This is the Bakersfield Condors opening night roster for the 2015-16 season. Leon Draisaitl and Darnell Nurse were on that team, but not for long. Also in the group? Laurent Brossoit, who has accomplished some impressive things in the NHL. Jujhar Khaira, Tyler Pitlick, Jordan Oesterle, Iiro Pakarinen and Brad Hunt also had some NHL success. The Oilers aren’t going to acquire another Draisaitl or Nurse for many years, the first-round draft picks don’t come ’round here no more. The club can find quality role players later in the draft, through free agency and via waivers. Stan Bowman and the pro scouts should be active this year.
OILERS ROSTER DECISIONS
At this point in camp one would like more certainty on defense, but injuries and curious performances leave us with a worried mind. Sam Malinski is a player I would have time for, and there are others, but the Oilers are still evaluating what they have in-house and auditioning another defenseman this late in preseason is risky business.
Based on what coach Kris Knoblauch has been saying, we’ll see more auditions this week, but on a lesser scale. If everything breaks right, the tea leaves suggest Mattias Ekholm with Evan Bouchard opening night. There’s a good chance we see Darnell Nurse with Ty Emberson sometime this week, and that may emerge as the second pairing. In a perfect world Troy Stecher would have received a look there, but like Philip Broberg one year ago, injuries have conspired against him. Brett Kulak with Josh Brown should get at least two games this week, but the coach may want to look at some of the defenders who remain.
We should see a massive cull of the roster by Tuesday morning, perhaps before. Max Wanner is in Bakersfield, Matt Savoie will be there soon, and the brilliant story of Sam O’Reilly probably sees a trip back to junior over the next seven days.
Based on my reading of Oilers fans, the defense will come together this week and worries are overblown. For me, I’ve seen this script before (Dallas Eakins couldn’t make up his mind one fall). There are too many defensemen in camp and too many roster spots being used for auditions. This much sadness is too much sorrow. The Edmonton Oilers have a rookie coach. I suspect he’ll be far more tenacious a year from now.
CERTAIN AND UNCERTAIN OILERS
THE DISTANT BELLS
— Based on all I’ve learned about pre-season for players who don’t show up healthy in all sports, forever
1) narrative always from team player and supplicant press: he’s fine just working on getting back to 100%
2) player shows up and performs poorly for a rushed few pre-games. Supplicant press players and team: he’s fine just working through the rust
3) player struggles at beginning is season: player press and fans: that’s ok, he just needs to ramp up what do you expect he missed spring training needs to get up to speed.
— Then at some point in season fans turn on him, press throws him under bus. Player then: “I came back too early in retrospect”
— I believe this time honoured sequence of events is what is unfolding with Nurse.
— So many kidding themselves with the current D and the likely scenario outlined for Nurse IMO
What do you guys think about this rumor about Seth Jones being on the Oilers radar?
Could we see a Darnell Nurse / Seth Jones swap and how might that look.
Ekholm-Bouchard
Kulak-Jones
Dermott-Emberson
Gleason-Brown/Stecher
I don’t know even Nurse is probably better than Jones defensively. But Jones might have more offense and how does that leave the left side of the Oiler defense. Gotta say, that sure improves the right side drastically. I would be shocked.
My fear would be acquiring Jones to play him with Nurse.
I don’t see what the Hawks gain by doing that. They have 2 RHD on their current roster
It would leave their right side looking bleak, as it leaves the Oilers left side looking bleak. Interesting scenario. Bowman did sign Jones to that contract and the two defensemen are similar in a lot of ways, except one is RH & the other is LH. Bizarre.
Where are you hearing this?
This does not make the Oilers better
No cuts after today’s game – next round will be Tuesday.
Coach says they are currently expecting Nurse to play 1 or 2 exhibition games.
Looking forward to seeing how Pickard performs with a very different group in front of him. His last outing was kinda lousy, but was affected by the weaker D group protecting (?) the blue line.
LT, may I ask why you have Stecher as certain and Brown as uncertain given Brown has seemingly been ahead of Stecher all camp, from day 1 to today?
