I'll have a post on free agency later tonight, but did want to give my thoughts on a funny little thing the Edmonton Oilers did today.
They didn't release their list of qualifying offers. No biggie, they can do whatever the hell they want and if they decide their fans don't deserve to know who was qualified and who wasn't well it's a free world.
However, it is silly and is one more little tiny thing that makes this organization less than what it could be. There can be no benefit to holding back the list, as the other 29 teams surely would know who was qualified and who wasn't qualified.
So it's about the fans. The fans who follow the team and give value to the logo and the brand. How important are they? Not very.
For the record, here's what one fan (who doesn't matter) feels the Oilers have done:
- Jonas Almtorp- Not qualified
- Troy Bodie- Qualified
- Jeff Deslauriers- Qualified
- Glenn Fisher- Not qualified
- JF Jacques- Qualified
- Fredrik Johansson- Not qualified
- Kemp, TJ- Not qualified
- Ryan Potulny- Qualified (signed June 14)
- Marc Pouliot- Qualified
- Zack Stortini- Qualified
- Joni Pitkanen- Qualified
- Jarret Stoll- Qualified
LT - I'm sure you are right on who was qualified, but I've got a hard time figuring out why JFJ get's qualified - you can't even get a bag of pucks for him right now.
ReplyDeletePrendergast's remarks are lame.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.630ched.com/Channels/Reg/LocalSports/Story.aspx?ID=1013919
edit: sorry, the club's policy is lame. Especially given that our list was released last year. Sorry about the non-link above - it's a brief news blurb that Tencer did at the ched website.
ReplyDeleteOilers Tender Qualifying Offers
ReplyDelete6/26/2008
Yesterday was the deadline for NHL clubs to issue qualifying offers to their Restricted Free Agents.
According to Vice President of Hockey Operations Kevin Prendergast the Oilers issued QO's to all of their NHL-level RFA's. Notables include Jarret Stoll, Joni Pitkanen and Zack Stortini.
It is not known whether or not all of the club's minor league restricted free agents were qualified.
Club policy is to not release details on qualifying offers. Montreal is the only Canadian club that publishes their QO list.
per 630
well, under a Katz led PR overhaul for the Oilers I would expect:
ReplyDelete- Patrick LaForge to shut up about all things not in his areas of responsibility
- Kevin Prendergast and Kevin Lowe to start to be muzzled
Just observing Katz's approach to PR to date. He says very little. Doesn't make himself available unless its on his terms.
Very specific and factual messages.
Omission of details rather than commission of a lie.
Welcome to the world of The Edmonton Katzoilers!
ReplyDeleteYou won't need to worry about Cal Nichols spouting off, because no one in the organization is going to say a word about anything anymore.
The press will receive a weekly email with random tidbits of information to pass on to the fans.
I only half kid...
Time will tell. Think Katz authorizes 56.7 mill next year?
ReplyDeleteI think Katz will take it to the limit for several reasons. First of all there's still the arena to build and part of that is coming out of our bluejean's baby.
ReplyDeletePlus there is ego. Not being critical, if I owned the team there would be press conferences daily. :-)
Well with an "Expected '08-09 Upper Limit Charge 44,390,053" as per nhlscap.com and a handful of rfas to sign, it could be difficult to send in an 8.25 million dollar offer to Hossa this season in the absence of the three for one that may or may not happen..
ReplyDeleteYeah, I certainly hope that Katz doesn't show his bootheels to the press because those guys were so fucking opinionated during the Nichols era....
ReplyDelete