Training camp and preseason are an exciting time. This fall, we’ll see Connor McDavid sign an extension, two quality rookie wingers push for playing time with the elite skill centers, and the best Stuart Skinner has to bring in a walk year.
We’ll also see bedlam and chaos. It happens every year. One minute you’re praising offseason acquisition Ben Eager, the next minute you’re watching Kirill Tulupov end the left-wing depth chart in the Joey Moss game. Here’s what I wrote about Tulupov, Joey Moss post-game September 2011: Raised eyebrows on the Ben Eager belt, concerns on the Taylor Hall mauling. I’m not certain he owns the brains God gave him but fear and a sense of the moment don’t appear to be in the vocabulary.
That Joey Moss game 14 years ago gave us some good indicators about the future, both good and bad. Here’s a summary of what I wrote about several players after the Moss game in 2011.
Jeff Petry: Midnight without lights or high noon in the center of town, no one can tell me this guy is the 7th best defender in the group. A key player for the Edmonton Oilers, beginning this fall.
Gilbert Brule: You can see why a team would be attracted to his skill set, and this game works for him on a lot of levels. One of them is shooting, he’s a born shooter. I don’t know what his future holds, but if he plays that way during preseason the Oilers can find him a home.
Martin Marincin: I was very impressed with him. Look, he’s young and gangly, but that big stick of his is very effective and makes passes difficult for opposition forwards down low. I really like him a lot, moreso after today.
You can grab a lot about what the coach is thinking based on ice time during the preseason. Last fall, the leading Oilers player in terms of preseason five-on-five minutes was Travis Dermott (via Natural Stat Trick). It didn’t work out for the Oilers, or Dermott, but you can see what Kris Knoblauch was thinking.
Other fringe players who got a push last year in training camp? Noah Philp, Josh Brown, Ben Gleason and Drake Caggiula. All were headed for Bakersfield but would be recalled during the year.
In terms of pure prospects getting a shot last year, Sam O’Reilly had 47 minutes, Matt Savoie 44, Raphael Lavoie 41, William Nicholl 15.
The individual numbers for the phenoms in their first rookie camps is interesting. Taylor Hall (21:58 in two games, all numbers five-on-five), Jordan Eberle (38:43 in three) were on the low side compared to Leon Draisaitl (62:01 in five) and Connor McDavid (56:51 in four). Natural Stat Trick doesn’t have the TOI for Sam Gagner’s first preseason, but my guess is he played more than anyone.
Ike Howard will get plenty of playing time, Knoblauch has to be sure he can play NHL hockey or send him to Bakersfield. This isn’t a ‘he’ll be there all year’ trip, but the pressure will be on, Savoie is also looking for work, and we’ll see about getting both men into the lineup. For me, I do believe both make the team. My current lines are Mangiapane-McDavid-Hyman; Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Savoie; Howard-Nuge-Frederic and a fourth line of Janmark-Henrique-Kapanen. We’ll see. Moving Janmark allows Curtis Lazar or Noah Philp to draw in, and of course David Tomasek is a wild card.
Edmonton Oilers training camp is going to be some fun. There are wild stories brewing across the roster. Here’s one you might now know.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6571179/2025/08/24/edmonton-oilers-training-camp-atro-leppanen-nhl/
You, you, you Atro know. LT is here to remind us.
Tommy Fleetwood!!
Brooke Henderson!!
Oilers fans… sure are an engaged intelligent group.. but also a very fickle bunch. Although I recall the Ben Eager and Joey Moss game days, not quite as well as our host, just last year we (myself included) were praising the UFA signings and declaring “best forward group in the league”. A month later (maybe less) Holloway and Broberg are gone and the sky is falling. A year later and the shiny toys are gone and replaced with new ones, including two rookies and a player extended for 8 years. We don’t know what we don’t know, let’s see how this develops until firing players into the sun or claiming the next apostle. I do think your lines are very reasonable LT. Hope everyone is enjoying the last little bit of summer. September is truly awesome though, by far my favorite month. Cheers!
…to sing a worried song. The tune is nearly a hundred years old and a multitude of artists have recorded it.
I started on the drums about a hundred years ago…1963 actually. I was ten years old. The Beatles had something to do with it.
