Negative press drags Oilers down

Re. “Oilers brass gets big thumbs down,” Terry Jones, April 17

As a Journal subscriber and Sunday Sun reader, I think I have a better idea why the Oilers did not meet expectations this past season: the constant negative reporting by your sport reporters.

Your reporters, for many years, start the season with negative reporting and continue this to the end of the season. Once the season is over they banter on about who they think should be fired or traded.

This form of harassment does not stop at players but continues on to coaches, assistant coaches, management and pretty soon the owner. Your reporters’ opinions over time shape the opinion of others, forming a negative environment in the community.

Due to this constant negativity, they alone have forced the hand of management to trade or get rid of the heart of the Oilers. We have seen Justin Schultz go to Pittsburgh, Taylor Hall to New Jersey, Jordan Eberle to the Islanders and Andrew Cogliano to Anahiem.

Cheers to Peter Chiarelli and all the Oilers staff and players who have tried to make the team what it once was.

Be positive, the only way to get better is to keep our young players and work hard at getting better. Ken Iskiw, Edmonton