Tag Archives: 2019 NHL Entry Draft

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Oilers Poking Around Three Dmen + TPE Hockey’s September Top-31 for the 2019 NHL Entry Draft

Today Josh Morrissey signed a two-year bridge deal worth $3.15M per year to basically set the marker for Darnell Nurse and the Edmonton Oilers.

I can’t see Nurse is going to get much more than that. The Oilers have been holding strong at $3M and Morrissey’s deal might bring that up a bit but it certainly shouldn’t bring it anywhere near the $4M valuation that Anton Thun has of his client.

Then there’s this from our friend Bruce McCurdy replying to an excellent idea from Supernova:

Like I said yesterday on Twitter, I wouldn’t be surprised if Darnell Nurse was on the plane to Germany but he didn’t play because he missed all of or the majority of training camp because hi agent only sees short-term dollar signs.

Plan B

Chiarelli was asked if there was a “Plan B” the other day and he said yes. I imagine that plan includes sending out feelers on such defenders as Tyson Barrie, Justin Faulk, and the newly-minted free agent Jake Dotchin.

Jake Dotchin is a new one and I haven’t heard what really happened with him and the Lightning but he must’ve really stepped in it in order to get thrown on unconditional waivers. To be clear, as far as I know, his contract hasn’t been terminated yet. Dotchin has cleared unconditional waivers though so the next step is cutting Dotchin loose.

Hockey teams are usually pretty lenient and don’t want anything to do with NHLPA filing grievances on their players’ behalf. It’s a weird situation but regardless, I asked one of my sources what the deal was there and I was told that he’s a young guy and the Oilers like him.

Personally, I don’t see him as much better than Matt Benning and if we’re being truthful, wouldn’t it be more prudent to aim a bit higher than Jake Dotchin?

Max from TPE Hockey is back with his 2019 NHL draft prospect rankings for the month of September.

This time we threw in a little stat called “Age-Adjusted NHLe” and since most of the seasons haven’t started for these players, we’re using last year’s point totals to find our age-adjusted NHLe.

You can read about that here.

Draft eligible prospects don’t all play in the same league, and aren’t all the same age, so it doesn’t make sense to judge their statistics as if they do.

League/Age Adjusted Points Per Game can help us put all the prospects on even ground. To do this, we simply multiply the PPG of a player by two numbers: an age multiplier and a league multiplier. These multipliers adjust the PPGs of players to show how they would produce if they were all the same age, playing in the same league. In this case, that league is the OHL, the top Canadian junior league, and that age is exactly 17.

The numbers will look a bit odd, especially for the high-end players like Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko. I asked my friend Sam Happi (The Puck Authority and @DraftLook) about this and he said that the league translation factor, which is meant to represent the average player, doesn’t really do players like Hughes justice since they are so far above average. I’d also add to that that the competition from league to league can really vary. The SM-Liiga where Anttoni Honka and Kaapo Kakko play full-time is much more competitive than the USHL where Hughes plays most of his games or the BCHL where Alex Newhook plays.

So just keep that in mind when you’re looking at that. I do remember asking Rob Vollman about the USNTDP translation factor in Auston Matthews’ draft year and was told that since nobody makes the jump from that program to the NHL, there was no need to do up a factor for it… I imagine most people are using the USHL’s translation factor for the time being but I bet that’ll change in the future.

If you’d like a list of the translation factors for each league, click this link.

You can check out a little video before that and/or his previous summer rankings here.

1)  Jack Hughes C (USNTDP, USHL) – 179cm, 73kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 18pts)
The undisputed #1 pick will revolutionize whatever franchise drafts him. Jack Hughes is the brother of last year’s 7th overall pick, Quinn Hughes. Just like Quinn, Jack is an elite skater and reads the game better than anybody. Jack will spend this season with the USNTDP in the USHL. Hughes will rip up that league as last year he was the best player in the USHL at only 16.

2)  Kaapo Kakko RW (TPS Turku, Liiga) – 186cm, 82kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 11pts)
Kakko is everything you want in a winger. He’s a big guy but sacrifices nothing because of it. He’s quick on his feet and just as quick thinking. Kakko is ultra-skilled and has all the offensive talent to become an elite NHL winger. Whenever he’s on the ice everybody knows it, he stands out instantly.

3)  Anttoni Honka D (JYP Jyväskylä, Liiga) – 179cm, 77kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 17pts)
Brother of Julias Honka, Anttoni is already a star in the Finish pro league at 17. Honka spent last year in the pros on JYP playing 20 games with them. At the start of this season, Honka became a top pairing defenseman for JYP. He played in the Champions Hockey League and stood out every game.

4)  Alex Turcotte C (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 88kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 10pts)
The two-way center out of the USNTDP played in the shadow of Jack Hughes, but that doesn’t diminish his game. Turcotte is a high-intensity player that combines speed, size, and skill with great defensive capabilities.

5)  Alex Newhook C (Victoria Grizzlies, BCHL) – 180cm, 83kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 8pts)
Newhook is all about speed. He can zip into the offensive zone and great opportunities for his team. Newhook is mainly a playmaker, but he does have goal scoring ability. He’s also good in the defensive zone and competes very hard.

6)  Dylan Cozens C (Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL) – 191cm, 80kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 12pts)
The 2018 WHL Rookie of the Year is an all-around offensive player. Cozens is a big bodied center who is also very fast. He is mainly a goal scorer but does have playmaking abilities. Cozens has a sick release and super accurate shot.

7)  Kirby Dach C (Saskatoon Blades, WHL) – 192cm, 84kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 11pts)
Dach was a standout at the Hlinka tournament where he was the best draft eligible Canadian. He is a pure playmaker who can drive offense for any team he’s on. He uses his vision of the ice to open spaces for teammates and create scoring chances.

