The Edmonton Oilers will play a “Condors” level roster tonight according to the advance verbal from the team. Devon Levi gets the start, against the Canucks NHL lineup according to reports. Please read this.
It should be a good test for all involved. Meanwhile, we have some cuts:
THE DISTANT BELLS (31)
Owen Michaels, Viljami Marjala, William Nicholl, Connor Clattenburg, Eduards Tralmaks, Matt Savoie (ir), Mattias Janmark (ir), Aku Raty, James Stefan, Brady Stonehouse, Alec Regula, Damien Carfagna, Beau Akey, Riley Stillman, Atro Leppänen, Tomas Cibulka, Frederik Andersen (ir), Matt Tompkins, Samuel Jonsson, Connor Ungar, Nathan Day, Eemil Vinni, Rudolfs Berzkalns, Seth Griffith, Caden Harvey, David Lewandowski, Rhett Pitlick, Simon Tassy, Zach Bookman, Andrew Robinson, Samuel Sjölund.
No surprises here, Akey is not a player the organization sees as being NHL quality. Which is a shame, since he has terrific speed and just posted an impressive rookie season in Bakersfield, Check out the even-strength goal share:
Damien Carfagna and Beau Akey posted the strongest outscoring seasons a year ago in Bakersfield. Atro Lepanen’s campaign improved when he was assigned to Akey. I think he might have an NHL future, but don’t believe it will be in Edmonton. I can’t blame the team for viewing Asher Barnett as the template for future procurement, but you need a variety of player types. My guess is the team doesn’t see a player Akey’s size making it in the NHL as a defenseman. They might be right. Suspect another team comes calling at some point in the next couple of seasons.
From the ‘distant bells’ group, I think Viljami Marjala, Eduards Tralmaks, Damien Carfagna, Atro Leppänen and Connor Ungar have impressed. The nature of an NHL season suggests some of those names will make their NHL debut in 2026-27.
UNCERTAIN OILERS (6)
Ike Howard, Josh Samanski, Alex Formenton, Quinn Hutson, Max Jones, Spencer Stastney, Josh Brown
Alex Formenton can be added to the ‘certain’ group but I’m still going to hold off on adding Ike Howard. Your mileage may vary. I did move Samanski down from the certain list.
CERTAIN OILERS (20)
Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Jason Dickinson, Zach Hyman, Vasily Podkolzin, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Kasperi Kapanen, Mathieu Joseph, Trent Frederic, Colton Dach, Alex Formenton, Mattias Ekholm, Evan Bouchard, Ryan Shea, Connor Murphy, Jake Walman, Ty Emberson, Shakir Mukhamadullin, Tristan Jarry, Devon Levi
We should see a large group sent to Bakersfield later tonight or tomorrow. We’ll have a much better view of things by then.
On the Lowdown today, our feature guest will be Bagged Milk from Daily Faceoff Edmonton. We’ll chat about the recent happenings and what the opening night lineup might look like. Noon to 2pm, Sports 1440 and You Tube.
It’s awesome to see Levi and Jarry having a healthy competition going. I’m hoping they go to the next level and have us stealing games. Everyone outside Edmonton thinks are goalies are weak.
Jack Campbell had a .968% in 3 games in the 2023/24 exhibition season……
Lets not get too far ahead of ourselves.
Jarry looked very sharp tonight!
True enough.
I’m going to be keeping an active eye on Cibulka in the AHL.
He’s only 22 (until April), has played 2 full years of pro in Czechia and do “grow up” playing junior in the Q.
He was the best d-man on the ice tonight, both sides.
He MAY not be far away.
Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself, and we need to see him at the AHL level first, but hell of a game and camp.
We are overdue on a longshot especially a D-Man.
Biggest takeaway – Canucks are not going to win many games
As long as they don’t fluke off one on against us.
Who is going to score goals there?
They are in tough Boeser-DeBrusk-Pettersson-Rossi should all get 20 nobody will score more than 33 goals.
