Tag Archives: Dylan Wells

Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL

Edmonton Oilers Game Grades: Marody’s Gaff Gifts Flames Rookies the Win in Red Deer

The Edmonton Oilers rookies lost 1-0 in overtime to the Calgary Flames rookies in Red Deer last night and I’m having a tough time describing the overall vibe of the game. On one hand, it had its moments (mostly for the Flames albeit), but on the other hand, how is a 0-0 game ever entertaining?

We’ve been hearing the hype for weeks regarding Tyler Benson and Cooper Marody and in all honesty, they were both non-factors. Any sliver of offense they created was quickly nullified by Calgary’s aggressive forecheck and/or no-name defense. I’m sure it’d be easy to say that this is just game one so we should lay off of them, but with these two especially, I can’t do it. This is exactly the sort of game where they should’ve stood out for the good things in their games instead of the poor ones. Dillion Dube and Matthew Philips had no problems for the Flames, so what was holding Benson and Marody back? They’d better have an improved performance in game two of this series (and the rest of training camp) or else I’m afraid there’s no way that a veteran will let them take his job.

As it is, I do not believe anybody who played in this game for the Oilers is ready for NHL duty as it is and they’d all be better off going back to junior or the AHL to dominate and continue their developmental plan. Who would it hurt anyhow? Nobody. Just give these guys a run out at main camp, cut them early, thank them for their time, and wish them luck this season. We’ll see ya when we see ya!

Who I Saw Good:

  • Ryan McLeod
  • Evan Bouchard
  • Dylan Wells
  • Ostap Safin

Who I Saw Bad:

  • Cooper Marody
  • Vincent Desharnais
  • Nolan Vesey

The Game Grades

Tyler Benson – 5 – Benson had flashes of brilliance when he was given the time and space but he didn’t do a lot with it. I expected more production from him and his line and came away quite disappointed. I don’t care how local you are, how well you play on the boards or how good you look on the PP in a rookie game, if skating is one of your weaknesses, you won’t be playing in the NHL very much. I will say that I was happy to see him get mucky behind the Oilers net after the whistle though. Respect!

Cameron Hebig – 4 – I remember Hebig playing a very skilled role for the Condors last season but against the Flames rookies he was a much grittier version of himself. Had a decent chance where two Flames tried to line him up in the slot for a big hit and they ended up hitting each other instead.

Cooper Marody – 3 – So many giveaways… The two in OT were atrocious. AHL-caliber stuff… He reminds me of a poorer skating Ryan Spooner sometimes. He took a tough hit at the Flames bench that might’ve knocked something loose but he was poor before that, so we can’t use that as an excuse. It simply was not his night at all.

Kirill Maksimov – 5 – Early on he was noticeable. Playing physical and creating space. He was a mainstay on the Oilers PK. I would’ve liked to have seen him one-time that shot on the 2v1 with McLeod though. Been hearing all about this shot of his and he didn’t use it. Took a poor penalty late in the third that caught some criticism from the Oilers play-by-play team. Faded as the game wore on.

Ryan McLeod – 7 – Very good last night. His speed and excellent stick were on full display. He was passing very well too. In my eyes, he’s head and shoulders above Marody on the Oilers depth chart. He got a LONG look last year at training camp, I wouldn’t be surprised if he got another one this year. Should’ve started OT instead of Marody. All that ice and with his speed… C’mon Woodcroft!

Nolan Vesey – 3 – Was very much a Milan Lucic clone on the night. Every time he got the puck, the play died. He could be bound for Wichita. Especially if Jakob Stukel has a good camp.

Steven Iacobellis – 5 – Average game. I didn’t really notice him that much. His linemates on the other hand…

Ostap Safin – 7 – I wasn’t expecting a lot out of Safin to be honest but he stood out. For portions of the game, the puck really followed him around a bit. He used his size and soft hands to his advantage. I hope to see more.

Raphael Lavoie – 6 – Lavoie had a few really good chances but like some of his teammates, couldn’t capitalize. I seen him get outmuscled a couple of times in the corner. He’s going to be a handful once he grows into his body. I’m betting he wrecks the QMJHL this year.

Jakub Stukel – 4 – I like Stukel’s tenacity. He was noticeable early in the game for his forechecking but disappeared completely after the first. This is a player I think if the Oilers stuck with that could develop into a formidable 4th line checker. He really works his ass off when given the chance.