8)  Raphaël Lavoie C/W (Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL) – 193cm, 87kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 10pts)
Lavoie is the first player hailing from the QMJHL. He’s a big guy who is super dangerous around the net. That combined with his shot allowed him to score 30 goals as a rookie in the QMJHL. Lavoie went to the U18 World Juniors last season and scored 5 goals in 5 games. He also was taken on the U20 Summer Showcase roster for Canada.

9)  Bowen Byram D (Vancouver Giants, WHL) – 183cm, 81kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 6pts)
The Vancouver Giants pick is a player that can control every part of the game. His skating, passing, and vision allow him to dictate what happens when he’s on the ice. Byram is also great on the rush he uses his speed, lateral movement, and hands to work around defenders.

10) Peyton Krebs C/LW (Kootenay Ice, WHL) – 180cm, 78kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 11pts)
The 2016 WHL 1st overall pick is a small playmaker coming out of Kootenay. Krebs is a lot like Johnny Gaudreau. Krebs is an elusive player who can easily avoid physical play. He also has good hands, speed, and a wicked wrister.

11) Vasili Podkolzin RW (Vityaz Podolsk U17, Russia U17) – 181cm, 75kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 5pts)
Podkolzin exploded at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He led the tournament in points and goals playing with Russia. He showed his unbelievable highlight reel skill and clutch play. Podkolzin is super strong, and at top speed, he can’t be stopped.

12) Cole Caufield RW/C (USNTDP, USHL) – 168cm, 70kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 13pts)
The 168cm (5’6”) goal scorer is one of the most fun players to watch. Caufield was a goal a game with the U17 and U18 USNTDP teams. Caufield is electric but is written off because of his size. Even with his size, Caufield finished 2nd in points at the U17s only behind Jack Hughes.

13) Jakob Pelletier C/W (Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL) – 175cm, 72kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 12pts)
Pelletier was statistically the best player coming out of the QMJHL. He is an all-around offensive player who can make plays and score. He also has all the skating abilities to make for a great NHLer.

14) Cam York D (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 75kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 5pts)
York is the star defensemen for the USNTDP. He played a lot with the U18 team and went to the U18 World Juniors. Even as a 16-year-old at the tournament he was the best defensemen for the Americans.

15) Ryan Suzuki C (Barrie Colts, OHL) – 183cm, 78kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 10pts)
The 1st overall pick of the 2017 OHL Draft is one of the smartest players and best passers in this draft. He makes plays that no one sees coming, it’s almost as if he has eyes in the back of his head. Like his older brother Nick who was recently dealt to Montreal, he has a solid wrist shot that can pick a corner from the dot.

16) Mikko Kokkonen D (Jukurit, Liiga) – 180cm, 86kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 4pts)
Kokkonen has had a great start to his first season in the Finish pro league. He’s gotten two nice assists in his first two games. Kokkonen has been leaned on a lot by Team Finland in international competition. If Kokkonen can continue to produce in the Liiga he will fight for a top 10 spot.

17) Simon Holmström RW (HV71 J20, SuperElit) – 181cm, 78kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 11pts)
We could be talking about Holmström tearing up the SHL right now. Unfortunately, he is currently out with an injury. He was brilliant in the U20 Swedish league as a 16-year-old but didn’t get to play internationally because of injury. He is the strongest candidate to rise as he gets more exposure.

18) Philip Broberg D (AIK J20, SuperElit) – 190cm, 90kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 6pts)
Philip Broberg was the breakout player of the Hlinka tournament. He showed his amazing speed and skill on the rush. At that tournament, Broberg looked easily like a top 5 pick. Although, there are concerns with Broberg’s game. He had trouble producing in league play and international play before the tournament. Broberg needs to prove he can do what he did in the Hlinka on a regular basis.

https://twitter.com/NHLDraft2019/status/1039949613845958656

19) Trevor Zegras C (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 72kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 9pts)
Zegras is a dangerous player with the puck. He has stellar stickhandling, high caliber speed, and is very smart. He loves to rush the puck but sometimes turns it over in the neutral zone when doing this. His shot is also something to watch out for from the slot.

20) Tobias Björnfot D (Djurgårdens IF J20, SuperElit) – 183cm, 85kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 5pts)
Björnfot has struggled a lot in international competition, but thrived in league play. This season he is starting in the U20 Swedish league and looks to try and crack the SHL roster for Djurgårdens. Björnfot is defiantly a player to keep an eye on this year.

21) Nils Höglander LW (Rögle BK, SHL) – 174cm, 84kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 5pts)
While splitting time between the Swedish 2nd pro league and Swedish U20 league Höglander was on a point per game pace in the U20s before being moved up to the 2nd league. He is a primarily small and skilled player with a physical edge to his game, much like former superstar Theo Fleury.

https://twitter.com/coreypronman/status/953655644766253057

22) Maxim Cajkovic W (Saint John Sea Dogs) – 180cm, 85kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 7pts)
The 1st overall pick is this year’s CHL Import Draft was put on the map after leading the U18 World Juniors in points per game and was second to Jack Hughes in points. Cajkovic is an offensive-minded player with all the tools to be a big-time producer in the QMJHL this year.

23) Marshall Warren D (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 73kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 5pts)
Marshall Warren is a perfect all around defensemen coming out of the USNTDP. Warren is one of the best athletes in the draft too. His skating allows him to play a two-way game as he uses it to defend and great space in the offensive zone.

