Tag Archives: avalanche

Brennen York, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

Patrick vs. Hischier: A Battle For Top Spot

Each year there are a number of preconceptions surrounding a draft class. 2015 was hailed as “the best since ‘03” years before it took place, and was praised for its depth in both the first round and throughout the remainder of the draft. With 18/30 first round selections having already played their first NHL game, it’s hard to argue that the preconceptions regarding that draft class were wrong. The preconceptions surrounding the 2017 draft class are vastly different, with many questioning both it’s depth and talent at the top. Though I believe the depth aspect of this draft is lacking, the talent at the top isn’t something to scoff at.

Nolan Patrick vs. Nico Hischier has been the battle presented to the masses this season, and though many, including myself, believe Nolan Patrick will likely be the first overall selection, Nico Hischier has done nothing but impress throughout his rookie QMJHL campaign. Throughout 43 games, Hischier has managed 76 points (1.77 ppg/2nd amongst QMJHL skaters), and has been relied upon in every situation for the Mooseheads, a testament to his ability to think the game at a very high level. His Zetterberg-like approach to the game has made it evident that he will be an effective player at the next level, and given the skills he possesses coupled with his ability to produce at all levels, it’s hard to see him not becoming a top line, point producing NHL player in the near future.

Since his return to the Wheat Kings lineup, Nolan Patrick has been dominant, recording 14 points in 8 games as well as a fight victory against Tyler Wong on January 31st. The Wheat Kings captain has drawn comparisons to Ryan Getzlaf, as the big bodied forward has proven to be an offensive zone force with his ability to push through traffic and be an effective scorer from in tight. He projects to be a top line NHL player, and given his versatility and ability to play in all situations as well as on the wing, he’s an ideal fit for nearly every team. Amongst teams poised to hold the first selection, Colorado would be an ideal fit giving their young core revolving around Nate MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Tyson Jost.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3muLUzDVw0

The most intriguing talking point when looking at these two high-end players is the west coast vs. east coast differences in their games. Teams have their choice of Nico Hischier, a true finesse, speedy, skilled type of forward, similar to Henrik Zetterberg or Nolan Patrick, the powerful, dynamic point producer similar to Ryan Getzlaf. Given the current layout of the NHL standings, both are likely western conference property when it’s all said and done, and regardless of which player goes first, I believe both will be successful NHL Players.

Though Patrick and Hischier have been the two players featured in headlines, they are being pushed by some highly skilled and talented players. Timothy Lijegren, the top-ranked defenceman for this draft has had an up and down year, dealing with mono as well as demotion to Allsvenskan following a disappointing return from his sickness. Liljegren is a highly intelligent, smooth skating defender who’s omission from the Swedish World Junior roster left many confused given his ability to play in all situations as well as produce offensively. He’s a defenceman teams will have to be patient with, and we may end up seeing him spend another year or two in Sweden before coming over, though significant AHL time may not be the worst thing for his development. Casey Mittelstadt of Eden Prairie is a player who will garner attention from teams picking in the top five, and in my opinion may be a top three forward when we look back at this draft five years from now, as he boasts a strong offensive two-way game, and has really proven to be difficult to play against. He’s a solid player whose hard to knock off the puck and can be a dynamic offensive force.

 

Regardless of who is selected first overall, the 2017 draft brings a unique mix of offensive talents, with players who possess a wide range of skillsets and intangibles. It may not have the McDavid or Matthews hype, but any team picking in the top ten is walking away with an excellent player.

Thank you for reading, and if you have any questions or comments be sure to reach me at @DraftGeekHockey on Twitter or comment below!

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Edmonton Oilers, Zach Laing

Oilers vs Avalanche Preview – Oilers look to take advantage of injured Avs

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TALE OF THE TAPE:

Game: Edmonton Oilers (29-38-7, 65 pts. 6-4 in their last 10) vs Colorado Avalanche (37-31-4, 78 pts. 6-4 in their last 10)

Location: Rexall Place, Edmonton, Alberta

Time: 7:30 PM MT

Where to find it: TV: Sportsnet West – Radio: 630 CHED

Edmonton Oilers Preview:

74 down, 8 to go.

