I am guilty of many things, but have learned a few lessons along the way. One of those lessons came in 2010, when I was convinced the Oilers delivered a strong draft crop that would produce at least two (possibly more) quality NHL players. The correct answer? One.
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.
- New Lowetide: Early roster rumblings as Oilers open training camp
- Jonathan Willis: Oilers training camp: Forecasting the big roster battles
- Lowetide: Dylan Holloway’s world juniors work offers clues about Oilers future
- Lowetide: The Bakersfield Condors will be competitive in the coming AHL season
- Athletic: How we’d run the Oilers: Maximize primes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl
- Eric Duhatschek: How a stint in Sweden prepared Oilers prospect Evan Bouchard for NHL camp
- Jonathan Willis: After a brilliant rookie Oilers season, how high is Ethan Bear’s ceiling?
- Lowetide: How secure is Zack Kassian’s role on Oilers’ top line?
- Lowetide: Why fans should expect an Oilers playoff berth in Canadian division
- Jonathan Willis: Dave Tippett has more options now thanks to versatile Oilers forwards
- Lowetide: 7 big questions facing the Oilers heading into next season
- Lowetide: What if Ryan Nugent-Hopkins doesn’t sign with the Oilers?
- Jonathan Willis: Left-side logjam will force the Oilers to make a choice, and perhaps a sacrifice
- Lowetide: Theodor Lennstrom is the Oilers’ latest European bet on defence
- Lowetide: Seattle Kraken expansion mock draft 5.0: Who could the Oilers lose?
- Lowetide: Why McDavid and Nuge together could be key to Oilers’ playoff success
HUMILITY
In December of 2010, when looking at the prospects (under 50 games), I wrote “this is the strongest group of Oiler prospects I can recall. The 79-81 Oilers top 20 would have been better but after that this group must be the best.”
Well, no. The 2010 group did deliver quality, though. Here are the NHL games played by the 2010 top-20 at Lowetide (2010 picks in yellow):
- Jordan Eberle 724
- Jeff Petry 680
- Taylor Hall 627
- Devan Dubnyk 520
- Magnus Paajarvi 467
- Chris VandeVelde 278
- Tyler Pitlick 248
- Martin Marincin 227
- Anton Lander 215
- Brandon Davidson 174
- Taylor Chorney 166
- Theo Peckham 160
- Linus Omark 79
- Teemu Hartikainen 52
- Alex Plante 10
- Curtis Hamilton 1
- Tyler Bunz 1
This is a strong top-20 but I oversold the 2010 draft. Only Hall emerged as an NHL regular, and of course he was a splendid difference maker for the Oilers (and later New Jersey). As it turned out, the second best player drafted by Edmonton was Brandon Davidson, who I believe would have had a more substantial career but for injuries.
So. This morning people are going to be talking about Dylan Holloway, who had a solid world juniors, and people have reason to be excited about Carter Savoie, who is scoring seemingly at will for the Denver Pioneers. Tyler Tullio is productive in the Slovak league and Maxim Berezkin impresses everyone who sees him.
No bragging here. Observe. Smile. Learn from the past. It’s a mighty long way down a dusty trail, and the sun burns hot on the cold steel rails. Wait for prospects to see the light of day in the NHL. Wait until they’ve accomplished what Ethan Bear, Kailer Yamamoto and Caleb Jones did a year ago.
Announcing arrivals early is fun, and attention getting, but it is not productive. Beware anyone who trumpets things that are not yet accomplished.
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
At 10 this morning, we’ll hit the ground running on TSN1260. Bruce McCurdy from the Cult of Hockey at the Edmonton Journal will talk World Juniors, the Oilers training camp (Benson moving up to Khaira line this morning) and remember John Muckler. At 11, Joe Osborne from OddsShark will pop in to preview the NFL playoff weekend and some NBA games that may be inviting. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. See you on the radio!
