Stuart Skinner had a good night in Everett and a group of NHLers joined much of the Bakersfield Condors for an interesting game against the Seattle Kraken. What did we learn? Among other things, the goaltending situation for this organization seems to be improving. Also, some of those later picks during the Chiarelli era who remain on the roster might have a chance at an NHL career.
THE ATHLETIC!
- New Lowetide: Is this Jay Woodcroft’s final year coaching the Bakersfield Condors?
- Lowetide: How could waivers impact Oilers’ roster decisions?
- New DNB: Duncan Keith’s decline, by the numbers and video
- Lowetide: 9 bold predictions for the 2021-22 Edmonton Oilers
- Lowetide: Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman and line chemistry
- New DNB: Oilers training camp invitees tell us what it’s like to face McDavid in practice
- Lowetide: Why Tyler Tullio’s skill set is a good match for the Oilers
- DNB: Oilers training camp observations
- Lowetide: Why Colton Sceviour could be an important addition for the Oilers
- DNB: Derek Ryan Q&A
- Jonathan Willis: How can the Oilers find a long-term solution in net?
- Lowetide: What will three outscoring lines do for the Oilers and Connor McDavid?
- DNB: Oilers training camp questions
- Jonathan Willis: Darnell Nurse, in context
- DNB: The Oilers’ plan for prospect Philip Broberg
- Lowetide: Filip Berglund, sleeper option for Edmonton’s defense
- DNB: Cooper Marody Q&A
- Lowetide: The Oilers and the Cooper Marody experiment are at a crossroads
- DNB: Warren Foegele Q&A
- Lowetide: Oilers reasonable expectations for 2021-22: Goal differential
- Lowetide: Oilers’ reasonable expectations for 2021-22: Goal scoring
- Lowetide: What should the Oilers expect from Cody Ceci in his first season?
- Lowetide: Projecting the 2021-22 Edmonton Oilers opening night lineup
- Lowetide: What should Oilers expect from Duncan Keith in his first season?
- Jonathan Willis: Tyler Benson, Devin Shore and the 4-year difference between a prospect and a has-been
This is via HockeyProspecting.com and Byron Bader. It’s a brilliant site that allows you to see what a young player looks like in their formative years compared to players of the past. When I began looking through the site, I used the player comparison tool heavily. Now, I use the single player tool, selfishly because there are players I know better than the suggested group. I think Skinner is on track with Laurent Brossoit, that would be a solid result for Edmonton. That isn’t designed to make you angry, it’s a compliment. If he achieves more? Music!
This is a big era stretch, but finding goalies who are smaller and punched at this level is difficult. I’m not saying we’re dealing with an NK career, but Konovalov as a prospect is on higher ground than Skinner. He may not be an NHL goalie, Skinner might be better, but Konovalov’s resume suggests he might have started his NHL career before now, as did Khabibulin. That gives those who believe the young Russian will emerge quickly some ammo. My thanks to Bader, who is also a nice fellow.
This was two weeks ago and I would change a few things, but that was kind of the point of the exercise. Everyone says “the only job open is No. 7D” in Mid-September and it’s never correct. Josh Archibald had some issues, Ryan McLeod and Tyler Benson have been quiet. Things are not quite as settled as most believed. As of now, after the Seattle game, I see things going like this:
- Smith, Koskinen
- Nurse, Barrie, Keith, Ceci, Koekkoek, Bouchard, Russell, Lagesson.
- MciDavid, Draisaitl, Ryan, McLeod, Shore
- Hyman, Nuge, Foegele, Perlini
- Puljujarvi, Yamamoto, Kassian, Sceviour
So the changes are Benson and Archibald out among the forwards, replaced by Perlini and Sceviour. I also moved out Kyle Turris and included William Lagesson, an idea I wrote about that idea in The Athletic article yesterday. Maybe they keep Benson and send out McLeod, but this is going to be a difficult process in balancing the talent available versus who to expose/possibly lose via waivers. Jobs remain in the balance and a big performance tonight could change things. These young men are running out of blacktop.
