The great thing about math is it just doesn’t care what you think. Math supplies you with information, and makes zero assumptions about you. Oh, you’re a dumbass who has no idea what math is telling you? Math doesn’t care. You’re about to make a massive error that will cost you dearly? Math doesn’t even bother to laugh.
In a world filled with people and things who don’t care or think about you, math rules the day. You cannot name any other thing that serves you completely while also having zero concern about you. Math, in the end, is a dink.
Logan Stanley was drafted in 2016. I loved his combination of skills, because I still love the old school hockey ways. Stanley was a big defenseman (6.07, 231) with good wheels according to scouting reports. You put Stanley in the 1972 lineup of the Buffalo Sabres and Punch Imlach would have played the hell out of him.
Despite my fondness for the player, and player type, I ranked Stanley No. 134 overall on my 2016 draft list. Why? By then, I knew enough about the math of the game to know Stanley’s value in the modern NHL would be mostly defensive, and that has held true (despite the nine goals last season with the Jets).
I was also concerned the Oilers would love him. The Oilers have that in them, you know. They do. Oh man I can tell you stories about the scouting department in Edmonton liking tall trees from Minnetonka to Mississauga and back again. I suspect there was a real conversation about Stanley, and in my heart would have been glad to see the Oilers take him. Deep down? No. 134 overall.
When the Winnipeg Jets drafted him 18th overall, I was relieved and disappointed. Since then, I’ve followed his career, looking at the numbers, watching him play, and reading the wonderful Murat Ates writing about him at The Athletic. We all have favourites, you know. I loved Don Awrey of the Boston Bruins almost as much as I loved Bobby Orr. It’s a thing. We get attached to players and then wish good things for them.
I hope Logan Stanley signs with a good team. I am not an analytics expert, and math is a dink, but here’s my take on Stanley and his current value.
Vincent Desharnais signed a big contract this summer. Why? The math tells me that he deserved a good contract. Natural Stat Trick has him at 2.2 GA-60 five-on-five (2.33 expected, so he earned it) and the big man and his wingspan do good work on the PK, too. His 6.65 GA-60 shorthanded in 171 minutes is truly splendid. Desharnais earns his money in suppression, making him one-dimensional, but he’s so good at it the good contract came through.
Logan Stanley owned a 2.57 GA-60 (3.31 expected) at five-on-five in Winnipeg, and a 2.9 GA-60 shorthanded (in 41 minutes). Added to the nine goals, I was pleased with Stanley’s season. After being dealt to Buffalo, his five-on-five GA-60 shone like a diamond (1.64, 2.2 expected) and I thought he would be signed by now.
Desharnais got $4.2 million times four years from the Washington Capitals. Tim Barnes leads the analytics team there, that’s the gold standard for math in the NHL. Stanley probably looked for money in that area, but so far it hasn’t arrived in the form of a contract offer, or he’d have a deal by now.
Free agency was unkind to Desharnais until this year. The smart math people (Barnes) pursued Desharnais while Stanley remains in the starting gate. Desharnais has max speed in the 70th percentile, and wingspan of a great white Pelican. He’s also dirt mean. That has real value. Desharnais is righthanded, making him a unicorn.
Stanley has many of the same things, but he’s a lefty and a little below average as a skater. His expected GA-60 bleeds a little on to the solid resume. I hope he gets a great contract soon, and I hope he thrives in his new NHL city.
On the Lowdown today, our feature guest will be Bagged Milk from Oilers Nation. If you get a chance, please read this. Lots of good things in there. We’re on noon to 2pm, Sports 1440 and You Tube. See you on the radio!
The EE continue the excellence. Fajardo throws for 510 yards. The D forces 3 turnovers. And Blanchard hits a 57 yard field goal for a walk-off win.
Elks 36 Riders 34
What a game!
Green and Gold 6-1 in 1st Place in the CFL.
It’s a Blanch Bomb for the win!
What a finish for the Elks! Great game!
There was a time in the late 80s/early 90s that I was just as invested in the Elks as I was in the Oilers – my love for the CFL died as my love for the NFL grew. Anyways, have tried a bit to get back in to it and emotionally invested and its coming along this seaon – even listening to to Elks podcasts (Eddie Steele, Declan and Jay and some content on EST/1440) as the Oilers/NHL podcast content dwindles.
