Tag Archives: AHL

Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

(12/20/2020) – BLH’s NHL Rumor Roundup PM Edition: “They Could Be Enticing to a Playoff Contender”

BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Aaron Ekblad, Artem Anisimov, Mike Hoffman, Corey Perry, and more!

Watch 16yr Old Wayne Gretzky Destroy the Czechs at the ’78 World Juniors!

Watch Connor McDavid help Team Canada end a five-year WJHC gold medal drought right here!

Evan Bouchard has been recalled from his loan in Sweden, now he’s got to make the Oilers or his future could be cloudy. Read about that here.

Read what TSN’s Craig Button had to say about Carter Savoie, Dylan Holloway, and the 2020 World Juniors right here!

At the 2010 World Juniors, Jordan Eberle was a hero but it was all for naught in the Gold Medal Final… Watch the epic 6-5 battle with Team USA in its entirety right here.

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NHL Rumors and Speculation

  • Bruce Garrioch (Ottawa Sun): Talks have heated up on UFA winger Mike Hoffman with as many as six teams involved in the discussions.
  • Josh Kloke (The Athletic): In order to generate income for the upcoming season, some AHL clubs are currently looking into selling broadcast rights to their games to various TV stations.
  • Frank Seravalli (TSN): Players and staff will be limited to the game rink, practice rink, or team hotel, Seravalli reported. Seravalli added the language in the travel protocols continues to change and will further with input from provincial health authorities. There will be no guests allowed in hotel rooms, no use of hotel gyms, and no housekeeping, per Seravalli. Players will also be assigned seats on buses and planes, with in-flight catering eliminated where feasible.
  • Larry Brooks (New York Post): It is unclear whether the NHL is instituting a COVID-19 restricted list, apart from regular injured reserve, what regulations would govern it and how it would affect the cap. Would a virus-related recall be calculated differently under the cap than a normal-course recall?
  • Shug McSween (NHLTradeRumors.me): Would you deal Aaron Ekblad for Patrik Laine?

BLH’s Thoughts: I wouldn’t if I were GM of either team. The Jets don’t have anybody coming up in their system that can score goals like Laine can and the Panthers are lacking at top-pairing right-shot defender who could take over for Ekblad.

That said, if both teams were okay with taking a step back for a season or two, a Barkov/Laine tandem in FLA would be something to watch and Morrissey/Ekblad top-pairing in WPG could help massively. 

  • Anthony Scultore (Daily Goal Horn): Here is a portion of his list of the top PTO candidates for the upcoming 2020-21 NHL season,
    • Derrick Brassard – C –  “He scored 32 points in 66 games last season but really showed something for the surprising Islanders in return to play.”
    • Corey Perry – W –  “He would be a nice third line add for many teams but would need to prove himself at camp in this economy.”
    • Craig Anderson – G – “Anderson has been the backbone for a very bad Ottawa Senators franchise for a long time. On most nights, the Senators would’ve been blown out of the water if not for this 17-year veteran.”
    • Jimmy Howard – G – “He’s only played for one franchise, but is probably eager to get with a contender. I wouldn’t be surprised if his agent hasn’t already called the Caps.”
    • Carl Soderberg – C – “Teams looking for a third or fourth line center that can be tough in the defensive zone should look at Carl.”

BLH’s Thoughts: I dunno folks… I love a good vet but aside from Brassard, these players really look well past their best-before date… Anderson is 39 and has logged a lot of miles for the Sens, how much is really left in his tank? Howard won TWO games last year? Do I have that right? Soderberg is rumored to be heading to Europe. 

  • Lyle Richardson (Spector’s Hockey): Had this to say on a couple of Ottawa Senators who could find themselves becoming trade bait this year,
    • “We shouldn’t rule out Gudbranson or Anisimov also becoming trade candidates near the deadline. Much will depend upon their performances this season but they could be enticing to a playoff contender.”

BLH’s Thoughts: Well, could the Senators find a way to trade those two and upgrade their roster? It seems to me that the Sens from ownership down are ready to take the next step. In my opinion, they’d be best served holding on to Anisimov for at least one more year. Gudbranson, unless he has a real bounce back season, I don’t know how many takers Ottawa is going to find for him. 

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My hometown’s university hockey team needs help due to cutbacks and obviously financial pressures thanks to the pandemic, so they’ve set up a Go Fund Me to try and raise enough money to keep their program alive.