As for the roster, I have been saying since the beginning of summer (actually have been saying it for two years now) the goaltending will get an upgrade. It’s also true a player like Dmitri Samorukov emerging after Christmas could be a key to the season. Evan Bouchard will be the big story early, or at least the big story not named Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Darnell Nurse and Zach Hyman.
I’m really thinking they may send Macleod out and the bottom of the forward group will be:
Perlini – Shore – Turris
Benson – Sceviour
I’d keep McLeod over Sceviour if you’re rotating the PB’d guys in regularly. But if he’s just sitting for the first month, then yeah, send him down and sign Sceviour.
This very well could be. McLeod is being out played to this point by a few others and he is any easy re-assign. He may need to be reminded of the work that needs to be put in (in the off-season and daily) in order for the non-elite to keep their jobs in this league.
Of course, any re-assignment isn’t likely for too long.
per DNB at the Athletic a couple hours ago
“He threw a lot of backhand passes – some to our team, some to the other team”
Dave Tippett on Leon Draisaitl
Tippett said those giveaways can’t happen in the playoffs
That’s in Tippett’s post-game on the Oilers site too. Surprisingly pointed.
Slight digression, but OP said earlier “Tip with a poor analysis of Bouchard’s game”
After watching, he was indeed surprisingly pointed on Bouchard too (as with Draisaitl), highlighting what he wasn’t doing and giving zero credit for the good.
In both cases it struck me as harsh, but it seems like he’s holding these guys (star and top prospect) to task for their shortcoming, even in training camp.
Tip isn’t f’ing around. I guess that’s a good thing.
Yes
It’s go time
In Tip’s defence – both times he was responding to a specific question about the player – he was asked about how Bouch’s game was with the bigger minutes and he was asked specifically about Leon and his pass to Nuge.
He didn’t single these guys out out of the blue but simply didn’t hold back when asked about them specifically.
Tip was not in a good mood during that presser – he was not happy with his team, nor should he have been – as I said near the end, lots of “teaching moments” – the defensive zone structure was abysmal.
Nuge post game:
“There’s probably only one guy in the league.. maybe a couple of guys in the league, who can make that pass”
Caught himself, but it’s true, not even McDavid makes those kinds of passes.
Nuge finished it with a no doubt shot too, great to see.
I’ve been saying it for years Leon is the best long back handed passers the game has ever seen.
The flames played the Kraken in Washington State tonight and their stream didn’t work.
Perhaps last night’s issue wasn’t actually on the Oilers…..
Did anyone really think it was Oilers incompetence?
Oh, there was some upset folks as the 1st period wore on
There were fingers pointed
I was upset, but the nhl.com didn’t even have proper in game updates. They still don’t have TOI for that game. There were very obviously issues well beyond the Oilers ability to stream the game.
I guess upset folks be upset folks though.
It was weird
I’m too lazy to look, was the game in Everett again tonight..?
*edit-nope, it was in Kent, WA
so that kind of rules out an infrastructure problem- different site
I planned to be lazy. But it seems tonights game was in Kent, WA rather than Everett. (I can’t vouch for that being a real place).
No TOI on nhl.com for the Flames-Kraken either though.
Should we blame Washington state? Blame Canada? I don’t know…
Yes, I think many too – many of the comments online.
Fun game.
Perlini getting puck luck at exactly the right time for his career.
Sceviour with 2 major coverage boners resulting in 2 GA.
Ceci was not good again, hopefully that corrects in the regular season.
Kassian is not the same player, unless 2016-17 playoff Zack reappears for 50+ games, this is $3.2m paid for 7 goals, 10 assists, and 2 game costing penalties.
Someone needs to chloroform the coach after the first period next time to prevent Nurse from playing 29:38 in a preseason game.
Mikko looks good, Bouchard is top 4 before US Thanksgiving, and Draisaitl’s backhand passes are prettier than Claudia Schiffer circa 1990.