I’m oddly excited for tonight’s game – will be extra emotion, of course.
Great measuring stick game. 5-1 Elks vs 4-1 Riders. On the road with a share of first place on the line.
Skeptics feel the Elks record includes too many soft opponents early on. This is the team’s chance to prove they can hang with the big dogs.
My take is don’t sleep on this EE defence. They are stout and will show that tonight. The passing offence is a work in progress but the running offence is very strong and that travels well when the mercury dips. I like Fajardo to have a strong game tonight.
Go Green & Gold!
Classy move. The Riders take a not enough men penalty on 3rd down to recognize the absence of Jayden Dalke on their punt coverage squad. The Elks declined the penalty and the Riders then punted as per usual.
You wouldn’t see that in the NFL.
@DobberHockey
One year later and @Sportsnet is at it again. I think I’ve reached my limit with these clowns.
STILL not on Roku. STILL dropping feeds. Price is now double what it was three years ago.
Must be because the Jays are doing so great? Or because they overbid on the NHL and we have to pay for that mistake?
On a side note, I’ve enjoyed the seamless @TSN coverage that I can just click on my Roku TV easily.
New Sportsnet+ Pricing Details
Standard Monthly: Increases from $29.99 to $34.99 per month
Standard Annual: Increases from $249.99 to $269.99 per year
Premium Monthly: Increases from $42.99 to $44.99 per month.
Premium Annual: Increases from $324.99 to $344.99 per year.
Grewt post!!! Value add!!
This is a MASSIVELY price increase from sportsnet!
$45/month is ridiculous.…especially considering the poor production values, mediocre on air talent and stream quality.
I dropped my premium subscription when they hiked the price to more that $30.
Good for you dog! I am sure that will massively impact sportsnet revenue!
It’s pretty bad when you have to mute the collection of virtual signalling wing nuts they call hockey analysts. Even Bieksa has sold out. Ron MacLean and West ender Kelly Hrudrey are unlistenable.
Bieksa, McLean and Hrudey are not on most Oiler broadcasts.
I know everyone loves to complain about everything these day but, for me, I just turn the TV on to the proper channel for every game, watch and enjoy. The late start times can annoy me, and I’ll mention it, but I get to enjoy the Oilers on my screen 84 times a year – I have no issue with any broadcast team, they don’t bother me.
So you are in the selective whiner group. Will have to remember this post for a good laugh.
I hear tons of complaining about HNIC and our broadcast but I think both are awesome. Ours with Louie and Jack, Stauffer/Struddy/MacT/Gage/Gene are all great IMO. Long ways from the days of Kypreos/Shannon/Damien Fox etc on the sportsnet broadcasts.
We missed on Stanley….but we got Jessie right??
Stanley always seemed like a good guy to pick up at the deadline on the cheap. Short bursts kind of guy. Don’t suffer his warts for an entire season unless your defence corps is solid enough to sit him for stretches.
If anyone looks at Dom’s most inefficient contracts you see Freddy and Walman.
I get longevity of contract is the main issue with most of them.
However, Darnell magically going from 5th worst to not even on the list after he leaves the Oil, and suddenly Walman is an anchor sounds like clickbait. Did you see Weegar’s dropoff? Freddy I’m down for.
Granlund has 7×3, Mintyukov, Boeser, Miller, Kotkaniemi. Walman having 1 injured year making him 7th is a bridge too far imo.
If you really wanna get feisty, look at Auston Matthews the last 2 years.
Contract length and movement clauses are a shallow data point. For it to mean anything the GM’s willingness to force players out needs to be considered in that somehow. For Holland movement clauses are iron clad, to many others like Staois and Bowman it only means the player has a say in what happens, like with Nurse
I think we see a turnaround in both players games as I’ve noticed a lot of players struggle in the 1st year of a long contract in a foreign city. With Nurse gone a healthy Walman will step up a play like he did in San Jose. Frederic under Babcock will be better with a more up and down game.
Agreed. Nurse will be the top dog in San Jose and get tons of time with Celebrini. His numbers will predictably rebound.
Nurse is going flourish in San Jose PP time will help his numbers. The weight of the world is off his shoulders. Edmonton can be a harsh place to play. I do think this is going to be win-win trade.
