Player Discussion Ethan Bear: It's a Bear Market

[OilerTitanFan]

Bear is quickly becoming a great addition to our D and one of the breakthrough prospects we desperately needed to happen. If Broberg, Bouchard, Jones and Sammy develop as expected we could have a deadly D corps and ammunition for a trade for the wingers or 3C we desperately need.

If you are only accepting a 3C for a top 4 D, you are underselling the D. The jets got so desperate they picked up La Sbisa on waivers. The names you mentioned can land us another top 6 player.

 

[McSuper]

Man our defence could be really good in 2-3 years.

Nurse - Bear
Broberg - Bouchard
Klefbom - Persson

Samorukov
Jones
Lagesson

Obviously this could change fairly quickly, but the 1st and 2nd pairing are likely interchangeable and the 3rd pairing is currently our second pairing.

I believe 2 of the others get bundled up with picks for a 3C or a winger.

You do not trade any of the 2 mention D for a 3rd line C . Trade a 3rd round pick . I get we may have to trade 1 or 2 of our D but we need some good value coming back . I think in 3 year we have 1 of the best D squads in the NHL

 

[Coffey]

11 games and... I haven’t yelled at my TV because of him yet. Wtf he’s the best.

 

[McFlyingV]

The lack of panic in this player is the most refreshing thing I have seen on this team since McDrai in 16-17. The number of small smart plays that he makes under pressure that most of our D rarely make is something else. I want to see what he looks like a year from now, and I really want to see him on the top PP.

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

Almost became another player that we let go for nothing and becomes great somewhere else. I'm guilty myself for writing him off.

Frankly I'm just so used to late round picks never becoming more than a Khaira.

 

[9GWG9]

He is able to make a decision in an instant and it shows in his play. Nowhere to go....quick little shift and boom the puck is up the ice on someone else’s stick.

I really wish they would work something around his shot on the power play. Hell any shot from the point. They don’t have to be pretty.

Anyhow the KID is awesome.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

The lack of panic in this player is the most refreshing thing I have seen on this team since McDrai in 16-17. The number of small smart plays that he makes under pressure that most of our D rarely make is something else. I want to see what he looks like a year from now, and I really want to see him on the top PP.

That play where he wins a battle against ovechkin and then just out waits Backstrom was unreal, the poise in bear is amazing

 

[McFlyingV]

That play where he wins a battle against ovechkin and then just out waits Backstrom was unreal, the poise in bear is amazing

My personal favourite was in the Jets game where he pursues Scheifele in the corner and out muscles him, takes the puck and moves it up ice. His poise is the major thing that stands out, but for his size he's strong as hell.

 

[Stoneman89]

I'm on board with everyone that is amazed with his poise, especially under pressure, and I think that is his #1 attribute. He has really nice passing skills and an underused shot. I think his strength and shot will improve as time goes on, and with the experience gained, and his new found attitude, his upside may even project to a # 1 pairing partnership and running a PP.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

 

[ImmuneEH]

I wonder how much that number drops when Larsson comes back.

 

[DaGap]

I wonder how much that number drops when Larsson comes back.

It shouldnt

 

[McDNicks17]

I wonder how much that number drops when Larsson comes back.

If Larsson comes back and takes Bear's spot beside Nurse, I'm calling dibs on starting the Fire Tippett thread.

 

[PaPaDee]

If Larsson comes back and takes Bear's spot beside Nurse, I'm calling dibs on starting the Fire Tippett thread.

Tippet seems to really love Bear, so I don’t see that happening. Hopefully:

Nurse - Bear
Klefbom - Larsson
Russell - Persson
Benning

 

[lakai17]

Bear played decent last game. He played 24 minutes and 19 seconds.



Nice job by Bear.

Thank you Chia for not throwing him away.(He actually drafted him)

 

[PBandJ]

Tippet seems to really love Bear, so I don’t see that happening. Hopefully:

Nurse - Bear
Klefbom - Larsson
Russell - Persson
Benning

I'd flip Larsson and Persson.

Klef and Persson have looked pretty good together and maybe starting on the third pairing with some easier minutes would help Lars find some mojo again.

 

[Samus44]

Tippet seems to really love Bear, so I don’t see that happening. Hopefully:

Nurse - Bear
Klefbom - Larsson
Russell - Persson
Benning

No way Benning is scratched for Persson. Benning is +9 and the PK is excellent, it's fair to say he's killing it in the minutes he's playing. +/- isn't everything but that's eye popping. He's a productive player who consistently outscores in 3rd pairing minutes, that's a stability any coach is going to value.

This fanbase really underrates him, he's a 25 year old two way dman who just a the very end of last year eclipsed 200 games. It's very likely Benning is just now putting it all together , most guys don't blow the doors off but rather come along slowly. With 200+ games now and at 25 he's a legit veteran NHL dman, not an unknown like Persson and not a fringe player.

I like Persson and am hopeful that his upside is better than Benning's, but him reaching an upside of that level is very unlikely this season as he's learning NA and to a lesser extent Pro Hockey. This is a guy who came out of nowhere to play in the SHL let alone the NHL, he's still got a lot of lessons to learn, lessons Benning had learned over the last 3 seasons. Coaches won't ignore the details fans ignore, and they'll take the safer bet almost every night.

 

[Anarchism]

No way Benning is scratched for Persson. Benning is +9 and the PK is excellent, it's fair to say he's killing it in the minutes he's playing. +/- isn't everything but that's eye popping. He's a productive player who consistently outscores in 3rd pairing minutes, that's a stability any coach is going to value.

