Have you ever wondered what the all-time Bakersfield Condors roster (AHL) would look like? Josh Currie, Tyler Benson and Cooper Marody might be the top line based on career points, Jordan Oesterle and Ethan Bear could be the top pairing and Stuart Skinner the No. 1 goalie. That doesn’t define a minor-league team. It all comes down to graduates. That little area there, the 5 people on an NHL roster each season who could get demoted, and the 5 in the AHL who could get recalled, that’s my area. It’s the top reason I’m a fan. I love the underdog.
THE ATHLETIC!
- New Lowetide: How the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor Brown contract could impact roster decisions
- New DNB: Stanley Cup-aspiring Oilers have a long way to go after ‘big gut punch’ in season opener
- Lowetide: Why the Oilers’ opening-night roster is short two foundational pieces
- DNB: Why Raphael Lavoie didn’t make the Oilers and other roster questions ahead of regular-season opener
- Lowetide: Oilers’ Brady Stonehouse signing an important indicator for the future
- Lowetide: Why the Oilers’ veteran-laden AHL team offers better depth
- DNB: Jack Campbell has earned the right to start opening night for the Oilers
- Lowetide: Why Mattias Ekholm’s injury situation is a worry for the Oilers
- Lowetide: With Oilers rookies in short supply, expect more from sophomores
- DNB: Five intriguing Edmonton Oilers developments from the preseason
- Lowetide: Do the Edmonton Oilers have a blockbuster trade in their future?
- DNB: Oilers release Brandon Sutter from tryout offer
- Lowetide: Oilers reaching critical pressure point with prospect Raphael Lavoie
- DNB: A third Edmonton Oilers tenure, no matter the odds, is Sam Gagner’s goal
- Lowetide: Should the Edmonton Oilers alter how Connor McDavid is deployed?
- DNB: Oilers, Flames unveil Heritage Classic jerseys: How do we rate them?
- DNB: Vincent Desharnais Q&A
LARRY MAVETY
I cheer for players to make the grade against great odds. I don’t believe I’m alone. I discovered this about 50 years ago when realizing that a man named Larry Mavety mattered to me. His name would always be in the fall guides and magazines; he’d get maybe one sentence that went “Doug Barrie, Ray McKay and Larry Mavety are also in the mix.” The mix. Man, the mix didn’t treat Larry Mavety very well. The mix laughed at Larry Mavety. Passed on him every time, and then caused coaching staffs to forget his name all year long.
Even guys like Gerry Odrowski–once injured in a game playing for the Oakland Seals in NYC (against the Rangers) and forgotten by the team (he was released from the hospital and had to make his own way home, good lord what an awful thing to do to a person)–enjoyed NHL careers. Not Larry Mavety. Not one game. Not one minute. Oh sure, he played in the WHA (big whoop) but never played a game in the National Hockey League. He was close, by God. Larry Mavety knows it (he’s in heaven now), and so do I. I followed him and cheered for him but it never came. Not one damn game.
So as the Condors season starts tonight, I want to list the names of players who have never played a game in the NHL. This is in the order of recall that I anticipate. There may be five, there may be none.
- Raphael Lavoie
- Phil Kemp
- Xavier Bourgault
- Olivier Rodrigue
- Noel Hoefenmayer
There are 20 players since 2011 who played successfully as AHL regulars age 20. They are: Teemu Hartikainen, Tyler Pitlick, Magnus Paajarvi, Martin Marincin, Martin Gernat, Bogdan Yakimov, Jujhar Khaira, Ethan Bear, Caleb Jones, Tyler Benson, Evan Bouchard, Ryan McLeod, Kailer Yamamoto, Dmitri Samorukov, Raphael Lavoie, Mike Kesselring, Philip Broberg, Dylan Holloway, Xavier Bourgault and Tyler Tullio.
The shocking number: 10 of the 20 came in the last four seasons. The men with the most impressive career arc (so far) turned pro during the Ken Holland era. His slow-playing approach keeps higher end players like Evan Bouchard in the minors for longer than previous management deemed necessary.
This coming season, I would expect Matvey Petrov, Jayden Grubbe and Max Wanner to join the list above. All three men would appear likely to play as rookies, with Petrov possibly landing in a feature role at times.
It’s Friday and Steve Lansky is going to flatten his earth with his take on the Oilers 8-1 loss to the Canucks. Tyler Yaremchuk from Daily Faceoff will discuss the Mattias Ekholm situation. We’re at Sports 1440, noon to 2 today. You can reach me in the comments section, @Lowetide on twitter, or text us 1.833.401.1440 directly.
