NHL Off-Season Thread 2010

[Flubber]

Sutter has lost his marbles.

There are more and more people thinking that way. The fan base is decidedly unsettled but management and ownership continue to make all the right noises in support. Now brent needs to coach this team into a solid playoff team or I would bet Darryl would be adios

[Flubber]

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP)—The testy relationship between the Edmonton Oilers and Sheldon Souray(notes) has gotten worse as the star defenseman has been told to stay away from training camp.

Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini responded Monday night to reports earlier in the day that Souray, who requested a trade last season, had softened his stance and planned to attend camp, which opens Friday.

“There’s no misunderstanding. We’re very clear,” Tambellini told reporters at the Young Stars Tournament in Penticton, British Columbia. “That’s why we’re speaking today to the fact that he will not be attending camp.”


Souray, 34, missed 45 games last season because of a concussion and broken right hand sustained during a fight with Calgary Flames captain Jarome Iginla(notes).

In addition to the trade request, Souray accused management of pressuring him to come back from offseason shoulder surgery before he was ready to play at the start of the 2007-08 season. Tambellini has called the accusation “demonstrably untrue.”

Souray is entering the fourth season of a five-year contract worth $27 million.

“We’ve been trying to move the player for some time, obviously,” Tambellini said. “Sheldon has expressed strong interest over a long period of time that it’s best for him to move and we’re going to try and help him with that. I couldn’t get that done prior to this camp.

“I hope to get it done during camp, but it’s best for the Oilers for him not to be at camp right now.”

Tambellini said he told agent Paul Theofanous last week that Souray wasn’t welcome at camp. Theofanous didn’t immediately reply to a voice message or e-mail from The Canadian Press.

Souray missed 58 games in the 2007-08 season after he reinjured his surgically repaired shoulder in a fight with Vancouver’s Byron Ritchie(notes). He played 81 games in the 2008-09 season, registering 23 goals and 53 points.

After trying unsuccessfully over the summer to move Souray and the $9 million remaining on his contract, Tambellini placed him on waivers.

Tambellini didn’t believe that bringing Souray to camp and allowing him to demonstrate his fitness would make it easier to move the 6-foot-4, 223-pound defenseman to another team.

“I don’t think that’s going to make a difference,” Tambellini said. “All reports are that he’s healthy. I understand he’s been in Edmonton for a couple of days training, so I don’t think that’s going to be an issue.”

When asked if there were any overtures Souray could make to get back in the Oilers’ good graces, Tambellini replied: “No, we’re sticking with our plan.”

A little non-fun Oiler stuff before we get into seeing the young superstars of tomorrow. I wonder will anyone look at their training camp squad and see Souray as a piece they want or need??

Its totally weird to me that they wouldn't want him to play in exhibition games and look healthy so they have a better chance to unload him.

[notyoueither]

It's about keeping a malcontent away from the team, and drawing a line over completely unacceptable behaviour by an player under contract.

I'm not surprised at all. It's what I would have done. I'd be assigning him to another club's farm team in the AHL and possibly using recall waivers to get half his contract off the books. I'd only do that last bit if he behaves. If he doesn't, I'd assign him to the AHL and tell him to stay home, your career is over.

[Asher]

Always thought Souray was a terrible acquisition.

I also predicted he'd lose many, many games to injury.

[Flubber]

It's about keeping a malcontent away from the team, and drawing a line over completely unacceptable behaviour by an player under contract.

I get that I guess but I had not realized his behavior was THAT bad. His salary and his cap hit are a drain and I thought on balance they would want him at training camp looking like a player in the hopes that someone takes him.

Are there ANY likely takers out there? Or will the Oil have to do the equivalent of eating his contract

[notyoueither]

Always thought Souray was a terrible acquisition.

I also predicted he'd lose many, many games to injury.

I knew he was an injury risk. I never saw his tantrum coming.

[notyoueither]

I get that I guess but I had not realized his behavior was THAT bad. His salary and his cap hit are a drain and I thought on balance they would want him at training camp looking like a player in the hopes that someone takes him.

Are there ANY likely takers out there? Or will the Oil have to do the equivalent of eating his contract

He claimed that the club demanded he play while rehabbing an injury. He said other things that were derogatory about the club's management, but I think the injury comments set the bridge on fire.

The cap hit has little impact over the next year or two, and is zero if he is assigned to the AHL and left there.

