Bakersfield Condors 2019-20: Game One at home to San Diego Gulls

by Lowetide

Most, not all, NHL players have an AHL resume. Among current Edmonton Oilers who were chosen by the team at the draft, only Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins among the high picks went straight to the NHL without AHL time.

Tonight, one of the strongest rosters in team history debuts in Bakersfield, California. Like Buck Owens 60 years ago, something special might be building in Kern County, USA.

THE POSSIBLE LINEUP

  • Tyler Benson-Cooper Marody-Josh Currie
  • Joe Gambardella-Brad Malone-Kailer Yamamoto
  • Kirill Maksimov-Ryan McLeod-Sam Gagner
  • Nolan Vesey-Luke Esposito- Cameron Hebig
  • Keegan Lowe-Evan Bouchard
  • Jake Kulevich-Caleb Jones
  • Dmitri Samorukov-Vincent Desharnais
  • Starrett (Stuart Skinner)

PRESEASON SCORING

REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS

Shane Starrett. He was a major part of the Condors success last season, it’s reasonable to expect him to build on that and (at some point) make his NHL debut. Stuart Skinner RE: Emerge as a legit starting AHL goaltending option.

Evan Bouchard scored eight points in eight AHL playoff games, but didn’t play big minutes. Reasonable should be top 4D minutes in Bakersfield, a feature role on the power play and a point-per-game during the regular season. I also think NHL time is a reasonable expectation.

Dmitri Samorukov had a breakout season in the OHL, so finding reasonable is difficult. I’m going to say that establishing himself as a solid AHL regular, with a positive even-strength goal differential, is reasonable.

Cooper Marody rocked the casbah in year one, I think reasonable expectations should include 25+ NHL games and over a point-per-game in the AHL.

Tyler Benson should increase his point total and demonstrably improve his goal total in Bakersfield. I’ll say 12 goals and 40 points in 34 games before getting the NHL call.

Kailer Yamamoto might be the most interesting player in this group. He scored 10 goals in 27 games a year ago, I think 25 goals based on a 68-game season in reasonable. No NHL games expected, if he earns them that’s a positive arrow.

Ryan McLeod has terrific speed and two-way acumen, so his emerging as an AHL regular is reasonable. Offensively, 25+ points over 68 games seems reasonable (assuming he gets a regular shift).

Kirill Maksimov is a terrific goal-scorer and Jay Woodcroft’s ability to unlock rookies was a key to Benson, Marody and their seasons. He’s a scorer, but overestimating goal scorers is the easiest mistake in reasonable expectations. I’ll say 20 goals in 68 games for Maksimov. That’s a handsome rookie total and 25 percent more than Benson, who was projected to score 14 by NHLE metrics (he scored 15).

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CallighenMan

Harpers Hair,

Get Lost

Tesla's Hair

Is there a way to get flu in preason…then preseason would mean not something NOT. What are the oilers stats when CMD gets flu? #fluCancelation

OriginalPouzar

Flu going through the team early – Archibald and Chiasson sick.

OriginalPouzar

I don’t recall Tip ever “tipping his hand” with respect to his starter in any game. He did say both goalies need to play.

For what it’s worth, Smith was in the ‘starters’ net’ at practice yesterday.

ArmchairGM

Reja:
Any word on who the starter is tonight?

I don’t think it’s been confirmed, but Tippett did indicate earlier in the week that Koskinen would start tonight.

Reja

I have a good feeling James the real deal pots a goal tonight after listening to all the crap how Lucic is the missing link to their weakness in cow town.

hags9k

The problem with Larsson getting hurt is that, he is not allowed to get hurt because Klefbom always gets hurt.

Reja

Any word on who the starter is tonight?

Ranford.85

That Condors lineup is ridiculous. Chia/K.Gretzky-Holland mix. Great prospects, delayed one more year by Holland’s European hires.
For once, my koolaid is telling me the Oil have depth. Even with Larsson’s injury, our left side is strong.
Klef-Bear
Nurse-xx
Russell-Benning

But I wonder about
Klef-Nurse
Russell-Bear
Lag-Benning

Make Nurse earn that new contract? When you look at their individual skill sets, Klef/Nurse would be dynamite.

Abbeef

I’m loving seeing a strong minor league team where the real prospects are in feature roles!

Abbeef

Harpers Hair: This what happens when you have a ton of prospects who aren’t good enough for the NHL.
See the Toronto Marlies for reference.

Do you actually think that none of Jones, Bouchard, Yamamoto, Benson, and Marody will make the NHL? I’d be willing to bet that at least 2 of these players will play over 200 games (probably more).

You lose any credibility you had with asinine comments like this one. You are obviously trying to get a reaction which I’m giving (shame on me) but for fun what are you basing your comment on?

OriginalPouzar

After the first 15 minutes of domination, the game evened up – in fact, Gulls may have been the better team in the last two periods, certainly in the 2nd.

Condors gut it out and hang on for a 2- 1 win.

The coaching staff will have their challenges with so many raw 20 year old rookies (Bouchard, McLeod, Maksimov, Samorukov).

Yamamoto was the best offensive Condor tonight – wasn’t even close to my eye.

OriginalPouzar

Off the top of my head, the ages of those prospects listed are:

22, 21, 22, 20, 23

There is a very good chance 4 of them will see NHL time this year, maybe even all 5.

