Category Archives: Corey Mitchell

Corey Mitchell, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Prospects

Prospect Profile: Higher Education

Part 2 of my summer feature, Prospect Profile, finds us examining a trio of players in the Oilers system that will be playing collegiate hockey this upcoming season. In the past, the Oilers have dipped into the US college system on a fairly regular basis to find players, whether it be via free agency in the case of Justin Schultz or Marc Arcobello, or by using a mid round draft pick, as they did twice in 2012 when they drafted both Joey Leleggia and John McCarron out of college, both of whom we’ll look at on a future date.

Aidan Muir

Following his draft year in 2013, Aidan Muir joined the Indiana Ice of the USHL for one season, before moving on to Western Michigan University. The Oilers took Muir in the 4th round that year, with the 113th pick, adding more depth to the forward position. Muir looked to have some impressive offensive potential, as the left winger amassed 14 goals and 41 points in his 51 games with the Ice in the 2013-14 season, helping the team capture the USHL championship, the Clark Cup. His offense seemed to dry up a bit though following his jump the NCHC the following year, as Muir only turned in 15 points in his 36 games as a freshman. Perhaps that can be contributed to it being his first year of collegiate hockey, playing against older and stronger opposition.

Unfortunately, Muir was not at the Oilers development camp earlier this year, so I wasn’t able to get a look at him on the ice. I also had a difficult time finding any video of him, aside from a highlight reel goal he scored while with Indiana, which you can find below.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGk8zSrB5nI&w=560&h=315]

Based solely on his numbers since being drafted, it’s somewhat difficult for me to profess to know what kind of player Muir is, or when Oiler fans can expect to see him have an opportunity to play in the NHL. As it stands now, my personal opinion is the Oilers aren’t going to be in any rush to see Muir leave college to go pro. It would more than likely benefit both sides to allow Muir to finish his hockey career at Western Michigan, and hopefully gain some more size and strength to his 6’0″, 212 lbs. frame. This upcoming year, and likely the season after, are going to be key for Muir to show the Oilers he still has an offensive touch, and is deserving of an ELC from the club.

 

Tyler Vesel

I can’t really say Tyler Vesel stood out for me too much at the development camp. In all honesty, he was a smaller forward who got lost in the group of smaller forwards in attendance, standing at 5’9″ and weighing in at 182 lbs. Drafted in the 6th round of the 2014 draft, and I don’t mean for this to be a knock against Vesel, but he epitomized everything that was wrong with the Oilers scouting staff at that time. Too often they drafted undersized players who were supposed to have the potential to counter that with skill. With that, there is definitely a skilled player in Vesel, although he could be a project for the Oilers to develop.

The Oilers drafted Vesel out of the Omaha Lancers of the USHL. In the year leading up to his draft, Vesel notched an impressive 33-38-71 in 49 games. Vesel then took a similar path to Aidan Muir, jumping to college hockey the next year with the University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks. Vesel though, seemed to carry some of his offensive flare with him into his freshman year, going 8-15-23 in 39 games, and gaining some big game experience in the Frozen Four, although the Mavericks lost in the semi-final

For Vesel, drafted as an overage player, he needs a breakout year with the Mavericks this season to really catch the attention of the Oilers. Even so, while I think there is a very good chance the Oilers will sign him to an ECL, Vesel will find himself in tough to stand out in an organization that drafted so many similar players.

 

Evan Campbell

Another pick from the 2013 draft class, the Oilers selected Evan Campbell following his last year of Junior ‘A’ hockey with the BCHL’s Langley Rivermen, where he scored 66 points in 51 games, including 20 goals, making him the first NHL draft pick in franchise history. His first year with the UMass-Lowell River Hawks saw him contribute only 9-2-11 in his 33 games. His numbers the next season started to climb however, as Campbell increased his totals to 12-15-27 in 34 games. There’s every reason to believe those numbers will continue to increase as Campbell readies himself for the 2015-16 season, his third at UMass-Lowell.

Like Tyler Vesel, I didn’t see anything overly memorable from Campbell at the development camp. He’s an average sized player, who could stand to add some weight before trying to make the leap to pro. One thing that could very well work against Campbell is the path he’s taking in his hockey career. Not to say there is anything wrong with it. By all accounts, the BCHL is a very tough league to play in, and the opportunity to get a top education from a US school while playing hockey is an excellent opportunity. What I mean when I mention the path Campbell is taking, is that there are players in the Oilers organization who have a higher pedigree, and have faced stiffer competition in their development that Campbell has.

