In their final three drafts with the Detroit Red Wings, Ken Holland and director of amateur scouting Tyler Wright drafted eight players from Sweden (out of 28 picks). That’s 28.6 percent. Edmonton’s first choice with Holland at the helm was from Sweden. I wrote about Holland and Sweden here. This scouting group values the kingdom of Sweden.
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 Athletic, check it out here.
- New Jonathan Willis and Lowetide: Who are the Oilers’ top 10 prospects and where do they project in the NHL?
- New Jonathan Willis: How do Connor McDavid’s first five NHL seasons compare to the all-time greats?
- Lowetide: Oilers 2020 draft: Are fans ready for Oil Kings’ Jake Neighbours?
- Jonathan Willis: Oilers need to keep feeding their currently rich pipeline of defensive prospects
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: How a series of oddball jobs prepared Ken Holland for his front-office career
- Jonathan Willis: 2020 NHL offseason goalie market: Team needs, free agents and trade possibilities
- Lowetide: Oilers Ryan Nugent-Hopkins far more than ‘also in photo’ contributor
- Jonathan Willis: Building the best all-time Oilers roster, with a twist
- Lowetide: What are Tyler Benson’s chances of making the Oilers in 2020-21?
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: ‘They were looking outside the box’: Oilers’ distinctive third jerseys still stand out
- Lowetide: If Oilers draft for skill, Seth Jarvis likely to be best available
- Jonathan Willis and Lowetide: Should the Oilers pursue Taylor Hall this summer?
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman and Jonathan Willis: The results are in: How you voted in our inaugural Oilers fan survey
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: How the Oilers are preparing for an NHL draft in June
- Jonathan Willis: How Gaetan Haas, Joakim Nygard and Riley Sheahan draw calls that lead to goals
- James Mirtle: Ranking every NHL team’s salary cap situation, from best to worst
- Lowetide: Can the Oilers find Connor McDavid’s ideal winger this summer?
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: The two coaches who had the biggest influence on Dave Tippett
- Jonathan Willis: The 5 reasons why the Oilers re-signed Gaetan Haas
- Jonathan Willis: Can (and should) the Oilers trade Kris Russell?
- Jonathan Willis: How Edmonton could have left 2010 draft with both Taylor Hall and Ryan Johansen
- Lowetide: Kailer Yamamoto’s NHL comparables offer Oilers fans hope for the future
- Lowetide: Top 20 prospect update: A lot of movement and some impressive graduations
SWEDEN’S BEST 2020
- RW Alexander Holtz. First-shot scorer with a range of skills, he’s an electric player.
- LW Lucas Raymond. Smart player, ridiculous skill. March 2002. NHLE is 14.8, but he played only 9:48.
- RW Noel Gunler. Has a great release, 1.92 even strength points per 60 in SHL.
- LD William Wallinder. Big D, with great speed and offensive potential.
- LD Emil Andrae. Fast defenseman with offensive potential. Plus passer.
- RW Zion Nybeck. Undersized playmaker, creative, great passer. Impressive speed.
- RD Helge Grans. Solid two-way defenseman with good size and speed.
- LW Daniel Torgersson. He has size and good speed, numbers at lower levels are impressive.
- RC Theodor Niederbach. Skill center is a wild card but the numbers are impressive.
- LW Oskar Magnusson. Smaller winger with good speed and two-way acumen.
- G Calle Clang. Good size, a .913 SP and stellar work at the Hlinka.
- LC Elliot Ekmark. High skill, elusive, great speed, undersized.
- LC Daniel Ljungman. Emerged from nowhere at the Hlinka Gretzky, he had a solid year.
- LW Emil Heineman. Not much on him, 18 goals in 29 SuperElite games.
- LW Eric Juhlin. Good shot, solid performance (13 goals in 36 games) at even strength.
Noel Gunler would be a worthy first-round pick for Edmonton at No. 20 overall, Helge Grans and Emil Heineman are intriguing. Based on the established track records of Holland and Wright, one of these men could be an Oilers prospect by the end of draft weekend.