Beau Starrett – 5 – I was taken aback by Starrett. Honestly, when I saw that the Oilers had signed him I thought that he was going to be another Nolan Vesey. Starrett has an excellent frame, he goes to the dirty areas and uses his body pretty effectively. Has a decent shot too. Too bad he got jumped by Onyebuchi, I would’ve liked to have seen him throw down too.

Liam Keeler – 3 – Didn’t notice him one bit.

Evan Bouchard – 7 – Great game. Those hands! Wow! He’s so composed out there and never gets rattled. His shots get through to the net more often than not eh? The Oilers forwards were having trouble penetrating the Flames zone at one point in the 3rd, so Bouchard took it himself. Some will say his skating needs work but I am not one of those. I could see a significant improvement in his skating. It was much smoother and his edgework was way better than last year. Something I can’t say about Benson and Marody.

Dmitri Samorukov – 6 – He was okay for me. A tough couple of periods before settling down in the third. What worried me most was that he went for a couple of BIG hits and got caught leaving his partner to defend some odd-man rushes. He’ll have to iron that out of his game for sure. Dima had a really nice rush with the puck at one point.

Logan Day – 4 – Not sure if he was shaking off the rust or what, but we only got to see him thrive a few times. Normally he’s a very good playmaker who is cool under pressure, but not last night. Had a bit of a tough one offensively.

Ethan Cap – 3 – No idea. Never stood out for me.

Vincent Desharnais – 3 – Calgary’s smaller forwards took advantage of Desharnais’ hulking frame and drew a couple of penalties on him. He looked slow.

Brendan de Jong – 3 – refer to Desharnais.

Dylan Wells – 8 – Might’ve been player of the game for me. I know last week I said that I was expecting much from Wells this year, but he had a really good game and if he keeps that up he’ll win the backup’s job in Bakersfield easily.

Stuart Skinner – 6 – After coming in at the half0way mark, Skinner played solid enough. Nothing noteworthy though. Probably could’ve played that 2v1 in OT a bit better.

It’s undecided at this point in time, but perhaps we see Kailer Yamamoto, Jason Bellamy, and Olivier Rodrigue draw in for the next game.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!

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Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

Oilers Draft Goalie, Finn, and Another Dman To Complete 2016 Draft

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Dylan Wells was the Oilers first pick in the 5th round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Wells, a goalie for the OHL’s Peterborough Petes, was ranked tenth in North America by NHL Central Scouting and TSN’s Bob McKenzie had him at 55th.

I seen his numbers and the first thing I thought was Kevin Bouchard. Great, another wasted pick but his team wasn’t great this year and from all accounts he’ll be tasked with taking the reigns in Peterborough next season.

Date of birth: January 3rd, 1998
Place of birth: St. Catharines, ON
Ht: 6’2″  Wt: 183 lbs
Catches: Left

“One of the top goaltender prospects in the class, he has confidence, concentration and rebound control. Tracks puck very well and almost always makes the first save. Attacks rebounds with his soft pads and works his tail off in games and in practice. Has shown he can carry the heavy load game after game. Traffic in front doesn’t faze him, and plays the angles well.” – Bill Placzek, Draftsite.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG-bETwbkzE

At #149, the Oilers took Graham McPhee. The son of former NHL GM and one of the “toughest SOBs in NHL History for his size” according to Bob Stauffer, George McPhee. Very high level of compete and given his bloodline, not a surprise. The Younger McPhee is slated to go to Boston College next season. A long-term project surely.

Graham McPhee

BIRTHYEAR: 1998-07-24
BIRTHPLACE: Bethesda, MD, USA
AGE: 17
NATION: USA / Canada
POSITION: LW
SHOOTS: L
HEIGHT: 5’11”
WEIGHT: 172 lbs

“”Graham is a solid two-way player with a solid compete level,” NHL Central Scouting’s Greg Rajanen said. “He battles hard, sees and protects the puck well.”

Aapeli Rasanen

At pick #153, the Oilers went back to Finland to select right-handed centre Aapeli Rasanen. He joins countrymen Jesse Puljujarvi and Markus Niemelainen as 2016 draft picks of the Oilers. He was ranked #157 by ISS.