The cash is a decision for the owner, but including Souray for 100% leaves the Oilers with a lower payroll than the last couple of years.

[Asher]

If what he's saying was true, and I don't see why he would lie about it, then I can see why the Oilers would act so irrationally now out of hatred for the man.

[notyoueither]

If what he's saying was true, and I don't see why he would lie about it, then I can see why the Oilers would act so irrationally now out of hatred for the man.

Slag your bosses in the media and report back on the reaction.

There is nothing irrational about it at all.

[Flubber]

Slag your bosses in the media and report back on the reaction.

There is nothing irrational about it at all.

They would fire you. Here that option is not really there. Notwithstanding your comments that they are fine under the salary cap, if they could somehow get rid of Souray, they would have extra cash and cap space and could have tried for someone to help them this year -- I don't expect a tonne from the Oil this year-- This team may be a couple of years from being very very good but I am uncertain whether they will be good at all this year. So much depends on the young guns and how quickly they adapt.

[notyoueither]

They are firing Souray.

Hitch is he has a contract that has to be paid out. They have tried to unload him in trade. They have tried to unload him for free on waivers. The Oilers are not getting anything of great value for Souray. They have one more opportunity to lose his entire salary when he is placed on waivers at a point where some team may be interested in him (closer to the season). After that, if the owner wishes to try to save $5 MM they can bring him through re-entry waivers and see if there are any takers at half price.

From the cap point of view, the club is better off with Souray in the AHL for the entire season or claimed off waivers. They are worse off moving him on re-entry waivers or by taking some other team's albatross back in trade.

From the cash point of view, I get the feeling that the owner and management feel the organisation is better off now and in the future with Souray being nowhere near the team(s) and that they value his absense more than they value $10 million dollars.

[Asher]

Slag your bosses in the media and report back on the reaction.

There is nothing irrational about it at all.

If my bosses were putting me at risk like Souray alleges, I would go public about it. Especially if I were locked into a contract.

It is irrational to not showcase the guy in pre-season games to show he's healthy and make him actually tradeable. Right now no one will trade for him. It's irrational.

The Oilers are not getting anything of great value for Souray.

And they won't so long as people can't see he can still play. Which is why this is irrational for the Oilers to do.

From the cash point of view, I get the feeling that the owner and management feel the organisation is better off now and in the future with Souray being nowhere near the team(s) and that they value his absense more than they value $10 million dollars.

Irrational.

The Oilers management are behaving like petulant children.

[Flubber]

I might not go quite as far as asher but 10 MILLION bucks is a big deal and this player is someone that MIGHT still be able to be of use to someone in the league. Barring him from camp

1. reconfirms that they think he is a cancer in the dressing room and
2. provides no opportunity for someone to be impressed by his talents

They obviously have their reasons but if they could have found a way to make up then the original blow-up would not seem quite as bad. But the OIlers are going scorched earth here. I cannot imagine that his presence at camp would have done such great damage-- Do they expectb he would clothesline Eberle and hall ??

[notyoueither]

I might not go quite as far as asher but 10 MILLION bucks is a big deal and this player is someone that MIGHT still be able to be of use to someone in the league. Barring him from camp

1. reconfirms that they think he is a cancer in the dressing room and
2. provides no opportunity for someone to be impressed by his talents

They obviously have their reasons but if they could have found a way to make up then the original blow-up would not seem quite as bad. But the OIlers are going scorched earth here. I cannot imagine that his presence at camp would have done such great damage-- Do they expectb he would clothesline Eberle and hall ??

As I said above, this is about the atmosphere in the room for the young players coming in. The team has said as much. $10 million sounds like a lot to us, but the future of the club is worth exponentially more. There is likely an aspect of making an example of an individual who went seriously out of bounds, but that is me reading into various commentary going back to April (when Souray staged his initial outburst).

It would have been nice to get something for Souray, and I thought they would up until he cleared waivers with no team willing to take him for free. I'm thinking it is unlikely any club is going to give up anything desirable. After clearing waivers, I was hoping to at least turn him into something like Hedja or Ryder or something not so desirable just to get rid of the player and have a chance at salvaging value, but I think the time for that has passed given the club's priorities.

[Asher]

$10 million sounds like a lot to us, but the future of the club is worth exponentially more.

It is patently absurd to assert that Souray playing in a couple exhibition pre-season games is risking the "future of the club".