Here is a great new article by Rahul Deol. It's a great read
###########################
Bad luck…
It is something that the Edmonton Oilers have faced year in and year out since the
new millennium. It’s also something the Toronto based media seems to be important
enough to air after the latest Mats Sundin update. Here is a list of unfortunate
events that have occured over the past few years:
2000
Edmonton Oilers are forced to trade Bill Guerin from the Edmonton Oilers to the
Boston Bruins due to salary issues
2001
After serving 3 years as the Edmonton Oilers captain, as well as leading scorer
over the 4 years prior, Doug Weight is traded to the St. Louis Blues…for Jan
Hornacek, Jochen Hecht, and current Oiler Marty Reasoner. Fair deal? Only deal.
2002
After winning the “most-popular Oiler” award in the 2001-2002 season, local hero
Mike Comrie holds out the following season, forcing GM Kevin Lowe to move him to the
Philadelphia Flyers.
And leaving the Oilers without a number one center once again. Heart and soul winger
Ryan Smyth fractures his left ankle in a game against Chicago and is out 3 months.
Winger Todd Marchant, with one year left on his contract, has a career year (60
points) and signs with Columbus in the off season
2003
Despite being the second best defensive team in the NHL, the Oilers miss the playoff
by 2 points for the second time in 5 years….but it gets worse. Calgary comes one
game away from winning the Stanley Cup…(shutter)
2004
No comment
2005
The Oilers acquire All-Star defenseman Chris Pronger and defensive specialist
Michael Peca, but start the year 3-7. In the latter parts of the season, as usual,
the Oilers fight for the 8th and final playoff spot. On April 6th, Michael Peca
appears to score the go ahead goal again the Minnesota Wild, only not to be counted
and the Oil go on to lose in Overtime. Not to be outdone, a few night later in
Illinois winger Fernando Pisani scores the supposed game winner on Nik Khabibulin of
the Blackhawks, but after review, is disallowed…could things get any worse. Yes.
Some may say the Carolina Hurricanes won the cup, however, most would say the
Edmonton Oilers lost it.
O ya Chris Pronger and Michael Peca leave because its to cold….
2006
Referee Mick McGough blatantly blows the play dead on the what was supposed to be
the game tying goal against the Dallas Stars in early November on a phantom “glove
pass”. There was no punishment issued from the NHL after the game, except to Oilers
coach Craig MacTavish for his comments.
NHL’s second leading goal scorer, however early in the season, Ryan Smyth is kneed
by Colorado Avalanche defenseman John-Liles late in the third period of an Oiler
win. Liles was not suspended, however a week later is fined by abysmal $2,500 for
his actions.
Injuries and hardships occur across the league all the time, it just seems to be
swept under an NHL welcome mat. If the NHL lacks fans, their not helping the cause
by…excuse my language…bush league calls and decisions us fans have been seeing the
past little while. NHL and surrounding media give your head a shake.
- Rahul Deol
