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As this excerpt from On The Clock confirms, Geoff Smith was the final Oilers draft pick to win a Stanley Cup with the Oilers. Drafted in 1987, one year plus a little in college (North Dakota) and then a full season for the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL.
If the current Oilers roster wins Stanley in 2025, all of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Darnell Nurse, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Evan Bouchard, Stuart Skinner and Noah Philp can be counters as homegrown (draft and amateur free-agent signings out of college/junior/etc). Stretch it a little and Drake Caggiula also makes the list.
Is there anyone currently playing in Bakersfield right now with a chance to get their name on the Stanley Cup should the Oilers win in 2025?
We’ve talked about Matthew Savoie at length and it’s possible he sees some action this season in Edmonton. Dylan Holloway got into a playoff game (Evander Kane suspension) in his rookie pro season, so perhaps an opportunity makes itself available for Savoie in a similar fashion.
James Hamblin is on a tear, and he can play center plus penalty kill. He’s also familiar with the NHL, having played in 41 games for the Oilers over the last couple of seasons.
Noah Philp is back on the farm until the NHL returns, and had a goal and seven shots on net in his first February game with the Condors. His NHL opportunity for this season may close with a deadline deal for a NO. 4 center, but credit to him for getting all the way back so quickly. An impressive story.
Derek Ryan has played in three games (1-1-2) since arriving in Bakersfield, and it’s possible he sees the NHL again. If not, he can help the organization in the minors, mentoring the youth of tomorrow on how to play an intelligent two-way game. Wicked smart he.
Olivier Rodrigue has slipped to No. 14 in AHL save percentage (.908) and I’m not sure he was an option for recall. It would be nice to see how he shines in a big-league game.
Josh Brown has seen some NHL action this season and he could get another call. Connor Carrick, Cam Dineen and Phil Kemp have also played well enough for a look-see to my eye.
Finally, it’s possible Stan Bowman signs someone like Mac Gadowsky or Marc Lajoie this spring, and that player could conceivably see a quick recall for NHL immersion. Maybe Lajoie turns into Randy Gregg 2.0, you never know.
CAN vs SWE was a great game. As Lt Eric stated, skill on skill.
This game? Woof. Another classic NHL disaster.
I look forward to the Olympics, international rules allows for more skill. Hopefully they pick a better team and coach.
This tourny…. Wilson > Hagel, Sheiflelelele >Cirelli, Thompson > Binnington.
Apart from McDavid’s magic, in my opinion, this game was typical NHL and a statement of world politics. Hot garbage.
I love the fact Draisaitl isn’t there. He’s carried this team a few times in his career but mercy, after his new deal? He’s crushing it.
Remember, he’s the one staying late at practice, giving the Bison King one timers. He’s the one giving up a hatrick to let his snake bitten line mate score an empty net goal.
McDavid seems burnt out on NHL’s bs. Drai doesn’t seem to care, keeps scoring and hacking away.
It’s odd, looking to unlock McDavid after all these years, and yet the Raider continues to produce with scraps.
Savoie part of board battle and cycle, finds some soft space in the very high slot, above the top of the circles and rips the one-timer over Askarov’s shoulder to tie the game at 3 half way through the third.
Condors give up a PP goal but strike back.
Some great board work down low by Caggiula, Savoie and Hamblin – its fed by to Brown by Caggiula who makes the nicest play of his season with a solid cross-ice pass to Kemp who one-times one in from the top of the circles.
2-2
Unpopular opinion Incoming.
I can’t believe how slow Marchand – Stone – Reinhardt look, they’re just way behind the play continually.
I still think it was egregious to leave Scheifele – Suzuki – Hyman and Thompson off this team, one could make a real good argument that Tom Wilson belongs on this team.
hopefully they regroup and looks likes Tkachuk might have a groaning pull.
I would have taken Logan Thompson over any of our three goalies.
I said so at the time. All the Team Canada brass had to do was to look at GSAA over the past 3.5 years.
Thompson as the #1 guy.
Binnington if Thompson falters.
Fleury as a great team guy. (If you’re on your #3 goalie, you know you’re not winning this tournament anyways.)
