Tag Archives: Michael Stone

Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rob Cooke, Trades

Good Wood: A Defenseman for the Oilers

The Oilers are going to play a red-hot Columbus Blue Jackets tonight and I think they might get the two points. But that’s not the only thing on my mind today…

NHL draft and prospect guru Corey Pronman recently posted an interesting tweet that got my headbone churning. It was a list of the top 20-year-old point scorers in the AHL and atop said list was a defenseman out of the Arizona organization surnamed “Wood”.

https://twitter.com/coreypronman/status/815748202943184897

I’ll be honest, I had no bloody clue who this kid was but the reason I decided to dig into him is because he was a d-man piling up the points as a rookie in the AHL. The most immediate question that came to mind was, is he right-handed?… YES! The next question was, did he have size. YES! And that sealed the deal, an article was to be posted detailing this 20-year old rearguard.

I mean honestly, if you’re looking at the Oilers depth chart, what position are they in dire need of upgrading? Right-shot players I’d say and one that plays defense is the cherry on top.

At the moment the right-side defense’s depth chart looks something like this (please let me know if I’ve left anybody out):

  • Adam Larsson (NHL)
  • Matt Benning (NHL)
  • Eric Gryba (NHL)
  • Mark Fayne (AHL)
  • Ethan Bear (WHL)
  • Filip Berglund (SHL)
  • John Marino (NCAA)
  • Vincent Desharnais (NCAA)

So they way I see it, Fayne and Gryba will most likely be gone sooner than later. Ethan Bear will need a season or two in the AHL, Filip Berglund probably won’t come over until he’s at least 21; and John Marino and Vincent Desharnais are probably long shots at playing a game in the NHL.

On top of that, the Oilers AHL club has so many left-handed dmen that they moved Joey  Laleggia to forward and are using Mark Fayne and another fella named Bryce Aneloski (I don’t know who he is either). They could use some help down there.

So that’s why the Oilers should be looking into the availability of Kyle Wood. He’s 3rd in AHL rookie scoring, 4th in points for a defenseman, and sits in 18th place overall for scoring in the entire league. Not too shabby, if you ask me.

Sir McDavid takes on Kyle Wood back in their OHL days.

Kyle Wood

Born: May 4th, 1995
Birthplace, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Age:20
Position: Defense
Shoots: Right
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 209lbs
Drafted: 3rd round #84 by Colorado in 2014

Kyle Wood was originally a pick by the Colorado Avalanche but the Arizona Coyotes acquired him as part of the package for Mikkel Boedker and he is rapidly making a name for himself in Arizona.

Wood’s stats are pretty damned good for a player who wasn’t known to bring much offense to the table coming out of junior. Here are some quotes regarding Mr.Wood that will help shed some light on the player he was in junior and is now as a pro in Tuscon.

“At 6’5, 230lbs, he has the size to cause scouts to salivate. And he actually moves decently well for a big man. He’s also a physical player who is already very tough to play against in the corners. As time goes on, he’ll become quite a defensive force. Offensively, he’s actually surprisingly effective. He can lead the rush and he’s been quarterbacking the Battalion 2nd powerplay unit.” – Brock Otten (source)

“He’s obviously a big kid but one of the things our scouts liked about him is that he was willing to move pucks under pressure. He’s calm and makes a good first pass; he doesn’t seem to get rattled easily.” Jim Playfair, ARI Asst. Coach (source)

“Towering over other players, Wood can be mistaken for a pure defensive defenseman but that is not the case. Wood has an underrated offensive game and was the second power play unit’s quarterback for his junior team. He uses his size well and to his advantage. Teammates love having him on the back end and opposing players hate going up against him.” – Hockey’s Future (source)

“Wood is a big defenseman who has shown solid two-way potential.  He has great size that he uses to his advantage, and an above average hockey IQ.  The book on him is a little lacking because he missed the first half of the season due to injury, but Wood will most likely be a solid defender for North Bay in the future with a very solid chance to make it at the NHL level.” – Shane O’Donnell (source)

