Edmonton Oilers

[Canucks_fan18]

McDavid will run out his contract and if nothing has changed by then he will pull a Taveres. I doubt he ever asks for a trade but I could certainly see him leaving if things haven't changed by then.

[ericdaoust]

McDavid won't ask for a trade because he doesn't want to hurt his "Good Canadian Boy" image even though he 100% should be asking for a trade.

[blayze]

NHL players need to take a page from the NBA playbook and start making demands.

It is ridiculous that a generational talent like McDavid will waste his prime years swimming in shit in Edmonton (no offense).

[Canucks_fan18]

NHL players need to take a page from the NBA playbook and start making demands.

It is ridiculous that a generational talent like McDavid will waste his prime years swimming in shit in Edmonton (no offense).

I firmly disagree. The NBA to me is a mess. The Oilers aren't a great example but some organizations due the right thing and get screwed by the stars because they don't like where there playing. Teams like the Oilers and the Jets would be come barren waste lands of talent.

[metaldude26]

NHL players need to take a page from the NBA playbook and start making demands.

It is ridiculous that a generational talent like McDavid will waste his prime years swimming in shit in Edmonton (no offense).

It's not like NHL players have never made trade demands before but this is a bit ridiculous. As big of a pile of shit this team is, it's worth remembering that his 8-year deal literally just kicked in. He has no leverage if this was even a consideration for him. Also, the Penguins made the playoffs and won one round in the first 6 years of Mario Lemieux's career. It turned out fine.

But on this topic, I think in the next lockout (okay, CBA negotiation, if we want to be optimistic) owners are going to push for shorter contract terms. That will result in greater player empowerment so we will likely see more NBA-esque maneuvering in the coming years.

[blayze]

I'm not advocating that McDavid demand a trade tomorrow, but I will say if an organization commits to a goal when signing you to a long-term contract and that goal changes or was misrepresented then you can and should exercise your leverage to put yourself in a better position.

Players have way more leverage than people think. It's a matter of mindset and league culture. Bettman has done a great job over the years of stifling NHL player's voices and power. Hockey players in particular are designed to behave as "good canadian boys". But here's the reality... if a player doesn't want to be part of a team, what can the team really do about that? The player will go out there, play (as he's contractually obligated to do) at 70% of his ability, act disinterested, tear the locker room apart, say controversial things to the media... what's the team gonna do about it? They can't do shit and they still have to pay him. When it gets to that point, the team will be better off trading the player to stop the bleeding and recover what assets they can.

So NHL star players have leverage. They just don't have the mindset or the balls to exploit their leverage like athletes in the other major sports do.

[chuckcouples]

I'm not advocating that McDavid demand a trade tomorrow, but I will say if an organization commits to a goal when signing you to a long-term contract and that goal changes or was misrepresented then you can and should exercise your leverage to put yourself in a better position.

Players have way more leverage than people think. It's a matter of mindset and league culture. Bettman has done a great job over the years of stifling NHL player's voices and power. Hockey players in particular are designed to behave as "good canadian boys". But here's the reality... if a player doesn't want to be part of a team, what can the team really do about that? The player will go out there, play (as he's contractually obligated to do) at 70% of his ability, act disinterested, tear the locker room apart, say controversial things to the media... what's the team gonna do about it? They can't do shit and they still have to pay him. When it gets to that point, the team will be better off trading the player to stop the bleeding and recover what assets they can.

So NHL star players have leverage. They just don't have the mindset or the balls to exploit their leverage like athletes in the other major sports do.

Please explain how this makes any sense?

If an NHL player was performing at 70% of his ability, he could easily be suspended or have his contract torn up seeing as the contract literally states that the player must play "to the best of his ability" and that the player must conduct them self "on and off the rink according to the highest standards of honesty, morality, fair play and sportsmanship, and to refrain from conduct detrimental to the best interest of the Club, the League, or professional hockey generally."

[blayze]

Please explain how this makes any sense?

If an NHL player was performing at 70% of his ability, he could easily be suspended or have his contract torn up seeing as the contract literally states that the player must play "to the best of his ability" and that the player must conduct them self "on and off the rink according to the highest standards of honesty, morality, fair play and sportsmanship, and to refrain from conduct detrimental to the best interest of the Club, the League, or professional hockey generally."

Thanks for the rulebook buddy. Goodluck enforcing that in arbitration or court.

Cause clearly an organization has nothing better to do with its time than drag their star player through a prolonged, expensive and highly public litigation process that they're going to lose anyway. I'm sure that would also do wonders for their recruiting pitch to other star players in the future too. Fantastic idea.

[SeaDawg]

test test test

strange behavior here...shows me that there's another page on this thread but I can't seem to access it.

[lucafen4]

Thanks for the rulebook buddy. Goodluck enforcing that in arbitration or court.

Cause clearly an organization has nothing better to do with its time than drag their star player through a prolonged, expensive and highly public litigation process that they're going to lose anyway. I'm sure that would also do wonders for their recruiting pitch to other star players in the future too. Fantastic idea.

Just wait until you see how teams use the data tracking devices during arbitration

[The Comish]

I'm not advocating that McDavid demand a trade tomorrow, but I will say if an organization commits to a goal when signing you to a long-term contract and that goal changes or was misrepresented then you can and should exercise your leverage to put yourself in a better position.

Players have way more leverage than people think. It's a matter of mindset and league culture. Bettman has done a great job over the years of stifling NHL player's voices and power. Hockey players in particular are designed to behave as "good canadian boys". But here's the reality... if a player doesn't want to be part of a team, what can the team really do about that? The player will go out there, play (as he's contractually obligated to do) at 70% of his ability, act disinterested, tear the locker room apart, say controversial things to the media... what's the team gonna do about it? They can't do shit and they still have to pay him. When it gets to that point, the team will be better off trading the player to stop the bleeding and recover what assets they can.

So NHL star players have leverage. They just don't have the mindset or the balls to exploit their leverage like athletes in the other major sports do.

So what I take away from your post is that if things don't go your way, the best player in the league should essentially quit on the team and demand a trade? Maybe an oversimplification of your point, but if McDavid wants to have a decent legacy, he can't bail when the going gets tough. Things will get better for the Oil and McDavid is going to lead the team to the playoffs...just maybe not this year, although I'm an eternal optimist, so you never know!

[lucafen4]

So what I take away from your post is that if things don't go your way, the best player in the league should essentially quit on the team and demand a trade? Maybe an oversimplification of your point, but if McDavid wants to have a decent legacy, he can't bail when the going gets tough. Things will get better for the Oil and McDavid is going to lead the team to the playoffs...just maybe not this year, although I'm an eternal optimist, so you never know!

It could be worse. They could be dive bombing in the standings and watch another team select a top 3 player with their 1st pick

[Axeman33]

At least the fans stopped throwing the jerseys on the ice.

[Godin]

At least the fans stopped throwing the jerseys on the ice.

That may start again when they are officially out of the playoffs.

[Axeman33]

That may start again when they are officially out of the playoffs.

If Chiarelli was still employed there, I might tend to agree with you but I think most fans out that way are happy to see SOMETHING changing at the very least and should hold off any jersey throwing tantrums for the time being.

- - - Updated - - -

That may start again when they are officially out of the playoffs.

If Chiarelli was still employed there, I might tend to agree with you but I think most fans out that way are happy to see SOMETHING changing at the very least and should hold off any jersey throwing tantrums for the time being.