Fantasy Hockey - Playoff Race

[Kontiki]

What an utter shock that they managed to get the taxpayers to pony up for a new arena. Still, good to see them stay, I guess. I wouldn't have minded a team in Kansas City, but Vegas would have been even more embarassing than Florida.

[Asher]

Originally posted by notyoueither
8 in a row.

Total ****.

I'm trying to find out if they're trying to tank or if it just comes naturally.

Either way, Blake.

[Hot Mustard]

NYE - what are you doing??

I expect you to have roster maneuvering mastered by now. You've got 'wasted' games today and you just picked up a guy who plays only twice this week, and the first time isn't even tomorrow, which might make sense if it were a one-game pickup. Shape up, eh!?

[Asher]

Look, Edmonton is taking a page out of Toronto's book of team management.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/sports/story.html?id=c194c299-be5c-468d-9004-301a0edf3ace&k=34785

Prices rise as playoff hopes fade
Season ticket holders urged to buy now or pay even more later
Dan Barnes, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Their timing, like their offence, is brutal.

Even as the popgun Oilers spiralled deeper into the National Hockey League toilet with every successive loss, their frustrated fans were being asked by management to pay too much now or even more later to hang onto season tickets. The juxtaposition of money grab and losing skid could not have been more conspicuous and unfortunate for a franchise that will slither meekly toward the first tee at the earliest possible date in April, playoff also-rans for the second time in four seasons.

"Everyone certainly would love to be in the thick of a playoff race, but it doesn't seem to be having much of an impact on renewals," said Oilers executive vice-president Stew Macdonald. "It speaks to the passion of our fans and the commitment to the team with a big-picture look at it."

Perhaps. The two season ticket holders I spoke to before Monday's 5-1 loss in L.A., Dawn Pegden-Wright and Don Hornsberger, said they renewed out of loyalty. However, these were people who had allowed the Oilers to use their images in a renewal campaign on the team website, so they were pretty safe bets.

Call me skeptical, but if vast numbers of Oilers faithful are actually holding their noses, closing their eyes and opening their wallets, loyalty isn't the only issue at play. Allow me to opt for frugality as another deciding factor in this case. Simple dollars and sense would have to be driving Oilers fans to renew at the traditional rate of something between 80 and 90 per cent. If season ticket holders re-up before Wednesday's deadline, they guarantee themselves a five per cent price hike and a chance to reduce that by three per cent, should they pay in full by early September. If they hold off until the next renewal deadline in May, the tab for fandom in this city only climbs further through the Rexall Place roof.

Macdonald said last year's price increase averaged about 12 per cent and at this time the Oilers aren't prepared to say how badly they're going to whack their favourite consumers in advance of next season.

The average ticket price already stands at $43 and change, sixth highest in the 30-team league. Thrust up against their meagre 18 wins and just 2.97 goals per game at home, the copper and blew were hardly worth the price of admission at Rexall on too many nights.

Worse, they will be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs as soon as they lose and Calgary wins a combined total of 10 points in the standings. It could happen within the week as the Oilers open a six-game homestand Thursday against the Wild. They also tangle with the Blues, Canucks, Avalanche twice and Predators.

Bowing out so early wouldn't exactly be the best way to repay fans who saw Ryan Smyth moved to Long Island on trade deadline day and still ponied up reams of dough less than two weeks later for season tickets here in next year, excuse me, Oil country.

Ever mindful of those optics, general manager Kevin Lowe composed an e-mail to his season-ticket holders not long after the Smyth trade rocked everybody's world and officially ended the playoff race. No word on whether Ted Saskin got a look at it first, but it really doesn't matter, because there wasn't anything incriminating in it. Lowe simply wanted to communicate the team's "continued commitment to success" to fans who may have been confused by his continued commitment to sending players to Long Island. He detailed the treasure trove of youngsters still in the fold, people like Zack Stortini and Jean-Francois Jacques, and promised a dogged pursuit of a championship.

"Make no mistake; our plan is to return the Stanley Cup to Edmonton," he wrote.

It's a weak declaration following a year spent standing pat, and when that failed, moving backward. The Oilers could not hope to replace Chris Pronger and it was bound to hurt them in the room, on the ice and in the standings. That they would not do anything at all to address their shortcomings on defence is a condemnation of Lowe's work this year.

But he should not face the heat for this failure alone. Head coach Craig MacTavish's blind spots for Brad Winchester and Toby Peterson remain large, baffling and debilitating. There are serious depth issues at centre and left-wing. They lacked muscle. They do not own a bona fide superstar capable of acting as the team's cornerstone and may have to wait several years until Ales Hemsky decides to be that player. If it happens. Or they could try to buy one in free agency, though competition for those players is fierce and extremely expensive.

But that was the gamble with Smyth, right? Pay too much now or even more later. Hey, Kevin, the fans know exactly how you feel.

[Ninot]

Habs did that whole thing a month or two ago, when they were still in a playoff spot.

I am wondering when they'll start their playoff presale, if they will. I'm too broke to afford playoff tickets as it is right now, but I don't think that will be a problem.

[Asher]

You'll only have 2 games to buy for.

[Ninot]

I wonder if any other team does presale like the Habs do.

if I am buying for the Habs presale, I have to buy for every round right through to the final. Alltogether i think its 12 tickets.

Either way though, I have my doubt's ill need a single one.

[snoopy369]

Wow... they're really taking you for a ride there. I wonder how much investment income they make from the worthless presale tickets?

[Ninot]

My bet is, not as much as I'd make off ebay

[Kontiki]

My bye better not be wasted - my boys seem to be doing pretty well so far this week.

[b etor]

yay penguins

[SlowwHand]

[Asher]

Quick, sloww, who is the captain of the Stars?

[SlowwHand]

Brenden Morrow, left wing . The 5th captain since the Stars came to Dallas in 1993.

[Asher]

And who is he married to?

AND...what was the controversy with the Stars as the season started?