24) Arthur Kaliyev LW (Hamilton Bulldogs, OHL) – 188cm, 86kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 10pts)
The U17 leader the OHL in goals and points is the top American outside of the USNTDP. Kaliyev is an aggressive power forward who was an important part of the OHL champion Hamilton Bulldogs.

25) Pavel Dorofeyev W (Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk, MHL) – 184cm, 74kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 11pts)
Dorofeyev is a dangerous goal scorer out of Russia. His shot is his best attribute, but he is also very skilled. He was able to play on the Russian U18 team last year which is very impressive because the Russian program is known to heavily favoring older players. Dorofeyev scored 4 points in that tournament.

26) Blake Murray C (Sudbury Wolves, OHL) – 188cm, 81kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 11pts)
Playing on a very weak Sudbury team Blake Murray managed to produce well for an U17 player in the OHL. Without much support on his wings Murray scored the 2nd most goals of U17 OHLers.

27) Dustin Wolf G (Everett Silvertips, WHL) – 183cm, 68kg 
Last year’s WHL break out goaltender has continued his great play into the WHL pre-season. Currently he is 3-0 with a .927 Sv%. Last year Wolf got some good time as the starting goaltender and managed to win the CHL Goaltender of the Week. The hit on Wolf is his size at only 183cm (6’0”). Wolf standout quality is his puckhandling. Last year at 16 he got 4 assists in 20 games. In my mind he is the best puckhandling goalie in junior hockey. For more info check out my full article on on Wolf and this year’s goaltending crop.

28) Matthew Boldy C/W (USNTDP, USHL) – 183cm, 79kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 1pts)
The American power forward is a monster in front of the net. Boldy also has very good playmaking abilities and offensive IQ. Boldy was unfortunately snubbed from being able to play with the U18 team at the USNTDP.

29) Albin Grewe C/RW (Djurgårdens IF J20, SuperElit) – 182cm, 80kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 7pts)
Grewe left a lot to be desired after last season with Djurgårdens J20 and international play. Despite this he broke out at the Hlinka and then has been great in the Swedish U20 league and is currently at a point per game pace.

https://twitter.com/NHLProspectsYT/status/1041496759195893760

30) Alex Vlasic D (USNTDP, USHL) – 196cm, 86kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 4pts)
Vlasic is an enormous shut down defensemen who plays a lot like Zdeno Chara. He uses his long stick to block passing lanes and has a booming shot. The cousin of the Shark’s shutdown defender Marc-Édouard Vlasic plays a lot like Marc-Édouard too.

31) Moritz Seider D (Alder Mannheim, DEL) – 192cm, 83kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 1pt)
The German monster playing the German pro league is one of the most interesting prospects in this draft. So interesting that I wrote an entire article on him.

https://twitter.com/NHLProspectsYT/status/1041500814676844545

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Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Prospects

Is There a Faction of Oilers Fans that are The Most Entitled in the NHL?

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Today I felt the urge to post something to the Oilogosphere and so since there’s nothing really new to write about, I thought I’d write about what others are writing about. Catch my drift?

I swear, we’re not even 1 minute into rookie camp and the Oilers roster has been picked clean by the bloggers that cover the team and it doesn’t even stop there. Potential teams and lineups are being dissected as well.

Honestly, what more is there to say?

Let’s find out, shall we?

But before we do that, I want to share the latest “Late Night with the Oil Knight” podcast. This might be The Dirtbag’s and The Oil Knight’s best pod to date. The “How to be a fan” portion is the best and that’s where the title of this post comes from!

Check it out below:

Tyler Yaremchuk of Oilers Nation had this little ditty to preface his Cam Talbot article today:

if you comment on this article with some BS about “Oh, the twins are causing him to lose sleep”, just stop. The twins were born in October 2016, which was the beginning of the best season of his career. Also, lot’s of athletes have kids. That is a TERRIBLE narrative, so everyone should just drop it. (source)

This is just a really ignorant thing to say.

Poor Yaremchuk. If he only knew that all children are different. Just because Dubnyk had issues with his new baby doesn’t mean that Talbot’s twins would follow the same path, right? And how would Tyler know what the Talbot’s were going through last year? Maybe he’s part of the “I’ve Heard Things” gang with Baggedmilk and RCN though and I’m completely out to lunch.

What pisses me off about Yaremchuk’s ON post is that he throws out a shite ton of stats and graphics but never mentions once that Talbot was tired from the previous season and that he was hurt to start the year but played through that to the team’s detriment. Yet, he somehow knows that Talbot’s twins weren’t a factor going into and throughout last season.

Here’s a beauty from a closet Flames fan who covers the Oilers, Jeff Chapman,

Now they’ve got to sign Darnell Nurse with sugar packets and matchsticks. It would be comical if it wasn’t so sad… (source)

I’ve never really understood the POV that Copper and Blue writers write from (apart from OP (Original Pouzar), who is a really rad guy that I get along with quite well) because between Chapman and Batty they’ve got a tremendous about of knowledge for the game and both are relatively intelligent guys but they can’t find a way to cover the Oilers without throwing jabs at the team or shitting all over it in one way or another.

It’s a toxic relationship if you ask me (and I doubt anybody is) but to each his own.

Yes, the Oilers are in a pickle with the cap and last year was a kick in the jewels for real fans of the team, not the ones that find a negative in every win or revel in every loss, but Anton Thun (Nurse’s agent) could’ve accepted the bridge contract that was on the table weeks ago instead of bitching and moaning that $5M wasn’t enough to get Darnell under contract long-term. Hanifin and his agent were fine with it, there’s no reason Thun shouldn’t be.

Then again CnB would probably just dig around and find something else to make fun of.