The Shot

“He’s got a heavy shot, and learned to shoot it when he’s supposed to,” Samuelsson added. “But he’s got the hardest one-time I’ve seen, so it’s been nice to see him score a lot. It’s hard and it’s accurate, so it’s good to have on the power play for sure.” – Henrik Samuelsson

“When you see him loading up, it’s time to get out of the way and let him shoot,” Perlini joked. “I just try to give him a good lane because I’m in front of the net because it’s obviously coming in fast, so if I get a little screen on the goalie, he can wire it.” – Brendan Perlini

“He shoots the puck like Shea Weber,” continued Lamb. “That’s who he shoots it like. He’s a big, right-hand D that is skating.”

Where a lot of Wood’s points have come from is the Roadrunners’ deadly top power play unit, which has been the most productive power play unit in the entire league by far, cashing in on 31.3% (21-of-67) of their man-advantages. – Jason Bartel

(source)

Say What?! A shot like Shea Weber?… Well that sort of does it for me. Wood has the size, the skating, the hockey IQ, and he puts up some pretty rad numbers on the PP. Now, we know that the Oilers are looking for both size AND a shot for their PP. Wouldn’t this kid fit the bill?

Wouldn’t this kid fit the bill? I should ask though, is he more Shea Weber or Cody Franson?

The alternative to Kyle Wood would be to pick up Michael Stone from the Coyotes. The soon-to-be UFA right-handed defenseman is sure to be a playoff pickup for some NHL team but I know that the Oilers have been barking up this tree all season. This scenario is much more likely unless the Edmonton could offer the Coyotes something they couldn’t refuse for Kyle Wood. The old Griffin Reinhart + Benny Pouliot offer isn’t likely to tempt Mr.Chayka.

What would you offer the Coyotes for Kyle Wood or Michael Stone? Let us know in the comments below!

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Edmonton Oilers, Eric Friesen, NHL, Rumors, Trades

Coyotes’ Michael Stone Would Fit Well With Oilers

According to Hockey Hall of Fame writer for the Edmonton Journal Jim Matheson, Arizona Coyotes defenceman Michael Stone is reportedly on the trade market. Matheson, who you can follow on Twitter @NHLbyMatty, tweeted on Friday: “Coyotes offensive D Michael Stone is apparently available. UFA in July. Would Edm be interested? Big shot”.

Though we are only 19 games into the 2016-17 season, I have no hesitation in saying this is the most talented as well as most balanced Edmonton Oilers team since 2005-06 when they went to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. However, the Oilers are still a few pieces away from becoming a top tier team in the league, most importantly a right-shot offensive defenceman who can be a difference maker on the powerplay. And Stone could be that guy.

The Oilers acquired Adam Larsson in the off-season (for a moment let’s forget about who they traded for him) to be a right-shot top pairing defender who can shutdown the opposition’s best forwards. And after almost a quarter of the season, I think he’s done an excellent job in his role and has been a stabilizing presence on the Oilers’ blueline. That said, he’s not going to see his name of the score sheet often. He has produced just three points in 19 games as an Oiler (0.16 points per game), which is below his career (0.25). Larsson’s numbers will likely improve as the season goes on and he gets more comfortable in his new home, but we shouldn’t expect him to develop into a powerplay weapon for the Oilers, either.

GM Peter Chiarelli worked the phones all summer to try and acquire another top four defenceman with a powerful point shot, but ultimately he wasn’t able acquire one. In early July, the Oilers were in the hunt for RFA defenceman Tyson Barrie who was reportedly frustrated with his qualifying offer from the Colorado Avalanche and wanted out, but the asking price was reportedly too high. Stone was another name the Oilers were rumoured to be pursuing, but nothing ever came of it. Still, he’s a player I’ve thought the Oilers should try to bring in if there isn’t a better option out there in free agency or on the trade market.