So at some point, I bought a Joe Morello book of basic rudiments. I was flummoxed by Take Five and 5/4 time. Today, I’m listening to Seven Days and one of the goats…Vinnie Colaiuta’s approach to that. What are you listening to?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG7_gceIFL4&list=RDpG7_gceIFL4&start_radio=1
Take Five is an incredible song. My favourite non-rock song of the 1960’s is Girl from Ipanema. wonderful era.
Having worked in a trendy downtown gourmet cafe back in the day, Getz/Gilberto was a staple, loved it. Going down the rabbit whole one time I read about how casual they were creating that masterpiece. Having Astrud sing instead of finding someone.
The level of musicianship and creativity from the pre-tech era really is astonishing. Not that there aren’t great musicians and artists now, and for my taste it carried on for some years after, just that there were so many then.
A favourite father music moment: I was waking the kids for school many years ago, when my 9-year-old daughter asks: Dad, can you put The Girl from Ipanema on for breakfast? You bet! Stan, João, and Astrud coming at you girl!
Now her nieces, my granddaughters, and her sister are singing Pink Pony Club to me over FaceTime. Music, as you say, LT. Music.
It’s a family affair.
thats so cool!…I was lucky enough to have back stage to sting in Vancouver (one of my brothers was warming up for him). and my other bro (also quite a great drummer) and I were standing next to the stage when Vinnie was playing seven days…an amazing thing was as we watched him and his incredible dexterity with all his limbs etc he had a smoke in his mouth the whole time and the ash never fell off…we were like seriously?…what a drummer! between him and Steve Jordan also Steve Gadd we have been very blessed!…thanks for the post!
I am always enthralled by the athleticism, audacity and sheer bombast of Carl Palmer. Great musicians who really know their instruments always get my vote!
My dream band would have had Carl Palmer on drums, Jaco Pastorius on Bass, Rick Wakeman on Keyboards and Joe Satriani on Guitar. Who KNOWS what they might have coked up??? Maybe add Peter Gabriel on lyrics…? Fun to dream!
That’s great! Vinnie-isms. There’s a story of him adjusting specs, smoking a butt, and eating sushi a piece at a time…all while playing something complex. The one time I saw Sting, Keith Carlock was on drums (no slouch himself)…touring with Steely Dan now.
My similar experience was watching Jeff Porcaro from just a few feet away. I learned everything from that dude. After all this time, I can finally manage the Rosanna shuffle. You know…in my basement..where it matters. Ha!
The Purdie Shuffle straight from Jeff.
https://youtu.be/6wtdm5U47hM?si=xnqMBXZpIFTxO4BU
A team having depth is a great thing. It appears that Bowman has built it up (or down). For me finding a regular group and playing them with regular deployment is the key for this season
Players want consistency, I have only heard that said from them. They will say they’ll do whatever they are asked to etc, but is there any other choice if they want to play for the team? No
I think the breakdowns we see that have cost them so dearly are directly related to shuffling lines and pairs so much. There is some consistency, but instead of letting a line or pair figure things out there is a switch. If there is an entrenched problem that’s a GM problem, get someone else
The play the system thing and all players can pop in and out doesn’t seem to pan out on the ice when the battle is on. When you know what your partner or line mates are going to do there is less thinking- so less delay – and the chance of blowing a read is reduced
Injury and acquisition can change that, but that should mean slotting in to a role and staying there until something else happens. Once camp and early season are over there should be a set configuration. When Marchand was acquired and playing a fella lost his spot, it wasn’t the blender
Steal a job or accept what it is. Perhaps the 4th line can see guys in and out depending on the opponent, but those folks are replacement level anyway, not key to the team’s identity and structure. If things are stale work with that group and teach them. Let them work it out, most players are streaky. Build consistency because that is the Oilers biggest weakness at the level they are at
No matter the game, be able to assert your will on it. It’s time to ditch the Detroit coach tree blender idea that says you can do that to get player’s compliance. Coach the lines and pairs up, or get different players that can execute the big picture they want
I remember another Czech similar stature as Tomasek who came across the pond at 26 found his footing at 28 and had one of the most magical seasons ever scoring 39 goals. They called him the Breeze.
Can they please just PTO Kostin already?
We know this ends with him KO’ing an opponent in the finals and then hoisting a Cup over his head in Edmonton. That’s the novel. Let’s get on with it!
Yes they need at least 1 half crazy player that can put the fear of God in a opponent as Clattenburg is still a couple years from arrival date
I’m thinking Noah Gregor might be a good PTO. I would like to read that novel, but I wonder if it actually gets written. Brett Leason might be another option. It’s going to be fun times at training camp.