Already at 22 years of age, there’s every reason to believe the Oilers are going to let Campbell play out his college commitment before deciding on him one way or another. If his numbers continue to increase, perhaps he gets noticed enough to get a shot in Bakersfield. My opinion is he’s going to be another prospect who falls just short of expectations, like so many players taken under the Stu MacGregor regime.

 

Corey Mitchell, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Prospects

Prospect Profile: It’s Showtime

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Welcome to Prospect Profile, my eight part series looking at the players in the Oilers system. Over the course of the summer, I will present a new group of players each week, leading into the prospect camp this September. For the purpose of these features, my definition for a player to be deemed a prospect is less than 100 NHL games, and no older than 25 years old.

Part One will focus on five players that I feel have the most legitimate shot of making the opening night roster this season, although there may be one or two players exempt from this grouping, based on upcoming Profiles.

Connor McDavid
The Oilers have had 1st Overall picks before. The excitement generated in 2010 when Taylor Hall became the very first Number 1 in Oilers history is something I remember very well. But this year was something different altogether. Over the last two seasons, everyone in the hockey world has been privy to the knowledge that Connor McDavid was going to be a superstar at the level of Sidney Crosby. But as the 2014-15 Oilers season began, the team and the fans were at a level of optimism that they hadn’t been at for some time. While everyone agreed it would be nice to somehow end up with that 1st pick, no one expected it. Fast forward to the NHL Draft Lottery, and the hockey gods smiled upon Oil Country that day.

Connor McDavid is now property of the Oilers, having officially signed his ELC during development camp. Already, the atmosphere in the city is electric. McDavid is hands down playing, and excelling in Edmonton this season. He could, and should, finally be the catalyst to break the Oilers out of the perennial funk they’ve found themselves in.

While he didn’t finish his OHL career with either a Memorial Cup or even an OHL Championship, McDavid’s accomplishments last year alone are astounding. The highlight being finally helping Canada reclaim World Junior supremacy, McDavid also walked away with a bevy of individual awards, most notably his second CHL Scholastic Player of the Year, which he also won in 2014, and the CHL Player of the Year award.

As good as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has been, and continues to be, Connor McDavid is the new top center for the Oilers. Already on social media, fans are dreaming up fantasy line ups, discussing who to play with McDavid. He’s changed the entire dynamic of the team without playing a game, and given a long suffering fan base something they need and deserve; hope.

Darnell Nurse
Picked 7th in 2013, Darnell Nurse looks to be poised to crack the Oilers roster heading into this season. Nurse had an absolutely tremendous year with Sault Ste. Marie of the OHL, proving that sending him back to junior after making the Oilers out of camp was a very wise decision. Nurse dominated all season, leading his Soo Greyhounds into the OHL playoffs, and an extremely entertaining series against Connor McDavid and the Erie Otters. Prior to that, Nurse was on the same Canadian junior team as McDavid, and was a pivotal member of that blue line, taking on more of a shut down role playing against the top players in the world.

As I mentioned earlier, Nurse did make the Oilers out of camp last season, albeit for two games before returning to junior. However, that was a defense corps that looked very different from the one Peter Chiarelli has assembled this offseason. The additions of Andrej Sekera and Eric Gryba this summer brings in two more experienced NHL players. That, along with added competition in Griffin Reinhart and the recently re-signed Brandon Davidson is going to make the Oilers a very hard team to make on the back end, although there could still be moves made before the start of the season that may open a spot or two. I’m hoping if it comes down to Nurse and say, Davidson for that seventh spot, Davidson gets it. Nurse is only going to benefit from playing. I would much rather see Darnell Nurse as a staple on the blue line in Bakersfield, eating huge minutes in all situations, instead of healthy scratched most of the year.

That being said, as beneficial as starting the year in the AHL would be for Nurse, I don’t expect him to be there long, and definitely not after Christmas. He’s ready for the NHL now, and I expect he’s going to be a key figure for the Oilers for many, many years.

Leon Draisaitl
This is a player who, I feel, the Oilers handled in all the wrong ways last season. My personal feeling is Draisaitl should not have played one NHL game last season, let alone 37. That’s not a knock against him in anyway. I think given some time to develop and adjust to the pro game in the AHL, Draisaitl is going to evolve into a very, very good NHL player. He has the size and he thinks the game well. But he’s lacking speed. And that was something that should have been evident last year in training camp. Unfortunately, Craig MacTavish felt comfortable with what he had down the middle, and ended up burning the 1st year of Draisaitl’s ELC.

