This is the Edmonton Oilers roster just before cutdown day in early October 2015. If you remember this season, let me ask you a question: How many ‘fringe’ NHL players do you see on this roster?
THE ATHLETIC!
- New DNB: What I’m hearing about the Oilers 2.0: Evan Bouchard offer sheet? Klim Kostin to KHL?
- Lowetide: Predicting Oilers star Connor McDavid’s 2023-24 stats
- DNB: Oilers GM Ken Holland on salary cap space, Steve Staios, 2023 NHL Draft
- Lowetide: What are Oilers’ best NHL Draft bets for 2023 second-round pick?
- DNB: Oilers’ offseason options: Comparing conservative and aggressive approaches
- Lowetide: What do the Oilers have in defence prospect Max Wanner?
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers targets early and late in NHL free agency.
- DNB: Edmonton Oilers AHL prospect stock watch: Is Raphael Lavoie NHL-ready?
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers position-by-position depth chart entering offseason
- DNB: Edmonton Oilers fan survey results: Belief remains in team’s Stanley Cup window
- Lowetide: Why Edmonton Oilers’ right wing overhaul is about to hit overdrive
- Lowetide: The Edmonton Oilers guide to saving an NHL Draft on just three picks
- DNB: Why the Oilers are preparing to hold on to Cody Ceci this offseason
- DNB: What I’m hearing about Oilers’ offseason plans: Trade candidates, Erik Karlsson interest, more
- Lowetide: How the Oilers may handle a change in management
- DNB: The Oilers missed a true Stanley Cup chance this year and the contention clock is ticking
- Lowetide: Can Oilers prospect Raphael Lavoie make the team in 2023-24?
- DNB: Oilers offseason priorities: A 10-step plan for ensuring success next season
- Lowetide: 7 ways the Oilers can create cap room for 2023-24
- DNB: How the Oilers roster could soon look different
- DNB: Oilers GM Ken Holland focused on ‘unfinished business’ entering final year of his contract
- Lowetide: Identifying a 2023 NHL Draft sleeper prospect for the Oilers
- Lowetide: Stock up or down for every Oilers prospect in the system
THE OPTIONS
Edmonton had to make a final cutdown decision on the roster above back in the day, and these transactions were the options:
- Brandon Davidson waivers. It’s a quick, easy move and even though it risks losing him this is the day to do it because there could be three teams worth of players on the wire.
- Griffin Reinhart. It gives the Oilers a chance to watch GR develop a little more in the minors and as we’ve talked there are some cap bonus issues that would be burned off with time in the AHL.
- Andrew Ference. This would require Ference to agree to a move and Edmonton would have to swallow (likely) half the contract and add a painful sweetener but that’s probably their top option. The problem is finding a dance partner.
- Anton Slepyshev could be sent down, it’s probably the most logical move of the bunch.
- Leon Draisaitl could be sent down, there are some bonus opportunities that could burn just like GR.
- Matt Hendricks hurt his hand, could go on IR.
- Luke Gazdic waivers.
- Rob Klinkhammer waivers.
I picked Anton Slepyshev as being the most likely to be demoted, the Oilers chose Leon Draisaitl to Bakersfield. Peter Chiarelli said “I think he (Slepyshev) is just a bit ahead as a professional right now and he is a natural winger.”
How many in the group in the cover photo could be considered fringe NHLers? I’ll suggest all of Anton Slepyshev, Anton Lander, Rob Klinkhammer, Luke Gazdic (although effective in his role), Griffin Reinhart, Andrew Ference and Eric Gryba were fringe NHL players. That’s 7 of 23, or 30 percent. Now, let’s look at the possible roster for this season:
I signed free agent Connor Brown and re-signed Mattias Janmark to the Derek Ryan deal. RFA contracts for Evan Bouchard, Ryan McLeod, Klim Jostin and Raphael Lavoie. Traded Kailer Yamamoto to Washington for Nic Dowd and Warren Foegele to Philadelphia for Elliott Desnoyers. We come in with $882,500 left for the deadline.
How many fringe players? I count Raphael Lavoie, and he is more unproven than fringe. Whatever you want to say about the current roster, it’s good and getting better.
TRACERS
One of the things we do is pile on. The Oilers have done some unusual things over the years, so it’s easy to hammer them for sins real or imagined. I’m guilty as charged, and it frames the issue in a certain way. Ken Holland did say the team had no Ontario scout, but then said Steve Staios had done it for the 2022-23 season. Now, if I’m fair, that’s a helluva scout for an important part of the amateur hockey world.
It’s also true the team could run Bob Green and scouts from other areas through the OHL at times. After I wrote the article about ‘no OHL scoouts’ (link just above) several credible sources reached out and told me the names of Oilers scouts who had been spotted in Ontario. So, they are doing the due diligence.
