Category Archives: Corey Mitchell

Corey Mitchell, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Prospects

Prospect Profile: In the Crease

Part Five of my Prospect Profile series looks at a handful of young goaltenders in the Oilers system. Goaltending is easily the most important position on a hockey team. And with more teams locking up all-star goalies long term, the need to develop your own guy to be in the crease is more important than ever.

Zack Nagelvoort

At 21 years old, Zack Nagelvoort is preparing for his third year at the University of Michigan. Drafted in the 4th round of the 2014 Entry Draft, Nagelvoort is a goalie prospect that seems to have been lost in the shuffle by Oilers fans. At 6’2″, his height is almost below average when it comes to NHL goalies these days, as the trend has been moving towards larger goalies. That doesn’t seem to be an issue at U of Michigan, as Nagelvoort has gotten the lions share of starts in the last two seasons, posting records of 11-9-3 and 11-9-0 in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, respectively. His stats during those two years aren’t terribly impressive, with a GAA of 2.42 and a save percentage of 0.918.

There’s a big question mark, in my opinion, as to whether or not Nagelvoort is going to develop into anything for the Oilers. I personally feel he’s behind many of the prospects the Oilers have in net, including newly drafted Miroslav Svboda. He did not stand out at all during the development camp. I n fact, camp invite Jordan Paperny of the Brandon Wheat Kings had a better showing than Nagelvoort. There’s a chance that two more years in college could help. That being said, Nagelvoort wouldn’t be facing the type of competition he would need to develop into an NHL goalie. And with a bevy of goalies already signed, I don’t imagine the Oilers are going to be offering Nagelvoort a contract to come out of college anytime soon. Unfortunately, I can see this being another case of a goalie drafted by the Oilers, that turns into nothing more than a wasted draft pick.

Keven Bouchard

If there is one player in the Oilers system that would love a mulligan on last season, it’s Keven Bouchard. His stats last year playing with the Val-d’Or Foreurs were absolutely abysmal, (3.85 GAA and 0.872 S%) with a record of 15-13-5 in his 36 games. He’s a big body, but his mobility is lacking, particularly his side to side motion in the crease. Traded to Baie-Comeau Drakkar at the QMJHL Bantam draft, hopefully a change of scenery can jump start Bouchard’s development.

As with Nagelvoort, Bouchard is projecting to be another bust from the 2014 draft, after being taken in the 7th round. He’s well behind both Svboda and Laurent Brossoit, and like Nagelvoort, saw himself be outperformed by Paperny at the development camp. Honestly, I don’t really have anything else to say about this kid, other than I hope he’s able to salvage what’s left of his junior career, as I can’t see him advancing anywhere beyond that barring a major turn around.

Eetu Laurikainen

A relative dark horse when it comes to Oilers goalie prospects, one has to wonder just what Eetu Laurikainen is going to add to the system. He’s already dipped his feet into pro hockey, spending last year with the Blues of the SM-Iiiga in Finland. In his 37 games, Laurikainen compiled a record of 17-10-9, while posting a GAA of 2.10 and a 0.933 save percentage. However, Laurikainen is no stranger to the North American game, having spent two seasons with the Swift Current Broncos on the WHL. As the starter for the Broncos, Laurikainen posted both a 30 and a 25 win season.

I would imagine coming into this year, Laurikainen will be playing in Europe once again. The Oilers have three goalies coming into training camp on one-way deals, and I assume will be letting Brossoit run with the starting job in Bakersfield for the majority of the year. But it never hurts to have a goalie prospect in the system who is cutting his teeth in pro hockey, putting up respectable numbers at that.

Beer League Hero, Brennen York, Corey Mitchell, NHL, Sunday Night Pint, Zach Laing

BLH Sunday Night Pint #3

Welcome ladies and Gents to another Beer League Heroes Sunday Night Pint! If this is your first time frequenting the weekly SNP let me tell you what you’re in for. Hard hitting questions regarding the Edmonton Oilers! It’s not all serious though, we toss in a bit of fun at the end to lighten the mood.

This week we’ve got the wonderful Corey Mitchell (@corn-cwm) joining us, Zach Laing (@loweded) is driving this beast and riding shotgun is our Draft Guru, Brennen York (@draftgeekdotca)! We’re going to be touching on Leon Draisaitl, the Calgary Flames, and the playoffs! Also, what does the perfect hockey player look like?

