Monthly Archives: April 2016

Armchair GM, Edmonton Oilers, Micah Kowalchuk, NHL, Prospects, Trades

Looking for Love in all the Right Places

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keep-calm-and-love-the-oilers-3

So, Rexall is officially closed, we’ll be drafting somewhere in the Top-5, and the search continues for a right-handed defenseman.  We’ve all heard and endlessly discussed the idea of obtaining Trouba, Vatanen, Shattenkirk, Hamonic, or signing Demers, however, there’s a few teams out there we haven’t really looked at who might be more natural trade partners.

Now, although right now the Oilers aren’t exactly high on this list (we’re 26th in league scoring), we can presume with a healthy club, they would be better than this.  Having said that, we’re going looking for right-handed defensemen, and what we have to sell are scoring Top-6 forwards, so our natural trade partners are those teams with even more scoring issues.  Those are Carolina (2.40 goals/game), Toronto (2.34), Vancouver (2.25) and New Jersey (2.19).  We can also note that Vancouver and New Jersey, from that list, don’t have any young scoring D to give up, because those two clubs are the only teams in the NHL without a single defenseman in the Top-60 in scoring this year.  So, we can probably write both of them off as logical trade partners.

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That leaves us with Toronto and Carolina.  However, Toronto’s not exactly deep on the back end, and they have plenty of forwards with potential so they’re unlikely to give up anything we really need on defense.  That leaves us with Carolina.  Now, this team is rumored to be relocated to Quebec City in the off-season, which may be true, or may not.  What it likely means is they’re going to be looking for scoring help either way, and they have a talented young defense group.

First, what high ticket prospects do the Hurricanes have?  There’s Sebastian Aho, a left-winger drafted in 2015, who may make the NHL next season.  There’s Alex Nedeljkovic, a hot goalie prospect drafted in 2014.  And there’s Haydn Fleury, a 1st round pick from 2014, who’s a 6’3 207lb left-shooting defenseman (why are they always lefties…).

Now, next question, what is their existing roster?

As of the last game, this is their forward and defensive roster

Line 1:  Joakim Nordstrom (RFA)-Jordan Staal-Patrick Brown (RFA)

  • Nordstrom has 23 points in 63 games, and is a natural center who spent some time in Chicago. His NHL totals are 29 points in 123 games, and his scoring totals in the Swedish Elite League and the AHL are underwhelming. This is a bottom-6 forward
  • Staal is one of those players who is an ok left-shooting 2C or an elite 3C, but other than a few 50 point seasons with a loaded Pittsburgh team, he trends as a 40-point two-way center and should not be a team’s first line center
  • Brown is a right-shooting center who has never been a point per game at any level of his career, and had 10 points in 60 AHL games last season, and 23 in 66 this season. Another bottom-6 player who should not be in an NHL top-6

Line 2: Jeff Skinner-Victor Rask (RFA) -Riley Nash

  • Jeff Skinner is the leading scorer for the team with 50 points in 80 games, and is a pure left-winger. He’s had a 30 goal season before, but has had concussion issues. Having said that, he’s the star of this offense.
  • Victor Rask has had a very good year for a very bad team with 47 points in 78 games, and he did hit a point per game in his WHL career two seasons in a row (essentially). His one long AHL season was unspectacular, but he’s been improving at the NHL level, and as a right-shooting center he has the versatility to slide over to the right-wing or play center, preferably as a 2C.
  • Nash had some good success in the ECAC, and an ok performance at the AHL level, but his NHL numbers have been unspectacular and have remained in the 20-point range. He’s a right shooting center who is also better suited to a bottom-6 role.

Line 3: Chris Terry (UFA) -Elias Lindholm-Derek Ryan

  • Terry is a classic depth player, nothing here to really analyze
  • Lindholm is a right-shooting center with potential also, and has had a 39 point and a 37 point NHL season, so we can call him a solid 2nd line player or a very good 3rd line player.
  • Ryan is also a right-shot center who’s had good AHL numbers, but he’s a 29-year-old rookie, he’s their equivalent of Andrew Miller, he’s a depth scoring addition at best.