Not to mention, that team also has 3 other 20 year old on it.

Harpers Hair

Lowetide:
I’ve seen Caleb Jones, Yamamoto, Benson, Bouchard and Marody good so far, but really the whole damn team looks like All-Stars

This what happens when you have a ton of prospects who aren’t good enough for the NHL.
See the Toronto Marlies for reference.

OriginalPouzar

Sammy almost gets his first of the year off a 2 on 1 pass from Esposito – wasn’t in the perfect spot for the one-timer but Sammy did a good job to put a good shot on net.

Stolarz has made a few 5-bell saves.

Nix

If there’s such a thing as ‘old man strength’ then Bouchard has deceptively fast old man speed.

OriginalPouzar

Gulls cut the lead in half.

Not sure exactly what happened – I think there was a failed clear on that play.

OriginalPouzar

Jog G. with the Condros’ second post.

Dixs35

OriginalPouzar,

Always have to look for the silver lining

OriginalPouzar

In to the 2nd period and that’s the first I’ve heard Sprong’s name – so far, he’s been outplayed by Yamamoto, Gagner, Benson, Marody, McLeod (and even Malone and Peluso).

OriginalPouzar

Wow – Stolarz robs Benson after a fantastic pass from, I think, Gagner.

Good to see Currie back on the ice.

OriginalPouzar

Dixs:
Have to say having gagner be a good soldier and and break in two of the oil’s rookies whom we hope can be offensive guys in McLeod and maxi is a nice luxury to have.

That was likely Chiarelli’s plan when he made the Eberle trade, actually, when he made the Strome trade (Strome was better cap value last year, and maybe this coming year as well).

OriginalPouzar

JamesL:
OriginalPouzar,

Or perhaps learning to keep the puck hemmed in the o-zone is the very definition of good defensive development?

I wouldn’t agree with that.

I would think that it would include things such as defensive zone coverage, defensive zone positioning, defensive zone reads, defensive zone board work, puck retrieval, defending the rush, defending the blueline/gap, etc.

Dixs35

Have to say having gagner be a good soldier and and break in two of the oil’s rookies whom we hope can be offensive guys in McLeod and maxi is a nice luxury to have.

JamesL

OriginalPouzar,

Or perhaps learning to keep the puck hemmed in the o-zone is the very definition of good defensive development?

norm_klassen

I believe he will get NHL rep this year; s kinda get the lessons he will need for when he is finally ready to transition to the NHL full time.
I just think with injuries and poor play by the other guys in the majors ; it would almost be impossible to keep Bouchard down all year.
Luckily he isnt a 18 year old freshly drafted kid; he actually has a bit of pedigree where it wouldn’t be unexpected to be able to jump up a bit ahead of schedule

hunter1909

OriginalPouzar: My “fear” is what happened last year – they were so damn dominant in the 2nd half of the season, just absolutely offensive zone possession beasts, there really wasn’t a ton of defensive development – rarely were they “defending”.

Don’t worry they’re going to get lots of practice on the Oilers!

AussieOil

Lowetide,

Jones with some great Defensive reads

OriginalPouzar

normklassen:
Bouchard wont be in the AHL long

Maybe but offensive output and production is 100% expected.

It isn’t his transition and offensive skills that he’s there to work on.

My “fear” is what happened last year – they were so damn dominant in the 2nd half of the season, just absolutely offensive zone possession beasts, there really wasn’t a ton of defensive development – rarely were they “defending”.

norm_klassen

AussieOil,

Good enough to beat the condors in the second round next year

AussieOil

Anyone know if the Gulls are are a good AHL Squad?

Abbeef

If this is how the games are going to be there may be some gaudy numbers happening in the bake. What a start! Nice to see my first Condors game!

OriginalPouzar

Through 11 minutes this is a dominant as I’ve seen a stretch of hockey.

The Gulls haven’t really even touched the puck in the Condors’ zone let alone got a shot directed at the net.

At this rate, they may have to loan Starrett out in order to get him real development.

AussieOil

May need to pay to watch AHL.TV this year, what a start – and all the prospects getting involved.

Ozoil

Gonna be a fun season. Yamo. Condors all over it!

norm_klassen

Bouchard wont be in the AHL long

Chief Inspector

Domination

OriginalPouzar

Crazy pressure by the Condors – capped off by a Yamamoto goal.

npanciroli

ok this team is nuts.

Ozoil

What a play.

OriginalPouzar

What a beautiful goal.

A 3 on 3 executed to perfection.

Currie back to Bouchard gets up high at the back of the rush up to Benson, beautiful cross-crease to Currie for the goal.

npanciroli

wowzers, beautiful goal.

OriginalPouzar

OmJo: Do you get an archive? So if you miss some games you can go back and watch them at a later time?

I’m assuming no, but figured it was worth an ask.

I don’t know the answer to that but I bet LT and McCurdy do.

npanciroli

Condors look good. Forgot about Desharnais, kid is huge.

OriginalPouzar

Playing the Gulls isn’t quite the same with the re-graduation of their former head coach.

OriginalPouzar

Gagner off the cross-bar of the cycle shift by the “3rd line” – their second straight cycle shift (out of 2 shifts).