Isn’t Stecher cheaper and Brown basically waiver proof?
He is cheaper but why would he be waiver proof? If anyone is waiver proof its Josh Brown.
In any event, the question, in my opinion, still stands given what we’ve seen consistently from the coaching staff from day 1 of camp through today.
Yes, to clarify, I said Stecher is cheaper and Brown is waiver proof
So for cap reasons, Stecher makes sense and they can call up Brown when needed.
Stecher is hurt or he would play more
Does anyone know if Oilers+ has the full game available on archive right after it ends or not until the next day? The wife and I are at a play tonight and, if the game is available at like 10:30 tonight, I’ll stay off social media and watch it in full (well, fastforward full) late tonight.
Earlier in pre-season I watched a game on Oilers+ after it had finished. I was tough to find a link to the game on their site but eventually I found it.
Thank you for the info – was that same night of the game or the next day?
Morning Skate today (per DNB):
Oilers lines and pairs at morning skate:
RNH-McDavid-Hyman
Podkolzin-O’Reilly-Perry
Lavoie-Ryan-Hoffman
Pederson-Philp-Savoie
Ekholm-Bouchard
Dermott-Stecher
Gleason-Kemp
Pickard
Rodrigue
Who am I but I think it’s a mistake not to have Philp between Podz and Perry. I mean, that is a legit place where Philp might play in the regular season and I do t see O’Riley getting a few games before they return him to junior.
I’m also very disappointed that Kemp is playing with a non-NHLer again. Don’t get me wrong, Gleason is having a nice camp (as he did last year), but he’s not making the team and its a continuation indication that Kemp isn’t really in the conversation either – at least to me.
It kind of looks like a hodge-podge after (Nuge-McDavid-Hyman) and Ekholm & Bouchard. Knoblauch can always put those lines through the blender during the game.
OP, I appreciate all of your many contributions to this community, but it would be nice if you got Sam O’Reilly’s name correct. You and I may never meet the young man, but my first rule of business is to take the time to get people’s name right. Thank you.
The point is fair but I think the delivery seems a bit unnecessary.
It would have been more appreciated if it was along the lines of “Hey, OP, I’ve noticed you have the spelling wrong a few times, just wanted to let you know that his name is spelled O’Reilly”.
At least now I know and will thank you for that.
Hey, Kemp is playing.
Kemp is playing – with a non NHL player, not getting reps with a possible NHL partner in Kulak – a poor indication of him being in real competition with Brown – at least to me.
The
@EdmontonOilers
tonight vs Seattle:
RNH-McDavid-Hyman
Podkolzin-O’ Reilly-Perry
Lavoie-Ryan-Hoffman
Pederson-Philp-Savoie
Ekholm-Bouchard
Dermott-Stecher
Gleason-Kemp
Pickard
Rodrigue
Good to see Stecher playing. But I like my line up better. I had Gleason & Kemp right.
Last individual player evaluation game. Three lines of fourth line players & those headed out of camp after this one. The Dermott- Stetcher combo interests me to see what they can do. I haven’t seen the Kraken roster yet.
The battle for 7D.
Stecher when healthy is capable of cover for Emberson. Unless injuries pop up we have months for Bowman to shake a deal loose from a friendly G.M for that coveted 2-D
After spending 20 years of cheering for this team that would roll out 5 forwards 2 defenders and half a mostly goalie, it’s hard to get worked up over 1 RHD missing from the group.
I am not worried about the D group quality – I think it’s better, or more in tune with what they are trying to do in style – but am worried about having 7 healthy players. Nurse and Stecher at 100% would be very good, as opposed to a season of nagging injury
There has been talk about having traded the #4 D etc. Ceci played more TOI/GP reg season than Kulak, but it was pretty even in playoffs after the top pair. The numbers are all over teh place, but I thought Kulak was being relied upon more as playoffs went, and was more effective than anyone but the top pair
Depending on where Dermott is at, I would try to rest Nurse until he is 100%. He was brutal with this injury, sinking every partner except limited minutes with Bro and Bouch. I highly doubt he will play better than Kulak with it, and the risk of aggravation is high, so get him repaired. Use Dermott at 3LD and if it doesn’t work try something else
They aren’t going to win every game, they just have to play at a decent level to start, as opposed to awful, and let things settle out
Agree on Nurse. If healthy Nurse should be able to anchor a very good second pair based on his historical results.