There’s also the fact Edmonton is doing most of the things we’ve been clamoring for over the years. Most of the pucks are high skill. In the time since Tyler Wright took over as scouting director, the team has chosen just two shutdown blue and you would have to stretch quite a bit to call Tyler Tullio a pure checking forward. So, the 2020-2022 drafts are filled with skill. Here are the NHLE’s:
- Matvey Petrov 38
- Dylan Holloway 33
- Maxim Berezkin 33
- Reid Schaefer 27 (traded)
- Jayden Grubbe 26 (acquired by trade)
- Jake Chiasson 21
- Shane Lachance 19
- Max Wanner 18
- Xavier Bourgault 16
- Tyler Tullio 16
- Joel Maatta 13
- Nikita Yevseyev 10
- Carter Savoie 10
- Luca Munzenberger 6
- Filip Engaras 5
- Jeremias Lindewall 5
That’s a good list, and some of the best prospects were taken deeper in the draft. I think the scouts need more picks, but can’t argue with the Ekholm deal and Wright’s scouts are going balls out to shoot the moon with high reward bets.
- Jim Crosson: WHL and the west
- Scott Harlow: NCAA and American junior leagues
- John Hill: American colleges (a guess)
- Joakim Holm: Europe since 2019
- Mitch Holmberg: WHL
- Alexander Naurov: Europe
- Steve Staios: OHL
- Matti Virmanen: Europe
- Christian Vermette: QMJHL
- Jeff Salajko: Goaltenders (was goalie coach in DRW system)
Green, Wright and Ken Holland have no doubt seen the Ontario kids and Staios would know the league backwards. Edmonton should have an Ontario scout, zero doubt about it. The truth is, they did in 2022-23, and he’s a damn good one based on how his OHL team performed when he was there.
ABOUT YESTERDAY
I started in radio June 1980 and ended in radio June 2023. I loved most every minute of it and did my best to deliver in multiple formats. It was an absolute blast. I carry no grudges, no anger, and am only grateful. I want to especially thank the current management at Bell Edmonton for being so respectful and supportive of me in the last year. A man cannot ask for better people when facing a life crisis as I did in November. I will never forget their caring, goodness and humanity.
I worked with amazing people, fantastic writers, producers, music people, all brilliant broadcasters and fine women and men. I tried to write all the names down but it was over 100. So I deleted it. I love you, Maggie Anderson.
I do not know what new things the future holds. These last months have left me a broken human due to the loss of my wife. I am putting myself back together, attaching parts like I’m some kind of Lego (I’m red bricks and white window sills). Yesterday, for me, came as a relief. It will allow me to drive to a new building, to spend time in new rooms, and to start fresh. I’ve been driving to that location on Stony Plain Road since 1986. I’m so grateful for these years, but now it’s time to go.
I am ready for the next step in my life. I feel great energy returning.
I will continue to write for The Athletic, I’d love to have you click on the link and subscribe. I will pursue other opportunities if they come to me, and you can reach out if you have interest. Please don’t spend one minute worrying about me, I’ll be fine and I’ve been rewarded richly in my life.
If you are a broadcast company, please consider hiring any of the great talents now available. I would point specifically to the producers of the shows, Lt Eric, Matthew Iwanyk, Connor Halley. They are fantastic talents and good people. As for the on-air talent, they are wonderful people and I remain in awe of their special gifts. I want to especially thank Matthew for his kindness toward me in the last year on the show, when I wasn’t always at my best. He worked doubly hard to make me look good and that took Herculean efforts at times.
A special final note to thank Dave Jamieson. I don’t know if I would be here today without him. During the weeks leading up to and following my wife’s passing, he saw me cry, arrive in the building on no sleep and ask the same questions about Jo-Anne passing over and over again. He was patient, kind, gave great advice and I love him for it. I could not thank him enough in 1,000 lifetimes for what he’s done for me in the last year.
I’m a kid from Maidstone, Saskatchewan. I’ve been blessed and blessed and blessed again. Don’t you dare feel sorry for me. I’ll track you down, drag you to Turtle Lake and make you drink Crown Royal until you say uncle.
I loved being on the radio, it was natural to me. I was gifted 43 years of what I loved to do. That’s a good life. I need to excuse myself for a time, reinvent myself a little, and see you on the other side. I don’t know when that day will come, but promise it will be fun. Meanwhile, please read The Athletic articles and drop by and say hello here from time to time.
Our parallels through grief are similar LT:
”I am ready for the next step in my life. I feel great energy returning.”
That energy, after it’s been lost, feels so magical when it’s back.
I am so proud of you. And the gratitude you have for the journey?
You just amaze me.
(I’ll check in from time to time, but like you, am taking time off to regroup and forge a new direction on this planet).