Stone was selected by the Coyotes in the third round (69th overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft from the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL. Stone played four seasons with the Hitmen, notching 52 goals and 181 points in 264 career WHL games. Stone served as team captain in his final year of major junior led the Hitmen to the 2010 WHL championship. Over the last six seasons, Stone has split time between the NHL and AHL, tallying 23 goals and 90 points in 287 career NHL games all with the Coyotes. The 6-foot-3, 210 pound defenceman has good size, can be a physical presence and possesses a cannon for point shot.

If the Oilers were to trade for Stone, Matthew Benning would likely be assigned to Bakersfield, which probably wouldn’t be the worst thing for his development, even though he hasn’t looked out of place through his first 10 games in the NHL. Given Stone’s skill set, it’s possible that he could play on the second or third pairing and first powerplay unit in Edmonton. Right now, the Oilers’ powerplay runs entirely through Connor McDavid and because the opposing penalty killers know Edmonton doesn’t have a big shot from the point to worry about, they are able to collapse down low and clog up the middle of the ice. If the Oilers had a guy like Stone would who can absolutely fire the puck, the opposition would have to focus more on him, which would open up more time and space for McDavid to work his magic and increase the team’s overall powerplay efficiency.

This is how I would envision the Oilers defensive pairings would look:

Klefbom-Larsson

Sekera-Russell

Nurse-Stone

*Gryba

The question now becomes what would it cost the Oilers to acquire Stone? I don’t see the Oilers wanting to give up a player like Jordan Eberle or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to the Coyotes for Stone. The 26-year-old Winnipeg, Manitoba native is on a one-year deal worth $4 million and can become a UFA on July 1, so if Chiarelli doesn’t like the asking price he can take a shot at him next off-season when he will have more flexibility to sign free-agents with Andrew Ference‘s contract off the books. There’s also the upcoming NHL Expansion Draft in June and the Oilers would have to protect Stone if they did a trade and sign, which could be problematic for them with their internal list likely already complete. It’s been well documented that the Coyotes’ new GM John Chayka is an analytics expert and we all know how much the analytics community loves Benoit Pouliot, so maybe there’s a trade to be made there? Pouliot is capable of playing in a top six role and providing and some physicality as well, but he has struggled mightily this year and I think most Oilers fans wouldn’t be overly upset to see him go. One thing is for certain, the Oilers need to add an offensive defenceman. Stone is just one option for them, but if this still team is still in the playoff picture at the trade deadline, Chiarelli might pull the trigger.

Feel free to leave a comment if you think the Oilers should go after Stone or not. And if so, what you think it might cost Edmonton to acquire him. You can also follow me on Twitter @EricJFriesen. Thanks for reading my blog!

Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Questionable Sources

Well there you have it, Horcoff isn’t coming to Edmonton on a PTO and Gryba is still on the market. Brandon Pirri has signed in New York and if things follow the same path, Raffi Torres will still be a UFA by the time the 2016/17 NHL season starts.

All of the things I have tossed out there in the last week or so have passed without happening and I feel bad for you the reader but unfortunately that’s how she goes. Not everything I’m told comes to fruition, in fact very little of it comes true. I don’t put tons of concern into that though because, to be honest, it’s no skin off of my back. I don’t write for anybody but myself if we’re being completely frank.

I’m stoked that you will come to our site here and read what we have to say and comment on it but it’s really no different that heading over to the water cooler or coffee machine at work and having a chat about the Oilers.

That being said, Bob Stauffer mentioned on Oilers Now! that Matt Benning is signing somewhere (talked about 4 or 5 other teams being in the mix but tossed EDM and LA out specifically) by tomorrow afternoon and to keep an eye on Michael Stone.

I asked my source about Stone and it said that the Oilers are going to watch the Stone situation “loosely”. I guess that means they’ll be keeping an eye on him to see if he re-signs with the club or is shopped.

Stone is coming off of knee surgery and recently signed a 1-year deal with $4M according to Capfriendly.com

 

Now to the Main Attraction!

The title of the post is called “Questionable Sources” because of this post by Matt Henderson.

“It had been reported by some questionable sources that the Oilers were relatively close to signing veteran and former Captain Shawn Horcoff to a PTO. At the same time those questionable sources also suggest that Gryba was close to signing a PTO with the team.”