Line 4: Nathan Gerbe (UFA) -Jay McClement-Brad Malone (UFA)

  • These are all old-school NHL veterans playing bottom-6 roles, nothing to see here

Pair 1: Jacoob Slavin-Justin Faulk

Pair 2: Noah Hanifin-Brett Pesce

Pair 3: Ron Hainsey-Ryan Murphy (RFA)

Depth defenseman: Michal Jordan (RFA)

And they have James Wisniewski, Andrej Nestrasil, Phil Di Giuseppe on injury reserve

Now, the Hurricanes have 6 forwards, 6 defensemen and 1 goalie under contract for next season, using only $38 million of their cap, so they have room for a major retooling at forward.

So, looking at their Top-6, the following players can be considered Top-6 capable:

  • Jordan Staal (left-shot center), Jeff Skinner (left wing), Victor Rask (right-shot center), Elias Lindholm (right-shot center).  We can pencil in Sebastian Aho here as a potential left-winger, and the Hurricanes will probably get a decent player in the draft, but not likely one of the NHL ready Top-3 players.
  • Of that list, Skinner can be considered a first line left-winger, and we could consider Rask a first line right winger, and on the second line we could see an Aho-Staal-Lindholm second line. There’s been talk about how much help the Hurricanes need on the wings, but more than anything, they need a first line center (to replace Eric Stall’s theoretical role) who can handle a scoring role.
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So, the player they need would be Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.  Sure, if the Oilers once again win the NHL draft, there’s more trade options involving Leon Draisaitl or Auston Matthews, but we can assume they’ll keep both if they can.

Now, the Hurricanes suddenly look much better if we pencil in this Top-6: Skinner-RNH-Rask, Aho-Staal-Lindholm.  Sure, it’s not spectacular, but it’s significantly better than what they had, and a player like RNH would adapt well to the East.  So, we know we have a piece they can use, the question is then whether they have anything we could use.

Looking at their back end, we know we need a Top-2 caliber player if we deal RNH.  Before we assume we need a RHD however, there are options on the table to deal a guy like Klefbom for a guy like Hamonic, so we can work with finding a Top-2 left handed defenseman.  However, anyone we find has to be able to put up some points on the back.

First, let’s look at Brett Pesce.  He’s a 21-year-old right-shot defenseman, 6’3 200lbs.  All of that looks promising.  And in a brief AHL audition this year he had 3 points in 3 games, also promising.  However, his Hockey East numbers don’t indicate an elite defenseman, and he’s not overly physical.  This year he has 16 in 67 NHL games.  In short, he’s not the kind of guy we take in a deal for RNH.

Next up, Ron Hainsey.  We can stop there, he’s 35 years old and on their bottom pairing.  This isn’t a fit.

From there, we have our obvious target, Justin Faulk.  He’s on their top pairing, he’s a right handed shot, he leads their defense in scoring, and, well, yeah, let’s be realistic, this team lacks scoring on the back end also, and he’s by far their top defenseman and their best right hand defenseman by a mile.  They aren’t going to deal him to us for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and they need him more than they need a skill winger.  If we’re talking Matthews or Draisaitl they’ll pick up the phone, but that’s about it.

So, that leaves us with the alternative scenario I proposed, looking for a high end left-handed defenseman that allows us to deal an Oscar Klefbom for a Travis Hamonic (or the left-handed guy we get here for one).  Now, the Hurricanes have two possibilities here, Jaccob Slavin or Noah Hanifin.  First, let’s look at Slavin:

  • Had a good college season where he had 25 in 32 for Colorado in the NCHC, led the team in scoring as a freshman, was on the all-conference first-team. Had 7 points in 14 AHL games this season. Has 20 in 61 in the NHL for his first season.
  • Was a 4th round pick in 2012.
  • 6’2 205lbs and he’s 21.
  • Is considered to be a solid two-way defenseman with Top-4 potential

Ok, he looks like a solid player.  Having said that, he’s also their top-pairing left-side defenseman at the moment, and I’m not sure he has all that high of a ceiling, at least not high enough of one to justify trading away RNH for him.  We walk away from this deal.

