20%, if those who say they are going to cancel follow through. That is a massive number and it illustrates how frustrated fans are. It is not a spur-of-the-moment decision. The individuals or corporations who make the decision to walk away have thought about it for a long time. It has been building.
My last game as a STH after 40 years. I suspect there will be tears #OilCountryLovesYouMcDavid
— HugSpecialist (@OilersAlbMom) April 3, 2019
That is Cheryl Stuart. She and her husband, Brian, have been loyal season tickets holders for 40 years, but tonight is their last game. I reached out to find out what prompted them to walk away?
“We have watched the good, the bad and the ugly over the years…sadly the ugly part is dragging on. At the beginning of the season we talked about it (not renewing) a little, but as the season went on we were more and more upset by management decisions and their lack of commitment to the fans and players. Hearing Bob Nicholson blame the water in Edmonton, the culture in the dressing room (even though he helped put those players there) and then ultimately Tobias Reider was really a sign that the management has lost all vision of what this team can be. And even sadder knowing these same people are now going to be responsible for hiring new folks to take over really has given us no hope,” said Cheryl
In speaking with her I could sense her disappointment. Walking away isn’t easy, but the frustration with the organization goes beyond losing on the ice.
“I personally hate the whole “Loilty” tag the Oilers have attached to their fans,” said Stuart. We’ve been more than loyal, and let me be clear even though we’re giving up our tickets we are still staunch fans. We did not have a dedicated ticket manager for almost a year. We never heard from anyone until I was vocal on social media a few months ago; we did get a new rep and he’s very nice and brand new.
“But as someone who has paid my dues over 40 years I feel this is sad. In fact, I feel sorry for all these reps, as I’m sure their job has not been pleasant this year. As a STH, we get a discount at the Oilers store, but no other discounts in the arena – for food or drinks etc. The Oiler bucks are nice but everything is so costly, be it merchandise or food etc. It doesn’t go far.
“The last few years the opportunity to meet the players has been so limited and restricted. The “rules” around each of these event has become almost silly at times. I love Connor and the boys, but we had easier access to Wayne & Mark than we do now. In the past, we had regular contact with reps and even management who would wander around Rexall and chat with fans. There were more breakfasts, dinners and the like to share information and bonuses when you renewed like jackets etc.
“At the most recent STH dog and pony show there were many angry comments made by ticket holders which were mostly ignored and any comments made about our absentee owner was met with anger. We were told they have lots of plans -at least 50 to involve STH more next season…Seriously that should have been a continued practice and not something they are now dangling in an effort to entice us us to stay.”
She added one last thought.
“The year the Oilers started their wait list was the year they seemed to end caring about the fans. They don’t care I’m giving up my seats as they, supposedly, have a lineup of people behind me. They have no incentive to try and keep me or others. I understand this is a money making corporation, but it saddens me to think that after all this time I don’t matter. I love those boys on the ice and I hope they realize that the fans support them. I just see no hope for things getting better. I know there will be tears tonight watching my final game as a season seat holder, but we felt it was time to say no more,” she said.
The Stuarts are only one couple, but I sense they aren’t alone in their sentiments.
The Edmonton Oilers need to improve both on and off the ice.
LINEUP…
Oilers
Draiaitl-McDavid-Kassian
Lucic-RNH-Rattie
Rieder-Cave-Chiasson
Gambardella-Gagner-Currie
Klefbom-Larsson
Nurse-Russell
Sekera-Benning
Stolarz
Stolarz gets the start. His knee, which I’m told had swelled up, is good to go, but I suspect this is also a mental break for Koskinen.
Sharks
Meier-Couture-Pavelski
Kane-Hertl-Nyquist
Sorensen-Thornton-Labanc
Haley-Goodrow-Donskoi
Middleton-Burns
Vlasic-Heed
Dillon-Braun
Dell
The Sharks will finish second in the Pacific and open up at home against Vegas in round one. Earlier this week Erik Karlsson told Kevin Kurz from the Athletic, “Like I said before when I spoke to you about a month ago, I said I was going to be ready for the playoffs, and that’s still the case.” Karlsson’s return would be a huge boost for the Sharks.
Currently, Pavelski, Thornton, Karlsson, Nyquist and Donskoi are UFAs. I fully expect them to re-sign Pavelski, and if Thornton wants to play again he likely signs another one-year deal. If they don’t re-sign Karlsson they will have lots of room to renew both Nyquist and Donskoi if they want. If Donskoi goes to free agency, he’s a player the Oilers should look at. He did play most of the season with Kane and Hertl, and he has 37 points, after scoring 32 last year and 36 in 2016. Three out of the past four seasons he has been a decent point-producer.
I wouldn’t break the bank on him. He currently makes $1.9 million and will be 27 next season. He is a solid complementary right winger who can play up or down the lineup.
