Get yer Ya-Ya’s out, it’s time to turn left. Up the ladder to the roof, climb that big rock candy mountain, travel river deep, mountain high, take it to the limit, out of your brain on the 5:15. Music! Oh, and by the way? Still plenty of pain.
OILERS EARLY, SEASON OVER SEASON
- Oilers in October 2014: 4-5-1
- Oilers in October 2015: 4-8-0
- Oilers in November 2014: 2-9-3
- Oilers in November 2015: 3-4-1
- Oilers Goal Differential in 2014 Oct/Nov: -34
- Oilers Goal Differential in 2015 Oct/Nov: -8
This is a better team but the won-loss record has been lagging. The goaltending/defense isn’t where it should be (55 GF is a solid total, but 63 GA is death valley again so far). The 55 goals for are one behind the division lead in that category. Todd McLellan’s Oilers are going to score goals.
.@Drat_29 (7-10—17) is 1st @EdmontonOilers player to post 17 PTS in his 1st 10 GP of a season since Messier (7-10—17) in 89-90. @EliasSports
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) November 21, 2015
I was going to write “we’re seeing something special” about Leon’s 10 games but the NHL PR folks drive home the point better than anyone could with only words. Lordy. If you can write a song, rhyme “Draisaitl” with “fantastical” and you’ll sell a million in this city alone—if it’s got a good beat and you can dance to it. Simply incredible talent, his goals are a wonder and come in packs of six and a dozen. It’s so easy to fall in love! Stunning. Stunning.
No report for the Devils – Oilers game for the foreseeable future. NHL isn't posting their reports past the box score yet.
— Natural Stat Trick (@NatStatTrick) November 21, 2015
SADDLEBLAZER
Just before midnight, in the comments section of this blog, the following appeared from Saddleblazer:
- One September afternoon in 2004 I knocked on my neighbour’s door and introduced myself. She was a lovely young lady who, like me, came to Edmonton from the North for university. We became friends over games of cribbage and putting together 1000 piece puzzles.
- We started dating and once 2005 rolled along, she learned that I was a big hockey fan and I learned that HER MOTHER HAD CORPORATE SEASON TICKETS IN ROW 4 OF REXALL. No joke, I went to around 30 home games that magical season. I shouted “I LOVE YOU” to Chris Pronger a hundred times and hung his life sized poster in my home (it was under the seats one home game that year). I was at game 3 of the cup final when Smytty banged home the winner.
- Needless to say, I married that girl and moved back North with her. We are expecting our second child in February. We are in Edmonton for the weekend and just returned home from the game. Terrific performance by our boys. I purchased a Draisaitl 29 jersey and wore it proudly when he was announced the game’s first star. I am happy that this was the last game I’ll see them play in that old barn. Farewell, Rexall Place.
From #Oilers practice today, young d-men @drtwofive & @bdavy3 getting into a groove as they gain @NHL experience.https://t.co/V4c795Apo1
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) November 20, 2015
THE POINT IS MOOT
It’s kind of weird reading twitter these days. Even though we can all agree that young players—especially defensemen—do not develop in a straight line, there are factions forming behind all of the rookie blue in Edmonton this season, for and agin. From “I saw him play table hockey at seven, made the call that day” to “He’s the first defenseman I’ve ever seen get walked by Patrick Kane” the hyperbole is rich, splendid and not particularly helpful to the modern fan. Here’s the actual state of affairs, accept no substitutes.
- Darnell Nurse is an exceptional talent who is learning quickly but is not yet fully completely. No sin in that, and we’re looking at a very nice range of skills and all he lacks is the sorties. There are going to be nights of ‘also in photo’ but there’s already moments of real contribution. Already. Dynamite hockey player. 11GP, 1-4-5 ranks No. 4 in the NHL among rookie defensemen. He’s also third in the NHL among rookie D in TOI per game, 19:09.
- Brandon Davidson also has a nice range of skills, and the minor league experience so few of these young men get in the modern world. A cup of coffee in the ECHL and basically two full seasons in the AHL have given Davidson a chance to learn the trade. A lesson here, methinks. We should also allow for the usual ups and downs and agree that we don’t actually know what the Oilers have in Davidson. A very low draft pick (No. 162 in 2010, he’s the last NHL piece standing from the Lubo for Ryan Whitney deal) who has shown extremely well in limited play this year, one hopes we hold back from gushing too much and allow the young man to find his place on the roster. He’s 23 games into his NHL career folks. Early days indeed. Still, very encouraging and it behooves the Oilers to play him every night until he’s either established or finds his way to the pressbox due to his own play. 11GP, 2-2-4 and his 17:24 ranks him No. 8 among rookie defensemen in TOI.
