Why are Oilers fans so murderous? [Note: liberal arts degrees --> higher murder rate]

[techumseh]

My dear Asher, you spent the entire playoffs last season explaining how, in theory, the Oiler's shouldn't even have been in the playoffs, and how the Flames, theoretically, would win the Stanley Cup. Yet the Flames were eliminated in the first round, and Oil came within one game of winning the whole thing.

Now, it seems, you are at it again. Given your track record predicting hockey results, perhaps people should doubt your credibility when it comes to picking cities as well.

[Ming]

Uhhhh... sounds kinda of personal... discuss the actual troll, and leave the people out of it.

What wasn't clear about my last warning.

[techumseh]

Ok, sorry. I didn't think that was even close to what is normally considered "debate" around here, but you're the ref.

[Ming]

Normally, it's mild at best... but after a warning, I expect it to stop... PERIOD!

[Asher]

Originally posted by techumseh
My dear Asher, you spent the entire playoffs last season explaining how, in theory, the Oiler's shouldn't even have been in the playoffs, and how the Flames, theoretically, would win the Stanley Cup. Yet the Flames were eliminated in the first round, and Oil came within one game of winning the whole thing.

Now, it seems, you are at it again. Given your track record predicting hockey results, perhaps people should doubt your credibility when it comes to picking cities as well.

My track record is pretty good -- after all, in 03-04 the Flames came within 1 game as well (a closer series than Edmonton's 7 games as well).

And last season's first round exit did suck, but it was also a very, very close series that was stolen by some career-games by a goaltender.

Edmonton's run was surprising, but the end result wasn't surprising. Edmonton's a team that gave up a lot last season to push far, went far, then fell on their ass. Now they're going to pay for it for the next ~5 years with a crippled team, made all the more obvious by a bad Pronger trade (who hates Edmonton ), and giving up draft picks for winners like Samsonov.

Calgary's run took nothing out of our playerbase or future prospects, and the team continues to get stronger since the 03-04 run, which is something that can't be said for Edmonton.

[MRT144]

and they said ming was a toothless tiger

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Asher

My track record is pretty good -- after all, in 03-04 the Flames came within 1 game as well (a closer series than Edmonton's 7 games as well).

And last season's first round exit did suck, but it was also a very, very close series that was stolen by some career-games by a goaltender.

Edmonton's run was surprising, but the end result wasn't surprising. Edmonton's a team that gave up a lot last season to push far, went far, then fell on their ass. Now they're going to pay for it for the next ~5 years with a crippled team, made all the more obvious by a bad Pronger trade (who hates Edmonton ), and giving up draft picks for winners like Samsonov.

Calgary's run took nothing out of our playerbase or future prospects, and the team continues to get stronger since the 03-04 run, which is something that can't be said for Edmonton.

Edmonton is going to be assigning players to the AHL that Sutter would kill for as starters this year.

[Asher]

You have to be kidding me?

Have you even paid attention to the preseason? Calgary has no problems at all with the quality of the kids on the farm team.

Calgary already has 90% of its roster locked, and there's a ton of kids playing for the remaining 10% of the positions.

Calgary's got more depth going down to the minors than Edmonton, particularly in the Sutter-centric area of defensemen. I'd take Giordano or Richie Regehr (our projected 7/8 d-men) over virtually any of your d-men. Edmonton has some serious problems, especially in defense. Calgary looks to be a very well-rounded club.

Calgary's in the enviable position here, Edmonton's not. Not matter how much you want to try to spin it like last year, players like Hemsky wouldn't cut it in the Flames lineup. Too European, too flashy, too little heart -- something that describes most of the Oilers lineup.

[Asher]

Speaking of players to kill for, it looks like Phaneuf is going to be a 30 minute defenseman at age 21.

The past couple games he played he's pulled 30 mins/night with Regehr.

Looking at the hit stats for most of Edmonton's players, "pansy" might be appropriate in describing them. If you want players that Sutter would kill for, look at farm players like Nystrom, who averages 5 hits a game in the preseason. That's the kind of player Sutter is looking for, not the squeal-and-run players like Edmonton has.

