Heartaches by the Number

by Lowetide

The Edmonton Oilers drafted a bunch of CHL forwards between 2010 and 2020 who didn’t post enough offense to project as good NHL prospects. Early in the decade, the club was using early picks to draft poor offensive options.

Somewhere along the way, the team figured it out. It might have been Marco Roy via Michael Parkatti or perhaps Tyler Dellow managed it or a scout or two picked it up along the way. Wherever it took place, by the end of the decade it was an area of strength for the team.

THE ATHLETIC!

I’m proud to be writing for The Athletic, and pleased to be part of a great team with Daniel Nugent-Bowman and Jonathan Willis. Here is our recent work.

OILERS AT THE TOP END, 2010-2020

The first six names are obvious, Yamamoto’s being in that group is a nice reflection of the Gretzky-Green years. They got value there. It’s interesting that the next group of names include three players from the past trio of drafts: McLeod, Lavoie and Tullio. That’s a good sign. Oilers should have signed Marco Roy and given him a full shot but Chiarelli had just taken over and he had personnel flying all over hell’s half acre.

OILERS ALSO IN PHOTO, 2010-2020

One strong result, Tobias Rieder from the impressive 2011 draft. Benson might make it and I do think Maksimov has enough range to push for NHL time. There are some high picks here, second round guys. Oilers are better at drafting CHL forwards than in 2011 and 2012.

TRAVIS EWANYK

I always feel bad for picking on these fellows, it wasn’t their fault. The 2012 draft wasn’t grand, so the Oilers might have been doomed no matter, but in 2011 when Ewanyk was chosen, there was quality. Here’s the draft sequence in 2011:

  • No. 74 overall Travis Ewanyk (WHL) 72 games, 16-11-27 (0.38 points-game)
  • No. 75 overall Blake Coleman (USHL) 59 games, 34-58-92 (1.56 points-game)
  • No. 76 overall Logan Shaw (QMJHL) 68 games, 26-20-46 (0.68 points-game)
  • No. 77 overall Daniel Catenacci (OHL) 67 games, 26-45-71 (1.06 points-game)

Ewanyk was a first-class checking center in the WHL, but in the words of Craig MacTavish all forwards have to bring at least a little bit of offense. In the case of Mr. Ewanyk, he was a dandy in many aspects of the game but couldn’t score enough to make it to the NHL. A tough turn for all involved.

LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE

At 10 this morning, we bring you quality guests and good humor, TSN1260. At 10:20 Carlan Gay from NBA Canada will touch base on the Raptors preseason and some loud noises in the trade market still to come before the season starts in just over a week. At 11, Scott Wheeler from The Athletic will preview the World Juniors, talk about Dylan Holloway’s role on the team and tell us why he isn’t surprised Carter Savoie is tearing up the blacktop. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. Talk soon!

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Dac189

It’s nice to look at the forward progress since the Chiarelli dark ages.
Going from McD, Drai, Nuge, Kassian, Lucic and Chiasson as the only forwards on the team who even belonged in the NHL.
To now having 10-12 players who could make the top 9.

Really looking forward to this season, especially with being locked in the house most days…

Last edited 3 years ago by Dac189
Material Elvis

Hamonic can tie Rafferty’s skates and tape his stick for him.

leadfarmer

Hamonic is a perfect contract for the Canucks
so they can buy him out in a year

jp

The Canucks don’t buy out players. Have you seen their roster?

Scungilli Slushy

If they sign Hamonic they are thinking it’s a Cup run.

I happen to agree that Holland has added so much that it is realistic.

Is his job to give anyone a chance, or to win a Cup for his owner?

I say win a Cup, or take the best shot possible at it.

There is no better teaching to the players emerging than that. Be the best you can be and win.

Except goalie. That is the kicker.

Harpers Hair

If ever there was a year to go for it…this is it.

Coddling prospects is a gambit for teams that don’t have a chance.

jp

Oilers – Kings in the finals?