The Oilersnation mailbag had a question this week that asked who had the most pressure on them in 2018/19 and why? The leader of the “I’ve Heard Things” Gang Baggedmilk had this gem,

Chiarelli and it’s not close. Why? I’m glad you asked. If he screws up yet another year with the Connor McDavid led Oilers, he’ll go down as arguably one of the worst GMs in NHL history. Not only will he lose his job, he’ll probably never get another one. Clock’s ticking, Pete.

One of the worst GMs in NHL history? If one truly believes that Peter Chiarelli could be one of the worst GMs in the history of the NHL, their Chia-hate is strong and they’re flat out ignorant. It’s weak, it’s unoriginal, and it’s low-hanging fruit.

Do better. Be better. Mike Milbury’s reputation depends on it.

We should blame him for building a team that made it to the playoffs in year 2 of his tenure after a decade out of the playoffs? Sure, why not? Blame him for the injuries and slumps that occurred last year. Sure, Peter Chiarelli was the sole man responsible for the Oilers PP and PK, not the coaching staff. He should be the one out there on the ice showing the players how it’s done, not McLellan or Woodcroft or Johnson. Chiarelli should’ve strapped on the pads and put himself in the net last season too because that would’ve been a sure sign of a GM taking responsibility.

I mean let’s blame him for firing McLellan’s seemingly competent coaching staff and replacing them with inferior coaches (probably, right?). Chiarelli never rights his wrongs. He just sits up in his office and counts the cash whilst laughing maniacally. The Jussi Jokinen for Mike Cammalleri was a mistake too, right? Chia should’ve stuck with the Finn who was obviously out of favor with the coach.

Every GM has made poor moves and I’ll never say that Chiarelli hasn’t made them, because he has. What I won’t do is put the blame solely on his shoulders because it’s not the right thing to do. Everybody plays a part in the success and failure of a hockey team.

Besides, if you think Katz would outright fire Chiarelli, you haven’t been paying attention. He’s not going to pay Chiarelli to sit on his sofa. Chiarelli would still be in charge as POHO (President of Hockey Operations) but he wouldn’t be the guy making the moves and signings. I can only assume Keith Gretzky would be the new GM.

GOALIES FOR THE 2019 NHL ENTRY DRAFT

My boy Max (@TPEhockey) has set us up with another sweet 2019 NHL draft prospect report. Give him a follow on Twitter for more!

As the 2019 NHL Entry Draft approaches two candidates for the top goaltender of the draft class have pulled away from the rest. Dustin Wolf and Spencer Knight have shown potential unrivaled by the rest of this year’s draft class, the 2018 class, and the 2017 class. In 2019 we expect at least one of Knight or Wolf to crack the first round.

Dustin Wolf spent the 2017-18 season playing backup to Philadelphia top prospect Carter Hart. With that Wolf was handed the starting position when Hart was out from illness and the World Juniors. In that time he showed his immense potential as he won CHL Goaltender of the Week and finished the season with a save percentage of .928 in 20 games that put him at 2nd in that category only behind the previously mentioned Carter Hart. Wolf was named to the American Hlinka Gretzky team and took the starting job.

Wolf has accomplished a lot, but let’s get into his game. Wolf’s game is highlighted by his technical play that is common with a lot of upcoming high-level goaltenders. Every movement is calculated and crisp. He doesn’t panic when out of position and makes a recovery using his skating ability and edges. Wolf is a butterfly goaltender and makes a lot of his movements on his knees. He’s good at sealing the ice which prevents him from opening up holes when moving.

Another quality to his game is his puck tracking and vision. Screens and tipped shots don’t phase him since often a shot is taken through a screen and Wolf can easily find it and pick it out of the air.

The hits on Wolf are his size and ability to take up the net. He measures in at about 183cm (6’0”) which is under the expected height for a top goaltending prospect at 188 (6’2”). This doesn’t combine well with his lack of aggressiveness. Wolf relies a little too much on his lightning quick reflexes and could come out of his net more to take away space. Although this isn’t a huge issue as it’s something he could easily fix as he progresses his game.

The most outstanding quality of Wolf is his unmatched puck handling ability.

The Everett Silvertips basically have a 3rd defensemen on their team in Dustin Wolf. Multiple times a game he will come out to the faceoff dot to jump-start a breakout. Other times he will come out to the top of the circles to make a pass to a winger as the opposing team changes. This has resulted in Wolf putting together 4 points in 20 games. This would place him ahead of 10 players on his team in terms of points per game. Out of 27 players on the Silvertips that played 10+ games, he ranks 21st in total points.

From what I’ve seen Dustin Wolf is the best puck playing goaltender in junior hockey right now.

The next player in contention for the 1st round is Spencer Knight. Knight spent last year playing in the US Development Program. As a 16 y/o he played most of the season with the U17 team but got a significant amount of time playing with the U18 team. Knight was also sent to the U18 World Juniors and took the starting spot and played fairly well. Lastly this summer he was one of four goaltenders that played at the World Junior Summer Showcase. In limited appearances, Knight performed well enough to become a serious contender to be named to the U20 World Juniors in December.

Knight’s game is a lot like many of the top goaltenders that have been drafted throughout the past few years. He is a big guy at 191cm (6’3”) who is a great skater and focuses on puck tracking. Knight is good on his edges which allows him to use his outstanding athleticism to move quickly across the crease. He moves quickly and explosively across the net, except he often can’t control these movements. This causes him to often end up out of position after a slide taking him past his post which makes it hard to recover. The best quality to Knight is his aggressiveness and ability to take up the net. Knight can come out, make a save, and recover to his post with his edges and athleticism. The troubles with Knight come from his lack of control, as mentioned previously, and his weakness in his high glove.