Thank you for thousands of hours of audio to accompany my adventures over the years in Guadalajara, Edmonton and then back to Guadalajara. I’ve been reading you material even longer which I will continue to follow. Bless you and your family and keep pressing forward into new territory. I am sure that Jo-Anne will care for you from above and is proud of you.
Thanks, Ken!
Haven’t logged in here in a while but wanted to say a few things.
Thank you LT. As much as you are blessed, we have been just as much. You have provided us with hundreds of hours of graceful writing, carefully crafted spoken thought and I am for one am absolutely grateful for that.
I haven’t lived in Edmonton for 7 years now and would always catch an hour or two of your show every day, although I will be honest, I take time off in the summer.
Take care of yourself, heal up and we are all patiently waiting to hear whatever story you’re going to tell next, even though we may have heard it before.
LT, you are a special human being. Losing the on air version of LT is somewhat offset by you and this community here online.
I am a realtor so I am driving from place to place listening to you and the rest of the radio gang and while I wait at homes for clients, I am taking in this blog and incredible comment section 🙂
Nice, Turtle Lake…. I am up there as well in Moonlight Bay. Beautiful lake good sir. If you ever run short on the Crown, let me know. I would happily drop by with one 😉
What a beautifully written piece. Gracious, funny, fun, uplifting, well written and kind. You’re a gem LT
Thank you LT. Your journey has been our blessing. Look forward to continuing to follow your writings and shareable thoughts as u see fit. A wonderful life in progress is always a very interesting read.
Dreger saying tonight that the Oilers do have interest in Brett Pesce.
(https://oilersnation.com/news/darren-dreger-edmonton-oilers-have-interest-in-carolina-hurricanes-defenceman-brett-pesce)
I poo pooed it yesterday, but maybe that wasn’t fair. It certainly wouldn’t be a major issue to fit his salary in next season ($800k more than Ceci).
I do think the asset cost would reflect an extended Pesce rather than 1 year of Peace though (so in the range of 2 x 1st round picks). Maybe the Oilers could fit the AAV of Pesce’s next deal in with the Cap bump next summer?
If nothing else, something to ponder when there’s not much to ponder.
I put this in the box with: “The Oilers are connected to every single player somewhat potentially available”.
Yes, that’s totally fair, and likely where it belongs.
Relatedly, exactly how good is Brett Pesce? I know he’s better than Ceci, but statistics aren’t really showing me how.
Most of his raw numbers were amazing, but the Canes were the best 5v5 team in the league the last couple of seasons. His relative numbers don’t look any better than Ceci’s as an Oiler (ie – negative across the board).
Is it possible he’s a bit overrated? Like he’s better than Ceci, but maybe not ‘2 x 1sts plus $3M Oiler player out’ better than Ceci?
I’ve hardly watched the Canes, so I’m wondering if the more recent eye test matches his reputation as a really high end defenseman?
I don’t follow the Canes. They seem to have a puck mover and shutdown guy on each pairing, with Pesce and Skjei, I’m not sure which one’s which?
Nurse basically needs a Bouch (someone who can defend entries and make good outlet passes. Great article.
If points are a proxy for puck mover then maybe it’s Skjei. However, the wowy numbers, albeit in a small sample apart, seem to suggest the opposite. Skjei alone has less goals for and against per 60 than Pesce.
With the VGK winning the cup…let the copy catting begin.
Various pundits are observing (quite rightly IMO) that the key to the Knights win was their big, mobile D.
Kevin Bieksa and Ray Ferraro have both been gushing with praise saying it us by far the best D core in the league and you can bet other GMs are paying close attention,
A player like Pesce fits the mold perfectly and if the Canes don’t extend him, I expect there will be a stampede to sign him.
Yeah, that theory is getting repeated lately.
Someone said similar the other day, and that Nurse had been better with his better passing partners (Bouch, Barrie and Bear) so I looked.
This is Nurse with his main partners over the past 4 seasons:
(I added % TOI vs elites for each pair today)
Nurse-Bear 37.0% vs elites
1410min 49.7%SF 47.9%GF 51.0%xGF
Nurse-Barrie 36.6% vs elites
1146min 50.6%SF 55.2%GF 50.2%xGF
Nurse-Bouchard 31.5% vs elites
688min 56.2%SF 47.5%GF 58.5%xGF
Nurse-Ceci 42.4% vs elites
1584min 50.1%SF 50.4%GF 51.6%xGF
One could take a lot of different things from those numbers. That Nurse needs a better passing partner, or a different partner generally wouldn’t be my take away (though clearly adding a legit 1RD ought to be a significant positive).
I’m really not a fan on NHL_Sid’s work.
The micro stats he uses are great for building a narrative but they aren’t tied to actual on ice results.