- Griffin Reinhart is perhaps the most dividing defender on this year’s roster (until JSchultz returns, anyway) and a lot of that has to do (imo) with the price paid. Reinhart is 19 games into his NHL career and is learning on the job. He doesn’t have Nurse’s wheels and that’s going to cost him (we saw examples last night) but I do think he’s far better away from Gryba and we’re going to have to judge him over a longer term. It is unfair to compare him to Nurse, and if I’m Chiarelli there has to be at least the thread of an idea rumbling around my brain to trade him out. 11GP, 0-0-0 and his 16:29 ranks him No. 13 among rookie defensemen in TOI.
A lock for the top four, a riddle that needs repeating and a former lottery pick trying to catch a fast train. This situation SO reminds me of those late 1960s and early 1970s Leafs teams, it’s incredible. Who is the Dorey, who is the Pelyk, who is the Glennie, who is the Ley? There’s no McKenny I can see and these youngsters will make themselves known eventually. Until then, I advise a strict adherence to the following: NO grand statements about rookie defensemen, especially in an era when google search can find you. No one knows, people. They are defensemen, and they develop and slide back and get hurt and lose some speed and God knows what else. If you really want to know the state of affairs, ask Mr. McLellan:
ES TOI Oilers D:
Nurse 16:37
Davidson 16:08
Gryba 15:28
Reinhart 14:58
Klef 13:13
Fayne 12:08Tons of ST for 77+88 https://t.co/ads3Hu0wl7
— Bruce McCurdy (@BruceMcCurdy) November 21, 2015
NUGE!
- Ryan Rishaug: “His (Leon Draisaitl) emergence, simply put, gives them some options. When Connor McDavid comes back, if Draisaitl is playing at something close to this level, that gives them a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl one-two-three punch. All kinds of depth down the middle. As we know, the Oilers are a team that needs help on the blue line. Should they decide to ‘rob Peter and pay Paul a little bit, and move a forward to bring in a high-end defensemen, well now the potential to move a player like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins doesn’t sound quire so ridiculous. Something they’re going to take their time and think a long time about. Draisaitl needs to show he can do it over the long haul, but his emergence gives the Edmonton Oilers brain trust options.”
This is from Mr. Rishaug last night, and he’s right. Not now, not this season and I’d argue next as well, but at some point Edmonton is going to make a move and it might be the Nuge. Would I do it? No. I’d move a winger and place Leon on RW until both McDavid and Draisaitl are mature. Strength up the middle is too precious to abandon. I think Peter Chiarelli is contemplating things though, suspect Rishaug is spot on about the options opening up. Interesting times. I still think Yakupov will be odd man out when push comes to shove, Schultz too.
Draisaitl on a mission after early disappointment https://t.co/XCzmzQZoAl
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) November 21, 2015
If Myers and Spurgeon and Hamilton and Brodie are not options in return for Hamonic, then does Yak+Schultz work for Snow? Or the 2016 1st? What else would have to be going back and forth to make either deal work?
You get how to look at Dmen!
many on here just listen to there head telling them:
TSN said!
Sportsbet Said!
Meant to post this after the game.
After i got home from sailine and cotizon injection to the left shoulder.
Right in 2 weeks:
Hall (5yr @ 6M) – Draisatl (2yr @ 3.4M)-XXX
He will get a 2,6M bump in 17-18
XXX-RNH (6yr @6M) – Eberle (4yr @ 6M)
Good till Mcdavid needs his bump.
Pullout (4yr @ 4M) – Mcdavid (3yr @ 3.775M) – XXX
Mcdavid will get a 4.5M ish bump in 18-19
Keeping all 6:
15-16 29.175
16-17 29.175
17-18 31.775
18-19 36.5M
Purcell (1yr @ 4.5M)
Yak (2yr 2 2.5M)
korpikoski (2yr@ 2.5M)
Hendricks (2yr @ 1.85M)
Letestu (3yr @ 1.85M)
Lander (2yr @ .988M)
Sekera (6yr @ 5.5M)
Klefbom (1yr1@ 1.244; 7yr @ 4.167M)
Schultz (1yr @ 3.9M)
Fayne (3yr @ 3.625M)
Nikitin (1yr 3.55M)
Ference (2yr @ 3.25M)
Reinhaart (2yr @ 3.221M)
Nurse (3yr @ 1.773)
Gryba (1yr @ 1.25M)
Davidson (1yr @ .585M)
Next year:
Sekera 5.5m
Klefbom 4.167M
Fayne 3.625m
Reinhardt 3.22M
Nurse 1.744M
Ference 1.083M
16-17 19.369M 2 D needed one likely davidson on contract with term.