This takes us to our logical trade target, Noah Hanifin.  He was the #5 overall draft pick last year, and made the NHL as a rookie at 19 years old.  He had 23 in 37 games in his rookie season with Hockey East, and has 20 points in 77 games as a rookie defenseman.  Now, by comparison, Ekblad had 39 points in his rookie year, but he had a better partner in Brian Campbell.  He’s viewed as a near lock as a top-pairing defenseman, and is 6’3 206lbs.  Now, I know, we all want Faulk on this team, but this is the guy Carolina can probably afford to part with to get a Top-6 center, and based on the Seth Jones trade, this is about proper value for RNH.  You can be sure the Islanders would be willing to trade Hamonic for him, and he’s got much higher upside than Klefbom as a top-pairing left defenseman.  This is the deal you try to do here.  If you do this deal and then deal off Klefbom for Hamonic, this is how the Oilers D now looks.

Pair 1:  Sekera-Hamonic

Pair 2: Hanifin-xxxxxxxx

Pair 3: Nurse-Davidson

Ok.  That’s starting to look better for sure, but we could still use that second pairing guy who has some use..  But wait, we’re not done in Carolina yet..  It so happens they have an older veteran named James Wisniewski, 32 years old, and for his career he’s tended to be a .50ppg defenseman, with no sign of regressing yet.  Now, the Hurricanes picked him up cheap, and he has one year left on a $5.5-million-dollar contract.  This is on the pricey side for this club, and he’s spent the entire season on the IR, so they’ve never really used him.  However, and this is important, he’s a right-handed shot who can move the puck.

Now, as it happens, we have a cheaper right-side defenseman who performed far better in the east named Mark Fayne.  His style would suit the Hurricanes, and he’s cheaper and younger with more term.  They might be open to this deal.  So, we end up with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins + Mark Fayne deal in exchange for Noah Hanifin + James Wisniewski trade.  From there, that sets the Oilers up to consider a deal for Trouba or Vatanen involving a guy like Davidson along with a player like Yakupov.  Winnipeg could use cheap scoring and a cheap top-4 left-hand defenseman like Davidson, so for the sake of argument, let’s say we bring Trouba in that deal (with whatever to balance it out)

The Oilers now go into next season with the back end like this:

Pair 1: Sekera-Hamonic

Pair 2: Hanifin-Wisniewski

Pair 3: Nurse-Trouba

We now have a shut-down defenseman in Hamonic, a power-play quarterback in Wisniewski, and a strong prospect right-side defenseman in Trouba who can move up to the second pairing in a year when Wisniewski becomes a UFA (at which point maybe Bear is ready for that 3rd pairing role).  I know, this isn’t the makeover we all thought of on the back end, but one has to admit, this looks much better than we iced this season.

And then, at forward, we can assume we likely draft one of Laine or Puljujarvi, so we end up with this:

Line 1: Maroon-McDavid-Puljujarvi (all big guys who can handle even strength, powerplay and penalty kill, this is our Chicago-style first line who can do it all like Ladd-Toews-Hossa)

Line 2: Hall-Draisaitl-Eberle (I know, no defense to speak of here, but Chicago runs a pure scoring second line also of Panarin-Anisimov-Kane, they just play 5v5 and PP, no reason we can’t do the same.  And if Eberle gets traded here, assume it would be for a different winger)

Line 3: Pouliot-Santorelli-Kassian (Chicago treats their 3rd line as more of a secondary scoring line, less emphasis on the PK duties, and a 3C UFA like Santorelli could get the job done very well here for a good price)

Line 4: Hendricks-Letestu-Pakarinen (This line is the pure PK line, their job is to shut people down, like the Krueger line in Chicago, we don’t need to expect scoring from them because we have 3 other lines who can score)

So, there’s my idea for the day folks for how the Oilers could significantly overhaul their defense in a way that maybe, just maybe, our first season in the new rink could see a post-season.  Thanks for reading, flame on below

Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL

Oilers/Canucks Preview: It’s Called Northlands Coliseum

The Canucks/Oilers pre-gamer will be below. Mr.Zach Laing will be unavailable on this sad and historic day in Oilers history. I think he’s getting that third nipple on his back removed.

