How close to NHL ready is Ryan McLeod? How does he compare to the last center who successfully came through the minor league system? WHO WAS the last center to successfully come through the minor league system?
THE ATHLETIC!
Great perspective from a ridiculous group of writers and analysts. I am proud to be part of The Athletic. Here are the most recent Oilers stories.
- New Lowetide: Ken Holland’s bet on Andreas Athanasiou and how Oilers will proceed
- Lowetide: Lessons learned from the ghosts of Oilers’ draft weekends past
- Lowetide: Oilers’ William Lagesson may benefit from extraordinary circumstances
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: ‘We’ll learn and grow from it’: Connor McDavid’s tune different compared to last year
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Who stays? Who goes? The most likely players to stay with and leave the Oilers
- Lowetide: A rational approach for the Oilers at the 2020 draft
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: What’s holding back the Oilers? Superstars’ defence and team’s depth under focus
- Jonathan Willis: After a play-in round exit, the Oilers need an offseason of change
- Lowetide: Oilers 2020 picks finalized, it’s go time for Jesse Puljujarvi
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Edmonton again? How Oilers would benefit from No. 1 pick and Alexis Lafrenière
- Lowetide: Oilers’ guilty pleasure, the draft lottery, could offer a quick fix
- Lowetide: Ken Holland’s urgent summer as Oilers general manager begins
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: The Oilers have some disappointing lessons to learn — even in season of progress
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Replacing Tyler Ennis: Ranking the best left wing and backfill Oilers options
- Lowetide: Oilers’ Andreas Athanasiou gets a push against ‘Hawks. Is it enough?
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Bang for your buck: Ranking the Oilers based on contract expectations
- Jonathan Willis: Is Philip Broberg on track to be a top-pairing defenceman?
- Lowetide: Ken Holland’s roster construction options over the next five months
ROOKIE CENTERS AHL EV SCORING 2010-20
- Cooper Marody (Age 21) 2018-19: 58, 15-30-45 [.776]
- Mark Arcobello (Age 22) 2010-11: 26, 7-8-15 [.577]
- Marco Roy (Age 20) 2015-16: 42, 7-10-17 [.405]
- Bogdan Yakimov (Age 20) 2014-15: 57, 9-14-23 [.404]
- Ryan McLeod (Age 20) 2019-20: 56, 5-13-18 [.321]
- Milan Kytnar (Age 21) 2010-11: 78, 12-11-23 [.295]
- Tanner House (Age 21) 2011-12: 68, 8-12-20 [.294]
- Ryan Martindale (Age 20) 2012-13: 41, 4-8-12 [.293]
- Tyler Vesel (Age 24) 2018-19: 61, 5-11-16 [.262]
- Kyle Platzer (Age 20) 2015-16: 48, 3-8-11 [.229]
- Jujhar Khaira (Age 20) 2014-15: 51, 4-6-10 [.196]
- Chris VandeVelde (Age 23) 2010-11: 67, 9-4-13 [.194]
- Travis Ewanyk (Age 20) 2013-14: 68, 7-5-12 [.176]
Just over one per year over the decade, the most in a single season was three in 2010-11. The best center at 20 was Marco Roy, the player who received just an AHL deal inexplicably. No disrespect to Travis Ewanyk, but that’s craziness.
Marody is a fascinating prospect, he ran under the radar for most of 2019-20 but then showed up and made some nice plays during the scrimmages at summer camp.
McLeod delivered pretty well on a team that didn’t have a lot of offensive weapons. Is that enough offense to project him as an NHL player? Considering Khaira and VandeVelde played in the NHL, I’d suggest the answer is yes. Third line center? He can probably cover the defensive aspects but he’ll also likely need a more talented linemate.
BROBERG
Swedish Poster: “Philip Broberg on what looks like the top pairing with veteran Niclas Burström ahead of tomorrow’s first exhibition game for Skellefteå, he should certainly be within the top 4 5v5. Will be interesting to see where he slots in on special teams, since he arrived late I assume he has some catching up to do before getting PP time but he should be on the PK a fair bit.”
The Covid-19 worry is always with us, so we begin every conversation about hockey players with a prayer for safe passage through the day. This is a big season for Broberg. At the point in development, draft+2, Oscar Klefbom’s SHL time on ice spiked from 13:44 to 17:28. Last season, Broberg averaged 13:59 per game, a shade more than Klefbom. Will he play more than 17:28 in 2019-20?
