Monthly Archives: August 2015

Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, Jack Gruninger, Rob Cooke, Sunday Night Pint, Zach Laing

BLH Sunday Night Pint #2

We’re back for another edition of the BLH Sunday Night Pint! Coincidentally this is the anniversary of the Chris Pronger trade! So Happy Pronger Day everyone!!

This week we have Zach “The Ladies Man” Laing (@loweded), Grapplin’ Jack Gruninger (@jackgruninger), and Rob “Don’t Call Me Cookie” Cooke (@cooke_rob) to tackle the hard-hitting Oilers topics of the week!

We’re going to start things off with an easy question:

1.Have the Oilers Done Enough to Make the Playoffs in 2015/16?

Jack – Not yet, no. They could be close, but unless some younger guys can have a surprise impact at the NHL level, the Oilers aren’t playoff bound yet. I think there are still question marks at forward. Lauri Korpikoski was brought in in the Boyd Gordon trade, how will he do? In the right situation he could excel, but there are likely better options. Will Yakupov finally turn his game around and start producing like a first overall pick? He hasn’t been trending upwards. Matt Hendricks is aging, how much longer can he have an impact? Also, not much needs to be said about the team’s defensive woes. Sekera and Klefbom are good defencemen, but what about the rest? Schultz can produce offense, but the defensive side of his game is clearly lacking. Fayne had a poor first season in Edmonton, they need more from him. Can Darnell Nurse take on a top 4 role like we desperately need him to? If Ference and Nikitin are both in the lineup at any point this season I might lose my mind. Finally, this team isn’t getting out of the bottom 5 unless they can get a save.

Rob – The answer to this is no. Not necessarily for the reason that most people might think though. The Western Conference is a killer to begin with and unfortunately for the Oilers most of the teams that made the playoffs last season improved this summer. The obvious exceptions being the Canucks and the Blackhawks. No clue what Jim Benning is planning for the fall but it does appear that the Canucks are headed for a rebuild in the near future. The Blackhawks are worse than last season but that has been due to cap issues that required some really good players to be moved for less than full value. So out of eight teams that made it last year six either improved or at least remained at the same level. Add to that Los Angeles and San Jose were outside the playoffs last season and definitely will challenge for the post-season again.

2.Who Will Lead the Oilers in Scoring This Season?

Zach – Taylor Hall! He’s going to have a monster year. I can’t feel it in my bones.

Jack – If Hall could stay healthy, he would lead the team in scoring easily, but since coming into the league, and not counting the lockout year, he has only averaged 64 games a season. A lot of people might say Nugent-Hopkins, but with Gordon no longer on the team, they will need him to start taking some tougher defensive assignments, so I’m not expecting a huge increase offensively. Jordan Eberle can always be relied upon to put up 60-70 points. We can’t forget about McDavid, of course. It will be really interesting to see what he puts up. It could be a tight scoring race, but I’m going to say that Hall leads the team in points.

Rob – Taylor Hall. He is the only bona fide point per game player on the team right now. McDavid will get there in short order I believe but until he has done it the only guarantee is Hall when healthy. Hall is going to have a bounce back season after losing 29 games to injury last season. He will not only lead the team in scoring this year but he will also be back in the league top ten in scoring.

3.Who Will McDavid Benefit Most From Playing With?

Zach – Whoever he’s on the ice with. Connor is one of those players that will presumably be playing a good amount of time even-strength and will likely see power play minutes as well. His skill will raise the level of play of the teammates around him, and I look forward to seeing him build chemistry with different guys. If I had to pick one specific player, I would say Nail Yakupov as I see him being a winger for McDavid.

Jack – There have been a lot of line combinations thrown around, and a lot of suggestions regarding who McDavid should be played with. Hall is the choice of many people, but some think that McDavid should be put with two veterans to start the season, such as Pouliot and Purcell. From an offensive standpoint, Hall would obviously help McDavid the most, but it’s the third player on that line that could be key. I think Teddy Purcell could be a good fit, and he could really help McDavid out in his adjustment to the pro ranks. After all, Purcell does have a resume of playing with a certain young phenom in Tampa Bay.