Damn, it hurts seeing Eberle and Petry at #s 1 and 2 in games played. I would put the Eberle trade as probably the weakest of the Chiarelli era – yes, that includes the Hall trade. Chia traded a reliable 20+ goal scorer without a plan for replacing the goals.
When Pulluijjjjuuuravii came into the league with Laine…the player’s comparable envy was almost palpable…Laine, a fellow countryman and draft cohort was experiencing huge success in his rookie and sophomore years…it’s ironic now to see the juxtaposition between them…JP burying the hatchet with his club, building bridges previously burned….while Laine is on his way out of town. Is Winnipeg starting to develop a reputation of unhappy elite players? between Trouba, Byfuglien, and now Laine and Roslvic? Obviously each players’ situation is different but I’m noticing a pattern.
Have you ever been to Winnipeg in January?
You’re familiar with the geography and climate of Finland, right?
Seriously, Tampere Findland is 61 degrees north latitude…that’s damn near Rankin Inlet….You’ll argue the gulf stream etc but that doesn’t have an effect on the daily hours of sunlight.
Find me a Canadian hockey team farther North than 61 degrees latitude (Tampere, Finland)
I missed the fact that Cam Talbot got a 3yr $11M deal….Wow…his agent better get a nice Christmas card.
Talbot actually had a very good second half of the year and his numbers for the season were better than Markstrom’s (granted he only played 26 games).
Yup. And Dubnyk got another “if you have to ask the question” review from his GM in order to make room for him.
So I’m curious to ask the all the Mike Smith naysayers….would you rather have Mike for another year at $2 or Talbot back for $11M over 3 years?
Everyone craps on the Oilers for signing Smith, but at least we didn’t spend big bucks on washed up goalies like four or five other teams. For a buyers market, many goalies were overpaid this year.
Wow, and the wild retained half of Dubnyk’s salary in a trade 4 days before before signing Talbot? where the hell was I in October?
Jim Matheson
@jimmathesonnhl
· 36m
No it is not OK for a player to wear 98 in the city where 99 was made famous. Don’t care if it year Jesse was born. It is a bad look. just acknowledge there are lots of other numbers and he has taken 13. Good for him in his new start twitter.com/theoilluminati…
But I guess 97 is okay?
Do people really give a shit what number a player wears?
If they do, I’d tell em to get a life.
Same goes for advertising on jerseys. Who cares?
I’ve never followed a team cause there jerseys look cool. And I’ve never rated a player based on what number he wears.
Tippet approves of the change.
https://www.nhl.com/oilers/news/camp-puljujarvi-makes-number-change/c-320031300
If McD wore 9362784926.3219/aPb-¥&÷ as his number…I’d still buy his jersey.
A ridiculous take by Mattheson.
I love following and reading Matty for his access to the GM and those in the org – factual information from the GM that he provides is great.
His takes, well……
Matheson needs to retire.
I’m very surprised he has survived the blood letting in the news industry.
Yeah, me too. There was a time when he was the gold standard for Oilers news but that has to be at least 20 years in the rear view mirror and, as you say, older more expensive guys have been being pink slipped for a long time in that industry in favour of younger, cheaper employees.
Maybe he has photos. 😉
Exactly my thought as I typed that.
It was a bad take for sure…but let’s not “cancel culture” him for being a dinosaur…just treat him like your grandpa….he’s got some cool stories and wise insights…but also says some offside shit once in a while
Tip confirms they are going in to scrimmage tomorrow.
I’m not sure if that will just kind of be at normal practice time in the day or if they are going to try and simulate game day by having a morning skate and scrimmage in the evening full with refs, etc.
—————-
Kahun has skated for a couple of days now so there is a good chance he’ll get in to one of the scrimmages.
—————————
Asked about Bouchard: “He’s been excellent in camp. There is a maturity that has gone a long way. He’s got a new confidence about him….. he’s coming along just fine and he’s going to be a very good player”.
Not directed at you but he’s fuking ready quit the bullshit and get this kid going. Bouchard brings a new wrinkle he can actually make a Pronger tap to tap stretch pass.