Until they shallack us 8-2 in the season opener?
I kiiiiiiiid…I hope. Lol
Very very good performance by the boys tonight but let’s not think that any of the Canucks players were giving anything near full effort. We know this, right?
Manny can’t be happy. I think Pettersson needs to be traded his laid back attitude is getting stale. Once he’s traded I will bet dollars for doughnuts he gets 40 goals on his new team.
I’ll take that bet all day.
He’ll be out of the league in a couple of years.
Seems well suited for Swiss hockey.
Clattenburg racked up 5 hits but sadly no point.
He had a good game. Was able to agitate and get Oleksiak and some others to focus on him. A couple bit hits, etc.
Also a couple over mistakes – the bad neutral zone battle he lots and got on the wrong side of the puck for a rush against, another time they were in transition and he had his back to the play and the pass hit him in the back of the skates in the neutral zone.
Hopefully he stays out of the box enough in Bako to work on these thing – Chaulk and team can help him get there if he lets them.
Really solid effort for almost the whole roster.
Stastney-Emberson not so much.
Highlights from the Flames and Kraken are hilarious.
Heaven forbid you hit somebody these days…
Babcock had real intensity that the team matched. That was the most satisfying preseason game I’ve seen from Edmonton since forever.
The abuse is just horrifying.
He’s still practising being an NHL coach again, long road ahead. Saw him talking it up on the bench, saw him argue over a face-off location (and he won!), saw some back patting … overall, tonight was his best yet.
I find it pretty funny that we beat Vancouver in a game where they had pretty close to their full NHL line-up and we had
McDavid Draisaitl Hyman Bouchard RNH Walman Shea Podkolzin Murphy DickinsonEmberson take the ceremonial face-off.I was saying all day long that, truth be told, these games are generally fairly tight as the one team has a bunch of tweeners/AHL player/Junior players looking to make on last impression on the NHL head coach and the other a bunch of vets going through the motions.
I change my mind you gotta go with Jarry game 1 after him looking like midseason Chris Osgood.
Nice outing for the young guns, solid work by Jarry backstopping them to victory, great to see!
Howard/Samanski get the first shift with the net empty defending the lead and Clattenburg/Michaels finish it off…
Hard work by Howard on the defensive boards and breakout draws a high sticking PP.
Solid save by Jarry on an Emberson giveaway!
Good job by Clatt – this is agitating and getting the opposition off their game.
This is not running around hunting for fights and hits!
He plays smarter at the NHL level. Babcock going to tell him what to work on and if he listens to him he’ll be back later this season. I have the Panther game circled in Florida.
I’ve been saying that all off-season long.
Here is hoping he works on those things. No doubt he was also instructed last season and did not head the advice.
I think he got caught up in the moment after he went back to Bakersfield. I think we see a different player when he goes down. Like I mentioned earlier Babcock already likes him he’ll give clear instructions what he needs to do in Bakersfield. What an awesome outcome to see a hard working game.
I nailed it. Bab gives Clattenburg a tip of the cap and some crystal clear instructions. Booyah!
Oh, no doubt – I mean, the fans chant his name down there. Tough to put aside much that brings that on to work on defensive zone board battles and neutral zone puck touches but its the job if he wants the big leagues.
He was good tonight – he needs to play like this most nights in the AHL – he can have “one of those nights” here and there but not nightly.
Great stick by Cibulka to thwart a chance.
This dude is showing very very well.
Excited to watch him in Bako this year.
Can he be “another Carfagna”?
He’s only 22 (and all season long).
Bad neutral zone trip by Hutson.
The Blues could conceivably be putting Jack Finley on waivers.
6 foot 6 230 lb right shot centre good on the draw. Former Lightning high draft pick. Mason MacTavish eased some of the big centre size wise concerns.
Zach Dean has had a better camp. Both have to clear waivers. Dillon Dube likely also needs a spot.
Pius Suter likely has the 4C job.
Nathan Walker and Oscar Sundqvist also likely to be waived. Sundqvist would probably retire if claimed.
