KING OF PAIN
The Oilers sent down Jujhar Khaira today, after a very successful run in the NHL. I didn’t think he would be as successful at this level, and that was based on his previous AHL/junior/college numbers. This season, he seemed to turn a corner (or he got more playing time) and showed very well in Bakersfield (16gp, 3-4-7) compared to his rookie AHL season (51gp, 4-6-10).
Khaira’s NHL debut (12gp, 0-2-2) included some pretty damn impressive shifts, especially early. I remain somewhat reserved about how much offense he will bring, and compared him to Chris VandeVelde here—suspect that is a reasonable comparable, although Khaira is in the NHL at 21 and that counts. I hope he makes it, everything available about him suggests he is a fine young man. As for the reasoning, suspect Iiro Pakarinen will be back in action tomorrow night.
Congratulations to former Barons Laurent Brossoit, Brad Hunt, and Yann Danis on being named to the #AHLAllStar Game.
— Eric Rodgers (@ericrsports) January 7, 2016
Laurent Brossoit and Brad Hunt were named AHL All-Stars today and the news is an opportunity for us to look at the Bakersfield Condors this season. It will be an important period for culling and procurement, and I think it likely Edmonton’s AHL team for 2016-17 will be bigger, faster and pack more attitude. Let’s have a look at the RFA and UFA players.
UFA
- D Nikita Nikitin: I don’t think he showed much at all in the NHL look, no idea if he has impressed during AHL time. Suspect he heads back to Russia for next year, a much richer man. One thing I do know? Dellow could have saved them $9 million if the Oilers had hired him one year earlier.
- C Andrew Miller: I think he may return as insurance, but McLellan zipped him out after a brief cup of coffee so it is not certain. If Edmonton decides to run Joey Laleggia at forward, it might impact the number of smaller F’s being retained on new deals.
- L Ryan Hamilton: The big winger does not possess NHL speed but he has leadership qualities and is a useful AHL player. I could see the organization bringing him back, although they do have a plethora of LWs and Josh Winquist may earn an NHL (two-way) deal.
RFA
- R Zack Kassian: Complete wildcard, you can project him onto the NHL roster or never see him after April. My bet, based on opportunity, skill and verbal, is we will be talking about him as a member of the NHL team in the fall.
- R Tyler Pitlick: I think McLellan would like him if he saw Pitlick, but that apparently wasn’t to be. It must be wildly frustrating to be unable to stay healthy playing the game you love. I don’t think they bring him back, unless we see something in the second half of the year.
- G Laurent Brossoit: I think he has a chance for an NHL career, and suspect Edmonton gives him a game or two in the second half of the season. We could be within a year of LB dressing every night (starter or backup) as an NHL player. Great trade by MacT.
- D Martin Gernat: Started slowly but is coming on in terms of offense, the injury and the history may mean he will need a second opinion from another organization. I thought he progressed very well in junior but fall 2015 really sent him in a bad direction with the club. I don’t know if he has recovered from it.
- D Jordan Oesterle: Speedster is going to have a tough time getting ahead of these other kids, but I like him a lot. Great speed and he can move the puck, lots of chaos and I don’t know if the offense justifies the risk. Still, would like to see him back in the fall.
- D David Musil: Big, strong defender with speed issues, I think he is blocked six ways to Sunday by the Griffin Reinhart trade. Could see him sent elsewhere in a fashion similar to the Travis Ewanyk trade last summer. I can’t see a route for him as an Oiler. Seriously. Unless they trade GR.
- L Kale Kessy: Rugged winger has shown some offense this season (5-4-9 in 27GP), suspect he will return in the fall—this is the kind of player the Oilers are likely to procure over the summer, so keeping Kessy may be part of that plan.
Well, that’s annoying. Would much rather they have waived Klinkhammer.
G Laurent Brossoit: […] Great trade by MacT.
Why do you hate Smid?
Khaira showed he needs more development. He showed flashes and then was invisible.
If he has any hope of developing offense, he is going to develop more in the AHL than playing 8 minutes a night on the 4th line.
How many of our prospects will graduate to the AHL next year?
They’re not that similar as players, but I see some parallels between Khaira and Kyle Brodziak. KB had more history as a scorer but he had 4 years in Moose Jaw as opposed to 1 in Everett, & it took him at least 2 of those years to learn the league before he started to light it up.
It’s more as pros that the parallels lie. Brodziak had a 6-goal rookie season as an Edmonton Roadrunner in 2004-05; in his second & third year he got cups of coffee in the bigs while bumping his scoring in the AHL, & by his second contract he was ready to roll in the NHL as a fully-trained bottom-sixer. But he was well served by both those cups of coffee & by the long hard miles he put in at the minor league level.
Khaira is at the midway point of his own ELC & roughly in the same place Brodz was at the same point. Now he’ll get some ice time & a chance to apply what he just learned.
Let’s hope that if he does turn put the Oilers don’t subsequently trade him for dimes on the dollar the way they did KB. That trade still pisses me off.