He will almost assuredly get in to many games and get just that opportunity to prove he’s ready. Having a just-turned 21 year old, second year pro prospect compete with established vets for a job and provide those vets with real cover is great business and managing.
Preach OP!
We are clawing our way out of the DoD and beginning to see the bright light. Why in the hell would we jump back into the black hole by gifting rookies roster spots??? Insanity!!
We all know Bouch is a gamer…and he’ll get his chance this year to show it. He might even stick and force KH to move out a veteran due to being NHL-ready…that would be a good problem to have. But you have to EARN THE SPOT first.
10 years ago we would be talking about Holloway lining up beside McD and Broberg replacing Klef to start the season…no thanks!!! I refuse to watch insanity and, thankfully, competent/good managament and coaching is preventing this from happening.
Over-ripening prospects has never ruined their careers…but gifting rookies roster spots due to lack of depth has ruined careers.
Competition for roster spots is how you create contenders and ensure your roster players show up every night to play. This year, more than any other, will require quality depth to compete for the playoffs. One injury that lasts just two weeks means the player misses like a quarter of the season. So a player like Bouch chomping at the bit to get in is what a quality team looks like and might just save a team’s season when someone goes down with an injury.
Patience is a virtue…being an Oilers fan…its vital. I will admit though, next Wednesday can’t come fast enough.
Agreed Solly and well-written.
Ethan Bear has only been in the NHL for one season, I bet he feels Bouchard breathing down his neck.
God forbid, Benning was let go without an established RD acquired – Bouchard starts as 3RD, there is no actual 4RD available and then Bear gets hurt. All of a sudden the right side is Larsson, Bouchard, Russell/Jones………
The one phrase I will quibble with is the use of “over-ripen” – I don’t even think its a matter of “over-rippning” but a matter of ensuring adequately ripe. We don’t know if Bouchard is “ripe enough” – we presume he is but he hasn’t proven it. He will get the opportunity to prove it soon enough. Now, if he proves it and then Barrie is re-signed for term and Larsson is brought back……..
This is probably why so many of us are having trouble recognizing it for what it is. 😉
Bouchard will be our best passing D since the brief stint of Ryan Whitney
Per Reid Wilkins, Shore practiced today, Kahun is close and Neal a little bit away.
He also said that Tip mentioned Bouch has been impressive – looks like an NHL player not a junior player.
Gene Principe
@GenePrincipe
It didn’t come to blows but in a battle drill @EdmontonOilers Alex Chiasson/Jesse Puljujarvi drop the helmets but not the gloves..Coach Tippett wanted intensity and he’s got it..
As a follow up @edmontonoilers camp after their run in Puljujarvi went to Chiasson after the drill and gave him a tap on the shin pads. IT’S ON at camp and for real in a week..
Good on Chiasson. Play like a vet and make the youngsters earn every inch of ice. Pros like Alex make the team better. Oh, and by the way, good on JP for battling hard and then showing respect to a team mate.
With Neal out Chase knows it’s a huge opportunity he has on PP1. Everyone’s entitled to a opinion but I don’t get the disrespect for a good soldier that does his job and eats up a grand total of somewhere around 2.5 of our cap.
Yup. He is doing his job in camp and fighting for his career. You have to respect that.
100% – if Neal’s out, Chiasson will be on PP1 to start the year – while Neal himself scored at higher rates on the PP than Chiasson last year, the PP itself performed better with Chiasson on the ice than Neal.
Chiasson was close to value for his $2M last season – he couldn’t piss a drop at evens in the bottom six but was super low event and was one of the few that didn’t get caved without McDavid.
At the same time, given market changes, he is no longer value for $2M and, if the contract could have been disposed of clean, while it would hurt the depth, etc. of the on-ice product, it would be a move that would be made as the $2M could have been spent better.
i like Chase hope he goes on a streak he was very unlucky at evens. How many goals does whipping both Chase need to Quiet the Nickel and Dimers is 11 goals enough?
