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Jason Demers says Milan Lucic was behind blocking him from Oilers
Published April 4, 2024 at 4:13 PM
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Jason Demers has told a podcast that joining the Edmonton Oilers was a dream for him since he was a kid, and Milan Lucic took his dream away, at least for a while.
While appearing on the Oilers Nation podcast, Jason Demers recounted how he really wanted to sign with the Edmonton Oilers back in 2016, as he was an unrestricted free agent."It was the only team I visited, it was the only team I called."
Jason Demers was invited to a dinner at Oilers' owner Darryl Katz's home. Also in attendance were Peter Chiarelli, Edmonton's GM at the time, Jason's father, and Milan Lucic, who was also being courted by Edmonton, and was a major free agent name at the time. Apparently, Lucic was calling the shots.
"I'm looking across the table and Lucic keeps getting up and leaving the table and coming back. Chiarelli is getting up and leaving the table and they (Lucic and Chiarelli) are talking in the corner."
"I could hear Lucic at the table going 'the number just keeps going up and up and up'. I think it was after the third of fourth course that the money was at five or six million."
"I could hear Lucic at the table going 'the number just keeps going up and up and up'. I think it was after the third of fourth course that the money was at five or six million."
Jason Demers said at that point, he turned to his father and said it doesn't look he would be signing in Edmonton. Demers recalled how things got awkward from there as Lucic's negotiations left him in the cold.
"Things got awkward from there on out. It went from them courting me...it went from talking to me and Luc to like we weren't even there in the house."
"Chiarelli drove us back to the hotel."
"Chiarelli drove us back to the hotel."
Jason Demers eventually realized his dream of playing for the Edmonton Oilers, although it was an extremely short stint. After spending all of training camp with the team on a professional tryout in 2022, Demers was initially signed to the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL. However, due to a depleted lineup, Demers ended up with a two-way contract, and managed to play one game in the Edmonton Oilers lineup in the 2022-23 season.
Current Edmonton Oiler Connor McDavid stunned with recent remarks on taking over the point scoring lead.
Source: OilersDaily.com
Former NHLer reveals how Milan Lucic blocked him from joining Oilers
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April 4 | 179 answers Jason Demers says Milan Lucic was behind blocking him from Oilers What do you think of Jason Demers story of Milan Lucic blocking him from the Oilers? | ||
| Unfortunate | 70 | 39.1 % |
| He should have been a better negotiator | 42 | 23.5 % |
| Chiarelli loved throwing money around | 36 | 20.1 % |
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