Harpers Hair

A Canadian team is going to be in the final four.

The odds on favourite is Toronto but any team close that doesn’t take a run at it might as well just fold up shop.

That includes the Oilers, Calgary, Montreal and Vancouver.

jp

Well all those teams are up against the cap, so I guess they’re doing what they can to take a run.

leadfarmer

So Kings are gonna win the cup because of prospects
Oil need to dump their prospects and sign over the hill players
did I get this right?

Harpers Hair

More on the WHL scrapping plans for a January start to the season.

https://whl.ca/article/western-hockey-league-announces-delay-to-start-of-2020-21-regular-season

Harpers Hair

Darren Dreger reporting the Oilers and Canucks are interested in signing Travis Hamonic.

OriginalPouzar

That would be a really really weird signing for the Oilers – I doubt there is anything to that.

I’d also be surprised if Hamonic plays this year. He opted out of the RTP for health/safety/family reasons and, whether the RTP is home areans from travel right from the start or whether it has to start in some sort of hub-city, it will be FAR less than a secure zone bubble that we saw in the summer and we are going to see with the WJC.

I get that there is a comp different (he had already been paid for 2019/20, well mostly) and he won’t get any comp if he doesn’t sign to play this year but, if health/safety remains primary for him, it wouldn’t make sense after opting out of the summer RTP.

defmn

Pretty easy story to write considering it is well known he wants to stay in western Canada.

Makes no sense for the Oilers imo. Why hasn’t Cheveldayoff made room to sign him? That is where he said he wanted to be.

Harpers Hair

Dreger said he’s hearing it from agents.

It actually makes some sense for the Canucks but a Benning seems committed to playing young players on the third pairing.

They have Jordie Benn as a backup plan but Hamonic is better and Benn could be assigned for cap space.

Perhaps Holland doesn’t have confidence in his right side if Larsson gets injured because neither Barrie or Bouchard are known for their defensive prowess. And, Ken likes his veterans.

I would think any signing would involve Hamonic being very clear that he’s committed for the entire season before
any team would commit.

norm_klassen

money talks he might want a pay day of some sorts.

defmn

It could also be a negotiating rumour to put a little pressure on Bear. I agree Hamonic brings something that Bouchard & Barrie don’t but Flames’ fans seemed pretty much in agreement that he did not look like his old self last season.

Don’t know as I didn’t see enough of the Flames to form an opinion. Always liked him when he was on the Island but that is old news now.

OriginalPouzar

I understand the premise raised by HH that a Larsson injury does provide a hole “skill-set wise” vis-a-vis defensive first/tough minutes guy but, at the same time, just last week Holland said “we need to see what Bouchard can do”. I just don’t see him adding a player that pushes Bouch to 5RD and pushes one of Bear, Barrie or Larsson out of the opening night lineup.

Veteran depth is great but this doesn’t make sense to me.

defmn

Me either. As I said to HH it makes the most sense for Winnipeg so why aren’t they interested?

Harpers Hair

Yeah last season was not his best but you could say that for a lot of the Flames.

At the age of 30 I doubt he has declined drastically and certainly should be a very good 3rd pairing D for whomever might sign him.

Perhaps Holland’s reported interest is a backup plan if he can’t get Bear signed at all.

I’m not sure where Bear spends the offseason but the clock its ticking loudly on any player who is currently out of the country and has to quarantine for two weeks upon arrival and IIRC unsigned players cannot participate in any team activities.

Bear has very limited options but he wouldn’t be the first player to opt to play in Europe if he can’t get a contract he likes. I would think a signing in the range of what people are suggesting here would not be very palatable to him or his agent since he will actually taking a pay decrease once the 30% haircut is taken into account.

Harpers Hair

Ray Ferraro on the radio from the bubble in Edmonton.

Says Vancouver should absolutely sign Hamonic to provide cover for their young guys.