As for the reasoning, suspect Iiro Pakarinen will be back in action tomorrow night.
PDO just texted me and directed me to this:
Iiro Pakarinen identified his upper-body injury as a concussion.
Pakarinen was on the ice for Wednesday’s practice, but he didn’t take any contact. He’s feeling better though, so we might see him start to make progress rather rapidly. Jan 7 – 11:13 AM
Source: http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nhl/4598/iiro-pakarinen
Not that Rotoworld is burning bush but their info is usually good.
If Iiro has a concussion and hasn’t taken contract drills, then I doubt he’s back tomorrow.
Yak has just started skating and has said he isn’t ready.
Klef isn’t skating.
theformercaptain isn’t coming off IR.
The Oilers currently have 26 players on the roster with 4 (McDavid, Yak, Klef, Ference) on IR so that leaves 22 players.
JJ didn’t have to leave unless one of those 4 is coming off LTIR.
That means….
………………….
………………..
………………..
McDavid is back?
Woodguy,
Yah Baby!!!
Music!
Half-Life 3 confirmed.
Woodguy,
McDavid today as per 630ched.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osKbGfPoq-Y&feature=youtu.be&sc_ref=twitter
G Laurent Brossoit: I think he has a chance for an NHL career, and suspect Edmonton gives him a game or two in the second half of the season. We could be within a year of LB dressing every night (starter or backup) as an NHL player. Great trade by MacT.
–I will admit it’s time for a small bit of crow eating by me here.
I was not upset with trading Smid; I was upset that it was reported in the media that teams in the East (such as the Islanders) were unaware that he was available, and thus I did not think he was shopped for the maximum possible return.
I was unsure on Brossoit (did not know enough about him), but he has turned out to be a very good pick-up, at least at the AHL level. So I owe MacT an apology for that and am due to eat a bit of crow. The crow would have been bigger had I been angry about trading Smid to begin with or had my argument not been about whether he was shopped properly for the best return or not.
I will eat another drumstick though if Brossoit becomes the starter in Edmonton. I do owe him and MacT that much.
Pakarinen got double teamed on the boards by the Kings & took a direct head shot that popped his lid off. The refs immediately invoked the “It’s only an Oiler!” Rule so no penalty was called.
Pakarinen then impressed the shit out of me by busting his ass to the bench in a manner that certain other Oilers could learn a thing or ten. After seeing two overtime games lost by guys slacking to the bench 3-on-3, to see a just-injured player bust his butt in such a manner in the first period with the puck in the neutral zone left a positive impression.
Hopefully not a Last impression for the foreseeable. Let’s hope he recovers quickly.
Hoping Kessy doesn’t return. Idc what was going on with Rieder, that was such a terrible trade. The entire AHL roster pretty much needs to be overhauled.
I was at the game that Brossoit started last year. Really impressive, flexible, and quick reflexes. It was a single game, but given the 45+ saves I recall him putting up, it was about as impressive as it could have been.
Jason Gregor @JasonGregor 47m47 minutes ago Edmonton, Alberta
@yzerpearl Pakarinen looked ready at practice. He will come off IR and go on 4th line. Yak likely to return on the road trip.
Correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t Iiro concussed like less than a week ago? That’s an awfully quick recovery …
So they are going to claim Gormley?
Protagonist,
As someone who suffered a mild concussion a year ago, I’m amazed and concerned at how quickly these athletes brush off brain injuries.
Don’t know, only reporting what is being reported.
I hope Khaira has a future with the Oilers rather than with another organization. His first stint with the Oilers was an eye-opener for him and the team. Only 21 with good skills. Give him another year or two of development, and I think Khaira will be a solid bottom-6 player in the NHL.
True. He does fit the McLellan description if you look at the SJS forwards without pedigree. He can skate, is rugged, and has some kind of idea about how the game is played. I like him because he can pass the puck and take a pass.
I know what you mean. I’m a fan of the San Diego Chargers, and a few years ago, a cornerback named Jahleel Addae suffered a concussion that went undetected, and he stayed in for another play. Gif is here:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-trgB3REUCnk/VEpVvpMIldI/AAAAAAAADGA/7bc2rpC_vo4/w1066-h600-no/5fgmdYo.gif
… and he’s #37. What the gif doesn’t show, is he literally could not find the sidelines after the play. That’s in the immediate aftermath of a concussion, but it can have lasting effects too. Kris Dielmann was a guard who had a seizure on a flight after a concussion, and it ended up ending his career. Treating these things as something you can shake off is the worst parts of dark age “tough it out” sports medicine.
lynn,
Pretty sure he will be back. Once he figures out how to bring the physical side of his game every night he will be a fixture on the fourth line. He also showed that he can play with skilled players as well and didnt look out of place. Really like this player!
