Oilers at 85: Ilya Konovalov

by Lowetide

The Oilers take a goalie and go Russia. He turns 21 in July.

Corey Pronman: His eyes seem magnetically attracted to the puck. He’s never fooled by reverse passes from behind the net, centering plays and stays in position even when the puck is bouncing around the crease. He has that very low panic threshold you want in a goalie.

Red Line Report: Extreme battler who will stop pucks with any body part and refuses to lose. Lacks ideal NHL size, but is athletic, flexible, well balanced, and smart.

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godot10

YKOil:
Carolina is having a great draft, nice picks and that Marleau trade is sweet.

The league better be looking at corporate transactions between Dundon and MLSE when Carolina buys Marleau out, or between San Jose and Dundon….for cap contravention purposes.

JOFA

Lol?

Andy Dufresne

New Post is Up

*Dont tell JOFA

Andy Dufresne

Crazy Pedestrian: I don’t know that name at all… is he good???

Matej Blumel RW

He’s “Matejestic” and expected to Blume(l) very soon.

Seriously though, never heard of him.

Yeti

Andy Dufresne:
Amid a steady stream of weekly and monthly awards during the season just gone, he was picked out by no less a forward that Pavel Datsyuk as the most fearsome opponent in the league.

Konovalov, still only 20, has cemented his status as a bona fide star. Thrust into the spotlight when Salak was injured, he proved not only to be an able deputy but produced the kind of game-winning form that made it impossible to dislodge him from the #1 spot. With 45 games in regular season, he had a GAA of 1.89 and a 0.930 SV%. By the end of the campaign he was the KHL’s Rookie of the Year and was knocking loudly on the door of Ilya Vorobyov’s Russian national team after making his debut in Euro Hockey Tour action on home ice against Finland in February.

Experts talk up his uncanny ability to track the puck through even the most congested crowd scenes.

Nice – thanks!

JOFA

Yeti: Sure. And continue trolling with yours

Speaking of trolls?

GMB3

Munny:
Bolts get Cajkovic.

I was hoping the Oilers would take him

jp

Turned 19 May 31, so an overager.

6′ 198

LW shoots left according to EliteProspects

58-30-30-60 Solid numbers.

Andy Dufresne

Amid a steady stream of weekly and monthly awards during the season just gone, he was picked out by no less a forward that Pavel Datsyuk as the most fearsome opponent in the league.

Konovalov, still only 20, has cemented his status as a bona fide star. Thrust into the spotlight when Salak was injured, he proved not only to be an able deputy but produced the kind of game-winning form that made it impossible to dislodge him from the #1 spot. With 45 games in regular season, he had a GAA of 1.89 and a 0.930 SV%. By the end of the campaign he was the KHL’s Rookie of the Year and was knocking loudly on the door of Ilya Vorobyov’s Russian national team after making his debut in Euro Hockey Tour action on home ice against Finland in February.

Experts talk up his uncanny ability to track the puck through even the most congested crowd scenes.

slopitch

JOFA:
Let’s be honest…

Broberg was a reach
Lavoie was lucky
Konovalov was stupidity

Still think it was a good idea to keep Kretzky?

We’re gonna knock him for being lucky? I believe many said the same thing after the JP pick. Might wanna wait 3-5 years before making sweeping statements

Yeti

JOFA: Then be cautious with YOUR opinion

Sure. And continue trolling with yours 😉

jp
limit

Damn still no Blake Murray

Yeti

Nikkanen this round.
Tuukka Tieksola next round.
Then I’ll be happy.
But the Canes are drafting and they take all the Finns…

Crazy Pedestrian

Andy Dufresne:
Matej Blumel RW

I don’t know that name at all… is he good???

Andy Dufresne

Matej Blumel RW

Pisani Worldwide

JOFA,

Pronman had Broberg at 9 and he watches more games than anyone, so lets be honest, how many times have you watched him play ? RL is lucky, did they accidentally write his name down ?

Andy Dufresne

Here we Go

Oil2Oilers

McTavish will be Konovalov’s coach next year according to McCurdy

JOFA

Yeti:
JOFA,

We’ll only know in about 3-5 years, and until then I’d prefer to a little cautious with my opinions.

Then be cautious with YOUR opinion?

Crazy Pedestrian

Professor Q: If only he was taken #1!

Lol… I was thinking the same thing when I first saw his name

Professor Q

Crazy Pedestrian:
Lowetide,

L Vladislav Firstov

Hasn’t he been drafted already?

If only he was taken #1!

Crazy Pedestrian

Wow… sports net almost commercialed the Oilers again… only two picks away…

Regretzky

Oilers up… cue the commercial break.

