Tag Archives: Bakersfield Condors

Corey Mitchell, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Prospects

Chasing the NHL

Greg Chase could be the draft success that the Oilers have been looking for. I’ve touched on this idea before during the summer, but now with the season under way, it seemed like a good time to dig into the subject a bit more.

Heading into the 2013 NHL Draft, Stu MacGregor was at the helm, with many people lauding his drafting ability, dubbing him “The Magnificent Bastard”. But outside of the first round, a majority of which were first overall picks, and a few hits in the second round, there wasn’t much magnificent about the players MacGregor was bringing into the system. The 2013 draft changed that.

Heading into the 7th round, the Oilers had handed out nine jerseys over the course of the two days. As this post is being written, three of those picks (Darnell Nurse, Bogdan Yakimov, and Anton Slepyshev) have made their NHL debuts. This is to say, it was a very good draft for the Oilers that year. But its perhaps the player taken in the 7th round that day that could become the late round pick Edmonton has long awaited.

Selected 188th overall, Greg Chase, a native of Sherwood Park, was coming off a moderately successful season with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL, posting17-32-49 in 69 games. The following year, Chase would break out, leading the Hitmen in points during his 70 games, with 35 goals, and 50 assists for 85 points. That same year, Chase would make his pro debut following Calgary’s 6 game elimination in the first round of the playoffs. During those six post season games, Chase continued his strong play, with 4 goals and 9 points. Chase would go on to play in the final five games of the season for the Oklahoma City Barons in the AHL, netting one goal.

The following year, Chase would experience some turmoil off ice. After scoring 15 points in 15 games, Chase would be a healthy scratch for the Hitmen, signaling a falling out between the WHL club and the skilled forward. Eventually, Chase would be traded to the Victoria Royals, and would contribute 44 points, including 18 goals, in his 46 games. The Royals headed into the WHL Playoffs that year as a serious championship contender, and would have most likely made it the finals, except for a second round match up with another Oilers prospect, Leon Draisaitl, and a stacked Kelowna Rockets team.

Chase finished out his WHL career with 11 points in 10 post season games, and while Draisaitl and the Rockets would go on to win the WHL Championship, and advance to the Memorial Cup, Chase would once again join the Barons in the AHL, this time for their own playoff push. Chase would dress for four games in the post season with the Barons, collecting one assist.

Greg Chase would enter Oilers training camp in 2015 as a first year pro. And while making the big club was a long shot with the likes of Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Anton Lander, and Mark Letestu in the fold, cracking the roster on the newly christened AHL Bakersfield Condors was looking to be a tough task as well. It was when the Oilers assigned Draisaitl to Bakersfield that decisions had to be made, and one of those decisions was to send Chase, along with fellow 2013 draftee Ben Betker, to the Norfolk Admirals of the ECHL.

There could be any number of reasons the Oilers chose to send Chase to the ECHL. Perhaps it was just a numbers game, and the addition of a blue chip player like Draisaitl to Bakersfield. Or perhaps it was a bit of a discipline issue. Chase has never shied away from playing with an edge, and it’s possible the issue with the Hitmen in his final year of junior had something to do with the assignment.

Currently, Chase is riding a five game point streak in Norfolk, and leads the Admirals with 3 goals, and is tied for the team lead with 5 points through 6 games. However, after Draisaitl was recalled by the Oilers, the Condors had a hole to fill, and elected to recall Alexis Loiseau. Not that Loiseau is a slouch, as last season he posted 96 points in 68 games with the Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL, although he went undrafted, and signed an AHL deal with the Condors.

That being said, if Chase can continue to put up productive numbers with the Admirals, it should only be a matter of time until he dresses for the Condors. And with it looking more and more like Leon Draisaitl won’t be returning to the AHL anytime soon, there should be plenty of opportunity for Greg Chase to show that, at number 188 in the 7th round, the Oilers truly did make a “magnificent” pick.

 

Corey Mitchell, NHL, Prospects

Earning His Place

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It’s a bit of a tired cliché at this point. Every year, training camp begins, and coaches all across the league give the media some variation of this quote: “No one is being given anything. Everyone has to earn their place.”

Noble idea. It gives the impression that the coaching staff is giving everyone the same chance to earn a place with an NHL club. But let’s be realistic. There is no way the Oilers are starting the year without a Taylor Hall, or a Jordan Eberle in the line up, no matter how bad their camp performance may be. At best, there are maybe, MAYBE, 3-5 spots on any given team that some of the younger guys have a crack at.

But maybe it doesn’t have to be about earing a place on the big club. For lots of players, it’s really about earing a place, any place, in the organization. Enter Braden Christoffer.