@hockeystatcards
#NHL GameScore Impact Card for Edmonton Oilers on 2021-10-02:
LINK: https://hockeystatcards.com/single-game-impact-card/12070…
Rising Star – Podkolzin
Solid Cup Champ veteran D acquisition – Luke Schenn
Stud Young D-man – Rathborne
https://hockeystatcards.com/single-game-impact-card/12063
You forgot to mention Juolevi and Gadjovich who were exceptionally good.
You also forgot to mention that Calgary was playing essentially its NHL lineup while Vancouver was missing Pettersson, Boeser, Horvat, Hughes, OEL, Poolman and Demko.
You know…6 of their best players.
Podkolzin played with Miller and Garland and has the 2nd most PP time on the team. All he managed was to get scored on twice and not even muster a shot on net.
Funny how the Oilers won their game, while the Canucks got trounced.
Demko played the whole game btw.
Also, Tucker Poolman is one of the Canucks best players…
I want to make sure that isn’t forgotten.
I actually felt bad for you after this. So sad and pathetic.
Thomas Mazura with no points but 2 shots on net (4 attempts) and 3 for 5 in the faceoff circle. Plus 1 in a 7-0 win for Providence.
Luca Munzenberger was plus 1 with a shot and a minor penalty in a 4-2 win.
Carter Savoie with a couple 5 on 5 assists and plus 3 with 6 shots in a 9-1 win.
If Archie doesn’t get his vaccine, will that liberate $1.5USD in cap room? Any cap experts want to weigh in?
It depends on what happens with him.
1) if they just tell him to stay away, waive him and assign him, it will save $1.125M off the cap.
2) if they allow him to participate as the NHL/NHLPA agreed upon protocols – he’ll count against the cap except during the periods where he is unable to participate due to his status (which will probably total about half the year) – while suspended, it alleviates his cap hit but he will only be suspended for periods then reactivated then suspended then reactiveated.
3) If he’s on regular IR due to this seperate medical issue, he’s off the 23 man roster but counts on the cap
3) If he’s on LTIR due to this seperate medical issue, he’s off the roster and on the cap but it’ll provide $1.6M of additional LTIR reserves (it will effectively give them $1.6M in room – provided he stays on LTIR for the entire year).
one more: if there is a team (especially in the metro with no cross border travel or Central with only the Jets games to miss e.g) that will take an unvaxxed player (looking at you Stevie Y, he could be traded there possibly with some cap retained due to the limited market for his services.
OP and others, thanks for the updates. I wasn’t able to watch, but nice to get a decent play by play here in the comments section.
I’m afraid Bouchard is going to remind a lot of fans of Poti in terms of defensive ability and level of engagement. Poti had a fantastic career, but wasn’t a fan favorite in Edmonton.
Bouch has struggled in his own zone the last couple of games – playing top pairing minutes – for sure.
At the same time, he is such a smart hockey player, I think he’ll learn the nuances of the defensive game and defensive positioning and awareness fairly quickly.
We are seeing that 3RD is definitely where he should be starting.
He should of been a 3rd last year but for some unknown reason that I’ll never understand the rational behind leaving your high pedigree core de-man sitting in a hotel room in Ottawa when he should of been playing and learning his craft. For me as much as I like Tippett this is close to a firing offence.
With Perlini playing so well and Kassian so poorly, I wonder if you could move Hyman to the right wing.
Nuge, Foegele and Perlini as your top 3 LW and Hyman, Puljujarvi and Yamamoto as your top 3 RW.
Benson, Shore, Turris, McLeod and Kassian rotating through the 4th line.
I’m not sure Perlini is ready to be moved up the lineup against legit NHL teams quite yet. He actually did very little tonight.
I think Tip wants to role with his top 3 lines – said he’ll be going back to regular lines next game. Don’t think Hyman is going anywhere except with Jesse and McDavid for a while.
Yah, I don’t think it’ll happen. I’m just trying to find a way to work Kassian into the press box. 😀
Correct me if I’m wrong but it looks like in your lineup Hyman is still with Connor and Perlini is still on 3rd line LW. I don’t think OP understood your post at all.