I can’t even begin to imagine how many hours I spent as a boy running around the Max McLean Arena in Camrose at Vikings games. It has to be in the hundreds as my dad took me to as many as we could get to and add in all the Viking Cup games. Without this hockey program, many people wouldn’t have been able to be introduced to the likes of Henrik Lundqvist, Dominik Hasek, Mike Comrie, Olli Jokinen, Mikko Koivu, PJ Axelsson, Dave Tippett, Fernando Pisani, Petr Klima, Sergei Zubov, Ziggy Palffy, Milan Hejduk, Andrei Markov, Henrik Zetterberg, Tuuka Rask, etc. before they became NHL superstars and that’s thanks to the Vikings and the fine people over the years that have worked tirelessly to keep things afloat.

If you have time, visit the Go Fund Me, and if you have an extra buck or two, help out. I know it’s not easy these days, but Camrose without the Vikings would leave a massive hole in the fabric of that town.

Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers: Brandon Manning Incident Revealed!

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or a snowdrift in some parts of Canada), you’ve probably heard that Brandon Manning (property of the Edmonton Oilers) got into a bit of a scuffle with a fella by the name of Bokondji Imama in Bakersfield’s game against the Ontario Reign (LA Kings AHL affiliate). Apparently there was a racial slur used and subsequently, Manning has apologized to Imama in person and a 5-game suspension has been handed out to the defenseman.

I don’t think a lot of people know what set things off and I’d like to offer some clarification on the incident to provide a modicum of context.

What you might not know about Imama is that he’s the kind of player that goes out and gets under the skin of the opposition and he’s a big boy (6’1″ 220lbs) who can take care of himself. I’ve watched a few Bakersfield/Ontario games this year and Imama has been a thorn in the Condors’ side every time. Very Tkachuk-like in the way he plays except he actually fights but he isn’t a very good hockey player. I don’t know if he got 10 shifts in that game the other night.

The game was pretty physical in the first as both teams were taking some big runs at each other, but I think that Matt Benning hit sort of got the ball rolling because right after that Imama was sent out. So not surprisingly, he goes after Bakersfield’s star player, right? To send a message. Those are the kind of tactics that the coaching staff of the Ontario team employs because at the end of the game with about one minute to go and harboring a 3-0 lead, they sent out Brett Sutter, Lance Bouma, Imama, Daniel Brickley, and former Condor Ryan Stanton to faceoff against Tyler Benson, Colby Cave, Ryan McLeod, Evan Bouchard, and Jake Kulevich. This was after both Brad Malone and Keegan Lowe were sent to the showers.

It all really comes down to the officiating… Again. If they called a few more infractions, maybe the tempers stay where they should…

Getting back to the incident.

As you can see, Tyler Benson engages with Imama slightly and then the Reign forward retaliates very aggressively. Uncalled for if you ask me since Ontario was up by two already. So Manning jumps in (and takes a heavy shot to the face for it) because that’s the kind of guy he is and sometime in there or after, the incident occurs.

For clarification in the Manning incident, can report that the word he used was not the same word used in the Aliu/Peters situation. Not that any hurtful words are ever ok, simply reporting for context. – Ryan Rishaug (TSN)

What annoys me is Oilers fans getting all conspiratorial now. How would Darnell Nurse feel about this or Ethan Bear? As if Manning is a card-carrying member of the KKK who just happens to be a hockey player too. Zack Kassian called Matt Tkachuk a “pussy” not too long ago but not a peep out of these folks regarding discrimination towards women or the such.

Now, I’m not saying what Manning did was right because it 100% was not. In the heat of the battle sometimes things get blurted out that are immediately regretted. It happens and most everyone has done it because emotions, but how many of you have had to apologize in the same manner Manning has had to.

There’s got to be some empathy for both parties here I feel. A lot of people can’t even imagine what sort of mindset these players are in when they go to battle like this because they’ve never been professional hockey players.

Again, not saying that using racist insults is right or acceptable and that the world is a much “cleaner” one in that regard now. I’m just saying, shit happens.

I do not believe his contract should be terminated nor should he be called a piece of shit like a lot of folks online are doing since the news broke of the incident. He’s not a piece of excrement, in fact, if you recall, he stepped up for Connor McDavid this year after the Oilers captain took a dodgy hit in San Jose.