I was just about to ask that…
I like Khaira a lot as a bottom six prospect, even if it’s only on the 4th line. He was easily the most consistently and impressively physical player on the team when he was here, and he demonstrated enough actual hockey ability that I bet he ends up a bigger, better Klinkhammer down the line. That’s a really nice player to have, and I bet the recent callup will do him a lot of good in reaching his potential. Remember when Hordichuk recommended calling Pitlick up just to give him a taste of how things work and what to work on? Khaira just got that in spades.
So, have we seen the last of Gazdic? I’m thinking maybe so. I like the way you posed it “He’s played the best hockey of his NHL career.” It just wasn’t quite good enough. I wonder if he’ll be the 13th forward.
JJ didn’t need to go down to make room for him though.
Also,
Reid Wilkins @ReidWilkins 41m41 minutes ago
@Woodguy55 Yak is likely the first guy back. Pakarinen or Gazdic will play tomorrow. Condors need players with all their injuries.
This makes sense.
Well if there is one thing the Oilers don’t have enough of, its 3rd pairing LHD.
Protagonist,
Yikes!
I still get discomfort in my head on the daily. Liquor, athletics, and loud percussive noises can give me crippling pain. It’s really opened my eyes to how much athletes are expected to sacrifice and how detrimental these sports can be on their bodies. Needless to say I’ve taken a staunch anti-fighting view in hockey since. Each time I see someone take a fist to the cranium I can’t help but wince. I happened to watch the Connor McGregor fight a few weeks back (happenstance, I’ve never really enjoyed combat sports). It was simultaneously awe-inspiring and gut-wrenching.
Yeah, send Khaira down now so he can play this weekend and then activate Yak as needed. Makes sense.
I never really got this reluctance based on handedness. Depends on their stronger side, non? And if you can get an asset for just money, and they’re up at the end of the year, why not?
Mind you, being a righty, it really did always surprise me how many sports people were lefties (and considered the normal – I wasn’t used to right handedness being less common and “goofy”), considering how rarer it was to have friends who were lefties (I mean, compared to righties).
Mind you, I did often train with the left shot as well, to train the ambidexterity.
Huh, they gave the guy a 1-0 lead but he couldn’t hold it, the ingrate. Not against 52 shots he couldn’t. Ended 3-1 with an empty netter, with all 3 coming in the last half of the third. For a long while it looked like another Scrivens miracle.
I too was at that game, what was most memorable about it from a personal perspective was seeing a bunch of guys I scouted/interviewed in junior all playing in the NHL. Brossoit, Musil, Davidson, Marincin, Pitlick for the Oil, and Taylor Fedun for the Sharks. Fedun set up another former Oilers farm hand, Bryan Lerg, for the game winner with about 3 minutes left. Lerg’s first & still only career goal. It was that kind of night.
Brossoit was flat-out sensational, but he got no help. Oilers had left it all out there in their previous game, a win over LA that all but knocked the Kings out of the playoffs, & they had flat nothing to help out the kid in net.
Speaking of LB, I am definitely not of the camp that thinks Oilers should keep him in the minors for yet another year just because they can. He’s gotta be real close now to at least being a solid backup. I sure want to see him get a couple games at some point this year, & am betting we will barring a right-down-to-the-last-day playoff run. Which would be fine too, of course. 🙂
Dec 29 vs. LAK, so last Tuesday. Tomorrow will be 10 days.
LB is ready to be in the NHL as at least a backup. Look at Hellebuyck and Gibson. He’s right there with those guys imo. Another great pick by the Jets. go figure. Poor Jack Campbell…f^ckin goalies.
Woodguy,
I don’t know if you’ve been watching but Brad Hunt has played consecutive games..and klefbom injury has no time line. After the trade deadline it will be about finding warm bodies to play the point.
Professor Q,
I was conversing with my brother about his child, who is 4, about getting ready to play hockey. We were trying to figure out what way he should shoot. We believe his child is right handed, throws right picks up things with his right. But when he used a hockey stick he shoots left.
I did some research and as it turns out in Canada and Europe most hockey players who are right handed shoot left. And in the USA it is the opposite.
http://icehockey.isport.com/icehockey-guides/determining-your-dominant-hand-in-hockey
Here is one of the websites I found this.
Edit: it actually goes to say baseball may be the culprit in the USA
I am right handed and Shoot right. But I was born in a country where hockey was not a popular sport. I didn’t move to Canada until 7 and didn’t start to play hockey until 8.
Good call sending Kharia down. He started strong but quit trying to make plays in the last few games. Good luck, see ya September, maybe sooner.
Right handed people shoot left that is the norm
This is true. It isn’t a good idea to determine for people the handedness, it affects the brain adversely. Out of 4 kids all right handed one is a righty and doesn’t like hockey as a player.
That Brossoit game made me so damned angry. The kid was playing his heart out, I mean working and robbing the opposition like a bandit. He was foiled by a bunch of lollygaggers I tell ya!
The boy should go with what feels natural. I’m a rightie that shoots right. Couldn’t ever imagine shooting left.
