Back in 1980, everything seemed fresh, new and exciting. Jari Kurri couldn’t speak English but turned heads in camp. Matti Hagman was another newcomer to camp, and a Finn, so he and Risto Siltanen could help out there. Mark Messier was at camp with brother Paul, Glenn Anderson finally done with his Olympic commitment and ready to climb the NHL ladder.
Things seemed simpler then, easier. Maybe it was just a case of impact talent making it look that way.
THE ATHLETIC!
The Athletic Edmonton features a fabulous cluster of stories (some linked below, some on the site). Great perspective from a ridiculous group of writers and analysts. Proud to be part of the group, here’s an incredible Offer!
- New Lowetide: Connor McDavid and optimal line chemistry: The Oilers need to abandon enforcer fixation and add a skill winger
- Lowetide: Jesse Puljujarvi’s biggest hurdles: Bad timing and the indifference of the Oilers.
- Lowetide: Projecting the Oilers 2019-20 Opening Night Lineup
- Lowetide: Revisiting the Oilers’ 2016 draft and the opportunities missed
- Lowetide: Examining the potential waiver-wire opportunities at hand for the Oilers
- Lowetide: Cooper Marody’s utility gives him an edge for an Oilers roster spot in 2019-20
- Lowetide: Ken Holland’s roster construction options for the Oilers over the next seven months.
- Lowetide: Kailer Yamamoto has the talent to win a job with the Oilers on merit, if he’s healthy.
- Jonathan Willis: Jesse Puljujarvi still has upside and the Oilers’ patient approach is the right one
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Q&A: Dave Tippett on rounding out his coaching staff, fixing Oilers’ special teams and using Connor McDavid
- Lowetide: Handicapping the Oilers’ young defencemen and their chances of replacing Andrej Sekera
- Lowetide: Is Kirill Maksimov progressing as the Edmonton Oilers’ next great hope for a true homegrown sniper?
- Jonathan Willis: Oilers ease pressure on crowded defensive pipeline by trading John Marino to the Penguins
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: What the 2021-22 Oilers might look like after their steady build toward contender status
- Lowetide: Joel Persson is ideally situated to win an opening night roster spot with the Oilers
- Jonathan Willis: Projecting the Oilers’ opening night lineup, line combinations and more.
- Lowetide: Oilers’ acquisition of James Neal could add badly needed scoring to the top two lines.
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Ken Holland puts his stamp on the Oilers with first big move in Lucic-Neal trade
- Jonathan Willis: Ken Holland ends an ugly situation for the Oilers by trading Milan Lucic for James Neal
- Jonathan Willis: Which Oilers defencemen can make an outlet pass?
- Lowetide: Looking ahead to Oilers training camp: 35 players for 23 jobs
- Jonathan Willis: Josh Archibald won’t fix the Oilers’ biggest problems, but he’ll help with some key issues.
- Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects summer 2019.
1980-81 TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
Goalies (6): Ron Low [26, 3.58 .890], Eddie Mio [34, 4.22 .868], Bob Dupuis [1, 4.07 .886], plus hopefuls Pete LoPresti (claimed in the expansion draft but inactive in 1979-80), Gord Garbutt (41 IHL games) and Andy Moog (1980 pick out of Billings of the WHL, he posted a .902SP).
Defense (15): Doug Hicks [78, 9-31-40], Risto Siltanen [64, 6-29-35], Pat Price [75, 11-21-32], Kevin Lowe [64, 2-19-21], Lee Fogolin [80, 5-10-15], Colin Campbell [72, 2-11-13], Charlie Huddy (a truly impressive minor league season at 20, 14-34-48 in 79 games), Mike Forbes (2 NHL games, offensive defenseman in the minors), Larry Goodenough (5 games with the Vancouver Canucks and a solid minor league season), Bryon Baltimore (2 NHL games plus a minor league regular), John Hilworth (15 NHL games with Detroit, 12 in the minors), Mike McCann (low minors), Paul Coffey (star OHA rearguard, 102 points, first round pick), Jim Crosson (undrafted WHL free agent, 76 points and 256 pims with Calgary Wranglers), plus George Pesut (who had been out of NA hockey, playing for HC Davos, for a couple of years).