SWEDEN 2019
- LD Philip Broberg. He’s big and can skate like the wind, offense may be shy.
- RD Victor Soderstrom. Impressive offensive player. Good skater, good decisions, very quick.
- F Samuel Fagemo. A bona fide shooter, he has more clarity in his game now.
- LD Tobias Björnfot. Outstanding speed, impressive offensive talent.
- LW Nils Hoglander. A small skill winger, he can beat defensemen clean.
- R Albin Grewe. Rugged winger with skill.
- LC Karl Henriksson. Small and very skilled forward
- RW Simon Holmstrom. Elite Prospects: A deft skater with some explosiveness to his game.
- LD Albert Johansson. The scouting reports give us a picture of a fairly complete defenseman.
- LC Oscar Bjerselius. Good speed and size, he’s a solid two-way forward.
- RD Simon Lundmark. A fascinating player, good vision and outlet passing.
All but Oscar Bjerselius were chosen in the 2019 draft, one by Edmonton (Broberg) and two by Detroit (Grewe and Johansson).
Hugo Gustafsson
I watch Allsvenskan like a hawk these days after the strong draft crops of recent summers. Hugo Gustafsson is 20 (February 2000), had some concussion issues but played well this season. He might be on an NHL list.
It sounds like we’ll see movement toward the end of May or early June in opening up things a little. Baby steps and it’ll be fits and starts based on what we’ve seen worldwide. The government can open things up but for the economy to come back people have to engage. That step will differ depending on age, risk et cetera. Be safe, ladies and men.
2020 POSSIBLE TOP 100 TARGETS
No. 20 overall: Jan Mysak, Seth Jarvis, Mavrik Bourque, Noel Gunler
No. 82 overall: Brandon Coe, Alex Cotton, Theo Rochette, Helge Grans
Yes. If this involved players bonuses then the CBA and grievance resolution would come into play. But I can’t see vesting this in whole or part unless a supermajority of guvs approved. Unlikely when by definition as many winners and losers.
But when the issue of a draft before final cancellation of season emerged. And we heard that the NHL would.remediate in that situation
But if the season was cancelled before the draft why would the NHL report to the guvs that the literal deal would be set aside? Surely they approve reports from Gary because Gary, but why would he volunteer to meddle in deals? What precedent says he would?
N64,
That’s closer to how I see it… vesting is the exception not the rule.
The trade (Lucic for Neal + retained salary) is the trade unless both a) Neal hits 20 + goals and b) Neal > 10 goals than Lucic; in which case the deal becomes Lucic + 3rd round pick for Neal+ retained salary.
Or, at least, that’s my read on the publicly available terms.
OriginalPouzar,
I tend to view the public conditions of a contract in a direct, literal manner. That there were extenuating circumstances — out of the control of either party — is immaterial to the vesting of the condition in surrendering the pick (in my opinion). Granted, I am /not/ a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV.
If the season ends as it stands today, the pick should not transfer. Hell, even Lucic agrees.
The EPHL item was meant for a previous discussion around 5-6 p.m.
Vaguely related to the above is the EPHL history around 1959-61.
The Montreal Canadiens were miffed with the AHL and they helped form the Eastern Professional Hockey League. (Remember back then, it was still a six-team NHL.)
Some EPHL all-stars in that time period included: Gerry McNeil, J.C. Tremblay, Moe Mantha, Tom McCarthy, Bob Courcy, Cal Gardner (then a Bruin property), Claude Evans, Gerry Odrowski, Gilles Tremblay, Orval Tessier, Ed Johnston, Jean Gauthier, Al MacNeil, Fred Hilts, Bobby Rousseau, Cliff Pennington, Gerry McNamara, Pat Stapleton, Jack Bowness, Eddie Kachur, Cesare Maniago, Harry Sinden, Keith McCreary, Jack McCartan, Jim Neilson and Leon Rochefort.
