The game between Oklahoma City and Toronto on that night was a monster. The Marlies got up 4-0 in the first period, the Barons came roaring back to tie and eventually the Marlies won in overtime. We’re not quite nine years past that evening, and looking back at the lineups is mind blowing. Simply put, a whole lot of change for the franchise in those years, suggesting non-stop player movement and a roster that has always been exceptional at the top.
THE ATHLETIC!
- New Lowetide: Oilers reasonable expectations for 2021-22: Goal differential
- New Lowetide: Oilers’ reasonable expectations for 2021-22: Goal scoring
- New DNB: Mailbag.
- Lowetide: Oilers’ potential Olympians are a small group with maximum possible impact
- Lowetide: What should the Oilers expect from Cody Ceci in his first season?
- Lowetide: Why Oilers can expect an offensive rebound from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
- Lowetide: Projecting the 2021-22 Edmonton Oilers opening night lineup
- Lowetide: Why Oilers fans should be excited about the progress of Maxim Berezkin
- Lowetide: What should Oilers expect from Duncan Keith in his first season?
- Lowetide: Did the Oilers find the new Fernando Pisani when signing Derek Ryan?
- Jonathan Willis: Tyler Benson, Devin Shore and the 4-year difference between a prospect and a has-been
- Lowetide: What should Oilers fans expect from Zach Hyman in his first season?
- Lowetide: Dylan Holloway headlines new arrivals for Bakersfield Condors in 2021-22
- Lowetide: Why Oilers fans should expect more trades and a deep playoff run this season
- Lowetide: How much playing time will Evan Bouchard get with the Oilers this coming season?
- Jonathan Willis: A resurgent Zack Kassian could be an important part of the Oilers’ scoring
- Lowetide: How many goals will Jesse Puljujarvi score for the Oilers next season?
- Jonathan Willis: Oilers 2021-22 depth chart
- Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects, summer 2021
OKC BARONS
- Taylor Hall-Nuge-Jordan Eberle
- Curtis Hamilton-Mark Arcobello-Tyler Pitlick
- Teemu Hartikainen-Anton Lander-Magnus Paajarvi
- Dane Byers-Chris VendeVelde-Tanner House
- Martin Marincin-Justin Schultz
- Taylor Fedun-Colten Teubert
- Jordan Henry-Alex Plante
- Yann Danis (Olivier Roy)
Hall was 1-1-2, Nuge 2-1-3 and Eberle had four assists. Mark Arcobello scored, Justin Schultz had a pair of assists and Teemu Hartikainen had an assist. This AHL team had nine NHL players (Hall, Nuge, Eberle, Pitlick, Paajarvi, VandeVelde, Schultz, Lander, Marincin) and a few (Arcobello, Hartikainen, Fedun) who could or should have enjoyed longer runs in the world’s best league.
This was the lockout season, the boxscore is here.
NIGHT MOVES
I’ve been reading opinions here and there about Dmitri Samorukov or Philip Broberg emerging as NHL regulars by mid-season, but I think that’s going to take an injury. The LH depth chart has Nurse-Keith-Russell with Koekkoek also available, perhaps William Lagesson as the first recall from Bakersfield.
Will Keith fall off so much he’ll get scratched? I don’t see it. Dave Tippett could move him to the third pair but I don’t see a long stretch of healthy scratches this year. Next year? Absolutely possible. For this season, management made Keith a big piece of the summer, he’s going to play.
Samorukov? Broberg? Some predictions have both coming in under 10 games next year.
JESSE PULJUJARVI
This is a great interview. It’s in Finnish but there are subtitles. The Zack Kassian moving to the top line chatter is coming from media who work for rights-holders, so there may well be some truth to the idea. I think logic and reason suggest that, even given the opportunity, it is unlikely to result in success.
