Hey there Oilers fans! The posts are few and far between these days and there’s a good reason for that, I don’t want to comment on when or how the NHL is going to make its triumphant return on a daily basis. Also, I feel like it’s a real kick in the balls to be having that discussion while there are people dying in hospitals from COVID-19. In fact, I find it kind of sickening that each day as I sign-in to my socials and listen to the talk radio that I’m exposed to this.
Here’s the deal, when Ma and Pa can go back to work and earn a wage, THEN AND ONLY THEN, can professional sports return. Take care of the people who make this world go round and after that, the millionaire professional athletes can get their turn. No disrespect intended to the hockey players but let’s get our priorities straight.
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Filip Berglund
Jim Matheson tucked this little beauty right into the end of his latest article on Ryan Mantha over at the Edmonton Journal the other day,
The Oilers have signed Swedish draft pick defenceman Filip Berglund but he’s going to stay with his club team Linkoping for this upcoming season and he may come over in 2021 …
Why did he have to bury it way at the bottom of a post on Ryan Mantha? I feel like an Edmonton Oilers prospect signing should be headline news these days, no? Is there a bit of fear that it might not be 100% true?
We were the first to report the Oilers’ interest in Ryan Mantha here for what it’s worth.
Anyways, back to Berglund. We have blog after blog claiming that the Oilers have signed this player and there’s been NOTHING official released ANYWHERE. I even contacted a well-placed source in Sweden and asked if there’s been any news on that side of the pond and was told no. I’m in the process of getting in touch with his agent to see if I can get some clarity but if I’m being honest, I’m not sure if I’ll have much luck there. Fingers crossed though.
So, for the time being, Filip Berglund hasn’t signed with Edmonton but that’s not to say he won’t. Knowing my luck, the release will come today at some point. Ha!
I think the Oilers’ intentions are to sign him, let him play a major role with Linkoping, and then bring him over right before the expansion draft… My feeling is that the Oilers are probably getting prepared to lose a dman or two that summer and would like to have as many close-to-ready prospects in North America as possible.
Should the Oilers Bring Back Gaetan Haas?
I really liked Haas but I’m not sure the coach has time for him at the centre position. Late in the season, Coach Tippett moved JJ Khaira back to the middle and was sitting Haas, right?
I’m a huge fan of the Swiss player’s speed, tenacity, and unpredictability and the fact that there’s not much set to become available on the open market tells me that the Oilers should probably give Haas one more shot.
Unless GM Holland has plans to bring in Trevor Lewis, Jason Spezza, or Sam Gagner for one year, I reckon Haas is a pretty good bet to return.
Puljujarvi News
There is a french rumor site reporting that the Montreal Canadiens offered Victor Mete and a 2nd round pick for Puljujarvi. It also stated that the New York Rangers and Arizona Coyotes have expressed interest.
I wonder if Holland can pry Kravtsov out of the Rangers? Buchnevich would be better on the short-term but I think Kravtsov would be a really notable catch.
As for the Coyotes, would Taylor Hall be out of the question? lol. I keed!
Random Pontifications
Did anybody catch Brian Burke accusing Bob Stauffer of providing the Edmonton Oilers scouts’ list of questions to Leon Draisaitl’s camp before he was drafted in 2014?
Big shout out to the Draisaitl deniers on social media! Got to give it to those guys who are just so invested into their charts that their tripping over their own ballsack to tell us how much better Valeri Nichushkin is defensively than the current favorite for the 2019/20 Hart Trophy… Keep fighting the good fight guys!
I wonder if the Oilers might trade down and collect more picks whenever the 2020 NHL Draft is held? I feel like they could get a player they want anywhere from 20th to 31st overall because, after about 12th overall, the draft is gonna go bananas.
There’s a big Swede that I’m really growing into a big fan of and if the Oilers trade down, I feel like they could have a shot at him.
His name is Daniel Torgersson and he’s a 6’3″ 205lb scoring machine.
https://youtu.be/8XmxBwq9z5s?t=803
That said, if any one of Rodion Amirov, Seth Jarvis, Dawson Mercer, or my favorite, Jan Mysak are available at 20th, scoop one up and worry about piling up those 2nd rounders later and if luck is on Edmonton’s side, perhaps Torgersson is available to them later in the draft.