Savoie had some really good moments in this one. Would like to see him find the soft spots in the Ozone more frequently to receive passes to get his shot off. I think he is a bit too aggressive/over-pursues, which puts him in places, like at the side or behind the net too often, which negatively impacts his offense.
He was generally better positioned in NCAA. Hopefully he sorts this out, or I don’t think he will produce at this level.
Hoffenmayer with a bomb of a one-timer to put the team back on top with two to go.
Erne only has to do one thing well to be better than 90% of the Oilers roster
And that is, pick up his man
Not stand in the lane. Not stand beside him. Not swing his stick. Not passively allow drives to the net. Not give up the blue line. Not back in to the dots.
But physically pick up his man.
it’s completely foreign concept to many skill players who arrived via skill
its more commonly seen in hard working grunts who arrived via guts
Given he’s been absolutely killed in goal share, year after year after year (which continued in the exhibition season), I don’t think that’s part of his game.
Summarizing!
The only one to find the scoresheet tonight was Mazura, picking up an aPPle on St. Lawrence’s goal in a loss to Vermont.
Speaking of, Määttä went 9-for-15 (60.0%) on the dot.
Day had the night off, likely because it was the middle game of a 3-in-3. (Go figure, Flint got their first win tonight.)
CV taking over in the 3rd – back to back massive possession and cycle shifts that result in goals.
Here is the Hamblin goal (set-up by Lavoie):
https://twitter.com/Condors/status/1713039122674389233
Lavoie knew where that Firebird pass was going. Great read
Stonehouse held pointless for the 5th game.
Barrie got crushed, like 8-0, and Akey was part of the pain.
Munzenburger was even and Maatta plus 1 in a 3-1 win (Mazura with an assist on the sole goal).
LaChance was -2 in a 6-4 loss but did have 5 shots.
Max Wanner is clearly a rookie pro and makes rookie pro mistakes with the puck but its very obvious this big boy can defend – defend the rush and the zone entry and, even more impressively is his puck retrieval, battle and transition play.
Impressive how he hits everything that crosses the blueline. He seemed to gain confidence as the game went on. A couple of adventures, but overall he handled himself very well, including a few offensive forays. I think it is safe to say, this is a very confident player and his trajectory is possibly going to be very surprising.
Another terrible play by a CV at the offensive blue – a cross-ice pass picked off by Lavoie, who does power down the middle with a man on and is able to get a deke on net and the rebound is sitting there for Hamblin to bang in to an open net.
Great play by Lavoie.
2-0 near the end of the 2nd.
Wow, Petrov with a good puck tip for a clear in the D-zone, powers down the right wing to drive the net, forced wide, sweet pass out to Grubbe in the slot who makes his own nifty pass cross-crease and Pederson is ROBBED by Driedger
PK1: McKegg, Kambeitz, Dineen, Kemp
PK2: Hamblin, Grubbe, Wanner, Gleason
I think.
The Hoffenmayer fight:
https://twitter.com/Condors/status/1713023978581991455
The Pederson goal:
https://twitter.com/Condors/status/1713024287014359281
PP starts with 24 seconds left in the period:
Dineen, Bourgault, Hamblin, Lavoie, Pederson.
Grubbe set up ALL ALONE in front off a great feed from the half-boards by Petrov and fans on the one-timer.
Grubbe playing 4RW and served the extra 2 minutes from Noel H.
Petrov with a couple sweet passes on that shift – good start for his first period pro.
What an awful play by the CV d-man at the offensive blue – a 4 on 4 situation and he tries a one on one move and Pederson strips him to go in all alone to score the first goal of the season.
Its was 4 on 4 after Hoffenmayer took the extra two instigating a fight (coming in to protect his teammate who had drawn a PP taking a bad hit).
Oooop, welcome to pro hockey Max Wanner – almost gives it right back. Last man back, tries to beat the forecheker and is poked – breakaway saved by Pickard.
Caggiula/Pederson/Bourgalt
Lavoie/Hamblin/Griffith
Savoie/Malone/Kambeitz
Petrov/McKegg/Grubbe
Gleason/Kemp
Dineen/Wanner
Peters/Hoffenmayer
Pickard
Tulio injured.