 

Is Leon Draisaitl Part of the Team in 5 Years?

CM – McDavid has changed everything with this team, including Draisaitl’s place on the roster. I’m strongly of the opinion that Drats should be playing this whole upcoming season in the AHL. He benefits more playing a 1C or 2C role in the AHL than he would playing third line winger with the Oilers. That being said, the top two spots in the middle are locked up long term, as I can’t see McDavid or Nuge going anywhere. So where does that leave Drats? As much flak as I might get for this, it leaves him as trade bait. If it comes down to him and Lander competing for the 3C slot, I think Lander is much more suited to the role, and will cost less to lock up long term than Drats will. So in five years, is Drats an Oiler? I’m guessing unless he becomes world class like McDavid and Nuge, he’ll have become the centre piece, pardon the pun, in a trade that makes the Oilers a serious contender.

ZL – Definitely. I foresee him moving to the wing and being a dominant top 6 player for the Oilers for years to come.

BY – With the lack of sizeable forwards in the organization I would say yes. He was unfairly rushed into the NHL last season, and we didn’t get to see the dominant game he possesses. Five years from now he’s going to be too good to be a third line center, so it’s a question of whether or not Ryan Nugent Hopkins is traded. If he is (in a package for a defenceman), then LD takes over that spot quite easily, if not then he fills in the second line left wing spot.

BLH – In 5 years the Oilers are going to be contending with some mad contracts. Every notable player on the team will have been extended and not cheaply. I think we’ll see Leon playing for the Oilers at the expense of maybe Nail Yakupov and/or Jordan Eberle. His size, his ability to protect the puck and his vision are all things I believe the Oilers would be better off having.

What Will it Take to Make This Team a Legitimate Playoff Contender?

CM – There’s work to be done, that’s for sure. But the easiest answer to this question is experience. This team needs to learn what it takes to win together. And then they need to learn what it means to lose together. Yes, they have already experienced losing. Too much, in fact. But they haven’t lost in the playoffs yet. I look back to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2007. After losing to the Senators in the first round that year, I didn’t see disappointment on the Pens bench. I saw determination. I saw Crosby talking to Gary Roberts and Mark Recchi, asking what it would take to reach the next level. The following year, they made it to the Cup Finals, and won the Cup the year after that. Much like those Penguins, and even the Oilers in the 80’s, this team needs to learn what losing in the playoffs means, so they can learn what winning in the playoffs gains.

ZL – A little bit of luck, and a lot of hard work. I don’t believe the Oilers are very far out of being a playoff team. However, I think this team needs a few years (2-3) to gel and for a lot of the players to get their legs underneath themselves. I do think the team needs another solid top 4 defender to help round things out.

BY – Defence. Plain and simple. If you look back at the previous Stanley Cup Champions (Chicago, LA), their top two or three defenders have all been homegrown draft picks. That being said I think the most critical thing the Oilers have to do to become a contender is develop Darnell Nurse and Oscar Klefbom. Along with the development of the defence, I still feel the right side is something that’s been forgotten about. Grabbing a guy like Dougie Hamilton would’ve meant playoffs sooner than later, so if they go out and grab a top flight right defenceman, I believe the process of making playoffs will be much quicker.

BLH – Brent Seabrook and David Backes. I’m of the belief that the team is STILL too young and is lacking players that play in an assertive manner. The experience that Seabrook and Backes would bring to the team would be felt instantly in the squad and in the standings.

Are the Flames still the Oilers biggest rivals?

CM – After the moves both teams made this summer, the Battle of Alberta should be alive and well. But to say the Flames are the Oilers biggest rivals? I’m not sure about that. Not yet. The Flames have been running the Oilers show the last few years, much like every other team in the NHL. Hard to say it’s a rivalry when it’s been so one sided. From a fans point of few, and mine, it’s got to be the Canucks. Whenever the Oilers and Canucks play, twitter blows up with absolute resentment for Vancouver. But as for an official rivalry? We need to get some deep seeded hatred through playoff series, much like when Edmonton would face Dallas yearly. The new format should help with that, and with teams in the Pacific Division all improving, we should be treated to some of that soon

ZL – Living in Calgary, let me tell you that whenever I wear my Oilers gear around town I have people giving me slack. The rivalry is still there.