Wolf and Knight are the only real contenders for the 1st round but there are other interesting prospects to watch.

Nolan Maier is next in line, he plays for the Saskatoon Blades in the WHL and had a solid run last season. Maier is good at reading the game and has above-average athleticism. The biggest concern with Maier is his lack of consistency as he got lit up off easy goals multiple times last season.

Hugo Alnefelt is also an intriguing prospect out of Sweden. Alnefelt dominated in the J18 Elit league, a U18 league in Sweden, and got some opportunities with the HV71 U20 squad where he struggled. Although Alnefelt was great at the Hlinka tournament and also was outstanding in a recent summer tournament.

The last prospect that needs to be highlighted is Roman Basran of the Kelowna Rockets. I’ve written about Basran before as he was one of my sleepers for this draft. This was because Basran played great in the WHL but in a very small sample size. He started the season with his youth team before moving up to play with the Rockets. He only played 10 games, and if he can replicate his success into a whole season then he will be a very talked about player.

The 2019 goaltending class is very strong compared to past years. Rarely do we see multiple goaltenders challenge for spots in the 1st round. While there aren’t any Ilya Samsonovs or Andrei Vasilevskys this year’s top 2 prospects should be highly coveted. Comparing this year to last year we saw Olof Lindbom and Oilers pick Olivier Rodrigue go in the 2nd round. Those two are most comparable to Nolan Maier and Hugo Alnefelt who will likely go mid to late 2nd round. In the end, 2019 is a great year to watch for goaltending prospects.

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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects, Rumors

A New-ish Oilers Rumor + 6 Sleepers for the 2019 NHL Entry Draft

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The Oilers are getting into the news more and more these days and I’m loving it! That means we’re getting closer to the season and that I can look forward to the temperatures cooling off…

So today we’ve got a trade rumor that simply won’t die as well as six sleepers for the 2019 NHL Entry Draft from the new guy, Max!

After you…

A NEW-ISH TRADE RUMOR

Bob Stauffer, Lowetide, Kurt Leavins, and David Staples have talked about it recently.  We’ve briefly written about it here as well in the past week as well…

With the Oilers loading up on no.6/7 dmen and no.13/14 forwards, are they getting ready to trade a forward for a defender to replace the injured Andrej Sekera?

https://twitter.com/oilersfan1991/status/1032494649619898368

https://twitter.com/oilersfan1991/status/1032495766361669632

Justin Faulk has a modified no-movement clause that kicks in this year and with that comes a 15-team list. So basically he has told Carolina which teams he’s not interested in going to and which ones he is IF they decide to move him.

When we talk about what it’d take to acquire Faulk we first look at the return the Hurricanes got for Skinner and it was a shite return, let’s be honest. That said, I do not think that current Carolina GM Don Waddell had a whole lot to work with in that trade given Jeff Skinner was vetoing deals left and right.

I do think that he’s got a bit more flexibility with the Faulk trade. The only pressure he has is from his boss who isn’t interested in paying Faulk $6M a year to play 3rd-pairing TOI.

I’ve spoken on Twitter about the Oilers offering Zack Kassian and picks/prospects for Faulk and the reason being I believe that Kassian is really the only guy that Chiarelli is comfortable moving. Leavins has suggested Caggiula. Either way, a bottom-6 player from the Edmonton Oilers that plays a rugged style and might be overpaid slightly seems like the tender in which the Oilers are willing to pay for Justin Faulk.

If that is the case, they won’t get him. Toronto and Chicago both have the goods to give Carolina a much better offer.

Other things to consider:

  • How will acquiring Faulk affect the next expansion list for Edmonton?
  • Will the Oilers be over a barrel cap-wise sooner or later?
  • Are the Oilers really that desperate for Faulk?
  • Is Edmonton on Faulk’s “list”?
  • If those offers from Edmonton could “get it done”, why hasn’t the deal been made yet?
  • What happens when Sekera returns?
  • Would the Oilers be better off down a top-9 winger in a deal for Faulk or with the current roster as is?

Of course, Peter Chiarelli could offer Puljujarvi (god no…) or try and make a bigger deal with Nugent-Hopkins (I’ll hop on the fire Chia bandwagon if he moves RNH for Faulk straight across…).

Do the Oilers NEED Justin Faulk?

Thoughts? Please leave them in the comments below!

SIX SLEEPERS FOR THE 2019 NHL ENTRY DRAFT

My man Max is at it again! This time he’s offered up his six sleepers for the upcoming NHL entry draft in Vancouver next summer! Will the Edmonton Oilers get their hands on one of these beauties? Only time will tell but let’s dig in and see what Max has for us!

Follow him on Twitter @TPEHockey

Roman Basran – G (Kelowna Rockets, WHL) – 185cm, 78kg – 10GP – .926 Sv%

Basran started the 17/18 season playing youth hockey in the B.C. Hockey Major Midget League, but by the end of the season he was dominating the Western Hockey League. Basran’s stats portray a goaltender that could be an early round pick in the draft except he only played 10 games. In his short time in the WHL he registered his first shutout on a 38 save game. Basran possesses a lot of natural skill as he didn’t lace up the skates until he was 9 years old. We ultimately need to see more of him to decide what he really is, and if he continues his great play we are looking at a high-level prospect.