I understood it – I don’t think Tip is going to change what the current idea of the top 3 lines are – as he said after the game tonight, we’re going back to the “normal lines” for next game. I’m quite certain Hyman and Puljujarvi will be with McDavid.
Perlini is moving on up to the east side to a deluxe apartment in the sky….
At least tonight’s game should put to bed any talk of Kassian moving in to the top 6, as much as Stauff wants it.
Man, I wish it would. He has been bad for a long time.
Hyman Connor JP is opening night top line book it. Aside from injuries knock on wood..
Yes, I agree.
That 3rd GA was some of the worst defending I have ever seen
Shades of game 3.
And game 5 against the Ducks (minus the Kesler g-interference).
Tip with a poor analysis of Bouchard’s game but also said the entire group was poor tonight.
Said they will go back to the normal lines for next game.
“Mikko was excellent. We were red-rotten in front of him.” – Coach T.
That honestly seems to happens a lot (the team being red-rotten in front of the G).
Some coaches regularly get more out of a team than the sum of their individual parts. Barry Trotz with the NYI comes to mind as a recent example. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Tip get there. He fights the battle of battle of just reaching potential. I’m not convinced he’s the wrong guy for the team… but after the past couple early exits, I think some skepticism of his abilities is warranted.
I’m a little worried about the defense.
There is risk, we knew (Oilers) there would be risk but they went all in on their choices. Problem is, there is not much of a back up plan. LT is right, Russel is going to get games.
After him there are a lot of helpers, but nobody that can make a difference right now.
My guess: Holland makes a midseason trade.
Nurse/Barrie was excellent in their one game together (albeit a mis-match game) and Barrie was, from accounts, good last night.
Koekkoek/Bouch have been good with some wobble when they were the top pair.
Ceci has only played with Lagesson – not with Keith.
Just wait until Keith makes his presence ?
I have full confidence that Keith will be better than Lagesson/Jones/Russell/Koekkoek/Kulikov last year and than Lagesson this exhibition season.
Based on what exactly?
Based on you think he will fail, and you’re wrong about everything hockey related.
How about based on a deep dive into the precipitous decline in his play?
https://theathletic.com/2859481/2021/10/01/duncan-keiths-decline-by-the-numbers-and-video-can-the-38-year-old-defenceman-rebound-with-the-oilers/
Hey, it could always be worse.
https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/canucks-hockey/can-oliver-ekman-larsson-get-back-to-good-with-the-canucks-4227667
you should rather worry about OEL buddy…
Well, that settles that! OP has full confidence that Keith (at approx. 2-3 times the price) will be better than a bunch of other mediocre LD.
I’m not sure what price has to do with the conversation – I wasn’t defending the trade, the cap hit of the player, the acquisition cost or anything like that – I was talking about value on the ice.
In a cap world…price is everything.
It has nothing to do in the context of the conversation – this was not a conversation about the trade or the cap structure but about on ice product with the current team.
I think this team is really going to miss Larsson and Bear. I’m having trouble seeing a shutdown guy on that right side, even if I squint.
Truth be told, Codi Ceci was 2.03 GA/60 last year in Pit and led Toronto at 2.27 GA/60.
This past year it was about the same as Larsson, granted Larsson faced elites at 33% and Ceci at 29%. Bear was around 2.5 GA/60. Pit and Edm were right beside each other in goals against on the year.
The year prior, Ceci was MUCH better than both Larsson and Bear in this metric (led Toronto) and played 33% TOI vs elites. This was Bear’s great year and he was around 3.2 GA/60.
Bear wasn’t really a shut down D at evens in either of the last two year (although quite good on the PK if I remember correctly).
The Oilers D is the anti-pee break crew. It should be a fun season.
Fun, unless you’re Mikko or Mike.
Mikko talking about how lonely he was last year – alone in hotel rooms with his family across the world.
This year, his family is with him in Canada – he seems really happy about it.