BY – Not right now, but they will be. I believe the Canucks are the Oilers biggest rivals given the Kassian incident, the Nuge – Hamhuis fight, and the fact there always seems to be some tension in the air when they come together. That will change quickly given the additions to both the Oilers and Flames roster and it will be exciting to watch.

BLH – Oh yeah! Both teams are young and are on the up swing. I love the idea of McDavid going head to head with Sam Bennett. Nuge going up against Monahan. Hall vs. Gaudreau, Nurse vs. Hamilton… It’s on like Donkey Kong but I don’t know if we’ll ever see the viciousness that was displayed in the 80s.

Using Attributes From Players Past and Present, How Would You Build the Perfect Hockey Player?

CM – Gretzky’s vision, Coffey’s skating, Lemieux’s size, Smytty’s character, Weber’s shot, Pronger’s nastiness, and Pat Kane’s skill

ZL – Someone (on Oilers Now) was quoted as saying Connor McDavid has the speed of Bure, skill of Lemieux and the head of Gretzky. I think that sounds like a pretty good hockey player to me.

BY – Can I just clone Connor McDavid and give him Pronger’s size and nastiness? That would be fun to watch. If I were to pick apart different players best assets I couldn’t pass up on P.K. Subban’s mindset. He’s such a smart player and brings this excitement factor not every player has. I’d mix in some of RNH’s skills (he’s going to have a big year), and I’d also throw in Brendan Gallagher’s give-a-shit levels. Throw all that into Jaromir Jagr’s body and you’ll have one hell of a player.

BLH – The perfect player would have Gretzky’s vision and passing, Lemieux’s hands, Paul Coffey’s skating, Bobby Hull’s shot and Brett Hull’s release. Said player would have Mark Messier’s character and Wendel Clark’s fearlessness. All of this would be packaged in the body of Gordie Howe.

Thank you for reading everyone and let us know in the comments below what your feelings are on the topics discussed today!

If you’re feeling chilly or nostalgic about the good ol’ days of NHL ’94! Head on over to the Beer League Heroes T-Shirt Shop and check out your favorite players in 16-bit! You won’t find a better price online!

You can always catch up with is on Twitter (@beerleagueheroe) and Facebook as well.

Take Care!

-BLH

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

Prospect Profile: Jumping to Pro

As the summer continues, so does my weekly feature, Prospect Profile. This week, Part 4 takes a look at 5 players who are going to be jumping to pro for the Oilers this upcoming season. While they have taken different paths to get top this point, I feel like all these players have a chance to make an AHL roster that finds itself in Bakersfield, California this year.

Joey Laleggia

With four years of college hockey behind him, defenseman Joey Laleggia can now turn his attention to the start of his professional career. A smooth skating player, Laleggia displays the ability to jump up in the play, and find open ice. Much like Justin Schultz, Laleggia’s biggest strength may be his offensive abilities. Over his 156 games played with the University of Denver, Laleggia piled on the stats, going 49-83-132 with over a point per game pace. Prior to joining the U of Denver, Laleggia put up impressive numbers with the Penticton Vees of the BCHL as well, with 147 points in 114 games.

I brought up Justin Schultz. I find him to be the comparable for Leleggia moving forward in his career. We all know what Schultz is capapble of on the offensive side of the puck. The issue is his defensive play. It’s hard to say if this will be a detriment for Laleggia as well. He’s a vary capable college player. However, as has been the case with most players coming into professional hockey from the college ranks, it’s a very different experience. Players in college are accustomed to playing half of what a player in the NHL or AHL will play, and that can be a difficult adjustment for many of them.

On the positive note, however, Laleggia won’t be making the leap to the NHL full time for at least a year, if not two. While Schultz was able to get in half a season in the AHL during the lockout, he could have benifited from a whole year with Oklahoma City to learn the pro game. With the glut of defencemen currently under contract with the Oilers, that shouldn’t be an issue with Laleggia, who should be able to establish himself as a top four player in Bakersfield this season.

 

John McCarron

Another player coming out of college, John McCarron will be looking to come in to camp trying to earn an AHL job with Bakersfield. He’s a big player, listed at 6’3″ 219 lbs. on the Oilers site (although hockeydb.com has him at 230). While the size is there, it would be wrong to classify McCarron as a power forward, in the sense that he doesn’t have a lot of offensive flare to his game. In his 131 games with Cornell, he put up only 74 points, his best year being the 2013-14 season, in which he had 7-17-24.

