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Kris Hansen

BLH Edmonton Oilers Weekly Recap Nov 30th-Dec 5th

Hey, the Oilers are not doing bad this week! They managed to go 2-1, losing a stinker in Toronto, winning in a shootout against Boston and winning in overtime against Dallas.

To be fair, I didn’t really expect the Oilers to be 2-1 this week. I had them going 1-2 with the win going against Toronto.

The Boston game was my second game of the season I had the chance to watch the Edmonton Oilers live and it was my first original six team and my first NHL shootout. Plus, this time, nobody broke their clavicles!

Edmonton Oilers Three Stars

3) Jordan Eberle . Eberle gets the third star this week because of his shootout winner and over time winner. That said, he has not played the greatest so far. However, both goals were just beautiful. Top corner, both goalies had no chance. It was vintage Eberle.

2) Taylor Hall. Hall right now has leveraged himself above Leon Draisaitl for best current Edmonton Oiler skater. He continues to drive the plays and is the heart of the Oilers offense. He had a very solid showings all week, including a goal in the game against Dallas.

1) Anders Nilsson. Could the Edmonton Oilers finally have a decent goaltender? He’s been rock solid these past few games. While all summer I was on board with Cam Talbot (I STILL AM!), it’s refreshing to see Nilsson, the guy who was seen as fighting for the backup spot with Ben Scrivens, taking the starting position. He stopped a whopping 42 shots out of 43 against Dallas. It’s not often we have an Oilers goalie stealing games for the team but we had one on Friday night.

Dishonorable mention: Mark Fayne. Boy Fayne looked god awful against Dallas. Oilers Nerd Alert has a solid blog post about how badly Fayne struggled.

Edmonton Oilers News and Rumors

The Oilers don’t have a lot going on. Travis Hamonic is still a New York Islander. Mark Spector had a very obvious article that the Edmonton Oilers are bound to make a move by the NHL draft.

Yesterday, The Hockey News had an embarrassingly bad article about how the Edmonton Oilers must not get the First Overall pick yet again. I wrote a response over at Oilonwhyte.com but my goodness. When the author is the former Editor in Chief of the Hockey News and he can’t even get simple names right (Scott McLellan) or facts (Blues drafted Erik Johnson, not the Blue Jackets) its’ very hard to take something like that seriously. You should read it and treat it like part of the funnies section of the news paper.

Around the League

 

Highlights

Mike Condon made an outstanding save

 

Erik Karlsson is deadly in Overtime. Bonus: Bob Cole!

Best Radio Calls

 

Cool moment: Cammalleri ties the game up with Dad watching on.

This Wild fan watched the game in her wedding dress. What a keeper.

 

Finally, Eberle’s beauty in the shootout that sealed the Oilers win.

 

The Week ahead

The Oilers have three games this week all at home as they conclude a five game home stead. Tonight they face the Buffalo Sabres, what could have been McDavid vs Eichel round one, Wednesday against San Jose and Friday the Rangers visit for Glen Sather’s night at Rexall.

That’s the week that was, follow me on Twitter! Have a good one, Oil Country.

 

Brennen York, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

First Round Mock Draft

With less than 24 hours, here’s a look at what I think may happen on draft day!

1. Edmonton Oilers: Connor McDavid – C – Erie Otters (OHL)
GP: 47 G: 44 A: 76 PTS: 120

Not much to be said. He changes absolutely everything. Will make an impact next season, and for years to come.

2. Buffalo Sabres: Jack Eichel – C – Boston University (NCAA)
GP: 40 G: 26 A: 45 PTS: 71

Will be a huge piece for the Sabres moving forward. The rebuild is looking good with ayers like Ristolainen, Kane, and Reinhart already in place.

3. Arizona Coyotes: Dylan Strome – C – Erie Otters (OHL)
GP: 68 G: 45 A: 84 PTS: 129

Strome deepens the already strong group of young forwards in Arizona. Next to Domi and Duclair, Strome could be a 90 point guy in the NHL.