I like their chances with Makar back in the lineup.
Some of the roster choices (Binnington, Toews, Cirelli) are killing them but hopefully they can overcome.
Still hoping to see McDavid and MacKinnon on the same line. Hoping Cooper is saving that cheat code for the final
Can’t overlook the Finns.
I thought Toews jumped into the play pretty well against Sweden, he just doesn’t have elite finishing touch.
It’s a bit like picking Brent Seabrook for Team Canada ten years ago. Is he actually good, or does he just look really good playing with Duncan Keith?
I actually thought Sanheim and Harley acquitted themselves pretty well….but Harley was probably the guy who changed at the same time as Doughty on the Larkin goal.
Well, I didn’t expect us to win, missing three of our best defensemen.
And we could have won.
Full credit to the US for an incredibly tight-checked game.
But the difference in goaltending was clear.
Good gord… this team just had their asses handed to them.
Not exactly accurate. One bad goal the difference. Americans playing solid defense but play very even between two loaded teams. Gotta win against Fins for another shot when it really counts.
It’s an overstatement, but the team just didn’t look prepared nor terribly reactive. Short tourney, so there’s no time to gel. But Cooper with some real headscratchers on deployment late in the game. The US just played a methodical, irritating game and Canada just didn’t seem to adjust. Maybe I’m just spoiled watching KK rejig the neutral zone lanes to adjust to the competition.
Its not simply an over-statement as its not close to an accurate representation of the game. A very even game and I would give the Canadians the better chances at evens. Not surprisingly, goaltending proved the difference.
A regulation win on Monday over Finland and they are in the finals!
A regulaton win for Sweden and Canada is not in the finals!
If they both win in regulation, I believe Canada is in due to the tiebreaker (they beat Sweden in their game)
Not if Canada wins in regulation.
Sam Bennett has been decent. Better than a lot of others. I stand corrected.
Stone Crosby Marner….ouch
Bennett was noticeable causing havoc in the offensive zone.
Crosby had a VERY tough game.
Stone’s molassesness was noticeable….
They clearly chose guys like Bennett and Hagel with the US in mind. Gotta say, I’m liking those choices more now than I did in December.
That dump in with no chase was egregious.
YES! I was yelling at my tv as he made that blunderous decision, seemingly unaware of the game state or his teammates’ position. Just terrible.
Savoie wins the draw clean on a 4-3, Griffith and Carick play catch at the point and Carrick blasts one in to tie the game at 1.
Not sure if they’ll give it to him but Savoie should get the secondary on the faceoff win.
I certainly don’t see Marchand as a good
Oiler fit at this point
USA has been getting away with a few hand passes lately. Odd that it hasn’t been called, and odd that they keep doing it.
How in the world did that deserve downvotes?
It’s those dang Tkachuk brothers
It’s going to take a broken play or a one man rush
Mcdavid vs USA
Captain Matthew’s is invisible in important games. Doesn’t want to take a hit? Work hard?
Crosby with a couple really bad turnovers tonight…..
Man are the Americans checking hard.
I worry this is like playing Florida in the Cup Finals. Just close the box against a more talented forward corps.
Summarizing!
Wakely had a pair of assists.
Määttä continued his hot stretch with his 8th goal of the season.
Berry and Copponi each had a helper.
Stonehouse was held off the scoresheet for 65 minutes but scored the only goal in the shootout for the Petes’ sake. He was named 2nd star.
Lachance, Münzenberger, and Fischer were denied the gift of soup.
Akey did not dress.
Prospecting takes a break until Moon Day.
Condors facing Askarov tonight – NHL goalie just down for the break.
Doughty has looked slow plenty of times tonight. Binnington can’t be trusted.
I’d try Hill in the 3rd instead of waiting until the must-win game against Finland.
You gotta show confidence in your guy. It’s not like he’s fighting the puck. He’s made some good saves.
If he falters, then start Hill in a winnable game against Finland.
Don’t imagine they are making a tending change for the 3rd.
I don’t disagree on Binnington but, at the same time, he was similarly bad in game 1 but did come up large late.