Being a sixth round pick in 2012, the Oilers didn’t draft McCarron for his offense. Instead, they were looking to add a prospect with size, who isn’t afraid to play with an edge, as evident by his 216 PIM over his college career. More importantly, McCarron is a player with leadership capabilities. He captained Cornell for two seasons, from 2013 to 2015. In that time, he helped lead Cornell to the Ivy League Championship in 2014.

McCarron has all the tools to be able to make in impact with Bakersfield next season if he can make the team. Barring that, a year or two in the ECHL will be of a major benefit as well. As mentioned before, college players historically take some time to adjust to the longer grind of professional hockey. If the Oilers take their time with McCarron, he has the potential to be a very effective bottom six forward for them in a few years.

 

Ben Betker

Ben Betker is a prospect that I’ve personally been very high on. Standing at a towering 6’5″ and weighing 204 lbs., Betker looks like he could be a pillar on the blue line for the Oilers in the next few years. He was an anchor for the Everett Silvertips over the past three years, playing in all situations for them. While not an offensive defensemen by any means, Betker makes up for that with his defensive skills. A big body that pushes players off the puck, Betker also has an active stick, and Chara like reach. He saw his plus/minus last season jump to +19, after going -3 and -21 in previous years.

It’s hard to saw where Betker will start the year this season. The Oilers have so many defensemen coming into camp, it could be hard for Betker to land a position in the AHL, especially with the very real chance that both Darnell Nurse and Griffin Reinhart will be starting the year in Bakersfield, based on the numbers alone. Add in AHL veterans like Brad Hunt, Martin Gernat, and David Musil, along with Joey Laleggia, who most likely makes the Condors, and Betker could be the odd man out, finding his minutes in the ECHL this season.

Whatever road Betker takes, I’m excited to watch his development as a pro. He has all the tools to become a solid shut down guy for the Oilers, and could be hitting his stride at the right time, when the Oilers are looking to bolster their bottom three on the blue line to compliment Nurse, Reinhart, and Oscar Klefbom.

 

Greg Chase

For the last few years, the Oilers scouts have not had too much success outside of the 1st and 2nd rounds. It was a scouting staff that gained, in my opinion, too much credibility on their ability to draft 1st overall, apart from Jordan Eberle, who the stole at 22nd overall. The success of any franchise, especially in the cap era, depends on the ability to draft and develop players, and keep the team competitive through player turnover. It helps when you have later round success. Enter Greg Chase, a 7th round pick from 2013. He’s exactly the kind of player the Oilers need to develop.

A highly skilled player, Chase also brings an agitator element to the game, much in the way a Brad Marchand does. Following his draft year, Chase lead the Calgary Hitmen in points for the 2013-14 season, finishing with 25-50-85 in his 70 games played that year. The previous season, he only had 49 points 69 games. However, the same year he finished with 85 points also saw Chase rack up 83 PIM, something that it was rumored the Hitmen organization wasn’t overly happy with. The issues culminated with a healthy scratch last season when Chase had family in attendance, followed by Chase being sent home for what the Hitmen deemed “on-ice discipline”, and Chase requesting a trade. Following the trade to the Victoria Hitmen, Chase picked up right where he left off, adding 44 points to the 15 he picked up in Calgary, and helping the Royals to a playoff spot, where they would have been heavy favorites to come out of the West, if not for the acquisitions the Kelowna Rockets made, including Oilers prospect Leon Draisaitl.

Chase looks to make an immediate impact with the Bakersfield Condors this year. His high offensive skills, combined with an ability to get under his opponents skin, is an aspect the Oilers have been missing since Raffi Torres in 2006. With a few years of development in the AHL, there could be a spot on the Oilers 2nd or 3rd line in 3-4 years, that Chase would fill nicely.

 

Kyle Platzer

The problem with being on a team loaded with front end talent, is that sometimes players don’t get to live up to their billing. This was the case with Kyle Platzer, who was a member of a highly talented London Knights team when he was drafted. His first full year with the Knights saw Platzer score a paltry 22 points in 69 games. The next season, Platzer registered 14 points in 39 games, before the Knights traded him to the Owen Sound Attack. It was during the 2014-14 season that Platzer established himself in Owen Sound. His 81 points was good for the team lead, and helped Owen Sound secure a playoff berth.