Todd Macallan

npanciroli:
Last KHL rookie of the year who was a goalie is Vasilesky.

That, and 10 shutouts in any league is crazy.

Yeti

JOFA,

We’ll only know in about 3-5 years, and until then I’d prefer to a little cautious with my opinions.

Todd Macallan

Murray, Keppen or Aaltonen would be great at 100

npanciroli

Last KHL rookie of the year who was a goalie is Vasilesky.

Crazy Pedestrian

Lowetide,

L Vladislav Firstov

Hasn’t he been drafted already?

Andy Dufresne

Lowetide:
My best available:

32 LC Blake Murray, Sudbury (OHL). Big center with plus speed and a scoring touch. A July 2001.

47 L Vladislav Firstov, Waterloo Blackhawks (USHL). Skill winger has a plus shot and delivered impressive results in his first North American season. I think he’ll land in the third round but that shot might get him drafted sooner.

49 L Ethan Keppen, Flint (OHL). Good speed, size (6.02, 214) and skill (30-29-59 in 68, 24 goals at 5-on-5).

51 LC Yegor Spiridonov, Magnitogorsk (MHL). Tenacious two-way winger with impressive skill.

52 LD Henry Thrun, US National Team (USHL). He’s a two-way defender who delivered sold offense (23 points in 28 games). Lacks one outstanding skill, that might cause him to slide.

54 L Antti Saarela, Lukko (Sm-Liiga). ISS: Smart and gifted, quality stick skills. Noticeable on PP and PK.

Apologies if some have been chosen.

Thank You for the timely updates!

Tarkus

Lowetide,

Firstov already went to Minny. 42nd.

flyfish1168

Yeti: I know. They’ve nabbed two of my favourite Finns with Puistola and Honka.

Trade both players for JP.

Reja

Did we get Tretiak or Myshkin

JOFA

Let’s be honest…

Broberg was a reach
Lavoie was lucky
Konovalov was stupidity

Still think it was a good idea to keep Kretzky?

Andy Dufresne

Ilya Knovolov.

The one question everyone is asking?…….How is he high glove side?

Jordan

I like the fact they picked a goalie who is already having success in one of the top 5 leagues in the world.

Don’t know about what his upside is, but I suspect his current performance already covers the bet for a 3rd rounder, so I see little downside, other than opportunity cost.

Hopefully most of the rest of the picks are Fs

Yeti

YKOil:
Carolina is having a great draft, nice picks and that Marceau trade is sweet.

I know. They’ve nabbed two of my favourite Finns with Puistola and Honka.

Oil2Oilers

Konovalov has a better resume than the Oilers presumed starter for next year.

BAWS

Munny,
I agree the Oil have some goalies in the pool, but nothing really stellar. ( At least not yet)
He had Decent numbers at least.
Still some good players left in the later rounds. Can always hope for that magical late round pick.

Andy Dufresne

Munny:
20 year-old overager who posted a .930 with Lokomotiv in 45 games. I don’t mind taking older goalies over 18 year-olds, but this was our last meat and potatoes pick and damn we have a lot of goalies.

.930 with Lokomotiv!!! Thats Koskinen territory! Too soon?

flyfish1168

Lowetide:
It’s important to remember that Ken Holland isn’t attached to prospects who have come before.

I thought Keith was responsible and given free range to pick. Just not sure if we are potentially leaving another possible good forward behind since our need is more dire at that position.

YKOil

Carolina is having a great draft, nice picks and that Marleau trade is sweet.

Yeti

Mr DeBakey: Henri Nikkanen at 100?

Yes please!

Munny

I actually Konovalov better than a few of the goalies who went ahead of him, so from that point of view I guess it’s a value pick.

Professor Q

Alpine:
Didn’t want a goalie, but I like who they went with. Seems like an overager already posting great numbers in the KHL is a better bet than some of the 18 year old Gs playing in junior leagues.

And it also seems like most teams are drafting older goalies even earlier than Edmonton this draft. I don’t know why people are upset at the major trends – they’re there for a reason, and they’re different than the past trends for a reason.

Andy Dufresne

32 LC Blake Murray, Sudbury (OHL). Big center with plus speed and a scoring touch. A July 2001.

Or Keppenen

Professor Q

He promised a goalie.

None of the current prospects are sure bets, so adding to the pool can only help with the competition and the attempt to scrounge up an eventual starter and backup.

Munny

MacT influence? lol

Mr DeBakey

If i were going to Russia with Pick 85, the name I’dve returned with is Yegor Spiridonov.
If I hadn’t gone to Russia, the name I’dve returned with is Ethan Keppen
.

But, what the hell do I know?

Henri Nikkanen at 100?