- Kassian five on five after contract: 41 games, 4-7-11 in 507:55 (1.30)
- Puljujarvi five on five after contract: 55 games, 11-8-19 in 745:00 (1.53)
The five on five goal differential (Puljujarvi 42-38, 52.5 percent, Kassian 16-22, 42 percent) is more of a tell, but the chem between 97-13 is very good and I expect we’ll see it for most of the season to come.
I’m not against the idea, because moving Kassian to the top line would give the team even more strength in the top three lines. I just don’t believe it will work.
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
At 10 this morning, TSN1260, we have an excellent lineup. Jonah Birenbaum pops in at 10:20 to talk Toronto Blue Jays, John Horn talks US Open at 11 and Alex Chippin from The Score sets the scene for NFL Week 1. We might get some Oilers news during the show, too. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. See you on the radio!!
Travis Yost’s rankings of Defensemen on Canadian teams is puzzling:
https://www.tsn.ca/grading-the-defencemen-on-canada-s-nhl-teams-1.1691570
He doesn’t explain his ranking methodology and his work on the piece is rather sloppy – eg he credits Erik Brannstrom with scoring 25 points in 30 NHL games (Brannstrom scored 13 points and has 25 PIM’s)
I have no quibble with the rankings of rhr Oilers Dmen besides Nurse who Yost does not acknowledge as a top Dman within the North Division.
Its a truly puzzling analysis.
Some of the individual rankings seem a bit odd, but the team write-up is spot on.
His criticism of Ceci is his giveaways, despite Ceci having the least giveaways per 60 of any regular defenseman on Pittsburgh in 2021, Toronto in 2020 and Ottawa in the previous 5 seasons and it is not even close. Ceci has played top 4 minutes most of his career, started as 3rd pair because Pittsburgh got smitten by Marino, but moved Ceci up to second pair the last half of the season and playoffs when they realized Marino wasn’t close to ready for that responsibility. Jost’s analysis is superficial and relies entirely on his own model which is deeply flawed.
I’ll have to plead ignorance on Ceci.
What does your model say?
It says Brogan Rafferty for Norris.
Math has always been bad at evaluating D-men.
Keith-Ceci will be better than the charts and graphs predict, and the Oilers will be mid pack defensively again just like they have been for the past two seasons.
Offence from the blue however should be Very NICE!
She has the Belarusian twitching.
Between 2015 and 2019 Todd McLellan was entrusted with several young men’s careers. Many flamed out under this coach, Woody has now demonstrated he was not the problem. Imagine the risk of losing Yama and or Puljajarvi and image if three of this list was contributing a middle 9 role this season.
young pro who struggled until ToddMc
Brossoit
Davidson
Caggulia
Benning
JJK
Lander
Puljajarvi
Yamamoto
Reinhart
Schultz
Slepyshev
Strome
Yakupov
Pitlick
Spooner
Bear
Jones
As much as I disliked Todd, I don’t think it’s fair to give him full credit for all of those. The coaches before him and after him made significant contributions to fucking up many of those careers.
Also, any reasonable list would have McDavid, Draisaitl and Nurse, at least, on the plus side of the ledger.
With Kass on the top line. Why does everyone put Jesse on the third line. Put him on second line and that line dominates.
Because the 3rd line likely benefits more from having Jesse there.
Oilers vs Flames 17 days from now!
I think the Wildcard series in the MLB should be a 3 game series.
Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) Tweeted:
Xavier Bourgault, Dylan Holloway & Philip Broberg will be among 28 prospects attending #Oilers Rookie Camp opening September 15 & concluding with two games vs. the Flames Rookies on September 18 & 20!
Full roster & details. https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.1.0/svg/1f447.svg https://t.co/4qTr0WTC6c
https://twitter.com/EdmontonOilers/status/1436057163063971854?s=20
Holloway listed as attending rookie camp. Let’s hope as a full participant.
Nice to hear hopefully he’s injury free. We need some fresh blood that play with a edge.