While he has the skills needed to be a solid junior player, the one knock against Platzer is he fits the mold for a mid round pick during this era of scouting for the Oilers; skilled, but relatively small. Because of this, as well as the depth the Oilers now have at center, Platzer, along with John McCarron, is my pick to start the year in the ECHL. Maybe I’m wrong, and he can crack the Condors lineup. But I’m not entirely sold on Platzer making the NHL in the near future, at least with the Oilers.

 

 

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.

Corey Mitchell, Edmonton Oilers, Lindsay Ryall, Rob Cooke, Ryan Robinson

Beer League Heroes Sunday Night Pint

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Welcome to the inaugural Beer League Heroes Sunday Night Pint! What we’re going to attempt to do is dazzle you on weekly basis with our vast VAST knowledge of the Edmonton Oilers in a Q&A format. A hotstove without the hot or the stove. Just dudes sitting around a keyboard, beers in hand.

How Much Does Cam Talbot Actually Improve The Goaltending This Fall?

Will Cam Talbot really help the Oilers that much?

Ryan Robinson (@ryandlace) – Significantly. The sad thing is, Talbot will only need to be average to accomplish that. Scrivens and Fasth don’t exactly leave huge shoes to fill. The good news for the Oilers is that Talbot will have plenty of motivation to excel. He is being given an opportunity to establish himself as a #1 NHL goaltender and he’s in a contract year. There are skeptics who claim they have seen this movie before, but the re-runs in Edmonton ended when Bob Nicholson took over. Talbot will be solid.

Corey Mitchell (@corn_cwm) – My opinion is that after the disaster that was Ben Scrivens last year, almost anyone brought in was going to be an improvement in net for the Oilers. And when it came to finding a backup tender that looked ready to make the jump to starter, Cam Talbot was always first on my list. There was lots of love for both Martin Jones in LA, and Eddie Lack in Vancouver, but the biggest selling point for me was late in the season. Talbot carried the Rangers on his back when Henrik Lundquist went down with a neck injury last February, going 17-4-3 over a 24 game span, while the Rangers cruised to the Presidents Trophy. Granted, the defense Talbot is going to have in front of him this upcoming season pales in comparison to the one he had in New York, but like I said, after last year, things can only go up.

Lindsay Ryall (@lindsman77) – This is a tough one to statistically qualify with wins because defence and goaltending mutually support each other.  I do believe Talbot will benefit from a much improved defence and would put that improvement at two games over .500 Talbot’s stats next year:  26W – 24L – 4 Overtime wins.

Rob Cooke (@Cooke_Rob) – The simple answer here is a lot. Talbot may not have played in a ton of games so far but he is the real deal. When you look at his stats no matter how you slice it this guy is a keeper. His adjusted save percentage last season was .935, good for 11th in the league. The season before last his numbers were even better when he posted a .942 adjusted save percentage. That put him fifth in the league. Over those two seasons there were only two other goalies that had played at least 950 minutes and managed to be in the top 15 both years, Carey Price and Jonathon Quick. Price is without a doubt the best goalie in the league, if not the world. Anytime you are on an exclusive list with him you know you are on the right track.

All my stats and info are from a terrific Oilers blog run by Darcy McLeod. It’s called www.becauseoilers.blogspot.ca. Go check out his 3 part series on the goalie situation in Edmonton. It was excellent.

Who are the defensemen that will be on the opening night roster?

Will we see these two causing havoc in the NHL next season?