Bouchard killing penalties this year is good news.
If he wants double digit salary he has to play all game states and he has to play more minutes. And I think he’ll welcome the opportunity.
Smart coaching here. I wonder if Coach will try and get him out with that 3rd line? That would be smart.
Imma lose my mind if the teams only PP QB and one of the best in the league gets hurts killing penalties when there’s 5 other defenders that can absorb those minutes.
Keep Bouchard juiced for the PP and tilting this ice in the Oilers favor during his even strength time on ice.
I hope they use him in the last 15-20 seconds of the PK with Leon and Mcdavid the opposition is usually scrambling on line changes at the end of a PP and this is a real opportunity to pounce on them just as the penalty ends.
He’ll only be on the PK for the last 3 seconds along with McDavid.
I don’t think we can afford Ekholm Bouch for 20-25 min just for the rest to get caved the other 35 min
I like the idea of an EE second pair, That’s Ekholm & Emberson. When Nurse is 100% pair him with Bouchard to prove once and for all he’s that $9.25M defenseman.
The two guys that got caved in most metrics are gone. The third line C is better, or at least more reliable and smarter, it might work out great comparatively. I think having D that defend the line more assertively instead of giving up the zone easily, are better at the O line, and move the puck better, is going to reduce D zone time
I’ve been begging for a 3-C for years we finally have some cover for Connor and Leon. Holland made a nice trade for Henrique and Carrick. I had us resigning Carrick and not Henrique so that was a pleasant surprise getting Adam. It would of been nice getting a smart player like Carrick but he recieved a well deserved contract from the Rangers.
Ceci, McLeod, and Foegele had good to great numbers in the regular season.
I meant Ceci and Des. Reg season. Relative numbers:
Ceci 23/24 5v5, NST
CF% Rel -3.1 #7
FF% Rel -7.21 #8
SF% Rel -6.73 #9
GF% Rel -5.59 #5
XGF% Rel -5.87 #9
HDCF% Rel -7.38 #8
HDGF% Rel -14.6 #7
Des
CF% Rel -4.55 #5
FF% Rel -4.14 #5
SF% Rel -3.55 #6
GF% Rel -7.24 #7
xGF% Rel -3.92 #5
HDCF% Rel -1.31 #5
HDGF% Rel 1.95 #4
Kulak was better in most areas. Nurse was worse. Des did fine given he was 6D, but they couldn’t play him in the playoffs and his playoff PK wasn’t great, so why keep him?
Nurse vs Ceci, usually together:
CF% Rel Nurse -3.36 #4 Ceci -5.99 #7
FF% Rel Nurse -4.54 #6 Ceci -7.21 #8
SF% Rel Nurse -5.03 #7 Ceci -6.73 #9
GF% Rel Nurse -9.28 #8 Ceci -5.59 #5
xGF% Rel Nurse -5.03 #8 Ceci -5.87 #9
HDCF% Rel Nurse -5.22 #7 Ceci -7.38 #8
HDGF% Rel Nurse -16.07 #8 Ceci -14.6 #7
Terrible as a pair this way. If Nurse doesn’t recover some game, big trouble. Given they can’t move him Ceci had to go. If you look at his second most common partner Kulak as a pair the Rel numbers are still not good. Nurse with a skilled partner either Ekholm or Bouch did a lot better
Stauff confirmed that Lavoie was back on the ice for practice yesterday. I know some (including myself) were curious.
Ok here’s my line up for tonight LOL.
Skinner-Leon-Arvidsson
Janmark-Henrique-Brown
Hamblin-Philp-Podkolzin
Lavoie-Pederson-Perry
Ekholm-Bouchard
Dermott-Emberson
Gleason-Kemp
Pickard & Skinner
I have difficulty blaming Knobber for the situation on D. Injuries and poor options provided by the GM seem like the true culprits.
