As a lifelong Oilers fan(I'm old enough to more or less remember and I did see them when they were a genuine dynasty), I remember how they used to be able to procure washed up players or prospects(Joe Murphy comes to mind), or even ex cons(Craig Mactavish), and rehabilitate them quickly by sticking them in the lineup.
It really was a thing to behold, watching players who were struggling on other teams(remember everyone was crap compared to the Oilers, and I mean every word of this statement), quickly blossom into first rate quality NHL players.
Unfortunately, ever since 1992 when they finally buried the good times in the most appalling trade ever(Mark Messier for Bernie Nicholls), the ration of super cool moves by the team has gone south. Yes, they stole Pronger. And there were other good moves, but in retrospect i believe the OIlers are simply cursed.
Today they traded Dustin Penner, one of my favourite Oiler forwards for more hope, more future, and less present. I don't give a rat's ass about prospects. Most of them bust. Penner is a good to very good player, and will probably blossom in L.A.
The Oilers meanwhile, will be run at by every other team in the NHL, bullied, and the kids will get concussed. They're still too young to handle themselves, and needed some guidance from veterans, even I know that.
But no, the OIlers are run like a ponzi scheme, always selling the future, and robbing from the present.
Next year Hemsky will go, and the same fans who argue that Penner needed to go because he's possibly gone in 1.3 years, will be happy. They will have more picks, more prospects, and more hope.
The lucky stiffs.
Beam me up, Scotty.