Center (12): Wayne Gretzky [Wayne Gretzky], Stan Weir [79, 33-33-66], Matti Hagman (former Bruin coming over for another NHL shot), Don Ashby (18 brilliant games with the Oilers and a solid minor league campaign), Paul Messier (57 minor league games), Mike Toal (3 NHL games and an impact minor league debut, 76 points in 76 games), Roy Sommer (some NHL experience, he had a strong season in Oilers system ’79-80), Dave Barr (undrafted would eventually sign with Boston), Walt Poddubny (1980 draft pick, 30+ goals in the WHL), Gord Stafford (undrafted WHL forward scored 50 in final junior season), Mike Winter (sixth round pick in 1980, would return to junior), Kevin Redmond (AJHL player for Sherwood Park).
Left Wing (11): Brett Callighen [59, 23-35-58], Dave Hunter [80, 12-31-43], Mark Messier [75, 12-21-33], Dave Semenko [67, 6-7-13], Peter Driscoll [39, 1-5-6], Jari Kurri (strong Sm-Liiga season, he was a 1980 Edmonton pick and listed as a LW), Barry Dean (impressive AHL season in Philly system), Dean Magee (one of Edmonton’s top scorers in Houston, ’79-80), Mark Miller (mid-level winger on Edmonton’s first farm team), Max Kostovich (1979 Oilers draft pick, played 20 games with Edmonton’s top farm club), Scott Currie (fringe pro played three games with Edmonton’s top farm team in ’79-80).
Right Wing (12): Blair MacDonald [80, 46-48-94], Dave Lumley [80, 20-38-58], Don Murdoch [10, 5-2-7], Glenn Anderson (impact prospect, he played for U. Denver, the Canadian Olympic team and the Seattle Breakers in ’79-80), Tom Roulston (he would play in the NHL and for the Oilers, here he was coming off a strong minor league campaign in ’79-80), Rick Bourbonnais (he played for the Blues mid-70s, by 1980 he was hanging on to a minor league job), Cal Roadhouse (he was a good winger for the early Oilers farm teams), Shawn Babcock (third-round pick in the ’80 draft, enforcer from the Windsor Spitfires. No. 48 overall, he was the only early miss at the draft by Barry Fraser in 1979 or 1980), Dale Baldwin (out of Bemidgi State, he would have a solid IHL career), Blair Barnes (a sixth-round pick in ’79, he would turn pro in 1980 and emerge as a good AHL scorer), Mike Kouwenhoven (undrafted WHL winger out of Billings, he played for the minor league team for a time), Bill Joyce (turned pro out of Western Michigan and played a few years in the IHL).
NAMES IN BOLD
Want to look like a genius? Bring all the men in bold (Andy Moog, Paul Coffey, Charlie Huddy, Matti Hagman, Walt Poddubny, Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson) to training camp as possible additions. Holy crap!
The current Oilers don’t have seven names in bold, but they do have one. Evan Bouchard. They have a few more who might qualify under the Poddubny tree, including Tyler Benson, Cooper Marody, Kailer Yamamoto, Dmitri Samorukov. Maybe Joel Persson can be a modern Matti Hagman (despite the lack of NHL experience).
Bouchard turns 20 in October, he has already played in the NHL (seven games, scored a goal, 53 percent Corsi for five-on-five) and the Oilers are looking for his player type. I think we see him in Edmonton this season, maybe not opening night.
My most likely opening night rookies? I have Caleb Jones, Joel Persson, Gaetan Haas, Joakim Nygard. More Hagman’s than Huddy’s. We’ll see.
They are missing 2 x 1 OVs and a 4th.
Ouch.
Kassian is definitely not a strong defensive player but McDavid struggled away from Kassian too. Hell, McDavids GF% without Draisaitl last year was 39%. From 2015-2018 his GF% without Draisaitl was 58%. McDavid took a step back last year and most of that isn’t on Kassian.