With Nemo down, if Tullio weren’t injured, they could run a full line up of only guys with NHL pacts. Don’t remember seeing that too often with Oilers AHL affiliates
Wow…they really did it. Adam Erne
Woody got his certified plumber on the team.
Not an NHL player based on recent results.
Hopefully he can have his goal share over 30%, something he doesn’t always accomplish.
Anywhere I can listen to the lowedown afterwards? I live in BC. Listened for the first time the other day, enjoyed the show LT. First time I’ve heard LTs voice, Not as fatherly as expected! More legit radio voice. I guess the voice I imagined in my head for over a decade did not notch up to reality.
I really enjoyed the Crush athletics guest; it was stuff I really needed to hear after living in the current madness of the kids sports business.
Hope everyone is hanging in there, it’s a long wait for game 2 to get back on the horse after it kicked us in the face.
It’s available at the usual suspects -Spotify and Apple podcasts.
If you’re not a subscriber to either platform the iHeart radio app is free and you can find the show via the search function once installed
Thanks. Strange I couldn’t find it on Spotify, just old Jason Gregor shows.
Definitely knew it was coming but also far from enthused about the Erne signing.
Its not even about rather having another player. I just don’t think Erne will help the team and I think he’s one of those players that could be a net negative player when talking about game flow and actually goals scored for and again.
Yes, I get he could score 8-10 goals in a full season but if he’s a 42% goal share player on the 4th line, which would actually be a HUGE improvement over his last 4 years (twice in the 30s and once in the 20s) – then that hurts the team.
Yes, he will make loud bangs on the end board – on hits that don’t have any positive effect and, if anything, takes himself out of position/
He will not be defensively sound and he will not be a good PK guy. Ya, he’ll probably fight tomorrow – great!
Yes, I’m being harsh on this guy, for sure, but, well, that’s what the numbers say and that’s what I’ve seen in the exhibition season.
He’s not an NHL player on a good hockey team.
Sure, I’m fine with Lavoie being in the AHL and getting big minutes and hopefully continuing where he left off last year and maybe even being dominant.
I’d much prefer Pederson than Erne but he’s probably going to be a great 1C for Bourgault.
I’d rather go 11 forwards than have Erne in the lineup.
I hope he proves me very wrong.
Age 28
355 NHL games
210 lbs
Unlike Lavoie, Erne will be comfortable in the press box half the games, and comfortable as a thug playing 7 mins a night the games he’s in. Low-maintenance guy.
Hopefully Lavoie or Bourgault earne a spot in the NHL lineup a little after Christmas.
As we know, Holland’s MO is that he doesn’t throw young players in over their heads.
I’m not pining for Lavoie over Erne in this post, I’m pining for, well, not to have Erne in the lineup. I’d rather play short unless Erne can prove to be able to not get absolutely caved on the ice and hurt the team with goals being leaked.
I’m with you…I just don’t understand the need to sign Erne. Is that really the best anyone could come up with?
Not sure which is more depressing. Adam Erne signing or the fact nobody is shocked is telling.
Woody’s ‘tradesmen tryout’ camp was a success, I guess.
A very, very interesting training camp.
I think it’s a positive they’ve added NHL quality depth, with all the other potential options remaining available when they’re needed.
I don’t consider Erne as NHL quality depth.
I know team matters on goal share but:
Adam Erne:
Last four years, on the ice for:
9 GF and 30 GA for a 23.08% goal share
18 GF and 20 GA for a 47.57% goal share
27 GF and 43 GA for a 38.57% goal share
20 GF and 35 GA for a 36.36% goal share
Even on a bad team, that’s is AWFUL.
Adam Erne career TOI/G on the PK:
0:00
0:01
0:18
0:02
0:00
0:05
1:37
If this guy is going to help out PK, yikes!
Also, in the exhibition season that earned him a contract, he was on for one goal for and four goals against (plus on while on the PK).
I know his numbers.
It’s all fine and good to say he’s ‘not NHL quality depth’ but he has been an NHL regular for years.
He’s been added to the depth group that includes Lavoie, Pederson and (likely Gagner soon). He’s pushing Malone and Hamblin further from NHL games.
It’s a good thing IMO.
I’d prefer Malone or Hamblin until Erne can show that he won’t get shredded nightly.
Oilers sign Erne.
1 year two way deal $775K
He’s the new Devin Shore!
“Adam, are you happy with playing 7 mins / night? Healthy scratch 2/3rd of the time?”
“I’ll do anything for an NHL paycheque”
“Good, you’re our placeholder until one of the Quebec kids grabs your spot”
I wonder is Neimaleinan gets claimed.
I’d MUCH rather have Devon Shore- its not even close.
Devin could at least skate though….from time to time.
Niemo is on waivers so who joins the roster?
I’m going to guess we see an Adam Erne signing as I think they want Pederson centering Bourgault and I don’t think Lavoie is an option for Holland and Woody at this point.
It looks like Enre is the man as expected. Obviously Holland likes the player and his style dating back to the Motown days.
I’d almost prefer if Niemo wasn’t healthy enough to waive and assign and they were forced to use the emergency recall rules.
The organization likely sees Erne as this “trusted vet” that “plays the right way” and is a “good pro” when, really, all he does is throw hits that take him out of the play and get caved when on the ice.
I hope I’m wrong on Erne but that’s what the numbers from Detroit show and, while that could be different on a better team, the exhibition season was more of the same.
Your probably right I just haven’t seen enough of the player and the only reason I remember him is the Sesame Street reference instantly comes to mind when his name is mentioned.
Am I watching a different player? Absolutely nothing I’ve seen our of Erne has shown me he deserves an NHL contract.
We let Shore go to sign the next Shore!
I’d MUCH rather have Devon Shore.
Holloway mentions that it was indeed the wrist he had broken previously where he blocked that shot and, initially, with all the pain, he was worried that he had messed it up again.
X-Ray shows no break and he’s good to do.
Full parings from practice:
Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Ceci
Kulak-Broberg
Niemelainen-Desharnais
——————–
I hope they dress six as I want Broberg to take that regular shift with Kulak.
With that said, they only have 11 forwards unless the can waive Niemo and call up a forward (they can do that tomorrow).
If Ekholm play and noone additional is hurt, they can’t use the emergency call-up rules.
I’m wondering if Broberg was paired with Ekholm for the season, would we be better in the long run? I see Broberg having a lot more defensive upside than Bouchard, and playing with Ekholm could fast track his emergence into a difference maker. Bouchard’s difference making skills I fear will be designated to the powerplay. Jay Bouwmeester vs Tyson Barrie.
Getting closer to Nurse Broberg. It took one game…er…period for Bouchard to fail the Nurse pairing test. Nurse Ceci can keep their heads above water, except against elite teams, and elite players. It may keep the boat afloat, but we know it would sink in the playoffs.
Broberg may fail there. I’m hopeful that he would not. But playing him there would clarify what needs to be done. Broberg succeeds. Whoopee. Problem solved.. Broberg fails. A trade by the deadline for a right D is necessary.
The obvious way to proceed is to find out if Broberg can do it. It is illogical, counterproductive, and pigheaded to delay the trying the obvious thing.
Ekholm and Bouchard together in drills at today’s practice (per Gregor).
I think that’s likely a good sign Ekholm will play tomorrow and maybe a sign that the Nurse/Bouchard paring, well, may not get another chance right away.
Ekholm – Bouchard were a dominant pairing over 20 regular season games, and a handful of playoff game. Prior to that Bouchard was mistake-prone defensively. Godot wanted him gone. Maybe still does.
I couldn’t believe the press this summer anointing Evan Bouchard as a top-pair defenseman. The Athletic rated him the Oilers best overall D. Apparently he was ready to pair with Nurse in a hard-minutes role, and his next contract was in the $9M+ range. Okay.
He is not ready. He is not yet that player. Bouchard is a powerplay witch, but at 5v5 he needs to be sheltered.
The Oilers still need a tough-minutes D to partner with Nurse. For the time being that player is Cody Ceci.
Bouchard had a great xGF% so Dom thinks he’s a #1D.
That went South fast – we’re basically back to the same D pairings as last spring, with Broberg used on a third pairing, splitting time with Desharnais.
One thing I’d like to see is Ekholm-Bouchard playing more minutes than Nurse-Ceci because the latter is at best a 2nd defense pairing on another NHL contender. I don’t care how much Nurse is overpaid … this team is not winning anything with him getting first pairing minutes. He does not raise the level of his RHD partner – all tools, no toolbox; we’re at a point in his career where we should be able to confidently state that he is what he is, and to stop projecting him as something that he is not.