Robinson – I’ve never been so happy to not know the answer to a question. For so many years, the Oilers have barely been able to ice an NHL calibre defense corps. This year, they may not have a lot of high end guys, but they have nine players who are capable of playing at the NHL level. As much as I’d love to see Reinhart and Nurse play the entire season in the American Hockey League, I think one of them will crack the opening night roster. My guess is that on October 8th in St. Louis, Sekara, Klefbom, Fayne, Schultz, Gryba and Nurse will be manning the blueline

Mitchell – It’s been a few years since there have been positive questions to ask in regards to the Oilers defense corps. With pretty much everyone from last season, save Keith Aulie and Martin Marincin, it was already going to be a tall order for any youth to crack the line up this year. Add into the equation two proven NHL players in Andrej Sekera and Eric Gryba, along with blue chip (yes, I’m that high on him) prospect Griffin Reinhart, and it’s going to be a really interesting training camp. Unless there are a few more moves made, I’ve got Sekera, Schultz, Klefbom, Fayne, Gryba, and Ference all making the opening night roster. I’m really ok with the idea of Nurse and Reinhart starting the year in Bakersfield, preferably on the same pairing. Brad Hunt is probably my 7th to start the year, with Nikitin either buried, or just gone altogether.

Ryall – While I believe Nurse will have secured a roster spot by the end of the season, the starting spots will be: Andrej Sekera, Oscar Klefbom, Mark Fayne, Justin Schultz, Andrew Ference, Eric Gryba, Griffin Reinhart

Cooke – The easiest way to answer this is to first figure out who are locks to be on ice opening night. We know for sure that newly acquired Andrej Sekera will be on the team, likely out there for the opening draw. His most likely partner will be Mark Fayne. Fayne excelled when he was paired with a solid puck mover in New Jersey. He will be better this year.

The second pairing will be young Swedish stud Oscar Klefbom and the defensive liability, Justin Schultz. Klefbom sure as shit deserves the top four minutes but Schultz will get his by default. There are no better options on the right side right now so we will use what we have.

Now for the third pairing there are quite a few possibilities on who will suit up in St. Louis. On the left it will be one of Nikitin, Ference, Nurse, or Davidson. On the right it really will come down to Gryba and Reinhart. The right is easier to figure out, with Reinhart having only played 8 games in the NHL to date he will have to be light years ahead of Gryba in camp to earn a spot. On the left 2 or possibly even three out of the final four will make the team in October. Ference will be here for sure, although I have my doubts to how many games he will actually see this year.

The other three are a little trickier but if I was a betting man I would say that Nikitin will come to camp healthy and in a lot better shape than last season looking for a bounce back season after the disaster last year. Davidson will stay up with the big club as a healthy scratch as his development likely won’t be hampered as much by sitting for long stretches. Nurse and Reinhart will both start the year in Bakersfield and will most likely be the top pairing down there until they get their call ups. Before Christmas for Nurse is my guess there. Reinhart will depend on injury I think.

Are the Oilers done making moves this summer?

Is Petey C all done making moves this summer?

Robinson – Unless he can find a taker for Nikitin or Ference, then I think Chiarelli is done. The management team should dedicate the first quarter of the upcoming season to evaluate their group. Several players regressed under Dallas Eakins, so I believe it is wise to give them an opportunity to prove their worth under a savvy, veteran coach in McLellan. If individual players do improve, they will either contribute more to the team or boost their trade value.

Mitchell – The logical answer to this question is no, the Oilers aren’t going to be making anymore moves. The goaltending is (hopefully) solved with Talbot, Scrivens, and Anders Nilsson all signed. The Oilers really don’t need to add any forwards, be it top or bottom six. And with the number of signed defensemen on the team right now, adding another one doesn’t make sense. That being said, it’s the Oilers, and logic has been thrown out the window by this team a long time ago. If it were me, I would be calling teams day and night in a hope to unload Nikitin, even for a late round pick. Ference would be on my to do list as well, making room on the  for either a Cody Franson signing, or a long shot home run trade for a minute eating defenceman, possibly from Chicago.

Ryall – I think there may be maintenance moves but I don’t think anything significant.  The Oil don’t seem to want to get into a bidding are for Cody Franson’s services and that’s long-term smarts.

 Cooke – Barring a trade right now I would have to say yes. I know most Oilers fans are clamoring to add one of Christian Ehrhoff or Cody Franson and I know that it is possible with a little cap creativity but it isn’t in the cards I fear. I think Chiarelli wants to see what he has with the ten defensemen heading to camp that are realistically competing for the big club’s eight slots. The forwards are fairly well set right now, although I wouldn’t mind a solid scoring winger to join the team on the cheap. Goaltending is miles better as we already discussed tonight so outside some minor league moves to bolster an already impressive AHL roster we are likely done. With the one caveat being that I think that the Oilers will have Oscar Klefbom re-signed to a long term deal before the end of August

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