Nygard. I hope you’re right, and it is possible. I’m not expecting it but you never know.
Maroon. All I know is he was a valuable player when he last played for the Oilers 18 months ago. Whatever he had then worked. I’m not sure how much has deteriorated in the mean time but it’s not like we’re talking about a long-term multi-million signing here.
I will come out of my hibernation just to say rightfully so.
I’ve had some very good friends struggle with drinking and it’s a struggle for them
You should probably realize that you drinking every day for six years is either a choice you can make for yourself and you should feel lucky that you can make that choice, or it is not a choice at all
To anyone on here that has trouble with alcohol, reach out to someone.
– In my best Marcellus Wallace tone: F?ck nostalgia”
– that’s pride f?cking with you.
– in my mind by far the biggest albatross for this team is nostalgia
– that Wayne was an undrafted superstar which resulted in a lot of glory and great memories is conflated with expectations and entitlement moreso
– we have been addled by the remnants of the 80s and a sense of entitlement that is not warranted and sold a bag of goods through many talented players
– Just won baby. There is no manifest destiny from the Oilers past. It’s isnt a path to the future.
How so?
Konovalov could be the best of the goalie prospects – excited to see how he does in his second year in the KHL. He’s signed for two years and then all three of our pro goalie prospects (not including Starrett) will “come due” at the same time – I really like that timing as the org will be able to decide which one(s) to sign in addition to Rodrigue.
Can’t wait to watch Sammy develop as a pro – such a great gap defender and defensive zone board battler – he almost always comes away with the puck. Will he be able to win those battles consistently in the AHL? How will he do being so aggressive at the defensive blue line? Will he learn to pick his spots better?
Maksi – this kid is more than just an elite shot – he’s a plus 2-way player who can kill penalties and, from accounts, a great work ethic.
Yes, late too … on vacation, but absolutely, well done and congratulations!! Hopefully the battle gets less difficult and not more as time goes on. It sounds, though, like you are in a pretty good place in relation to the past …. Awesome!
Congrats coopzie happy for ya
Almost everyone looks at the McDavid draft and gnashes their teeth about missing Barzal. Not me. I see us missing out on Chabot and Carlo to go along with Bear and Jones. 20-20 hindsight of course but if they had done that, traded Ebs for the best established dman they could get that summer (instead of Hall one year later), and signed Sekera, the team would have been way ahead 2-3 years down the road.
This difference in the responses to OP’s clean and sober for 7 years post and my drink every day for six years post is fascinating.
Check out Crosby’s wingers or Tom Brady’s receivers for most of their careers.
Draisaitl is playing wing currently. And is heaven and earth better than Laine, who will likely be paid similar money.
It must be remembered, there were not 31 teams in the NHL in 1980, the pickings were a lot juicier even in the fifth round then.
Big time Montreal fans are still pissed they took Wickenheiser over Savard back in 1980. When you have complete whiffs in the top 5 never mind two it usually cost many folks their jobs.
Missing a first overall and a 4th overall fills out the top six on this team. These are not 1st round misses. They are top 5 misses. That is a lot of difference imo.
Congrats, OP.
I’m looking forward to following the Russian “ov” trio of Samorukov, Maksimov, and Konovalov this year. I think they’re all underrated and great dark horse candidates to jump up the prospect depth chart faster than many suspect. They’re all coming off great seasons and will be looking to continue their progress. And, hopefully, they’ll have each other to lean on as they climb the ranks. It could be a great story a few years from now.
defmn,
Those two picks did not help, but at the time neither could have been considered bad picks. Every team has first round misses. However, to stay even, a team must average 5 picks every two years that are useful NHL players. It has been years of picks like Moroz, Plante, Abney and Musil, who have had no chance of being NHL players, as well as deals like a first and second for Griffin Reinhart that left the Oil with zero organizational depth. For all of his incompetence in major deals, Chiarelli did develop an organization that recognizes and drafts talented kids.