I alike think he would provide that in spades as the AHL level for a bit as he gets his feet wet on pro hockey and develops. He‘LLP be able to celebrate his 20th with the boys in Edmonton first though.
Hyman and Foegele will provide in doses at the NHL level come oct.
Darren Duchyshin (sp) off TSN as he fights cancer.
A true innovator as a sports anchor at ITV.
I remember those days. He has such a natural swagger it’s infectious.
Loved it when Dutchy used to rip on Bryan Hall when he had him on ITV. Get well soon.
Love anybody who rips on Bryan Hall.
I remember how shy/awkward Dutch was when he first showed up on ITV. It was somewhat endearing. Made you want to cheer for him.
I’m cheering for him now.
Sorry to hear that. Wishing him a full recovery.
There is a series of video clips of Keith from last year making the rounds of twitter that connect his terrible defensive numbers with concrete things that Keith can no longer do (that you can see on tape).
I know that you can find highlights of lots of things and edit them together to make a story, but this story is a nightmare.
Having watched Ceci in Toronto a lot he is also an average skater at best.
The season stands on the knife’s edge of those two moves.
Come on now, the Mike Smith resigning deserves an honourable mention.
From a couple of months ago on Jack Han’s twitter.
Also from yesterday’s twitter, JFresh’s passing data shows Keith hits a lot of successful passes. Keith is quality with the puck, and cannot do anything without it anymore. Can’t defend the rush, does not have the wheels anymore.
https://twitter.com/JhanHky/status/1412531933590921216?s=20
https://twitter.com/JFreshHockey/status/1435732146505883652?s=20
If the two Zachs play on the McDavid line, do we get to call it ZZ Top line?
I don’t think that line has legs.
They will put the opposition Under Pressure though.
There’s no pressure if they’re hanging out at La Grange
Abso-lutely!
There is a certain logic to Kassian on the top line. If he can score 15 while being there he could play well enough to get traded. They’re going to owe JP after this season and if they staple him to McDavid, it’ll be costly. It could be worth it to play Kassian on the top line and JP on the third for economic reasons. If the team is winning, this could be a strategy for them
I think Zach was battling injuries all year he looked good in the playoffs. If he scores 15-20 they are not trading him.
That is a ridiculous strategy! So obviously, most likely! #Because Oilers
The Oilers could be the 2nd team in 10 years to score more than 300 goals in a season. Only the 18-19 Lightning (319) have gone over 290 recently.
If Tippett gives the green light allowing the D to push they will score in bushels.
What is the last team to score 300 and give up more than 300? Asking for a friend.
No need to be coy if you’re asking for LT.
No team has done it since 1992-93, when 5 teams did (Nordiques, Flyers, Jets, Kings, Rangers). Long time ago, when 2 of the teams have left the league, and one of the ones that left has since come back!).
Don’t forget, the Kassian to the top line chatter is coming in the absence of a Yamamoto contract. With Kailer out of the picture (for the moment) it absolutely makes sense to discuss putting Kassian up with McDavid, where he’s had some success in the past.
I suspect the chatter will die down significantly if Yamamoto signs tomorrow, although if it works to put Kass up there and run three outscoring lines that should obviously be explored. Maybe Hyman’s defensive conscience plus McDavid’s renewed commitment to backchecking is enough to cover for Zach’s poor defensive positioning, I don’t know. It wouldn’t be my first choice but I can see it working more often than not.
Stauff has been talking about Kass in the top 6 since the beginning of the off-season. Yes, Yamo wasn’t signed then either but Stauff has been mentioning it since the Yamo contract was not a “situation” – if we are there.
Agreed with LT.
I do not see Sammy or Broberg playing a significant amount in the NHL unless there are injuries.
The Oilers veteran D all have enough chaos in their game. Tip is unlikely to want to throw rookies into the mix.
If JP is going to the third line then Tip better employ unicorn forward lines.