A zero risk signing.

defmn

Bear is in Saskatchewan last I heard. I’m sure he will be in Edmonton for TC but Edmonton wouldn’t be the first team to let a rumour slip out to put pressure on an unsigned player.

OriginalPouzar

Ethan Bear spends his off-seasons in Saskatchewan.

Its interesting that young Oiler than hasn’t signed or re-signed right away is looking to leave for Europe or not sign.

Berglund wasn’t going to sigh – boom, signed
Kemp wasn’t going to sign – boom, signed
Lagesson wasn’t going to sign but would choose to stay in Europe – boom, signed

Now Bear is going to opt for Europe – a player that, 8 months ago, pre-Covid was in the conversation for an AAV of $4M for term is going to jump to Europe because circumstances are going to make him take a cheap contract for one year.

Seems unlikely.

wolf8888

If HH says he’s not signing then we should see him signed within 3 days!

OriginalPouzar

That’s not far off how it has been recently.

Harpers Hair

How do you know where he spends the offseason?

Be specific and provide a link to verify.

Bear has not been signed with camp only 3 weeks away.

Why do you think that is?

Don’t you think if Bear and his agent found what is effectively an entry level deal acceptable he would have signed already and been skating with the group in Edmonton.

He hasn’t and isn’t.

OriginalPouzar

I’m not providing a link (a) because I don’t cater to your demands and (b) because its an asanine request.

Well, considering he runs an hockey school with his cousin Courage in the SK in the off-seasons…… considering he speaks about being in SK in the off-seasons……

I assume that Bear will be followed by Barzal and PLD and Mittlestadt and Strom on their way to Europe….

Reg Dunlop

How about (c) you’re full of baloney.

jp

It makes no sense for the Oilers but if you can ‘get good players’ on value deals then it opens up options for other moves (Larsson?, as a for instance). Agreed this doesn’t seem like a particularly likely signing for the Oilers though.

maudite

I’m still amazed that there hasn’t been a conversion on rosters of utility hybrid players.

4th line wing and/or 7th D type guys.

Harpers Hair

Joel Quenville did it last season with both Mike Matheson and Mark Pysyk playing forward and liked the results.

https://www.nhl.com/news/florida-panthers-new-jersey-devils-game-recap/c-314927456

maudite

Thanks! Why are there any clicks on negative button?

Last edited 3 years ago by maudite
OriginalPouzar

Dreger and Seravelli saying the mechanics of the cap (and related matters) vis-a-vis the expanded roster and taxi squads are being worked out.

Sounds like the taxi squad will indeed be similar to an AHL assignment but the player stays with the team – cap hit removed (up to the max of $1.075M), waivers applicable, etc.

Still being ironed out.

I’m really curious to see what might happen with the cap and expanded rosters – that is key.

OriginalPouzar

15 seconds in to the third, Savoie takes a stretch pass near the W. Michigan Blue, looks shot but throws a pass across but his teammate can’t bury – should have buried the 2 on 1 pass.

The puck goes back the other way and W. Michigan ties it up.

OriginalPouzar

The Raptors home games in Tampa Bay have been approved for 3800 fans.

As of right now, this doesn’t impact the Lightning but I imagine they will be approved for the same in due course.

pts2pndr

That would be good crowd for The Panthers?

Scungilli Slushy

For me when Leon was getting way too many minutes and taking really long shifts was when the wheels fell off.

Connor’s edge looks less sharp to me when he’s overworked and particularly with him and his dangerous rushes being tired is risking injury more than regular players.

They are elite but still humans. There is a reason almost no other forwards played that much.

I hope the additional depth allows Tippet to not do that again.

The odd double shift isn’t what I mean.

OriginalPouzar

Savoie starts at the left point as normal on the PP but ends up taking a one-timer snap shot from the right side circles – stopped but another good offensive play and chance involving Savoie!

OriginalPouzar

Savoie out on the PP – now worries.

OriginalPouzar

Savoie kind of got “submarined” on a play in front of the W. Michigan net – accidental.