He uses on ice results too but then says stuff like “This (their results vs. Vegas) isn’t just bad luck; the pair has been consistently out-shot and out-chanced”.
But that simply isn’t true (Nurse-Ceci together: 50.1%SF, 51.1%SCF, 55.4%HDCF), so that stuff like that reinforces the feeling I’m reading a narrative.
And then you’ve got him concluding that DeMelo >> Ceci. And that Ceci + Broberg + Yamamoto for DeMelo and Niedereiter is a trade worth making.
I’m definitely not sold on that being worthwhile analysis.
Anyway, Pesce. Yeah, he’d probably be a really nice add.
Replace Mighty Mouse tweak the D get Campbell up and running and Bobrovsky your uncle.
He would have an Ekholm like effect with Nurse. A way bigger team impact than a winger, where one of the rookies may be adequate. 1RD is a tough fill
I certainly agree adding a legitimate 1RD would have more impact on the team than a 2RW would.
I thought he as well as maybe Brown and Pacioretty would be the 3 that could provide the biggest bang for the buck. Less than a million to upgrade the top 4 defenceman and both the other 2 are likely to take bonus deals with a lower base salary.
Yeah being able to add those 3 this summer would be a boon. Pretty much the best case scenario in terms of potential impact for cap space.
Inspired by Derek Ryan, and by Ken Holland’s past (think Chris Chelios, Larry Murphy, Duncan Keith and Mike Smith), what old guys are on the free agent market and still might be able to help the Oilers?
The Oilers currently are not actually an old team btw. Only Ryan (36) and Ekholm (just turned 33) are older than 31 as of today.
So, free agents who are at least 33 years old, who could conceivably be available to the Oilers and who might be able to help them on the ice:
(Warning, I’m being very inclusive here on the available and help parts)
Forwards:
(this is sorted by TOI/game, though I’m not writing out the TOI)
P. Kane RW
J. Toews C
G. Nyquist L/R
P. Bergeron C
A. Killorn L/R
J. Staal C
Z. Parise LW
N. Bonino C
J. van Riemsdyk L/R
D. Grant C
L. Eller C
E. Dadanov R/L
E. Staal C
M. Paccioretty LW (played tons more when healthy obviously)
P. Kessel
A. Cogliano LW
N. Foligno L/R
S. Gagner R/C
T. Lewis R/C
L. Glendenning C
P. Stastny C/L
C. Perry RW
P.E. Bellemare C/L
C. Smith RW
R. Reaves RW
D. Helm LW/C
Defensemen (also sorted by TOI/game):
I. Cole LD/RD
K. Shattnekirk RD
J. Johnson LD
M. Staal LD
R. Gudas RD
E. Johnson RD
N. Holden LD
L. Schenn RD
A. Edler LD/RD
M. Stone RD
Definitely some interesting names there up front and on D.
They run the gamut from absolutely could happen to close to zero chance it happens. And really, most of these guys would have to want to become Oilers to actually Oilers (I mean the Oilers aren’t likely going to be able give them the richest monetary offer).
So, a pie in the sky ‘all old guy summer’ Oilers team:
Nuge-McDavid-Hyman
Kane-Draisaitl-Killorn
Paccioretty-Toews-Brown
Holloway-McLeod-Ryan
Kostin
/
Nurse-Ceci
Ekholm-Bouchard
Broberg-Cole
Desharnais
/
Skinner
Campbell
Yamamoto, Foegele and Kulak were moved to make room for Killorn, Toews, Paccioretty, Brown (not and old guy) and Cole.
Yeah, not going to happen (though I do think this is on the far edges of plausible at least).
And I really do think we may see an old guy or two sign this summer from the ‘wants to be an Oiler and takes a discount to try to win’ pile. That would be nice.
Zack Parise is a player I heard mentioned a few days ag before the station shut down. Apparently he still has game (i.e. scoring goals) and he played for cheap last year (league min plus some cheap and easily attained games played bonuses) – remember he’s still getting BIG money from his buyout for a few more years.
I’m going to guess his long standing relationship with Lou means he’ll stay with the Isles but I’d have interest for sure.
Hey there.
Just dropping by to say ‘hello’.
— My oldest son graduated from grade 8 today. It was an awesome small all boys k-8 school small, 2 classes of 18 per grade. Unique as it was a school where you dropped your boys off at class, got to know all the teachers and staff as well as the parents. At the reception we talked to parents teachers other kids and it was poignant.
— On the way home, both with tears, my son said :”Dad those were the best years of my life so far. I Don’t want to leave this school but can’t wait for high school”
— LTs post reminds us that nothing last forever. Change is hard. Out of pain comes opportunities and strength.
— My heart almost dropped as I was reading: selfishly. I was thinking LT was announcing he was winding down this great community. One day this too will end so I enjoy it while you continue to share and post.
