After starting the season by blowing out the Flames with Connor McDavid getting a hat trick, the Edmonton Oilers, who were widely seen as a Stanley Cup contender, have sunk to near the bottom of the NHL (this year but by some historic measures as well). Forget the Stanley Cup, even a playoff appearance is looking more and more unlikely for the Oil, even though the season has just passed American Thanksgiving.
The Oilers lack of success has prompted creation of a mocking hashtag, #herecometheoilers and has people pointing out that many of the #1 picks the Oilers have been gifted due to their never-ending futility over the years (nine Top 10 picks in ten years including FOUR first overall picks!) have not only been traded away but are finding way more success away from Edmonton), or even that NHL Golden Boy, Connor McDavid, is being outpaced by a quiet, understated centreman in Calgary.
As a fan of the surging Calgary Flames, I approve of all of this.
I read with great interest the Down Goes Brown column about “The 20 Stages of Realizing Your NHL Team Is Terrible” which made me realise that Oilers fans must be at “Stage 13 – The Soul-Crushing Loss” which happened last night when the Oilers, tied 4-4 with about a minute to go, ended up having one of their defenseman blast the puck into his own net accidentally. Even worse? The guilty Oiler is a former Flame – Kris Russell.
The season’s only a quarter over but I’m already enjoying it as much as any in recent history and with Saturday night featuring a Flames v. Oilers rematch, I can’t wait!
Post a Comment