He’s done what he can do and he’s accepted his punishment, anybody pining for more than that is looking for attention in my opinion or looking for some way for the Oilers to get out from under his contract which is just a f*cked up justification as it is.

See, what has happened here will follow Manning for the rest of his life, unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how much hate you have in your heart). So, in effect, the punishment may very well last forever. We all know there are Oilers fans out there who still haven’t forgiven him for his altercation with Connor McDavid during 97’s rookie year.

Did Manning do something wrong? Yes. Did he atone for that? That’s for Imama to decide, not you or me.

It’s not like Manning has a history going around being a racist, right? The man apologized both publicly and privately and in addition to that there’s remorse and a willingness to improve. If that’s not enough for you, that’s your problem. He’s the one that has to live with this now, not you. Unless of course, you choose to. Pretty narcissistic, but not unheard of.

As I close this out, I realize it sounds like I’m supporting Manning’s actions and I am, but the ones that followed the incident. The apology was the right thing to do and I support that. What I do not support is the witchhunt and refusal to acknowledge said apology.

Why should some words have meaning and others not?

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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Prospects

Edmonton Oilers Opinion: Puljujarvi Tearing Up the AHL, Matt Tka-turtle and McLellan’s BS

The Edmonton Oilers had a chance to take 2 points from the Calgary Flames last night but gave it away chasing Matty Tkachuk around the ice thus exposing Todd McLellan’s inferior coaching once again this season.

The team is now 9-9-1 and can either go over .500 with a win over Vegas tonight or fall under .500 with a loss.

How long is Todd McLellan’s leash do you think?

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Todd McLellan’s BS

If I were Peter Chiarelli, I’d be phoning up Darryl Katz and getting permission to move forward with a coaching change. This is getting ridiculous.

Cooper Marody played a shade over 3 minutes last night… THREE FOOKIN’ MINUTES! What was the point of inserting him into the lineup? McLellan said they couldn’t get him back into the game because of all the penalties and then by the time they could, they’d shortened the bench.. Geez…

Then the new guy couldn’t break 10 minutes because the coach decided to put Lucic up on the McDavid line to combat Matthew Tkachuk who, by the way, was having NO IMPACT on the actual playing part of the game.

Now, I have no problem with Lucic taking a shift or two now and then with Connor or Leon but the entire 3rd period when the team was looking flat?! No no no no no no. You get Spooner back in the game, you get Marody back in there, and you start playing hockey again. Enough running around looking for payback or at least if you’re looking for blood, start taking out the Gaudreaus, the Lindholms, the Monahans.

Did RNH even play last night? I hardly noticed him.

Like, how is McLellan even running that bench? His decisions are costing the team in a season where he’s coaching for his job…

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Matt Tkachuk

I’ll say this, I think he’s elite and what I mean by that is, he’s the best player in the NHL at not getting caught.

How many times was he punching an Oiler in the face, taking a run at someone, or getting his shots in after the whistles? Yet, no penalties. He’s Teflon. Nothing sticks to that kid and at the same time I hate it and love it. He’s perfect for the game today because he throws chaos into every game he plays. Chaos is good in a league that is so rigid and planned.

That said, he’s playing a very dangerous game. Zack Kassian and Milan Lucic could’ve really hurt him last night (yes, there was a part of me that was hoping one of the Oilers tough guys would’ve knocked him out).

Mark my words. His day will come and it might not even be him getting tuned in. Maybe next time Kassian grabs Gaudreau in the same manner John Scott went after Phil Kessel years ago. Just an apology before the puck drops and then POW! RIGHT IN THE KISSER!

Stauffer made an interesting point on Twitter after the game.

The Oilers could’ve won that game easily had Leon Draisaitl or Jujhar Khaira scored on the three breakaways they had combined. So there’s that.

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Jesse Puljujarvi

I’m so happy I bought the Bakersfield Condors package from AHLTV. I’ve watched both games that Jesse Puljujarvi has played in since being sent down and let me tell you… WOW! Not a sign of poor confidence that I’ve seen.

Remember how Pulju was looking during pre-season when we all thought the Oilers RW depth was sorted? Well, he looks even better than that vs AHL competition.

In his first game, the Condors played ex-Oilers coach Dallas Eakins and the San Diego Gulls. Jesse lined up with Josh Currie and Kailer Yamamoto to start but Woodcroft did end up switching things up later in the game.

