What will we do without the lost revenue from 2-3 home playoff games every second year?
Surely that’s better than committing to suck for a bit so you can go on some good runs, right?
MeursaultWasGuilty
Anyone who knows how Murray Edwards operates in the O&G industry knows that this is never going to happen.
cgydan
Fat chance this team will ever change its philosophy with Murray Edwards as the majority owner.
Erkules19
I’m seriously considering canceling my longstanding season tickets.
My Dad and Grandma bought them like 25 odd years ago when the team was on the brink of relocating and I have since inherited them.
I can’t deal with this lack of self awareness any longer.
I will stay and suffer through the hardships of a rebuild but this BS we have been witnessing for 20 years is pushing me to my breaking point.
If they don’t face reality I might have to stop financially supporting them.
I prob can’t afford tix if they ever actually get a new arena anyways cause none of my friends or family are willing to commit to take on some games to help ease the burden so it might be time to jump ship early.
SomeJerkOddball
This is an article that’s easy to write but lacks any actual analysis or substance. I don’t buy it. We just won the division twice in the last 5 years. That’s far from squeaking in. We were delivered a serious blow by the departures of our two most productive players last off season and the club’s approach was far from mediocrity first.
I think it takes a lot more time to recover from a shock like that than people seem to be willing to admit. And even in the face of that we managed to finish the season with a positive goal differential despite a punishingly bad power-play and save percentage and had a record in the top half of the league. We lost a record number of 1 goal games. There isn’t that much that needs to be tweaked to move the dial.
Some people might not like to hear it, but this past season was not the make or break for this iteration of the team. The upcoming season is. I’ll fully admit it’s time for a rebuild if we fail to make the necessary adjustments. And I suspect the org will too as so many contracts are coming up for expiry this year.
weschester
I’m shocked a writer in this market is willing to call out Edwards. This franchise is perpetually mediocre and will continue to be for as long as Edwards is our owner.
kinkypuffs
No one is better than the Calgary Flames at being mediocre!
Chemical_Signal2753
I think this is actually why Sutter was brought in. He is a very intense individual, is highly competitive, and wants to win every game. He pushes his players hard, expecting a solid effort every shift, and makes their lives difficult if he isn’t seeing that from them. I think this worked great last season, but it is tough to motivate others constantly, and eventually they tune you out.
While not exactly the players fans always want on their team, players like Max Domi, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Evander Kane generally have the competitive drive to win games. They’re not the most skilled players on the ice but their fucks given per 60 lead them to being very important to their teams. The problem with players like this is they are often associated with off ice antics, they can make bad (emotional) decisions in games, and can be toxic in the change room.
Fixing this problem is not easy because the highly competitive players who have some skill and are not toxic are rarely available in free agency or trade. These players tend to be staples of long standing playoff teams, and are widely pursued when they hit free agency.
zoziw
Mediocrity?
Sam Bennett didn’t live up to fourth pick expectations…it happens.
Adam Fox is an asshole.
Sean Monahan ran into injury issues.
Gaudreau played until he became a free agent and chose to leave, the pandemic might have played a role in that.
Tkachuk also chose to leave, and the pandemic might have played a role there as well. Does anyone remember the comment about how lonely he was when he couldn’t travel home to the US or have his friends of family come here?
Jacob Markstrom was the runner up for the Vezina trophy last year but didn’t have a great run this year.
Sutter won the Jack Adams last year.
When I read through that list, and what we lost through little or no fault of our own, I am not sure mediocrity comes to mind.
As I just posted in another thread, I am still reflecting on this season but, by losing Gaudreau and Tkachuk last season, and bringing in Huberdeau, Weegar and Kadri, we performed a heart transplant on this team and were shocked they didn’t jump off the operating table at 100%?
Last year, before this team even hit the ice, pretty much every reporter, pundit and insider was declaring us one of the best teams in the league. Moneypuck rated us either the best chance or second best chance to win the cup.
Based on what? Stats? Certainly not the on-ice product. Training camp hadn’t even started.
I don’t really see mediocrity. Bad luck and unrealistic expectation? Maybe, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying.
Evening-Ad3755
Hard to do without being oilers shitty for a good stretch
moirende
The ownership group had a very different vibe back in the day when it was the Seaman brothers, Harley Hotchkiss, Bud McCaig and Alvin Libin. They were all extremely community-minded and I think ran it as a collective (can’t remember who was managing partner Bud?), and there was just a whole different vibe. All but Alvin have passed on and he’s got to be in his 90’s now, I can’t imagine he’s much involved anymore. The current group is just nowhere near the same. Jeff inherited his dad’s share and I don’t think is super involved, Markin is an odd duck at the best of times, and so it’s mostly left to Edwards to oversee. There’s no doubt he’s a brilliant businessman, but that doesn’t make him a great sports team owner.
Paulhockey77
Brad wanted to fire Sutter but edwards wouldn’t let him. Thank god for Brad that he got out of this dump and he can find somewhere else where he can actually do to his job
uluvmydadjoke
On the plus side of being mediocre; The Flames cannot be accused of intentionally tanking for high draft picks
UniqueBar7069
Why would they? Their mediocrity goes unchecked and they get paid all the same.