— Keep doing what your doing and one day I hope to come up to Edmonton on my way to YK and have a beer and another with you.
— your an amazing beautiful human.
FUN FACT : I’ve never heard LT on the radio, don’t know what he sounds like. But in my head as I read everyday I believe I know his “voice”.
It’s not so easy when you get older and see things change overnight that you held dear. Hopefully someone with the brains and the new knowledge does Lowetide a solid and gets him going on a podcast. Us smucks need our Sports-Baseball-Hockey- and most importantly organic Oilers fix. Please disregard if this is disrespectful towards youself Mr.Lowetide.
And yet the older you get the more things go away.
One day you wake up and realize every grandparent, uncle or aunt, every senior relative is gone.
Cousins are starting to go now, and a few of the next generation as well, sadly.
My primary school was knocked down 10 years ago and converted into condos, and my high school was given over to the catholic school board and renamed, but at least that still exists.
Most restaurants I enjoyed are long gone. Double Greeting Wonton House, may you never close.
Ron Collister, Bill & Bill, John Shorts Sport Talk, the list is long.
Might be a good theme to a country song.
After listening to Rod Phillips go absolutely ballistic if the Oilers got jibbed by the Refs or it was fight night with many teams just not the Flames. Everyone was gunning for a pound of flesh. Then after 3 hours of non stop entertainment and usually a win in the score and back alley dust ups. We get the calm and cool John Short for 2-3 hours analyzing the game from start to finish.
What @Mayan Oil said.
One in a million.
Wow. include deteriorating vets and that’s a Lot of Fringe.
You are one in million, LT. I have no doubt, no matter the bumpy road, you will always persevere. I look forward to your continued journey in this new direction. I offer a saying popular here in the expat community – wherever you go, there you are!
Unlike a martini, I see you as stirred, but NEVER shaken. Take heart and know we all cheer lustfully for your happiness.
I’m excited for who you can be,
Howard Cossell, Fonzi, Julius Caesar, Mr Rodgers(in the neighborhood, not that Toronto guy), Embrace it!
Iginla joins the Flames management group.
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/flames-hire-jarome-iginla-as-special-advisor-to-general-manager/
Every team has the old boys club I don’t get why everyone had their knickers in a knot when we had it. We now have at least a couple of retreads from the Motor City and everyone seems happy but me.Woody’s refusal to get some meat playing on the 2nd line instead of Minny the Mouse as well as not starting a fresh and raring Campbell in game 6 should cost him his job.
Thank you LT for all the great listening over the years. I subscribe to the Athletic because of you. Good luck in all you do.
Just to make sure I fully understand this LT. All I have to do is say I feel sorry for you, and you will take me to turtle lake, talk oilers all evening and drink crown royal until I pass out? Umm, I feel sorry for you 😉
I NEVER DOUBTED YOU ALLAN MITCHELL
Tuned in shortly after 10. I just couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Selfishly, I lost my friend on the radio, I was upset. This meant I would be losing the enjoyment, many laughs, and great words of wisdom from my radio friend. I’m still reeling today but I am so grateful to have many many good years listening to you LT. The past few months have been tough for you and your family, I feel for you. I do hope and pray it’s the dawn of better days for you and I’m sure it will be. Thanks Al for being you! You have made me a better person…thanks
My ex wife’s family had this great package of lots on turtle. We managed to maintain a solid friendship over this while time….after a dozen years still ptesent in some way in each other’s lives – , might finally get to go stay this summer back at turtle.
Looking forward to it.
Good luck on your next adventure LT.
Jesper Bratt signs for 8 X $7.85 million.
Those 8 years are going to line up well with his most productive years. I’m not sure his productivity lines up well with a $7.85M cap hit.
Once the cap jumps, it will be a huge bargain.
The NJ Dellows are locking up all their premium young players at below $8 million for max term,
Smart.
I like the Hughes contract, and I think Hischier is also a good bet. I just think Bratt might not be driving that bus / pushing that river.
Great fancies.
https://www.naturalstattrick.com/playerreport.php?fromseason=20222023&thruseason=20222023&stype=2&sit=ev&stdoi=oi&rate=n&v=p&playerid=8479407
Did you look at how he did away from Hughes and Hischier? I dont know if xGF% is your jam, but he was at 41% without JH or NH. (Corsi was pretty even, it was the high danger stuff that was problematic. also just 115 minutes, so pretty small sample)
You need players who can play with the best players on your team without slowing them down. That’s a valuable player. He does that.
I’m just saying JH and NH at $7m and $8M is good, JB at $7.85M is a bit much.
24 EVG +14 and leaky goaltending to boot.
Cant imagine that contract will ever be a problem
Now do his PP production.