And if he ends up shooting right, there’s less right shooters (thus more demand) and he’s the perfect pass target for a leftie C (the norm).
Mike Bossy the lad!
Oh, I know this now! I was simply describing how perplexed I was as a child – small sample sizes (myself being a righty in both writing and sports, albeit dabbling in ambidexterity) and bubbles; but seeing right-handed friends be lefties in sports (and some right-handed family members being left in some sports and right in others – my cousin is a left shot in hockey and golf, regular snowboarder, yet a right batter/left glove) was strange for me.
Then it got even stranger when I found out that *I* was the one who was goofy. :p
I also didn’t get this fetish the Oilogosphere seems to have with having an absolute equal amount of LHD to RHD (regardless of their strongest sides?!), even with free assets.
Bag of Pucks,
I agree. It’s how we started him off. Straight blade Showed him how to hold a stick but let him decide which way is more comfortable.
It’s the speed of the game and gaining possession and making a good pass. So many coaches agree I think there is something to it. Has to be. Not all people making decisions in the NHL are bozos.
I’m a righty who shoots, bats, golfs & shovels left. In tennis I naturally (used to) hit a two-hand backhand before I knew it was legal to do so, & it was a much more natural & powerful stroke than my one-handed forehand.
My rigt hand belongs at the end of the stick/bat etc to control it, & my left is the power lifter. Not lietrally, you understand.
A lot of right shooters are naturally left handed. I used to track the fighters for this as that is one “skill” that reveals the dominant hand. Kevin McLelland and Dave Brown were two such examples from the old days. Jari Kurri was another who shot right and foug…er, signed autographs & played ping pong with his left.
Its about sticks on the boards.
I’ve seen Davidson struggle recently to keep the puck in the ozone at the blue line because he’s on his backhand. That’s one area that it hampers a player.
The other area is in the corner/on the boards in the dzone.
Once the dman has actually won the puck, he usually needs to move it quick.
Having to do that on the back hand compared to the forehand can be worlds of difference for some players.
There are some players that do ok, but the majority aren’t as good on their off side.
Back when the NHL wasn’t nearly as fast, or full of unrelenting back pressure like it is today, you could get away with it, but if you look at the best Dcorps these day is mostly L-R, L-R, L-R
There are exceptions, but remember that when Team Canada could pick among all the exceptional Dmen this country has produced, they went L-R, L-R, L-R.
There are (and were) plenty of teams with very quick and talented majority LHD (maybe some the other way with majority RHD? I don’t know…), though.
Detroit, if I remember correctly. Maybe not the best example due to sheer talent, but that’s what I mean – if they’re talented, or give you a better option than what you have, then shouldn’t that supersede everything?
A lot of American Right Handers shoot right. That’s why so many RHD are American.
I think it has to do with whether you swing a bat first or shoot a puck.
I swung a bat right and played baseball daily in the backyard when I was a little kid and I am a right handed person who shoots right.
Might be something to that.
My strong hand is low on the stick and I had a strong wrist shot.
I can’t imagine my strong hand on top. I tried it lots but could never get used to it.
Aaron Ekblad told a story of when he was young his dad sat him down and asked him if he wanted to be a left handed pitcher or a right shot Dman.
Ekblad chose right shot Dman.
The rest is an unfolding history…
The link to the article is posted below and should prep you for when Florida comes to town on Sunday with Lowetide and I in attendance.
http://grantland.com/features/the-roomies-willie-mitchell-aaron-ekblad/
Cyanide,
Here is one of the websites I found this.
Edit: it actually goes to say baseball may be the culprit in the USA
I am right handed and Shoot right. But I was born in a country where hockey was not a popular sport. I didn’t move to Canada until 7 and didn’t start to play hockey until 8.
I made my post before I read this.
Hand to Gord.
The top hand is the poke check hand. You want to use the stick as a wand, a bow, a guitar pick or what have you, so your skill hand. Leave the cruder actions to the other side.
I can’t remember if I picked up a stick or a bat first, but I am very strongly left handed in any activity that requires both hands so I’m sure it wouldn’t have mattered. I never could make sense of folks shooting left and golfing right.
Bruce McCurdy,
That’s what I meant! The ones with the mixed order for different sports. :p
Anyway, I do apologise to Mr. Lowetide for quite the deviation in topic.
Thankfully it turned out to be a very insightful and cordial discussion!
I think handiness comes from handling the puck with one hand on stick.
When you are a kid you play with one hand on stick a bunch and it’s easier to control with dominate hand.
At least that’s why I shot left
Bruce McCurdy,
Bruce,
I’m a southpaw and I bat, swing and shoot right. My left hand is the controlling hand in each case.
+1
Never understood it any other way. My hands are oriented the same way all the time. Even on deadlifts. Weird.
These guys who shoot left then turn around and golf or bat right boggle my mind.
Players should always be deployed in the best possible fashion of course. The historic situations of a lot of lefties aren’t recent and often involve exceptional players.