After shutting-out the Vancouver Canucks 2-0 Friday night, the Oilers look to take advantage of a team that will be without Matt Duchene, Nathan MacKinnon and Eric Gelinas tonight.

Like the Oilers, the Avs are currently getting hit with the injury bug which is less than ideal for a team competing in a tight race for the playoffs with the Minnesota Wild. Tonight, the Oilers have a chance to stall their efforts, and their playoff hopes.

While Todd McLellan and the coaching staff haven’t been talking to the players about playing spoiler, Zack Kassian realizes the opportunity ahead.

“If we’re not making the playoffs, we might as well take down teams trying to make the playoffs,” said Oilers winger Zack Kassian. “It’s one of those things where this time of the year it’s tough to find things to get motivated for, but at the top of the list is ‘be the spoiler’ and take that dream from other teams.”

Both Jordan Oesterle and Griffin Reinhart received high-praise from Todd McLellan after last Friday’s game that saw them play over 22 minutes each and blocked 11 shots combined.

Reinhart has looked consistently good in the six games since his recall from the Bakersfield Condors, which is exactly what McLellan and co. wanted from him.

Oesterle has been a pleasant surprise since his recall on Mar. 9. In his nine games with Edmonton this season, he has four assists. His play has been really solid and he has played with confidence. Who knows what the Oilers have here, but early indications show that he has some potential to play in the NHL.

Laurent Brossoit gets his fourth start of the season, and it’s a good night for him to get the green light. With the Avalanches two top scorers in Duchene and MacKinnon being out of the lineup the Avs will look to other guys to finish on the ice.

The Oilers are going to need to play a tight game in front of the Bross, and limit the shots he sees.

“We’d like to play tighter,” said McLellan. “When you’re talking about the Vancouver game, I think we addressed that after. We were sluggish, we weren’t sharp, we were sloppy, we found a way to win and Talbs had a large part in that. We’d like to play better in front of LB tonight than we did the other night and it’s as simple as that.”

McLellan hasn’t forgotten that Brossoit is still a young goaltender, saying “sometimes inexperience and understanding who the shooters are and how they score” is part of the challenge facing LB.

I think at this point in time he will certainly be battling for the backup position next season, but may benefit from more AHL experience. With Talbot securing the starting role for at least the next year or two, LB has the ability to take time and develop properly.

Let’s see what the boys can do tonight..

Quotes from oilers.nhl.com.

Predictions for tonight:

  1. Oilers win 3-2.
  2. Griffin Reinhart scores his first NHL goal.
  3. Leon Draisaitl scores the other two goals.

Last games predictions and results:

  1. Oilers beat the Canucks 3-0.
  2. Former Canuck Zack Kassian scores.
  3. CAM TALBOT SHUTOUT!!!!!

Well not bad! Cam Talbot and the Oilers shutout the Canucks 2-0, but Kassian didn’t get a goal despite some chances.

2/3 ain’t too bad.

Avalanche Preview:

There were no updates on forwards Matt Duchene (knee) and Nathan MacKinnon (knee), and defenseman Eric Gelinas (elbow) on Saturday. Colorado recalled forward Mikko Rantanen from San Antonio of the American Hockey League. Duchene missed a 4-3 shootout win against the Calgary Flames on Friday, and Gelinas and MacKinnon left that game. Coach Patrick Roy said Gelinas was out indefinitely and MacKinnon would be re-evaluated Saturday. Captain Gabriel Landeskog will return after a three-game suspension. Goalie Semyon Varlamov is expected to make his sixth straight start; he has won four of his past five games.

— NHL.com

Line Combos and Starting Goalies:

Oilers (Laurent Brossoit):

Taylor Hall – Leon Draisaitl – Iiro Pakarinen
Patrick Maroon – Connor McDavid – Jordan Eberle
Lauri Korpikoski – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Nail Yakupov
Matt Hendricks – Mark Letestu – Zack Kassian

Andrej Sekera – Mark Fayne
Jordan Oesterle – Griffin Reinhart
Darnell Nurse – Adam Clendening

EDM Injuries: Oscar Klefbom (leg infection), Andrew Ference (hip), Eric Gryba (knee), Benoit Pouliot (shoulder), Brandon Davidson (knee), Adam Pardy (hand).

Colorado Avalanche (Calvin Pickard):

Avs Lines tentative due to injuries.