I think there is a chance that Janmark comes in with the “Ryan contract” – Derek Ryan spoke expressly about other players needing to “take less” like he did in order to build this team in to a championship winner.
We’ll see if it happens. I think there is a chance with Janamark but also think its far from a lock – lets not forget, from accounts, he was right pissed off when sent to the AHL last year, right pissed. Obviously some fences and relationships were mended through the rest of the year but some feelings die hard.
Why is everyone being so soft on players? Y’all are back to handing out too much money. Every single forward spot aside from the Big Five is open next year with no contracts holding anyone back.
It won’t just be Janmark that takes less. Its going to be Kostin, McLeod and Bouch as well.
Does McLeod want $1.5×2 now, or does he want Foegele’s contract next July?
Young men should and will bet on themselves. It behooves them not too.
What am I being soft on? I speculated that Janmark may come back on a discounted deal from last season.
Mattias Janmark recent contract history:
2019 Jun 06, Dallas, 1 year $2,300,000
2020 Oct 12, Chicago, 1 year $2,250,000
2021 Jul 28, Vegas, 1 year $2,000,000
2022 Jul 17, Edmonton, 1 year $1,250,000
The dates are misleading in that free agency opened on a different date each year. He re-upped with Dallas ahead of schedule on the first one, the other 3 in the first couple weeks of free agency but not the first day. Price point going down, & lands with a new team every year.
Is it reasonable to expect him to be back? I’m thinking no.
I wonder why he’s not sticking anywhere at those cap hits
Many teams would be replacing him with their prospects on ELCs.
That’s a great attitude LT! Can’t wait to find out what’s next for you.
In whatever form, please continue to be the voice of reason for all us Oiler fanatics.
And thanks for this arena you’ve long-been the great caretaker of.
Beautiful post, LT.
I am so grateful for all the hours of entertainment and insightful analysis you have provided. Thank you!
Even though we have never met IRL, you are a real inspiration in my life. Your humility, reasonableness, humour, and vulnerability are all traits I try to cultivate in my own life. Again, thank you.
LT: I was a little late to reading yesterday’s post and wanted to hear your words today as only you can put to
paperkeyboard.You sir are a true mensch!
I’m so glad to hear how much support you have in your life, but that’s not surprising from the character profile I’ve created of you in my head over the years.
Thanks for sharing your heart with us LT!
Although I will miss the “See you on the Radio” phrase, which I thought was brilliant by the way, I’ll be sure to “See you on the Internet” with your exceptional daily content that we all enjoy immensely!
Cheers good sir! Cheers!
LT, as always, thank you for your amazing words.
But beyond that, thank you for being a staple in my life with your show for the past 10 years. I started listening to the station the day I started at my current place of employment, June 4th, 2013. It was supposed to be a 3 month, temporary data-entry gig. Coming from food and beverage, a desk job was going to be a lot different, and just how the hell was I going to pass the time?
As I sat there on my first day, I remembered an ad I seen in Coliseum Station for the Team 1260. Hey, sports radio. Let’s give that a shot. I never turned it off since then.
That short-term admin gig at the age of 19 eventually turned into a management role that I just bumped up to, two weeks ago. It sounds silly, but I know for a fact that you, and really all the folks at the station, played a part in that journey.
The laughs on the morning show felt like my good buddies helping me get through some seriously challenging days. Your endless wisdom gave me a lot of life lessons, like an Uncle or Grandpa sitting around a campfire sharing their experiences. “Always count the up arrows”, “the problem is you develop a pattern”, “one years’ experience three times” – all of it has stuck and made an impact. Pretty sure I’ve even borrowed some of that for an interview question a time or two, as well!
Your entire team at 1260 made such an impact on this city, and I think you’d even be surprised to know how truly influential you all were in this town’s culture. Literal water cooler talk, to discuss the latest interviews, the newest goal songs, your differing opinions.
It’s going to be hard to adjust to a new work-week ritual, knowing that we won’t have the voices at 1260 to carry us through the drive-ins, the drive-homes, the slow days, the stressful days, and everything in between.
I seriously hope for the best, and thank you once again for the best damn radio show and station that anyone could have asked for.
LT
I went through the corporate shuffle five years ago and many of my friends (all baby boomers) have had the same conversation. To a person we are all in MUCH better jobs and way happier. Lots of big (Canadian) companies have lost their way and resorted to accounting tricks with people’s lives to improve balance sheets, be glad you are gone. I hope you find a new fulfilling job … it is way closer than you think!
Great perspective LT. A career change, even when it’s imposed, can often be found in retrospect to be just what mind, body and soul needed. I sincerely hope that’s the case for you. You’ve earned it.
When things like this happen, I’m always disturbed by this niche contingent who gleefully celebrate people losing their livelihoods as proof of ‘progress.’