Now, I understand the situation the Oilers found themselves in, not wanting to send Draisaitl to a Prince Albert team that was going to be at the bottom of the WHL. I’m of the opinion that a trade could have been worked out earlier, even if it meant Draisaitl playing a few months with the PA Raiders. Also, I don’t recall Jordan Eberle suffering that much playing for a non-playoff team in Regina. The story also eventually came out that it was the Oilers who determined Draisaitl would not be representing Germany at the World Juniors last season. Again, a situation in which there may or may not have been a large amount of success to be had, but representing his country again would have at least given Draisaitl some confidence. And it’s not as though he was making a difference for the Oilers at the time.

But, be that as it may, Draisaitl excelled once he finally did make it back to the WHL, with the Kelowna Rockets. He helped the Rockets secure a berth in the Memorial Cup by capturing the WHL Championship, being named playoff MVP in the process. And although he came up short in the Memorial Cup championship game, Draisaitl walked away from the tournament with both the Ed Chynoweth Trophy as the leading scorer of the tournament, but also Memorial Cup MVP.

Much like Nurse, there is a very good chance Draisaitl makes the Oilers out of camp this year again. Also like Nurse, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with him starting the year in Bakersfield. With both McDavid and Mark Letestu filling in the middle along with Nugent-Hopkins and Anton Lander, there’s been talk of moving Draisaitl to the wing, which I think would be a very beneficial move.

Anders Nilsson
The battle of the goalies at training camp should be interesting. Ben Scrivens was not good last year, and Viktor Fasth has moved on to the KHL. This off season saw Chiarelli bring in Cam Talbot, who many are pegging as the new number one. If that is the case, then the back up position is going to be between Scrivens, and Anders Nilsson, who was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks, and quickly signed a one-way deal with the Oilers. However, Nilsson signing a one-way deal makes me wonder if Scrivens is being shopped. Nilsson looks to be a capable back up to Talbot, having posted some very nice numbers last year with Kazan Ak-Bars of the KHL.

That being said, last season was the only year he posted a GAA under 2.00, seeing previous action with the Bridgeport Tigers of the AHL, and a handful of games with the Islanders, who drafted him in 2009. This could be the restart he needs. My thought is he was brought in by Chiarelli fully expecting to be the back up to Talbot. Sending him down to the minors doesn’t benefit Nilsson at all, and if anything, hampers the development of Laurent Brossoit, who should be the starter in Bakersfield next year.

Tyler Pitlick
My opinion is that this is Pitlick’s last chance to prove he belongs with the big club. Although he’s suffered through injuries, he looked to be on the right track last year, scoring a couple of goals before injuries ended his season. Pitlick brings just what the Oilers need in their bottom six, which is physicality and an ability to chip in some goals. His 62 points in his only year of junior hockey with Medicine Hat is proof of that.

Pitlick could be in tough to secure a spot in the bottom six. Rob Klinkhammer and Matt Hendricks are both stalwarts for the Oilers, and the addition of Lauri Korpikoski accounts for 3 of the 4 winger positions available. Factor in that the Oilers will have to find a spot for top six players like Teddy Purcell and Nail Yakupov, and the log jam gets even worse. For Pitlick though, he may be able to come into camp, and impress enough to force out a Luke Gazdic, or at least secure some playing time as an interchangeable 13th forward.

The biggest struggle for Pitlick is going to be staying healthy. A knee injury in the 2013-14 season limited him to 49 games split between the Oilers and the Oklahoma City Barons, while a lacerated spleen resulted in Pitlick missing all but a combined 31 games. When healthy though, Pitlick has shown he can be an effective player at the AHL level. That’s something he’ll need to try and carry over to the NHL level.

Corey Mitchell, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Prospects

Now and Future Oilers, A Beginning

First, I would like to say how happy I am to be a part of the Beer League Heroes team. My main focus is going to be on the players in the Oilers system, more specifically in the CHL, NCAA, USHL, and over seas, with maybe a small dip into the on goings of Bakersfield of the AHL, and Norfolk in the ECHL.

With summer now here, and the Free Agent Frenzy down to a whimper, I thought it would be a good idea to profile the Oilers current crop of prospects, heading into the rookie tournament in Penticton. And what better place to start than the recent development camp held here in Edmonton.

I was fortunate enough to make it down to Rexall for the Sunday sessions, and I have some thoughts on a few of the players that were present, both property of the Oilers, and camp invitees.

