Edmonton Oilers Talk: Savoie/Tullio Snubbed for 16yr Old by Hockey Canada, Edmonton’s Powerplay and the Latest NHL Rumors!

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The Oilers Prospect Report: Let’s talk World Juniors

Xavier Bourgault, has been selected for Team Canada’s World Juniors camp this month. Bourgault has dominated the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with 17 goals and league-leading 33 points.
The biggest surprises, though, are the snubs… Also missing from the list were Matthew Savoie’s older brother Carter and Oshawa Generals forward Tyler Tullio.
Denezhkin is currently with Lada Togliatti in the VHL in Russia. He’s producing at just under a point per game rate with 8 goals and 23 points in 29 games for them.
The Condors fell 2-1 after Buddy Robinson beat Olivier Rodrigue midway through the third period.

BLH’s Thoughts: Filip Engaras is up to 8pts in 14 games after scoring two in two this past week. Another World Junior snub but for Russia, Matty Petrov score 6pts in three games recenty taking his totals to 33pts in 22 games for the North Bay Battalion of the OHL.

That’s about it as producing prospects in the Oilers’ system goes.

As for the World Juniors, I think it’s a shit show when a 16yr old who’s not even scoring at a point per game pace gets invited over a 19 year old that is dominating the NCAA goal scoring charts, two-way game be damned. I can near guarantee you that Savoie’s a better defensive forward than Connor Bedard. Tyler Tullio would’ve been a better selection than Bedard at this point as well.

Don’t get me wrong, I get that the Regina Pats aren’t great this year and Connor Bedard is going to be a fantastic NHL star someday, but Hockey Canada is so deep at forward that it could afford to take an older player who’s having a better season to round out the roster’s depth. Ty Tullio is an energy guy who with one hit could change the momentum of a hockey game and Carter Savoie’s got a Jordan Eberle-like aura to him.

Now, if someone on Team Canada’s coaching staff watched this video of Bedard and chose him off of that, I probably wouldn’t blame him… The kid is magical.

Cult of Hockey

Four reasons the monster Edmonton Oilers power play is that much more deadly this season

1. More Grade A shots.

Last year the Oil’s power play generated 1.24 Grade A shots on net per two minute power play. This year, it’s conjuring up a remarkable 1.6 Grade A shots per two minutes.

2. More skill net front.

…newcomer Zach Hyman and Jesse Puljujarvi, have more skill shooting and passing the puck.
Hyman and Puljujavi are also getting off a higher rate of Grade A shots on net than did Chiasson and Neal combined. This is giving the Oilers power play a better net front weapon that the opposition can’t overlook.

3. Connor McDavid is getting more Grade A shots.

In 2020-21, McDavid fired 33 Grade A shots in 235 power play minutes, 0.28 per two minutes of power play time. This year, he’s already fired 19 Grade A shots in 78 minutes, 0.49 per two.

4. Familiarity.

It took some time for Barrie to sync up with his new power play mates, in particular with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who had to adjust his behind-the-back passing angle. Now this group knows Barrie and he knows them.

BLH’s Thoughts: Hmmm. I’m not going to buy the familiarity option. Nuge, McDavid, Leon, and Jesse have been playing together for quite a while now on that unit and I believe you could toss Eddie Shore’s Skeleton to man the blue line and the Oilers would still have a dominating power play.

Improved skill in the net front position? I suppose. My feeling is that Hyman and Puljujarvi are quicker to the pucks and harder to compete with for opposing defensemen whereas Chiasson and Neal used a less direct tactic and more veteran savvy to get their opportunities. Hyman and Pulju simply bulldoze their way to their chances.

If the Oilers grade ‘A’ shots have gone up .4 shots/2 minutes, how long would it take them to get another grade ‘A’ shot compared to last year? The number seems too minute to make a big deal about in my mind.

The real reason that Edmonton’s powerplay has been so good is the unit’s unpredictability and its insane amount of skill. The other team’s penalty killers quite frankly don’t know where the shot’s coming from if the Oilers are doing things right.

The Daily Goal Horn

Larry Brooks of the NY Post reported on Wednesday that the Rangers and Strome have at least begun to discuss a new contract.

“The Post has learned that president-general manager Chris Drury and the pending unrestricted free agent center’s representatives have begun to engage in talks aimed at maintaining the Strome-Artemi Panarin connection well beyond this season.”

One source tells me if the term is right, Strome may accept $5.75M. Strome is well within his right to ask for more.
Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher held a press conference yesterday that this was critical week. Losing to the Rangers 4-1 last night wasn’t the start they were looking for. This has many believing change is coming soon and at some point it will include Giroux.
One team that many thought might have put in a claim for (Matt) Murray was the Sabres. They did not, but the interest is still there.

“It doesn’t sound like there were many trade talks prior to the waiver move, and we’ll see if there’s any fit while Murray tries to get his game back at AHL Belleville,” Elliotte Friedman reported. “Buffalo makes the most sense, but will want salary retention or some other sweetener. The Sabres are definitely looking for an upgrade.” – Elliotte Friedman, Sportsnet