So, I’m really over the tank vs. anti-tank at this point. Don’t get me wrong, I’m pro-tanking, but I’m also Pro-STFU. To act like this is some sort of telethon where certain folks are feeding fuel to the panic fire, is beyond annoying and dumb. For the most part, tanking has been the narrative for this entire Sabres season. Nothing else comes a close 2nd. However, what may come a close 2nd are the Edmonton Oilers. I wanted to find out if their fan base is going through the emotions as Sabres fans. Are they watching Sabres games? Are they panicking if *gasp* they get the 3rd or 4th pick? Is there a Edmonton version of Jeremy White and Mike Harrington duking it out on a weekly basis? To answer those questions we have Jeff Chapman whose a contributor to SB Nation’s Copper and Blue site to dish the dirt on the tank. Tomorrow, I’ll hopefully have some answers from a Coyotes blogger to see if they are as insane as our fan base is..
1) How has the tank gone over in Edmonton with the fans? Do you have a number of fans who want the Oilers to lose for a chance at McEichel?
For the most part, I think the ‘tank’ has worn out its welcome for some years now. There are still some fans who take a good look at a projected 55-60 point season and figure if the Oilers are going to miss out on the playoffs for a ninth consecutive year that they ought to miss as hard as possible, but since 2010, the Oilers have picked 1, 1, 1, 7, and 3 overall. At the very worst, they’re getting another top five pick this year. Fans are quite through with the tank, thanks.
2) Have there been instances that you can tell the Oilers hierarchy are trying to lose in terms of lineups?
This is a question I’m divided on for a couple of reasons – yes, I do believe there have been instances where the Oilers have purposely put a substandard product on ice with the idea that they will lose. The Death March of 2007 (post trade-deadline where Ryan Smyth was sent off for sprockets and a potato peeler) saw some of the worst hockey anyone has ever seen in the last millennium. In 2009, the Oilers signed aging goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin to a four year / 15M guaranteed 35+ contract. They were trying to win, although they were horribly misguided in the process. Once Khabibulin went down with whichever groin injury, we began to see Players who were Not NHL Players like Charles Linglet and Dean Arsene. But, honest to God, I think that in recent years (especially with MacTavish in as GM) that they have absolutely no fricking idea what they’re doing, and it only looks like they’re trying to tank from afar when really they don’t have a clue at all at how to run a professional hockey team. Seriously, everyone looks at the Oilers and thinks “wow, that must be bad”. How bad is it? MacTavish literally said that he’s comfortable with 5 of Edmonton’s 6 current defencemen. Literally said this. This, after he traded his best defenceman to Montréal for a second round draft pick. Honest to God, they’re not trying to suck, they’re just awful at life.
3) In Buffalo, there are a contingent of fans who are watching the Oilers nightly to see if they win or lose. Have you found that to be the same in Edmonton?
There are Oiler fans who are watching the the Sabres to see if the Sabres are flailing as hard as the Oilers on any given night, although I’d venture to guess it’s less than how many Sabres fans (and media) are watching the Oilers. Like Touchdown Tom with two minutes remaining, you can never count the Oilers out of a tank battle.
4) How do you feel about tanking in general? Do you root against the Oilers to finish last to get a chance at McEichel?
In short, tanking sucks. You’re promised the sky and clouds and the moon for some suffering today. In Edmonton’s case, they’ve been promised the sky and the clouds and the moon for many years now, and Oiler fans haven’t seen a blue sky in years. Personally, I’ll never pull for the Oilers to lose. You get a higher draft pick with more losses? Great. Maybe if Oilers management could stop huffing their own farts from the 1980s, I’d be more on board.. Look what they’ve done with the draft picks they already have. Next year, Taylor Hall (who is one of the best wingers in the game) will be going into his sixth season of NHL hockey. What does he, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jordan Eberle, Nail Yakupov and the rest of this ridiculously run brigade have to show for it?
5) How has the media been in Edmonton regarding the tank? There’s been a lot of mudslinging between those who are for and against the tank.
For the most part, the media has been somewhat accompanying the ‘rebuild’ process. This year, I think everyone expected the team to improve somewhat (even if it was a small uptick). It hasn’t happened yet, and barring a complete 180, things don’t look much better for 2015-16. Ray Ferraro of TSN has been an outspoken advocate of how terrible the Oilers have been, and Edmonton MSM have started to ask for results, but up until recently, there hasn’t been nearly enough scrutiny or accountability.
6) The biggest ammo the anti-tanking crowd has is probably how the Oilers have had top picks forever it seems like and have been pretty terrible. Why hasn’t it worked out for you guys when it comes to having those high picks?
Management is simply, incomprehensibly incompetent. Oh, they’re really good at picking first overall, and they’ve snagged some world class talent in the process. Taylor Hall is one of the best wingers in the game, there’s no slicing that two ways. Unfortunately, there’s more to being a good hockey team than drafting first overall. The Oilers have been an abject failure at supporting this talent. When they have a good thing, they end up doing something inexplicable, like trading Jeff Petry for a second round pick. Why would MacTavish do that? Narrative suggests that Petry wanted to go to unrestricted free agency. But why was he given a one year deal last year? I realize that looking ahead takes some discipline and thought, but letting your best defenceman go on a team that’s 27th overall in shots allowed at the time of this writing is inexcusable.
7) Lastly, the narrative for some in Buffalo is that McEichel is going to the change the franchise forever, is that how you guys feel about it?
An 18-year old who projects to be a world-class talent is a wonderful thing to have. Harness it. If the Sabres aren’t projecting to be a playoff team next year (and I doubt they are), they’d do well to put either of McEichel in juniors for another season as to not light his contract on fire and waste a year of his ELC. I don’t think for a second that the Sabres do this, but why waste a year of his rookie contract? Whatever you do with your new found future, support him with quality veteran players. Put McDavid or Eichel in a position to succeed. Don’t ignore your defence, or spend frivolously on players that are ‘character guys’ like the Oilers have. Ristolainen and Zadorov project to be wonderful players, but you can’t throw those two, Bogosian, Weber, Pysyk and a prospect on the blue line in 2015-16 and expect good things. It’ll end up disastrous. Connor McDavid just might be the second-coming of Mario Lemieux. If he is, that’s great. He or Jack Eichel just might turn the Sabres into contenders down the road. It’s not going to happen unless the player gets support on the ice. I can’t explain in words how good a player Taylor Hall really is, but I wish for him and the Oilers that he could’ve experienced the playoffs at least once in his five years in the league.
In short, plan for the future. Not just next year.
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