Was down for a bit and went off gingerly – having his upper back/lower neck worked on on the bench.

Denver about to go on the PP – lets see if he’s out there.

godot10

McKenzie has Guenther #3 in his pre-season draft list. Top ranked forward. Two Hedman-sized D in front of him.

OriginalPouzar

Savoie just threw a fairly massive hit at the end of an offensive zone shift – wiped the defender out.

OriginalPouzar

Savie with the zone entry, slick little pass to his teammate on a 2 on 2 (short pass near the blue line) but then he charges towards the net and causes a little trouble for the goalie and an otherwise not-danger shot from the outside. Good stuff.

OriginalPouzar

My goodness Savoie is dynamic now – just made a wonderful pass to set up a teammate breaking towards the next for a quick break – only a great save kept him from a 5 on 5 primary assist.

OriginalPouzar
wolf8888

gorgeous pass! Thanks as always OP!!!

OriginalPouzar

What a beautiful play by Savoie.

The draw is won on the PP to the right D, over to Savoie at the left point, he walks in to the top of the circles and fires a beautiful and perfect cross-ice pass to the backdoor for a tap-in empty netter but Guttman!

That was his third shift:

1) First shift, non-eventful – took a big bang by a giant d-man – got up smiling
2) Second shift – nice zone entry by Savoie, took two opponents wide and started a cycle
3) Third shift – beauty PP assist, Drai/Nuge/McDavid like.

Last edited 3 years ago by OriginalPouzar
OriginalPouzar

No surprise, Savoie starting the game as 1LW with Guttman as his center.

jp

Can he keep leading the entire fricking NCAA in goals??

Harpers Hair

@coreypronman

Hearing the WHL is pushing back their targeted January 8 start date.

OriginalPouzar

MLB thinking about delaying the start of their 2021 season to allow for players to get vaccinated…..

defmn

Considering their players are in the demographic with the lowest morbidity rate most prognosis would say that won’t be until late June or July.

Unless, of course, the league were to find some way to make it happen sooner.

OriginalPouzar

Kahun named Player of the Month for his play in the Magenta Sports Cup.

No real surprise I guess as he’s a legit NHL player (and reasonably likely a legit top 6 NHL player).

Now get your butt to Canada Dom….

JJS

With McD surpassing Yakupov’s total games played, can we now all agree that McD is the better player?

Finally.

Darth Tu

I really miss the Yak reports from Russia.

JJS

Agreed

Always wanted him to succeed

OriginalPouzar

The Tullio and Savoie picks show a heartening progression of a focus on skill in the mid to late rounds.

Of note: Denver plays this afternoon at 2:30. These afternoon games are killing me.

Ryan

How are you watching the US College games?

BornInAGretzkyJersey

onhockey (dot) tv has the games live 🙂

OriginalPouzar

Yup, but I find it only works with a US VPN – without, I just get re-directed.

BornInAGretzkyJersey

I use a VPN, so no problems here. 🙂

Ribs

ATB has a Hotstove type thing happening today with Nuge and Eberle at 12:30pm today. Natasha Staniszewski as well. Register to partake…
https://atbcontent.clickmeeting.com/199496528/register

jojonoshow

Hey LT, I’m sure this has come up before and obviously hasn’t gotten any traction but if there was a simple T-shirt, hoodie, coffee mug, or hat for sale I would ask my better half to order me one for Christmas. Happy to support you, the site and this numbers based conversation in that way.

hunter1909

Have you any idea what you’re suggesting? Have you ever had to make a trip to the post office, simply to post something to someone that you are going to make, say a 5 dollar profit off?

Or, will Lowetide’s house be transitioned into a warehouse full of that same old souvenir crap everyone is currently hoping to sell online these days from their basements/garages? But a fifty cent worth t-shirt only $25.00! Order that key ring with some dodgy logo that no one cares about, only $12.00!