Blues have excess bottom six forwards to trade.
Dubs will make with his speed and peace of mind.
And who cares exactly?…
Nobody.
Just you and other Blues fans.
🆗 🧐 🤨 🙄
The Oilers have a need for a right shot centre who can win faceoffs. He is no more than a fourth liner.
With Babcock’s focus on relentless puck pursuit I don’t think we will be outworked very often this season. Night and day compared to last season (qualifier: so far)
I could watch this lunch pale team all season. The boys are working hard with lots of chatter on the bench. If we don’t see a more calls going our way because of Babcock presence I’ll eat my shoe.
Time and again Samanski has just been very calm getting control of the puck in his zone, settling it and either making a smart pass or finding a lane to skate out of danger. Very good hockey sense.
I’ve mentioned in before (including tonight) – he’s very good at taking a beat in the defensive zone and waiting for a lane to open up to transition – really impressive patience given his experience at this level.
Yes that’s what Babcock has to be liking.
Goddamn Howard is having a helluva game. Great board battle win leading to his glorious chance. Babcock says he needs to figure out how to get the puck, looks like he’s starting to figure that out.
Again – he’s won a few board battles to set up chances tonight.
Hutson has to be given a real opportunity at some point. What say you?
I think Marjala has outplayed Hutson this exhibition season.
Hutson had the nice PPG and Johnny on the spot tonight but he’s made a number of mistakes from his red line in, including a couple tonight.
Jarry has looked like a completely different goalie this preseason in comparison to last season.
It’s not easy for a goaltender to come in midseason and make a real difference. Roli is the only one I can think that went on a heater. Ryan Miller was alright after he was traded from Buffalo to I believe St.Louis. I can’t think of any other goalie to make an impact.
Jordan Binnington?
I think Reja was referring to midseason acquisition like Jarry, St Louis already had Binnington in the organization. Point taken though.
He was already with the organization. I’m talking a midseason trade of a goalie. I’m drawing a complete blank Bruce would instantly remember.
Jarry actually looked quite good in the 2.5 games he played before getting injured when he arrived. After the injury… it was ugly. New year, new potential.
I think he was not in the greatest of health as the Oilers were in a pickle with being unsure of Ingram-Pickard. The masses were screaming for Jarry return he just couldn’t move side to side which is his bread and butter.
Canucks get one back on the PP – Stilman and Emberson each about 6 feet above Karlsson alone in front who has time to grab a rebound and make a move.
Jarry is like hello, hello. Where’s my team lol
Howard has been excellent. He was all over that shift leading to the Hutson goal.
Howard with a steal at the denfeisve blue, transitions back and zone entires.
Then with a keep in on the boards and 20 seconds of pressure ensues.
Howard gets the puck in neutral zone, to Marjala for a rush and Hutson bangs home a loose puck in the slot off a Marjala rush (not long after the shit referenced above).
This Marjala kid is having quite a camp/preseason.
He may be putting himself right at the top of the forward call-up list.
Being a center doesn’t hurt him.
Stan’s gotta be enjoying the game. Some of his acquisitions are making him look like a genius.
Sounds like Leppanen is out for the game.
Hopefully its not serious and it doesn’t crater his start to the AHL season…..
That’s really too bad. He’s been sneaky effective.
Stauffer said he may have toe-picked and tweaked something. Will look again later.
Thanks.
Could be minor (or he could have effeed a knee or ankle).
What about Nicholl?
I caught just over half of that first period, and it definitely moved. A lot.
Clattenburg getting 30 seconds on the PK has to be a big boost. It won’t take long for Babcock and D.J to love this player.
I wonder if we’ll see him on the PK in Bako – I never thought of it until I saw him out there tonight.
The hit was great – that is a hit that will have d-men rushing their exits.
The lost battle in the neutral zone and ending up on the wrong side of the puck for the rush against – that is something the coaching staff will mention to him on his way to Cali.
With the exception of Nicholl, the ice time is being spread around pretty evenly.