Chara. Massive goal for a true beast. Wow.
I saw JarJar’s “little” brother p,ay when Seattle was in Edmonton. Wasnt watching for him particularly but he did some things to stand out for sure. Big, fast, aggressive are 3 nice tools in anybody’s tool box, especially a d-man.
Beware Josi, partner effects.
I caught the Seattle game last night. Bear looked good, mobile, booming shot, responsible. He’ll be eating Schultz lunch in 2 years, similar player.
A surprise seeing Savhan? Khaira playing, also right D. He’s big, very mobile and responsible, and more aggressive than Bear. I think he has a great shot at the bigs with that package.
G Money,
Really enjoying your post-game analyses. The CF% trend is encouraging. Do you know if anyone has gone so far as to calculate expected goals for and against on a per-game basis and do a similar trend chart?
The DFA60 numbers matched my eye pretty closely. I don’t know what more Gryba can do to earn a little press box time.
BTW, I watched the last 23 mins or so of the Canadiens-Islanders game last night. Hamonic mostly played with Leddy and Boychuk played with DeHaan, so Hamonic certainly seemed to be on the top pairing. I saw Hamonic very good indeed last night. It wasn’t a physical game by any stretch – at least not the part I saw – but Hamonic showed excellent, smooth skating, nice puck handling, and decisive, accurate passing. I thought of Jay Bouwmeester while I was watching him, which might explain why Capuano trusts him to munch the tough minutes. I think Hamonic may have more offense, though – imagine Justin Schultz with NO lollygagging, better passing accuracy, and a decent point shot.
I watched quite a few Islanders games last year but wasn’t watching Hamonic in particular and didn’t really notice him much. I’m going to make a point of watching the Islanders/Habs rematch tomorrow night as well, but my limited viewing last night suggested that your analysis of TH is better than mine. If so, acquiring him may be just what the Oilers need most.
Well dang.
Thanks for the info. Facts can ruin a guy’s whole day, though.
Was that before or after Palmieri went wide on Reinhart and cut in like he was a beer league player.
He’s youngish so maybe he’ll turn into something serviceable but right now he’s not an NHL quality hockey player.
If only that was true. He’s bad at exactly these things. His supposed strength is actually a weakness.
Armchair GM,
“I have all the time in the world for Reinhart.” – me too. Watching him one on one against Hossa was encouraging. Textbook play.
Last night, he pinned Palmeri to the boards, hard. He’s such a strong guy, you’d have thought that Palmeri would be tattooed with the board advertising. The look on Palmeri’s face was somewhere between anger and shock.
Due to contracts, I see him headed to Bakersfield, which wouldn’t be the worst thing for him.
I thought that ringer was Twain cribbing Wilde (oral retelling only) after picking it up via the newfangled Mo Gore—though perhaps Wilde’s version (among confidants) was “put the amusement park by the clump”.
—
* According to one Charles “CC” Gore, “my father [Mounce Gore, 1810–1849] invented the telegraph” though it was widely regarded as unclear at the time and has remained unclear ever since exactly how Mounce’s youthful invention leaked all the way to Baron Pavel Schilling in far-off yonder frigid St Petersburg.
A succession of gossipy seamen suspected.
See, I imagined it going down more like this:
?w=1000
But then again that’s how I always picture things like this going down on the Internet.
*strong man style clapping*
A player on a conditioning stint is also on the 23-man roster. Schultz coming off IR means somebody has to be sent down or put on IR.
retirement is a cure
JMHO. That would be a monstrous over payment. Hamonic is good defensively, players physical and good at the defensive zone. He is everything that Justin is not in those area. Justin is a great skater with the puck, has excellent vision in the offensive zone and is good in the offensive zone. Basically everything Travis is not in the offensive zone. Both leads team in TOI as a defenseman. I see these 2 players as polar opposite of each other. Travis wants out so why on earth would anyone want to overpay and hurt yourself. Justin for Travis and no more is how I see it. Justin will flourish in the eastern conference due to less travel and weaker teams and Travis will struggle against western opposition. All this talk of Jordan for Travis is ridiculous. JMHO
spoiler,
Agreed. R-L is preferred but not critical. However, if you count Sekera, Nurse and Klefbom amongst the Oilers’ top 4 – now or come playoff time – you need at least 1 RHD in that group. If it’s not Schultz (and so far doesn’t seem it will be) then they need to go outside the org to find one.