Mikkel Boedker – Nathan MacKinnon – Blake Comeau
Mikhail Grigorenko – John Mitchell – Jarome Iginla
Shawn Matthias – Carl Soderberg – Andreas Martinsen
Cody McLeod – Jack Skille – Andrew Bodnarchuk

Francois Beauchemin – Erik Johnson
Nick Holden – Tyson Barrie
Eric Gelinas – Chris Bigras

Any ideas on how to improve my game previews? Send me an email at zjlaing@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter.

Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Zach Laing

Oilers vs Avs Preview – Basically just a rant

 

TALE OF THE TAPE:

Game: Edmonton Oilers (22-31-6) vs Colorado Avalanche (30-26-4)

Location: Rexall Place, Edmonton

Time: 8:00 PM MT

Where to find it: TV: CBC – Radio: 630 CHED

Edmonton Oilers Preview:

After losing another tough one against the Minnesota Wild, the Oilers need to find some way to get back on track. But really, what is the track? Obviously this team is in a position where every single win counts and they have been hard to come by in 2016.

After a solid December where the Oilers went 7-6-1 the team has only won seven of their last 20 games starting on Jan 1.

The truth is, I really don’t know what to write about in these pregames anymore. The Oilers are not winning games, and there are a few reasons you can pin it on.

Mainly, the team just isn’t good enough. The injuries have piled up all season and as weird it sounds the injury to Eric Gryba is a big one too. He has been a really solid 3rd pairing guy for us this year and there isn’t anyone on the Oilers defence who plays like Gryba does.

Despite the fact the injuries have piled up, the Oilers do not have the organizational depth to have players come up from the Bakersfield Condors and fill in at an acceptable level. Brad Hunt, Rob Klinkhammer, Andrew Miller, Nikitia Nikitin and Griffin Reinhart just were unable to perform at the level we needed them too. In order for this team to be able to survive a full 82 game schedule – let alone a playoff run – there needs to be players that can slide into the lineup and be effective players.

JJ Khaira was a pleasant surprise earlier in the year and outperformed my expectations which is good to see. Hopefully he will be back up.

Despite the fact that Oscar Klefbom has been lost for nearly the entire season, Connor McDavid missed 37 games with the *shudder* Broken Clavicle and now Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is out with a broken hand things are not easy. Really, that’s two top six centres as well as the defenceman who is arguably the best on the Oilers.

It’s tough to watch, because you see this top six group of forwards who are just oozing with talent and ability, but they aren’t able to be as effective as they can be. The bottom six of this Oilers team is a mess sans Matt Hendricks and Iiro Pakarinen (who is awesome).

Nail Yakupov is having a complete identity crisis as he tries to find out how to play in the NHL. He has all of the offensive ability to play in the top six, but he plays the game faster than he processes it. That is a problem for someone who has been an elite winger his whole career and now he is stuck playing a bottom six role he is not accustomed to.

I don’t even want to get started on the backend. I’m literally not even talking about it until the trade deadline is over.

The Oilers have the ability to beat a team like Colorado given the similarities between how the rosters are made up. I’m such an optimist that I feel the Oilers can win any game on any given night, but that doesn’t often happen when it should. Look at a game like Minnesota, where the Oilers dominated the even strength game all night but stupid mistakes put us on the Penalty Kill where the Wild capitalized on their opportunity.

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Okay, enough ranting. I feel a lot better now. Thanks for putting up with that.

Go Oilers, and hopefully we pull out a W.

Predictions for tonight:

  1. The Oilers break their losing streak, and end beat the Avs 3-0. CAM TALBOT SHUT OUT!
  2. Nail Yakupov scores for his second in two games.
  3. Connor McDavid does McDavidian things.