I don’t call the Edmonton Oilers’ home Rexall Place and I didn’t call it Skyreach either. To me, the place where I’ve watched all of my heroes play hockey is called Northlands Coliseum. I could never bring it upon myself to call it by a different name and now we’re on the brink of seeing it host its last professional NHL hockey game. I suppose this is my version of a Rexall Place Farewell.

I’ve seen the best of the best play in that arena thanks to a father whose passion was and still is as strong as my own (but he’s jumped ship down the QE2…) Not just the legends who played for the Oilers like Wayne Gretzky as a King, Mark Messier, Bill Ranford, Jari Kurri, or Esa Tikkanen but other legends like Mario Lemieux, Brett Hull, Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey as a Red Wing, Steve Yzerman, Jaromir Jagr, Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne in their hay days as Ducks. My Dad could always get tickets behind the away team’s net about 5 or so rows up on the zamboni entrance and the trooper my dad was, he would always try to get us down to where the Oilers’ players parked their cars so we could get autographs.

One time I recall very vividly was an Oilers/Red Wings game that my father and I drove through a whiteout on the highway from Camrose to get to. We’re probably lucky we made it to be honest. I don’t remember the details of the game clearly but my favourite player at the time, Steve Yzerman, acknowledged me during warm-ups as I showed him my sweet new Yzerman sweater.

After the game, my father and I were standing and waiting in the aforementioned players parking area and it was so cold that my pen’s ink froze but we stuck it out to see our heroes. The first players to emerge were Joe Kocur and Sergei Federov. They tried their damnedest to sign for me. I think all they did was engrave their signature on my gameday program. My dad had better luck with Messier and I had to compete with about 30 other fully grown adults but I got Yzerman to sign a hockey card for me.

I was lucky enough to attend the Cup finals in ’90. The game three loss. I also flew back from Taiwan to watch a handful of World Junior Championship games when Edmonton and Calgary hosted the event. I got to see one Team Canada game and it was the one versus Finland. I remember Mark Stone, Jonathan Huberdeau, Dougie Hamilton. That game Devante Smith-Pelly got hurt and I think that’s also the game he knocked Olli Maatta silly in the corner. The first goal they scored I was nearly moved to tears I was so happy. I don’t know why I was so emotional at the time. Maybe it’s because I had found a way to do something on impulse that I’d always wanted to do and come on. Team Canada hockey in Canada… WOW!

As a child I was even lucky enough to play a few games myself on the ice. As a beer leaguer as well. I remember that beer league game because I high sticked a guy trying to stick check him in the corner and cut his lip pretty bad. I felt terrible because his experience was over for that night. But that’s hockey. That’s just how she goes.

So those were my hockey-related experiences at Northlands. I watched a few bands there before I moved on across the pacific, Foo Fighters and Green Day in their American Idiot run. I went to a monster truck rally and got to see Bigfoot and Grave Digger and nearly went deaf for it.

TALE OF THE TAPE:

Game: CANUCKS (30-36-13) at OILERS (30-43-7)

Location: Rexall Place, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Time: 7 p.m. ET

Where to find it: TV: SNW, SNP, NHL.TV – Radio: 630 CHED

Edmonton Oilers Preview:

Click the pic and grab a 97C Hoodie to celebrate a the best rookie in the NHL!