Rod Gilbert and Jean Ratelle (their first post-junior year) and the Balon brothers, played for the 1960-61 Kitchener Beavers, the Rangers affiliate. Kingston was the Bruins team. The Canadiens affiliate was Hull-Ottawa I think Sudbury, the Sault and maybe North Bay had teams. The Leafs didn’t participate in the league; possibly their nose was out of joint because it was a Habs promotion.
It was good, tough hockey. But it didn’t last.
Think maybe posted already but Wheeler killing it on Mysak. Was intrigued by this guy before the article, but if you’re hoping to catch a poor man’s Pastrnak….
https://theathletic.com/1793047/2020/05/09/wheeler-why-jan-mysak-is-one-of-the-2020-nhl-drafts-top-forward-prospects/
Vesting is not the default. So literal conditions need to be met.
The exception actually illustrates this. NHL has indicated they would intervene to adjust terms if draft run BEFORE season cancellation.
Agree
Re-doing the 2014 draft:
https://thehockeynews.com/news/article/backdraft-2014-redoing-the-top-10-picks-from-the-14-nhl-draft
A dispute between the league and a third party does not equate to a dispute as between two teams in the league.
We also do not know how the matters between the league and the rights holders will end up playing out – there very well may be some sort of pro-rating solution.
I understand your premise but I don’t agree that it is the black and white.
If they do the draft without the season being cancelled and have to make a decision on the condition or if they cancel the rest of the season without further regular season games (or close to 82) – in either case, I simply don’t see “condition didn’t vest” being the clear “right answer” – I don’t know what the “right answer” is mind you.
Re-doing the 2018 draft.
https://thehockeynews.com/news/article/redoing-the-2018-nhl-draft-how-would-it-unfold-two-years-later
godot10,
Despite my Bruins getting swept in 1977, I think I favour the 78 Habs team… Cournoyer was able to play in the playoffs that 78 season, and Engblom had his first full season and playoffs in 1978.
The only other major piece missing between the two teams was Frank’s brother, Pete. I’ll take the Roadrunner over Little M.
But really you can’t go wrong with either roster.
The 76-77 Habs vs the 86-87 Oilers is the series that I would want most to see.
The league didn’t play 82 games and apparently advertisers and TV rights holders aren’t going to pay because of same. Given that example why should the Oilers have to give Calgary a third round draft pick.
That’s right.
And then when the game began… the two quick penalties to the Oil and Philly scoring on the ensuing powerplay. Halfway through the second, after we’ve thrown the kitchen sink at them for nearly 30 minutes, we should be up something like 6-2… and its still bloody 1-1.
Just seemed like it wasn’t meant to be.
OriginalPouzar,
Okay taking aside factors you brought up that weren’t under consideration in the gist of the original conversation (like performance bonuses and vesting UFA years, which muddy the waters)…
We aren’t dealing with a one team anomaly here. The entire league, natch, world has been impacted by this situation. At some point everyone will have to take their lumps. Owners, advertisers, players, staff, fans.
Each scenario to sub-clause of the CBA will merit a degree or more of reconsideration at some point. But in the interim, the middle ground may be much like the transfer agreements — hold the line until determined otherwise — that prove to be the most prudent.
For things that rely on the conclusion of the season, like vesting UFA contract years, performance bonuses, trade conditions, etc, we really need to arrive at… the conclusion of the season.
Today, if the season ended, the conditions didn’t vest. Ergo, no deal. As I see it.
Yep. Benning has been roasted by the media in Vancouver for months.
I think the nervousnous was due to oilers blowing a 3 -1 lead in the series, a 3 -0 lead in one of the games and that their dynasty being in peril given they lost to Calgary the previous year on the Smith own goal.
Is this the one where the Oilers had the lead going into the 3rd and simply played keepaway with the puck for the entire last 20 minutes of the game. I think Philly got 3 shots or something like that.
Thanks for the answer. If he is as good as you say he will get scooped up in no time.
It sounds like this was a misstep by Benning from the rumours that I read.