Now, as far as I know there were three accounts on Twitter speaking to one or both of the Horcoff/Gryba PTO rumours.

Kurt is a good guy. we’ve had a few chats on Twitter in the past. He’s not known to be the breaker of Oilers’ news per se but a wonderful writer over at Oil on Whyte nonetheless.

https://twitter.com/Boscorelli_HN/status/765771283376242689

This account belongs to Joshua Marshall I believe (E3), and it’s the one that put out the Yakupov for Petrovic rumours earlier this summer. I’m of the belief that Marshall is a good friend of Petrovic’s and that rumour might’ve been a practical joke.

I’ve never met this bloke before, seen his posts in the Edmonton Oilers Fans page on Facebook a few times, but a chance to talk to him, I have not had. 3PD tells me he’s good sh*t though.

Personally I have no problem with folks claiming they have an inside track because I know the odds of that being true or not. I think the fact of the matter is that it’s entertainment, we live in a gossip culture and everybody wants to know what’s going on behind the curtain. It drives hits to websites and followers to Twitter accounts. If you’re fortunate to work for a major media player, those hits and followers turn into $$$.

So maybe that’s the motivation for folks to have these rumor accounts? Maybe there’s a pipedream for some bloggers that believe that if they post these things, they’ll get a job with a team or a media conglomerate. I don’t know.

I write because it’s fun. If something comes of it, great! If nothing, that’s okay too!

The problem I do have is when writers like Henderson use phrases like “Questionable Sources” when everyone knows who the bloody source is. We all drink from the same watering hole, do we not? It’s a dick move to be honest. Either you say who it is or you don’t write it.

I don’t know, maybe my ego is so big that I couldn’t fathom anyone talking about anything other than myself or maybe Henderson is afraid to link to my post where I wrote:

“I’ve been told there’s a chance that Shawn Horcoff and Eric Gryba will be offered a chance to make the 2016/17 Edmonton Oilers if they choose to accept a PTO.”

Then again maybe we don’t know but you can take a pretty educated guess if you’re paying attention.

So Henderson writes,

“…the Oilers were relatively close to signing veteran and former Captain Shawn Horcoff to a PTO. At the same time those questionable sources also suggest that Gryba was close to signing a PTO with the team.”

And I write that,

“there’s a chance…”

Maybe my post wasn’t the source but there’s a chance…

Well anyways, that Matt Henderson post on Hockeybuzz is a pretty big ego trip of its own in my opinion.

“I make an effort not to “Break” news unless I have a very good reason to believe I have good information. To date, it has happened once. It was Jeff Petry’s contract negotiation status…

I wouldn’t even consider stating that Horcoff and Gryba were close to signing PTOs without having heard that from a legitimate source.”

Well good for Matty. What a saint.

With regards to that break on Jeff Petry’s contract negotiations, I was talking to the exact same contact that Henderson was but I was told not to say anything online about it. So either in my naivety or my stupidity, the contact went to Henderson with the info and Matt posted it on Oilersnation and was on Lowetide’s show talking about it.

I’ve often found it weird that this person didn’t go to Jason Gregor, Lowetide, or a guy like Ryan Rishaug with the information. Why go to a guy that calls himself Beer League Hero or Matt Henderson?

Anyways, the tidbits I get told are things I feel I should share with you because I feel like you’d like to know. I’m not afraid to share them with you because, like I said above, it’s no skin off of my back and we don’t sell more shirts because of it.

My source trusts me and I trust it.

You should never be afraid to do or say something in fear of what others will think or say. Within reason of course.

Matt Henderson is a wonderful Oilers blogger, really. I have no qualms with him on a personal level. He’s great on Twitter and his spots on Reid Wilkins’ show are quite entertaining. If you’re not reading his posts on Hockeybuzz or Oilersnation, you really should be.

To conclude, I’m a bit bent about his post but what Mr.Henderson wrote is not wrong at all. The source of the information in his blog, be it my post or another, IS questionable. It should be.

But shouldn’t everything be questionable? Especially the shirts below!

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