Nicely done, gentlemen! 🙂
PS:
if you predicted either Taylor Hall or Leon Daisraitl last night to win the contest and weren’t mentioned [please let me know. it was later when I checked the names, could have missed someone).
Results! Daily Hunter1909 Pick the Player with the most points and Win Contest, Game Two:
Olive Oilers LD
Remlap TH
Lowetide LD?
Hags9k TH
Unca Miltie TH
Hunter1909 LD
All 6 go into the next elimination round, who decide the winner from last night’s contest.
I don’t particularly like the thought of winning my own contest, and so might sell my share in the last 6 for the contest for a Lowetide donation.
Gonna put my money on woodguy. Maidstone only ever raised wimps
I’ll trust your word.
You have honour.
/Worf
Ference to IR is so interesting, since he really is afflicted with a chronic, inexorably progressive degenerative condition for which there is no cure or treatment….
Systems and tactics are so much more important today that we cannot compare to those dynasties.
A PK without a primo RHS option covering the right side can be broken down in seconds by players who know what they’re doing.
That’s why CHI having Seabrook is so important.
RNH-Ebs, Drai-Hall, McD-Yak. Will the Oilers even need defenders with those three lines rolling?
I wonder why this isn’t used more? Eberle for a conditioning stint would have been a good idea too.
I understand the politics of not pissing off the MSM, but this is not “right”.
It’s not right for Rishaug to comment on the deficiencies on this team today, offer a possibility, and then dissemble by saying he was talking a couple of years down the road.
It’s not right for us to give him this out.
Who knows what this team’s needs will be two years from now? Who knows about injuries and development and changes to cap ceilings and all the stuff that can happen in between?
And who proposes trading a Center before a Winger?
There is so much wrong with Rishaug’s comment, that it is “ridiculous”.
He is either talking about this process starting today… in which case it is incredibly premature and based on a tiny sample size of players mid-development, or he is talking about the relatively distant future, in which case it is incredibly premature and based on nothing we can know for sure.
The only way out I can honestly give Rishaug is that he was tossing out the verbal version of click bait. Creating a tempest in a teapot to generate hits and views. That’s almost sinking to Spector’s level, I thought he was better than that.
The last three dynasties, Canadiens, Islanders, and OIlers, were extremely unbalanced with left shot D.
New Jersey and Detroit in the nineties and early naughts, also.
The Blackhawks were three lefties and Seabrook in the top four on all of their three Cups.
If one has Savard, Lapointe, Robinson, Nyrop, I don’t care that there wasn’t a right shot amongst them.
Skating abilitiy, mobility, and passing ability if far more important than handedness in D.
I agree with this wholeheartedly – keep these six pairs as long as you can. And then you just have to find Lander someone to gel with on the 4th line (I actually like the Korpikoski-Lander- Pakarinen line, good energy, they just to get some better shots on net).
And the needle is slowly moving in a good way with the current D.
“Sunil Agnihotri @sunilagni 57m57 minutes ago
Oilers are now sitting at a CF% of 48.0% (adjusted). 45.9% at the end of Oct (29th in the league). And 50.9% so far in November. Progress!”
Develop and improve the D we have. I would love to see Harmonic in Oiler’s silks, but the cost is too high right now. Wait until the summer to re-evaluate bigger fish.
I have all the time in the world for Reinhart. I love to watch him defend one-on-one. Unlike Shultz, and way too many recent Oiler defenders, he completely ignores the puck. He locks his eyes on the forward’s chest and times his contact to separate the forward from the puck. It’s obviously an under-appreciated skill. It doesn’t get the fanbase swooning, but after years of watching defenders lose their underwear with too much attention to the puck and not enough to the forward, it’s nice to know Reinhart is not giving free passes to the net.
Because the D has started to gel during Jultz’s injury time, the right move would be to assign Jultz to Bakersfield for conditioning. It might actually be useful; for sure it would be convenient.
