And The Wisdom To Know The Difference

I suspect this is going to be a season of tumult by and for Oilers fans. I don’t see any way around it. Honestly. Since we’re at the point where pitchers and catchers report for their eye tests, let’s have the first of what I expect to be many conversations.

You aren’t helping in this process. Quite right. Beyond ‘we don’t know what we don’t know’ what would you like me to say?

You say you’re not going to talk about it but then you do. The idea about writing around a subject is to chronicle events in the life of said subject. So, if I’m writing about the Oilers and not writing about McDavid’s journey, then I’m not really writing about the Oilers. I don’t write about it every day because I think people have anxiety about it. I don’t like to increase the anxiety, since I know what it can do to a human.

So, yesterday on the Lowdown, you said McDavid will sign. Correct. I have sources (not Oilers sources) who remain steadfast in their belief 97 will sign. Bob said 102 percent certain yesterday. Stan Bowman is confident. So, that’s as close as anyone can get, I think. However, we don’t know what we don’t know.

Are you 102 percent certain? No.

If you were in Vegas, would you bet your house on it? No.

You are zero help in this. I have only one thing going for me. I’m honest. I give you my view, and sometimes more than one. In this case there are two views. I believe McDavid will sign. I also believe that if he’s leaving, the approach being used by the captain is the most intelligent path forward.

What do you mean? Listen to his words, watch his actions. This is not a player who is withdrawing from his team, or the city he plays in. McDavid made a special appearance at the Morgan Wallen concert the other night. Would an individual who was leaving do those things? Hard to believe. McDavid has been here 10 years, we’ve gotten to know him. He’s a straight shooter. There’s no sense of distance between he and the fans, none that I can see.

SO, that’s good! It is good, but there’s also the matter of no new contract. That’s a difficult thing for fans to digest. It should also be an extremely tense time for ownership and management. And yet, nothing from Daryl Katz. He’s an owner who communicates during important moments. Stan Bowman said yesterday he’s confident. So, I choose to believe that if Katz thought his team was in imminent danger, the tone of the proceedings would be far different. Katz would get out in front of this, in my opinion. I don’t think he’s worried about his brand, and that should give fans some hope.

What’s going on? I think there are a few things. The league is coming out of the pandemic with real walking around money and know one knows how it will be spent. For McDavid, the king of the cap hill, it might be best to sign a series of one-year deals in order to optimize the process.

I hate you. I think a Stanley Cup is the most important thing for him, but being the highest-paid player has appeal, and the NHLPA would want him to set precedent with the next signing.

He got married, does that change things? Yes of course, but people shouldn’t demonize his family over this contract. McDavid has grown as a person in the last decade and found his person. That’s something to celebrate. The things said about Janet Jones back in the day were noxious, and I have no time for such silliness. People said she authored Gretzky’s move to Los Angeles so she could be a bigger star. Janet Gretzky had five children with 99, and they build a family together. Let people live. That’s always the better way.

So we just sit here and wait? Yes. And if we’re older we repeat the serenity prayer: “GOD grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” Let it be.

On the Lowdown today, I’ll have Bagged Milk as my feature guest and we’ll roll out the lines and pairings, plus talk Jays and Elks. We’re on Sports 1440 noon to 2pm and on You Tube.