Josh Williams – RW (Medicine Hat, WHL) – 185cm, 84kg – 47GP – 11G – 9A – 20TP

After struggling last season Josh Williams as he was given restricted minutes on the bottom 6 for Medicine Hat, and didn’t do as well as most hoped. Although when playing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and international U17 camps where he got more opportunities he outperformed expectations. At the Hlinka, he scored 5 goals and an assist and displayed his hard shot and quick thinking. Williams possesses great speed, skill, and talent. If he can gain confidence and receive more opportunities then I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in contention for the 1st round of the draft.

Nick Robertson – C/LW (Peterborough Petes, OHL) – 175cm, 73kg – 62GP – 15G – 18A – 33TP

Robertson is one of the youngest players in the draft class being only 4 days off of the September 15th cut off. Much like Josh Williams, he struggled at the beginning of the season until, unlike Williams, he was given more opportunities to succeed in a bigger role. Robertson began to score more goals and display his true talent. He is known for his competitive drive, high-level skating ability, and hands to match. He exploded in the Hlinka tournament scoring a hat-trick against Canada showing that when given the opportunity he could perform.

Ville Heinola – LD (Ässät U20, Jr. A SM-Liiga) – 181cm, 79kg – 33GP – 3G – 14A – 17TP

This new age mobile defenseman is highlighted by his elite poise and two-way abilities. Heinola skates, handles the puck, and plays with unmatched poise. He’s calm and composed with the puck and in the defensive zone. Heinola played in the Finnish U20 league and looks to play in the pro league with Lukko next year. He’s flown under the radar all year but if he can crack the pro roster then he will surely get more attention.

Xavier Simoneau – C (Drummondville Voltigeurs, QMJHL) – 167cm, 78kg – 61GP – 17G – 28A – 45TP

As a rookie playing for Drummondville, Simoneau played both the power play and penalty kill. He is a solid two way player with a lot of hockey sense. He’s regarded as one of the smartest players coming out of the QMJHL this year which is why he was played so heavily on the special team units. The hit on Simoneau is his size and is likely why he hasn’t gotten a lot of attention. As we see him more and people get past his size he will rise on everyone’s rankings.

Yaroslav Likhachyov – RW (Lokomotiv, Russia U17) – 180cm, 76kg – 22GP – 16G – 24A 40TP

Likhachyov is a highlight reel player that plans to play for Gatineau in the QMJHL. This year he was the 22nd pick in the CHL Import Draft after his stint playing in Russia’s U17 league. Likhachyov is known for his outstanding skill and talent with the puck. He’s got great hands and has the ability stickhandle with little space and get a shot off with his quick release. The hit on Likhachyov though is his skating and play away from the puck. His issue is that his feet can’t keep up with his hand. If he can work on his speed and complete game we are looking at a first round talent.

Do you have a sleeper for the upcoming draft? Let us know in the comments below!

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Oilers’ Puljujarvi to Star in Finnish Children’s TV Show + NEW 2019 NHL Draft Rankings

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I am sure that some of you who are reading this have seen some pics floating around Twitter of the Oilers’ Jesse Puljujarvi playing hockey with children back in Finland. Well, it turns out that he’s playing a big part in a Finnish children’s TV show called “Pikku Kiekko” which I’m told translates to “Little Puck”.

After asking my Finnish sources what this TV show as all about, I was sent some links to help out.

This show is documenting a hockey club they have in Oulu called The Kiimingin Kiekko-Pojat (KKP) Special Hockey team. Now the reason that this club is so special is that it is a team made up players who are physically and mentally challenged.

KKP Special Hockey is the first team of its kind in all of Finland. It was founded around 2015.

“We started a year ago with a clear goal in our minds. We wanted to offer children with special needs an opportunity to play ice hockey and make friends through the hobby”, says the team leader Jaana Lauri. (Source)

If you’re not exactly sure what “Special Hockey” is, you’re not alone. I have never read or seen anything about it until I decided to write this post. This is what Wikipedia has to tell us about it:

Special Hockey is a version of ice hockey adapted for athletes with a developmental disability or cognitive disorder. It differs from ice sledge hockey, which was developed instead for athletes with a physical disability. 

Special hockey is sometimes known as adaptive hockey, and emphasizes fun, teamwork, social interaction, and providing an environment adapted to the ability of the participant. It provides an opportunity to be accepted and part of a team, that otherwise would not exist. Special hockey programs are open to males and females of all ages, not just children. 

Special hockey uses standard ice hockey equipment, has modified ice hockey rules such as no offside, icing, or penalties, and is a non-contact sport without scores and standings. (Source)

That sounds like a helluva lot of fun!

I’m very proud that such a young man like Jesse Puljujarvi would lend his time and his heart to such a wonderful cause. It shows great maturity and character for a person of his age to align himself with a Special Hockey team in Finland.

The Edmonton Oilers are a very lucky club to have such a caring individual in their organization. Not that he’s the only one, that’s not what I’m saying but if I hear Dan Tencer wonder aloud how much time Pulju spends alone and question Jesse’s work ethic, I’m going to puke.

Tell ya what, let’s throw Dan Tencer into rural Finland to scout hockey and see how he fares. I can almost assure you that he’d be spending a lot more time alone that Pulju does… Difference being, the Finns would treat him a helluva lot better than Tencer does when Jesse Puljujarvi isn’t around.

Anyways… Rant over. I wanted to get that off my chest.

I also want to throw up the BLH top-31 draft prospects for the 2019 draft!

I met a young fella online who loves prospects and I asked him to come aboard the BLH train to educate my readers about the young prospects coming up. This gentleman’s name is Max and he runs the Twitter account @TPEHockey. Give him a follow and without further adieu, his rankings!

