Did the Oilers make the right draft picks in the last 5 years?

[Mr Positive]

With Landeskog vs RNH, this outcome was expected. Landeskog was always sold as the player who was the most physically matured and would make the biggest impact for the shorter term. RNH is taking a big longer than we'd hoped but we can't judge his value vs a finished product like Landeskog until RNH reaches the same level of physical maturity.

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

Lots of hypotheticals. Whether you realize it or not.

I am a huge fan of 93. I can live with the guy on our team and I think there are ways to get bigger/better without going back in a time machine and drafting Landeskog instead.

Im just sayin...I think COL has the better player right now.

Super-simple.

Yes, RIGHT NOW.

But we're drafting for the long run. It was obvious from before the draft that RNH wasn't the most NHL ready of the prospects, but he had the greatest upside. I believe he'll eventually realize that upside and be worth a lot more than Landeskog.

 

[landy92mack29]

Yes, RIGHT NOW.

But we're drafting for the long run. It was obvious from before the draft that RNH wasn't the most NHL ready of the prospects, but he had the greatest upside. I believe he'll eventually realize that upside and be worth a lot more than Landeskog.

rnh has to put on 15 pounds of muscle and he'll reach his potential. rnh will never be worth a lot more than landeskog but both will be very good players

 

[Everest]

Does everything better and yet barely outscores the 98lb weakling with a broken flipper.



And given the ages of the players involved, what's wrong with that?



And look how much more he's achieved.

He outscored him by 9 points this past year. That's a sizable difference and the only reason it was even that close was PP TOI ( known around the Oilers team as "FireDrill" time).

And your right...for a sleekly framed, non-physical factor...RNH does generate points.

Thing is...its the one aspect of the game RNH is supposed to surpass Landeskog in and its actually going the other direction.

But...ya...we got out centreman.

Who...at this point...is an absolute pushover to play against.

 

[Senor Catface]

He outscored him by 9 points this past year. That's a sizable difference and the only reason it was even that close was PP TOI ( known around the Oilers team as "FireDrill" time).

And your right...for a sleekly framed, non-physical factor...RNH does generate points.

Thing is...its the one aspect of the game RNH is supposed to surpass Landeskog in and its actually going the other direction.

But...ya...we got out centreman.

Who...at this point...is an absolute pushover to play against.

Doesn't really sound like you're a "huge fan" of him after all.

 

[ManByng]

^you gotta admit that the Oilers *DID* need a center anyways after passing on Seguin for Hall the previous draft?

 

[Everest]

Doesn't really sound like you're a "huge fan" of him after all.

Being a huge fan doesn't mean you stop being honest & objective about what the players strengths & weaknesses are.

 

[Everest]

^you gotta admit that the Oilers *DID* need a center anyways after passing on Seguin for Hall the previous draft?

They needed one when they drafted Hall, too.

We were always told the game plan was to take the BPA.

We were always told it wasn't about RNH being a centre...it was (supposedly) he was the better player.

He isn't. Its cut & dry.

And I am not exactly slamming the young man...Im just saying...he might have actually been the 2nd best player in his draft.

I get that he has a playmaking skill which enables him to produce points despite his size & strength challenges.

I just don't see where he is ever developing into a world class 2 way player.

I used to believe his stick-checking skills were going to be revered...similar to Datsyuk.

That's a tough sell anymore, man.

 

[Cowumbus]

How much is yakupov worth in a trade? is it fair him for Wisniewski or Tyutin

 

[Lacaar]

They needed one when they drafted Hall, too.

We were always told the game plan was to take the BPA.

We were always told it wasn't about RNH being a centre...it was (supposedly) he was the better player.

He isn't. Its cut & dry.

And I am not exactly slamming the young man...Im just saying...he might have actually been the 2nd best player in his draft.

I get that he has a playmaking skill which enables him to produce points despite his size & strength challenges.

I just don't see where he is ever developing into a world class 2 way player.

I used to believe his stick-checking skills were going to be revered...similar to Datsyuk.

That's a tough sell anymore, man.

Have to admit RNH was a massive disappointment for me this year. Almost as disappointing as Yakupov.

The player I loved in his first year. The player I thought wow this is the tip of the Ice Berg. I now think.. crap. He's the same bloody player after 3 years. He's marginally better in the defensive game and marginally worse offensively. He needed to grow in all aspects of his game.. not sacrifice one part for another.

I didn't see that smart oppurtunistic goal scorer.
And what's even more concerning is I didn't see what I thought was genius level passing and awareness that I saw in the bit of Junior and in his first year.

To an extent he was just as lost as Yakupov IMO.

I hope it was just a blip year.. bad coaching... healing shoulder.

Still my favourite Oiler. Just on what I think he can become.
I thought he'd surpass Hall eventually. doesn't seem like that will happen. Maybe I'm impatient on that front too.

 

[ManByng]

^no question Nuge was as lost for long stretches as Yak was. Nuge had a fairly long dry or almost completely dry spell this year, didn't he?

 

[Everest]

^no question Nuge was as lost for long stretches as Yak was. Nuge had a fairly long dry or almost completely dry spell this year, didn't he?

Anthropologists...not apologists...were brought in to search for his last goal at one point last year.

 

[Up the Irons]

Based on the observation that Landeskog does everything better than RNH.

And no...not by a lot.

But...its the physical part of the game which the Oilers are so lacking in the top 6...and to think...they could've drafted a guy who is playing that way/playing at that size....right out of JR?!

Your doing exactly what I said we "could" do...extending the evaluation curve.