Hyman- McD- Kass
Foegele- Drai- Yamo
Benson/Holloway/Perlini- RNH- JP
Shore- Ryan- Archie
Agreed. I am more concerned that Jesse is happy with his role on the team than how Kassian feels.
McDavid said himself that Zack Hyman’s work ethic is contagious and makes everyone around him better . . Maybe he’ll get the other Zack going . So if the top line has Connor with the two Zack’s working their collective butts off , it might be something to watch . Meanwhile there are three other strong lines coming after them . I believe the Oil will have four lines giving their all each night .
I might add the Leaf’s are going to miss Zack Hyman .
If Kassian floats Keith will beat him up.
Hyman-CMD-Kass
RNH-Drai-Yamo
Foegele-Ryan-JP
Benson-McLeod-Archie
No Yamo top 6 looks like:
Perlini-CMD-Hyman
RNH-Drai-Kass
Or if Turris comes in to TC strong, I could see KT being the KY substitute to start the season (unless Marody signs soon and comes in and impresses).
Depth, wow….
You had me until Perlini!
On of the things that Jesse brings to the McDavid line that Kassian does not bring, is a high-level defensive game.
I also think that Jesse might be the more aggresive player, in battle. Kassian, when rolling, will get in on the forecheck and get some bangs in but that’s not quite the same as being tenacious on the puck in the offensive zone and battling on the boards for puck retrieval.
I do think, 100%, that Kass will get a look in the spot that he had success in in 2019 and he should. At the end of the day, if he is having the success he had in that calendar year and helping the top line score (and not get scored on), that’s a plus for the team – gives more options for the coach and allows Jesse to help drive a secondary line, for example.
I’m not overly-concerned with the media speculation about Kass in the top 6 – I don’t think Tip is going to force something like that if it simply isn’t working and there are options that have and can work.
Tippett tried to force it in 2021 and gave it up after 5 games.
I’d be happy to have 2019 Kassian back. After such a long stretch of invisibility and ineffectual play, it is sometimes hard for me to remember the good Kassian. Maybe this gif’ll help me.
https://thumbs.gfycat.com/GloriousImpoliteBarnswallow-mobile.mp4
There never was a good Kassian. Right tail effects are a fluctuation.
If JP is relegated to the third line, which could be effective, I hope they put him on PP1.
He should, in my opinion, by the first option on PP1 to start but I would be surprised if Hyman wasn’t given that chance.
The plus would be the potential to keep the numbers down a bit in a contract year but that should be tertiary and I doubt that’s a reason for Tip.
I just think Tip will give the shiny new toy the PP opportunity.
I know Hyman wasn’t a big PP guy for the Leafs, I think he was mostly 2nd unit but I think he had solid scoring numbers (and the team did).
In any event, I see Puljujarvi’s length and skill on puck retrieval as a potential big PP asset.
I don’t disagree with this but would note that injuries will happen. I think last year was a bit of an anomaly with so few injuries to the back-end (minus the Klef 56 games). Bear missed 10-11 with his concussion, no other missed games on the right side and the left side was healthy all year (maybe a few games missed here or there for the revolving door behind Nurse).
Normally a team uses, what, 10-11 d-man in a year?
As it stands now, yup, probably 2 injury fill ins ahead of Sammy (and Broberg) – one if they want to give Sammy a shot over Lagesson (which I doubt, at least to start).
One caveat: right now, the right side has Berglund as 4RD on the depth chart so likely Russell (or Koekkoek) moving over to the right side in case of injury.
I’m not sold on the idea but Sammy filling in for injury on the right side could happen. He played the right side in the top 4 of a very good KHL team all year long – with great success. Tough position to put a rookie on his off-side though, even if he says he prefers it.
Half kidding…but what’s JP’s 5v5 with broken bones in hand.
It would be very interesting to see what Kassian could do if he were asked not to fight. Of course that is not going to happen.