After going undrafted, the 21 year old from Sherwood Park signed an AHL deal, following a 4 year career in junior, 1 with the Sherwood Park Crusaders of the AJHL, and 3 years with the Regina Pats of the WHL. During his time in the WHL, Christoffer amassed an impressive 114 points in 202 games, including 50 goals. He added an additional 9 points in 13 playoff games.

I first noticed Christoffer at the Oilers development camp back in June. Brought in as a camp invite, he impressed with his work ethic he displayed, knowing it was a chance to get the attention of Oilers brass. Imagine the effort you would need to put in to be noticed while on the same ice as top prospects Leon Draisaitl, Darnell Nurse, and of course, Connor McDavid. The effort paid off, as Christoffer was invited to join the Oilers rookies in Penticton for the annual Prospects Tournament.  It was another chance to get in front of Oilers staff, this time in an actual game environment. Christoffer had a very good showing, putting up 3 goals in 3 games at the tournament. Again, the effort paid off for him.

Christoffer would be invited to main camp, and hasn’t slowed down since arriving. The coaching staff seems to be very happy with the work that Christoffer is wiling to put in each and every day. He’s been giving significant playing time so far in the pre season, surviving the initial round of cuts that saw many players on AHL deals sent down to Bakersfield to begin camp there.

I was lucky enough to be at the game vs Winnipeg on Wednesday night, and what I saw from #61 is the exact same thing I saw at the development camp. Hard work, and dedication. He also seems to have Todd McLellan’s nod of approval as well. Despite taking a series of questionable penalties, the veteran coach didn’t stifle the youngster. Instead of having him ride the bench in hopes of sending a message, McLellan elected instead to send Christoffer out for his regular shift. It was a very refreshing visual, after seeing some young players punished a bit by the coaching staff last year for less.

I’m hoping Christoffer can continue to have a great showing at camp, and sticks with the team for as long as he can. Obviously, the odds of him making the Oilers are very slim. That being said, with a strong enough showing, Christoffer should have a very good chance to earn a 2-way contract with the club, and become an integral part of the Bakersfield Condors in their first AHL season. But regardless of the outcome, there can be no doubt that Braden Christoffer is truly earning his place in the Oilers organization. I expect this training camp won’t be the last time we see him wearing the Blue and Orange.

Corey Mitchell, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Prospects

Prospect Profile: Barons to Condors

Part 6 of my summer series, Prospect Profile, is going to look at a group of players who are poised to be big parts of the Oilers farm system, and overall depth this coming season.

It’s going to be an exciting year as far as the farm system is concerned. Over the summer, the Oilers have transitioned their AHL affiliate from the new defunct Oklahoma City Barons, to the Bakersfield Condors, formerly of the ECHL. Along with membership in the AHL, the Condors also find themselves as inaugural members of the newly christened Pacific Division, beginning an exciting chapter for both the Oilers and the Condors franchises. And the Condors look to be a prominent force in the division, with many players returning from those successful OKC teams, as well as maybe a few exciting additions, depending on how training camp plays out this September.

 

Kale Kessy

The unfortunate thing for Kale Kessy is that he will forever be known as the player that came the other way in the Tobias Rieder trade. And that’s really unfair for him. Yes, Rieder had some offensive flashes with the Arizona Coyotes last season, but contrary to popular belief, he was never really a top prospect for the Oilers. That fact was proven when they traded him to bring in Kessy in 2013. What Kessy brings to the Oilers is a player that can step in on the 3rd or 4th line, who isn’t afraid to engage opponents. While he is in no way a heavy weight enforcer, if such a role even exists in hockey these days, he’s a more than capable middle weight fighter, who can hold his own against most.

Kessy has never had glamorous offensive stats. His best season to date came as an over ager with the Kamloops Blazers that saw him post 25 points in 31 games. But offense is not what Kessy brings to the organization. His best seasons as a pro came when he posted 6 points, a mark he reached twice, first in 2013-14 in 54 games with the OKC Barons, and again last season, although he did it in only 17 games before losing much of his season to injury.

This looks to be a proven ground sort of year for Kessy, as he’ll be looked upon as somewhat of a veteran in Bakersfield this season. Hopefully he can remain healthy, and improve upon his numbers. He has the chance to project into a decent depth player for the Oilers, if not a bottom six player at some point.

 

Jujhar Khaira

Jujhar Khaira has caught the attention of Oilers fans in recent years. My guess is that is mostly in part due to his play during his one and only year in junior, where he finished 16-27-43 in 54 games for the Everett Silvertips of the WHL, including some significant scoring streaks. Fans also see a big body that slots in up the middle of the lineup, which was something Oilers fans had coveted for many years prior to drafting both Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid.