Your third and fourth liners are not the kids that were major junior role players, they were the junior stars that were not able to duplicate that in the bigs.
Really one dimensional goal scorers are probably the most traded top 6 forwards.
Everyone wants goals, but it’s hard to carry passengers these days.
Especially when you have 20 M in two players. That isn’t a bad thing IMO, but the other top 6 guys have to help them, not need their help.
Wayne had Kurri. Anderson had Messier. Connor and Leon need their guys to score and play hard 200 ft effectively if they are both centre.
Or the Oilers need a second line RC. Preferably. Left side everything coming out the ying yang currently and always.
Kassian has brain farts defensively playing third and fourth line comp. To me, it is more likely that he is the liability on the first line than it is there is some deficiency in 97’s game.
The rotating cast of misfits — Kassian, Rattie, Chiasson — are flat out not good enough to be out there with McDavid taking on the toughs. At least get an elite skater up there who can chip in defensively and dig pucks. That’s why I think Nygard is a better fit higher up in the lineup.
My comp for Nygard — if he is plays in a top 6 role — is a Zach Hyman type. Hyman put up 37 points (15 goals) in 59 games as a 23 year old in the AHL. Nygard put up 35 in 52 SEL games as a 25 year old. The SEL is a tougher league to post crooked numbers in.
Last season, Hyman put up 41 points by playing grease ball in the Leafs top 6. Can Nygard do something similar to that with his high-end speed? I think so.
Just say no to Maroon. He is into the decline phase of his career and was slow two seasons ago.
My fear with that kind of addition and with Neal on the team is that it could be a recipe for disaster.
Or not…but it would seem to be a big gamble in my mind.
What would the cost be, for sure Nuge + JP. Thoughts?
I’m excited to follow Konovalov this season and see how he follows up that awesome rookie year.
Patrick Laine may have the 2nd best shot in the NHL.
I’m not sure any other part of his game is above NHL average.
He can score goals but does he make his team better?
I don’t think the Oilers problems are so much related to bad drafting outside of the first round as in the first round.
How different does this team look with Yakupov and Puljujarvi meeting even half their draft day expectations?
Bad trades haven’t helped but coming away with basically nothing out of two top 5 picks would cripple any team I would think.
+1. finding an impact player outside of round 1 just helps everything along. A team still has to hit on theb1st rounders, draft & develope others and be Cap Smart.
Anyway. Oilers future looks better now than anytime in the last 8 years +
I’m late to the blog today but congratulations!! That’s a fantastic accomplishment!
Wow! Well done!
I really hope Yamamoto has a healthy season in Bakersfield next year, as I think his goal-scoring acumen is on par with those other guys.
Pete left D prospects, I think forward is pretty thin. Bouchard Bro and Samu if healthy are locks for the NHL, because they have no shortcomings that make give tweener potential. Size, skating, offense. Defensively Bro and Bouchard may not be the best but it won’t keep them out, as in the Oilers have a couple of Barries or Shattenkirks. Samu may be why offensively but has edge and defends.
Jones, Bear and Lagesson have a bigger hill for different reasons.
There are no forwards in the system that are NHL locks, or goalies either. Yes Yama has the skill, others have promise but have tweener traits be it size, skating, drive, assertiveness or a combo of those things.
No goalies are killing it despite some good signs
The system is the deepest it’s been in ages still, good development and coaching will likely push a few longer shots into the NHL, but likely not as impact players which is what really matters. Role players are less costly and more available to a competent GM.
Pete left Holland a bushel full of talent in the system by far the most encouraging prospects in our storied franchise. It’s not whether or not some of these players make it but how many will be Impact players.
Are you trading Puljujarvi for Laine?
Or Nuge and a couple of picks for Laine?
Those are very different things.
The former is a pipe dream I think.
The latter isn’t a good trade for the Oilers IMO (but I imagine the Jets would be interested).
Is there any way of trading JP for Laine? Perhaps Nuge and a pick or two. Maybe a possible sweetener. That’s the type of trade that would benefit the Oilers for years to come. Just a thought…..or dream ?