This fanbase really underrates him, he's a 25 year old two way dman who just a the very end of last year eclipsed 200 games. It's very likely Benning is just now putting it all together , most guys don't blow the doors off but rather come along slowly. With 200+ games now and at 25 he's a legit veteran NHL dman, not an unknown like Persson and not a fringe player.

I like Persson and am hopeful that his upside is better than Benning's, but him reaching an upside of that level is very unlikely this season as he's learning NA and to a lesser extent Pro Hockey. This is a guy who came out of nowhere to play in the SHL let alone the NHL, he's still got a lot of lessons to learn, lessons Benning had learned over the last 3 seasons. Coaches won't ignore the details fans ignore, and they'll take the safer bet almost every night.

Persson is more hope right now....he is learning on the job and probably still up because Larsson is hurt ....when he is back and there are no injuries very likley that Persson goes down with a laundry list to work on. Remember he has basically 15 games in North America/NHL and he has done okay most of the time...WE know he can move the puck up the ice so the outlook on him remains very positive ....but as above quite a few things to work on

 

[McDNicks17]

No way Benning is scratched for Persson. Benning is +9 and the PK is excellent, it's fair to say he's killing it in the minutes he's playing. +/- isn't everything but that's eye popping. He's a productive player who consistently outscores in 3rd pairing minutes, that's a stability any coach is going to value.

This fanbase really underrates him, he's a 25 year old two way dman who just a the very end of last year eclipsed 200 games. It's very likely Benning is just now putting it all together , most guys don't blow the doors off but rather come along slowly. With 200+ games now and at 25 he's a legit veteran NHL dman, not an unknown like Persson and not a fringe player.

I like Persson and am hopeful that his upside is better than Benning's, but him reaching an upside of that level is very unlikely this season as he's learning NA and to a lesser extent Pro Hockey. This is a guy who came out of nowhere to play in the SHL let alone the NHL, he's still got a lot of lessons to learn, lessons Benning had learned over the last 3 seasons. Coaches won't ignore the details fans ignore, and they'll take the safer bet almost every night.

What does the PK have to do with Benning? It's probably partly improved because Tipp refuses to play him on it.

Persson is already a vastly better NHL defenseman.

 

[LTIR]

Persson is stop gap for Bouchard..
Benning is decent #6/7 long term..just overpriced.

 

[Samus44]

What does the PK have to do with Benning? It's probably partly improved because Tipp refuses to play him on it.

Persson is already a vastly better NHL defenseman.

He doesn't play as much as the top 4 but he hasn't let them down when needed as the 5th guy. Benning isn't a world beater but he's doing his job. I don't see him here long term but he isn't trash, he's a respectable player. As of now i just think Persson isn't in good enough shape and needs to adjust to the pace. I could be wrong but Benning has been a consistent presence on the 3rd pair and the results have been good. I think Benning has played less this year because the team is dedicated to playing Klefbom and Nurse as co-top pairings, with both guys anchoring big minute responsibilities, and Russell is heavily trusted on the PK. When you have a 3rd pair that plays less and stable and versatile vet like Benning is going to be valued more in that role.

 

[Llamamoto]

I was just reading a cult of hockey article, and the author mentioned that he thinks that Tippet is waiting for Larsson to come back before putting Bear on the pp. He's already playing long minutes, so he doesn't want to overwork him. When Larsson come back, Bear's 5V5 load will become lighter, and he'll have more energy for the pp.

About the D lines when Larsson comes back, I hope it'll look like this:

Nurse - Bear
Klefbom - Larsson (Give the top 2 pairings relatively equal time)
Russell - Benning/Persson (I have a feeling it'll be Benning)

 

[CycloneSweep]

I was just reading a cult of hockey article, and the author mentioned that he thinks that Tippet is waiting for Larsson to come back before putting Bear on the pp. He's already playing long minutes, so he doesn't want to overwork him. When Larsson come back, Bear's 5V5 load will become lighter, and he'll have more energy for the pp.

About the D lines when Larsson comes back, I hope it'll look like this:

Nurse - Bear
Klefbom - Larsson (Give the top 2 pairings relatively equal time)
Russell - Benning/Persson (I have a feeling it'll be Benning)

I also think they are doing that because the team honestly needs him more 5v5 than on the powerplay right now. We need him playing the heavy minutes because he is the only guy on the right that can.

 

[oobga]

I'd flip Larsson and Persson.

Klef and Persson have looked pretty good together and maybe starting on the third pairing with some easier minutes would help Lars find some mojo again.

Russell-Larsson is a complete disaster pairing though. Both guys unable to move a puck up. Nurse-Larsson has always been consistently bad too, neither guy can make a good pass, any controlled transition depends on Nurse skating pucks out.

I'm really struggling now to understand Larsson's role on this team now that Bear has emerged. The puck moving Persson provides, I really am liking. If Klefbom/Larsson can't be better at maintaining a quick pace, I'm at a loss where Larsson goes on this team now.

 

[McDNicks17]

Russell-Larsson is a completely disaster pairing though. Both guys unable to move a puck up.

I'm really struggling now to understand Larsson's role on this team now that Bear has emerged.

With Jones blowing the doors off the AHL, it's starting to look like Jones-Larsson would be the best case scenario for the third pairing, but I'm not sure they're willing or able to get rid of Russell.