Maybe they can successfully run this:
Ekholm-Bouchard (22-24 minutes)
Nurse-Broberg (18-20 minutes)
Kulak-Ceci/Desharnais (16-20 minutes)
If Broberg is going to rot away on the the 3rd pairing, then they should just trade him already for an upgrade in net or at RHD. But before that I hope they give him a 10 game try out playing 2nd pairing minutes to see if he can handle it. Otherwise, he might end up being another team’s Valimaki.
If Ekholm can’t go tomorrow night, the team will be able to make an emergency recall and it very well could be Lane Pederson but, if not, he’s slated to be stapled to Xavier Bourgault (per Keith Gretzky from yesterday).
I’m going to presume that a guy like Matvey Petrov will take some time to acclimate to the pro game and will probably start down the lineup and maybe even in an out of the lineup.
I’d like to think that Grubbe can have a Noah Philp like progression but then I remember that Philp was 24 years old and Grubbe is 20 and I think he’s going to take some time as well.
Here is hoping that Lavoie starts off strong and isn’t “pouting” or “disengaged” or whatnot given his “bet on himself” hasn’t worked out to start the season.
Here is hoping that Ty Tulio can flick that switch early as, for me, I was a bit disappointed he didn’t stand out more in Penticton and though he was meh at main camp.
Bourgault is going to be on a 25 goal pace, he’s going to play both special teams, he’s going to play in all situations, he’s going to be a 60% goal share guy and he’s going to clear the “AHL vet” group of Malone, Hamblin, Pederson, Caggiula to get called up.
Do you think Bourgault is a better bet than Lavoie?
Depends on the bet. To have a long career in the NHL or to be a top 6 winger?
Bourgault is going to have a long career in the NHL given how smart and versatile he is, but Lavoie with his size and shot is perhaps a better bet to play on a top 6 scoring line, but also has more bust potential.
I’d pick Bourgault as considerably more likely for an NHL career and for a top 6 role than Lavoie.
Bourgault’s offense has been top notch all down the line and was disappointing last season largely because he set the bar so high.
Bourgault is not a current option. He might be later in the season but he’s right where he needs to be for the next few months.
I see Lavoie has the size & shot. But Bourgault has the better overall game and smarts. Having XB makes it easier to move RL.
The game tonight is free on AHL TV for just creating an account.
I’m not sure the exact price but I think a season’s pass (1-team’s games) is apx US$70 and, for me, its a fantastic deal. I find the stream generally quite stable and Ryan Holt does a great job.
Colorado signs Devon Toews to a 7 year extension.
Still waiting on terms.
$7.25 AAV
Incredible value for the first few years.
Money isn’t everything. Playing with Cale Makar makes hockey fun. And almost certainly a contender most years. A pretty good hometown discount for Colorado.
Some fun Toews facts:
Since joining the Avalanche in 21/22 Toews leads the NHL in plus/minus at +122.
With Toews in the lineup the Avalanche have a .735 win percentage.
I was going to post this as well.
You can be a millionaire in any city. Denver and the line mates there make it very attractive.
Working conditions matter.
So Toews at 7.25 million confirms that Nurse at 9.25 million is getting overpaid by at least 2 million. Nurse would be on Colorado’s 2nd pair behind Toews.
More likely he would be on the third pairing behind Byram.
He’s the goods.
OK, take it easy there HH with your hyperbolic “he’s the goods”. We’ve heard that before and watched your opinion be spectacularly wrong. If Byram can stay healthy at the NHL (which is a big “if”), he may one day become “the goods.”
But it is not unfair to state that right now Devon Toews is a better LHD than Darnell Nurse, and that the Avs have gotten much better value from him both in asset acquisition cost and cap hit, then they’ve received from Nurse.
A healthy Byram is better than Nurse right now.
yeah but surely not better than Rafferty right ?
I wonder how Nurse would do it he played less than 28% of his TOI vs. elites like Byram did last season.
Exactly, Byrum is heavily sheltered by comparison to the minutes that Nurse plays, which leaves him overly exposed. The better comparison is Nurse to Toews.
There is no comparison.
And he’s not “heavily sheltered.
In the playoffs his TOI/G was 21:55 3rd on the team and lees than 2 minutes behind Toews.
Only one game but in the season opener, Byram was again third in TOI.
20:29.
Not sheltered…at all.
Shouldn’t this have been the case for Nurse too?
Some fun Ekholm facts:
Since joining the Oilersin 22/23 Ekholm leads the NHL in plus/minus at even strength +21.