It’s ironic that they refer to the elimination of terrestrial media as ‘cutting the cord.’ In actuality, it’s the fortification of the only cord that seems to matter to the Internet generations, the umbilical cord that connects their smartphone to their self-selected content of choice.
Those celebrating this freedom of ‘choice’ are seemingly unaware that the corporations owning the digital platforms are no different than the MSM of old. The only change is the new boss is offering the gig economy with no benefits whereas the old boss might have supported you through hardship as LT confirms. Hard to see how this is beneficial to society but hey you get to own your brand now and be an ‘influencer!’
We’re so readily throwing the babies out with the bath water now in fiery tribute to our Internet God and man, doesn’t ChatGPT make an excellent accelerant?
For those celebrating this latest ‘progress,’ I’m curious. Why are you the most depressed anxiety ridden generation in history? It seems the new God isn’t delivering the goods. Not surprising when the most influential podcaster in the world is the guy who used to feed cockroaches to the pleebs on Fear Factor. It would seem the quality control on this ‘progress’ is lacking.
Search for a podcast called Behind the Bastards and listen to the episodes on Jack Welsh. Very interesting and infuriating listen about the advent of “downsizing” and how it doesn’t even accomplish what it sets out to do, yet has been accepted as corporate doctrine.
Do you mean Jack Welch? One can only hope that he is somewhere hot with Yosemite Sam dressed as a devil poking his butt with a pitchfork.
Damn you LT, you got me choked up. I’ve always admired your class, your grace and your integrity. Looking forward to keep reading your words here and at the Athletic.
And I will drink Crown Royal with you anytime.
That has got to be a very realistic line up for next season. With the retirement of Noah Philp, they are going to need to find a fourth line center, whether it’d be Nic Dowd or someone else. I’m kind of leaning towards Luke Glendening myself.
It would be terrific if they could resign Janmark to the same contract Ryan negotiated for himself. And Connor Brown would be a bit of a gamble playing in the top six. But that is the sort of gamble the Oilers can find success with.
Good heavens we’ve already sorted out the Oil’s off season for them. LOL.
I’ve been more than a bit mournful this last 24 hours, feeling sorry for myself. I can’t imagine what it’s been like for those that are directly affected. In spite of all that, I was looking forward to what you would share.
Thank you once again for your continued example of openness, grace and humility, not just when things are going well but also when they aren’t. I’ve always felt that a huge part of our being is the accumulation of our personal stories. Your ability to tell your stories is a tremendous gift to us all.
I think I recall you saying once that you were a DJ at Billy Bob’s in Red Deer many years ago. I was only there one time, but it was memorable. A large group of us were there celebrating Ben Johnson destroying the field in the 100M at the Seoul Olympics. Little did we know that everything would come crashing down in a few days. Maybe you were there too!
Godspeed to you Alan in whatever direction your path takes you.
Awesome words from a real gentleman. LT, you’ve always been the reasonable voice on deck as the rough seas crashed over the bow.
The only reason I still subscribe to The Athletic is to read your prose.
Thank you for your years of dedication the knowledge you continue to impart. I hope you’ll start a podcast so we can all continue to hear your words.
LT, one of the things about life and relationships is you don’t get to decide who worries about you. You can tell people not to worry. And that doesn’t change a thing. My son tells me not to worry about him every other day and that he’ll be fine and most days he is, but that doesn’t stop what I do from my end.
I’m not ‘worried-worried’ about you, of course. And I know you’re grateful for what life has given you. You always are and that perspective is a strength. But those of us that have been around awhile still hold the right to shake our fist against Life on your behalf, because from our perspective, our friend deserves better than what this last year gave him.
I’m glad you’re taking this as a next-step journey. That you’re putting yourself back together (don’t worry about the Lego instruction manual, the pieces will go where they fit). And I’m not worried-worried, but I’ll worry just a touch because I have great love for you, my friend. That’s what I do for the people I love. Even if I dragged out to Turtle Lake.
I don’t know where I can post this other than here Alan, but hopefully some of the other 1260 people will see it.
I texted my wife yesterday. “I’m sad.” Being the great wife she is, she called me immediately. “Why are you sad?”
“They took my guys away. They shut down my radio station.” People change, things end. Personally I am not in the category of being frustrated in how Bell Media did it. I understand corporate structure and when you let people go, you don’t give them time to bluster on the way out the door.
That said, this is different from watching the series ender from Game of Thrones. I have a situation where my commute to work is 1 hour 30 minutes each way. I have been locked on TSN 1260 for the last 8 years. (Although I am a day oner from Team 1260).