Also, TFCAF to IR until his broken mojo has a chance to heal. Could take a while; it’s not something simple like a broken Connorbone.
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/Hamonic-to-Oilers-via-Carolina/1/72686
only Eklund, but interesting to discuss ideas. Any thoughts on who the Canes would want from our roster? Or would the first pick plus schultz be enough?
Pouzar,
Thanks for your reports on the Condors. They are some of the more interesting posts.
I think he is definitely a good bet for a bottom 6 LW role. He plays with speed and an edge but also plays with enough structure too. He played a lot on the PK last night and looked good. Best player on the Condors by far last night.
Like the Loiseau kid too.
My buddy commented that Chase was a good player.
Pouzar,
Can you cheer for the Flames for a while then?
I like LB which means he will fail. I can’t have nice things.
No – Gulls!
Systems wise, I noticed a couple of the breakouts were set up with one forward on the wall, one near the faceoff dots and one in the middle of the ice. When NJ tried to cycle it, the forward on the wall helped stop the cycle or tied up the pinching defenceman. To get the puck out, the wall forward tipped /passed it to the forward near the face off dot who was providing close support in either a pass receiving or defensive role.
If I daresay, it looked like an successful and effective defensive overload on one side of the ice or a “swarm”
*ducks*
Klefbom cant do any of those things?
How about just one of them?
How about just a little bit of one of them?
You say no?
Damn. I guess I need to renew my prescription to thicker coke bottle eye glasses. I’m almost deaf in both eyes.
Not sure where in my previous post I was comparing Klefbom to Doughty.
But if use ABS/60, I’m going with Klefbom.
BeerGut/60, and I’m going with Doughty
Thank you. You said almost everything I was thinking.
LA wins by being heavy and outmuscling teams all over the ice. MON wins with a great defence and Carey Price backstopping everything else. CHI wins with skill and speed.
Edmonton can win by rolling the unicorn of three offensively dangerous lines. It WOULD be nice to improve the defence but if trades are too difficult, then we just need a competent group who can break up the cycles and then send the puck up to the forwards. If our forwards always have it in the opponents’ end, our defence won’t be doing much actual defending.
Sometimes life gives you lemons and so you make lemonade. We got a 5 ton stocked with mangoes and strawberries dropped off at our door. Don’t make lemonade, make a delicious smoothie!
How does Jujhar Khaira play? Is a potentential third- or fourth-line winger for the Oilers? He seems to be good defensively and on the PK.
Heck, LT took vacations in a wood box. But Woodguy probably sold them the wood…
Draisaitl is really fucking with the AHL-NHL equivalencies…
Tied for 27th in the league in scoring, 11th in +/-, with 50% games played compared to other leaders.
Rules are rules, but it seems a little ridiculous that a 24 y/o Panarin is considered a “rookie” while Draisaitl is not, because he got 37 games of experience from an AHL-coached team last year..
Ah yes…the sweet smell of pheromones and shit. Like Robin Williams said: God is funny putting the amusement park by the dump.
Do you even watch the Oilers games?
I’ve watched Klef defend many 1-on-1 or 2-on-1 sorties, as well as strip pucks on the back check even after getting caught on a pinch in the O-zone. He skates like the wind, and can move the puck just as fast. Klef is far from the biggest defensive liability on the team.
Any mistakes he makes in his own zone can be explained by him having less then 100 games of experience.
Nobody said he was doughty. The other poster said he was pretty much the Oilers #1 D right now, and I would be inclined to agree. Though I think Nurse will over take him with time.
That was a tremendous play all round. What a rush from LD and a sublimely placed and timed pass fro Hall.
https://imgur.com/gallery/rHoaU
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
2 wins in the next 5 are all that’s needed. Anything above that is gravy and I may have to revise up from 85points. Don’t think a trade is needed now.
The numbers don’t show the deficiencies in his game in our zone.
He’s had a good year on offense but until he can defend one on one, clear the crease, physically separate the puck from the opposing forward and move the puck from behind the net, let’s not start comparing him to Doughty.
There is no trade involving any of our top centers. Just don’t see it. No need to trade for goaltending either as our solution is playing in the minors.
We don’t need to trade major assets for Hamonic either.
Stand pat and wait to see what happens. I suspect an offer for Shultz Yak and this years first has already been offered.
Beyond that I’m telling snow to call me back if you can’t find anything better.
Griff getting sent down will make him a better player as he is the type of guy who will not take it well.