TONIGHT…
GAME DAY PREDICTION: The STH who sit in their seats for the final time don’t get the victory they want. Sharks win 4-3.
OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Joe Pavelski picks up a point and maintains his point-per-game pace against the Oilers. He entered the game with 53 points in 53 games against the Oil.
NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Lucic scores a goal in consecutive games for the first time since he scored on April 1st, 4th and 6th in 2017.
GDB BROUGHT TO YOU BY COLLIN BRUCE MORTGAGE TEAM
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Source: NHL, Official Game Page, 4/4/2019 – 12:00 pm MT
The really pathetic part (there are many) is that there are probably almost as many on this current roster who will be back next season that we don’t want back as there are players who won’t be back.
That part by Cheryl broke my heart. It’s what every single Oiler fan is feeling these days.
It also shows just how out of touch the Oilers organization is. They don’t even care about their STH’s. Always another person in line to buy em I guess. Greedy organization milking us dry for little to no return.
Look at the kraft-heinz debacle when a storied American company is bought out (majority investment) by 3G capital and they install their own CEO. Cost cutting, revenue generation and margin improvements AT ALL COSTS. From a business perspective that appears to be the exact direction Katz is taking with this team. Who the F cares if 20% of my STHs don’t renew, I’ve got 1,000 people in line behind them!
Cheryl has hit the nail on the head with the organizational problems, and as we all know, leadership has to come from the very top. Sadly I don’t believe the oilers will be anything more than a farce as long as Katz owns the team.
I would bet the guy who came up with the new Coca Cola a few years back, was fired pretty quickly after, results matter.
Maybe I’m living in my own social media echo-chamber, but I’ve been worried about it for a while, and now there seems to be more and more positioning by media outside of Edmonton that are saying that the risk of losing McDavid is getting higher and higher.
I know folks like Gregor are close to the team and have discounted it, especially in the short-term – and that’s totally fair – but I’d be curious if local media might be feeling that risk grow a little bit as this seasons closes out in such a disastrous fashion?
Conner is classy, he wont fold on us quite yet. I think we have him another year for sure. Little to no improvement next season and he will ask to be sent elsewhere I think. That will be my final day as a fan of the Oilers.
His trade out of Edmonton will coincide with the Oilers going full Keystone Cops and forgetting to protect Draisitl in the Seattle expansion draft…at which point I will become a fan of the Seattle Sockeye.
With a brief flight and desire to appeal to a crowded local sports market, I bet I’ll catch more games in-person as a fan of Seattle’s than this pathetic tire fire of an org.
I’d say trade deadline day, so he has a chance to win a Cup next year
If the OBC stays intact, I am done before next year, because we know they will stay intact, and we know they have not one clue on how to run a franchise (Unless it is into the ground)
Look, I hate the Oilers (not Edmontonians, you gave me and my family an awesome week there last Summer) as much as the next Flames fan but there is no way Conner walks. He is clutch on the ice and in life. The only I scenario I see something like that happening would be with 3-4 years more of non-playoffs, McDavid scares Management by saying he wants out but Katz knows how drastically a Conner-less Oilers would devalue the team; so he sells to a local buyer/s, and McDavid stays (giving a finger to Katz). Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see McDavid go East but I believe it would be Katz out before Conner. But what do I know, I’m Tier 3.
Season ticket holder Cheryl, thought he was literally blaming the water haha I thought tier one fans were smarter than that
Speaking of smart, never mind
It was the idiot that blamed the water (And Tobias), all the while deflecting blame from himself, which is what losers do.
Katz not only reads these boards, but posts a VvV
#pullthetriggerKatz on every last one of pro scouts and upper management !!!
“I’m hesitant of any buyout because it leaves dead cap space at the end” – Lucic is dead cap space
Cheryl represents a continuing trend in ALL of the pro sports leagues. Fewer and fewer people are buying seasons tickets with after tax dollars with the intent of going personally as many games as possible.
Most season tickets – especially in the lower bowl – are being written off and then used as business perks or resold.
That noted Cheryl-type STHs are canaries in the coal mine. If they are losing interest then the corporate value of those tickets as perks that are valued by clients is in trouble and then eventually corporate boxes go unused and then ultimately unsold (this actually happened in Toronto not that many years ago).
The marketing ignorance, sloth and lack of creativity accompanied by arrogance which is the true sin of OEG WILL catch up with it if things don’t change. That is a guarantee.
This is made all the more egregious by the fact that the Oilers are the only real game in town. All this captive, willing audience and OEG still drops the ball, badly.
Really surprised it has not already, best fans in the league and treated like dirt.
Not sure that they are very likely but there are a couple of possibilities for being able to trade Lucic. One is to a team that needs to get to the floor and has a GM that thinks that “character” will be key to a rebuild. The other is a team with high expectations heading into the playoffs that gets bounced in the first round due to getting out muscled by the other team (and maybe with a coach that is so arrogant they think they can revive his career). Some salary retention would likely be required. As I said maybe not likely but the history of the league is that there are more bad GMs than just Chiarelli.