That’s kind of the thing with any “Top Ten Worst” lists. It’s not actually about anything other than wanting to rage farm with an arbitrary set of criteria. When LT talks about math, he’s referencing apples to apples comparisons. If you don’t score in junior, you likely won’t score in the NHL. If you aren’t a fast skater, you likely won’t become a fast skater. If you aren’t tall, you won’t become tall.
When looking at “value” of a contract, every model is based on arbitrary assumptions and no model that I’m aware of can accurately predict how off-season injuries, nutrition, coaching, psychology, etc. affects what happens on ice three years down the road. I remember Daniel Briere “bulking up” one summer and then suddenly he couldn’t skate as fast or be as effective.
It’s really more rage-bait than an earnest attempt at a deep analysis. It’s why we don’t see most of these guys go back 3,5,10 years and re-visit where they went wrong. It’s also why I love LT as he does go back and re-examine his past. That’s a real attempt at sharing information and creating a dialogue.
I don’t think that’s a fair characterization of Dom’s work. He’s not sitting down and picking players to generate outrage. He has a fairly sophisticated contract model with a consistent methodology, and the rankings come from that model.
You can absolutely disagree with the assumptions or think the model over- or under-values certain players, but that’s different from saying it’s arbitrary or just rage bait. If anything, using the same framework for every player makes it less arbitrary than many opinion-based lists.
The model also isn’t claiming to predict every injury, coaching change, or unexpected development. It’s estimating expected value based on the information available today. Some projections will inevitably be wrong, but that doesn’t make the exercise dishonest.
I agree with Ryan here but I just don’t trust Dom’s model which I believe is based off of some calculation of “net rating”. This is the model that had the Oilers d-group #1 in the league heading in to last season.
That ranking aged remarkably badly. So badly it should be brought up regularly as an example of how useless these kinds of things are —except as summer/pre-season bumpf (filler/empty calorie content).
Kotkaniemi’s remaining contract is perfectly reasonable with the rising cap. Boeser’s contract is fine for a 2nd line goal scorer.
As usual, forest from the trees Godot.
“Kotkaniemi’s remaining contract is perfectly reasonable with the rising cap”
He played 0 playoff games. There is nothing reasonable about that.
Unless he creates surplus value by not playing which is likely.
The moneypuck gurus in Carolina led by Tulsky chose NOT to execise their last chance for a one-third buyout of Kotkaniemi’s contract in June.
They apparently agree with me, and not you or OP.
There is nothing wrong with going into the playoffs with five capable centres in case of injury. Carolina manages their cap so well they can have more capable injury depth earning real money.
All this says is Carolina doesn’t like adding dead cap on their books, no matter the cost. It didn’t hurt them not to play him.
The only testament to Tulsky is he has flexibility even while saddled with a garbage contract. They have tried to trade him extensively.
We will not agree on this. But if you believe Kotkaniemi is worth his contract I hope you become the GM of the Flames. I’ll put in a great word to Murray for ya.
The 1/3rd buyout in June would have been less than $1 million AAV per year.
Tulsky has a 25 year old centre entering his prime for the next four years at under $5 million per year.
For a penny-pinching Dundon, not buying out Kotkaniemi costs Dundon about $12 million dollars over the next four years.
Carolina does not spend to the cap so they don’t need to buyout the contract
I think their moneypuck decision maker is not having any elite players and their big contracts. They tried to get one so that shows that they want that. We’ll see if depth gets them back, or as usual teams with more talent and truculence, if they are healthier than last season, take them out as usual
This is an interesting and polarizing debate.
If the spreadsheet boys in Carolina were a little off on the number, they errored in the most brilliant way. They locked up all of his under 30 seasons and none over.
Much different than blundering on a guy who’s over 30 with multiple years of decline locked in.
Are you actually putting forward the position “They didn’t buy him out and they are smart so the contract is reasonable”?
I think it’s a reasonable bet. He will rebound and someone will come calling. Tulsky knows the center market better than I do, and I have looked at what the Oilers would have to do in order to bring in a solid No. 2 center. We’ll see.
Sure and I also think its a reasonable bet that Trent Fredric will rebound to provide what is now $3.85MM worth of value.
Yes. I agree. Frederic needs to get back now, though. Because 30 is a cliff and he’s almost there.
He had 9 points last season and was healthy scratched for the entirety of the playoffs. All for just under $5MM for four more years (8 to start).
Its closer to Frederic than “perfectly reasonable”.