I dig this pick because Rasanen is all business and he’s a right-handed pivot, something the Oilers pipeline could use. He’s a self-proclaimed 200ft player but he’ll take some time. He might be headed over to the USHL, so keep an eye on this fella.

BIRTHYEAR 1998-06-01
BIRTHPLACE: Tampere, FIN
AGE 18
POSITION C
SHOOTS R
HEIGHT 6’0″
WEIGHT 196 lbs

“All signs point towards this special teams dynamo becoming one of the better two-way players this draft produces. Not only does he do it all on the ice — playmaking, speed, escapability, tenacity, versatility — but he’s a student of the game who spends time honing his craft away from the rink. Rasanen clubbed the international circuit to a tune of almost a point per game, and he’s close to 200 pounds before turning 18 in June. He won’t disappoint teams in search of skill players, but the fact that he forechecks and backchecks better than most of his draft peers makes him even more desirable. In a draft thin on two-way types with a strong understanding of both sides of the red line, there’s a strong possibility Rasanen gets gobbled up earlier than anticipated. He’s strong at the dot and can be leaned on for tough checking assignments, yet he has a hunter’s mindset in that he is always looking to make opponents pay for the slightest mistake. Rasanen is a very good skater with a variety of moves to get inside the offensive zone, and he immediately identifies multiple pass options and greets them with a clean, crisp set-up. Rasanen has excellent work habits and should be groomed for positions of significant responsibility.” – Steve Kournianos, The Draft Analyst

With the last pick, number 183, the Oilers selected overage defenceman Vincent Desharnais out of Providence College. HA! The Oilers just couldn’t resist… Desharnais spent some time in the BCHL before committing to Providence. Large frame with few penalty minutes?… Hope he’s good at moving the puck or else this is a failed pick. I mean it’s the 7th round and all but if there’s a better player there, why not pick him?

BIRTHYEAR: 1996-05-29
BIRTHPLACE: Laval, QC, CAN
AGE 20
POSITION D
SHOOTS R
HEIGHT 6’6″
WEIGHT 209 lbs

That’s it folks! Surely there’ll be a Oilers draft review coming shortly but I’m bushed and could use a break from the desk! How do you feel about the draft picks? Let me know in the comments below!

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NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

Day 2 of the Ivan Hlinka Tournament!

The second day of the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament has come to an end, and the final group standings are pretty much set. Day two was another disappointment for the Americans, as they fell 5-2 to an average Russian team. Canada followed it up with a nail biter against Sweden, and came away with a 2-0 victory. The third match of the day displayed a dominant effort by Finland as they beat a weak Slovakian team 4-2. The final game of the day featured the Czechs taking on a skilled Swiss team which ended in a 5-3 decision favouring the Czech Republic in what was one of the more entertaining games of the tournament thus far.

All of the “Group A” games will be found on YouTube here and all of the “Group B” games will be at live.huste.tv/intro.

After impressive showings throughout the first couple days at the Hlinka, here are a few players who have stood out:

Michael McLeod (Canada): McLeod had another great day for Canada, netting the game winning goal on a great individual effort. McLeod, the fifth overall pick in the 2014 OHL draft, was arguably the best player to touch the ice today for the Canadian squad. Yesterday he showed off his physical side and defensive abilities in a 3-1 win over the Czech.

Today, however, he showed off a much more skilled and creative game and demonstrated his dazzling speed, which led Sweden to the penalty box as the attempted to slow him down. He has been a cornerstone player for Canada in this tournament and it will be interesting to see if he can crack this list again with three days left in the tournament.

Marcus Niemelainen (Finland): It was not hard to find Niemelainen on the ice today as the 6’5 defender was dominant for Finland in their victory. Niemelainen, a 2016 draft eligible who is set to make his North American debut with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL. He is a tall, lengthy defender who skates very well for his size. He was a huge barrier for a struggling Slovakian team as he as he showcased his raw defensive abilities and played a key shutdown role. He manned the top PK pairing and managed to play on both the left and right side. He is a smart and reliable player for Finland who takes good angles to pucks. While he doesn’t manage much offence, he did earn two assists in today’s winning effort. If there is a knock on this guy’s game, it would be his lack of physical play. It will be exciting to watch his progression over the next year.