I remember being really nervous for this Game 7. Don’t know why, this was this best of the dynasty teams in my opinion. Maybe the Hextall factor.
While I am, in no way, saying that they should pro-rate but I also don’t agree with the premise that its as simple as “the condition was clear and the condition didn’t vest”.
The trade was consummated under the presumption that a normal 82-game regular season would be played.
That didn’t happen. The circumstances have changed.
I don’t know what the league will end up doing but, taking off my Oilers’ goggles, I don’t think its as simple as “condition didn’t vest – no pick”.
There are all sorts of conditions and other contract and CBA related issues that will have to be looked at – many performance bonuses and even lesser talked about matters like Rasmus Sadin – he wasn’t on the roster for 40 games but he was on pace to be (and would have been) – does this vest a year towards UFA? On the same premise as above, he wasn’t on the roster for 40 games, so it shouldn’t? Right?
This is really close to what I was thinking.
Harpers Hair,
So if Benning is meddling in the draft process then how much of the scout’s influence can you attribute to the VCR drafting record?
I think the CHL, unlike the NHL, may get some government funding.
It could be thought to set a precedent, but its not a professional league like CFL and various other lower end pro and semi-pro leagues in the country.
Will mandatory quarantining in all cases (crossing the CAN/US border) still be the case when this gets going (Nov/Dec)? I sure hope not.
I can’t say for sure but I would anticipate that AHL contracts are the financial obligations of the AHL team but payment for players in the AHL on NHL-contract would be the financial obligation of the NHL team.
Of course, for the Oilers and Condors, they are both ultimately owned by the same owner and, while that is the case for many of the AHL teams, not all.
I don’t think the “bubble cities” model is something that would be contemplated for the 2020/21 season at either the NHL or AHL level – that’s really a mechanism to get some sort of additional 2019/20 revenue and fulfill some TV contract and advertising commitments (when the largest expense, player salary, is already “spent”).
I don’t see 2020/21 starting until there can be travel between Canada and the US and the general ability to play in all relevant jurisdictions – of course, “mass gatherings”, that is, fans in the stands, is not required for play.
Right.
JimmyV1965,
Gerta Rauss,
Strongly disagree.
The pick should vest based on the agreed upon conditions, or not at all.
I’d imagine 30 teams would not be in favour of CGY gaining a pick and everyone else shuffling back in the order for something that was supposed to happen, but didn’t.
There’s a reason they play the games.
Yeah…it looks likely.
Word is he is unhappy with how much Benning meddles in the draft and is looking for more autonomy.
He’s the goods.
Good one.
If anything, I encourage discourse and engage in numerous discussions when my opinion varies from others.
What you have recently being doing is not engaging in a different opinion but posting something that would change the conversation to a difference subject – that’s not a differing opinion, that’s moving the goal-posts for your narrative or simply providing a strawman.
———————-
With respect to your position above, I don’t disagree that extra expenses for ownership and the league are not optimal but neither is a scenario where the NHL plays without the AHL and, given the importance of the AHL, some additional expense at the highest levels, may be required/provided.
Any chance Matt Benning’s brother Michael is available at 82? I’d grab him there if he was.
A question for you, please.
I keep reading that Judd Brackett, director of amateur scouting for Vancouver is leaving as soon as his contract expires at the end of June because he is unhappy with management.
It seems to me that at one point you had pretty high praise for the job he has done the last few years for the Canucks.
Any idea what happened?
https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/
With two different leagues, the NHL and NBA, looking into neutral sites to finish out their 2019-20 seasons, Las Vegas looks to be at the top of the list. MGM Resorts have reportedly shown interest, offering to host either league in the city. However, Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now reports that Vegas has become the source of a turf battle between the two leagues as the main neutral site for the playoffs.
The NHL might have the advantage, however, considering that the Golden Knights are well established in the city, while there is no NBA team. The NBA is also considering Disney World as a potential site.
I suppose. I guess I was thinking half the season is spent on the road and who knows when you need a sudden call up. There is no ‘good’ answer in any of this that I can see. Just a series of better and worse options.