Doesn’t really matter how many goals he scores this year. He’s on the books for 2.15 million.
And next year he won’t be.If they buy Neal out next summer, that’s an extra 6 mIllinois to spend in a down market.
Pretty sure they can do better.
So you don’t think this team can go deep this year? Russell is also off the books for almost 3 big ones.
No, I think this team could challenge for a cup this year.
They could also miss the playoffs.
It really is that tight.
But they should have much more cap flexibility next year. Chiasson drops off roster or is signed for less than a million, Russells salary drops by 3 million, a Neal buyout drops his salary by 4 million, another 2 million saved on retained salaries of Poulliot and Sekera.
It all adds up to 10 million more in walking around money for next season.
We know that some games in the US will have some limited fan attendance.
My question is with respect to the direct and indirect gate revenue (by indirect, I mean, concession revenue, etc.).
Obviously the revenue gets included as HRR but, as far as where the money goes, does it simply stay with the owner of the relevant team or does it go in to a revenue sharing pot?
Craig Morgan (@CraigSMorgan) Tweeted:
The @ArizonaCoyotes announce a max of 3,450 fans will be allowed at the home/season opener on Jan. 14 vs. San Jose $ the 5 other home games this month. The Coyotes will work with GRA and Glendale to determine the seating capacity for each month throughout the 2021 NHL season.
https://twitter.com/CraigSMorgan/status/1346913729133219840?s=20
Canada’s biggest problem, and this is the whole tournament, was generating good looks at the net out of all their zone time.
The biggest cause of this the game plan seemed to be to crowd the net and get shots from the point. That is a bad plan. If the D had shot less often and used their superior skill to move the puck around they would have scored more goals.
Shots from the point through traffic is not a good plan for a team with more talent. That is a coaching problem.
Obviously the future isn’t written yet and this could change, but equally obviously Zegras is the better prospect than Broberg.
Holloway had his best game by far in the last game, but he was pretty meh for most of the tournament.
It has been known from blogger sources and now bought sources that share info like S Valiquette that point shots are not HDSC and low percentage.
Cross seam and low high plays – like the Finns used against the US – create HDSC.
I really hope to see that freely and pay for if you like info implemented by Tippet. He has refenced it at times but the team hasn’t done it on the ice consistently.
It is how you reduce GA and increase GF.
Exactly how the ‘Perfection Line’ over years when healthy repeatedly outscore the best opp despite doing the same thing over and over.
On the topic of counting arrows; if you give Holloway some handicap for his UB injury you could make the argument he ranks right near the top of the list of players selected between 7 and 30 of his draft class.
I’d have Lundell first and then with the handicap Holloway next and then Mercer. He didn’t score a ton but the coach just kept throwing him out there when the bench was shortened.
Amirov was OK too. Holtz, Quinn, Rossi, Perfetti and Askarov were middling or less than that. Schneider and Guhle were ok as defensemen but well behind Drysdale and Sanderson (as they should be). Zary and Barron were bit players. Jarvis, Hendrix and Bourque didn’t make it. Makmadullin and Chinakov were disappointments.
I thought Holloway had his best 2 games in the semis and finals. Still not seeing a high offensive IQ but if he stays healthy he’ll have a 10 year NHL career.
I was pretty tough on Byrum at the start of the tournament, but he got better every game, and I thought he was the best player on the ice last night.
Cozens went the opposite way. He was invisible last night and made a couple of soft turnovers, one of which ended up in Canada’s net.
For the tournament I would rate Canada’s defense in this order.
Byrum
Drysdale. Struggled to handle the US forecheck last night. Only negative I can think of.
Schneider. Solid all tourney and showed a little offense.
Guhle. Liked him. Habs got a good one.
Harley.
Barron. He was the only Canada dman who had bad moments in every game.
Cozens is a fine player, but he’s Nuge.
Despite the gaudy points like Byfield managed, not elite offensive players, not drivers.
Put them in the other pool and Canada does not like the team we thought were looking at.
Missing Lafrenierre and Dach hurt.