I didn’t think they would either, but this game is most likely meaningless and good opportunity to see Hill after giving Binnington enough of a shot
Entertaining game; intermission, and more specifically, PK Subban…unwatchable.
I’ll see your Subban and raise you a Hrudey
Commentators who are chosen for fame/personality often aren’t that great.
Kevin Bieksa had neither. But he (of all people) has really good hockey IQ. Obviously Ray Ferraro is in that same category.
Same thing with the CFL. Milt Stegall’s schtick got old pretty fast, and Matt Dunigan hasn’t said anything insightful since 1998; by contrast, the lesser-known Chris Schultz was brilliant.
And McD could use some wingers!
With Crosby and Stone to start 3rd
This team needs a vintage Smyth, Perry or Benn. No cycle below the hash marks/goal line.
Did MacKinnon get high sticked there? No call yet blood all over his face? And the U.S. scored as a result? Other than Binnington not being all that good, and a good shot by Larkin.
What a great reverse hit by McDavid. He WILL stand up for himself.
US forwards are Eichel plus all plugs. Point shots and rebounds/tips.
A ton of talent out there.
And a ton of massive hits.
But not a lot of space out there. With this much talent, I almost wonder if it would be a more exciting game on the larger international ice surface.
….and there’s our achilles heel. Binnington’s already given up three goals that an elite goalie would have stopped.
Ugh that was a very bad goal on Binnington
They have 2 goalies that have entire contracts inflated by Alex Peirtrangelo
Connor doing the hockey things we see on a regular basis. We are so lucky to get to watch this guy play on a nightly basis.
Iconic goal but I don’t expect anything less from Connor.
YEAAAHHHHHHH!!!! THAT’S OUR MAN!!!
McD🇨🇦!!
Nurse would have been good out there…
This is insane.
Scripted? This feels like marketing.
It’s a way to show Trump Canadians won’t back down.
I am fully confident neither the NHL or the networks directed, nor instructed, nor encouraged the fights.
Question: If Evander Kanes $5 million LTIR is available at the trade deadline how much can the Oilers spend? Mark Spector says Bowman will be able to acquire just over $5 million in AAV at the deadline. It’s pure AAV- not trimmed down by the fact three-quarters of the salary has been paid.
So if the $5 million is not pro-rated how much can the Oil spend? $15 million? That can’t be right
I am not a cap wizard, but my understanding is LTIR is not prorated. Whatever contract is signed with that portion has to fit the whole AAV. Cap space accrued throughout the season IS prorated, however. This actually came up in discussion here before, and it sounds like the two pools (LTIR vs regular cap space) can’t be used for the same transaction.
Once the Oilers re-call a forward, they will be back in LTIR and they will have just over $5MM of room which is what they will be able to add – in full AAV – you are right, when in LTIR, no pro-rating, they need to fit in the entire AAV.
Lets not forget through, adding a player likely removes one from the bottom of the roster so removes apx $1MM (apx).
Wanner remains out for the Condors – sigh.
Looking at that Canadian defense without Makar you can’t tell me Nurse shouldn’t be there on the third pair.
Harley is a great d man for sure but I think Nurse would be the ideal 3rd pairing guy on this team for this game. Big heavy American team- they need more size back there.
Lets go Canada!
Harley is 6”3” 213.
Cool story HH. Let’s not forget that giant frame has laid a whopping 23 hits in 53 games this season.
So yeh, big, heavy, 6”3 213 Harley.
This Canadian defense is pedestrian compared to what Canada actually has available for them to choose from. Never doubt that the Hockey Canada “brain trust”, too often defaults to “smartest men in room” type of thinking that puts a less than ideal Canadian team out there.
I think Bouchard would be the best fit.
Proven to be able to play at an elite (even historic) level when the games are the most intense and a clear impactful elite play driver.
McDavid and Drai are both under want in the last 10-15 games except when with Bouch.
Just did a quick calc to show how much skill is being showcased at the 4Nations.
Save Percentages:
Hellebuyck 0.952
Binnington 0.885
Ullmark 0.882
Lankinen 0.875
Gustaffson 0.813
Saros 0.813
Overall save percentage of all goalies: 0.862 !!!