That’s it for today folks! I hope you’re doing well and finding ways to keep your sanity. Until next time, take care!
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My goodness, if you’re not taking in some of the hockey being played over in Europe right now, you’re missing out. The Champions Hockey League is going full steam now and despite what some might say, the level of these teams is of at least AHL caliber. This is a competition that features the best clubs in Europe (Sans the KHL clubs) going head-to-head in a bid to be crowned the best on the continent. It’s free-flowing, there are countless scrums at the net, it’s high skill, and if you’re like me and you enjoy watching young players try to make their mark, this is a tournament for you.
These games are available free of charge. You just head to the Champions Hockey League website and you can stream them from there OR you can download their app and the games are viewable on your phone or tablet.
The most recent matches that I took in featured three members of the Edmonton Oilers,
Filip Berglund (D) – Skelleftea (SWE)
Philip Broberg (D) – Skelleftea (SWE)
Jesse Puljujarvi (RW) – Karpat (FIN)
It makes it so much easier when they’re playing on the same team let alone the same game, right?
Berglund and Broberg
I can tell you that Broberg was outstanding for Skelleftea. His passing, skating, and size is a massive factor on the big ice as he can basically enter the offensive zone with control of the puck uncontested whenever he chooses and that’s what he did vs. the French club, Grenoble.
I counted only once during the whole game where Broberg misplayed a pass. Every other time, regardless of the distance between him and the recipient of his pass, he put it right on their tape whether it was a silky saucer pass or a bullet.
Broberg quarterbacked Skelleftea’s first powerplay unit masterfully. He had a hiccup or two when he was a bit slow to make the cross-ice pass, but his skating allowed him to recover and prevent any challenge on his goal from the Grenoble penalty killers. Defensively, he was positionally sound and he really caused that French team a lot of trouble when they tried to break into Skelleftea’s zone on his side of the ice.
I’ll be curious to see if Broberg continues to get similar time-on-ice when the SHL season gets going.
Funny enough, Broberg’s defense partner was none other than Filip Berglund. Now, he didn’t have the game Broberg had. His first period was very sloppy as indecision and poor positioning lead to two dangerous scoring chances against, one that ended up in the net.
He settled down in the 2nd and 3rd periods and displayed a very calming demeanor. He didn’t find himself out of position after that very often. But what I liked about his game was that he can make a pass. Case in point, the one he made on Skelleftea’s goal with only seconds remaining.
While Broberg was a feature on the PP, Berglund was also one on the penalty kill for Skelleftea. His patience and excellent hockey IQ really does him well in that role.
I’ll say this though, if Philip Broberg is the Paul Coffey of this pairing, then Berglund is the Charlie Huddy. He’s not flashy, he just gets the job done. That said, with the prospects that are currently coming through the ranks in Edmonton, I’m not sure if Berglund will make it.
Below are the highlights, they should feature Berglund (#6 in black) and Broberg (#5 in black) a lot.
Jesse Puljujarvi
The scheduling made it possible for me to first watch the Oilers’ two Swedish prospects and then my boy, Pulju, right after.
So Puljujarvi’s Karpat was playing former Oiler Mark Arcobello’s SC Bern, a Swiss club and as I thought, it was a much tougher test than his first game, but you wouldn’t know it if you watched the first 19 seconds because that’s when Puljujarvi broke in on a breakaway, only to be stopped, but the rebound tucked in by his teammate.
What I noticed in this match compared to his first one was his never-die attitude as he pursued the puck. He was like a dog on a bone without the puck. His 200ft game was really on display against Bern.
Another thing I noticed that really threw me off guard was during the breaks the telecast would zoom in on the coaches and they have mics set up on the benches so you can hear what they’re saying to the players. To my surprise, the Karpat coach was using both Finnish and English to instruct his players! Even at the end of the game when Karpat was looking for the tying goal and Puljujarvi was a feature on the set play, he spoke to Jesse in English!