ANSWER: What are 3 overpaid players 🙂
Don’t have time for a longer write up but I’ll launch Theo Niederbach as my Swedish value pick of the draft. Imo an argument could be made that he has the third highest upside of the swedes in this draft. Guy missed all of last year with an injury yet went above ppg in superelit despite the injury hampering one of his main strengths, skating, for the majority of the season. Whilst being smart defensively. Kid is somewhat Zetterbergesque in certain aspects so Holland should like him(as should Håkan Andersson…)
Heineman is really intriguing as a later pick as well. Just put it all together and exploded this season.
This is one of the best draft groups out of Sweden in a long long time btw. Lots of interesting players and for once it’s a pretty forward heavy group.
Because the CHL will likely also have no fans, one isn’t cannabalizing them.
I can see Katz bringing the Condors to Edmonton for a season. If the Flames, Jets, and Vancouver all bring their teams home. A couple of other teams might put teams in Saskatoon and Regina. Add Minnesota, and maybe get someone to put a team in North Dakota.
And one has a nice little contained six to eight team division/temporary league. Sell a subscription TV service of the games, or sell it to content starved sports networks.
As I posted a bit earlier this morning (but after this post), i generally agree with this premise. I don’t know what the financial aid will look like but, with only 11 (I think) teams now owned by the AHL affiliate, and given how important the AHL is to the NHL, I would anticipate something is worked out.
There may be a short-term contraction, but I anticipate they find a way to get the season running in line with the NHL.
Bob Dylan (@bobdylan) Tweeted:
I just heard the news about Little Richard and I’m so grieved. He was my shining star and guiding light back when I was only a little boy. His was the original spirit that moved me to do everything I would do.
I can hear the drums Fernando.
Harpers Hair,
ya well lucic is probably thinking he was on a heater and couldn’t help but jeopardize the conditions…man he was such a poser…no leadership at all..
Sad. But probably a good idea.
Considering the number of big box retailers cratering in the US, I expect this isn’t the last announcement of this sort on this side of the border.
I’d say the Doc Marten craze was probably peak A&N… at least in my lifetime.
Noel Gunler would be an excellent pick at # 20
Helge Grans would be an excellent pick at # 82
Louis Levasseur,
I posted something on this 3 weeks ago:
Since Dec 5:
1. Lucic 8 goals 8 assists
2. Neal 5 goals 7 assists (hat trick on New Year’s eve)
3. Kassian 6 goals 9 assists (2 goals in 2020)
The thing is, NHL teams largely travel by charter, can afford segregated disembarkation procedures, etc.
But a call-up generally comes by regular mail… which means greater personal exposure and quarantining till test results received. Plus the political risk of whatever is happening in their usual locale (possibly preventing them from leaving/returning).
Might be a lot easier if the affiliate roster was already in town.
Aside from the fact that we all love to watch Oiler hockey, the benefits of a few more “regular season games” and/or some playoffs would/should/could provide Holland with some solid information for off-season decision-making:
– how does Mike Green look – if they are going to continue quasi-2nd pairing useage, and he plays for a stretch, it provides informaiton on where he could slot in the lineup next season (if re-signed) and potential contract terms
– Ethan Bear – prospects, in particular d-man, don’t develop in a straight line. I think its Jimmy that has concern of a 2nd season regresssion. One can almost think of a re-start as a new season and, if Bear simply picks up where he left off, that’s a great sign.
– Nygard – he was coming on a bit when his season was cratered and he went on IR – where does he slot in the lineup with AA and Ennis now in the fold? Is he the 3LW with Archie and Sheahan? Do we try him at 1LW given his success with McDavid (small sample)?
– AA himself – we’ve (well I’ve) posited a likely uptick in play with a training camp with Tip and the staff and healthy. Well, there will be a good 2-3 week training camp and he’ll be healthy. This could be some good info on if he will fit on Connor’s wing or elsewhere.