Rob – To me this question is backwards and it should be who is going to benefit from 82 games of awesomeness the most. But either way my answer is still going to be the same. The player that will benefit McDavid and get the most benefit from having him on their line is Taylor Hall. Hallsy is a solid point per game guy and an absolute terror flying down the port side. Imagine Hall and McDavid going full tilt towards the opposition nets on a nightly basis. Probably going to be more than a few goalies that need to change their shorts during the intermission. This is not a knock against Nuge or Ebs as they are both fantastic players and hopefully Oilers for many years to come but Hall has never had the opportunity to play with a guy of this caliber. Hall to McDavid back to Hall. He shoots! He scores!!!! Sounds beautiful already doesn’t it?

We asked some of our biggest fans and friends of the blog for their opinions on the topics on Facebook and Twitter and these are some of the responses:

Dave Gordon (@rustyknuckler):
1 – No
2 – McDavid if he stays healthy
3 – Good question, depends on who McLennan puts him with, there aren’t any real skilled vets to play with him. Maybe Pouliot, the better question might be who benefits most playing with McDavid.

Shawn Kelemen (@sharkyzeee):
1) No. But by only a few points. It will be a year we are actually in the hunt towards the end of the year. But we need a few tweaks to put us over the hump. Plus another year of experience under a computing coach will help a lot.
2) Nugent-Hopkins/Hall will both tie for the lead this year. Hall will win goals and Nuge will win assists. Eberle will be a close third to them and McDavid will finish fourth with a strong second half after he figures things out and wins our teams first rookie award.
3) I have to go with a few guys. For his two way development I’d say letestu is going to help him. A guy with skill who adapted his game to be a great bottom six guy with all the little things he does. Plus help McDavid with his face offs and positioning(if he needs it). Hendricks and his balls to the wall is going to show him sacrifice/hard work aspects. And Hall will be the perfect line mate for him. Both with blazing speed, will be able to push back defenders so less guys try and come across at McDavid, trying to hurt him. Plus defenders and slower venters will go bananas trying to check two speed demons. While Nuge/Ebs cycle the puck and attack with skill to wear down top defenders.

Rob Soria (@Oil_Drop):
1. Not a chance
2. McDavid
3. Probably Hall

The player who could possibly benefit most from No. 97’s presence may very well end up being Mr. Justin Schultz.

For a nice little change up I asked the guys who their Edmonton Oilers All-Time Starting 6 were but none of my guys are original and they more or less picked the same 6… Lol. Just kidding guys! I’ll flip the switch a bit with mine though…

Zach
G – Grant Fuhr, D – Coffey/Pronger, LW – Ryan Smyth, C – Wayne Gretzky, RW – Jari Kurri
Jack
G – Grant Fuhr, D – Coffey/Pronger, LW – Mark Messier, C – Wayne Gretzky, RW – Jari Kurri
Rob
G – Grant Fuhr, D – Coffey/Pronger, LW – Mark Messier, C – Wayne Gretzky, RW – Jari Kurri
BLH
G – Curtis Joseph, D – Coffey/Lowe, LW – Glenn Anderson, C – Wayne Gretzky, RW – Jari Kurri

Well that’s a wrap for another BLH Sunday Night Pint! Thanks for joining us and a HUGE thanks to all of those who participated online! Let us know your thoughts below in the comments section!

And don’t forget to head on over to the BLH T-Shirt shop! We’ve got a massive collection of 16-bit Superstars waiting for you to take them home and show them the kind of love only a NHL fan can give.

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– BLH

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Corey Mitchell, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

Prospect Profile: Class of 2015

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Part 3 of my summer feature, Prospect Profile, focuses on the Oilers draft class of 2015. Or rather, the players drafted in 2015 not named Connor McDavid. The significant aspect of the 2015 draft is that it was the last draft that Stu MacGregor and his staff had any input on. With so many middling prospects taken in the previous years, this was welcome news for many Oilers fans, as it signified true change continuing to happen throughout the organization. While McDavid may be the only guaranteed slam dunk of a pick, the Oilers selected some very interesting players this past June

Caleb Jones

If the name sounds familiar, that’s because it is. The younger brother of Nashville star Seth Jones, Caleb may not have the same pedigree as Seth at the moment, but that’s not to say Caleb Jones doesn’t have potential. Jones is joining the Oilers organization after having a reasonable season with the US National U18 Development Team of the USHL, posting 8 only 8 points in his 25 games, but doing so while having a +/- of 14, alluding to some decent defensive play.