Kassian had one fight all of last season. That came when Tippett challenged him to be more involved, so he replied by dropping the mitts with Gudbranson literally 2 seconds into his first shift of the next game, & busted his hand in the process.
Nuge had more impact as a fighter last season than Kassian did.
Oh, when will they ever learn?
Oh, when will they ever learn?
I give Sammy and the Borg each 9 games in the bigs. If one of them is the next Chris Pronger/Nick Lidstrom then alleluia. Otherwise, let them dominate the A.
For me it is a matter of integration.
If it is the intention of the team to keep both Broberg and Samorukov I think Playfair wants/needs about a 40 game separation in adding them to the roster.
Bouchard gets the ‘rookie’ attention to start the season. At some point after Christmas he has either settled or there is a problem. That leaves the coaching staff time to focus on the next man up.
If they don’t bring up one of Samorukov or Broberg this season then you have two rookies ready at the start of next season. Maybe that works with Keith’s two year contract but I would find it disappointingly slow since rookie dmen need time to work out their mistakes.
Waiting until next year for Samorukov and then another 40-50 games for Broberg just pushes back their 200 – 300 game threshold where you have the kind of mature defence needed to push through a long playoff.
Can you keep the boys down on the farm once they have seen the bright lights of the big city?
Hard to reach the 200 game “threshold” (or is it 300 games? 400?) when the org gives up on promising defenders after 132 games (Bear) or 93 games (Jones). I didn’t hear much talk of that threshold when those youngsters got dumped at age 24.
As a team you have to believe the player is progressing during those first few hundred games and has the talent/work ethic to be worth the wait.
Some thought they did and some of us thought they didn’t. I happen to think Samorukov and Broberg bring higher ceilings to the game so I am anxious to see them get started.
It looked to me like the team made the call on Jones and that they felt Bear returned value. Whether or not those were the right calls is something the future will answer I would think.
Jones, perhaps, but I don’t consider the Bear trade as “giving up” on the player but it simply being a hockey trade. Significant value came in and signifigant value at out. I, in no way, will conclude today that the Oilers have lost the trade or didn’t get equal value – both may turn out to be true but it could easily be the opposite.
In fairness the team is looking to get bigger and more physical on the back end. Both Bear and Jones were not going to help defending against today’s bigger forwards.
Ken Holland didn’t phone me and confirm but I would guess that Bear’s holdout and step back last year left a bit of a sour taste with the management.
IMO, the opportunity to get such a proven player as Keith made the Jones trade happen. Time will tell if it was the right move or not. Not since Pronger have we had a d-man with the status of Keith. lets hope it was the right move.
Out of curiosity, why 9?
Both of them will be playing on their ELCs whether they play 0 or 82 NHL games – nothing triggers at 10 games for either.
Don’t know why 9 stuck in my head. Habit maybe?
I would give each player as significant a look as I possibly could without them riding the pine in the NHL. But if they weren’t relatively exceptional in those games, I’d keep them in Bakersfield until they were ready to come up and stay up.
“I’m not against the idea, because moving Kassian to the top line would give the team even more strength in the top three lines. I just don’t believe it will work.”
This is reasonable.
Kassian is (potentially) worth more to this team as a 1RW than a bottom six role player. If the price to boost Kassian’s value is a small reduction in the offensive box cars of JP, then so be it.
JP’s strengths ( two -way ability) play out just as well on Draisaitls wing as they do at 1RW. IMO.
If you’re not going to press Kassian to optimize his game, then move him out and replace him with a lower cost bottom 6 role player.
The Kassian project needs to find its result/conclusion by the end of this season IMO
I still maintain, if he’s going to get a push, Kassian at 2RW with Drai/RNH makes more sense. The one thing that Kass can do is score, but he needs the setups. Not that McDavid couldn’t do that, but he is better off with people that get him the puck and bang in rebounds/goalmouth chances.