WHO IS CLOSEST TO NHL READY?
I got an email yesterday, discussing the most NHL ready Oilers. For me, that’s an easy answer to find because Ken Holland just told us during the series against Chicago. In the final game, Edmonton’s healthy scratches included Stuart Skinner, Evan Bouchard, Philip Broberg, William Lagesson, Tyler Benson, Cooper Marody, Ryan McLeod. Players who would have (imo) been included if all prospects were available are Theodor Lennstrom, Filip Berglund, Ilya Konovalov and Jesse Puljujarvi.
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
At 10 this morning, TSN1260, we have a great lineup of guests. Bruce McCurdy from Cult of Hockey at the Edmonton Journal joins us to talk Dale Hawerchuk, Oilers wingers having an impact, and Rask leaves the bubble. Joe Osborne from OddsShark arrives at 11 to talk NHL and NBA playoffs. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. See you on the radio!
If there is an AHL, teams will pair up. Or have joint taxi squads play games against each other.
Jaxon,
I’ve posted a list not dissimilar to rebut the DSF pearl of elite D showing themselves early, to no avail. It’s a flimsy narrative he brandishes like a broadsword because it whips people up into a frothy mess. Same as ever.
New for The Athletic: Oilers Top 20 Prospects, Summer 2020. Edmonton has multiple quality prospects pushing on defence, and six centres make the list.
https://theathletic.com/2003909/2020/08/20/lowetide-oilers-top-20-prospects-summer-2020/
Lavoie is heading to the SHL to play for Rogle.
That is great news – just great that he has a place to play.
Unfortunate part is that he is planning on spending the year there and not coming back when NHL camps start up (maybe not knowing if that means there will be a concurrent AHL season).
With Sammy staying in Russia for the year, if there is an AHL season, the Condors might be thin.
I”m not even sure what is sarcasm in this thread but here goes:
When D arrived in the NHL and played 41 games or more:
Zdeno Chara D+3
Duncan Keith D+4
Ryan Suter D+3
Shea Weber D+4
Brent Burns D+3
Dustin Byfuglien D+5
Mark Giordano D+5ish? undrafted
Jack Johnson D+3
Kris Letang D+3
Marc Staal D+3
Keith Yandle D+3
Ryan McDonagh D+5
Kevin Shattenkirk D+4
PK Subban D+4
Alex Pietrangelo D+3
Jake Gardiner D+4
Roman Josi D+4
John Carlson D+3
Ryan Ellis D+5
Torey Krug D+5 undrafted
Matt Dumba D+3
Josh Morrisey D+4
Ryan Pulock D+5
Thomas Chabot D+3
Dante Fabbro D+4
Cale Makar D+3
Henri Jokiharju D+3
I think this might be a good year (D+3) for Bouchard to play 41 games. He’s still in good company.
That’s 6 years.
And 3 of the guys you mention PKed less than 10 minutes this year.
So 4 #1D in 6 years? Sounds fair.
The others may or may not become #1D at some point.
Anyone have any thoughts as to who might draw in on D if Edler can’t go for game 6…
Dahlin
Hughes
Heiskanen
Makar
MacEvoy
Provorov
Ekblad
Last five years.
If all the hot air people get banned, there will be no one left, including the blog’s author.
Who’s drafted a #1D recently. Not many teams.
If they were only analytics driven, they could blame the number crunchers telling them you never draft D with a lottery pick.
#ForwardsOnly
WORST. MEME. EVER.
The Oilers have had 20 years to draft a #1D and haven’t done it.
Go figure.
Better to stay neutral? Got ya.
Sorry, 3 in the 2nd for VAN. No edit button!
4 past Allen in the 2nd. Doubt Berube will do it, but I’d go with Binnington in the 3rd.
Doesn’t sound like his shoulder is healed. Probably going to miss the rest of the playoffs.
It’s a carbon thing….
The Oilers should have drafted Heiskenen. You just can’t recover from those kind of mistakes.
Man, has there ever been a LOT of short side goals this playoffs.
Goalies are cheating for the pass across and getting BURNT.
Reilly & Bergeron with two today from behind the net!
Souray. Penner. Ference. Jultz. Lucic. Russel. Kassian
Oiler fans not happy unless they have a whipping boy…
I know!
Bouchard better step up his game.
Top 10 picks can’t be allowed to dawdle.
Some credit to Craig Berube.
Once he made the switch to Jake Allen, his whole team took it up a notch.
