Katz Has Not Signed Comrie and Never Will...

Mad speculation is a buzz on the internet, that Daryl Katz has personally taken some time and facilitated a UFA signing this summer with of all people, Mike Comrie.

I can tell you for certain, this is untrue. Daryl Katz did not go out and sign Comrie. If it turns out that the Oilers and Mike Comrie have worked out this supposed deal for $1.3 million this season and Daryl Katz was somehow in on the coversation that finally tipped Comrie back to Edmonton, there will never be one peep, iota or inkling that this was a Katz signing. That would be a PR move worse than possibly the Dany Heatley trade that never happened.

Katz has spent a lot of money to "restructure" management ala Detroit and the collaborative systems he feels will eventually benefit the Oilers in their quest to get back on top. Only an idiot (and Katz is not an idiot) would over-step that structure. If he has, I recommend Tambellini and anyone else who was hired since Katz purchased the team, immediately tender their resignations.

Whether I or many fans agree with what Tambellini has done so far this summer (which we don't), he can't possibly work within a system that allows for an owner, who has no direct hockey knowledge other than that of a fan; to derail any plan of action a hired GM like Tambellini might have in place. Even if that plan show no chance of success. In those cases, the GM should be relieved of his duties and another put in his place.

On the contrary, if Tambellini and Lowe asked Katz for a second assist in convincing Comrie to give Edmonton another shot, there is a large difference. This by all measures is not only acceptable, but common (as was seen in the Hossa and Laraque negotiations). It's a team concept both on the ice and within management for the Oilers and it could have taken a conversation from Katz to daddy Comrie to get this finalized -- if in fact a deal has happened.

If it has two things are going to happen going forward:

1) Katz will be mentioned if at all as a wing-man on this deal. The Oilers would be fools to give credit to the owner.

2) Someone in the Top 6 is on their way out of town. Whether it's Nilsson going to the minors or Horcoff to the 3rd line centre position, Comrie doesn't have the size, stats or character needed to play a full season as a 3rd line centre.

1 comments:

I'm not dating anyone at the moment, so unlike his last trip in Edmonton I can safely be cool with occupying the same city as him.

August 28, 2009 at 5:05 PM comment-delete

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