Oilers Stiff Calgary Restaurant With Bill?

Wow. In a shocking revelation by Calgary's CTV News, the Edmonton Oilers hockey players and their wives/girlfriends were dining at Osteria De Medici, a pretty nice joint in the Kensington area of Calgary after the new years game against the Flames.  It appears that the Oilers upon receiving their bill, looked at it, and declined to pay it.  The Captain Ethan Moreau was one of the players that refused that bill. 

Apparently, it was close to an $18,000 bill and the Oilers figured it was too much.  The restaurant reportedly charged them by the shot and the Oilers wanted it by the bottle.  If you have ever been to a bar, you know that the shots add up quickly.  This liquor bill was around $8,000.  But nonetheless, the Oilers should have shut up and paid it.  No questions asked.

It's reported that the restaurant was going to call the police and the players ended up paying $12,000 and figured it out to be square.  Maurizio Terrigno, the owner of the restaurant begs to differ, he still wanted the close to $18,000 bill paid.  He also said that someone from the Edmonton Oilers organization contacted the restaurant this afternoon and worked out a deal for the rest of the tab.  He says that he is going to donate the money to charity.

What the hell are these guys thinking?  Your in Calgary, your the Edmonton Oilers, and you know, the most hated team in Calgary, and you don't want to pay a bill when you make millions of dollars?  Is this really the smartest/best idea?  In other words, take your lumps and call it a lesson learned.

So we, the fans, can't even start off the new year without an Oiler embarrassment? (True or false, right or wrong, it's just more negative news the Oilers don't need.) Thanks guys. *face in palm* Happy New Years to you too.  2010 starts off great.

EDIT (7:00pm):  Here is Dan Tencer's Take on this story:

The owner of a Calgary restaurant is trying to use the Edmonton Oilers as a publicity tool.


After last night's game in Calgary, the entire Oilers team went out for a pre-planned meal with their wives and girlfriends at the upscale, downtown eatery Osteria De Medici.


At the end of the night the players were presented with a bill for close to $19,000, a figure that struck them as being grossly inflated for what they consumed over their roughly 90 minute stay. The players, while still waiting at the restaurant, asked for the bill to be re-calculated at which point they were presented with a revised cheque for $12,381. The team paid for the bill with a credit card, and left.


The owner of the restaurant called Calgary media this morning, claiming that the players refused to pay the bill until they were threatened with a phone call to the police. Oilers officials call the story "ridiculous".(dt/tc)


EDIT (8:30pm):  Here is the TSN version of the story.

EDIT (9:00pm): Here is the Calgary Herald Version.

EDIT (5:30pm 1/3/10): Now that the storm has blown over it appears that everything has been worked out for both parties.  The Oilers say no harm was done and the restaurant owner says it's OK.  It's over.  Osteria de Medici owner Maurizio Terrigno said Saturday, "I’m happy to report the situation’s been resolved"

So did I jump the gun and spit out an opinion a little too quick?  Perhaps.  But then again, I shoot from the hip and I always have something to say.  So like many suggested, this is over and should fade away now.
-Smokin' Ray-