Any chance a member of the media can pass the STH comments on to those that need to hear it?
They know. After all, they held the dog and pony shows which were intended to appease STH. In true #becauseoilers style these efforts actually made things measurably worse as they exposed Bob as a blithering dolt. (even with Shannon and Stauff holding his hand) #leadership
What do dogs and pony’s have to do with the Oilers? Are they THAT retarded?
YES
the dog or pony equivalent of the edmonton oilers would have long since been put out of its misery.
On Saturday before the Flames beat us would be a good time. National media, but I dont think there are many left that do not realize what a disaster this is already.
That game day prediction sounds pretty optimistic, I’d say 5-2. Rieder scores in his last home game!!!
Everybody Pats a few Oilers on the back who recently came out saying they are playing for each other in the last few games with playoffs history. How about playing for the fans who pay your wages? There are fans who have dished out several hundred thousand $$$$$$’s in season tickets, beer, parking, food and time. Some recognition and respect of that would be nice.
Fans dont matter, that much is obvious.Even the tier 1 ones.
So depressing. Look what you’ve done to this once proud franchise, Katz. Just look.
Katz and his cronies forget that this team once played to half empty buildings in the dark 90s years. Edmonton fans are not as “loil” as he thinks they are. They expect a good, winning product. It’s only McDavid that is keeping the fans from revolting en masse.
I suspect tonight it will be another blow out loss…and the Toronto media will go crazy…
McD should want out..and that will be a cruel awakening call to the oilers BS management.
This year all those coaching/manager change decision was only driven by katz’s desire to get his season ticket sale in order. He has no desire to put through a winning team and culture..
What Cheryl Stuart said sounded like an eulogy. I stopped reading and really felt sad. Thanks Darryl Katz. Greedy Guts.
I’m out.
31 years.
This franchise is not deserving of my economic support.
Simple as that.
If buying out Lucic doesn’t help the Oilers, giving his less minutes & bottom 6 would. Kassian is everything Lucic was supposed to be. RNH seemed to be saddled with dragging Milan around the ice a lot this season. A huge mistake was made giving Lucic the contract he has, if we have to live with it, so be it. Lucic plays like a $1.5 mil player, play him like a $1.5 million player.
The Katz curse continues.
How is it that often you can see camera shots from a Leafs game where Dube,Shanahan and others taking in the game scouting a game.Yet, you see Wayne at games a lot, but always in the hospitality suite with glass in hand!, often looking glowed, with wannabe movie star son, in tow. Should he not be with a scout or the likes.
Not to mention his botoxed to the max wife with the lips to stop a truck.
Look what the OBC has done to us. Hating on the Great One for no reason. He’s just a welcome face here trying to have a good time and enjoy the Oilers just like the rest of us. Im sure he’s not enjoying these Oilers all that much either. Let him have his drinks and chill and do whatever he wants. He doesn’t owe anybody anything.
I’ve said this before in the comments threads so sorry if I sound like a broken record but cancelling my seats was the best decision I made last year. There wasn’t a single moment this past season when I regretted it – although at the time I made the call I was really worried there would be.
It is a truly heart-wracking decision to make. You feel like you’re letting the team down somehow. But I think if you really consider it, you’re not helping the team by continuing to provide the OBC success despite their absolute incompetence. If it’s only loss of $$ that will get this message across to this hack of an owner then true fans need to speak by closing their wallets.
Worst Day in Oiler history? Nope, not when Gretz was traded, it was the day Katz bought the team.
Yes, sir. The Oilers even went on to win another cup without him b
The DOD+ started when the Oil traded Chris Pronger for peanuts, when he wanted to go. Maybe it can end when they trade McDavid. Hopefully they make a better deal this time.
And Lowe even traded Pronger to a conference rival. Stupid, stupid move.
See ya Cheryl – there’s a Bobby Nick’s burger with your name on it, as we see you still have a few oiler bucks you haven’t spent yet… Good luck as a Tier 2 fan, it’s been a slice.
Your monicar is getting really old and waaaaayyy beyond irritating. Just looking at your avatar makes me want to smash something. Maybe you are a Flames fan. In that case it makes sense but an Oiler fan trolling his fellow fans is stupid.
Any words of encouragement for us Tier 3 fans who live out of province, Bob?
Is it too early to be talking about a Koskinen buyout … ?
The sentiments by Mrs. Stuart has really hit home as to my feelings about this club.
It instantly bring back the thought’s of the tiered fanbase that we are all a part of.
