IIHF denies delays in transferring Nail Yakupov, slams “entirely incorrect, false and fabricated” reports
Jonathan Willis
September 19 2012 11:10AM
Like most of the readers here at OilersNation, I read Dmitry Chesnokov’s piece on Puck Daddy yesterday with interest. After quoting Rafik Yakubov, the director with Nail Yakupov’s KHL club (Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik) as saying “The IIHF is not allowing Yakupov to play,” Chesnokov went on to speculate that the IIHF might be waiting for official NHL permission before issuing transfer cards.
According to IIHF communications director Szymon Szemberg, that speculation is “entirely incorrect, false and fabricated.”
On Rebuilding, Part Ten: The Calgary Flames
Jonathan Willis
September 18 2012 09:36AM
Frequent Nations’ commenter Rex Libris concludes his epic series on franchise rebuilds today with this piece on the Calgary Flames. It’s extensive, so settle in and enjoy the ride.
The Flames aren’t in a rebuild. That much we know because Jay Feaster has told us. While I’m not entirely convinced that they aren’t at least in the initial stages of one, for the time being it might be best to describe their current phase as a retooling.
So how do they fit into this discussion about teams rebuilding?
A Promise to the NHL and NHLPA
Jonathan Willis
September 15 2012 01:38PM
Today is September 15, the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and NHLPA. Tonight, barring an 11th-hour miracle, the league will lock out its players and begin yet another in a seemingly endless cycle of work stoppages.
If that happens, I have a promise to both sides.
On Rebuilding, Part Nine: The Edmonton Oilers
Jonathan Willis
September 12 2012 01:04PM
Frequent commenter and guest contributor RexLibris' series on rebuilds continues with the Edmonton Oilers. Get comfortable because this is a long one.
Before we get into the details, let's set the stage a bit:
- Edmonton blew their team up, nuclear-style, and deliberately iced a bad team in order to get high picks.
- They have been rebuilding since 2006 and are no closer today to the playoffs than they were the year after the 2006 cup run.
- The Oilers are in the same boat as the Islanders and Blue Jackets.
- Management in Edmonton is incompetent. The Oilers have been one of the worst-run organizations in the NHL since the lockout and there is no reason to believe that they can improve simply because now they have better players.
- Just gathering together 1st overall picks isn’t going to resurrect the team and then when that talent blossoms they will leave for greener pasture, making all that effort an exercise in futility.
Those are some of the many criticisms that have been leveled against the Oilers and their rebuild. They come from both inside Edmonton and rival NHL cities, fans and critics, media and analysts. Do any of those statements actually ring true though?
On Rebuilding, Part 8: The Florida Panthers
Jonathan Willis
August 30 2012 11:47AM
Frequent commenter and guest contributor RexLibris' series on rebuilds continues with the Florida Panthers.
The Florida Panthers have recently been held up as proof that a team doesn't need to be terrible for long periods in order to become good. Many fans have commented that they would prefer to see their team take the approach of Dale Tallon and the Florida Panthers over that of the Edmonton Oilers, and that a team can be rebuilt on the fly, with as much chance of success as a “nuclear-style” rebuild.
Our task in this case is to find the truth in this matter. The Panthers have obviously rebuilt under Dale Tallon, that much is clear. The question becomes was this rebuild done in such a fashion that it can reasonably be applied to other situations and franchises where a team can be remade over a summer and go from a perennial bottom-place team to a playoff contender? In order to ask, and eventually answer, that question one needs to look at the talents that were acquired between the period of poor performance and resurgence, the existing conditions that facilitated this remodeling (in case the term rebuild is becoming repetitive), and what assets were acquired as a result of the Panthers being so bad, and drafting so high, under earlier management as well as their true impact on the recent improvement of the team.