Avs Preview: 

Goalie Calvin Pickard will start, and Varlamov will play against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday. Goalie Reto Berra was sent to San Antonio of the American Hockey League for a two-week conditioning assignment. Berra has been out since Dec. 29 with an ankle injury. Defenseman Nate Guenin also was assigned to San Antonio. The Avalanche have won three of their past four games and hold the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference with 22 games remaining. General manager Joe Sakic told the Avalanche website he won’t give up young players and draft picks in moves prior to the NHL Trade Deadline on Feb. 29. “We could use another puck-management forward and a solid D-man,” he said. “You are not going to get top-four [defensemen]. Teams aren’t giving those guys up.” Forward Jarome Iginla has four goals and six points in his past four games. – nhl.com

Line Combos and Starting Goalies c/o Left Wing Lock:
Oilers (Cam Talbot):

Taylor Hall – Leon Draisaitl – Teddy Purcell
Benoit Pouliot – Connor McDavid – Jordan Eberle
Zack Kassian – Mark Letestu – Nail Yakupov
Lauri Korpikoski – Matt Hendricks – Iiro Pakarinen

Andrej Sekera – Justin Schultz
Darnell Nurse – Mark Fayne
Brandon Davidson – Nikita Nikitin

EDM Injuries: Oscar Klefbom (undisclosed), Andrew Ference (hip), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (hand), Eric Gryba (knee).

Scratched: Adam Clendening, Anton Lander

Colorado Avalanche (Calvin Pickard):

Mikhail Grigorenko – Matt Duchene – Jarome Iginla
Gabriel Landeskog – Carl Soderberg – Blake Comeau
Alex Tanguay – Nathan Mackinnon – Jack Skille
Cody McLeod – John Mitchell – Andreas Martinsen

Francois Beauchemin – Erik Johnson
Nick Holden – Tyson Barrie
Andrew Bodnarchuk – Chris Bigras

Any ideas on how to improve my game previews? Send me an email at zjlaing@gmail.com.

 

Edmonton Oilers, Zach Laing

Oilers vs Avalanche Preview – Winning before the break

TALE OF THE TAPE:

Game: Edmonton Oilers (14-17-2) at Colorado Avalanche (16-16-1)

Location: Rexall Place, Edmonton, Alberta

Time: 8:00 PM MT

Where to find it: TV: CBC – Radio: 630 CHED

Edmonton Oilers Preview:

Three points.

That’s all that separate the Oilers and the Avs in the NHL’s standings. The pacific division is tighter than ever, and there is little room for error if the Oilers want to stay in this fight. I feel there is a legitimate chance for the Oilers to make a strong push for the playoffs and right now the team needs every point it can get.

After suffering an injury on November 30th in Toronto, Benoit Pouliot returns to action alongside Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle. In the second half of last season, the three of them put up a combined 100 points. The trio needs to regain that sort of production they had put up last season in order for the Oilers to continue to win games.

“I feel good, I feel better than I did before,” Pouliot said of his much-anticipated return. “A few bumps along the road here and there, but I feel good today. Yesterday was a full team practice, I felt good in there, and then this morning I felt great.”

The Colorado Avalanche come into tonight’s game on a four game win streak after surrendering only four goals in wins against the Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, Chicago Blackhawks and the New York Islanders. Semyon Varlamov has been instrumental in these last four wins posting a combined .973 sv%.

After suffering two losses in a row, the Oilers need to come out strong against a hot Colorado Avalanche team. Tonight is the Oilers second last game before the Christmas Break with their final game being against the Jets on Monday night. It would be really nice to get points in these last two games as when the Oilers return from their break they play four games in six nights.

“It’s very big,” veteran forward Matt Hendricks said. “We were playing very well before this road trip, and we’ve got to get back on our horses here. We’re still in an OK situation, but tonight is a must-win for us.”

The Otherside:

Colorado has won four straight games, sweeping a three-game road trip before opening a four-game homestand Thursday with a 2-1 win against the New York Islanders. Goaltender Semyon Varlamov has won his past five starts, allowing five goals on 162 shots (.969 save percentage) “We’re playing solid defensively,” he said after the win against the Islanders. “Everything comes from defense. If we’re playing solid defense, we’re going to get success.” Defenseman Francois Beauchemin, who scored twice in the win against the Islanders, has three goals and three assists in his past six games. The Avalanche have won nine of their past 13 games to get back to the .500 mark and play 10 of their next 12 games at home.

