Oilers Entertainment Group chief executive officer Bob Nicholson’s recent comments about Edmonton Oilers forward Tobias Rieder — Nicholson blamed Rieder, who hasn’t scored a goal all season, for the team’s failure to secure a playoff spot — turned Nicholson into a lightning rod among many Oilers fans, a figure onto which they turned their frustrations over yet another losing season — 12 of the last 13 of them out of the NHL playoffs.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices