Maxim Berezkin isn’t going to show up on your television screen this winter. He is an important prospect for the Oilers. Why? Berezkin has some unique quality. He could be a net-front presence on the power play, he’s 6.02 and over 200 pounds and can win battles. Will he ever come over?
THE ATHLETIC!
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BEREZKIN
He is a big man and a good skater, skates upright and I envision a Claude Larose (the original) or David Perron (the one and only) as being a visual comparable. He had a 56 percent goal share at even strength for Lokomotiv last season, but the team was sensational (63 percent) without him.
Berezkin averaged over 14 minutes a night in the KHL, that’s a helluva number for such a young player. He ranked No. 11 among Lokomotiv forwards, that’s fourth line. It means he has some work to do if he’s going to move up the depth chart but he’s young and talented.
Among the KHL draft plus three forwards in 2022-23, he ranks No. 2 in time-on-ice (behind Marat Khusnutdinov, second-round selection by the Minnesota Wild in 2020). Berezkin signed a new contract with Lokomotiv until 2025, two more seasons. If he continues to develop, Berezkin could be a contributor to the Oilers in the back half of the decade, or he could be a trade piece at the deadline.
It’s clear he is a legit NHL prospect.
GARAGE SALE
I had a blast at the garage sale yesterday. I can’t begin to thank everyone who came by and said so many kind things. There’s a plan for another two weekends from now, will update. It was a fine day for this old fellow, I very much appreciate exchanging conversation with so many good people.
The Athletic: Projecting Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard’s points for 2023-24
https://theathletic.com/4719314/2023/07/26/oilers-evan-bouchard-stats-points/
Cautiously hopeful about Sutter as he’s pretty much exactly what we want on the 4th line….big vet RHC who is good at faceoffs. If a line of Sutter-Janmark-Ryan can pot 30 goals and keep a positive GF% in decent minutes – that’s a big win. Will be interesting to seeing how he looks.
I thought you said Sutter would be the centre?
What do we know from the numbers about wingers playing on their off-side wing?
Old school – C-LW-RW.
I was being facetious.
A bit more info on the Development Camp invites.
Ethan de Jong RW 24 5’11, 181 NCAA 41 19-21-40
(ECAC 2nd all star, ECAC/NCAA champion)
Preston Lounsbury LC 18 5’11, 163 QMJHL 58 11-17-28
Josh Van Mulligen RD 18 6’2″, 181 WHL 68 1-8-9
Noah Van Vliet LD 19 6’2″, 205 OHL 61 3-12-15
Nate Misskey RD 18 6’2″, 190 WHL 65 5-9-14
Brady Stonehouse RW 19 5’10”, 194 68 37-20-57
Jake Sloan RW 19 6’4″, 214 58 20-35-55
De Jong is signed to an AHL deal with the Condors (2-year deal)
https://theoilrig.ca/2023/08/13/report-sam-gagner-to-sign-pto-with-edmonton-oilers/
Luke Gazdic while on SN 960 reportedly says he has heard Gags will be in Oilers camp on a PTO.
Sure, bring him to camp, I have no issues there.
Not sure if I would consider him a “center” these days but a right shot he is.
Lets not forget he had hip surgery back in March so there is that rehab/recovery to add as a factor to his potential to make the team.
I wonder if he has reached a point in his career where he would consider a role as a playing coach in Bakersfield with a minimum NHL salary just in case of a run of injuries with the Oilers.
I’m sure it matters where his wife is working.
This may not be current but last I heard she was practicing in Edmonton.
At least we know they are trying hard to find the best options as they’re ‘all in’
Or the absolutely laziest least informed options
Team building is comprised of many layers.
I’m not in favour of Samwise being given a(nother) shot at making the team, but at this point you’d have to assume one or more of several variables are at play:
Haven’t looked, but he seems like a slightly younger Derek Ryan at this point. Although my instinct says DR is far more solid away from the puck.
Oilers Access
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The Oilers have invited Ethan de Jong, Preston Lounsbury, Josh Van Mulligen, Noah Van Vliet, Nate Misskey, Brady Stonehouse, and Jake Sloan to Rookie Camp. These players will play in the Young Stars Classic in Penticton from September 15-18.
Yes Stonehouse, sign the man!
I don’t really understand how (and will need to do some research) but, apparently, it is possible to sign a CHL player that was passed over in the draft even if there are draft eligible years available.
Ha: As it turns out, it was you Todd that showed this to me over at the other site – thank you
Haha t’was me indeed.
Why?
37 goals in the OHL last year. Terrific skater, relentless on the forecheck with an agitating style. Sounds a lot like Tullio to me overall and there is more than enough room on the 50 man moving forward.
He also has an inside track to potentially make the WJC team this year as he was invited to summer meetings for them and signing him after he was at the Dev Camp might be a good proactive move, especially if he plays for Canada where he will be a much more famous prospect and likely to get drafted next year.
To name a few reasons why I feel signing him is a good idea.
His team mate, Luca Pinelli, who is also 5’9” and is a year younger and outscored Stonehouse by a few points was drafted in the 4th round by Columbus.
Certainly no danger in signing him but he’s a very distant bell.
We both know if he were invited to a Rookie Camp for another org you would be calling him a blue chip prospect.
He was invited to Colorado’s camp last year.
No traction.
And I’m sure a year ago you were lauding Colorado’s ample blue chip prospects and citing how even Stonehouse couldn’t get a spot.
Nah…he’s not worth the pixels.
Colorado is harvesting unsigned NCAA talent in hopes one or two pops.
5 in the past year and a bit and they are much further along in development and can play in the AHL right away if not NHL ready,
Now that’s a real Hockey name. Sign the man.
Basically the same as Makita, Clarke, or Salming.. Let’s go all in.
I’ve been on the sign Stonehouse train since after the draft. Currently the Oilers only have 14 players on their reserve list (this has to be an all-time low). Combined the the 42 players they have under contract, this is only 56 of the 90 players they could have listed, it is worth a close look to see where team ranks league wide. This is an exceptionally low number.
I suspect that they rank as one of the very bottom teams, in terms of players on the 90-man list, if not number 32…
Available on every team’s Cap Friendly page.
And?
So anyone else see this play from Canadian QB Nathan Rourke last night in the NFL?
https://twitter.com/Jaguars/status/1690513243528142848?s=20
Is there any concern about a potential Russian military draft? This could be good or bad. Good because it may encourage some to get out sooner than later, and bad, if your pick gets drafted…….
and probably bad for non-hockey reasons, tho I know we don’t talk about those here…
Holland seems to have a knack with Russian players. Hopefully he breaks the curse in EDM before he departs.
First up, Matvey Petrov who we actually have real eyes on and, of course, can presume his dream is the NHL give, well, coming over to play in the OHL as a teenager!
I doubt he departs he’ll do something less time consuming
Yeah, POHO/adult in the room seems most likely.
I continue to be intrigued by this prospect.
LT asks the right question, is he going to come over?
I’m not sure anyone has any idea. Perhaps his dream is to play in the NHL or, of course, perhaps he is completely content playing at home indefinitely.
I have no idea. I wonder if the org has any real idea?
I am equally intrigued by Yevseyev and have all of the same questions haha.
Yes, I was going to mention him as well.
He’s just as intriguing to me – what he did in the KHL as a teenage d-man is very impressive and hasn’t received enough talk, in my opinion.
As you mention, all the same question: no idea what drives Yeseyev and what his professional dreams and goals are.