Chiarelli and McLellan seem to get his. But if a good deal for a top 2 righty comes up I’ll put my money on a deal going down.
On the farm, you quickly learned to shovel both ways cleaning out bins.
Those that couldn’t shovel both ways, were called horrific names.
Like lazy or even worse, city slicker…
When it comes to handedness, golf is a weird one. Have encountered multiple people who were told they were lefties and stunk but never thought to try right handed and were suddenly competent. Made little sense but you could see it in their swing.
Do you cut steak with your left hand?
I’ve never played hockey. I’ve always wondered about the whole RH shoots left thing. Now, it’s clarified.
Woodguy,
Haha, I never gave a thought to it before, until I read that article and it makes complete sense to me now.
I was a far superior baseball player but I loved hockey more. I can bat left or right, but I have more power right.
Everything else I do is right. Golf, hockey, tennis, ping pong etc.
Stephen Patrick(Nolan’s Dad) told me a few years ago when he saw my son (big kid) to make him shoot right and play Defense. True story. Smart guy!
I find more power as a natural hockey righty and a lot of HOF big shooters are rightys. More than the 10% or whatever is the normal dispersion.
I started out golfing left handed but had to switch to the right at a young age – parents clubs were right-handed. My brothers made the same switch. I find it relatively easy to switch back and forth to this very day (I am equally mediocre whether it’s right or left). Baseball is the same (at the plate that is…) – not a difficult switch.
Hockey on the other hand… it has to left. No question.
I am right handed.
Haha this all day long. Although after breaking my left wrist twice and needing surgery on my left thumb quickly evaporated my ability to shovel left.
huh… after all these years, now you tell me. I am a righty who used to shoot right. No wonder I wasn’t any good! (Well, that and I couldn’t skate worth anything either… or finish my checks.. . or practially any other hockey skill!)
Yes I had one of the hardest shots on my team as a right handed righty. And the article I read does actually say you will have a stronger shot with your dominant hand as your lower hand on the stick.
No, I cut it with my wand hand. The left hand just plays dumbwaiter & secures the meat.
ha ha….I cut with left…just curious since we both do everything left as righthanders.
Everything right including golf. Just as good batting left as right ( If .200 is good ) But .. shoot hockey left. Decent at all of them. Always wondered why I shoot golf right and hockey left??
I think if we’re talking baseball when determining which way you shoot, it comes down to your dominant throwing hand. I’m left handed only when it comes to writing and eating, but I think that is only because ball gloves, like guitars, are made for predominantly right handed people. So when you’re young and getting hand me downs, you train yourself with the equipment available.
More accuracy as well than my friends who were better hockey players. The dominant hand is stronger and has more control. It’s not a rule though. My brother in law is a freak with hockey skills, too bad he wasn’t 20 pounds heavier, lefty.
The Mendoza line.
Just looking at the numbers, righties tend to bat right yet shoot left, and lefties bat left and shoot right.
Whatever the percentage of righties is that buck this trend, is the percentage of lefties the same?
I can see advantages in righties bucking the norms but not lefties.
I hoped on a skateboard the other day for the first time in what… 20 years?
I genuinely couldn’t tell if I was goofy-footed or not. What the hell?
They were equally uncomfortable!
You’re goofy-somethinged, you disgrace.
(I led a pretty sheltered life before getting into criminal defence, and didn’t learn the meaning that “goof” had within the criminal subculture until then. It still sounds weird to me to hear these tough criminals refer derisively to one another as “goofs”, an insult that I associated more with four year olds.)
Stick handling was my weakest point. Passing, shooting and skating were above par. I was moved to defence at the age of 12 because I was one of the bigger kids on the team 20 yrs later I am still the same height. Defence becomes a difficult position when your 5’7″ 160 lbs, when everyone else becomes 6′ tall 200 lbs.
Exactly the same here.
Right handed and golf right, play hockey right and hit a ball right. And unlike some I can’t even fathom ambidextrousness. Play tennis right and have a good forehand but can barely move the racket on my backhand.
The “baseball causing RH Americans” theory seems off. There’s way more LH batters.
Long time lurker, first time poster,
First of all, thank you Mr. Lowetide i am here everday, this is the best oilers commentary around. Probably the best sports commentary in general.
I felt obligated to show up, as I see my brother has brought my son into the conversation regarding his persuasion to shoot left/right. (a little surreal to be a topic of conversation albeit indirectly)
I look forward to weighing in when i feel i may have something “intelligent” to add.
It’s time to grow up “Steve Smith” if that’s your real name.
I find it interesting that my lawyer father wanted to be a CD lawyer but then thought he didn’t want to spend his days with crims. Chose entertainment. Is it a hard road? Why aren’t you an NHL agent?
Are you dating? 🙂
Is it a hard road? Maybe in some respects – long hours, high stress, and sometimes emotionally difficult. But never, ever, boring, which I’ve learned is very important to me, and endlessly intellectually challenging. I will say, with neither exaggeration nor self-delusion, that I never want to practice anything else, and most criminal defence lawyers I know feel the same way.