The Condors spent WAY too much time in the penalty box and the Gulls made them pay for it. They actually chased Al Montoya from the net early in the game forcing Shane Starrett to mind the net for the rest of the match.

The game will most likely be remembered for career minor-leaguer Corey Tropp sticking Jesse Puljujarvi in the nuts and then proceeding to fight the big Finn after Pulju slapped his stick away. It was not a great showing for Jesse in that department but in the hockey playing department, he was looking like that kid who was dominating the SM-Liigga as a 17-year-old.

He was hitting, skating, shooting, making plays, and just being the end-to-end force we know he can be. Seriously. I have never seen him play like that apart from maybe the World Juniors but even then I’m not sure the physicality was there. He was truly a beast in that game but unfortunately, the Condors dropped the decision 4-0.

The next game was against the Colorado Eagles and Pulju was back at it alongside Josh Currie (again) and Tyler Benson. Jay Woodcroft even had him lined up on the PP in his old trusty spot, half-wall left side. I just remember him and Ethan Bear passing it back and forth trying to figure out who was going to take the one-timer.

I love how Woodcroft is using him. He knows exactly how to use him and it’s so refreshing. You see, Puljujarvi is a line driver. He, like Connor and Leon, loves to swoop into the d-zone and gather the puck in order to drive it through the neutral zone and into the offensive zone but Todd will not allow that on his team. Only Connor is supposed to be doing that I’ve heard.

Great way to put a guy in a position to succeed.

Anyways, Pulju ended the night with a goal and an assist. I believe the goal was the GWG to boot with the Condors winning 4-2. Tyler Benson also had 2 assists.

In both matches, Jesse Puljujarvi was slicing through AHL defenses like a hot Finnish blade through some Valio. It could be the adrenaline but I’m willing to bet that he’s just too good for this league with the way he’s punishing the opposition.

I will add this though, he’s taking shots but they’re a lot like the ones he was taking in Edmonton. From the outside and at distance. He needs to get right in there and flick the wrists as Lemieux used to when he’d score bar-down on a nightly basis in the 90s. That’s my only gripe.

After the first game, where he was bulldozing players and getting into scraps, I felt really proud of Jesse because it’s not easy to take a demotion like that and the way he has chosen to channel that emotion really impresses me. He’s using it to be the better player on the ice and if he continues to play like this, he’ll earn a call-up to the Oilers in no time. Hopefully, by then the Oilers will have a new bench boss that will use him properly.

Just a quick note on some of the other players for Bakersfield.

  • Hebig has been invisible the last two games.
  • Benson is already dominating at this level as a two-way playmaker.
  • Ethan Bear will not be ready this season even though the Oilers could use his passing. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s available in the right trade.
  • Yamamoto has been hot/cold these last two games. He’s good at the AHL-level but he still needs some refinement.

I’ve really enjoyed watching this minor pro hockey. It’s very unpredictable whereas NHL hockey is getting too regimented. Almost like watching football. Set plays are everywhere. I love the mistake-laden hockey as it offers up way more chances.

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Armchair GM, Bakersfield Condors, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Prospects

Edmonton Oilers Prospects: Do the Bakersfield Condors Have the Best Top-6 in the AHL?

News to nobody is the Edmonton Oilers have sent our favorite sons Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield, California to play for Jay Woodcroft’s Flyin’ Condors.

After watching both youngsters tear up the field in the pre-season, it’s been disappointing to watch their performances tail off to the point to where they need to be sent down to the AHL. I’ve thrown a lot of vitriol the direction of Todd McLellan during the first 16 games of the season with how he’s been handling Puljujarvi and even a bit of that has landed on Yamamoto and Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli too.

Speaking of Chiarelli, should he be vilified for waiting so long to move these boys to the minors or praised for actually going through with it? I feel like it’s a bit of column A and a bit of column B. The move was a long-time coming and neither Jesse Puljujarvi or Kailer Yamamoto should’ve needed to in the press box for a week but with that, if Chiarelli had acquired the necessary forwards, perhaps McLellan wouldn’t have had to healthy scratch them.

Just a word on pre-season scoring before we get into the nitty-gritty. Jason Gregor likes to play down the competition during the preseason and I don’t agree with how he more or less mocks any player that performs well in that time because the teams are more or less glorified AHL teams. Isn’t that the utmost perfect time to be performing well when challenged? And all three of Puljujarvi, Yamamoto, and Rattie answered the call. So what were the Oilers supposed to do at that point?