Kotkaniemi’s situation also shows that teams CAN win Stanley with a terrible decision / contract on the books. It was always such a petulant move, that offer sheet, and it only helped the Habs.
Looks like Carolina does not plan to lose a penny on the player. They didnt buy him out and don’t intend to retain.
I would have him if he was cheap,
But Carolina is banking on some team needing a depth centre and will actually trade for him. I think it does happen.
The term of Freddie’s contract is going to turn out to be a positive.
In the new market, $3.85MM is what gets you a 10G/25P bottom six player and I remain confident we can get that player (and more) over most of the term.
He is NOT there based on last year’s play, I get that but we all know he’s not the complete black hole he was for most of last year.
Connor and Lauren were at his wedding last weekend, he’s got to be full of confidence, right?
The only net positive I would take from Freddy’s contract is that he scratches an itch so they don’t need to throw Looch level egregious money for the player type.
The boots have barely got back to normal. I don’t see this ending well. Colton Dach with low miles and something to prove should be the template.
He’s provided multiple seasons in this league with play that would be more than value for $3.85MM in today’s market. He was not close to that last season but also not close to normal mobility until later in the season (when there was an uptick in play).
A full 5.5 month summer, used to hockey train (and not rehab a badly sprained ankle he played playoff hockey on for two months), camp and, presumably, put in a better position that Knob did to start last year.
I can see a much better season from Frederic,
Will he be the 17G/35P player he was on in Boston for a few years? I don’t expect him to get there this season but a 10G/25P season is not out of the realm of reasonableness.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4l32kl4wnI&list=RDW4l32kl4wnI&start_radio=1
The Oilers bought high on Walman, as Dom mentioned. And they didn’t have to do it a year before his previous contract ended as they did with Nurse.
As for Frederic, he has been meandering in the ‘Upside Down’ ever since we traded for him. If Babcock can somehow save him and bring him back to the real world, maybe his contract will become less of a boat anchor.
Isn’t the concern injury? When he’s healthy he’s good, a better hockey player than anyone but Bouch and Ek on D
Walman is not a small player and he doesn’t shy away from anyone. When healthy Walman is a top 4 D-man.
Agreed. I just don’t understand how Walman falls from grace so dramatically after an injury year. Usually Dom’s models smooth things like that out.
As OP said, our defence was #1 last year so it isn’t infallible.
Walman doesn’t have an established baseline. He’s been up and down. Walman is also north of thirty. Dom’s model fades players over thirty, particularly non-elite ones, as they age.
From Dom’s article.net rating (numbers approximated from reading graph)
22-23: 2
23-4: -2
24-5: 5.2
25-6: -1.1
26-7: -0.9
27-8: -1.7
28-9: -2.2
I’m not a math phd, but modelling a curve from +2, -2, +5,2, -1.1 is not easy, particularly factoring in age.
https://x.com/domluszczyszyn/status/2080461459960827947?s=61
went to check and i didn’t even have nurse on the list last year (was also an honourable mention!!!) lmao
oilers fans have been absolute freaks this summer
Marino signs with Utah for 6.75M. Schneider for only 5.5M in NY. Desharnais at 4.2 M. Is Nurse at 9.2 M still poor value for current higher cap environment ? It’s difficult to campare when the cap is going up. If Nurse signed today at 9.2, it wouldn’t be that much of an overpay for his skillset. But Oil fans have seen too many of his annoying blemishes and low hockey IQ to justify it anyway.
Hopefully wallman stays healthy and shea can play or we are gonna miss nurse.
Regular season Nurse, maybe…Playoff Nurse definitely not.. Nurse has not been good in the playoffs period and that’s with a huge sample size. Sometimes players play injured in playoffs and dont look like themselves such as McD this last year but Nurse has not had a good playoff series ever.
Nurse was quite good against Anaheim.
No doubt the amount of negative value decreased over the last few months, so much so that one GM (one highly toughted as a great GM by many) took the full contract and gave up two positive assets for it, one of which has the potential to be a substantial player in next 12-18 months. Other GMs required retention (the eastern teams).
I do think the Oilers will miss what Nurse brought more than many (most) Oiler fans think but that the trade remains a substantial plus:
1) For one, the noise is gone. It was way too loud regarding Nurse, every tiny mistake blow up into vitriol across social media. Not much different than Skinner last season prior to trade. It just got too loud.