As for spending my days with criminals (and the occasional falsely accused non-criminal), frankly, I love criminals – more interesting than the population at large, for the most part, and far less likely to be truly bad people than the media would have you believe (a lot of the criminals who get all the press are truly bad people; they’re just not representative of the criminal population at large). Actually, this is maybe my greatest frustration (of many) with various governments’ approach to crime policy: the criminals portrayed in the surrounding discourse are simply not recognizeable to me, as somebody who spends his life with criminals – but those criminals who I spend my life with are the ones who suffer the policies’ consequences.
Plus, given the nature of my clientele, I’ve never had to learn to golf, so that’s nice.
As for why I’m not an NHL agent, I’m sure there are plenty of reasons. One would be that I’m not a very good negotiator. Even when dealing with Crown prosecutors, where negotiation skills would actually be nice to have, the only one I bring to bear is a love of trials, so if the Crown doesn’t give me what I want, then there’s going to be a trial, and most of the time I’ll enjoy it more than he or she will.
knighttown,
I don’t know so much as saying “it causes RH Americans”. As the theory is it causes more naturally right handed people to shoot right handed and left hand people to shoot left, as is not the norm in Canada and Europe. The norm in Canada and Europe is right handed people shoot left, left handed shoot right.
You’re doing it wrong.
This is the blog.
You apologize when you keep the discussion on topic.
Especially with this motley collection of deviants.
Now, in penance you must provide one or all of the following:
a. steak rub recipe
b. recommended brand of whiskey, Irish or Scotch (blends are acceptable but will be judged accordingly).
c. fond reminiscence of an occasion or life event that involves a car, a woman (plural is acceptable, but again, will be judged accordingly) or parental figures. If involving all three please be precise to avoid confusion and the unnecessary involvement of local authorities.
That lines up nicely with the hypothesis that age starting hockey is the key factor. Lots of Canadian kids handled sticks and bats quite young. But many American kids picked up a hockey stick much older.
Now I believe I may understand your affinity for this blog.
Seriously though, this was a great comment. Thank you.
I laughed out loud about not having to learn to golf and the image of your negotiating tactic being a love of trial. In hockey parlance they might call that “strong on the boards and goes to the blue paint”.
Is that the criteria?!
Man, do I have a lot of comments I have to go back and delete now!
I’m right handed. Shoot right, golf right, write right, do all the sensitive portions of procedures with my right hand. Actually I’m pretty sure my left hand is a vestigial structure
I’m guessing we will have to wait one more week. Next Tuesday or Thursday. Likely Thursday as that will make it 10 weeks. No more, no less
You already did! And welcome.
And we finally figure out why Steve Smith visits!
Shit, is that what we’re supposed to be doing here?
OT:
one of the great things about the clb/nash trade yesterday has been the volume of analysis it’s brought from the eye-seen-him guys to the stat guys. it’s been a very nice break from the all-star discussions that were going on….
this graphic was definitely one of the cooler pieces that i’ve seen in the last couple of days. comparing a forward to a dman is difficult, especially on different teams. i thought this was a really nice view into each player and nice segment selections to show a nice view of a player.
http://assets1.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/JonesJohansen.png
i come away really impressed with RyJo who i had a bit of a “slacker” opinion of, but these are positive across the board. I’m really excited to pay more attention to Jones and how he carries the puck out of his end and through the neutral zone.
WWAAAAAYYYY ahead of you.
🙂
I know!
Geez, Mitchell, hand out a rule book or somethin’ why don’tcha?!
Well, I guess that explains what I’m doing here!
Edit: Rex and Lowetide beat me to it.
Water Fire,
How did you know?
Regardless of what people will say about lawyers, I have never met one who could out-argue an engineer.
And by the way, I will now always associate reading “Steve Smith” with the image of a lawyer turning towards the witness box, with one eyebrow raised, saying “if that IS your real name!”
Not sure about arguing, but my experience in student politics taught me that geers made the best legislative draftsfolk.
Just watched the Flames lose in regulation. I have some left over bubbly in the fridge that I think I might have to re-open.
Weird.
I’m right handed and shoot right but when it came to one hand on the stick it was usually in my left hand.
“Steve Smith”,
It’s rather unbelievable really that the word “goof” can make a criminal so angry. Such a simple little word, but be ready to fight if you use it on a con.
I’m pretty much the same.
Also, when does Nilsson get another start in everyones opinion? I would give him tomorrow, Talbot can duel Bobby Lou and the Jagr Line on Sunday.
Also, I’m still wondering about Nilsson at practice. Rishaug reported some sort of frustration on Nilssons part and a quick exit. I always wish I could be a fly on the wall behind closed doors.
It could also be nothing but I hate when there is unhappy goalies around. Bad voodoo.
I don’t think we’ll ever find out why or how certain people shoot right or left.