15 Comments
But mediocrity is our specialty!
What will we do without the lost revenue from 2-3 home playoff games every second year?
Surely that’s better than committing to suck for a bit so you can go on some good runs, right?
Anyone who knows how Murray Edwards operates in the O&G industry knows that this is never going to happen.
Fat chance this team will ever change its philosophy with Murray Edwards as the majority owner.
I’m seriously considering canceling my longstanding season tickets.
My Dad and Grandma bought them like 25 odd years ago when the team was on the brink of relocating and I have since inherited them.
I can’t deal with this lack of self awareness any longer.
I will stay and suffer through the hardships of a rebuild but this BS we have been witnessing for 20 years is pushing me to my breaking point.
If they don’t face reality I might have to stop financially supporting them.
I prob can’t afford tix if they ever actually get a new arena anyways cause none of my friends or family are willing to commit to take on some games to help ease the burden so it might be time to jump ship early.
This is an article that’s easy to write but lacks any actual analysis or substance. I don’t buy it. We just won the division twice in the last 5 years. That’s far from squeaking in. We were delivered a serious blow by the departures of our two most productive players last off season and the club’s approach was far from mediocrity first.
I think it takes a lot more time to recover from a shock like that than people seem to be willing to admit. And even in the face of that we managed to finish the season with a positive goal differential despite a punishingly bad power-play and save percentage and had a record in the top half of the league. We lost a record number of 1 goal games. There isn’t that much that needs to be tweaked to move the dial.
Some people might not like to hear it, but this past season was not the make or break for this iteration of the team. The upcoming season is. I’ll fully admit it’s time for a rebuild if we fail to make the necessary adjustments. And I suspect the org will too as so many contracts are coming up for expiry this year.
I’m shocked a writer in this market is willing to call out Edwards. This franchise is perpetually mediocre and will continue to be for as long as Edwards is our owner.
No one is better than the Calgary Flames at being mediocre!
I think this is actually why Sutter was brought in. He is a very intense individual, is highly competitive, and wants to win every game. He pushes his players hard, expecting a solid effort every shift, and makes their lives difficult if he isn’t seeing that from them. I think this worked great last season, but it is tough to motivate others constantly, and eventually they tune you out.
While not exactly the players fans always want on their team, players like Max Domi, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Evander Kane generally have the competitive drive to win games. They’re not the most skilled players on the ice but their fucks given per 60 lead them to being very important to their teams. The problem with players like this is they are often associated with off ice antics, they can make bad (emotional) decisions in games, and can be toxic in the change room.
Fixing this problem is not easy because the highly competitive players who have some skill and are not toxic are rarely available in free agency or trade. These players tend to be staples of long standing playoff teams, and are widely pursued when they hit free agency.
Mediocrity?
Sam Bennett didn’t live up to fourth pick expectations…it happens.
Adam Fox is an asshole.
Sean Monahan ran into injury issues.
Gaudreau played until he became a free agent and chose to leave, the pandemic might have played a role in that.
Tkachuk also chose to leave, and the pandemic might have played a role there as well. Does anyone remember the comment about how lonely he was when he couldn’t travel home to the US or have his friends of family come here?
Jacob Markstrom was the runner up for the Vezina trophy last year but didn’t have a great run this year.
Sutter won the Jack Adams last year.
When I read through that list, and what we lost through little or no fault of our own, I am not sure mediocrity comes to mind.
As I just posted in another thread, I am still reflecting on this season but, by losing Gaudreau and Tkachuk last season, and bringing in Huberdeau, Weegar and Kadri, we performed a heart transplant on this team and were shocked they didn’t jump off the operating table at 100%?
Last year, before this team even hit the ice, pretty much every reporter, pundit and insider was declaring us one of the best teams in the league. Moneypuck rated us either the best chance or second best chance to win the cup.
Based on what? Stats? Certainly not the on-ice product. Training camp hadn’t even started.
I don’t really see mediocrity. Bad luck and unrealistic expectation? Maybe, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying.
Hard to do without being oilers shitty for a good stretch
The ownership group had a very different vibe back in the day when it was the Seaman brothers, Harley Hotchkiss, Bud McCaig and Alvin Libin. They were all extremely community-minded and I think ran it as a collective (can’t remember who was managing partner Bud?), and there was just a whole different vibe. All but Alvin have passed on and he’s got to be in his 90’s now, I can’t imagine he’s much involved anymore. The current group is just nowhere near the same. Jeff inherited his dad’s share and I don’t think is super involved, Markin is an odd duck at the best of times, and so it’s mostly left to Edwards to oversee. There’s no doubt he’s a brilliant businessman, but that doesn’t make him a great sports team owner.
Brad wanted to fire Sutter but edwards wouldn’t let him. Thank god for Brad that he got out of this dump and he can find somewhere else where he can actually do to his job
On the plus side of being mediocre; The Flames cannot be accused of intentionally tanking for high draft picks
Why would they? Their mediocrity goes unchecked and they get paid all the same.