About this season

Look, I will level with you - I have seen too few Oil games this year to comment on on-ice play.

But about the controversy raging about the contract situation the Oil got in this year (you know, stuck with old guys with extended long term contracts that can't be moved), I would say that it is not entirely the fault of Oil management.

The circumstances for some of the contracts was an environment that the players felt the Oil management were  "cheap".  I don't know for sure, but it seems the reported rantings of Ryan Smyth may have had some resonance with other players - therefore the mood was that he wouldn't take a home town discount because of feeling the perceived injustice of a lower wage than other players in other cities. So when the team performed by going to the finals that year, Lowe tried to please and reward his players by giving fat contracts to those that above and beyond the call of duty - ie. Horcoff, Staios, etc.  I am sure Lowe figured he might as well stick with players that were loyal in the amount they sacrificied - players you need in the playoffs.

It hasn't worked too well so far, has it? Unfortunately the overall skill level of some of those players weren't enough to be game changers or "rule breakers" in investment terms. They didn't change the make-up or environment of the team enough to influence other players to take it to the next level.

So now the team is in a pickle to put in family-friendly terms.

Now it is going to take a couple of years to work their way out of the mess - not fun for us.