This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!
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Oilersnation
This Prospect Will Play In The NHL
- I have two players ranked as eights to make it: Philip Broberg and Dmitri Samorukov. The interesting thing is they will be battling each other for ice time as they both play left defence. Broberg has played RD so he could move over, but ideally teams want lefties playing the left side. Competition is great, and it will only make them better, and unlike when Darnell Nurse and Oscar Klefbom broke in, the Oilers don’t have to rush Broberg and Samorukov to the NHL.
- Both defenders are 6’3″ and above average skaters. They stood out as in a tier of their own at rookie camp.
- I’ll be watching these two the closest when the preseason begins on September 26th in Calgary. I think they will push Kris Russell, Slater Koekkoek and William Lagesson for the third pairing LD spot. I’d be in favour of them starting in the AHL, as having two rookies (Evan Bouchard is the other) in your top-six D is not ideal, but as the season progresses I believe we will see one of them this year and both of them before the end of the 2022/2023 seasons.
- The change in Samorukov really stood out to me yesterday. He is the prospect I’m most intrigued with and I’ll be watching him closely.
BLH’s Thoughts: “I’ll take the top-ten pick who’s played in Sweden’s top league and the guy who was a dominant force for one of the best team’s in the KHL last season.”
Nice to see Gregor really going out on a limb there to pick a couple of guys who he thinks will be guaranteed NHLers. Reckon Dylan Holloway would’ve been one of his choices if his wrist had healed?
I’m being an ass, of course Broberg and Samorukov have a great chance to become full-time NHLers as soon as the 2022-23 season when William Lagesson and Kris Russell’s contracts are off of the books. All that’ll be left is for one of them to force Duncan Keith into retirement and then both can have a spot on Edmonton’s roster.
I’m going to go out on more a limb though and say Tyler Tullio will be a regular in the NHL in the future. I like his leadership and character, he’s a fantastic skater with good speed, and has a scoring touch. At the very least, he’s Josh Archibald 2.0 or the next Dillon Dube.
Oilersnation
21 Questions Ahead of the 2020-21 NHL Season
- How high Connor McDavid can set the bar for NHL points production over a full season?
BLH’s Thoughts: RAPID FIRE!!! 150pts in 2021-22!
- I wonder if this is the year when Connor McDavid pushes 50 goals?
BLH’s Thoughts: He’ll eclipse 50 goals.
- Does RNH look at last year’s mess and take that as a challenge to get better even as a 10-year veteran?
BLH’s Thoughts: RNH will return to his 60pt self.
- How long will it take for Zach Hyman to build some chemistry with either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl?
BLH’s Thoughts: Hyman plays the style that brought the likes of Pat Maroon and Zack Kassian success on McDavid’s wing. It won’t take long at all and I’ll say the chemistry is immediate.
- Can Mike Smith build on the strong 2021 season that saw him put up a 21-6-2 record and .923 save% in 32 appearances, or will we get the guy that settled in with a .902 save% in 2019-20?
BLH’s Thoughts: No. Smith will not “build” on that, but he won’t fall off a cliff either. I say he finishes the year with a .910-.915 save%.
- Can Mikko Koskinen win us all back?
BLH’s Thoughts: Most definitely. Contract year, older defense, more defensively responsible forwards on the team.
- Which Zack Kassian will we get for the 2021-22 season?
BLH’s Thoughts: Kassian is going to cripple somebody in game one to show the haters he’s back.
- Will Kailer Yamamoto be able to cash in on more of the Grade-A chances he produces for himself/gets set up with by Draisaitl than he did last year?
BLH’s Thoughts: If he decides to re-sign with the club, yes, but from the 3rd line, not Draisaitl’s wing.
- Can Warren Foegele make us forget about Ethan Bear?
BLH’s Thoughts: Ethan who?
- What are we going to get from Cody Ceci?
BLH’s Thoughts: Boring unspectacular hockey.
- Can Ryan McLeod cement himself as an NHL regular in what could be his first full season with the Edmonton Oilers?
BLH’s Thoughts: Yes. His speed will force people to take notice, but his finishing ability might make them forget.
- Is this the year when Tyler Benson steals a spot with the big club or is his time with the organization winding to a close?
BLH’s Thoughts: He only has Devin Shore to beat, so I say he makes the team.
- Is it that unreasonable to suggest that Puljujarvi could score 20 goals for the first time?
BLH’s Thoughts: It is not. What about 30?
- Where will Evan Bouchard finish the year on the depth chart?
BLH’s Thoughts: Top-4.
- I’m wondering what it will be like to not worry so much when anyone not named Connor or Leon is on the ice?
BLH’s Thoughts: The same way you feel when you’re ending your night at a donair shop. You’ve been drinking, you’re not sure if this tasty delight is going to stay in your stomach, but you want it a lot and you’re willing to give it a go. So you let fate take hold of the wheel and what happens, happens. The worst case scenario is you blow chunks and go back to drinking to stave off the shame.
The Cult of Hockey
Edmonton’s secret weapons if Kailer Yamamoto holds out? The Oilers have two
- First is Warren Foegele, 25, who came over from Carolina in the Ethan Bear trade. I only know about Foegele by his reputation and some Youtube clips of all his goals in recent seasons. My first impression is that he’s a speedy version of Alex Chiasson, a big, tough winger who goes hard to the net, scores most of his goals banging away in the crease, but can also get off the odd brilliant shot.
- My second secret weapon idea is to go with Cooper Marody, 24, in Yamamoto’s spot. Marody isn’t a speedster, but he’s great at handling and passing the puck. He’d fit in well with the give-and-go style of RNH and Draisatl. He’s also got good enough hands to play with McDavid.
BLH’s Thoughts: If Foegele has a shot like Chiasson, the Oilers might have a gem on their hands here. I’m looking forward to seeing what this guy can do since he’s such an unknown at this point.
As for Marody, I need to see where his skating is and how his confidence level is competing against NHL defensemen. Until then, he’s Linus Omark with bad feet. Tippett won’t put him in his top-six unless he’s producing at ridiculous rate because offense is the only thing he brings to the party.
If Yamamoto holds out (dumb move), Edmonton has Kassian to fill in, Hyman can scoot over, and Kyle Turris would probably get a shot too. The club is pretty set to go if Killer decides to stay home.