I am right handed, shoot right handed, golf right handed, and bat right handed(although I can switch hit which I attribute to my tennis playing youth and having a great two handed backhander)
I have read many theories and articles but have yet to come across anything substantial as to why I do.
When I was growing up playing hockey I never noticed, nor was it ever pointed out to me how rare it was being a right handed shot. It wasn’t until much later I realized or noticed it.
is a strange thing I suspect
Dammit! I am as slow as Woodguy!
I golf right and play hockey left, and I credit playing baseball first for that
I remember Schultz being the goat on a goal with a pathetic display of apathy while watching the play unfold.
I played baseball first, and am a right-handed player that shoots right.
I am fully ambidextrous and am able to use both hands and/or both feet equally well. My right hand and arm are somewhat stronger but not noticeably. Helped a lot in playing soccer, rugby, and basketball. Also helped in some scraps.
I may have voted for you!
Well, what the hell…I’ll weigh in on this. I’m left handed all the way. Shoot right, golf right, lefty in tennis and kick with my left foot. My brother is a tad confused…throws left, writes with his right, golfs left, bats left, tennis right and kicks with his right foot. He blames my dad for trying to make him right handed by always taking his spoon out of his left hand and moving it to his right. And Really? is right, being a lefty is a definite advantage in a scrap…
Write right. Throw right.
Shoot left. Bat left. Golf left.
How any of you weirdos can bat one way and golf or shoot another is beyond me. If you have a stick, bat or club in your hand – pick a top hand pick a bottom hand and stick with it for Chrissake.
You ambidextrous freaks – I am actually pretty jealous.
Curious fact. I use a hammer with my left hand. Pretty sure it comes from watching Gramps – a lefty – pound nails on the farm, as a kid.
BTW. I am a shitty carpenter.
As Gramps used to say, “Two wrongs don’t make a right. But three rights make a left”.
Write from the right, shoot left, golf left, can play both directions in tennis, hit from either side in baseball, and kick from either foot about as well (stronger from the left, better accuracy from the right.)
Drink from the right, though. Better focus on what’s important… 😉
I am ambidextrous in this one, usually double fisting when it comes to drinking.
I vaguely remember a natural affinity to shoot left, but my dad told me to shoot right since I’m not a freak. I always had a harder shot, and I am pretty sure that had something to do with it. I think Idealy you should be figuring out your kid’s dominant eye as it helps you follow through on target. There is also a more natural way people tend to pivot.
I know that seems like overkill, but goddamit my boys gonna play in the big league. He’ll be drinking protein shakes in the womb.
Gordie Howe was reportedly ambidextrous and allegedly stayed with a straightish stick after the curve was en vogue so he could occasionally switch from his usual right hand stance to left, when required.
Fact or myth?
I am old – but not that old. Any old timers able to weigh in?
Most of throwing is twisting your body, which imo means you should be shooting the same direction you throw. Course most NHLers are lefty, so I am probably wrong.
I also want my left hand on the top of the stick so I can throw a better punch.
Soup Fascist,
I played with a flat bladed stick in micro-mites and mini-mites, I would switch left to right depending on the play. I’d bet that if many kids played with a flat stick now, you would see the same thing.
I remember writing with my left hand, and being encouraged to write with my right. I could, with few issues, so went the path of least resistance. Might be common?
Street hockey?
I seem to remember doing the one hand thing a lot more when playing ball hockey for whatever reason (tougher to be bent over while running vs gliding?).
FunsTuff,
I think much of the problem is that “being right handed” is a bit of a misnomer. We develop skills with both hands. It’s probably rare for someone to only develop any kind of dexterity in only one hand. I’m ambidextrous but for a few things (like writing)I’m a little biased to my right. I can throw a Frisbee with either hand, no problem. The main disadvantage to being a purely handed person is you always have an inactive hand. I tend to use my left for more menial tasks (controlling a computer mouse). And the right for things that take more.focus.
All this left/right talk going on here but nary a mention of which hand does the dirty work in the bathroom. True test of ambidexterity.
Growing up playing baseball, we would all make attempts swinging from the other side of the plate. It only takes one hit to claim your a switch hitter was the theory. I don’t remember anybody ever getting one. I think being a switch hitter in the MLB is one of the most impressive things in sports.
Tim Raines was a switch hitter.
jp,
A lot of my first hockey was shinny played at school recess.
We didn’t have enough time to put on skates.
Played with what we called a shinny ring.
It was much like a puck but soft and a hole in center.
Lots of poke checks with one hand on stick.
That’s a great book idea.
In 2016 some canny publisher is going to cash in big with a criminal series – one that essentially glamorizes these people.
Ha.that’s me.. shoots left.. bats and golf right..
Always knew I was messed up in the head..lol.
I’m right handed all the way.
Except at shooting pool. No explanation available on that one.
It should be noted my pool skills are marginal at best despite a fair amount of time hanging out in pool halls while skipping class in high school.