Yes it’s definitely a big advantage to find impact players deeper in the draft. And for sure a lot of teams have found more than the Oilers if you go back further.
I still think that expectations are unreasonably inflated though. People look at Tampa Bay and say ‘why didn’t the Oilers do that?’. In reality I think the Lightning (like the Red Wings of the 2000s) are more the anomaly than the Oilers.
The Oilers seem to be taking better bets in recent years so hopefully they’ll be an example on the good side of the ledger before too long.
No meth, no crack.
Don’t think we need to go in to details.
Clean is in reference to non-alcohol substances.
Fair point. I think if you go back further you’ll see that a lot of the good teams have impact players drafted outside of round one.
TAMPA – KUCHEROV POINT PALAT JOHNSON
BOS –
CHI –
PIT –
Some of the better teams have all had impact Players outside of Round 1
What’s great about looking at that list is that it shows a real high probability of the team getting material help internally over the next few years due to the depth.
We all know that lots of prospects that look good post draft don’t make it – in fact most don’t.
Not all of: Lagesson, Bear and Jones are going to “make it”
Not all of: Bouchard, Samorukov and Broberg are going to “make it”
Not all off Benson, McLeod, Maksimov, Lavoie, Yamamoto are going to “make it”
With that said ALL of those players are legit NHL prospects and some are going to make it.
Heck, one or two may even pop their reasonable projected ceiling.
That you for the congrats all!
The most important thing is he’s more happy in his own life. That’s the big reward I’m sure. Always encouraging when folks can triumph over their life challenges.
Well done OP!
I have never touched drugs or alcohol, far too many of my family members (on both sides) provided examples to me to steer clear. My cousin OD’d when he was 15, I was 16. Another cousin nearly died in a DnD he caused when we were 21. And as a child I hid numerous times under my bed so I didn’t have to deal with my father when he came home so loaded he could barely walk and I didn’t know which version of him we were going to see.
While in the military there were dozens of examples of negative experiences caused by drinking that I was subjected to, because I was either trying to support my friends or just due to being a victim of circumstance. It is all too easy to follow the crowd or give in to your genetics, so there are seemingly 1000 times more stories that end in tragedy, rather than ones in which the odds have been shit-kicked.
Keep up the good habits and ALL the posts. Your story has always resonated with me and I consider you to be exceptional. As always, I am more than happy to read your many thoughts on our team and your travels and about your dedication to fitness.
I wish you all the best my friend!
I thought I read a post from OP saying it was Meth or maybe it was Crack Cocaine
Either way I’m happy for him,
Well done OP. Determination, its a thing!
Really appreciate your ongoing contributions to this site. It’s really easy for us Oiler fans to be negative and always expect the worst. Your often positive outlook is most welcome!!!
Well done OP…although I’d say 10 posts at a time.
Well done Glov…keep strong brother (sister?)
Proof that they are 2 sides of the same coin. Personally I like the edge. You can see both sides.
I agree the goalies will need to be better, but comparing 2017-18 to 2018-19:
17-18 Oilers 5v5 GA/60-2.60 SV%-.918
18-19 Oilers 5v5 GA/60-2.65 SV%-.915
The overall GA and SV% was almost identical. As a whole the goalies weren’t much different (5on5).
17-18 McDavid 5v5 GF/60-3.62 GA/60-2.72 +20 SV%-.918
18-19 McDavid 5v5 GF/60-3.39 GA/60-3.30 +2 SV%-.903
McDavid lost a lot relative to the team, and it was mostly on the GA side. Seems he was unlucky on SV%, but most of that was washed out by a higher SH% so his PDO only dropped from 1017 to 1008.
McDavid with Kassian last year: GF/60-3.78 GA/60-3.64
That last part I guess is why I think Maroon might help the GA vs Kassian (though McDavid’s GA/60 wasn’t good without Kassian last year either). It might also have just been bad luck (ie – not Kassian), but I don’t think McDavid going from +20 to +2 year over year had anything to do with the goalies.