The corporatization of this blog is probably the last thing Lowetide, or anyone needs right now lol

hunter1909

Buy*

Last edited 3 years ago by hunter1909
wolf8888

There are now many options whereby Sir Lowetide would not have to warehouse his product or monitor shipping.

Shane

I would definitely be interested in purchasing some Lowetide shwag. Though as someone who’s been in bands most of my adult life I understand the warehousing issues of merch first hand. But as wolf mentions above, there are a few companies online now that handle ordering, manufacturing and shipping.

Now, as an aside, is anybody interested in purchasing 856 CDs and 23 shirts of a band that doesn’t exist anymore..?? ?

Last edited 3 years ago by Shane
Ryan

There’s a yellow PayPal button (right hand side on a desktop and towards the bottom on a phone).

Smash that PayPal button to make a contribution to Sir Lowetide’s website for the holidays.

As I’ve said previously, I like to think of it as a voluntary subscription option.

Oddspell

As already mentioned, this is a pretty antiquated view of merchandising.

Options like Redbubble or Threadless allow anyone to create custom merchandise designs with almost no cost to the designer.

Ryan

I don’t know much about all of this, but I’d buy a Lowetide coffee mug and a t-shirt.

Darth Tu

Being in the music land, I find with merch you’re best to run a mix of both systems. We use an online producer for our “Band Store” and that pretty much caters to the international people. Saves us from having to mail crap ourselves etc. And also means I don’t have boxes of merch in my basement/garage when we inevitably don’t sell them all.

Then on top of that we’ll do runs of 50 or so t-shirts when we’re going on a run of shows, or playing summer festivals, or for tossing as part of a giveaway. Again, means we don’t have tonnes lying around in people’s houses. We usually change up the design each time we get them printed too which I guess in theory makes them “collectible” for all those fans we have 😉

For website stuff though you can’t beat the fire and forget thing of having an online producer. Issue is you’re not supporting your local printer by going that route, but, that’s globalized capitalism for you.

Shane

I had meant to mention the local printer issue. Nice add

pts2pndr

Actually Hunter with due respect I would be all in. It is purely a free choice wether you want to participate or not.

Harpers Hair

If we get a Lowetide branded T shirt with the slogan…Calm Your Tits..I’ll buy 10.

Doug McLachlan

TSN has an interesting article up about whether the Leafs should/will adopt the Lightning’s 7-11 roster deployment (Shilton: Toronto ​Maple Leafs aim to mimic Tampa Bay Lightning’s 7-11 blueprint – TSN.ca) and it got me thinking that this might be an option for Tip and the Oilers:

Nuge-McDavid-Kassian
Kahun-Drai-Yamo
Ennis-Turris-Puljujarvi
Nygard- (McDavid) – Neal
or
Khaira – (McDavid) – Archibald

Nurse-Bear
Jones-Barrie
Russell-Larsson
Bouchard
or
Lagesson

You certainly can double shift McDavid with a more traditional 6-11 set-up (which would help keep Khaira’s PK skills available) but I do like the idea of rolling out a McDavid line, a Draisaitl line, a second McDavid line, give Turris some soft minutes, oh hi there it’s Draisaitl’s line again, here’s McDavid once more…

The 7-11 set-up also allows you to ease Bouchard into the rotation more cautiously if you have concerns with his defensive intensity.

ArmchairGM

I think we’ll see more than a few opposing coaches have nervous breakdowns if Tippitt does this. This is just brutally mind-blowing: “… rolling out a McDavid line, a Draisaitl line, a second McDavid line, give Turris some soft minutes, oh hi there it’s Draisaitl’s line again, here’s McDavid once more…”

Last edited 3 years ago by ArmchairGM
Darth Tu

I was talking about exactly this a few years back. OP ripped me though.

defmn

The acquisition of Turris makes it more feasible imo.

Last season Draisaitl averaged just over 22 1/2 minutes per game and McDavid played just under 22 1/2 minutes. Turris logged 16 1/2 minutes in Nashville if memory serves from the last time I looked.