I hope this letter goes viral for all our sakes…
Reading Cheryl’s comments made me sad. If the management group was this passionate about the Oilers, this would be a hell of a hockey team. I will dare even say some of the players would be better served to display her passion. It is crazy that she (and hopefully a lot more STH) will save themselves thousands of dollars next year and are sad about it. What a slap in the face from this organization. Comments about feeling like fans have let the team down by not renewing tickets are also sad. Those are good people and good customers that aren’t deserved by this organization.
I’m a die hard (tier 2) fan. Proudly displayed my Oilers gear on vacation last week and through the cowtown airport twice (both of my kids did as well) but I turned down two sets of free tickets to tonight’s game. The fans are going to be angry and the team is going to play terrible. And the worst part for me is that there is no hope in sight. BN will not get the next hire right-he isn’t capable. I’m never going to stop being an Oilers fan (until Connor gets traded) but there is no good news coming for next year. (what a whiny, cry baby post…sorry)
No worries, we’re all crying on the inside. That is the real SAD part. Katz losing business actually makes me feel better. Baby steps.
Sound pretty accurate to me.
the entire organization just acts like it’s entitled to your money because you were there when it actually cared about the city. it shouldn’t cost $1000’s just to be reminded of fading history.
Lose, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose.
A rich steeped Oil tradition, that …
Hay Alfie, Draft lottery coming up soon. Are you worried. One more 1st overall is all we need. LOLOL
IF we win the lotto, that would be a severe kick in the pills for the NHL, watch them institute a new draft rule: No team can win the lotto more than once per decade
oh you must be talking about that first round exit from the playoffs your flamers do… btw, good thing they rest all those regulars for the beating they got from the ducks they got last night… a sign of things to come in the playoffs no doubt
To be honest, it’s not the ineptitude of the Oilers organization that bugs me. I can handle a well meaning failure. What I can’t handle is the denial, the cronyism, and the lack of accepting any responsibility. We’ve seen players get traded, we’ve seen coaches get fired (a lot), we’ve seen 2 GMs get axed (the rest were promoted or moved laterally) and we’ve seen no other meaningful change. Bob Nicholson has blamed the water, blamed Toby Reider, and not blamed himself for an utter lack of professionalism about calling out a player at a breakfast event. Your team sucks, and you’re the president. It’s not everyone else, it’s you. And there’s a lot of straight up lies I can’t get behind. Katz is a hands-off owner but he calls Bobby in the middle of an interview. Peter Chiarelli was responsible for “everything” and wasn’t being told what to do by the OBC, but resigning Koskinen early was a “group decision”. Even going back to “If you have to ask the question then you know the answer” about Dubnyk (who we now know was bailing out an awful team and is now one of the better goalies in the league). The organization lucks out, wins McDavid, still can’t win and blames the other players performance (even though they selected them). There’s a disconnect between what they say, what they perceive, and reality. In short: they piss on my leg and tell me it’s raining.
I am currently more loyal to McDavid than I am to the Oilers, and I expect a lot of people are in the same boat. If he leaves I’ll go with him and wish him well and applaud his decision to skip out. I can actually say that I genuinely *hate* the Oilers as an organization now, which is infuriating, because I used to love them so much. The team I fell in love with was poor and scrappy and earned everything that came their way. When every other WHA team folded and left town a group of Edmontonians came together and saved the team. It actually proved there was something special about the Oilers. It wasn’t the Cups from the 80s, it was that in Edmonton *we* were the ones who actually saved our hockey team. There was no ultra-wealthy owner bailing out the city, the city’s local business owners came together and did it themselves. It was inspiring, and very Edmontonian, and kind of blue collar, and the team matched that ownership group.
Now? Now I’m going to do what I could *not* have imagined in all my years. I’m going to cheer for the F-ing Calgary Flames in the playoffs. Because they play hard. And Mark Giordano is a player I can respect. And I want to see a Canadian team win and it looks like something has gone wrong with the Jets. For two decades I’ve burned with hatred for the Flames and now I look at them and admire the fact that they play (and are managed) like accountability exists. They act like they give a damn.
See you around, Connor. I hope you get a team that deserves you. One way or the other.
Well said Dave & welcome aboard … it’s going to be a ring a ding dong dandy … Go Flames … !
Very well said Dave. I’ll share that the absolute turning point for me was Hometown Hockey, Sherwood Park. The team was knee deep in despair (or dis-repair, whatever). McLellan had recently been fired and McTavish comes on as a guest. He acts smug like nothing at all is wrong with this franchise… “If anyone knows anything about hockey, all teams go through what we are going through. We have a new coach & this team is in a good place.” He could have cared less about the state of the Oilers… Well, it’s almost summer, fishing season… Baseball has started & the CFL is around the corner… That’s all I gotta say about that, it’s sad. But Cheryl hit the nail on the head. Cheryl’s comments, I hope, should go over national sports news…
Agree with everything but the Flames. That is the line that cannot be crossed, unless it’s to go undercover like Chia and sabotage a team.