The challenge for many of us is that it becomes part of your fabric. Your daily routine. Your vernacular. The shows on TSN 1260 aren’t just entertainment. The people on the microphones, the producers and the guests get integrated into your life daily. You know them. You love them. (And in weird cases you love to hate them, in a nice way).
You watch them and their lives because although they are local celebrities, but if you listen long enough, you feel connected to them as if they are family that lives far away. You start feeling their joys, and their heartaches and there is a real sense of loss now they are gone.
When I get up every Tuesday now for the rest of my life, a Creed song will go through my head. When I hear about someone trying to birth a calf, or a weird baseball reference, or when someone makes a math joke (We’re only down 9), I will think about Dustin Nielsen, Eric Holt, Jason Gregor, Ryan Rishaug. When I think about a tough cancer fight I will think about Dave Jamieson or a devastating loss of a spouse I will pass a warm thought to Alan Mitchell. When I hear a clip about “Who own’s the North?”, I won’t think about Jon Snow, I will think about Dusty and Eric in funny garb. When it is foggy, I will tell my son to “Turn your lights on.” Shout out to our buddy Fras. *Chef’s kiss
When I think about being positive on a Friday, or having 12 days of giving, I will think of Jason Gregor’s countless hours given to many charities and the many grads that are dressed because of him. I will think about Struddy’s kind and happy disposition, his love of the game and ability to make us laugh with his self deprecating humour.
In my house, when my wife ask me a question that I want to answer very positively, I give her the Encarncion “Suuuuuure.” (She has no idea why.) When Draisaitl gets a goal and assists on two…I will sing N’Syncs….Drai, Drai, Drai.
There will be no more club beat loops, conch blows, brass bonanzas, scalding hot takes, 5 questions, 3 question too many, epic drafts (If anyone ever says the words Asian mist, it is just an big L), Struds’ ons, tell my I am wrong, weird baseball references, goal songs, great guests, Rene references, Sergio Ramos getting nipple erections (Don’t ask if you don’t know).
Not only is it sad because I enjoy it, it is sad because we as listeners share a bond with our hosts. I wouldn’t know anything about Eric’s brother’s band, or Maidstone, SK, the Muzz or Marshall, demolition derbies and all the things the hosts care about. We care about them too now. And now they are gone. Hopefully we see some of these things return in some form soon. Until then, we wait.
Wonderful words LT, and I’m very glad to hear you’re feeling OK about yesterdays news.
LT, I’ve been reading this blog for years, but I don’t remember seeing you’re from Maidstone! If you’re from THAT Mitchell clan, then we were neighbors – VERY small world! I know you will be fine – I do selfishly hope you are on the air again soon! Keep on keepin’ on…
I, for one, will ingest your content as long as you’re putting it out. I hope you’ll consider a podcast (with Bruce?) as that’s how we remote people have gotten to hear you anyway. Look forward to whatever direction you head now.
that would be rad.
“When one door closes another door opens”
We all loved you being on the radio. Personally, it always made me feel like at least one “fan” had made it into the world otherwise occupied by people who’ve had to remove themselves from that mindset. It felt like we were listening to one of us (albeit a much smarter version). All the best in whatever you get up to. We’ll be listening.
LT, whatever the future holds, I’m sure you will go into it with the dedication and grace with which we know are your trademarks.
I will wax lyrical here – there have been times when I have genuinely thought about how you have reacted and dealt with certain people (mostly on here) and have tried to emulate that; realize the person is angry at something and address that, (unless the person was being disrespectful), instead of the war of words. I call it the WWLTD (what would LT do?)
A wise person once told me, “show grace, as you never know when you need it shown to you.” Hard advice to take, but I try.
I thoroughly believe I can safely speak for all here when I say we wish you nothing but the best for the next chapter, whatever that may be. I selfishly want you to be back on the airwaves.
I will ask you one last question that has bugged me for years – Why do you hate Smid?
WWLTD… that’s gold.
Beautiful words as always LT. I echo the countless comments from yesterday wishing you the best on whatever you decide is next, and in earnestly hoping that comes in the form of a podcast or anything where we can hear you wax poetic about the Oilers, Bill James, music, whiskey, camping boxes and the infinite stories that make up the life of a once kid from Maidstone, SK.
In the meantime I’ll continue to stop by daily here every noon hour (blasted NL time) and at the Athletic while eagerly awaiting your next chapter. Once more with feeling, thank you.
Good gracious LT! You get me every time you open up.
You sir, encompass the many definitions of grace. Bless you!
I wish you the very best on this new chapter in your career and in your life. Thank you a million times over for your voice on the radio and your words on this blog and the Athletic. We are all better for it.
And that line up from Oct 2015… woof!!
not worried about you, worried about me, I need a few minutes of Lowetide, Jameison, Gregor, Struds, Iwanik… or my bp goes up. Be well, and yes I’m an Athletic subscriber