Khaira is one of those interesting paths taken to pro hockey. After two years in the BCHL, where he scored 39-82-121 in 112 games, he joined Michigan Tech for one year of college hockey, before opting to head to the WHL and pursue a professional career. Obviously, with the editions of both Draisaitl and McDavid, Khaira finds himself pushed well down the depth chart. However, much like his former Everett teammate, defensive prospect Ben Betker, this could be a blessing in disguise. Much like defense, center is a position that the Oilers were traditionally lacking in, before adding some blue chip prospects to the fold. And in much the same way Darnell Nurse and Griffin Reinhart have pushed Betker back, so too have Draisaitl and McDavid with Khaira, which affords both Khaira and the Oilers the luxury of not having to rush development. With this time now afforded, Khaira truly has a chance to become, in my mind, a very effective 3rd line center, who is strong on the puck, and able to chip in offensively.

 

Iiro Pakarinen

While I wouldn’t call last season a break out year for Iiro Pakarinen, it was a starting point to be sure. Pakarinen handled himself well in his 17 games with the Oilers last season, and endeared himself to the fans, which could be considered good or bad, as the fans been endeared to many players over the years, such as Linus Omark and Jesse Joenssu. Hopefully Pakarinen can buck the trend in this category.

Formerly a Florida Panthers draft pick, Pakarinen joined the Oilers as a free agent following five years in SM-liiga. During his time over seas, Pakarinen totaled 45-55-73 in 232 games, his best season coming in 2013-14 with HIFK Helsinki, where he scored 20 goals and 30 points in 60 games.

Putting up only one goal and 2 assists in the NHL, a bulk of Pakarinen’s workload came while with the Oklahoma City Barons, playing 39 games. In those 39 games, Pakarinen went 17-11-28, while carrying an impressive +17 rating. The Oilers will be looking for more of that this season in Bakersfield, where Pakarinen will be counted on as a veteran, as well as being on the list for call ups through out the season.

 

Brandon Davidson

Injuries last year presented lots of opportunity for bubble players in the Oilers organization. Brandon Davidson can be counted amongst that number. Drafted in 2010, Davidson bounced up and down between OKC and then ECHL affiliate, the Stockton Thunder in his first professional year. Davidson would stick with the AHL club the following year, and made his NHL debut last season, dressing for 12 games, and picking up his first NHL goal.

Following a consistent showing with the Regina Pats of the WHL, where he posted totals of 34, 52, and 49 points, Davidson has yet to find that same offensive consistency as a professional. So far, in his 149 AHL games, Davidson has only collected 28 points. It seems to only be a matter of time until Davidson adjusts to the AHL, as he was able to produce 12 points in 11 games with Stockton during his time there. This season could be a pivotal one for Davidson, but there may not be enough ice time in Bakersfield to go around, depending on how training camp shakes out, specifically with Darnell Nurse and Griffin Reinhart, who will play big minutes if they are with the Condors.

While I have heard rumblings and opinions that Davidson should be considered for the 7th spot on the Oilers, he’s going to be better served to continue his development in the minors. It’s more than likely that Brad Hunt, who made big strides last year, is going to be the 7th defenseman this year. The big question is going to be whether Davidson is playing bottom three minutes in Bakersfield, or top three minutes with Norfolk of the ECHL.

 

Jordan Oesterle

As I’ve mentioned before, the Oilers went through an era where they signed a multitude of players out of college to address their depth. In 2014, Jordan Oesterle was added to that list. Following his third year at Western Michigan University, Oesterle joined the OKC Barons for a brief playoff run, and hasn’t looked back. Not only did he become a mainstay on the Barons blue line last year, going 8-17-25 in 65 games last year, as well as adding a goal and three assists in 10 playoff games.

Much like Brandon Davidson, last season saw Oesterle take advantage of a depleted blue line to make his NHL debut, playing in six games with the Oilers. During those six games, Oesterle registered his first NHL point. Oesterle is another player that is going to find it difficult to get the ice time he may need to develop if the Oilers feel both Nurse and Reinhart need to be in the AHL to start the year. While I have some doubts if he can become a fulltime NHL defenseman in any capacity, he’s going to be one of the go to guys if and when the Oilers need to call upon blue line depth.

 

Dillon Simpson

If the name sounds familiar, that’s because it should. The son of Oilers alum Craig Simpson, Dillon is looking to make a name for himself amongst the Oilers. Drafted in 2011 following an outstanding year with the AJHL Champion Spruce Grove Saints (12-29-41), Simpson elected to attend the University of North Dakota. During his four years with North Dakota, Simpson amassed a total of 75 points in his 156 games. He also helped the team to capture the WCHA Championship in 2011 and 2012, and made two appearances in the NCAA Frozen Four tournament.