But it’s really the next couple of seasons that should set the stage for where Jones will rank as an Oilers prospect. The 2015-16 season will see him take the same path Seth did, with Caleb preparing to join an outstanding program with the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL. Along with Seth Jones, the Winterhawks have produced a significant number of stand out NHL defencemen, such as Braydon Coburn, Matt Dumba, Derrick Pouliot, and the Oiler’s own Andrew Ference. Jones should benefit greatly from the increased competition level the WHL has to offer, as I assume he will be playing top four minutes for the Winterhawks.

Jones also looks to be a big part of the US World Juinors squad for the next few years, having already been named to the camp earlier in July. The US has been building a very strong U20 program in recent years, and Jones should be prepared to take on the best the world has to offer this Christmas, as a strong showing in Portland will only help to cement his place on this year’s team.

Two strong years of increasing responsibility in major junior is going to be a huge factor in the development of Caleb Jones. While no one is going to go out and say the 4th round pick is going to match the skill level of his brother, the Oilers will be very happy if Caleb can develop into half the player Seth is. He has the pedigree for it, and comes to the team at a point where, when he is ready to compete for a spot, he’s going to have a very capable mentor in Darnell Nurse. Keep on eye on him as the 2015-16 WHL season starts up.

Ethan Bear

Taken in the 5th round of the 2015 Draft, Ethan Bear looks to be a solid prospect for the Oilers. He finished last season tied for 6th in scoring with the Seattle Thunderbirds, going 13-25-38 in 69 games. Expect those numbers to increase over the next two seasons in the WHL, as Bear should be counted on to play a bigger role with Seattle. I say two seasons, because even though he will be eligible to turn pro after this year, I really believe he would benefit from playing his overage year in junior, much as Ben Betker did. Of course, that could be contingent on how competitive Seattle is at that point, as well as how Bear progresses in his development. There is every chance the Oilers would prefer him to move into the AHL ranks to gain more experience.

While Bear isn’t the world shaking pick that McDavid was, or have the family pedigree of a Caleb Jones, I fully expect to see him with the Oilers in some capacity in the next 4-5 years. There are lots of bodies on the blue line, both on the Oilers and in the system. This gives the team the luxury of being patient with Bear, allowing him to develop his game at the major junior and minor league levels, and add the size he’s going to need to play professional hockey. He already has good strength, and a tremendous compete level, both of which I saw first hand at the development camp earlier this summer.

John Marino

It could be a very long time, if at all, until Oilers fans see John Marino wearing Oilers colors anywhere but training camps. Taken in the 6th round, Marino will be heading out to the USHL this upcoming season, to play for the Chicago Steel after two years with the South Shore Kings of the USPHL-Pr league. In those two seasons, Marino managed to tally 45 points in 83 games, which isn’t exactly lighting it up, but is also fairly respectable for a defenceman.

While the USHL should be a step up in competition for Marino, time will tell if that factor is going to help or hinder his development. For those unsure by what I mean, think of the USHL as a comparable league to the BCHL, or the AJHL. It’s Junior ‘A’ hockey, a tier below the major junior level of the CHL. As of now, he seems a bit too small for my liking to really have a legit shot at becoming an NHL defenceman. Granted, he is only 18, and still has time to grow muscle mass, but I’m thinking he projects to be a depth player for the organization at the ECHL and AHL levels. Nothing would make me happier than to be proven wrong, as Edmonton desperately needs some of these late round picks to surprise, and not just be throw aways.