If anyone is buying in to the premise that Canada’s issue is they never had to face adversity until the gold medal game, well, they will be in essentially the same group next year with FIN, GER, CZE and AUS.
I think it obviously had something to do with it, for instance I think having Drysdale and Byram as a pairing was a mistake because they couldn’t break a cycle but you don’t know it until they get pressured.
So I think a coach will have to somehow take these things into account next year. You won’t know what you have until possibly the gold medal game.
I’m not a big believer in such narratives after hanging around these parts for so long.
To me Tourigny got schooled. It wasn’t helpful they had few challenges up to the gold game, but what is the alternative, having a less skilled roster?
Finland had much better tactics and far less skill and gave the US a better challenge.
This has happens zillion times at this tourney, be it a poorly selected roster or an out of touch coach and the subsequent ‘surprise’ disappointment.
An extra day between the semi and final ‘might’ have allowed some system tweaks US specific, but I’m not sure they would have done it anyway.
The US sure seemed prepared to disrupt Canada’s game plan.
I think Tourigny certainly got outcoached. I think after the first goal after a 2 minute dzone shift, the very next shift was almost the same result.
He probably should have called timeout right then and there.
Beware anyone who trumpets things that are not yet accomplished.
In the early to mid 2000s the Oilers employed a person whose name escapes me who seemed like more of a hype man than anything else with the gushing reviews of all Oilers draft picks. Sold Oilers fans a bill of goods on a lot, and I mean A LOT of prospects.
I would call this piece of advice the ballad of “insert name here” but for the life of me, the individual in question’s name completely eludes me.
Little help please?
I know it is a small thing but I like this. Leadership without a lot of fuss.
Bob Stauffer
@Bob_Stauffer
·
1h
Leon Draisaitl the first player on the ice today…as he often is
Suck it Hemsky!
Oubviously way too early to know how the 2020 draft will play out for the Oilers but some great early arrows. Same can be said of Holland’s 2019 draft.
10 days ago, Broberg was the talk of Oil Country, a clear injury and a Zegras performance does NOT change those arrows. Lavoie is right on track for a 2nd round pick, Matt Blumel is having a huge season and about to earn an ELC covering the bet of a fourth round pick and Sean Patrick Ryan won’t stop talking about Denezhkin who is having a great season in the VHL.
Keep the pipeline coming Ken and Tyler!
I dunno OP. The sky isn’t falling or anything but it does sting a bit to have Broberg sandwiched between Cozens and Zegras. Broberg did end up on Pronman’s most disappointing list. Obviously the injury played a role but Pronmon would be aware of the injury and still chose to take a negative slant on his performance. I gather it was mostly becuase he didn’t struggle with movement and mobilty but rather those same nagging issues with decision making and creativity.
It’s ok to still really like Broberg yet be slightly envious of Buffalo and Anaheim for their selections. Arrows and all that.
Of course I’m envious of Buffalo and Anaheim having those two players.
I would presume fans of those organizations that are in the know are also envious of the Oilers having Broberg.
I’m just not going to say, essentially one year removed from draft day, when all three players are trending very well yet none have played an NHL game, that one pick have proven to be “right” or another pick has proven to be “wrong” and I certainly won’t make any judgements based on the tournament.
Of note, Broberg was essentially just as good as a d-man in his one somewhat healthy games as the two forwards were throughout.
We knew, on draft day, that Broberg was likely a few years away from NHL action (and that Zegaras, as a skill forward, would likely arrive first – that’s just generally the case).
Although I think its premature, talk about Broberg potentially impacting the lineup this season shows him ahead of draft day schedule.
Broberg could very well turn out to be “the wrong” pick, but we are far far away from any sort of certainty in that regard.
I doubt very much that Buffalo and Anaheim fans would be envious at all of the Oilers having Broberg.
The Ducks just drafted Jamie Drysdale and, of course, Buffalo already has Rasmus Dahlin on the roster.
Both players project higher than Broberg and fans of those teams have Cozens and Zegras to help them get to sleep at night.