This also puts Yammer at 3C where he belongs ( and should be paid accordingly)
That’s interesting. In that case I think I’d have Yamamoto on the 1st line RW (he’s not a center) so Puljujarvi can drive the 3rd line and add some size to the Foegele-Ryan duo.
That’s a pretty balanced top-9.
When has Kassian ever demonstrated that he can score?
3 7 7 15 15 2
How do you decide when you use “production” and when you use rates?
In calendar year 2019 where he produced at a higher G/60 than McDavid, just less than Drai, and has a P/60 of 2.16 – in 82 games.
http://naturalstattrick.com/playerteams.php?fromseason=20182019&thruseason=20192020&stype=2&sit=5v5&score=all&stdoi=std&rate=y&team=EDM&pos=S&loc=B&toi=0&gpfilt=gpdate&fd=2019-01-01&td=2019-12-31&tgp=410&lines=single&draftteam=ALL
You like context, right?
These look like small totals (and some of them are). But for 5v5 goals 15 is a great number.
Like Kassian’s 15 goals in 19-20 was tied for 43rd in the NHL.
His 12 goals in 18-19 (you mis-typed) was tied for 129th (mid-2nd line in goals).
7 goals (in 16-17 and 17-18) is a 3rd/4th line scoring number.
The 3 goals was in half a season, so a normal 3rd/4th line number.
And you also left out:
13 5v5 goals in 13-14 (tied for 84th, low end 1st line scoring), and
9 in half a season in 14-15 (tied for 164th so low end 2nd line. His full season rate of 17 or 18 goals would have put him top 30 in the league).
So Kassian has 2 seasons where he scored a 1st line number of 5v5 goals (top 93 in the league), 2 more with 2nd line goals (top 186 in the league), and also a number of seasons with 3rd or 4th line rates.
“management made Keith a big piece of the summer”
And thank goodness they did!
#CalebSchmaleb
Thanks for finding and posting that interview LT
I have a real soft spot for the big Finn.
More than any oiler (with a few obvious exceptions) I hope he sticks around. If he doesn’t, I will follow him on his new team.
In the voice of Jerry Seinfeld, “No! No! No new team! No new team!”
Agreed. Thanks for the interview link. Love the JP! I so hope he stays an Oiler for a long time.
If Kass “works” on L1, JP can drive L3 or complement Drai and Nuge on L2. There are lots of options for success with him in the line-up.
I know I won’t convince you of anything, LT.
But those 5v5 scoring numbers for Kassian and Puljujarvi are surprisingly close.
And when playing with McDavid, since he signed, Kassian been 50% in on ice goals and shots (and that’s unaided by Draisaitl).
I think it has a chance to work.
And, I think the coaching staff have a responsibility to make it work.
I think it will ultimately come down to chemistry. Not McDavid chemistry ( McDavid chemistry is Frank’s Red Hot Sauce…Tippett uses that sh*t goes on everything!). It’s going to be whose game matches best with Hyman that decides this.
I’m not sure what you mean by ‘responsibility to make it work’.
I think everyone from Holland and Tippett to the fans and even skeptics agrees the team would be better off if Kassian is contributing.
They’re going to give it a try, but it’s mostly up to the player whether it works out.
Beyond that, yes, chemistry will be important, and I’d add chemistry on non-McDavid lines as well.
It may be that Kassian and Puljujarvi are similarly effective as McDavid’s winger, but Puljujarvi does more to help a 3rd line.
Oh, when will they ever learn?
Oh, when will they ever learn?
Does this mean the skeptics do not agree the team is better with a contributing Kassian?
My meaning can be construed from where the lyrics were sourced..
As written, it sounds pretty circle of life-ish. Perhaps Kassian is due some flowers?
I don’t guess that’s what you’re taking from it though.
The flowers are the sons who were sent off to fight in another stupid war.who return home in a flag draped coffins. Same as it ever was. When will they ever learn.
That makes sense.