Good morning gang. To all those lurking here before the fresh post, do any of you have a recent update on Yak’s return or status? Poor guy is in the dark of 97s shadow when it comes to injury news.
Ha ha…I think Me, Bruce and Soup are the freaks by the sound of things 🙂
http://oilonwhyte.com/2016/01/07/edmonton-oilers-nail-yakupov-returning-next-week/
McLellan told the media after today’s practice that Yakupov, who suffered an ankle injury, will be back in the lineup prior to the All-Star break. He will travel with the team next week on their road trip.
Good news! Thanks.
Why google the news when you can get it from Pouz?….ar
Hmm. The baseball theory for Americans does not make sense.
The primary reason so many bat LEFT in baseball despite being right-handed is because most pitchers are right-handed and the advantage in hitting is to be on the opposite side.
Just a few examples of righties who bat left include Ichiro and Larry Walker.
So I have yet to hear any reasonable argument above as to why baseball would be responsible for making American rightie hockey players shoot right.
It does not make sense.
The All Star break is still 3 weeks away however.
But I don’t think he would be travelling with team unless he was close.
Americans also have a waaaaaaaay higher percentage of RH golfers.
Damn hockey.
Hockey left but goalie trapper right. (So the blocker hand is bottom and not the glove hand)
Throw with right so back catch with the left.
Bat left and right. Golf mostly right but keep a lefthanded 8 iron in the bag at all times.
Rifle sighting and hunt with my right. It just occurred to me that I am left eye dominant.
I feel stick handedness has to do with your skating. As in which direction is most comfortable to turn will be your handedness.
Goof, in the wrong crowd is not just an insult it is an outright challenge. It must be answered in force or submitted to.
The reason that most right handers shoot left is that you want your dominate hand on the top of the stick . That way you can control the puck with one hand on the stick. Baseball and golf are the opposite where as you never swing or hit with one hand but in hockey it is common to just have one hand on the stick . So Golf right, bat right ,throw with right hand and shoot left because right hand is dominate.
Johnny Larue,
You have one hand on the stick when you shoot?
None of this is making sense to me.
Baseball is a different animal.
Roughly 12 percent of the population is left-handed.
In major league baseball 137 pitchers are lefty. 354 are righty. 27 percent lefty. Of course these numbers are approximate.
3 positions in baseball are practically guaranteed to be played by righties: 2nd base, shortstop, and 3rd base. Catchers are also usually righties. This is driven by fielding concerns.
If you believe in the platoon advantage or that opposit-handedness in the batter’s box helps hitting (and the batting averages support this theory) then it makes sense to nurture as many left-handed hitters as you can in the other 4 or 5 fielding positions available.
Hence more lefties in baseball than other sports and more bats left/throws right combination players that excel than you would expect.
Nothing here in baseball nurture to me explains this theory that American hockey players are taught to shoot right because baseball.
Montoya will likely play against Edmonton according to George Richards of the Miami Herald.
Luongo will play the next night against Vancouver.
Perhaps americans are nurtured to throw right and bat left to buck the odds and make the big leagues.
Perhaps americans are nurtured to shoot right and play defence to buck the odds and make the NHL.
Shooting no, but stickhandling yes.
Think when Leon is in the corner trying to fend off a defenseman with his body and one arm. He’s controlling the puck with one hand, and it’s better if that’s his dominant hand.
jp,
Bingo It is all due to stick handling.
Yes on stickhandling. Johnny’s comment made it seem like to me he also meant shooting.
But this seems more plausible to me than the baseball theory.
Hockey requires a range of skills beyond shooting. Baseball is all about swinging the bat.
That’s why the baseball theory (Americans play baseball so they are more likely to shoot right) makes no sense.
As for Americans being taught to play a position of need in the current NHL landscape, well, that’s just smart and everyone should be doing that.
Is there some explanation as to why I do everything left except throw [shoot, golf, bat, shoot pool, ect] and putt? I feel like an alien.
Interesting article.
It says BC players tend to shoot right, and I believe it being a LH shot. The availability of LH sticks in this province is sad. I shoot left in hockey, throw right handed, and can switch hit in baseball.
The article also touched on the Soviet use of LH shooters. I remember that because as the only LH shot in a family of RH shots, my grandpa used to remark that I would be the only one who could play for the Soviets.
Well, he actually called them godless commie bastards, but that’s another story.
It’s really hard to be say why people choose to shoot the way they do. In my case, my non-hockey father, bought me a LH curved stick for Christmas when I was 7. I just figured that was the way all hockey players played, until I saw Guy Lafleur of course.
On the right-shot, left shot debate, I am an agent plying my trade mostly in the US. In meeting some kids from non-traditional markets, a common refrain is that when they decided to play hockey and went to a sporting goods store to get outfitted, the salesman would often ask what hand they were and would promptly hand right-handers a Right stick, and vice-versa. Must have heard this same story a half-dozen times.
I would imagine baseball or golf does also factor in with many of the US locales…