They have only played 1 or 2 games each. Not really a telling stat
Teams also can generate offence without players having played much together. Defense is more difficult.
Most tournments where players have not played together you see more chaos, the offence is less scripted than defense. So it works. But the team defense improves over more reps; reps you don’t get in a tournment like you do with full training camps, hundreds of hours of practice and numerous games…
Carrick has been the Condors’ best d-man in my opinion but I’m sure there is no chance for any of them over Josh Brown.
The organization forgot Phil Kemp existed a while ago.
Who do you take out of the line-up for these “look-sees”?
Kapanen does not need to be a nightly player at this point.
I understand the PK but Brown and Janmark can also have a night off here and there.
Would be nice if Janmark and Brown scored a little more
I’ve got the game volume turned down and the Monty Python “Finland Song” looped in the background.
Finland Finland Finland, Finland is the place for me.
5 million people and they must all play hockey and hit the sauna.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/article-patience-finally-pays-off-for-mcdavid-as-4-nations-provides-the-stage/
It will be interesting to see which of Philp, Savoie or Hamblin get the call up next week to join the team.
I hope its Savoie.
I think it might be Hamblin.
Savoie. Bowman needs a evaluation before the deadline. Booook it……..
He (Hamblin) is pushing to get on their radar. Chaulk’s comments on him during his weekly call in w/Stauffer Monday night were interesting. Words to the effect that he doesn’t do any one thing well, but he gets the job done.
I do like that he can PK as the Oiler kill seems to have really fallen off again the last few weeks.
Hamblin has been great recently but I think we know what Hamblin can be at the NHL level which is essentially a guy that can play 7-8 energy type minutes on the 4th line and hopefully not get scored on.
If he is playing in playoff games, I don’t think its a good thing.
How about Drake? I think he might be on the coaches list.
Coach might want the veteran. Fans want to have a look at Savoie. GM probably wants to see if he needs at 3C or 4c at deadline
Like Hamblin, we know the ceiling of what Drake can bring and, if that is in the playoff lineup, well, that’s a clear problem, right?
I think Derek Ryan will be on the playoff roster from game 1 but he needs 8 more regular season game or to play in the SCF to get his name on the cup
There is a chance for Savoie and Philp to be on the roster but probably less than 50% – playing in the SCF?
We’ll see.
Geoff Smith: proud alumni of the mighty SSAC as well.
Elliotte Friedman
@FriedgeHNIC
Cale Makar is a game-time decision. Thomas Harley is here, but did not step on the ice while Makar skated — as per the current rules
Good thing they didn’t invite Bouch 🤔
This is the first year in forever where we have the luxury of not forcing the issue with Connor and Leon. We have a darn good supporting cast give other players opportunities instead of always pounding Leon and Connor. Start PP 2 every once in awhile, show a different hand, mix things up, start sharing the wealth. I also rotate Skinner and Pickard for 10 games and then give the net to who’s playing better. Savoie needs a audition give him minutes with Leon we may have lightning in a bottle.
I think Leon and McD should play together, they’re extremely dangerous. What we need is top threatening2nd line. Let’s see what happens before or on March 7
McDavid and Leon aren’t spring chickens anymore. I could give a shit about the presidents cursed trophy. I would give the other members of the team more responsibility heading into the playoffs. We need a fresh Connor and Leon if we’re getting past the Nucks-Knights-Av’s-Rangers
Really? the Rangers? They mioght not even make the playoffs. SUrely it will be one of FLoraida, TOronto, NJ, Washington in the Final… much more likely than the Rangers even making the playoffs tro start with.
1) We have seen alot of mixing/matching at 5 on 5 recently – even Connor Brown and the like with a couple chances in the top 6
2) Don’t see the PP2 starting happening ever, except for the odd time where PP1 is tired and they have a lead.
3) Knob is going to continue to coach in-game to win every game, I’m confident of that.
4) Don’t see any scenario where Pickard “gets the net”. Don’t see a 50/50 rotation but a continuation of the 2:1 start ratio.