Over 100 ex-Oilers will be in attendence and the current team better not blow it because they’ll have to face those old Oilers and look them in the eye afterwards and answer to those judgements. If the boys can show up and put in an honest effort, I’m talking about the one where the crowd is cheering for penalty kills and extended possession in the Canucks’ zone, and still lose. Then it just wasn’t meant to be. But put in another shift like the one versus the Flames last time and boy they’ll be hearing it. Nick Kypreos said after the Flames game that if the Oilers toss up another stinker that they’d ruin the evening and I agree with him.

If there was any time for Connor McDavid to put a show on, it’s going to be this game with all those fans and alumni in attendance. That would be a fitting end to such historic building and what a way to pass the torch to the new saviour of the Edmonton Oilers. Or one of the new saviours at least. The Oilers can finish no higher than 28th and are guaranteed a sweet lottery pick in the upcoming draft… So barring a trade, fans of the Oilers can look forward to one of Auston Matthews, Patrick Laine, Jesse Puljujarvi, or Jakob Chychrun joining the ranks in 2016/17. Good times… Good times…

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Vancouver Canucks Preview:

The Canucks just swept the California teams. WHAT?!! Seriously. The Canucks can sweep the best teams in their division and the Oilers are losing 5-0 to the Calgary Flames… Jesus… That’s terrible. Anyways, this is the Canucks preview. Do we even care about the Vancouver Canucks? Honestly… It’s the Sedins and everyone else. Oh remember when Bo Horvat was supposed to be this wicked two-way center coming up?… Well he’s putting Nail Yakupov-like numbers on the scoresheet with regards to his +/-… -33 and he’s the worst in the NHL. Nice. Virtanen and McCann have a combined 30 points… Maybe they should’ve been sent back to junior… Maybe.

Just a few thoughts to wrap things up here:

  • The game of hockey is won by the best team whose sum of the individuals is better than the other team’s. So when we see a player isn’t playing well or has quit on his teammates, well that affects the whole machine, does it not? I mean games, hell, seasons can be lost in moments and that is why we demand the most of our best players at all times. As Oilers fans we should know right? Seasons have been lost in the first two or three months of the year. And this is where I argue with the sample size argument. Sure, we’re at game 81 now and the team is resigned to pick in the top four of the draft guaranteed, so what does it matter if they show up or not?The answer to that question? Pride and self-respect.If the star players can’t pick up the team by their britches and motivate them to follow along as they show how it’s done, maybe those players aren’t the right type for this team, no matter how good they are.
  • I’m not sure if Chiarelli dismantles this roster scorched Earth-style. I’m also wondering if he’ll use that pick at the draft to pick the BPA and then move from there. I can envision a scenario where he doesn’t do anything drastic over the summer and goes into 2016/17 with virtually the same roster but healthy and sees how it performs. If the same players get injured again, then maybe it’d be time to move on from them. If the same “attitude and bullshit” arises with certain players after say 10-15 games, then C-YA! It’s been fun but not really.
  • Phil Kessel was a very good player when PC traded him. His 5×5 scoring/60 was right up there with Hossa, Malking, Datsyuk and the Sedins at the time but Kessel didn’t want to be in Boston and I’m wondering if PC is keeping a keen eye for the same kind of attitude with his players on the Oilers. PC got two firsts and a second for Kessel and those picks turned into Dougie Hamilton, Tyler Seguin, and Jared Knight. So two out of three ain’t bad.
  • I spoke earlier of going into next season with nearly the same roster. Tell me, how would you feel about this defense going into next year?Klefbom/Davidson
    Sekera/Fayne
    Nurse/Gryba
    ReinhartSee, the thing is we haven’t seen what it can do. Maybe you leave Nurse/Gryba out and plug in Reinhart/Oesterle or maybe you don’t re-sign Gryba and you trade one or two of Nurse, Reinhart, Oesterle and make room for David Musil?… Point being that Brandon Davidson was playing top minutes and doing it well. No, he’s not a right-handed shooter but that didn’t stop him from being the Oilers best defenseman on some nights.
  • Should Davidson be tasked with such a responsibility? I think it’s debatable. His Corsi Against/60 is better than Vatanen and Jason Demers, two oft-mentioned players in the summer acquisition conversations around the Oilers.
  • I think everyone’s big want is to see Fayne be moved on and I can’t exactly argue with that but unless Hamonic is coming in or Vatanen/Lindholm/Brodin/Dumba, players of that ilk. Fayne is still an NHL defenseman. One of the few the team has.
  • Yakupov. I don’t think they should trade him at all. I reckon they need to put him on McDavid’s line for 10 games and if he’s still not producing, then off he goes. At $2.5M per year, that is a very easy hit to the cap but he’s got to be in that top 6. It’s imperative that he plays with a skilled center whether that be with Connor, who he’s been outstanding with, or Draisaitl. Move Eberle if they have to but Yak’s potential and his cap hit is almost too sweet and a lot of his value sits right there.
  • Hall’s PPG in the last 30 games has dropped to .45… This isn’t supposed to happen in the final third of the year when, as Coach McLellan puts it, character gets revealed… Is this an attack on Hall’s character. I don’t think so. You can tell by watching the guy, he’s trying everything to score a goal or get a point for his team. Even I can see that through my McDavid-coloured glasses. I hope he has a good game versus Vancouver for his sake.