A tad melodramatic as a comparison perhaps, though not surprising in this case.
I agree and prefer that Sammy and Broberg will play a full year in the AHL with maybe a handful of NHL games if multiple injuries happen. Holland isnt known for giving rookies a push. I think it best for their development to play the year in the A and outperform there.
We have a pretty veteran NHL defense with only Bouchard having limited experience. But even he is about as experienced as a rookie can be, unless youre first name is Brogan.
And maybe Lagesson can reestablish himself as first AHL callup, when needed.
I don’t necessarily disagree with this, in particular with respect to Broberg who is just 20 and just coming over to play on North American ice for the first time as a pro (only international tourney’s against his age group in the past). Its was known on draft day that he was going to take a few years and he’s developing on time, to my knowledge.
Sammy, on the other hand, is 22 now and played a full pro season in the AHL and then another with material responsibility in the KHL. Yes, he’s a season removed from North America but, with a full junior career in the OHL plus the year in the AHL, getting used to the ice or the style, etc. should be non-factors.
Of course, for both, their play will largely dictate where they play most of their games this year but I do think Sammy could be in the conversation for real games and minutes if he shows well. He’s more advanced and could jump one or two of the veterans (Russell or Koekkoek) on merit if given the chance – could. No sure thing there but his skill set is very translatable.
Samorukov and Broberg will arrive early because, apart from Nurse and Bouchard, the Oiler D likely “sucks hind banana”.
I expect Broberg before Samorukov, because the times that I have seen them on the ice at the same time, Broberg has been better.
If the defense isn’t good enough, it makes sense to get Broberg and Samorukov significant reps this year.
There is really nothing much for either to learn in Bakersfield. Start them there, but once the wobble sets in on the OIler blue, there is no time like the present.
When were they on the ice together besides Oilers’ camp (which means very little) and, I believe, the World Juniors once?
Samorukov had an inarguably better year in a better league with more responsibility, etc. than Broberg last season.
He’s two years older and played two real years of pro hockey (AHL plus KHL).
Yes, SHL is pro hockey but not at the same level and, anecdotally, d-man coming over from the SHL generally need more AHL time that the KHL.
Broberg can play in the NHL tomorrow. It depends on whether one can live with the learning curve.
Like a 1st round NFL drafted quarterback…they all can play, the question is whether you can live with the learning curve. Once the team realizes the established veteran they have blocking him isn’t getting them to the playoffs, they put in the 1st round draft pick and live with the learning curve.
Once the Oilers defense demonstrates it is substandard (past Nurse and Bouchard), there is no reason to delay Broberg. Live with the learning curve, and get it out of the way for next season.
When the Oilers get desparate around Christmas time, Broberg will likely be here in the new year, playing top 4 minutes.
That didn’t answer my question no speak to the reasons I think Samorukov is “closer to the NHL” and can also play in the league tomorrow (and has a skill-set the Oilers could use more at this point).
I do see Zack getting a push being on the top line. I also see this as increasing his trade value. It is going to be difficult to afford Zack if JP and KY have successful seasons.
It sure sounds like Kassian will be given a shot, the question is whether he can hold onto the lineup spot.
As LT said, the team would be better if Kassian can play 1RW on merit. And a tertiary benefit would be keeping costs down on Puljujarvi/Yamamoto.
I don’t think that would be a driving factor in Kassian to the top line, but it’s likely one of the considerations.
Oh, when will they ever learn?
Oh, when will they ever learn?
Kass, JP and Yamamoto make for a weak RW overall.
Hope am wrong, but that’s the way it appears.
Centre and defence look great. I’m what you call an optimist about the defence prospects.
I think if Kass is on the top line, it’s because Tippett starts Drai and McDavid together. Then he can put Hyman and Jesse with Nuge back at C and Foegele and KY with Ryan on the 3rd.
50th anniversary of this classic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=464Ux-B_5uY
Thank You sir. Good way to look at the day.