2) The addition of Shea who has less chaos in his game and better puck moving and is on the upside of his career still, along with Shakir helps balance out the D-group.
3) The cap flexibility is massive. This team can run a 23 player roster and have room for multiple call-ups for short term injuries. No more of this 21 player roster, playing short due to injuries, no ability to cycle out player or to rest a vet playing through some bumps/bruises, etc. Day to day roster management will be amazing.
It’s highly likely Keaton Verhoff and/or Sam Dickinson move past Nurse on the LD depth chart in San Jose over the next couple of seasons.
Lucky for the Sharks that Nurse’s trade protection eases significantly after the upcoming season and his cap hit will be substantially less onerous as the cal keeps spiking.
Verhoeff is an RD
Lock it in: nurse and his garbage contract still garbage in san jose.
If his usage is top pairing with lots of celebrini and PP1 and his stats jump sea change positive
There can be no changing the fact you were always at war with eurasia on this one.
I was thinking about Roslovic’s departure and the question of “who will replace his production”. I think we are in good shape going forward to completely replace his scoring by committee.
Last year, Savoie had 18 goals and 19 assists for 37 points in his first full NHL season. Knoblauch bounced him around various lines in the first two months auditioning Tomasek, Howard, Hutson and Philp. In his Junior and AHL stints, Matt was generally scoring 1 goal for every 2 assists so his bump in goals was a direct result of Drai and McDavid feeding him prime opportunities once the lineup blender slowed in December. Trying to project a developing player is tough but I think 50 points is the floor for his production this season with 60 being very realistic if he’s with one of the Golden twins all season.
Podkolzin was also in that early season blender and matched Savoie’s 37 points. If he’s stapled to Leon all year, he should breach 50 as well. Especially if he’s been improving his one timer from the Drai spot during the offseason. If absorbs all the lessons from Hyman on net-front positioning, he could explode.
Howard is a total wildcard. He could find chem with one of our top 2 centers or he could be given the “prove it rookie” in the bottom 6/AHL yo-yo. His range of production could be anywhere from 25 goals and 25 assists or 10 points.
Looking at other parts of the roster, Nuge might drop by 10 points but it’s a good bet Hyman covers that loss with a reasonably healthy season. There will also be surprises. Maybe one of Hutson or Samanski or Michaels or Jones just puts it all together and grabs a roster spot. Offensively, I feel confident we’ll match or beat last year’s production. Defensively, well, that’s why Babcock’s been brought in…
Savoie and Podkolzin should be in the top-6 every night. They were both able to drive play and drive offence 5v5.
My sleeper is Kapanen. His numbers with Draisaitl were fantastic, regular season and playoffs. If he plays consistently on a scoring line I think he can close the gap on Roslo’s lost production, and with better defensive metrics.
The biggest camp battle will be Howard/Kapanen for that coveted Draisaitl rub imo, if Kapanen can avoid the let down if Howard gets the initial push he could do very well being the go to guy for the 3rd line.
Savoie/Podzgoalman should be stapled for 82 in the top 6, it makes zero sense to reduce Podz minutes in any way.
Podz is magic. He makes every line better. He should be on Dom’s best contract list.
I think Savoie can provide a similar boost to his line-mates. If so, the top-6’s possession and goal-scoring will be 👌 .
Kapanen is a valuable playoff player as he has the physicality in his game. Regular season different story he can’t play 84 games at that style without getting banged up and injured. If Kapanen doesn’t play physical his game really tumbles into the gutter.
Howard could replace Roslovic’s offence on his own.
Note: I said “could”, I know this isn’t a lock but its definitely not out of the realm of reasonableness if they do start him in the top 6.
Stanley is big, I’ll give him that.
I think we can all agree zero need for the Oilers to look at him – I mean Stastney/Regula are 8/9 and there is Stilman and a rising Carfagna (and Leppanen) and, well, shit, Josh Brown and maybe Akey can stay healthy for the year and develop – his skating is real and his goal share last year was spectacular (very sheltered role).