1) Jack Hughes C (USNTDP, USHL) – 179cm, 73kg – 27GP – 21G – 33A – 54TP

There is no doubt that Jack Hughes will become a dynamic franchise-changing center. His skating ability and pure skill are unmatched, and that combined with his knowledge for the game allowed him to tear apart the USHL at just 16. His point totals with the USNTDP outside of the USHL ranks only behind Auston Matthews with 116 points in 60 games compared to 117 in 60 from Matthews.

2) Kaapo Kakko RW (TPS Turku U20, Jr. A SM-Liiga) – 186cm, 82kg – 38GP – 25G – 30A – 55TP

Kakko spent last season tearing down the Finnish U20 League. His 55 points in 38 games gives him the 3rd best point per game total of a 16-year-old only behind Mikael Granlund and Jesse Puljujärvi. Kakko is known for his skill, hockey sense, and mobility.

3) Alex Newhook C (Victoria Grizzlies, BCHL) – 180cm, 83kg – 45GP – 22G – 44A – 66TP

Newhook is a Boston College commit that will play for Victoria in the BCHL. Despite the perceived weakness of that league, Newhook impressed scouts. His explosive speed and quick shot allows him to create opportunities whenever the puck is on his stick.

4) Alex Turcotte C (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 88kg – 31GP – 8G – 24A – 32TP

Playing with high speed in every zone Turcotte is a high level two-way center. He spent much of last season in the shadow of Jack Hughes playing mostly with the U17 team, but got some time playing with the U18s. Turcotte has been a prodigy since he was a 10 year old when he scored 13 points in 6 games at the Brick Invitational in Edmonton.

5) Dylan Cozens C (Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL) – 191cm, 80kg – 57GP – 22G – 31A – 53TP

The native of Whitehorse, Yukon was the WHL Rookie of the Year despite a tough rookie class including Kirby Dach and Peyton Krebs. Cozens is an all-around center who can do nearly anything. He combines the speed and skill that has thrived in today’s game with size and physicality.

6) Kirby Dach C (Saskatoon Blades, WHL) – 192cm, 84kg – 52GP – 7G – 39A – 46TP

Dach is another star forward coming out of the Western League, and not the last one. He showed his worth early at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in which Dach was an essential playmaker for Team Canada. He drove offense in all situations for Canada, and was essential in their gold medal run. Dach’s focus is always on offense, and is always a fun player to watch.

7) Anttoni Honka D (JYP Jyväskylä, Liiga) – 179cm, 77kg – 20GP – 2G – 7A – 9TP

Honka spends much of last year in the Finnish U20 league but got 20 games with the big club in the Finnish pro league. The brother of Dallas prospect Julias Honka also played in last year’s World Junior U18 tournament and in the U20 Summer Showcase. Honka shined in both tournaments and established his position as the top defensive prospect for this draft.

8) Bowen Byram D (Vancouver Giants, WHL) – 183cm, 81kg – 60GP – 6G – 21A – 27TP

The Swiss Army Knife defensemen plays in all situations for Vancouver in the WHL and for Canada. Byram controls the game and projects as a power play quarterback and top 2 defensemen. He showed his immense skill and passing ability in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and memorably made an amazing pass to Dylan Cozens who tied the semifinal game against the USA in a controversial goal that maybe shouldn’t have counted.

9) Raphaël Lavoie C/W (Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL) – 193cm, 87kg – 68GP – 30G – 33A – 63TP

Lavoie is another top prospect coming out of the Halifax Mooseheads organization. He is a big bodied forward who is a force in front of the net. Lavoie made the U20 Summer Showcase team, and out performed many 19-year-olds. He also played in the World Junior U18 last season scoring 5 goals in 5 games.

10) Peyton Krebs C/LW (Kootenay Ice, WHL) – 180cm, 78kg – 67GP – 17G – 37A – 54GP

The 2016 WHL 1st overall pick always has the puck following him. He is a passionate player with a deadly wrist shot that can pick a corner from anywhere in the offensive zone.

11) Vasili Podkolzin RW (Vityaz Podolsk U17, Russia U17) – 181cm, 75kg – 21GP – 13G – 17A – 30TP

Podkolzin had a solid season playing in Russia’s U17 league, but exploded at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He was captain of the Russian team and led the tournament in points and goals. He displayed his complete game, blistering speed, and highlight reel skill.

12) Philip Broberg D (AIK J20, SuperElit) – 190cm, 90kg – 23GP – 6G – 7A – 13TP

One of the most intriguing prospects is Philip Broberg. He had a mediocre season in the Swedish U20 league and didn’t look like a first rounder. He played 22 games with the Swedish U17 team where he only put up 3 assists. This was before going to the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and exploding. Broberg was hands down the most effective defensemen at the tournament and displayed his puck carrying skills and speed. Although Broberg seemed to lack lateral agility that often comes with elite puck carriers. We’ll just have to wait to see what Broberg really is.

13) Cole Caufield RW/C (USNTDP, USHL) – 168cm, 70kg – 32GP – 23G – 10A – 33TP

Caufield is another very interesting prospect as he clocks in at only 168cm (5’6”). Despite his tiny frame, he is an electrifying goal scorer that lit up the U17 World Hockey Championship and U18 World Juniors last season. Caufield is an ultra skilled forward with some of the most natural talent in the draft class.

14) Jakob Pelletier C/W (Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL) – 175cm, 72kg – 60GP – 23G – 38A – 61TP

Pelletier is primarily a playmaker with solid goal scoring ability. He is known for his shiftiness and puck carrying ability. Pelletier would have led 2001 born QMJHL players in goals, assists, and points if it wasn’t for 2020 prospect Alexis Lafreniére.