Can you believe that?! Where’s this “language barrier” that I was being told about this summer where the Oilers coaches were having so much trouble communicating with him? His f*cking Finnish coach was speaking to him in English for Christ’s sake…
Have you noticed the reduction in character assassination pieces lately? How long until we start getting little bits about how good Pulju is playing? About how he’d look nice alongside one of the Oilers centers? Maybe even someone will say that things were taken out of context or blown out of proportion… Maybe, just maybe, someone might be brave enough to start putting pressure on the Oilers GM to get a deal done…
As ironic as it is to say this, be careful who you believe when it comes to Oilers “news”. Player transactions and rumors are a far cry from reporting on what a player does or doesn’t do off the ice. You just never know who has a personal vendetta out there.
Just on a completely unrelated note, does anybody know if Nikolai Prokhorkin’s English is okay?
I think Hitch’s methods with Puljujarvi were ineffective…
Anyways, back to Jesse’s game vs. Bern.
He. Was. Flying! Even more than his first game.
I can’t stress this enough. He’s faster and he’s quicker. He moves around the ice much more as the quicksand around his feet seems to have dissipated over the summer. He’s stronger as well. He was hitting guys last night left and right. He’s getting in the corners and mucking about as well as being a tank in front of the net. The intensity has ramped up for him, but maybe that’s a result of him playing back home and how happy he is at the moment. I’ll have to re-gauge this when he’s 10 or 15 games deep.
At the moment, he looks like he used to when he was 17-years-old and dominating his peers. What a great sign that can only bode well for his future.
Karpat lost to Bern in OT but Jesse wound up with over 18 minutes of ice time, four shots, a blocked shot, and an assist to bring his total to three points in two Champions Hockey League games.
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2019 Oilers Rookie Camp Roster
This year’s roster will be very competitive. There’s lots to watch out for this year for us fans! Check out the detailed roster here.
The Goalies:
Stuart Skinner
Dylan Wells
Olivier Rodrigue
Wells doesn’t really do much for me as a fan. I don’t think he has what it takes to make it past the AHL, so I’m expecting Skinner to be the cream of this crop here. He’s got the best pedigree of the three in my opinion. Although I have been told that Rodrigue actually might be the one with the highest potential. I haven’t seen as much of the French-Canadian goalie, but I’m willing to bet that we might around Christmas time when he’s featuring for Team Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship.
The Defencemen:
Jason Bellamy
Evan Bouchard
Ethan Cap
Logan Day
Brendan De Jong
Vincent Desharnais
Dmitri Samorukov
All eyes will be on Bouchard and Samorukov naturally, but I think it would be prudent for fans to pay attention to Logan Day. He really had a good season for Bakersfield last year and at 6’1″ he’s the smallest defender attending this camp. He’s quite good at moving the puck and he’s very calm and smart. Not a fast player but an intelligent one. I’d say he falls into that Brad Hunt category of player without the clapper.
My feeling is that folks will be in awe of Desharnais’ size… He’s massive! The stat sheet says he’s 6’6″ but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s actually an inch or two taller. The guy is a beast and he plays an honest game.
The Forwards:
Tyler Benson
Cameron Hebig
Steven Iacobellis
Liam Keeder
Raphael Lavoie
Kiril Maksimov
Cooper Marody
Ryan McLeod
Ostap Safin
Beau Starrett
Jakub Stukel
Nolan Vesey
Kailer Yamamoto
This group of forwards really varies in terms of size and skill. You’ve got massive players like Safin and Lavoie who are 6’5″ but then you’ve got Yamamoto and Iacobellis who aren’t even 5’10”. There are snipers like Maksimov and speedsters like McLeod. Skillers like Hebig and Marody and grinders like Stukel and Vesey. Then there’s your playmaker in Benson and your power forward in Starrett.
For me, I’m not even worried about Marody, Benson, or Yamamoto unless they underperform or are held out for precautionary reasons (aka an injury). Those three should be the best forwards hands down and if they aren’t, we might have to re-evaluate their career trajectory.
I’m keen on what Lavoie, Maksimov, and Stukel do.
Those of you that are astute fans of the WHL might recognize from his time with the Vancouver Giants and the Calgary Hitmen. He made a few appearances for Bakersfield last season on loan from the Oilers’ ECHL affiliate in Wichita and I thought he performed admirably (10 games played, 3 goals and 3 assists) in that time.