I think a lot of us would like to see both McDavid & Draisaitl cut back to around 21 minutes but that is still 42 out of 60 leaving 15 for Turris and the extra for whoever is centering the PK.

It is very doable if Tippett wants to go that way.

I wouldn’t worry too much for getting ripped by OP for suggesting an unorthodox solution. We’ve all been there. 😉

Last edited 3 years ago by defmn
Darth Tu

This is true. To be fair, I was trying to find a solution that addressed the lack of Centre depth (at the time) and also the fact the D-corps looked a lot rougher than it does now. I had Bouchard in as number 7, which in hindsight, I agree might work better this year when he’s older and more experienced.

OP’s main point was Bouchard needs to be playing minutes in the AHL, which he did, and it looks to have improved him. So OP in hindsight was right to shoot down my idea. I had Bouchard being spotted into easy minutes and getting a powerplay push. I’ve never been sold on Klefbom as our go to PP guy, he always felt like a placeholder. We’ll miss him for his 5×5 and defensive work, but I do feel like we’re more set at 5×4 with Barrie and Bouchard this year.

I like the idea that you can kind of throw any one of McDavid, Draisatl or Nugent Hopkins in at Centre on the 4th line depending on who’s feeling it, or who’s had some hard shifts beforehand. For PK purposes though, if we do this, I’m not sure that Neal and Chiasson work in the lineup. You’d be better with Khaira/Archibald or maybe Haas in purely for PK duties.

However, it could work a lot better this year as per Doug’s suggestion than when I was shouting about it last year (and possibly the year before when Bouch was really green).

OriginalPouzar

I wouldn’t say I “ripped” anyone. I may have disagreed with the idea and the premise and discussed it.

I don’t recall the exact conversation to tell you the truth but if part of the premise was dressing Bouchard last year for games as a 7D, I am sure I would have been very much against that. I’m sure I would have posited that the rookie pro was best served learning the pro game in the AHL and also would have been against that deployment burning a year of his ELC when he’s likely not being an impact player.

I’m all for double-shifting McDavid the odd shift and getting him the odd extra shift – generally after a PK or a TV time out or a offensive zone faceoff after an icing.

At the same time, one of the most important aspects of the increase in skill in the bottom six and the likelihood that the bottom six can help with the goal scoring a bit, is to reduce the minutes of Drai and McDavid at 5 on 5. I think they will be more effective overall playing a bit less and Tip/Gully being able to roll the four lines more than he has in the past. Of course, it won’t be a full four-line rotation but, if there is bottom 6 help in the goal scoring, it takes pressure of 97/29 and allows them to play better defensive hockey and “manages their load”.

Doug McLachlan

Agree we don’t want to burn out either of our stud pivots but I am enamoured with the idea of continuing to pound teams with pressure.

Red wolf

I don’t think McD and Drai will burn out, they are in their prime and can share the “double shifting”.

OriginalPouzar

They have already shown fatigue during the season with recent usage.

Darth Tu

Definitely, you didn’t rip me, I was being a little generous with my language. You were right though, he did need the extra AHL time and to be playing big minutes rather than 10 a night in a sheltered role.

As for next year I think the taxi squad thing could work out well (cap implications to be determined etc. etc.). We should be better able to tailor lines to each opponent if there’s actual lateral movement allowed between the main squad and the taxi group. You could in theory rest Neal here or there to get the best out of him – I think this has been mentioned by others over the last few weeks. Also you’d not have players gutting it out to play through knocks. It could be beneficial for the league in the long run by giving a better on ice product throughout the regular season if expanded rosters become the norm.

OriginalPouzar

Yes, the taxi squad/expanded roster may very well help with load management but we need to get finalized details on how it will work with cap implications from the league.