15) Cam York D (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 75kg – 33GP – 3G – 11A -14TP

Another US Development Program product slides into the top 15 and this time a defenseman. York spent a lot of time with the U18s in the USNTDP, and was a driving offensive force in the U18 World Juniors. Even being a year younger than much of the competition he was the USA’s number 1 defensemen at the U18s.

16) Ryan Suzuki C (Barrie Colts, OHL) – 183cm, 78kg – 64GP – 14G – 30A – 44TP

Suzuki was the 1st overall pick of the 2017 OHL Draft. He is one of the smartest players and best passers in this draft. Those two aspects combined lead to some amazing plays that make him look like a magician. He also has quite the wrist shot that he likes to use from the left dot.

17) Mikko Kokkonen D (Imatran Ketterä, Mestis) – 180cm, 86kg – 29GP – 0G – 9A – 9TP

Kokkonen spent last year mainly playing in the Finnish version of the AHL, Mestis. He was a key player for Finland in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and last year’s World Junior U18 tournament.

18) Tobias Björnfot D (Djurgårdens IF J20, SuperElit) – 183cm, 85kg – 42GP – 6G – 16A – 22TP

Even though he often struggled in international competition Björnfot has performed well in Sweden’s U20 league. He has solid 2 way ability and is a good passer.

19) Trevor Zegras C (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 72kg – 31GP – 11G – 21A – 32TP

Zegras was in a tough spot in the USNTDP playing not only behind Jack Hughes but Alex Turcotte too. Despite that he performed very well for the U17 team and put up very impressive point totals.

20) Simon Holmström RW (HV71 J20, SuperElit) – 181cm, 78kg – 20GP – 11G – 19A – 30TP

Holmström thrived playing in the U20 league in Sweden and even got a shot at playing in the SHL. That being said Holmström has struggled with injuries and hasn’t played in many international tournaments. He is the strongest candidate to rise as he gets more exposure.

21) Nils Höglander LW (AIK, Allsvenskan) – 174cm, 84kg – 34GP – 3G – 4A – 7TP

While splitting time between the Swedish 2nd pro league and Swedish U20 league Höglander was on a point per game pace in the U20s before being moved up to the 2nd league. Although Höglander struggled to make an impact in international play.

22) Maxim Cajkovic W (Malmö Redhawks J20) – 180cm, 85 kg – 28GP – 10G – 11A – 21TP

Cajokvic spent last season playing in the SuperElit league but broke out at the U18 World Juniors where he led the tournament in points per game. He will play next year in Saint John as he was the first pick in this year’s CHL Import Draft.

23) Arthur Kaliyev LW (Hamilton Bulldogs, OHL) – 188cm, 86kg – 68GP – 31G – 17A – 48TP

The Bulldogs rookie goal scorer surprised by making the Hamilton roster, and went on to lead U17 players in the OHL in goals and points. Although Kaliyev disappointed in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup as he was outplayed by his linemate Nick Robertson who is an early 2nd rounder.

24) Blake Murray C (Sudbury Wolves, OHL) – 188cm, 81kg – 57GP – 21G – 23A – 44TP

Murray is a comparable player to Kaliyev who specializes is goal scoring. He came up 2nd in U17 OHL goals and points behind Kaliyev.

25) Marshall Warren D (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 73kg – 34GP – 5G – 13A – 18TP

The two-way defender is known as a premier athlete who battled hard and plays with passion. He has a great shot in the offensive zone and is shut down in the defensive zone. Warren is also a great skater with speed going backwards and a lot of mobility.

26) Dustin Wolf G (Everett Silvertips, WHL) – 183cm, 68kg – 20GP – .928Sv%

Wolf is the best goalie in this draft. Last season he was the backup to CHL superstar goaltender Carter Hart, but got a lot of good games when Hart was out for the U20 World Juniors. In that stretch Wolf won CHL Goalie of the week, and maintained the high save percentage he had while playing easier competition as the backup. Wolf is a smaller goalie at only 183cm (6’0”) and if he was a bit taller he’d certainly be more talked about. He is also a great puck handler, in only 20 games Wolf recorded 4 assists leading him to having a higher point per game than about 10 players on his team.

27) Matthew Boldy C/W (USNTDP, USHL) – 183cm, 79kg – 34GP – 12G – 23A – 35TP

A skilled offensive player with good skating ability. Boldy was on fire in the USHL except didn’t get a shot at playing with the U18s, and didn’t get to play at the U18 World Juniors either.

28) Albin Grewe C/RW (Djurgårdens IF J20, SuperElit) – 182cm, 80kg – 36GP – 10G – 17A – 27TP

Grewe left a lot to be desired after his regular season and international play. Although in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup he showed off his skill set and speed before being pulled out after an injury.

29) Samuel Poulin LW (Sherbrooke Phoenix, QMJHL) – 185cm, 94kg – 55GP – 16G – 29A – 45TP

The 2nd overall pick in the 2017 QMJHL Draft was taken only behind Alexis Lafreniére and made an immediate impact for Sherbrooke. He’s another high talent forward coming out of the Q along with Pelletier and Lavoie.

30) Nolan Foote LW (Kelowna Rockets, WHL) – 191cm, 85kg – 50GP – 13G – 27A – 40TP

The son of star NHL defensemen Adam Foote and brother of 2017 Tampa Bay 1st rounder Callan Foote. Unlike his family Foote plays the wing but has the same big frame and physical ability as the rest of his family.

31) Alex Vlasic D (USNTDP, USHL) – 196cm, 86kg – 34GP – 4G – 9A – 13TP

Vlasic is a towering stay at home defender who is shut down in his own zone. He is great positionally and a smart player. His remarkable height and ability to use his stick to defend makes Chara an easy comparable.

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