Raphael Lavoie will undoubtedly be playing back in the QMJHL this year but for a man his size and with his skill set, I reckon he’s got a chance to be a game-changer for the Oilers in about three or four seasons. His mind-boggling 20 goals in 23 playoff games for Halifax is something you can’t forget, just as one can’t forget that he had quite the dry spell for the Mooseheads last year. Clearly, he has some things in his game that need to get cleaned up. My hope is that his development plan allows him the freedom to play HIS game without stifling his skill. What I mean is, I hope the Oilers don’t attempt to make him a net-front pilon when he’s a skilled playmaker. In the same vein, there are questions about the mental side of his game, so he might need some extra marination in the minors.
Kiril Maksimov might have the best shot on the Oilers. I’m talking about the entire playing staff. He’s my wild card to make the Oilers out of camp because he doesn’t really play that European style. He’s got more of a North American game to him and I think that might endear him to some coaches and scouts moreso than other players. What I will be looking for is how they utilize him in pre-season games. Will he have a prominent role on the PP? Getting him on a line with Marody and Benson could be magic if you know what I mean.
Who are you looking forward to seeing at the Edmonton Oilers rookie camp? Let us know in the comments below!
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The third round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft garnered some very nice defensive prospects for the Edmonton Oilers.
#63 – Markus Niemelainen (D) Saginaw (OHL)
#84 – Matthew Cairns (D), Georgetown (OJHL)
#91 – Filip Berglund (D), Skelleftea (SHL)
I love that the Oilers decided to address an organizational need here but I’d have loved for them to grab a goalie here or address some skill at forward. Surprised David Quenneville wasn’t selected because Matt Cairns is completely off the map. I expect them to touch on the forwards and at least one goalie in the 5th round as the don’t have a 4th round pick.
The Oilers first pick in the third round had them take Markus Niemelainen. The towering Finn is a left-shooting defender that plays the right side.
Bob Stauffer pegged him as a late first rounder and he wasn’t the only pundit that had Niemelainen ranked in or near the 1st round. The Oilers might feel as if they’ve gotten another player who could’ve been a 1st round player.
“Niemelainen’s calling card is his defensive game, but his developing offensive skills go largely unnoticed playing for a rebuilding squad in Saginaw. While he still doesn’t post eye-popping numbers, Niemelainen is very low-risk in his style of play and can be counted on in any situation. He is very good at making the first pass out of his own zone, and can stretch the ice with a long pass. In the offensive zone, he has a booming shot that is a weapon on the power play as well as at even strength. He isn’t one to carry the puck and quarterback the play, but he is no slouch offensively and is quite good at handling the puck.” – Joseph Aleong, The Hockey Writers
The Oilers second pick in the third round seen them take Matthew Cairns, a defenceman out of the Ontario Junior Hockey league. I’ll be honest, this one is WAAAAY off the radar. From what I can gather he’s a more offensive defenceman putting up 9 goals and 24 assists in 46 games for the Georgetown Raiders. He’s slated to go to Cornel in 2017, so he’s got one more year playing for Georgetown.
He was also coached by former Oiler Paul Coffey. Not sure if you know him or not.
“The Ontario Jr. A League doesn’t produce a ton of NHL draft picks these days, but there’s always a couple good reps – such as Jake Walman or Jake Evans, in recent years. Cairns will be a flagbearer in 2016 thanks to his big frame (he’s 6-foot-2, 190 already) and great skating ability from the back end. His Raiders are in the league final and Cairns is tied for tops among OJHL defensemen with 14 points through 17 games.” – Ryan Kennedy, The Hockey News
The Oilers picked a right-handed overage Swedish defender Filip Berglund with their third pick in the 3rd round. He comes out of the Skelleftea hockey club in Sweden. I had the Oilers taking him in my extensive mock draft earlier in the week.
BIRTHYEAR: 1997-05-10 BIRTHPLACE: Skellefteå, SWE AGE: 19 POSITION: D SHOOTS: R HEIGHT: 190 cm / 6’3″ WEIGHT: 95 kg / 209 lbs
STATS: 43gp 19g 22a 41pts 6PIM 8+/-
“A big and strong two-way defenseman with good hockey sense and passing ability. Valuable on the man advantage with a strong release and good puck control. Not a speedster and should use his large frame to his advantage.” (EP 2016)