[notyoueither]

Calgary's forwards still suck. Tanguay can make them suck a little less, but that's simply a decrease of one in the sucitude of the hurricane of suckage that Calgary's forwards are.

Meanwhile, the Oilers will be sending down the leading scorer from the OHL since a couple of other people came to camp who are better prepared to play on the 4th line, and there's no room for him.

Calgary's starting D right now is better, yes, but saying that your prospects are better when the Oilers will be sending down members of the Czech or Swedish national teams, or the captain of the NCAA champions last year is... simply delusional.

And Hemsky is so far out of the Flames class that I find it funny you'd bring him up.

[Asher]

I agree that Hemsky is so far away from being a quality 2-way player to be a fit for the Flames.

I also think you're smoking dope if you think the kids playing Edmonton's defense right now, and most of the forwards, are any good.

I don't think the forwards suck, in fact I'm expecting big things this year across the board. Kobasew is starting to finally break out (after being the leading AHL scorer for 2 seasons in a row), up from 6 goals in 03-04 to 20 last year and is supposed to be 30+ this year. Lombardi is similarly breaking out in style.

Add in players like Boyd and Taratukin from this year's crop, and I think they're very solid. And, unlike Edmonton's forwards, none of them have gaping defensive deficiencies.

Players like Schremp, for instance, would have their ass benched. He's not a team player, he's a cocky ass, and he's a defensive liability. Sutter wouldn't kill for a player like him, he'd kill him.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Asher
I also think you're smoking dope if you think the kids playing Edmonton's defense right now, and most of the forwards, are any good.

Six D and a goalie who have fewer combined NHL games than Matt Greene held a veteran laden Calgary offence to 2 goals, both on the PP.

Face it, Calgary's forwards suck. Big time.

[Asher]

Originally posted by notyoueither
Six D and a goalie who have fewer combined NHL games than Matt Greene held a veteran laden Calgary offence to 2 goals, both on the PP.

Face it, Calgary's forwards suck. Big time.

You neglected to mention that Calgary's best forwards weren't playing (such as, the captain of the team...)

You neglected to mention it was a pre-season game with players playing together they're not used to.

FWIW, they did get over 30 shots on goal. Dubnyk played a nice game, as it was.

It's funny though that you try to spin a loss in your favour. Hell, you guys didn't even break 10 shots on goal til the third period. Don't tell us our forwards suck when you can't even find the net.

Then again, it's not like you were playing your best forwards in Ryan Smyth, Joffrey Lupul, Ethan Moreau, Raffi Torres, Petr Sykora, and Ales Hemsky -- oh wait, you were...

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Asher
Players like Schremp, for instance, would have their ass benched. He's not a team player, he's a cocky ass, and he's a defensive liability. Sutter wouldn't kill for a player like him, he'd kill him.

And that's why he'll lead you back down to the cellar as soon as the talent he ripped off from a previous team runs out somethime around when Kipper hits UFA status.

Neither he nor you have the feintest clue that players are not finished products when you get them. Some of them need a little polish, even if Schremp could single handedly double your offensive output (or very near).

[Asher]

You have way too much faith in a guy who posts pictures of himself, out of shape, in bikini underwear on his myspace profile. You invest a lot of hype into the kid, and he's going to fail.

How's he doing so far in the preseason?

He's being outscored and outplayed by Matthew Lombardi...

And that's why he'll lead you back down to the cellar as soon as the talent he ripped off from a previous team runs out somethime around when Kipper hits UFA status.

Sutter has a knack for stealing talent, don't think that's stopping. Keep an eye on Jeff Friesen this year. He thrived under Sutter before, and so far he's looking sharp.

Some of them need a little polish, even if Schremp could single handedly double your offensive output (or very near).

Let me know when Schremp scores his 300 goal season...

Oilers fans are gaining fast on Leafs fans for most blindly braindead hockey fans.