Carfagna is so smart at hockey.
He does many things very well and his smarts with the puck in transition were very good, at least at the AHL level – tougher at speed of the NHL, of course.
Babcock been more vocal on the bench in one preseason game than K.K in two years including the playoffs.
It’s very noticeable. It’s so different seeing the Babcock scowl behind the bench. KK looked he was thinking about his Pinterest page.
I think this is the regular season we win the division easily. We are going to score so many goals on turnovers that this will be the most relaxing regular season to watch since the mid eighties.
Hoping. I was reading an opinion earlier today that said with all the attention on Babcock it’ll deflect the hockey media away from the the players. They’ll be looser and will be able to just play their game. Never really had considered that aspect prior to today.
NGL, and I liked alot of things about KK but some of his interviews and pressers were cringey, he was just so vanilla, monotone and seemed like he was constantly overly concerned with the optics of saying anything even remotely controversial.
Issac Howard, best player on the ice, both side.
Now everyone can calm down.
True
He needs one more preferably on the PP a one-timer.
I’d prefer at 5 on 5.
PP1: Howard, Hutson, Marjala, Tralmaks, Carfagna
Just tuned in, what happened to Leppanen?
I didn’t see anything specific.
Howard digs in, wins an offensive zone board battle and gets the puck to the middle for a Hutson shot (pass on edge though).
There is a play Clatt needs to get better at – easily out-battled on the wall in the neutral zone a near odd-man rush the other way.
Nice to see the big hit by Clatty on Hronek.
He isn’t playing scared with several big boys in the Canucks lineup.
It was a beauty – the type of hit the will have the d-man moving the puck quicker as the game goes on.
I noticed Michaels with the 4th line earlier and now Samanski up with the top line – a bit of a line adjustment it seems.
Good sign for the Samanski fans, of which I am one.
Samanski is very solid out there – makes good and patient plays with the puck from his red line back with regularity. He’s good at taking a beat with the puck and waiting for a lane to make a pass.
Good hockey IQ, I have noticed him cheating for defense. I have time for that, the offence will come.
Riley Stilman with the puck on his stick and tons of time and space and a terrible PK clear – gosh he’s been as bad as Brown this camp.
Clattenburg with some PK time – wonder if he’ll be part of the kill in Bako?
This is the Howard we are looking for. Canucks have quite a few of their NHL guys in the lineup and he’s picking off pucks like ringing a bell.
Nice play for his second dangerous shot on net.
Jarry with a solid save on a shot from Boeser and also is able to take a loose puck and get a PK clear.
Stastney loses Cotter position and Cotter take a pass and easily beats him wide – Stastney gives the Oilers PK a chance.
Emberson blew a shoe on that so there was no support.
I didn’t see that – thanks.
Are you saying he welcomed Cotter back?
… I’ll show myself out.
OOOOOHHHHH! OOOOOOHHHHH! OOOOOOHHHHH!… best comment of the night.
Hi there. (Freddy Boom-Boom Washington)
Yikes, Quinn Hutson with a turnover below his own blueline against the Canuck top line.
Babcock hates him NOW! 🙂
He showed good patience and smarts taking it to space.
Execution was botched though, that’s for sure.
Agree – execution is important, especially below your goal line….
Big hit by Clatt on Hronek – that was a good one.
Issac Howard’s NHL career saved in the minds of half the fanbase.
Howard pounces on a turnover and rips home the 1-0 from the high slot.
Nice goal by Howard.
Not sure which d-man stepped up at the point that helped keep it in – probably no assist but part of the goal.
Cibulka – and he got an assist.
Cibulka according to the broadcast.
They couldn’t play Brown this game?
He’s done – played the two games he’s permitted as a vet.
Tralmaks with a big hit early (I think it was him – 46)
Sorry, wasn’t Tralmaks, he’s 36 and just made a terrible neutral zone turnover.
Max Jones, I think.
agh, yes, right – forgot he was 46.
Thank you.