Also, not all of those teams were completely AHL lineups. I believe that Puljujarvi had a helluva game versus the Canucks when they dressed 6 NHL defenseman. Correct me if I’m wrong.

Either way, I support this decision for the long-term development of both Pulju and Yammo and I hope there are no hard feelings. I understand that Jesse isn’t happy with the decision but would he rather be in Edmonton getting shafted by the coach there or in Bakersfield playing for a coach who, we hope, will play the living shite out of him.

TSN’s Darren Dreger recently reported there may be some frustration on the part of Puljujarvi that he didn’t get what many see as a fair shake to build consistency on the Oilers roster. (source)

These boys are only 20 and they’ve got a lot of professional hockey ahead of them. The way I see it is that when Chiasson and Caggiula’s production dries up, as it always does, or injuries rear their ugly mug, they’ll be looking for someone to come in and provide some offense and at that point, Jesse will get the recall because he’s got the most experience at the NHL level.


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WHO’S COMING UP?

The Oilers have 12 forwards at the moment, so they’re going to need a couple of players to replace Pulju and Yammo. My guess is two of the Condors top line of Joseph Gambardella, Patrick Russell, and Brad Malone will be coming up.

I’m sure there’ll be fans who reckon that Tyler Benson should come up or Cameron Hebig or Cooper Marody again but I would counter that argument by saying the Oilers just sent two 20-year-olds down to Bakersfield, why would they recall a couple more young players? Leave those kids in the Bake and let them continue to dominate.

I mean, I could be wrong but I feel like they’ll want older, more mature players to be brought up. Players that are very good at listening to instructions and doing what they’re told. Gambardella is the youngest at 24, then Russell at 25, and then Malone at 29.

Just as an aside, can anybody tell me why Joseph Gambardella wears the #5? I have never seen a forward in my life wear that number. There has to be a story behind it.

DO THE CONDORS HAVE THE BEST TOP-6 IN THE AHL?

Benson-Marody-Puljujarvi
Yamamoto-Malone-Hebig
Christoffer-Currie-Gust
Polei-Esposito-Callahan

That’s what the Condors’ forward lines could look like for their next game against Dallas Eakins’ San Diego Gulls later this upcoming week.

Now just imagine what that’d look like if Edmonton found a way to bring in a couple of proper NHL players and both Gambardella and Russell were on the roster!

Benson-Marody-Puljujarvi
Yamamoto-Currie-Hebig
Gambardella-Malone-Russell
Polei-Esposito-Callahan
Gust/Christoffer (Extra)

That’s a helluva forward group eh?

Brad Malone has been the team’s no.1 center this season but I don’t feel like he has the right tools to play alongside Jesse Puljujarvi. It’s important that he plays with skill players and Marody/Benson will be the best linemates for Pulju at this junction.

Josh Currie could probably rotate in and out on either line 1 or 2 as he’s got some offensive flair to his game.

I subscribed to AHL TV, so I’ll be able to watch the games and let you know how things went for our boys.

TODD McLELLAN’S COMMENTS

We want a confident set of players and if he can’t gain that confidence or that traction here then maybe the best answer is somewhere else (AHL). Those decisions will be made as we go forward.” — Oilers coach Todd McLellan on struggling winger Jesse Puljujarvi

That is a quote taken from Rob Tychkowski, a journalist with the Edmonton Sun and the Edmonton Journal.

I have one question though, why did Tychkowski put AHL in brackets behind “maybe the best answer is somewhere else”?

Do we know for sure that Todd McLellan meant the AHL or was that a shot at Peter Chiarelli? I did ask my sources what they’d heard and their comments remain consistent. The Oilers want to be patient with Puljujarvi and do what’s best for his development but, and this is my opinion, I think if there’s a deal on the table that will make them better this year, they’ll consider it.

If Chiarelli and McLellan are performing their duties with the intentions of saving them, they’re already gone.

Edmonton’s next 7 games ring out as such:

  • Colorado – Top line of Landeskog/MacKinnon/Rantanen are on fire
  • Montreal – Somehow they are tearing through the league on the back of… Max Domi?
  • Calgary – I don’t know how they’re doing it with the goaltenders they have. They’re utter shite.
  • Vegas – Didn’t we say they’d fall back to Earth?
  • SJ – How’s that Karlsson/Burns combo working out for ya there?
  • Anaheim – They’ve had Edmonton’s number for a while but are those the winds of change I hear?
  • LA – They held Calgary to a goal against last night. Can they do the same with the Oilers?