They need Tarasenko back though for a realistic shot at defending their title imo.
Ha! I wasn’t even watching the game and knew exactly what you meant. He even wears the same number for good measure.
Maybe for a few million more per year he will be more willing to block shots and get in lanes too
Too much hot air?
Jordie Benn pulled a KRusty!
Agreed. He’s young and starting in the KHL. Up arrow.
But he was one of the worse goalies in the league this season by SV%. Down arrow.
A decent prospect, no question, but far far from a sure thing.
His boxcars kinda look like AAs. Except he has the injury excuse this year.
Almost 22 and hasn’t arrived….
Yes that’s definitely fair.
The main points I was trying to make were
1) The numbers don’t bear out Kassian being a terrible penalty killer
2) Nuge had horrible numbers part of the same awful Oilers PK unit that Kassian played on. Nuge’s results improved markedly under the new coach so we don’t know what Kassian would look like as a penalty killer in 2020/2021.
Bouchard was a top 10 pick while Timmins was a second round pick who missed an entire season due to injury but came back with 27 points in 40 games in the AHL.
Colorado walks away with Makar and Timmins while Bouchard, according to you, is not ready for a third pairing role on the Oilers.
I think I’ll go with the Colorado pair, thanks very much.
I hope you have some extra fingers you don’t need to give the bookies in case they don’t win given your history of not paying your losses
We’re all happy to see one of the 26 teams you have picked to win the cup over the course of this season is still in the chase
I did too.
Placed a Woodguy on them at 12-1.
Then bet another Woodguy on them before the playoffs started at 8-1.
Oh my.
Connor Timmons cited as a draft success yet he was drafted before, and played less games, than the disappointing Evan Bouchard who is taking his sweet sweet time to arrive.
I can only imagine your pearl clutching if the players drafted 6 spots higher in the same draft was an NHL player.
But he isn’t and odds are he will never be.
I can’t imagine Sheahan being re-signed at this point.
I think his PK minutes will be taken up by a Haas/Yamamoto combo.
I picked them as my preseason Cup favorite.
I could only imagine your trolling if the oilers drafted him 10th overall
I respectfully request that would put the politics and general lunacy away for today. Thanks.
Unless KRusty has been traded or Neal bought out, why would they worry? Be no pressure to do something.
i think Kassian is a more likely piece to go, and one I’ve been thinking about since Reja raised it several days ago.
Apologies my 0 button failed me. that’s FIFTY years that have been hotter.
For those curious about History, the record temp for Cali is 115F set twice… once in 1931 and again in 1933.
In the short and spotty temperature record of the State of California, there are 5 years that are hotter than it has been over the past several days in that State.
So you can see why no one in government could foresee this electrical demand coming.
I’ve been looking at a lot of articles listing the top goalie prospects outside the NHL and while Konovalov (and probably Rodrigue)has the most promise in the Oilers’ system he isn’t even in the top 32 prospects on any lists I’ve read. And he’s a long way off of being a safe bet to make it. He doesn’t have the NHL size of most goalies and he had a bit of a down year. I really liked him as a draft pick, though and hope like hell he’ll make it.
Munny,
I agree our focus should be on the bottom-6, but if an option comes up that isn’t too cost prohibitive, I still consider it. Neither Anderson or Gourde would cost crazy amounts in trade (although Gourde’s cap hit would be a tad high). Not sure if Columbus would care for an AA for Anderson trade, but I’ve seen that raised around here.
*did not score today…must have been changed*
Unfriendly Regional Arachnid Individual,
Thank you. Anderson must be doing something right lol.
We need to keep in mind he missed a lot of time recently and that’s a smaller sample size than say Archie’s.
Anderson was 149th in 187 players making your 150 min cutoff. Archie has about 75 mins more TOI in essentially the same number of games played, both lag RNH in both departments. Something going on with usage there.
Still. Looks damn good.
Are we after a 1/2RW? I mean yes we’re always looking to improve everywhere all da time, but isn’t our focus a little–errrr–constrained this off-season?
LT’s got my rant locked up in moderation.
I’ll edit it down to the hashtag version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3KGpIoE5CY
Alberta’s Future:
Crypto Central Bank to the World.
#WhoNeedsPipelines
#AlchemyRealized
#TurningOilIntoBitcoin
Leverage our energy assets to because a global powerhouse in DeFi.
22 year old 3C who scored a goal today.
On an ELC.
Think the Oilers could use him?
Material Elvis,
*won*. *won* the conference title.