Defensemen

  • Darnell Nurse – 6’3″ 213 lbs. Hamilton, ON – Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) #7 2013
  • Loik Leveille – 5’9″ 228 lbs. St. Jerome, QC – Cape Breton (QMJHL) Invitee
  • Kevin Davis – 5’9″ 172 lbs. Kamloops, BC – Everett (WHL) Invitee
  • Ethan Bear – 5’9″ 198 lbs Ochapowace, SK – Seattle (WHL) #124 2015
  • William Lagesson – 6’2″ 197 lbs. Gothenburg, SWE – Dubuque (USHL) #91 2014
  • Ben Betker – 6’5″ 223 lbs. Cranbrook, BC – Everett (WHL) #158 2013
  • Joey Laleggia – 5’8″ 182 lbs. Burnaby, BC – Denver (NCHC) #123 2012
  • Caleb Jones – 6’1″ 192 lbs. Frisco, TX – US NTDP (USHL) #117 2015
  • Josh Healey – 6’0″ 195 lbs. Edmonton, AB – Ohio State (Big 10) Invitee
  • John Marino – 6’0″ 181 lbs. Brockton, MA – South Shore (USPHL) #154 2015

Obviously, the standout from this group was Darnell Nurse. He was easily a man amongst boys at this camp. I’m not entirely sure how much Nurse benefitted from this camp, but I can tell you that the other players there are better for being matched against him, and just being around him during the camp. Watching Nurse take drills, there is a very real chance he challenges for a spot in the opening line up this fall. The only thing stopping him is the depth added to the blue line this off season. Failing that, I expect to see him crack the team full time before the end of the season.

Ben Betker looks like he could be a player for the Oilers in the near future. He’s a big body, towering over the other prospects at camp, and at 21, he could still have some weight to add to his already solid 223 lbs. frame. Another run through at main camp this fall will really benefit Betker, who I think needs a solid 2-3 years in the AHL to really develop into an NHL player for the Oilers.

Joey Laleggia is another player who looks to be perhaps a year or two away from knocking on the Oilers door. He posted 15-25-40 last year in 37 games for the University of Denver before joining the Oklahoma City Barons late in the year for 5 games, adding a goal and an assist. He’s a quick, agile defenseman, who can join the rush for an added scoring threat. I liken his game to that of Justin Schultz. However, unlike Schultz, Leleggia is going to play 1-2 years in the AHL. But he’s going to be better for it.

Caleb Jones looked like he was there to make an impact in his first development camp. He used his size and positioning well in puck battle drills, even given the unenviable task of going up against Connor McDavid. Given time with Portland of the WHL, as well as a large role with the US World Junior team, Jones looks poised to gain some serious experience this season.

Ethan Bear is built like a tank, and could be a nice project for the Oilers over the next few years. He’s tenacious in puck battles, as was evident when he went one on one with Darnell Nurse at Development Camp, holding his own. At 18, he needs to remain in junior for a few seasons before jumping to pro, but the depth Edmonton has added this offseason assures there is no need to rush Bear, allowing him time to truly develop, and see what kind of player he can become.

One invitee to camp that caught my eye was Loik Leveille of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in the QMJHL. Totaling 13-41-54 last season in 68 games for the Eagles, its a bit of a surprise Leveille went undrafted this year. He has decent speed and agility from what I saw, but lagged behind the other aforementioned prospects. He plays physical, and isn’t afraid to drop the gloves. It’ll be interesting to see if the Oilers continue to scout him next season, and if his draft stock increases with another year in the Q.

Forwards

  • Leon Draisaitl – 6’1″ 214 lbs. Cologne, GER – Kelowna (WHL) #3 2014
  • Alexis Loiseau – 6’0″ 171 lbs. Havre-Aux-Maisons, QC – Rimouski (QMJHL) Invitee
  • John McCarron – 6’2″ 232 lbs. Macomb, MI – Cornell (ECAC) #153 2012
  • Lane Bauer – 5’8″ 195 lbs. Anchorage, AK – Edmonton (WHL) Invitee
  • Michael Rebry – 6’0″ 186 lbs. Clear Creek, ON – Western Mich. (NCHC) Invitee
  • Connor Rankin – 6’0″ 191 lbs. North Vancouver, BC – Calgary (WHL) Invitee
  • Luke Esposito – 5’8″ 182 lbs. Greenwich, CT – Harvard (ECAC) Invitee
  • Jakob Stukel – 5’9″ 178 lbs. Surrey, BC – Vancouver (WHL) Invitee
  • Evan Campbell – 6’1″ 205 lbs. Port Coquitlam, BC – UMass-Lowell (H-EAST) #128 2013
  • Cole Sanford – 5’7″ 163 lbs. Vernon, BC – Medicine Hat (WHL) Invitee
  • Braden Christoffer – 5’8″ 188 lbs. Sherwood Park, AB – Regina (WHL) Invitee
  • Tyler Soy – 5’9″ 167 lbs. Cloverdale, BC – Victoria (WHL) Invitee
  • Tyler Vesel – 5’9″ 182 lbs. Rochester, MN – Nebraska-Omaha (NCHC) #153 2014
  • Tyler Robertson – 6’1″ 189 lbs. Sherwood Park, AB – Edmonton (WHL) Invitee
  • Kyle Platzer – 6’0″ 172 lbs. Kitchener, ON – Owen Sound (OHL) #96 2013
  • Greg Chase – 6’0″ 190 lbs. Sherwood Park, AB – Calgary/Victoria (WHL) #188 2013
  • Connor McDavid – 6’1″ 190 lbs. Newmarket, ON – Erie (OHL) #1 2015