Simpson made his pro debut last season with the OKC Barons, and acclimated himself to the team very well, playing in 71 games, going 3-14-17 in those games. Perhaps not the most impressive offensive numbers, but Simpsons game isn’t so one dimensional that he needs to have stat heavy seasons.

Again, how much and where Simpson plays this upcoming season is going to have a lot to do with what happens in training camp. By no means do I see Simpson sticking with the Oilers throughout camp. In fact, barring an outstanding showing, my guess is he goes down in the early rounds of cuts. It’s the later cuts, if any, that will dramatically affect Simpsons career, be it in the AHL with Bakersfield, or down in the ECHL. I would almost prefer Simpson getting a decent amount of ice time in the ECHL, but again, it’s going to depend on the Big Two of Nurse and Reinhart, and where the Oilers feel is the best fit for the development of their blue chip defensive prospects.

 

 

Armchair GM, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects, Rob Cooke

What to do with Darnell?

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The hype this summer is all surrounding the future of the Oilers, Connor McDavid, and rightly so. This is wonderful news to all other prospects coming in to training camp because the attention is going to be squarely focused on Connor. This will alleviate some of the stress that will come with trying to impress coaches and management during the young stars tournament and camp. One player that will look to make a big impression and secure a roster spot in his first professional season is Darnell Nurse. What to do with Darnell? That is the question of the day. Our very own Corey Mitchell has a great write-up on Nurse and his potential. If you want to take a look it’s here. He is writing a great series on the Edmonton prospects so be sure to check that out.

There is a lot to like about Darnell. He’s a good two-way defenseman. He’s big and very mobile for a kid his size. He has great positioning and is rarely beaten one on one. He has the ability to join the rush when needed and possesses good offensive instincts. He seems to really enjoy a physical game and brings a noticeable mean streak with him. He’s not afraid to mix it up when needed and is ready to come to the defense of teammates.

The question is what will he be when he reaches his prime? He definitely has the potential to be a true number one defender in the NHL for a long time but who knows when or if that will ever happen. The tea leaves are hard to read but there is some indication that he can get there. The kid is definitely trending in the right direction.

He played huge minutes for his junior team and was vital to the gold medal effort by the World Junior squad this past year. He played 25 minutes a night in all situations and faced the best players that the other teams had. In the playoffs his coach tried to get Darnell on the ice every time that McDavid was out there and he was the only player that seemed to be able to contain him in any way. Now don’t get me wrong Connor still dominated the series but Nurse didn’t look horribly overmatched like the rest of his team.

This coming season coach McLellan will have some very difficult decisions to make before the final cuts are made. Darnell is likely already a better option on the left side than either Nikitin or Ference but the experience factor is not something that I think Todd will easily discount. He will have to be significantly better in camp and the pre-season if he hopes to be on the opening night roster. What to do with Darnell?

In my honest opinion leaving him off the opening night roster isn’t the worst thing in the world and will show that the coaching staff greatly value experience. I think that Todd and company will choose to send Darnell down to Bakersfield to start the season. He will go down to the AHL for a spell and hone his game as a top pairing defender in a very good league.

Just because I think that the kid will start the season on the farm team by no means does that mean that he will finish there. He will likely be the first call up on the left side, and will see significant time in the NHL this season. Mt prediction is that he is on the active roster by the end of November and will then make it impossible for the team to send him back.

Is Darnell destined to be our number one defenseman? Will he start the year in Edmonton or Bakersfield? Time will tell but I want to know what you all think. Come on Beer Leaguers let me hear it. The comments section is just waiting to be blown up with your responses. All we ask is that you keep it in good taste. If the comment section isn’t your thing then you can let me know on Twitter, @cooke_rob, I welcome all to join in the discussion.

On a side note I am proud to finally announce that my very own online store is ready for its official launch! Before I get into things too much I want to thank my good friend the Beer League Hero for the use of his design and the inspiration to start the store in the first place! I’ve added several of my own designs and used them to make a wide variety of items for all you great folks to purchase!

 

These three items and many more are available now! We’ve got shirts, hoodies, jackets, coffee mugs, cell phone cases, beer mugs, shot glasses, hats and more. New items are being added all the time! Check out Cooke Designs if you want to see more or if you absolutely must have the bottle opener Beer League Heroes shirt. (pictured above) Yes it is a legit bottle opener! How cool is that! Take a look and come back next week when I will run the first contest of the season and give away some free swag!

 

Cheers

Rob