4. Toronto Maple Leafs: Mitchell Marner – C/RW – London Knights (OHL)
GP: 63 G: 44 A: 82 PTS: 126

Marner is electrifying, and Leaf fans could use a little excitement. He’s undersized, so jumping to the next level may take time, but he has all the tools to be dominant in the NHL.

5. Carolina Hurricanes: Noah Hanifin – LD – Boston College (NCAA)
GP: 37 G: 5 A: 18 PTS: 23

Hanifin solidifies the defence core in Carolina. He’s a stud, and I believe when we look back at this draft he’s the guy everyone says should have gone second or third. Watching him next to Faulk will be thrilling.

6. New Jersey Devils: Pavel Zacha – C/LW – Sarnia Sting (OHL)
GP: 37 G: 16 A: 18 PTS: 34

Zacha brings both the offence and grittiness to be a New Jersey Devil. Scouts have been somewhat split on Pavel, but he will be a difference maker in the Devils retool. Could see him being a consistent 60 point player.

7. Philadelphia Flyers: Ivan Provorov – LD – Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
GP: 60 G: 15 A: 46 PTS: 61

The Flyers would be ecstatic to grab their future number one defenceman at seven. Though stacked with left handed defenders on the depth chart, Provorov brings that “elite” aspect you look for in the draft.

8. Columbus Blue Jackets: Zach Werenski – LD – University of Michigan (NCAA)
GP: 35 G: 9 A: 16 PTS: 25

The Jackets are loaded up front with players like Wennberg, Johanssen, and Dano, so Werenski is a natural fit. He will be able to fill the role that Ryan Murray seemingly can not.

9. San Jose Sharks: Mikko Rantanen – C/W – TPS (Liiga)
GP: 56 G: 9 A: 19 PTS: 28

Mikko Rantanen is a stud. He brings both size and offensive ability, something every team salivates over. He’s not overly creative, but his hands and shot make him a constant threat in the offensive zone.

10. Colorado Avalanche: Timo Meier – RW – Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
GP: 61 G: 44 A: 46 PTS: 90

It’s Timo Time in Denver. With Nate Mackinnon set to break out, he could use a player on his right side to bang a few home. He’s fiery player who doesn’t quit on pucks. Could be a 30-35 goal player in the NHL.

11. Florida Panthers: Lawson Crouse – LW – Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
GP:56 G: 29 A: 22 PTS: 51

With a strong group of young forwards like Barkov, Huburdeau, and Bjugstad, the Panthers could use a player like Lawson Crouse. There’s mixed feelings on Crouse, but I’m optimistic he will succeed.

12: Dallas Stars: Mathew Barzal – C – Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
GP: 44 G: 12 A: 45 PTS: 57

Dallas may be shocked the Barzal is there at 12, but they will surely not turn him down. There’s not a ton of center prospects with a high ceiling, but Barzal could be the second line center in Dallas for a very long time.

13. Los Angeles Kings: Kyle Connor – C – Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
GP: 56 G: 34 A: 46 PTS: 80

Connor is an interesting case. He has the size and stat line to suggest he could be a top 10 pick, but he does have a few areas he needs to work on. If everything pans out, the Kings land themselves a good top 6 playmaker.

14. Boston Bruins: Nick Merkley – C/RW – Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
GP: 72 G: 20 A: 70 PTS: 90

The Bruins are shallow in the prospect department. They are still a competitive squad, however they are in dire need of future B’s. Merkley brings that never quit attitude that will allow him to be a successful NHL’er.

15. Calgary Flames: Jeremy Roy – RD – Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL)
GP: 46 G: 5 A: 38 PTS: 43

The Flames have built a nice group of young forwards up front, but the back end is still lacking. Roy will be a very good defender for the Flames as he possesses both the raw instincts and puck moving ability to be a difference maker on any given night.

16. Edmonton Oilers: Joel Eriksson Ek – C/LW – Farjestad (SHL)
GP: 34 G: 4 A: 2 PTS: 6

Soured by the fact that Roy is off the board, the Oilers go with a player who’s not far off from being an NHL’er. Eriksson Ek’s stock has risen a lot over the past 4 months, and I think if you’re willing to call Chabot the Sanheim of this year, then Eriksson Ek is the Vrana of 2015.