Also, Eakins coached an inexperienced team that had 5-7 players that should have never been NHL options. Knobber is coaching a vet heavy team. A lot less riding on this camp.
Potential situation, in my opinion.
I’m not convinced Ty Emberson can’t play 2RD effectively with a partner that should be a very strong 2LD. I don’t know that he can either of course.
We haven’t seen anything in this regard yet. Emberson played last game as the 1RD, along with the team’s 3LD as a partner, with a 20% NHL roster with zero top 6 forwards to help against an 80% starts lineup for a playoff team last season. There is is no evaluation to his game that can really be made without a semblance of NHL structure and skill to play with.
Either he can or he can’t. Which one is it? He did it with Mario Ferraro in San Jose last season.
I think the answer is pretty clear that we don’t know how he’ll perform as 2RD on this team going in to this season – that is a story that will start to be told starting in the second week of October.
Yes. My point exactly. 2RHD is a huge question mark. I am not particularly comfortable anointing a player with 30 NHL games as a lock to excel at 2RHD (especially when he will be playing with a much maligned and injured Nurse).
As I said yesterday on the Lowdown, it isn’t his fault but it is his problem.
What does Paul Coffey have to say about this so-called problem?
They aren’t poor options until they prove themselves so. If we are into stats around here, the stats like the choices (Brown excepted, but his key stat isn’t hockey related), of which there weren’t a lot that didn’t need 5M plus. The players they replaced are proven bad in playoffs, and not great at core play that these forwards and the coach’s system require
The main thing I saw as the problem to last year’s start was not as much injuries, as the ridiculous amount of pressure they put on themselves, starting with the GM and all in now or never talk. Connor over did training in summer he says
The first thing KK did when he arrived in his own worlds was calm everyone down. He knows what Connor is like, and the last thing he needs is to be amped up even more. I don’t think Holland did it on purpose, he was trying to placate media and fans after his slow work to date, but it was not mindful of the big picture or unintended consequences
Woody also didn’t help with his odd philosophizing and stubbornness. Good old regular hockey coach jock calm guy saved the day. Plain words, let’s settle down, enjoy playing hockey, and see what happens
Exactly just let the players play no reinventing the wheel. I believe Coffey will give the green light for Nurse to activate while driving instead of this attempt to turn him into a Jason Smith shutdown D. This team was chasing its tail from game one turn the boys loose. I’ll take 7-4 wins let them have fun. We all know this team can play low event hockey and win but I say let’s play Oiler hockey not Jacque Lemaire snoozefest style.
Just do what they need to do to win.
Woodie thought he was the star of the show.
Yep he allowed the pressure to build with his stubbornness. They looked like a lost team to begin the year panicking after only a few games with confusion on line changes. All this happening while double shifting a injured Connor Woody was tearing this team apart.
The Oilers do not have anything close to a sure thing at 2RHD. There are positives about Emberson but he is a huge question mark.
Easily the most important question mark on the team this season.
On the other hand I can remember many seasons where the discussion was focused on the certainty that the newly acquired guy wasn’t going to work out worth sh*t so at least we get some suspense out of the situation. 😎
Prospectoalogo!
Second verse, same as the first.
Double Nicholl on the dime last night with 2 PP goals as he continues to get prime time whilst O’Reilly, etc. continue camping. He shall oppose the Flintians again tonight but in Michigan. Clattenburg with two apples and Day-man with the W yesternight.
Wakely and Akey would oppose each other tonight but for the latter not returning yet. Mayhaps Wakely dresses this eve? We wait.
And Berry’s search for a crooked number continues.
London (Nicholl) @ 5 p.m.
Flint (Day, Clattenburg) @ 5 p.m.
North Bay (Wakely) @ 5:30 p.m.
Muskegon (Berry) @ 6 p.m.
All times, at all times, are Sundre time.
Mike Watt plays hockey?
Yup.