Leon Draisaitl came into camp this year as one of to players to have tasted the NHL last season, with the other being Darnell Nurse. Leon looked refocused, performing at a level above the other attendees, aside from Nurse and McDavid. It may be hard for Draisaitl to crack the line up out of camp this year, even if he does switch to the wing, which has been talked about. For Draisaitl, starting the year in Bakersfield would in no way be a bad thing. In all fairness, he’s one of the players that could have really benefitted in a rule change, allowing NHL teams to assign one or two 19 year olds to their AHL affiliates. That being said, I don’t see him playing a full year in the AHL if he can adapt to the speed of the pro game a little bit more than last season.

Kyle Platzer is fast. Fast and has a nose for the net. I really liked what I saw from Platzer at the development camp. Although it didn’t seem like it after he was drafted, his offensive upside is very real.  Platzer is going to fall into that same range as Ben Betker, needing a solid 2-3 years in Bakersfield before realistically challenging for a spot on the Oilers.

It’s always talked about what a steal Henrik Zetterburg was for the Detroit Red Wings in the 7th Round of the Draft. And while I would never be naïve enough to compare Greg Chase to Zetterburg, I will say the Oilers managed to dig a legitimate player out of the 7th Round in 2013. Greg Chase looked to be on the same time frame as fellow 2013 Draft picks Betker and Platzer, projecting to challenge for a spot in 2-3 years. He plays an agitator type game, while chipping in some nice offence.

The star of the development camp was, of course, Connor McDavid. Watching him skate, move the puck, and really just lean on his stick, you can tell he’s ready to step in now to help the Oilers. There really isn’t a whole lot to elaborate on in regards to his time at camp. He excelled at everything.

This years camp had quite a few invitees brought in to fill out the forward lines. Sherwood Park native Bradon Christoff of the Regina Pats once one invitee that really seemed to have some hustle. That’s not to say the other kids at the camp didn’t. I’ve watched Tyler Robertson since his time with the Spruce Grove Saints, and he is a very good player. But Christoff really stood out for me with the way he attacked every drill the coaches put him through. With 59 points in the WHL last season, I wonder if he gets invited back to main camp in the fall. He certainly looks like he could be a promising prospect.

Goaltenders

  • Jordan Papirny – 6’0″ 169 lbs. Edmonton, AB – Brandon (WHL) Invitee
  • Keven Bouchard – 6’1″ 207 lbs. Metabetchouan, QC – Val d’Or (QMJHL) #183 2014
  • Zachary Nagelvoort – 6’1″ 207 lbs. Holland, MI – Michigan (Big 10) Invitee
  • Miroslav Svoboda – 6’2″ 191 lbs. Vsetin, CZE – Trinec (CZE U-20) #208 2015

Watching him at camp, Keven Bouchard seems to still be working on his movement, particularly side to side while in his butterfly. Rebounds seemed to give him some problems, but this again is more than likely do to his mobility, which should improve. One thing that I really like about seeing Bouchard, was his willingness to talk to the coaches, asking what part of his game and stance need work. Perhaps it’s just a matter of needing playing time, which he should get in Baie Comeau.

Miroslav Svoboda made his way to Edmonton to take part in his first development camp. He looked very good in the drills he was given, and seemed to have good mobility and positioning. He looked more ready than Bouchard, but there’s still work to do with him.

Jordan Papirny was an interesting invite to fill out the goalie ranks. I’m a little surprised he wasn’t on any teams radar at the draft, following his outstanding play in the WHL Playoffs. Watching Papirny, he seemed to me, to be the best goalie at the camp. There’s a big part of me that hopes the Oilers bring him back for main camp, or at least give him a very good look as potential goalie depth in their system

And that concludes my look at the 2015 Development Camp. Obviously, it’s hard to judge just where a player is progressing by only seeing one day of practice, but I liked what I saw on the ice. Aside from needing more forward depth, the Oilers look like they have some decent players coming through the ranks. As I said before, I’ll be taking the summer to profile the prospects the Oilers have right now, including some of the camp attendees I didn’t touch on here.