I posted something similar to below a while back. I think expectations are inflated on what the Oilers should have produced outside the 1st round of the draft.
What have other teams added since 2013 (drafted):
Anaheim – Brandon Montour
Boston – Brandon Carlo, Danton Heinen? (not sure he qualifies)
Buffalo – no impact players
Calgary – no impact players
Carolina – Brett Pesce, Sebastian Aho
Chicago – Alex Debrincat
Colorado – Will Butcher (is he impact? he still doesn’t play 20 min a game)
Columbus – Oliver Bjorkstrand (maybe?)
Dallas – no impact players
Detroit – Tyler Bertuzzi
Florida – no impact players
Los Angeles – no impact players
Minnesota – no impact players
Montreal – no impact players
Nashville – Viktor Arvidsson, Sam Girard
New Jersey – no impact players
NY Islanders – no impact players
NY Rangers – Pavel Buchnevich
Ottawa – no impact players
Philadelphia – no impact players
Arizona – Christian Dvorak? (I dunno)
Pittsburgh – Jake Guentzel
San Jose – Kevin Lebanc
St. Louis – no impact players
Tampa Bay – Brayden Point
Toronto – Andreas Johnsson?
Vegas – no impact players yet
Washington – no impact players
Winnipeg – no impact players
Even with the “maybe” impact players there are only 17 names, barely more than one per two teams since 2013.
Zero question the early Oilers set up their dynasty in large part due to these draft hits, but the current Oilers are not way off the mark compared to other NHL teams in recent years. I’m not saying they’ve been good at the draft and develop, but not notably bad either IMO.
Hopefully some of the guys you mention will develop into impact players this year and next and drafting can become a strength of this team.
Oilers had cast offs and some wheeling and dealing to get certain players. You look at Vegas the first year its us against the world mentality Oilers definitely had that mindset. Lee Fogilin probably grabbed a few of those young whipper snappers by the scuff of the neck as well.
Stan Weir didn’t play centre for the Edmonton Oilers, everyone else just moved to the boards when he stepped on the ice
I agree with you on Nygard. He doesn’t look like a top 6 option at all. His offensive ability looks average at best.
The Maroon idea isn’t terrible for a one year deal. He would still be effective with McD and Drai and it would push either Kassian or Chiasson out of the top 6. Would he help the GA? I think the goalies are going to have to make some key saves (unlike the last year) for the GA to improve.
Despite wishful thinking both Bear an Jones are weak on D. And when they went down, practiced the things they were good at. Still weak on positional play. Not promising
Oh the Glory Years. They had B2B powerhouse drafts and the rest is History.
The current Oilers have produced 0 impact players outside of Round 1; that will make this years team. 0. ZERO. ZIP.
LT’s NOSTALGIA LOOK BACK SHOWS:
MESSIER – 3RD
ANDERSON – 4TH
KURRI – 4TH
PODDUBNY – 5TH
MOOG – 7TH
S.SMITH – 6TH
VOILA, you have the makings of a 2nd Line & supporting cast.
Not only have the current Oilers (last 7 years) not added barely any NHL players from outside Round 1, they have not added 1 impact player.
Benson, Samarkorouv, Jones prob represent the Oilers best chance in years to add an impact player from outside Round 1
Well done OP, all the best for today and each day thereafter.
I just watched the Joel Persson highlight package on YouTube. His offensive ability looks very natural— heads up, great vision and passing, plus stick-handling, and a rocket shot. His skating looked fast at the SHL level. I can’t wait to see this guy a) feed Draisaitl on the power play for his one-timer, and b) watch him take McDavid passes for his own one-timer.
I wonder what he’d be like paired with Jones on third pairing at evens. Both guys can really move the puck but might be high event in the defensive zone. Perhaps the smart play is to dress 7 defenders and use Persson for PP and Russell for PK. Russell can also pick up minutes for Benning, Jones, or Persson if they are struggling at even strength.