Miroslav Svoboda

Even after the acquisition of Cam Talbot at the 2015 Draft, everyone knew the Oilers had to take a goalie on the second day. Enter Miroslav Svoboda. The 6’3″ goalie immediately jumped to 2nd on the Oilers goalie prospect depth chart in my opinion, behind Laurent Brossoit. He was easily the best goalie the Oilers had at the development camp this year, looking more ready for pro hockey than either Keven Bouchard or Zach Nagalvoert. The only question is, how ready is he?

I in no way expect to see Svoboda in North America until he’s ready to jump to pro, instead playing a handful of seasons in Europe to develop. There’s also a chance he could see an invite to the Czech world junior team this season, although there’s been nothing official I can find, and is just speculation on my part at this point.

As another overage draft pick, the Oilers should be watching Svoboda closely, and can hopefully get him signed to a contract sooner rather than later, and let him continue his development in North America. Like the defensive depth, the Oilers have time to let Svoboda develop properly as a prospect. Talbot is the here and now for this team, and Brossoit isn’t too far away from being a regular with the Oilers himself. Svoboda is a player the Oilers need to take their time with, after seeing Tyler Bunz fail as a prospect, and Keven Bouchard no exactly looking all-world at this point in his young career.

Ziyat Paigin

Taken in the 7th round this year along with Miroslav Svoboda, defenseman Ziyat Paigin joins the Oilers organization as another overage pick, with a year of pro hockey in the KHL already under his belt.

Standing at 6’5″, Paigin could be one of those late round picks that really turns into something. He gets the puck on the net, has a very good shot from the point, and is extremely aware in his own zone. He had an outstanding showing this past winter at the world juniors, helping Russia to a silver medal, and looks to be poised to return to the team this year as well.

The trick for the Oilers is going to be if they can intice him to come over to North America when his contract is up. Paigin is already a full time player of Ak-Bars Kazan, and with the lack of a transfer agreement between the NHL and KHL, there’s no guarantee he even sees ice time with the Oilers or their affiliates. My hope is that isn’t the case, as it looks like Paigin has the tools to be a very capable NHL player in the future.

Brennen York, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

Interview with Joseph Veleno

Day 3 is in the books for Joseph Veleno, and the newest QMJHL first overall pick displayed why he was granted exceptional status. Not only did he demonstrate elite level speed and agility, he also showed off his silky smooth hands and passing ability. It can be tough to gauge how good a player is by one practice,  but it was evident that Veleno is no ordinary forward. We spoke to him briefly,

DraftGeek: Can you tell us what the experience has been like thus far?

Veleno: It’s been great, obviously being here with Team Canada. It’s a great opportunity being surrounded by profesionals, also the best players of our age. It’s a learning experience and so far I’m having a great time.

DraftGeek: What are your expectations going into this season?

​Veleno: ​​Just going to work hard and do my best, and bring whatever makes the team win, be a team player, do whatever it takes.

DraftGeek: What’s the number one thing you’ve been working on this off-season?

​Veleno: My physical strength, I’m trying to get stronger off the ice. Also on the ice being more mature, that also goes for off the ice. Just being a better person, getting stronger.

​DraftGeek: Have you got the chance to talk to any Sea Dogs while here? (Chabot, Green)

​Veleno: No, I haven’t spoken to them but I have spoken to some of the guys, like Doug McFalls, Bokondji Imama, Jason Bell, and some other Sea Dogs players because I train in the off-season with them so I got a little feedback from that, it’s cool.

​DraftGeek: Is there a sense of computability going into Saint John, where they’re going to competing for a championship.

​Veleno: Yeah, I know they’re going to be competing for a championship, so that’s exciting. Being a part of that as a 15-year-old it’s going to be great, it’s going to be a great learning experience. Hopefully I’m going to get to build on that and learn from that.​

DraftGeek: Have any of your team mates that you have met here stood out to you?

​Veleno: I haven’t gotten a chance to see most of them but I’m sure there doing really well and they’re having a good time here, they’re also battling for a spot on this team. They’re competing so I’m sure they’re fine.

You can read this and more over at www.draftgeek.ca! And follow them on Twitter too (@draftgeekdotca)

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