5) I think there is a chance Savoie sees games – I think its less certain Knob plays him in the top 6 unless he grabs some points from the 3rd line and forces it.
We need our bottom half more involved roll 4 lines, try out different D-pairings. Do not gift Skinner minutes if Pickard is out playing him. What kind of message are you sending to the team I myself do not see Pickard taking the ball and running with it but my heavens he deserves some rope. Have you noticed the team seems to play a lot tighter with Skinner in the net. If you agree why’s that? Could it be because Pickard usually gets the 2nd game of a back to back or could it be that thr boys open it up more because Pickard is the backstopper?
Pickard is doing his job as the back-up who gets a start every 3 games.
His rope has been plenty, in my opinion.
No, I don’t think the team “plays differently” in front of either goalie – if that’s an opinion, I believe its based on a narrative.
Unless there is a surprising trade for a goalie, it is Stuart Skinner that will be backstopping this team in the playoffs – he is the better goalie, end stop.
I don’t see why they would bring Savoie up. He is a smaller forward with 1 game of NHL experience, and isn’t dominating the A. If he was scoring at a point per game or more, like Stankoven in his 21 YO AHL season, then I could see it. He has 12 goals in 43 games, so I doubt he would be any better than the incumbents offensively. He wouldn’t add what they need to the bottom 6 or roster mix
Only if injuries
Well, yes, he somewhat is dominating the AHL if we are talking about 2-way play, playing both special teams and, yes, for a long stretch now, he is PPG in the AHL.
He is a smaller forward (although he is not a light player) with game of NHL experience – there is only one way to ever get past that statement.
Oh, I encourage you to tune in to tonight’s Condors’ game and tomorrow night’s Condors’ game so you can formulate an opinion past his counting stands and bio.
There is every chance he could produce as a complimentary winger to Leon every bit as much, in fact more, than what Arvidsson and Podz have brought. Connor Brown has recently been in the top 6.
He has a skill-set that will mesh with skilled and smart offensive players that want and need the puck – Savoie doesn’t keep the the puck on his stick long. From my eye, stylistically, he’s a perfect winger for Drai.
Both of today’s 4 Nations games will have playoff intensity.
SWE vs FIN is a win or go home scenario and add in the natural Nordic rivalry, it should be a total street fight.
CAN/US will be Stanley Cup level intensity. Matt Tkachuk literally said in the post game winning interview that “We’ve been waiting 9 years for this!”. The amount of skill on both teams is breathtaking and any minor errors will lead to grade A chances. Add in the Trump tariffs and the booing will be “I am Canadian” loud and proud.
Sorry but no.
This is not Stanley cup intensity…not even close.
You dont get that intensity in a tournament that last a week. You get that intensity from 82 games pluse 4 brutal rounds of pounding playoff hockey. Players gavenized by fire together through a long harsh playoff run.
You DO NOT get that from players throwing on a jersey for a week regardless of national pride.
Prospectigen!
An undectet of NAmateurs populate the schedule, with only the Londoners getting the Knight off.
Last night saw Day allow a troika of goals, the first time in six games he’s allowed more than two. Still rocking a 3.02 GAA, he has shaved more than 0.7 GAA from last year.
Nothing is the Määttä with Joel as he scored twice last night and now has 3+2 in his last five GP. Will this surge be enough to get him signed by August 15th? We wait.
Fischer continues to gather apples with six in his last five GP.
Notre Dame (Fischer) @ 3 p.m.
Muskegon (Berry) @ 4 p.m.
Boston University (Lachance, Copponi) @ 5 p.m.
Vermont (Määttä, Münzenberger) @ 5 p.m.
Flint (Day, Clattenburg) @ 5 p.m.
Peterborough (Stonehouse) @ 5 p.m.
Barrie (Akey, Wakely) @ 5:30 p.m.
All times, at all times, are Myrnam time.
Mother Nature’s machinations have postponed Flint’s match to March 18.
I don’t know how any players in Bakersfield will get a look with the big club. Maybe Savoie, but it’s pretty crowded, plus healthy. If anyone does get a look it will be in the 7 games before the trade deadline