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James Stefan Signs A 3 Year Elc with the Oilers

Seems odd no one looked at this kid sooner. His first full WHL season couple back he lead a good Winterhawks team in goals.

I get skating is an issue, but honestly that is one of the easiest things to work on. If of course he has the drive
 
Da McBomb said:
Probably chose the Oilers because he kept seeing his dad's highlight over and over of the Oilers scoring
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I suspect Edmonton will become attractive for players like this that went undrafted but are breaking out offensively. As the farm team becomes more devoid of prospects, players like this will see an opportunity for real AHL minutes that could lead to an eventual NHL opportunity whether in Edmonton or elsewhere on a second contract.
 
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Free is free. Good pedigree, some skill as a scoring right shot winger nicked a bit with size and skating through Covid havoc development era. Good Dub goal scoring numbers with breakthrough age 20 season. Great to see the Oil stepping up on project players to sift for prospect system gold.

Makes me think a bit about the hope surrounding Cameron Hebig Hebig inks entry level deal with Edmonton Oilers - Saskatoon Blades

With apparent options available the young man chose the Oil. And Oil need to boost its prospect pool with some qualified bets on skill.
 
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Behind Enemy Lines said:
Free is free. Good pedigree, some skill as a scoring right shot winger nicked a bit with size and skating through Covid havoc development era. Good Dub goal scoring numbers with breakthrough age 20 season. Great to see the Oil stepping up on project players to sift for prospect system gold.

Makes me think a bit about the hope surrounding Cameron Hebig Hebig inks entry level deal with Edmonton Oilers - Saskatoon Blades

With apparent options available the young man chose the Oil. And Oil need to boost its prospect pool with some qualified bets on skill.
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That's fair, though looking that Hebig's numbers, Stefan is very much out producing him. Plus they're shots, you work and hope they hit, but like with drafted kids there's no guarantees.
 
I look at this move as a reverse John Marino situation. Oilers are in the bottom 5th in the league actual prospects according to most scouting sites. Stefan may see this as a quicker route to the NHL knowing full well that he has less bodies to jump.

Behind Enemy Lines said:
Makes me think a bit about the hope surrounding Cameron Hebig Hebig inks entry level deal with Edmonton Oilers - Saskatoon Blades
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Now there is a name I forgotten about. I just remember Stauffer gushing over his speed and a few other things
 
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Jimmi McJenkins said:
That's fair, though looking that Hebig's numbers, Stefan is very much out producing him. Plus they're shots, you work and hope they hit, but like with drafted kids there's no guarantees.
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Biggest jump is from junior to pro. It's a reasonable free shot at skill as I've mentioned. Just good to maintain realistic expectations as we've seen Oil pedigree draft picks face the development jump from junior to pro. Won't go down the rabbit hole with Hebig and Stefan but to say the quality of their team's were vastly different and Helbig had centre/wing versatility pulling together a healthy season to suggest latent potential.

Free is free. Cheap bet on skill in both cases.
 
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Behind Enemy Lines said:
Free is free. Good pedigree, some skill as a scoring right shot winger nicked a bit with size and skating through Covid havoc development era. Good Dub goal scoring numbers with breakthrough age 20 season. Great to see the Oil stepping up on project players to sift for prospect system gold.

Makes me think a bit about the hope surrounding Cameron Hebig Hebig inks entry level deal with Edmonton Oilers - Saskatoon Blades

With apparent options available the young man chose the Oil. And Oil need to boost its prospect pool with some qualified bets on skill.
Click to expand...
I feel like the WHL has improved since Hebig was there. I remember always seeing the top of the scoring race being dominated by undrafted guys a few years ago, but there's a lot more NHL drafted talent up there now.

There's only one guy ahead of Stefan this year that isn't either drafted or going to be drafted this year(and probably in the 1st round). Funnily enough it's Stefan's linemate, Gabe Klassen. (I guess there's Zac Funk too who just signed a deal.)
 
McDNicks17 said:
I feel like the WHL has improved since Hebig was there. I remember always seeing the top of the scoring race being dominated by undrafted guys a few years ago, but there's a lot more NHL drafted talent up there now.

There's only one guy ahead of Stefan this year that isn't either drafted or going to be drafted this year(and probably in the 1st round). Funnily enough it's Stefan's linemate, Gabe Klassen.
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I'd suggest the league is likely cyclical. Trevor Wong of the Blades is another undrafted player who is high in the scoring race. Similar small skill. Wildcard is Covid Era development glitch which is a big unknown with opportunity to mine for latent talent. Adding Zac Funk too who is playing in Prince George who has also had an incredible age 20 years increasing his goal scoring numbers to 67 in 66 games from 26 in 64 games.

EDIT: Adding this link, the Dub has had very solid success over recent years with drafted players. Especially the last couple with high end pedigree players: "The 2023 NHL Draft also marked the second consecutive NHL Draft in which the WHL was the most-represented league among the players chosen in the first round."

 
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Portland Winterhawks are an interesting team. In the 70's and 80's they produced some good talent, they went through a dry spell, develop some good players and then were a hit and miss organization. I find it interesting how many of their current top players were either mid round picks or never drafted like Stefan
 
D+2 numbers never impress me, no matter how gaudi.

All CHL leagues have a ton of 20 year olds at the top of league scoring who never become anything in the NHL.

If you told me he has a solid pro game, with amazing skating and huge that went undrafted that would be something else.

But this kid basically peaks in 2 years.


I think he's a kid we give a chance to develop, but likely a career farmhand.
 
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Perfect_Drug said:
D+2 numbers never impress me, no matter how gaudi.

All CHL leagues have a ton of 20 year olds at the top of league scoring who never become anything in the NHL.

If you told me he has a solid pro game, with amazing skating and huge that went undrafted that would be something else.

But this kid basically peaks in 2 years.


I think he's a kid we give a chance to develop, but likely a career farmhand.
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Eberle was a D+2 player. It's fair to say he had a pretty good career
 
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Canovin said:
Eberle was a D+2 player. It's fair to say he had a pretty good career
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????
Jordan Eberle??

Jordan Eberle was literally a 1st round pick.


How on earth do you consider him a D+2 player? He literally has the most linear development of anyone who went from Draft to NHL.
 
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Perfect_Drug said:
????
Jordan Eberle??

Jordan Eberle was literally a 1st round pick.
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Draft pedigree doesn't matter in D+2.

If you're going to bring up D+2, at least evaluate them based on the same merits. Stefan is putting up close to Eberle's number based on D+2.
 
Perfect_Drug said:
D+2 numbers never impress me, no matter how gaudi.

All CHL leagues have a ton of 20 year olds at the top of league scoring who never become anything in the NHL.

If you told me he has a solid pro game, with amazing skating and huge that went undrafted that would be something else.

But this kid basically peaks in 2 years.


I think he's a kid we give a chance to develop, but likely a career farmhand.
Click to expand...
His first draft year was 2021 draft so this was his draft +3
 
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