First question to Koskinen – from Matty – the guy with the “tough questions” last time.
Koskinen throws shade back at Matty – “I didn’t let in the first one”.
From what I’ve seen so far, I’m not especially worried about losing Marody or Benson on waivers. Shore, Perlini and Turris have outplayed both of them so far.
Same goes for Lagesson. He’s doesn’t have the puck skills or skating ability to ever be more than a 7D. Russell and Koekkoek are better.
Cody Franson…er…Ceci is…you know…is not good.
He was very good last season.
I’ll wait and see him play regular season games with an actual NHL veteran partner (not Willie Lagesson).
“Very good” does not mean what you think it means.
His coach would disagree with you given his increasing role through the year and the playoffs. The Pit fans as well who were disappointed he was not re-signed due to cap reasons.
Oilers fans pine for Marino – Ceci was playing 5 minutes more per game than Marino.
Yea Ceci/Lagesson pairing not good.
If tonight’s game has you ready to make a prediction:
Go here:
http://www.oilersdeathmarch.com/marches/2021-22
Any prediction is sort of dependent on how Keith looks. Right now Bouchard is the #2D.
Scary!
So any smart folks here understand why I was able to watch this on the Oilers app on my 4yr old phone but not in my web browser on my <1yr hard-wired tv? Connection seems good and all that, just had the spinning wheel of death.
I had problems with both my Samsung and Phillips TVs(fairly current TVs with updated operating systems, also, both wired)
The built in browsers were crap and simply didn’t want to stream
Casting to the devices didn’t want to work either
I found the only way to get a streamed game onto the big TV was to launch the game on a laptop(or a device with an HDMI out port), and then connect the laptop to the HDMI port on the TV
Or pay for Game Center or similar Sportsnet paid service. I’m assuming they have their own app(which comes with your subscription) and streams to your TV
Good luck- let me know if you solve the problem
Thanks. I have full cable package, so it’s only an issue in preseason usually. But yes, the browser seems useless. I’ve never hooked up a laptop but Inprobably could.
I did a little more googling since I first responded
It’s not a straight answer/solution – and the options available depend on what country you’re in as well re:Canada vs USA
And regional blackouts
At it’s core however, is that you can’t (as far as I know) stream to the browser on your TV
You need to stream to an embedded app on the TV ie:NHL Game Center or NFL Sunday Ticket (and that’s assuming your TV has that app installed)
Or
You stream to an appliance ie: XBox/Playstation/HULU/Apple TV box, and THAT device has the NHL app installed and that device is connected to your TV via an HDMI port
These options are paid subscriptions
I too pay for cable (Shaw cable in BC)…so I get games free when the Oilers play the Canucks, and handful of HNIC games on Tabernac Saturday
When the Oilers are blacked out in BC, I browse to NHL66 – this is NOT a legal stream – on my laptop using Chrome, then output the signal to my big TV using an HDMI cable
I used to add the NHL Center Ice package from Shaw, but I didn’t see the value last year, and I’m not going to buy it this year either
I thought Koskinen was pretty good despite giving up 3
Agreed he had a hella of game. Left out to dry by his D on last 2 goals. Could have easily been Jets up by 3 after the first. Could have been named one of the 3 stars.
If its notable, top line (Foegele/McDavid/Jesse) and top pairing (Nurse/Bouch) out there killing the last minute with the Jets 6 on 5.
That was Kassian level awful by Pionk on the Nuge goal.
RNH scores. What a pass by Draisaitl.
Nuge from Drai
wow
Drai with the pass of the year to Nuge for the go-ahead goal.
This will be a good “teaching game” – my goodness the chasing in the defensive zone – reminiscent of years past….. puck chasing, puck chasing, puck chasing – multiple players chasing one puck as well.
Archibald could play just 50 games and hes still likely to lead the team in hits.
And COVID infections!
I talk about Kassian being the worst player on the roster. *Ceci enters the chat*
Lagesson/Ceci with the McLeod line with just a cluster of terrible defensive zone positioning, awareness and structure and the game is tied.