For what its worth, Jason has recently stated there is no chance he comes here (at least at this point), doesn’t see a fit.
Also, I hope the Oilers don’t bring anyone in on PTOs.
They are 15F deep plus Max Jones plus Hamblin plus Jarventie.
They are 7D deep plus Regula, plus Dineen, plus Brown, plus Lappanen.
The players already coming to camp need reps. In my opinion, this is a tough training camp for Knob because, on the one hand, he needs to figure out his actual roster and lineup, not only who makes it (likely two forward cuts, Janmark and _____ in order to run with 13F and accrue cap, which we think they want to do) but also:
1) get the likes of Jarventie and Hutson, likely two call-up options some reps with real NHL players that they could play with upon call-up – Regula and Dineen the same on the back-end (Josh Brown will steal camp minutes too, sigh).
2) get the likes of Samanski, Marjala, Leppanen, some decent reps
3) get Tomasek reps up and down the lineup.
4) etc.
Why would they bring in Kostin?
He’d be fighting with Max Jones for 16F.
In addition to figuring out when lines should be rolled out (there are SO MANY OPTIONS), they need to see where Tomasek? and Jarventie and Hutson are, they need to give some reps to Samanski and Viljama. They need to give Philp and Lazar real reps to battle with each other. We know Jones and Hamblin are going to get reps.
No need for a player that had been a below replacement level player since he left Edmonton. He could come in and Perlini the exhibition and it would mean about as much as what it did when Perlini did it…
Who are some good comps for Howard?
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6533431/2025/08/05/oilers-isaac-howard-prospect-comparables/
Adam Gaudette?
Gaudette – 3 years at Northeastern 6’1″ 187
Final season – 30G 30A – Hobey Baker winner.
Ike Howard – 3 years at Minnesota/Michigan 5’11” 190
Final season – 26G 26A – Hobey Baker winner.
Gaudette recently signed aa a free agent with San Jose, 2 years @ $2 million
I like those lines, and they could be close/right but they also could be totally off. Henrique could be wing in the top 6, Nuge could be 1LW, Frederic could be center, Podz could be on the 3rd line, Tomasek could be 3RW – there are SO MANY OPTIONS.
This is a tough training camp for Knob because, on the one hand, he needs to figure out his actual roster and lineup, not only who makes it (likely two forward cuts, Janmark and _____ in order to run with 13F and accrue cap, which we think they want to do) but also:
1) get the likes of Jarventie and Hutson, likely two call-up options some reps with real NHL players that they could play with upon call-up – Regula and Dineen the same on the back-end (Josh Brown will steal camp minutes too, sigh).
2) get the likes of Samanski, Marjala, Leppanen, some decent reps
How do you deploy Tomasek in exhibiton?
Tomasek needs to show up early and well in the daily rushes.
I agree but a question is, will he?
Similar, will Jarventie get reps with legit NHL players? Will Philp or will he be stuck with Petrov and Hamblin or Jones for every game?
Will Regula and Leppanen get any games with even a Kulak?
I know Knob has only had one camp, so we really don’t have a great read on how he’ll run it, but year after year after year, the tweeners never get an opportunity in camp with legit NHL players – only other tweeners.
More than anything, Stuart Skinner starting the year strong and trending towards a .910 would be massive. It would quiet down the noise (or should at least).
Can he do it? Of course, he’s done it before.
Will he do it? We’ll find out.
There’s still lots of time for a shake-up. Interestly both Skinner and Pickard are in contract years. As I remember I don’t believe your a believer in contract year bump. I myself believe athletes focus a lot harder when it comes to their livelihoods. Also something I’ll keep a eye on whether Skinner plays a bit more upright and has worked on his side to side motion. I wonder if Skinner-Pickard are already working with the new coach?
A shake up can happen at any moment but it would be more than shocking if Skinner isn’t 1A on opening night.
I am not a “non-believer” in contract year bumps nor a pure believer.
You speak of “athletes focus a lot harder when it comes to their livelihoods” as per usual, in black and white mantra with no room for middle grounds. I’m sure some athletes are in line with your thinking and many others aren’t. I don’t know how being in a contract year will effect Skinner, if at all.
Skinner has been, and I believe still is, in Kelowna training for more than a few weeks now. The intel was Aubrey was in touch with the goalies right away and “was going to head there” but I don’t believe they have been working together interictally at this point.