Drysdale showed last night that his is thoroughly mediocre below the faceoff dots in his own end when an opponent is in his face and on his body.
There’s riding a dead horse but you take that pto a new level by digging up the skeleton and riding it! Is there an upcoming election for asshole of the year that you’re hoping to win. Your drivel is getting old and tiresome! Please stop!
or, maybe it’s you spewing drivel? You are the ass who believes his shit don’t stink. That’s 4 days in a row you are in the comment section on this site calling other peeps asses…better look in the mirror asswipe….your once respected opinion is becoming less each day…
Pronman has always hated Broberg. He was wrong on the D class in that draft, underranking almost all of them compared to where they were drafted. Many GM’s thought very differently about the D class in that draft.
I like Broberg
but even before the WJC Zegras was a top 5 prospect
It is as simple as that.
As It was in 2019 – as well.
No, what happened in 2019 was a GM picking in the top 6 – went off the road and stunned the crowd with a reach pick. It was a stunner that did two things:
1) Caused audible reactions in the arena
2) Caused a falling of prospects into the Oilers hands – Cozens or Zegras *WOULD* be an Oiler.
Instead – our GM watched the dominoes fall and instead made a Reach himself.
This was noted in detail at the time.
This is the EXACT opposite of the 2020 draft and the Holloway pick
As was said then and now – has nothing to do with Broberg.
Its how you manage the draft.
I disagree completely except that its about how you manage the draft.
I believe that Holland had a great read on the draft and that there was going to be a bit of a run on d-men and, given there was a depth of “first round talent forwards”, it was likely a few would drop to their spot in the 2nd round. – Holland was able to get a top d-man and a first-round projected forward.
Honestly, I’d hoped for Askarov, Lundell, or Jarvis & Edmonton didn’t get a chance at any so I can’t complain about Holloway pick. He was fine, hopefully follows up with a strong season in Wisconsin.
Broberg over Zegras stings still! I think most were on board for Zegras, he looks like he can be an impact F at the next level. (I think Bouchard will be the best of the bunch)
Askarov looked awful. Taking a goalie in the first round is foolish.
1) The projection is much less certain.
2) A disappointing first round pick can still play in the league as a 3rd or 4th line player or a third pairing D. There is no such useful place for goalies to fall.
I bet Askarov is angry about his subpar performance.
That would make him Askar the Grouch.
Pronman’s standouts, risers and fallers in the wake of the WJHC.
https://theathletic.com/2304094/2021/01/06/2021-world-juniors-best-worst/?source=user_shared_article
And the same from Scott Wheeler.
https://theathletic.com/2301838/2021/01/06/wheeler-my-2021-world-juniors-all-star-ballot-mvp-pick-risers-and-fallers/?source=user_shared_article
Where’s top 10 prospect Vasily Raffertyskiyev
In the same category as Broberg and Holloway…Also in Photo.
off topic what day is waiver day and how long is it?
The waiver period has already started – players have been placed on waivers.
Assignments to the taxi squads cannot happen until January 12 – many such assignments will require waivers exposure.
Not funny but I thought Pouliot and Jacques were going to be impact players. Pretty big 1st and 2nd rounders failure rate from the Q in that year. Of the 9 non-goalies: 1 great (Bergeron), 2 decent and 6 fails (Pouliot and Jacques in this category).
Very few prospects outside of top 3 or 4 picks impact before their draft +3 year. Some players take longer than others to make the NHL with US college players sometimes waiting the 4 years and then sign where they want (Blake Wheeler, John Marino etc). So, lots of time to watch and evaluate the current crop of Oiler prospects and hope Holland gets the college kids signed, especially Kesselring as time is running out on his rights.
Note to LT: I was very impressed with Dawson Mercer’s play in the WJC. Maybe he should have been the pick over Holloway.
Time isn’t running out with Kesselring – they own his rights until August 15, 2023, a full 31 months from now. At least let the kid finish his sophomore year!
