Tag: Edmonton Oilers

 

A lackluster competitiveness and the drive to improve (or lack thereof)

I was going to be critical of Edmonton, Alberta, and Canadian hockey fans who have gone to social media to protest Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli after the Oilers were flambéed by the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.

I was. Past tense.

If you’re an Oilers fan and see this and get pissed off at the would-be criticism, relax. Really. You’re reacting to a shit situation that’s been ongoing under different guidance for too-long now. You’re reacting as you should.  Do Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans do that? No so much.

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December 30, 2018 , , , , , , , , , football, hockey, Sports Comments Off on A lackluster competitiveness and the drive to improve (or lack thereof)

Change and lack-there-of behind the bench in the NHL so far in 2017-18

It’s mid-December in 2017, just shy of the true middle of the 2017-18 season and there’s a noteworthy lacking going on. Oh, it is an on-ice failing but it’s not a singular player statistic or performance. It’s team unction and wins and losses. And inaction by the management and ownership of any NHL franchise.

There’s a lingering story around the league about poor play and it’s coming from a variety of clubs:

  • The abyss that is the Buffalo Sabres keeps treading in the murk of the NHL standings as it has for too long now. They have only 23 points in 33 games played as of this writing.
  • Discontent from fans and mediocrity from the teams stymies the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers.
  • Rick Tocchet may get a pass by way of it being his first season as head coach of the Arizona Coyotes but the team is truly in the cellar with only 7 wins and 19 points total.

The Metro Division is a neck-and-neck race (with six points being the difference between first place (New Jersey Devils) and last (Carolina Hurricanes).

Suffice it to say, I’m shocked we haven’t seen the axe fall somewhere and a coach get dismissed for mediocrity or an abominable performance by his club. Read More

December 17, 2017 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , hockey Comments Off on Change and lack-there-of behind the bench in the NHL so far in 2017-18

Edmonton Oilers fans take over performance of “The Star Spangled Banner” Sunday, April 30 before game 3 [VIDEO]

Forget the politics for a second. Forget the anti-NAFTA scree coming from the White House. Go to sports, go to the National Hockey League and the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoff which are in their second round. This evening, the Edmonton Oilers host the Anaheim Ducks in game 3 of the series and fans at Rogers Place did a noteworthy feat: They took over the performance of the Star Spangled Banner before the game.

It’s common for fans to sing along with the national anthem before a game, but to take over the performance? To do it for another country’s anthem — this is Canada, ladies and gents, not a US market — is a grand gesture. It’s even bigger when there are strains in relations at the moment between countries.

 

April 30, 2017 , , , , , , , , , hockey, Politics, Sports Comments Off on Edmonton Oilers fans take over performance of “The Star Spangled Banner” Sunday, April 30 before game 3 [VIDEO]