With Ekholm in the lineup the Oilers have a .875 points percentage.
People are the job.
Hall – Nuge – Eberle & Schulz
The fall 2012 farm team during the CBA lockout had NHL All-star talent. They were wicked as a group in the AHL. Add Yakupov to the mix and it was easy to be HOPEful as a fan.
Crazy that the current team is delivering on that hope, but Nuge is the only player who remained.
If you enjoy absurdity, this is a fantastic time to be alive.
There is a groundswell atm to revisit the playoff format for MLB because the Top 5 teams in the regular season are all bounced now including the 3 squads with 100+ wins. Upsets used to be a great thing but not anymore!
I’m one of those old school curmudgeons who believes there’s a sizeable gap between what we’re ‘owed’ and what we ‘earn,’ and we close that gap through hard work, persistence and a little luck. An increasingly outdated perspective it would appear.
My prediction. Within the next 25 years, we will see new trophies awarded for regular season champions in addition to the playoff victors.
The greatest thing about sports is it rewards the dedication required to be the absolute best. Unfortunately crowning one winner implies everyone else is a loser and that’s just not inclusive enough. To many I know, the idea of regular season trophies sounds like hyperbole but there is MUCH about today’s world that would have seemed absolutely preposterous 25 years ago. This is the way the wind is blowing.
You should lay off the socials. It has brought you to a point where you’re waging a thinly veiled war against inclusivity and old-time values on a hockey blog.
This is one of my favourite absurdities. Someone encounters an opinion they don’t agree with and rather than consider an alternate viewpoint, they wish for the person to stop so they can maintain the integrity of their echo chamber.
This is a macro trend in sports that will likely impact hockey one day. I think it’s worthy of commentary. If you don’t agree, you’re welcome to go elsewhere on the board to interact.
No. Our host specifically asked to keep political talk out of here, and nary a day later you’re espousing old timey values and how ‘MUCH’ different the world is today, inclusivity and the way the wind is blowing. Give it a rest.
Postulating that sports will one day award regular season trophies is ‘political’ talk?
Triggered much?
I’m not stupid. You’re not stupid. We both know what you’re implying. I’m asking you to refrain and do that stuff elsewhere.
I always find it funny that it’s usually the folks that are MOST against change, MOST likely to use terms like “woke”, “sjw”, “triggered much”, “performative outrage”, etc…who are usually the first to accuse anyone that disagrees with them of living in an echo chamber. Like clockwork. It’s almost like they enjoy hearing the same ideas over and over and get upset when someone challenges their view. Or say, a view that doesn’t echo their own. Someone smarter than I am probably coined some sort of term for that. But what do I know, I just came here for the hockey, and the hope that I wouldn’t get a ban from our gracious host, and to attempt to ignore the static from the ancient, overhead fluorescent lights that badly need to be updated to something more relevant and fitting in a modern world.
This.
Is this a vote in favour of regular season trophies?
The guy made a legit point about the absurdity of the baseball playoffs. (Billy Beane, the original progressive stats man, understood that 20+ years ago.) I don’t see any need to read politics into his point, let alone to tell him he should stay away from online discourse.
No worries. I turned the channel after the phrase ‘old timey’ appeared. It’s the same old ‘Ok Boomer’ condescension. Older people shouldn’t celebrate anything in the past, values, etc. Everything current is progress. Everyone who disagrees is a relic. Rinse and repeat. The irony of ageism is we all get fed it eventually.
I should emphasize that MLB players are clearly the most entitled athletes of the 4 major sports. They literally have a champagne celebration after every milestone. Win the division. Celebrate. Make the playoffs. Celebrate. Win the WC round. Celebrate. Etc. Etc.
Maybe the best teams lost because they were just too hungover by the time the meaningful games arrived?
Rest = Rust
A likely explanation for sure. The most notable thing about the upsets is the series have not even been going the distance. The giant slayers are getting it done fast.
Love that the Phillies with their Canadian Manager are back in the NLCS.
People don’t like that this is the 2nd year this has happened in the MLB. Teams with a bye haven’t been successful. They play 162 games in a season in a routine, then suddenly are off for 5 days. Not saying I’m for or against it but in the small sample size it’s noticeable.
From an NHL perspective, it’s the same as saying a team that had a sweep while the other team had to play 7 games is advantaged on either side of the time off depending on who wins. Sweep team wins they were rested, 7 game team wins they were in a routine.