17. Winnipeg Jets: Travis Konecny – C – Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
GP: 60 G: 29 A: 39 PTS: 68

Not a surprise to see the Jets walk away with another stellar prospect as Konecny falls right into their hands at 17. He’s ranked higher than 17, but both size and inconsistency has been a problem for him. If he pans out, he could be the next Tyler Johnson.

18: Ottawa Senators: Jakub Zboril – LD – Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL) – GP: 44 G: 13 A: 20 PTS: 33

Zboril is a mean two way defender who will be a great fit next to Erik Karlsson. He has the offensive ability to put up good numbers and he can be trusted in a shut down role. If there’s one word to be used when describing Zboril it would be “intriguing”.

19. Detroit Red Wings: Jansen Harkins – C – Prince George Cougars (WHL)
GP: 70 G: 20 A: 59 PTS: 79

Harkins is a favourite of mine and soon to be a favourite of all Wings fans. He brings a good combination of skill and two way ability that allows him to play in all situations. At the NHL level, he’s a good second line center. The name Nick Bonino pops into my head when I watch him.

20. Minnesota Wild: Evgeni Svechnikov – C/RW – Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)
GP: 55 G: 32 A: 46 PTS: 78

Svechnikov is a great pick at 20. He’s a fun player to watch, however some nights he doesn’t necessarily show up. He’s got a great set of hands, and the skating ability to make him a threat around the opposing teams net. That’s a lot of value twenty picks deep.

21. Buffalo Sabres: Denis Guryanov – LW – Ladia Togliatti (MHL)
GP: 23 G: 15 A: 10 PTS: 25

Guryanov is one of the most interesting player in the entire draft. He has size, skill, and speed, and I do believe a few GM’s have mentioned all three of those things as important factors. I want to see him go in the top 10, but that’s unlikely as he arrived onto the scene so late. Buffalo gets a steal at 21.

22. Washington Capitals: Colin White – C/RW – U.S U-18 Team (USDP)
GP: 47 G: 17 A: 28 PTS: 45

It will be interesting to see how White develops over the next few years, but I believe it will be in a good direction. He’s a player you can rely upon to play smart in all three zones and in key situations. Washington needs a guy with versatility and White brings that.

23. Vancouver Canucks: Paul Bittner – LW – Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
GP: 66 G: 34 A: 37 PTS: 71

Bittner will be a key piece of the Canucks moving forward. He needs some work when it comes to putting all his tools together, but when he does you better look out.

24. Toronto Maple Leafs: Jacob Larsson – LD – Frolunda (SHL) – GP: 20 G: 1 A: 2 PTS: 3

I’m very high on Jacob Larsson, and it appears the Leafs are as well. He’s a strong defender who gives his opponent little room. Though he didn’t have great offensive numbers in the SHL, he has a good offensive side to his game.

25. Winnipeg Jets: Thomas Chabot – LD – Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
GP: 66 G: 12 A: 29 PTS: 41

Another great addition for the Jets… Chabot is a good offensive/two way defender who has learned how to be strong in the defensive zone. He may not be a guy you have on the ice in the last minute of a game, but he’ll surely be a guy you can rely on when you’re down a goal.

26. Montreal Canadiens: Jake Debrusk – C/LW – Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
GP: 72 G: 42 A: 39 PTS: 81

If you peg Debrusk as a soft playmaker, you have it all wrong. He’s a strong offensive forward who plays with a little bite in his game. Never afraid to throw a hit or mix things up with an opponent, Debrusk will be a fan favourite in Montreal.

27. Anaheim Ducks: Jeremy Bracco – RW – U.S U-18 Team (USDP)
GP: 58 G: 27 A: 54 PTS: 81

Though the Ducks love their 6’3, 200 pound players, they can afford to swing for a home run this year given their success in recent drafts. Bracco is, well, great. Everything he does is great. His skating, his hands, his shot, it’s all very, very good. The only question mark is his size.

28. Tampa Bay Lightning: Oliver Kylington – LD – Farjestad (SHL)
GP: 18 G: 2 A: 3 PTS: 5

The Bolts are stacked up front, and Oliver Kylington may be the gem of this draft. He fell a ton this year, but going to Tampa Bay may I still some confidence into this offensive defenceman, and it would be scary to think of a future where Kylington and DeAngelo are running the power play.