That’s all for now. I hope the Oilers blow out the Canucks in the final game at Northlands. What are your favourite memories of the arena? Let me know in the comments below!

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Armchair GM, Edmonton Oilers, Fancy Stats, NHL, Walter Foddis

Eberle’s Back-checking Problem? The Importance of Objective (Unbiased) Analysis

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If we watch 0:19 to 0:35 of this video clip, we’ll see Eberle seemingly give up on a back-check, which leads to Calgary’s first (short-handed) goal.

Edmonton vs Calgary Recap

After the turnover, Eberle was hustling hard until he believed Oesterle had taken control of the puck, then slowed down with the assumption that play was going to turn around. It’s a split-second decision. His willingness to persist on the back-check, even if it puts him out of position for a quick transition, is what he didn’t show. Is this a pattern? Does he routinely give up on back-checks because of an apparent offense-first mentality? I don’t know.

Other questions: Is Eberle simply a poor reader of plays from the defensive side of things? Is it a lack of effort and/or persistence issue? Can these things be learned, or is Eberle too inflexible in not learning them? We all know if that we don’t practice something regularly, it doesn’t become automatic in a game situation. Is Eberle not practicing hard backchecking? Is more prone to transitioning to offense “too early”? Tonnes of questions and you need a lot of video data, let’s say a 20-game sample (1 in 4 games, for e.g.,) to be clear on what’s going on.

We need to be careful of bias and sample size. In this case, recency bias and a sample size of one! To make radical roster-altering decisions on these irrational bases is asking for trouble. We need to look at a player’s body of work over a season. Are the problem areas–patterns that have been meticulously tracked each game–consistent? That is, is the player repeating the same problem despite coaching and video feedback? If so, why is that? The “why” is the key. The why will tell us whether it’s time to trade the player, or if the problems (clearly defined and persistent over time), can be fixed.

David Staples of the Edmonton Journal does analysis along these lines by tracking contributions to Grade A scoring chances, as well as mistakes on Grade A scoring chances against. According to Staples’ tracking, Eberle’s mistakes measure is on the lower side, relative to the other Oilers’ forwards.

http://edmontonjournal.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cult-of-hockey/was-kelly-hrudeys-slam-on-jordan-eberle-fair

Outside of video-tracked data, like that of Staples’s, we don’t have reliable measures of a player’s defensive abilities, but we a few have rough ones. One of them is Shot Attempts Against Relative-to-Teammates. This metric tells us, relative to his teammates, how many more, or fewer, shot attempts occur while the player is on the ice. From 2013-16 (3 seasons), Eberle’s ranking on this measure relative to the Oilers’ other forwards is 8th (+.78) out of 14 forwards. In other words, this suggests Eberle is a middling defensive forward relative to his teammates. Half the Oilers’ forwards are better and half are worse.