Nick Holden was talking to Gregor about how D today have to be able to make plays (he works for the Knights in player development). Big players always are tempting for some teams, but when the chips are down puck optional guys can hurt you
Desharnais was almost unplayable at times for the Oilers in playoffs. Refs were calling him on too many things and the pace was too much
Fair – I think Deharnais’ ability to make plays has improved as he’s got more comfortable with the speed of the league. No, I’m not saying he’s a great or even good or even serviceable puck mover but I don’t think he’s “unplayable” any longer. Now, $4.25MM X 4………
I can watch David played by Josh Archibald take down Goliath Logan Stanley played on a loop all day.
Nothing like a 5 minute major for kneeing causing a playoff game loss.
Logan was running over half our team. Archie dropped Stanley like he’s been shot. A player a foot smaller and 70 lighter administerd some justice on the big goof. It’s a good thing you weren’t an Oiler fan when Torres flattened the San Jose dipsy doodler or the filth of what Marchment would bring.
I went to 7 games during the 2006 cup run!
Not fair. Bad call in my opinion.
Nobody would go in the corner with Stanley…except Kane, who could not handle him either.
Stanley elbows and crosschecks up in the face cause hes big so no issue it seemed.
Archibald is not big so his contact comes in low on the bigger man. Not Archie’s fault.
And the loss….well I believe they were up by 2 goals. But you will never win if you don’t stick up for your teamates. I hope we learned by now that skill alone will not win Stanley. uhhh the other Stanley.
Archie could skate and was a Warrior. Most of us know why he was washed out of the league early. Some posters don’t like the physical part of the game. Bowman got caught with his pants down hence the call up of a 20 year-old kid my man Clattenburg. Dach-Murphy-Dickinson-healthy Walman should aid in the overall physical function. I still think Bowman is hunting for a top 6 Clark Gillies type. I believe Bowman did draft Dach late 2nd round so I see Dach getting a nice push by Babcock. I still think Bowman is hunting for a Tom Wilson type. I do believe it’ll cost Bowman either Howard-Savoie plus.
Patrick Kane returns to Chicago.
2 X $8 million.
PuckPedia
@PuckPedia
Patrick Kane two year $8M AAV contract with the #Blackhawks
Yr 1: $1M Salary, $8M Signing Bonus
Yr 2: $1M/$6M
NMC both years
They have all the cap space in the world but 2 X $8MM is a spicy meatball for what Kane currently brings.
I get it, he will always get the NMC or he won’t sign but its a contract the Hawks may be looking to move March 2028 unless they rise faster than maybe expected.
I do look forward to seeing him and Bedard together – hopefully that kid can stay healthy.
Having Kane on the roster will pay for itself in ticket revenue and will make Bedard a happy camper.
With 11 picks, including 3 in the first round, in the next draft, the Hawks should get much closer to contention soon.
So 5-6 years lol
Good grief.
Dim.
Draft picks are very valuable currency especially first rounders.
Chicago just used their 2026 pick to acquire Bowen Byram to become their 1LD.
With all those picks and $43 million I cap space next offseason, Chicago can massively accelerate their return to contention.
Good grief…lol.
Yes, just like ALL those other teams with all these draft picks to weaponize that we ready about – never comes to fruition near to the degree purposed – never.
The Ducks, Habs, Sabres say hi and the sharks are about to join the party.
Never….heh.
And this.
https://www.nhl.com/news/utah-mammoth-future-really-exciting-as-growing-destination
Scccrrrreeeech – the sound of the goal posts being dragged yet again. Don’t you ever tire of sounding like a fool?
Nothing has come to fruition in any meaningful way there.
If you cannot admit your long line of pumping up team’s futures based on prospects and draft picks then never came to fruition that, well, that’s what we expect really.
Except
Colorado Avalanche
Tampa Bay
Chicago who lost
Dustin Byfuglien
Andrew Ladd
Kris Versteeg
Antti Niemi
Brent Sopel
Ben Eager
John Madden
Cristobal Huet
Now, I’ll concede a full rebuild should be 5-6 years but Chicago spun that around in 2 years & Colorado needed 5.
The Ducks need Defence & will be a dominate team, if you didn’t watch the Duck absolute dominate the Oilers then you’re to fixated on the Oilers.
Massively accelerate, folks!! We are not talking normal acceleration we are talking MASSIVE.
Pot meet kettle
I’m not sure any Oiler fan, is in any kind of position to make fun of any team’s rebuild.
Chicago has a long way to go, but the Oilers hold the standard of what not to do.
And just like that, the Blackhawks season is blown.