29. Philadelphia Flyers: Jack Roslovic – C/RW – U.S National U-18 Team (USDP) GP: 65 G: 27 A: 52 PTS: 79

I love Jack Roslovic and the game he brings on a consistent basis. At 6’1, Jack has a good frame for an NHL team to work with. He has so many underrated tools, like his passing ability and offensive IQ. I can not wait to see what he becomes.

30. Arizona Coyotes: Ilya Samsonov – G – Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL) GP: 18 GAA: 2.66 SV%: .918

The Yotes will have to apologize to the Sabres after this one, as once again, a great player has been ripped from their grasps. Samsonov is a great goalie, and unlike Visentin, I’d put money on it that Ilya pans out and becomes a great NHL goalie.

Brennen York, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

3 – Arizona Coyotes

The game plan for Don Maloney is one that is pretty straight forward: Acquire great young prospects that will be effective in the future. There’s a very good core being built in the desert that includes the likes of Max Domi, Anthony Duclair, and Brendan Perlini, and I have to say, the future looks fairly bright for a team who’s off ice situation is far from it. With the depth of forward prospects, and the fact the Yotes have two first round selections, Maloney may need to start looking at bringing in young NHL players (like Kane in Buffalo) to solidify the core. 

If the Coyotes are going to use the pick, rather than trading down (or to Buffalo for Sam Reinhart), there’s a few good options at 3. It’s extremely unlikely that anyone other than Strome, Hanifin, or Marner will hear their name called that early, with that being said I believe that Dylan Strome is the guy they go with. Strome’s name has been rumoured around the Coyotes organization for a while now, and for a lot of reasons it makes sense. The Coyotes lack size down the middle, as well, they don’t have a prospect who’s really expected to be that number one center who can post 90+ points, and Strome is the guy who may come closest to that. That’s not a knock on Domi or Dvorak, but Strome has the ability to be a number one center and take over a team similar to that of Eric Staal. He may not fall into that elite category like Tavares or Stamkos, but he could end up being a very good player. 

Mitchell Marner is another option in this spot. With ties to Domi and Dvorak, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to grab the speedy winger even if he brings a game similar to Max Domi. Noah Hanifin brings something the Yotes don’t have. A blue chip defensive prospect. He’s going to be a stud, and if it were me with the pick I’d have no problem grabbing him with the third overall pick. However, I’m not Don Maloney, and I do believe Maloney comes out of the draft with a Strome brother. Further down in the draft, at 30, there will be a lot of good prospects on the board. Keep an eye on Jake Debrusk, Noah Juulsen, and Ilya Samsonov. I know it will be a fun day for Yotes fans, but I’d be cautious as the draft approaches. The Coyotes may not hold the 3rd overall pick come June 26th.

Draft Day Gameplan

– With picks 30 and 32, look at moving into the top 22. It’d be fine to stay, grab two good prospects, but I feel a good player will be there in the top 22/23.

– If you go with Hanifin at 3, look at a Gormley for Grigorenko deal.

– If the choice is to move down, make teams pay a premium. Don’t fall out of the top 10, add one or two A grade prospects.

– Hold on to Mikkel Bodker. I’ve heard rubies around him being dealt, but hang on to him, he’s young, speedy, and proven.

Yotes Big Board (Without McEichel)

1. Dylan Strome
2. Noah Hanifin
3. Mitchell Marner
4. Ivan Provorov
5. Mathew Barzal
6. Mikko Rantanen
7. Pavel Zacha
8. Kyle Connor
9. Travis Konecny
10. Lawson Crouse

Who do they take?

If they pick at 3, they’re likely going with Dylan Strome. Whoever they take there, they will be getting a really good prospect, but Strome fills a need and the argument can be made that he may be the BPA at that point. Strome is justified, Hanifin the smarter pick.

Darkhorse?

In the situation that they trade down, I believe they’d have interest in both Mathew Barzal and Kyle Connor. Both have the potential to be good NHL centers, and I could see them loving Barzal at this point in their rebuild.