I think that any “expanded roster sport” will effect the cap so the Oilers won’t really be able to take advantage of those. Taxi squad spots won’t effect the cap, however, to insert one of them in to the lineup, they will need to be activated and that will effect the cap and the Oilers may need to assign someone at that point to the taxi squad including potential waiver implications.

For example, assuming Lagesson is 7D and Bouchard on the taxi squad (doesn’t need waivers), if they wanted to give Larsson a night off and have Bouchard in, they may need to assign someone – for example, Lagesson but that would require waivers…..

Darth Tu

It will be extremely interesting to see how they work the expanded roster proposal with the cap. Surely they’d have to give some lee way cap wise? I can’t see why it would even be proposed unless they were planning on cap relief.

If the cap stays where it is at the moment, how many teams could actually take advantage? Most teams are either over the cap or are close to it at the moment. I get that there’s lots of wiggle room with sending guys down to be compliant day one etc. But the whole issue of not running into issues over the rest of the year would be near impossible, so you’d still see teams only sticking to 23 players.

I think that if we are getting expanded rosters there will be some sort of grey area loophole where teams can go a few million over with no punishment – otherwise it’s not worth even bothering with.

OriginalPouzar

I agree with you but from what has been speculated, there may not be cap relief for the expanded rosters (but, of course, the taxi squads won’t impact the cap).

To be clear, that is FAR from official and there very well could be some cap relief vis-a-vis the expanded rosters – just far from a surety as well.

Reja

Now that we have Tippetts boy Turris as 3C we can keep Leon and Connor fresh for the last 10minutes and OT if need be. We lost some valuable points in the last 5minutes and OT because Connor and especially Leon were totally gassed out and Tippett had no other options. I was crying for a 3C since the previous offseason and Turris is the perfect 3C for the next 2 seasons.

OriginalPouzar

The ability to have a 3rd line (maybe a full bottom six) that isn’t void of offence should be a massive help. Taking away things such as the mental pressure on Connor and Leon to score ALL THE GOALS, it will allow Tippett to not have to overly-rely on the top two lines even when down a goal knowing that the bottom six is capable of production.

Knowing they have some help with the offence should lead to less fatigue, less “cheating for offence” and simply overall better play from the top.

Reja

I wanted Tippett to go with 7 D after we lost game 1 and the Refs were calling anything and everything this was before we knew Kelfbom was playing with one wing and Larsson was hurting. Tippett could of double shifted Leon or Connor and used Bouchard for soft minutes.

pts2pndr

I love it. It is actually brilliant especially short term. Early part of the year for a fast start. I might want to cut McDavids time a couple of weeks or more before playoffs.

godot10

You can’t really go 7-11 unless you have a roster full of two way forwards who can PK. Kassian, Neal, Ennis, Chiasson, Puljujarvi…the Oilers may have too many one-dimensional guys, who cannot PK. Ditto Toronto.

Jesse would have to be schooled up to PK, and Turris would have to become beastly on the PK.

Tampa has two forwards who can’t PK. Maroon and Stamkos.

OriginalPouzar

Tyler Johnson, Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point each averaged less that 6 seconds per game on the PK – so make that 5 forwards (although Stamkos did average 32 seconds).

JimmyV1965

I see Tmac has declared the rebuild over in LA. I’m really struggling to see the logic behind this statement. 

Anyone looking at the roster can clearly see this is simply not true. Their forward group is dominated by old guys past their prime and young kids who haven’t established anything at the NHL level. On defence, there are four guys I’ve never heard of. Olli Maata might actually be their second best dman. 

Why would a coach make this kind of declaration? The team is clearly not close. Geez, I sure don’t miss him behind the bench here.  

Elgin R

Where did you read that? I am always up for a good laugh. One of the downsides of the upcoming season is not being able to watch the Oilers beat up on Flat Top’s team (along with ‘the Swarm’ in Anaheim).

Ribs

It’s pretty comical considering he spent most of last season giving notice to his under performing veterans that are not going anywhere. As a coach he says the “right” things but his credibility must be pretty thin in that room.