He was drafted in 2018. How long do teams own a drafted player’s rights? I thought it was 4 years and that would mean 2022. Is that wrong?
Aug 15, 2023 according to CapFriendly.
For college players, rights are held until Aug 15 after the player’s senior year.
I’d have to go back and check to confirm but, I believe, the strict 4-year timeline is for players drafted out of European leagues.
He was drafted out of the USHL not college. Let me know. Thanks.
I am 100% sure that the Oilers the rights until Aug of his senior year (the graduating year of his class) – he became a bona fide college student prior to June 1 after his draft year.
Shots Fired!
I think Holloway’s skating, physicality, and 2 way play was very good, but his hands were definitely subpar. May have something to do with wrist injury. Something to keep an eye on.
I have been very outspoken on my preference for Zegras since before that draft, Good to see he is knocking it out of the park
Holloway seems to want to get the puck off his stick and on to his teammates as soon as possible. There were times when he should have just taken it to the net.
I’ve been wondering the same thing about his wrist injury – he was fighting the puck the whole tournament & that does not really line up with his point totals in junior or even the little bit we saw in his early games in Wisconsin.
I’m still waiting to hear a proper medical opinion on what the problem is.
Yes, I can see why people definitely think Holloway could pencil to be a 3C.
Having said that – I can easily see him finding a ton of success somewhere with
McDavid or Drai.
Again, given the way the draft went down – just not sure how much their is to complain about the selection.
The Trevor Zegras pick – is the exact opposite .
Rightly or wrongly, Steve Yzerman drew audible gasps at pick 6.
Fate tumbled in our favor big time.
Upon seeing that domino – Kenny does the same and reaches for Broberg.
( we can debate just how much of a reach – but it was a reach pick)
2 GM’s Holland and Yzerman – went off the path.
So, a player like Trevor Zegras falls.
Many, many, many people said at the time as well.
( I think maybe you as well)
One week today: Opening Night!
Yes!
More like….
YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!
Might have to make work a “sick day” on Thursday.
That’ll just make the day drag – game isn’t until 8pm (mountain) – sigh.
Seeing how Stuetzle and Byfield performed, and how Jack Hughes did in his rookie Draft+1 season, it reminded me of a birthdate observation I made at the draft.
If Lafreniere was a few weeks older he would have been drafted ahead of Hughes in 2019. If Byfield was a few weeks younger he would easily be the favourite to go #1 in 2021. That would have left Stuetzle as the #1 pick in 2020 and his performance matches that of a #1.
I could also see Lafreniere having a better start to his career than Byfield because he is 10 months more mature. But, in the end, I could see Byfield ending up as the better player. Stuetzle could end up being as good or better than both of them.
I think that’s fair. The ceiling with Byfield is sky high, but he’s never blown me away, I’ve never seen him (this is World Juniors only) put the team on his back like the elite players have in previous years.
The Kings are able to get a massive advantage in Byfield’s development this year as they can play him on their AHL team until to the OHL starts up (if it ever does).
A just turned high-end 18-year old OHL player getting to play in the AHL – that’s a huge advantage over Byfield playing junior this season.
Lafreniere was unbelievable in last year’s WJC. Won’t put much stock into a small tourney, but interesting that a year later Byfield (who would be the same age as Laf WAS) was a lot more quiet.
I wasn’t impressed with Holloway. He didn’t seem to have the skill level of some of his teammates. I don’t see him more than a third liner in the NHL and that would be a win. Only thing he’s kinda got going for him is he can break in on a fourth line and maybe be effective. Not holding out much hope for his though, wouldn’t shock me to never see him play in the show. I hope I’m wrong.
I thought Holloway was excellent, especially in the final.
He’s a puck hound that goes to the dirty areas what’s not to luv.
What about WJHC MVP Trevor Zegras, who was arguably the best player in the tournament 2 years in a row? He should have been ours. 🙁
He looked great out there. Huge talent.