I think it’ll normalize but since it’s a new change with early outliers people have strong opinions.
I don’t think it’ll turn into ribbons for everyone.
And as always, bring back the 1-8 format dammit!
One of my favourite things about baseball is this sudden mental transition from winning the marathon to winning a sprint. Despite the fact that they’re conditioned to win a short series by playing them constantly in the regular season, some players definitely seem to struggle with gripping the twig a little tighter when the games carry the added weight of elimination.
It’s a conundrum for sure because the added WC slots make the pennant races more exciting but the layoffs are killing the division winners.
If memory serves, LT actually likes the concept of more formal recognition for the pennant winners as well.
There are no losers in MLB, NFL, NBA or NHL, just millionaires. My guess in Whit and Brandon had a quiet beer in the stall while Gladdy and Springer went to sell more crustables.
It’s undoubtedly good work if you can get it. Being a major leaguer is probably the best lifestyle of the 4 biggies. Great pay and less wear and tear.
A shoutout to those posters who are actually able to engage and dialogue on a topic without the need to polarize. Well played sirs.
Success over 162 games is much more statistically significant than success over a series of 7 games or less.
While this is a pretty obvious statement, it is more relevant in baseball since baseball has more randomness on a game to game basis.
Agreed and I wonder how that factors into things like the Berrios decision? Over a large sample, that decision is likely better rationalized but does it pass muster in a single elimination game when the starter is clearly pitching well?
“ trophies awarded for regular season champions” already exist. And they should be celebrated.
They often exist but in many cases, the players won’t even touch or acknowledge them however, never mind celebrate them. The hearty embracing of these trophies as separate accomplishments could become the prevailing trend down the road. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
They were celebrated a lot more when pennants were given out after the regular season.
A note regarding the Condors roster, my personal dark horse/Mavety is Ethan deJong. A recent Condors press release had him heading Fort Wayne, but a perusal of the Condors roster this morning shows him as part of the team on opening night. I wonder if he dresses over LT fave Dino Kambeitz or someone else…
Also of note, Ryan Fanti is currently not listed on either roster.
I’m also a deJong fan based on the verbal for his time at Qunnipiac and limited viewings over the summer. I suspect Fanti being injured may be why he’s not listed but am very much looking forward to watching Brett Brochu’s progress in the Komets’ goal.
I think Fanti is out for months with an injury.
I think that autograph session yesterday may turn out to be a game changer for this Oiler team. The Oilers laid a giant turd for game one and now have to sit in it for 3 days. I’m sure a few cheeky fans dropped a line or two about the loss during autograph sessions lol.
My adult league team usually bounces back from 8-1 losses with 6-1 or 5-1 losses. We call it progress. 🙂
Prospectomongo!
The full octet of NA amateur prospects will battle this eve. Some will oppose each other as the Vermonters shall engage Mazura’s St. Lawrence squadron.
Can Day follow up one good performance with another? We wait.
Can Stonehouse finally get off the schneid? See above.
Vermont (Münzenberger, Määttä) @ 5 p.m.
St. Lawrence (Mazura) @ 5 p.m.
Boston University (Lachance) @ 5 p.m.
Merrimack (Copponi) @ 5 p.m.
Flint (Day) @ 5 p.m.
Ottawa (Stonehouse) @ 5 p.m.
Barrie (Akey) @ 5 p.m.
All times, at all times, are Boyne Lake time.
Liam Reddox was a good AHL player. I remember him getting a recall (MacT HC maybe?), and he looked decent. Then poof, he was gone.
Went on to become a legend for Växjö in the SHL, played there for eight seasons, served as captain the last four. Won two championships, the second one as captain.
I suppose it’s not Bakersfield but my all-time fav AHL players:
Hartikainen-Arcobello-Rajala
Peckham-Davidson
Deslauriers
Honourable mention Musil, born a generation too late, he’d be in the Hall if he was a 70’s player.
Given his career in the KHL, I think we could say that Hartikainen had a successful hockey career right?
I’d go so far as saying he would have been a productive NHL player for many years.
These were my favourite players I followed who played for the Oilers AHL affiliate.
This was not intended to say the quality of their careers was poor. I enjoyed their page in the Oiler history books, nothing more to read into.
Oh, I get that, I just think people assume no NHL=failed career. I agree with LT that Harti just wasn’t in the right place in the right time. Lots of talent, good hockey body.
Hartikainen played with other famous former Oilers Omark and MAP last season 🙂