Line Combos and Starting Goalies c/o Left Wing Lock:


Oilers (Anders Nilsson):
Taylor Hall – Leon Draisaitl – Teddy Purcell
Benoit Pouliot – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Jordan Eberle
Matt Hendricks – Mark Letestu – Lauri Korpikoski
Luke Gazdic – Anton Lander – Iiro Pakarinen

Darnell Nurse – Andrej Sekera
Nikita Nikitin – Justin Schultz
Brandon Davidson – Eric Gryba

Avalanche (Semyon Varlamov):
Gabriel Landeskog – Nathan Mackinnon – Matt Duchene
Alex Tanguay – John Mitchell – Jarome Iginla
Andreas Martinsen – Carl Soderberg – Blake Comeau
Cody McLeod – Mikhail Grigorenko – Jack Skille

Francois Beauchemin – Erik Johnson
Nick Holden – Tyson Barrie
Zach Redmond – Nate Guenin

Any ideas on how to improve my game previews? Send me an email at zjlaing@gmail.com.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlJFfe4uoWg]

Brennen York, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

WHL Players to Watch

Another exciting season of WHL hockey is right around the corner, and with main camps kicking off this week, the anticipation of opening night is almost unbearable. There are tons of enticing storylines to watch for as the season gets underway, and the one I will be watching the closest is how the 2016 draft eligibles will perform. Over at DraftGeek.ca, we currently list six WHL’ers in our top thirty which is somewhat underwhelming, however I fully expect to see Sam Steel, Tyler Benson, and Jake Bean’s stock rise over the course of the year, meaning we could see three WHL players in the top ten come draft week. Aside from the draft eligibles, there’s a laundry list of players to keep an eye on this season for a number of different reasons.

Mathew Barzal (C) – Seattle Thunderbirds

After an injury plagued campaign in 2015, Mathew Barzal has possibly the most to prove out of any Western Hockey League player. Barzal will be a huge threat this year as his elite level puck skills and vision make him a dangerous junior hockey player. The T-Birds are a team on the rise with a good, young core in place; it’s possible we see them take over as the top squad in the U.S division. Though they will lose veterans like Shea Theodore, Roberts Lipsbergs, and Justin Hickman, players like Nolan Volcan, Gropp, Kolesar, and Bear will be able to pick up the slack, and along with Barzal carry the team into the playoffs.

Nolan Patrick (C) – Brandon Wheat Kings

Nolan Patrick may be the next superstar to come from the WHL. Since Ryan Nugent Hopkins, the WHL has lacked in elite talent near the top of the draft order, and I’m not saying they haven’t been producing great talent, there just hasn’t been a Jonathan Toews or Steven Stamkos level prospect come around for a while. That changes with Nolan Patrick. I believe he’s the next one. Nolan brings a unique package to the Wheat Kings in that he’s as good of a goal scorer as he is a puck distributor. He has a big frame and gets around the ice extremely well. The Wheaties will push for a memorial cup this season, and it will be on the back of Nolan Patrick.

Carter Hart (G) – Everett Silvertips

The 2014/15 season was an interesting one for the young netminder. Playing behind a veteran goaltender usually means you won’t see a ton of starts, and it’ll be a while before you see time as a regular. Carter had a different story to write. After unseating Austin Lotz as the starter late into the season, Hart ran with the starting gig throughout the playoffs posting a .929 save percentage along the way. Coming off a gold medal at the Ivan Hlinka tournament, expect Carter to come into the season with a ton of confidence. Without anyone to really push for the job, I fully expect Carter to run with the job and finish top 10 in the league.

Conner Bleackley (C) – Red Deer Rebels

It wouln’t be a huge surprise to see Bleackley stick around in Colorado this season, but with the additions of Carl Soderberg and Mikhail Grigorenko, it’s more likely he suits up for the Rebels this season. With a lack of game breaking forwards up front, Bleackley will be heavily relied upon as the key offensive spark plug for the Mem Cup hosts. Conner is a strong two way player who isn’t necessarily considered an offensive minded player, but this will be the year we get to watch him emerge as a dominant junior hockey player. If all goes well for Conner, his offensive totals will be in the 70 point range. If he can prove to be a reliable point producer this season, it’s likely he’s brought in as a third line NHL’er next season.

Of course there are a ton of players who will play key roles on their clubs this season, but if I were to list every player who’s poised to have a breakout campaign I’d be writing for weeks. In a year that almost any team will be able to push for a playoff spot, I think this will be a very exciting season, and I can’t wait to get things rolling.