Livio Stadler (Switzerland): Stadler was the player of the game for a losing Swiss squad. He was very strong offensively and was more than deserving of that accolade. He is an average size defender with great offensive upside, and he brought those traits to life when he quarterbacked the Swiss power play today and displayed  his deceptive shot with a beautiful goal from the point. He shows good patience with the puck as well as strong playmaking abilities. Stadler is currently the top scoring defenseman in the tournament at 3 points in 2 games. Expect him to play a few games this year with EV Zug in the Swiss National League after he tears up the U20 division.

Georgi Ivanov (Russia): Ivanov is a 2017 draft eligible who was strong in his performance against a struggling American team. The thick Russian stands 6’0 209lbs and is fresh off of a U17 gold medal with Russia. In a 5-2 victory, Ivanov scored a goal and tallied an assist. Following that victory, Russia is now tied with Finland for first place in Group B. Ivanov showed off his puck skills today, dangling through three American players,then finishing it off with a beautiful backhand. He currently sits tied for second in tournament scoring with 2 points in 2 games and is someone to watch over the remainder of the tournament as well as the course of the next two years as his stock will surely rise before the 2017 NHL Draft.

Dylan Wells (Canada): Wells was nothing short of spectacular in his first start of the tournament. He made 21 of 21 saves for Canada and became the first goalie in this tournament to manage a shutout. Wells tracked the puck very well and stayed square to the shooter, but what caught my eye most was his ability to find pucks through traffic. He made a number of huge saves from point shots that pin balled its way through to the net.

Wells currently plays for the Peterborough Pete’s in the OHL and will most likely be in the conversation as one of the top three goalies in the draft. Wells is a 6’2 butterfly style goaltender who could add a few pounds, but is already strong in the athleticism department.

Frantisek Hrdinka (Czech Republic): Playing on a team filled with big defenders who can skate, Hrdinka did a great job today, setting himself apart from the rest. He earned an assist on the second Czech goal, as well, he impressed by displaying an above average offensive tool set making smart passes and controlling the puck well. What put Hrdinka on the list was his sound defensive play, as well as his impressive corsi numbers.

Hrdinka stands at 6’0 187lbs, and his his CHL rights are currently owned by the Saint John Sea Dogs, it would be nice to see him come over and play for their already stellar defensive core, he also managed +29 Corsi for, and only -11 against while facing a skilled Swedish team. A very impactful player on today’s game and someone who I look forward to seeing tomorrow against Sweden. (Thanks to @The_HockeyNinja on Twitter for the CZE corsi chart, follow him for all the CZE game corsi charts)

David Kofron (Czech Republic): Another 2017 draft eligible on this list, he manage to be the lone 2 goal scorer in any of today’s match ups. Kofron is a late 1998 who possesses a good shot, which he demonstrated with his game winning goal on the breakaway against the Swiss. He displayed strong defensive insticts and had a good stick in defensive situations. Kofron managed over a point per game in the U18 Czech league last season, and is currently tied for first place in goals through the tournament with two. He stands at 5’10 and 146lbs, and is seemingly going to need to gain weight and continue to compete for the next couple season in order to be one of the top round picks.

With day two of the Ivan Hlinka wrapped up, theres a few things I am looking forward to seeing in the match-ups tomorrow. Most importantly I would love to see a break out performance from the highly touted Kailer Yamamoto, Garrett Wait, and the rest of the American team as they take on Slovakia for 3rd place in the group. I expect another great effort out of the Canadians as they play Switzerland, and am anticipating a stand out effort from Jake Bean. Russia and Finland will battle it out for first place in Group B, and I am expecting to see a Finland victory after being carried by Makinen and Niemelainen. Lastly, Sweden and the Czech Republic face off for second place in Group A, in what should be a real good game considering how well both teams competed against Canada.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7xlk92PO-o

Thank you for reading! I hope you’re enjoying our coverage of the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup. Please let us know in the comments below and if you’re so inclined we’d love it if you shared and retweeted our posts. It lets us know we’re doing a good job and it’s good karma on your part.

Lastly, TeePublic is having a sale from August 12th-14th. EVERYTHING is on SALE! So head on over to the Beer League Heroes T-Shirt shop here and pick up your favorite NHL superstar in 16-bit or even the Official BLH t-shirt! They’ll only set you back $14 for the next three days!

Take Care!

– BLH