ArmchairGM

He’s not the GM, he’s the coach. He’s simply letting his players know that they’d better be ready to go and that losing is not going to be acceptable anymore. You may get out-skilled but there’s no excuse for getting out-worked.

Nothing wrong with the message IMO and I’m the last person to be defending TMac.

pts2pndr

Just my opinion but a good leader ( see coach ) has to know when to use the carrot and when to use the stick. One of the basics has been and is the norm is that what’s said in the room stays in the room. By the mere fact it’s public wether by the coach or players tells me he has lost the room. If I was GM I would be having a long talk with ownership about a coaching change.

Harpers Hair

He may be not entirely wrong about that from the perspective of drafting.

The Kings have 9 players on the WJHC rosters and could have had 10 if Helga Grans wasn’t ruled out.

Just take a look at the young centres in the system.

Quinton Byfield
Alex Turcotte
Tyler Madden
Akil Thomas
Rasmus Kupari
Lias Anderson
Jaret Anderson-Dolan

Add in a couple of elite winger prospects in Arthur Kaliyev and Gabriel Vilardi and you have the makings of a dominant forward group.

Yeah, their D needs work but Bjornfot looks like a horse and with almost $14M in cap space, they should be able to shore it up whenever they decide to pull the trigger. Two years left on the Brown and Carter contracts and that will free up another $11M in cap space.

Likely a year or two away from contention but they have all the makings of an elite team.

Elgin R

I think the Kings are years away from contention. Even AFTER the 2021/22 season they still have $21m tied up in Kopitar and Doughty who will be 35 and 33 respectively at that time and way past their primes. The team will improve with all the young talent, but they remind me of the Decade of Darkness teams – great young forwards with lack of elite D.

Harpers Hair

Worth noting the Oilers also lack elite D.,
As the Kings bounty of forwards mature, they will be able to parlay some of them into D.

However, the Kings DO have some very good young D prospects in Bjornfot, Brock Faber, Helga Grans and Kale Clague among others.

The 2021 draft is also very D heavy at the top so the Kings should be in a great position to pick an outstanding player.

Despite those anchor contracts for Doughty and Kopitar, the Kings have huge amounts of free cap space to take advantage of a depressed free agent market whenever they decide its go time.

I would expect they will keep their powder dry this season, slowly bring in their young forward group and buy out Brown and Carter next summer freeing up even more cap space.

They should be well placed to be a Pacific Division powerhouse once they acquire a couple of high end D.

pts2pndr

If bull shit was brains you would be a genius!?

JimmyV1965

It might be okay for the GM to say the rebuild is over because they have lots of prospects, but not the coach, not this year. He’s setting up unrealistic expectations. The roster this year is likely the worst in their division.

OriginalPouzar

Well Olli Maata was traded for the Oilers bright, new and shiny 2LW!

jp

3 point per game guys taken in 3 years outside the 1st round is good drafting.

And Tullio from the 5th round sure sticks out from all the rest (the only guy on the point per game list taken after pick 60).

Really liking the Tullio and Savoie picks from the past draft! So far so good for both, and the drafting in general under Holland.

Last edited 3 years ago by jp
Elgin R

Looking at the 2012 draft shows what a terrible draft it was. Yak is still 10th in points for forwards (136) even though his last year was 2017/18. Of note, JJ is 28th (52 pts) and AA is 8th (156 pts). The people in charge at that time should have, and were, let go but not soon enough. The work by Lowe, MacT and Tambellini set this team back a decade (of darkness). Holland appears to have the drafting under control – it matters not who makes the recommendations as the buck stops with Holland.

so polar

Khaira at 28th in points for the entire draft is an enormous indictment. Sheesh.

OriginalPouzar

Lowe certainly had some low periods as a manager but also some incredibly high periods.

A year of work almost got this team the Stanley Cup in 2006 – his work prior to the season and during the season should be recognized had highly regarded.