He’ll be easy to hate at least when he’s in Ducks colours because he does remind me of every american prep school douche you’ve ever met . . . like he definitely gave the disabled kid a swirlie in junior high.
Zebras (without evidence) would not want to spend career in the frozen tundra of Alberta.
Potentially not but I would posit there would be absolutely no chance of losing him to free agency as I’m fairly confident that the player wouldn’t want to wait an additional 3 years to sign his ELC and turn pro to avoid the Oilers.
Yankee Dougie Weight never had a problem. One of my favourite’s to wear the Colours.
I screamed for Tkachuk I called for Zegras I was unsure of Leon but you know what I’ll take Leon who hasn’t even primed out. What’s the odds Leon repeats and shows the league our Malkin. Best damn player in the league again but this time leading us to glory that is once Kosh finds his inner Ranford.
Pretty sure he was playing with a wrist injury, no? I’m not saying he’s Cozens’ equal, but that might account for some of what you saw from him in the skill level (I read stick handling / shooting) department.
Holloway doesn’t need the puck on his stick to be an effective NHL player. If his offense develops, he has the potential to be the next Rod Brind’Amour.
If Holloway had the same level of puck-skills as the likes of Perfetti, McMichael, etc., to go along with his size, speed, 2-way accumen, motor, shot release, athleticism, motor, drive, etc. he would have been a top 5 pick in the first round.
We know/knew that he doesn’t have that level of skill with the puck on his stick.
With that said, I can’t say that I’m “not impressed” – I think he got better as the tourney went on and was one of the team’s most impactful players last night – there was a reason why he go so much ice time in the 3rd period and shifts in the last five minutes. He created chaos in the offensive zone and I will note that Canada’s best chance in the last 5 minutes came off his stick and Knight made, what looked like, a lucky save.
I could very well see him is a highly effective 3rd liner in the NHL – similar or akin to Ethan Moreau and, yes, that is a very good hockey player and just fine for a 14th overall pick. I think some fans may be unhappy with that potential but, if one was to look at the history of picks around 14, well, I think expectations may need to be reevaluated.
With that said, I think “highly effective 3rd liner” is a floor for Holloway – with the attributes he has, I see very low “bust potential” – I can’t imagine him not being a hell of an energy 3rd liner and PK guy at the least.
I do see top 6 potential, absolutely, as a complementary player on a skill line. Is his skill level any lower than Kassian, for example? Combine that with being a MUCH better 2-way player, etc. than Kassian (once developed), I can see him being a solid match for McDavid. Time will tell.
Excellent excellent post
Mcdavid needs someone to dig pucks screen the Goalie open up ice for him and most importantly get him the puck. Kass does it but only sporadically. Golden retriever when’s the last time we had a player with that handle.
Totally disagree.
By my eye, Holloway looked like the 4th best forward on the team throughout the entire tournament….only behind Dach, Cozens, and Krebs (maybe Mercer too, but they are very similar in the “2-way type” player and I’ll take Holloway’s speed/tenacity/potential over Mercer’s any day of the week). If it’s true he was battling an injury this tournament…then I can’t wait to see him play at 100%.
His urgency and high energy constantly caused chaos for the other teams and created chances for our team. You always noticed him when he was on the ice. He straight-up outplayed some 2nd year WJ players…and some players that were picked above him at the draft. It almost seemed as if our coach used him as a player that could maybe spark others that weren’t playing well (Byfield). That’s a very good sign.
Remember, we already have guys that can score. We just need the players to compliment our 2 All-Stars now, and I see Holloway as that player.
We may be seeing McDavid’s Yamo finally…and that would be just perfect for this team.
Pretty much saw him the same way. Problems handling the puck that didn’t jive at all with past performance so until I see evidence of that in the future I am going to assume it was his wrist injury.
Everything else was as good or better than hoped for.
Nice to see Benson get a practice on an NHL line (replacing Nygard) – wish it would be with “skill” but, oh well.
My sentiments exactly.
Go Benson Go!
That’s the spirit. Lol
Trying to fulfill my New Year’s resolution?