Sure...RNH can (and must) get stronger. He probably will.

Thing is...Landeskog is likely to always be the bigger/stronger player. The Nuge will need to depend on smarts/quickness (which Landeskog also possesses)

To me...its painfully evident...Landeskog would've been the better pick up to this point.

Right now. But, Lando is at or very near his peak. He is an early bloomer, and won't get much better. RNH will. He will prove to be the better pick, if not 2014/15, then 2015/16.

 

[Senor Catface]

Being a huge fan doesn't mean you stop being honest & objective about what the players strengths & weaknesses are.

Yeah yeah, I was just jokingly chiding you.

 

[landy92mack29]

Right now. But, Lando is at or very near his peak. He is an early bloomer, and won't get much better. RNH will. He will prove to be the better pick, if not 2014/15, then 2015/16.

landy is still improving a lot and has more room to grow, plus he'll be playing on a line with either Duchene or mackinnon for the next 10+ years.
rnh will be a very good player with hall and either eberle/yak on rw. he needs to put on muscle though to truly shine.


for oilers fans:would you rather draft 3rd Bennett/draisaitl or trade some assets to move up to 1 for ekblad?(do you think it would be worth it)

 

[Up the Irons]

Meh. Way passed give a ----. All I know is the 14/15 season is already a write off because they are 'being patient' because the future is so bright. Blah, blah, blah. Wake me up when they r competing in the present.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

Rnh is fine. I bet some teams would still take rnh first on skillset alone.

Yeah he is inconsistant but he seems like a guy who really struggled with new coaching and physical play post surgry

I'd say top 15 playmaker already.

 

[ManByng]

landy is still improving a lot and has more room to grow, plus he'll be playing on a line with either Duchene or mackinnon for the next 10+ years.
rnh will be a very good player with hall and either eberle/yak on rw. he needs to put on muscle though to truly shine.


for oilers fans:would you rather draft 3rd Bennett/draisaitl or trade some assets to move up to 1 for ekblad?(do you think it would be worth it)

of course we'd want to move up if we could to take the best d-man and at least one of the best players. he'd fill a need we have for a potential top d-man and he's a right hand shot, which we lack in our system. however....saying that I wouldn't want the Oilers to give up the farm for him. I have heard of stupid deals from some fans who would give our 3rd overall, ++++++....let's get real! ain't gonna happen because MacT ain't that dumb, and I don't want to give up that much for Ekblad. if that were the asking, take big center Draisaitl and hope for the best. my 2 cents.

 

[krazy kanuck]

for oilers fans:would you rather draft 3rd Bennett/draisaitl or trade some assets to move up to 1 for ekblad?(do you think it would be worth it)

Without question I would. Something like #3 plus a third rounder. I also think Ekblad is going to be the best player in this draft by a noticeable margin. People will be underwhelmed at first because he'll likely focus on the defensive side of his game first...but eventually you realize that even though his skating is unusual and he isn't flashy he is just so damn good at everything...and next thing you know he's first team all-star and defenceman of the year.

P.S. - The above is coming from perhaps Edmonton's only Barrie born, Colts/Oilers fan, so there may be a bit of bias there .

 

[landy92mack29]

Without question I would. Something like #3 plus a third rounder. I also think Ekblad is going to be the best player in this draft by a noticeable margin. People will be underwhelmed at first because he'll likely focus on the defensive side of his game first...but eventually you realize that even though his skating is unusual and he isn't flashy he is just so damn good at everything...and next thing you know he's first team all-star and defenceman of the year.

P.S. - The above is coming from perhaps Edmonton's only Barrie born, Colts/Oilers fan, so there may be a bit of bias there .

I personally think ekblad is the clear #1 and a franchise d-man(shea weber 2.0)
it would take more than a 3rd I think though. make it a 2015 2nd and they might then

 

[damacles1156]

It starts with coaching, Anze Kopitar was really, really raw in his first few years. That changed when the Kings hired Terry Murray.

EDM needed to hire a legit Bridge coach Like John Stevens. I think the Eakins hiring is a disaster for you EDM fan's.

 

[GretzkytoKurri9917]

It starts with coaching, Anze Kopitar was really, really raw in his first few years. That changed when the Kings hired Terry Murray.

EDM needed to hire a legit Bridge coach Like John Stevens. I think the Eakins hiring is a disaster for you EDM fan's.

Edmonton was going to suck this season regardless of who the coach was going to be.



Just too many mediocre players on this team.

 

[EchoesoftheEighties]

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is the single most important player in this re-build. If he doesn't become a true number one centre like the team is banking on, the past few years have been for naught. As of right now he's a second line centre AT BEST. Ideally when he matures he becomes a truly elite player but until he takes that step, we're going to flounder IMO.

I would most certainly take Landeskog over him as of RIGHT NOW. The next few years will be interesting.

 

[redgrant]

I personally feel RNH and Landerskog is going to play out like Samsanov and Thornton.

 

[victor]

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is the single most important player in this re-build. If he doesn't become a true number one centre like the team is banking on, the past few years have been for naught. As of right now he's a second line centre AT BEST. Ideally when he matures he becomes a truly elite player but until he takes that step, we're going to flounder IMO.

I would most certainly take Landeskog over him as of RIGHT NOW. The next few years will be interesting.

27th in scoring for centres, 46th in goals, 21st in assists. A depressing 6th in takeaways with 63 (15th overall in the league)

All without being able to train in the off-season due to surgery.

As a 20 year old.

Perhaps your expectations of a second line centre are a little high?