As fans, we watch only what the cameras show us. We don’t fixate on a single player and watch his every move. Because of that, I don’t have the knowledge or confidence to answer the questions I posed above. One failed back-check may suggest a pattern; a pattern that needs to be checked with thorough analysis. Or it may be simply a mental error that the player rarely makes. In this case, it turns out to be a goal and an opportunity for Kelly Hrudey (on Hockey Night in Canada) to rant about Eberle’s failure as a complete hockey player.

As always, I welcome your feedback.

Walter

Edmonton Oilers, Kosmic Burrito, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

Kosmic’s Top Ten 2016 NHL Draft Prospects: #5 Jesse Puljujarvi

Hey Hey…How goes it BLH? Are you guys enjoying your Sunday? I know that I’m having a Lazy Sunday with the fam jam. Whatever you’re doing, get down with ya bad self, and enjoy the day! It’s freaking cold in Toronto today, but realistically, we don’t have that much longer until we’re all sipping pints on patios…

Now I know that there’s going to be a ton of people who absolutely disagree with my placement of this prospect. Trust me, I was torn myself. But know that there are only 4 prospects ranked higher than him, and only 2 are forwards. I’m sure that you already know who the forwards are, but the other 2 are ranked ahead strictly for the Oilers need on defence.

Check out the other prospects in my top ten below!

#10 – Alex Nylander
#9 – Pierre-Luc Dubois
#8 – Mikhail Sergachev
#7 – Matthew Tkachuk
#6 – Dante Fabbro

So without further adieu, I give you #5:

Jesse Puljujarvi – RW
Karpat (Liiga – Finland)
6’3” 201lbs
50GP 13G 15A 28PTS 22PIM 5+/

Ok, first off, if the Oilers didn’t have such a huge, glaring need on the back-end, I’d have Puljujarvi actually ranked 3rd, behind two other forwards. Puljujarvi is a grade “A”, top-end, elite prospect. There’s no doubt about it. Now the only reason that he’s ranked lower than another certain Finnish prospect, is because he is more of a playmaker than a sniper. Honestly, I believe that the Oilers need more finishers at this point. Also, I’ve been reading that he could benefit from learning how to use his size to his advantage. But I also take into account that he’s still only 17, and has been playing against men in Finland’s top league. From what I’ve seen though, he doesn’t exactly shy away from physical play.

So what is it about his game that has so many people stoked? It’s his combination of speed, smarts, and size. Jesse already has a strong two-way game to go along with his great offensive instincts. Offensively he loves too use his massive reach to his advantage, it helps him to keep the puck away from defenders. Another thing that I keep reading about Puljujarvi, is that he has a deadly, accurate, and hard shot, and that he needs to learn to use it more often. But when he does use it, it’s usually causing opposing goalies to have fits. Jesse Puljujarvi is pretty much a complete package, he possesses a strong hockey sense, and an excellent defensive awareness, and mixes that with his elite playmaking ability. His size, and skating ability set him apart from his peers. As it’s hard too find that combination of skills put to good use. There’s really not much to dislike about this kid, he basically has it all. One thing that I really like, is how defensively responsible he is, especially at such a young age. He’s a complete player, as he doesn’t really demonstrate any flaws. Yes, he isn’t as much of a sniper as one would like, but his playmaking abilities are superior. He possesses a high IQ, so he reads the play better than a lot of pro’s. His incredible on-ice vision helps with that. There really isn’t much to not like about this kid…he’s a bonafide elite prospect.

NHL Comparable(s): Jamie Benn, Mats Sundin, and Teemu Selanne

Why would this player be on the Edmonton Oilers Draft List? Well honestly, if this was a “draft the best player available” type of list….Puljujarvi would’ve ranked 3rd. I even thought about possible trade scenarios. But you just don’t trade a top 5 pick and win anymore, right? It’s a lot tougher these days, than previous years. So maybe you draft Jesse, and trade Eberle, RNH or Yak City for help on D? No? And can Puljajurvi step in immediately and make in impact, or does he need time in the minors? Well, for these possibilities, I have 2 defencemen ranked higher in the Draft List. As we all know, our biggest need is the back-end, and I more than believe that the Oilers are now in a position to draft for “needs” and not for “who’s available”. Although there’s two forwards that I just WOULDN’T say no to. If we landed Puljujarvi would I be pissed? OMFG No, he’s a tremendous talent! Would I much rather a defenceman? Does Pinnochio have wooden balls?..