Sorry ‘Hawks fans, sorry newly-signed Cabby Smacker, this coming season is now officially cursed (the paperwork will be filed with the League by end of day) and it’s not looking good for the following season, either.
Good thing this guy hates all things Oilers; imagine how bad things could get if he was reverse-cursing our beloved team.
Wait, it all makes sense now.
DSF used to be an Oilers fan, no? This explains the Decade of Darkness. The Oilers are the original cursed team. Maybe his obsession with 31 other teams in the league is just his way of trying to give the Oilers success?
The Hawks were at 97% capacity last season – I’m not sure they are covering $8MM extra per year.
Ya, I’m confident that the 2027 Hawk draft picks aren’t going to be a material part of a contending team in 2027/28, the last year of this contract.
Just another post of “this is a non-Oiler move so I MUST find a way to make it look like a good move because the Oilers make bad moves and every other move made by other teams are bad”.
Dude Kane is going to massively improve attendance. Massively!!
I myself respect Kane numbers and what he did for the City of Chicago. No one can take away his Cup rings. I thought Kane was done a few years ago yet he returned to being a very good player. I don’t get the smack talk about Kane. If you’re going to hold it against a drunk kid for being mean to a cab driver taking the long route then so be it.
To be clear, I was mocking Fibonacci for being a clown.
I agree, Kane is an incredible player. And Chicago iced probably the best teams of the cap era.
I know that anyhow ask yourself this question why did no one take runs at Kane or Toews? The big bad Bruins showed Vancouver who the Alpha male was. The Hawks beat the Bruins because of the toughness of the bottom 6. Bowman had big skilled wingers and got the most out of players like Bryan Bickell. I would say the Hawks who could skate-pass-score-dance- like the 80’s Oilers. I’m still bullish on Stan, this year it finally feels like his team and not Holland. After wandering in the desert for ages we finally have some competent goaltending.
What? Patty Kane took his fair share of big checks.
Wild stuff posted.
Not a single person in this thread has said a single negative thing about Patrick Kane let alone smack talk him. You have an unmatched ability misinterpret mosts posts and respond with straw man arguments……
Patrick Kane has a long history of drunken asshole syndrome.
Maybe stop at 2 drinks, Patty.
and, of course, we know that the Hawks poor on ice product the last decade is due to the Wirtz family not spending due to lack of ticket sales – its all going to change now by overpaying a late stage career Patty Kane.
Oh yes draft picks guarantee contention!! Brilliant analcyst as per usual
Can we get another ChatGPT breakdown of the contract????
If we lose the final game against Calgary we would have ended up below Chicago in the standings. Kane is one of the greats he’ll be on the PP and continue to pile up the points as the greatest American to play the game.
Given how the lottery works with the various 5-digit codes presented to teams (the number of codes based on place of finish), the Oilers getting Kane if they lose that game is a wild wive’s tale.
The Hawks won the pick in the position the Oilers would have been if we don’t come back from a 2-0 deficit. I believe Calgary found out what position they would end up half way through the game so they basically gave up. MacTavish couldn’t help himself the hatred of Calgary may have cost us Kane. Not getting Kane was almost as bad as not drafting Alberta farm boy Shane Doan.
Again, you are not understanding how the lottery works.
The Oilers chaining places int he standings to be ahead of Chicago does not mean the Oilers would have won that lottery. As I said.
Are you buddies with Bettman that you’re so emphatic that the Oilers wouldn’t have won the same way the Hawks won the lottery.
The Oilers could have but it’s FAR from a guarantee – it’s not that they would have swapped places with Chicago. I’m not buddies with Bettman but I know how the lottery works. There are over 1000 5-digit combinations that are assigned to the teams. The Oilers would not have just got the Hawks’ assigned balls.
This is a narrative as false as if Broberg didn’t play that last game he wouldn’t have been eligible for an offer sheet – also false.
You need to take a few minutes and see how many teams against stiffer odds moved up in the draft lottery from the Leafs-Islanders the Sharks moving from 9 up 2 this is just the last two years. You say the Oilers don’t win the lottery in the same spot as the Hawks won it I call “Bullshit alert” in fact the next time you talk with Craig MacTavish ask him straight out about winning that meaningless game.
As I said, they may have but they very well may not have – they would not have just had the 5-digit combos assigned to the Hawks assigned to them – its simply a matter of how the lottery works