Do you think the Oilers can run the table here? 7/7? That’d be something but I have a feeling those are some lofty wishes.

What do you think?

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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Prospects

David Musil Gonzo?

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David Musil most likely done in the Oilers Org.

Oilers figure he needs a change of scenery. Drafted in 2011, he has had ample time to develop and they’re disappointed by his slowed development. We’ve also got guys coming from recent drafts. Caleb Jones, Ethan Bear and William Lagesson to name a few.

Those are the words I was passed on this evening re: David Musil. I can’t say I’m surprised one bit. The boots were just too much of an obstacle to overcome and being a lefty on the backend did him no help either. Maybe it was just one too many Edmonton Oil Kings as well…

If you’re not aware of David Musil, here are a few quotes to give you an idea of what the Oilers were looking at in previous seasons:

Shoots: L Height: 6-4 Weight: 203
Born: 1993-04-09 Hometown: Delta, BC, Canada Drafted: 2011 by Edmonton, 31st overall

 

 

 

 

PRE-DRAFT

  • David has excellent size and strength and plays a rugged brand of hockey with a bit of a mean streak. He reads developing plays well and uses anticipation to break up plays before they become dangerous. He’s got good hockey sense in all three zones, but his offensive upside is limited due to his mediocre point shot.

    Maintains great gap control and always squares up to the puckhandler. Has good poise, plays solid, mistake-free game in own zone and is excellent positionally. Reads and anticipates developing plays well. Good laterally, but 1st step and straightaway speed are average. Is not good as either a PP quarterback or trigger-man— has weak shot and makes poor decisions in puck distribution. – Red Line Report via Oilers Nation

  • A physically imposing defender, Musil needs to develop more before he could be a serious addition to the Jackets lineup. His style, by his admission, is that of a Chris Pronger type. Of the current Jackets, Musil would be comparable to a Marc Methot type. Strong on playing the body, and while possessing the ability to move the puck, that’s not necessarily his strength. – Jackets Cannon
  • Another aspect of Musil’s game we have heard troubling things about is with the intensity and desire — some NHL evaluators have said that he is the product of hockey coming very easy to him early on and the natural physical advantage he enjoyed at a younger age. Now, his peers are catching up to him and surpassing him, and he’s not consistently bringing the kind of intensity you want. – Lighthouse Hockey

POST-DRAFT

  • With ~300 major junior games on his resumé and another 50 or so in a variety of international events, it’s time to turn him loose in the pros. Variously listed at 6’3 or 6’4 and over 200 pounds, Musil needs to show that he can continue to dominate physically when matched up against older and occasionally larger men. He also needs to prove he can skate with them. For all the outstanding fundamentals of his defensive game, it is his sluggishness afoot that may hold him back from making the bigs, at least for awhile. – Bruce McCurdy, Cult of Hockey
  • In an era where speed is king, David Musil is bucking the trend. Make no mistake about his potential, we’re talking about a player who—if everything breaks right—will play in the NHL as a pure defender and PK man. That’s a third pairing defender, along the lines of Ladislav Smid or Eric Gryba. – Lowetide

So there you have it. The overwhelming consensus is that Musil doesn’t have the footspeed to keep up in today’s NHL and the day of the pure shutdown defender are probably coming to an end and with it, these kinds of players are finding it harder and harder to make it to the NHL.

That said, one could argue that Adam Larsson is a pure shutdown defender. True, but he’s got much better wheels and his hockey IQ, in my opinion, is ridiculously good. He’s also got some of the sweetest hands for a defensive dman. And to add to all of that, he’s got ice in his veins. Perfect for playoff hockey.

I wish David Musil good luck as these AHL loan deals usually mean that the player’s time with their club is over, not helping is Musil’s pending free agent status.  I enjoyed watching him in his cup of coffee with the Oilers a couple of seasons ago. Hopefully, he’ll catch on with a club who isn’t as stacked on the left side and he’ll make an NHL career out of it yet.

What do you think? Should the Oilers be moving on from Musil or should they keep him around? Let us know in the comments below!

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