BLH’s Comments: I’m with Kosmic all the way on this one. The Oilers could very well be in a position to draft for organizational need this June. With that said, if they do go ahead and deal Yakupov AND Eberle, they’ll need a RWer and Puljujarvi would be dynamite! Another plus to drafting one of the Finns is that they can be sent to the AHL no problem. But a playmaker this team doesn’t need.

Well ladies and gents, it’s been a slice y’all!! See you on that dreaded “M” day…stay trippy and weird my friends…it’s the best!!!

Follow me on Twitter @kosmicburrito

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa0ZK3hq2RY

Edmonton Oilers, Kris Hansen, NHL

BLH Edmonton Oilers Weekly Recap March 24-April 2nd

The Week that Was

Hahahaha, no. This week was terrible for the Edmonton Oilers. I mean the game against Anaheim wasn’t awful, still lost 2-1. Then came the giant stinker from last night: a 5-0 loss to the dreaded Calgary Flames.

Why are people upset? It’s game 80, Oilers aren’t making the playoffs for a tenth straight year. Well, that stinker was the last Battle of Alberta game at Rexall Place and the Edmonton Oilers failed to show up to the damn game.

Edmonton Oilers Stars of the Week

After that effort, there is not going to be any stars given this week except for one: Todd McLellan. Boy has this guy gone through a lot this season and it’s recapped by this awesome press conference from last night’s post game.

Look at that fire in his eyes. This is a guy that freaking. hates. losing. He’s not accepting this sad show effort that was given last night. He even swore in the press conference! McLellan does not beat around the bushes to how bad the Oilers were last night. I think he has his own list of players he would love to keep and players he would jet into the sun. It was a horrible team effort and McLellan attacks the issue with the attitude in the room. Did he mention specific players? No. He still doesn’t throw specific players under the bus (well, now that Justin Schultz is gone).

I loved the comment about how they will work on Monday. You can bet your life that they will be bagged skated. Oilers fans are in a very sour mood today and I can’t blame them (personally I’m going to avoid social media today because of that).

It’s a tough loss for sure but remember, it’s a crappy loss for a crappy team. They happen. I know everyone wants to blow up the team but I don’t think that’s quite right. There will be changes, there will be old faces gone replaced by new faces. Yet, dismantling an entire team? When has that ever worked out?

Edmonton Oilers News and Notes

April 30th is the Draft Lottery. I think everyone has that circled in their calendars.

Lowetide continues to bring a level headed approach concerning the Oilers. 

Who is Alex Lyon and why are the Oilers after him?

At the Oilers Rig I’m looking at Chiarelli’s moves One Year In. Latest addition were the summer trades. 

Connor McDavid was named rookie of the month for March.  This was McDavid’s third rookie of the month award and is the only rookie this season to win multiple ones.

Nail Yakupov requested a trade out of Edmonton. 

Around the League

Toronto Media is getting prepared for when Edmonton wins the draft lottery 

Duncan Keith somehow only got 6 games for using his stick as a weapon 

Three players were fined for diving, including Nail Yakupov 

Former NHL Referee Don Wicks passed away at 76. 

The NHL had emails leaked and boy, do they make the NHL look horrible. You can search for them at this article 

Highlights

Dustin Byfuglien destroyed Mark Stone

Wilson destroyed Zadorov too

Maroon is a beauty.

The Week Ahead

The Edmonton Oilers wrap up their season with a back to back games against the Vancouver Canucks including Wednesday for their final game at Rexall Place and Saturday at Roger’s Arena.

That’s the week that was, have yourselves a good week and follow me on Twitter.