That was awful all around – staring from the last O-zone draw and the weak zone entry allowance.
That was a tire fire ?. Should keep it simple
My forward lines for opening night;
Hyman McDavid Puljujarvi
Nuge Draisaitl Yamamoto
Benson Ryan Foegele
Perlini McLeod Turris
Sceviour
The two rookies on lines with experienced pro’s and forward lines now boat anchor free.
I agree that, as of now, Kassian is not deserving of a lineup spot – we absolutely know he’ll have one though.
Agreed, it is inevitable
I’ve seen this movie
Ceci/Lagesson getting chasing – Lagesson chases high and the puck goes down low for a tap in – can’t chase high there (although MANY players were culpable on that).
GIven the score and the PP count, I’m surprised the Oilers D are getting away with a couple plays that could easily have been called hooks and holds.
Savoie to Brink to Benning and Savoie has his second 5 on 5 apple early in the 2nd. I think he’s playing with Brink right now and, if that holds, those two might put up some numbers this season.
Oh right remember when we signed Kassian to a 4 year extension? Worst player on the roster. Guess he must be great in the room.
It was a bad contract on the day it was signed – my opinion at the time, best case scenario (which was unlikely) is that he could provide value for the contract for 3 or so of the years – best case. There was no chance he would out-perform it and it was highly likely that he would underperform it.
His performance since it was signed has been far worse than I could have imagined.
With respect to this exhibition season – I thought he was quite good in his first game – one of the better forwards.
Tonight, he has been all kinds of bad – all of his warts mixed in to two periods. Just awful.
I know its just exhibition but, as a guy coming off such a terrible season and talking about being engaged – to throw this up when he gets a chance in a struggling Yamamoto’s spot….. terrible.
Perlini is this years September Darling thats for sure. No reason he cant keep rollin into the season.
I was not a strong fan of Shore, but oilers said he was the best of the bottom group last year so signed him to 2 years. I have been challenging myself to look at him again and he certainly does a lot of little things right. hes playing with confidence right now.
I think many will look at his horrible 5 on 5 numbers from last year (and maybe past years as well) not allow him (in their minds) a real chance to compete for a spot. I know McLeod is fast, has a higher ceiling and a much longer future with the team but, right now, Shore is outplaying him, nightly.
After Two:
3-1 Edmonton (2-0 Edmonton in the second)
23-21 Winnipeg shots (13-8 Edmonton in the second)
23-18 Winnipeg Corsi five on five (11-8 Edmonton in the second)
==
Terrific period, a little concerned with Leon at five on five but everything else is humming.
Leon is just winking at you
Savoie can’t bang it in to the empty net but picks up his first assist of the season as Denver is up 3-1 nearing the end of the first. Even strength which I will note as most of his damage last year was on the PP:
https://twitter.com/DU_Hockey/status/1444460487685468160
Draisaitl’s looks like he’s had a blowout summer vacation and now is using these games to regain his timing.
Ceci was key on the Puljujarvi goal with the quick up to McDavid (on his stick in stride) – I’m not so sure Larsson makes that pass (yes, Bear would have, likely).
Larsson is going to play great for Seattle, but as an Oiler he was either injured a lot or else ever so slightly detached from the play on ice.
He really didn’t like the Hall trade either lol
Atta boy Shore make those haters of you suck on it.
My new fave Oiler Perlini with an Assist. Further cementing his spot on the team.
Puljujarvi may go ballsitic this season
Puljujarvi is like Gordie Howe with a pleasant temperament.
Jesse with a laser slap shot. Wow!!
Wow Koski is playing well tonight!!!!
He’s like a giant squid – sent from Aliens to help lead the vanguard when the invasion comes.
Puljujarvi with a bomb from distance beats Comrie.
Wondeful!
Nice up by Ceci to start the play.
Remember: Kassian has trade value!
I have never believed this to be true – not at full cap hit.
Oilers score. Shore from Perlini. A reverse of last night’s goal.