Confirmed with Link: Oiler sign Dominik Kahun 1-year/ 975k

[McTonyBrar]

You can make the argument about Muzzin being better than Bear. Definitely not clear cut either way.

... umm yeah lol he’s played less than 100 NHL Games man

 

[Maverick41]

I hate to go off topic, but I just want to make a quick post about Kahun.

He played again today and added another assist on his teams only goal in a 1-2 loss.

Here is a link to the highlight video. The sequence with his assist starts at 2:23 I think.

 

[shoop]

Someone piss in your cornflakes?

I'm sorry if I offended you Al. What is a way to reply you would deem acceptable?

 

[shoop]

... umm yeah lol he’s played less than 100 NHL Games man

Yes. Bear has played fewer than 100 games. I am glad you got a laugh out of it.

Right now you can make an argument that Muzzin is a better player than Bear. Would I trade Bear straight up for Muzzin right now? Absolutely not.

 

[BarDownBobo]

I hate to go off topic, but I just want to make a quick post about Kahun.

He played again today and added another assist on his teams only goal in a 1-2 loss.

Here is a link to the highlight video. The sequence with his assist starts at 2:23 I think.

That’s some awesome awareness to know his linemate is there.

 

[SaltNPeca]

That’s some awesome awareness to know his linemate is there.

Goalscorer is Philip Gogulla, a former Buffalo pick, who's a real good hockey player in his own right. He was a PPG player last year in Düsseldorf with 26G 26A. Gogulla and Kahun do a great job playing their positions... but now for me to rant about their linemate.

If u see what #28, Mauer the RW, does on this play: drive the RW wing hard wide, circle the net, skate up the "offwing" boards, skates out of the zone, and comes back in late up the middle.
I find this is really typical German style of play which I have yet to adapt to or "get" as a both an amateur player and armchair-GM here. They scored, but it still blows my mind.

• 2:25 : Why doesn't he pass "short side" to Kahun? (arguably best player on their team open for a shot)
• 2:28 : Why doesn't he cycle it back down low or pass to the RD??? He's a Right shot facing a Left shot RD positioned perfectly in the middle of the ice. (happens to be Yannic Seidenberg, Dennis' brother)
• 2:32 : After dropping the puck for his LD he fails to cover for his D-men and enters the zone floating looking at the net. The RD is also in deep.

 

[Poda]

Yeah, what a schmock, this Mauer guy!

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

it's early but so far he's been a dud
no wonder the Sabres didn't re-sign him
analytics FTW!

 

[Oilslick941611]

it's early but so far he's been a dud
no wonder the Sabres didn't re-sign him
analytics FTW!

I mean he was cheap and a 1 year deal, was worth a shot. Still early though and the team needs to practice, maybe he will develop chemistry as the season wears on, but yah 4 games in and he’s looked not very good

 

[McJadeddog]

I mean he was cheap and a 1 year deal, was worth a shot. Still early though and the team needs to practice, maybe he will develop chemistry as the season wears on, but yah 4 games in and he’s looked not very good

Yeah, very disappointing to be honest. I'll admit, I was pretty excited about getting him, but he has been very underwhelming. I'm not exactly sure what he does at a "plus level" to be honest. Not big enough for a grand game, not fast/skilled enough for a skill game. About the nicest thing I could say about him so far is that he at least knows roughly where to be on the ice and he has some chemistry with Drai.

 

[Faelko]

He’s looking like a 3rd line winger at this point.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

He’s looking like a 3rd line winger at this point.

Not unlike Strome used to for us. Maybe one day our coaching can get the best out of our players for a change.

 

[Gurglesons]

If it is any consolation, he looked awful in PIT for his first 10 or so games before finding some chemistry and burning white hot then looking solid, but not amazing afterwards.

 

[MessierII]

He doesn’t look bad necessarily but he’s just kind of a nothing player. Sadly that’s better over half our forwards so far.

 

[DropTheGloves]

Haven't hated him. No incredible individualistic plays but that's not his game. If DRY ever gets put back together, I'd like to see him with Turris and Pulju for a decent stretch.

 

[Faelko]

Not unlike Strome used to for us. Maybe one day our coaching can get the best out of our players for a change.

Yeah, nothing wrong with being a 3rd line player. Should probably be coached on PK duties to be effective.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Yeah, nothing wrong with being a 3rd line player. Should probably be coached on PK duties to be effective.

It's only bad when you are the only guy brought in to fill a top 6 role. Hopefully he has more to give and starts playing better.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Kahun is having some trouble with NHL pressure and checking. His intelligent game works better when hes able to find some open ice. He's also got nailed a number of times and could even be playing hurt already. First game or two he had speed, good stop and starts, now is really struggling to find any open ice. But I think he can't be on a top line with no clear second. Yama is not ideal for this line and is not moving or receiving the puck well either.

While I liked the addition of Kahun I also still was saying we needed to swing for the fence and get somebody like Hoffman.

But another thing is Drai is really struggling to score, immensely, and is just not finishing what he normally would. The whole line has struggled to score.

 

[Aerchon]

Kahun is having some trouble with NHL pressure and checking. His intelligent game works better when hes able to find some open ice. He's also got nailed a number of times and could even be playing hurt already. First game or two he had speed, good stop and starts, now is really struggling to find any open ice. But I think he can't be on a top line with no clear second. Yama is not ideal for this line and is not moving or receiving the puck well either.

While I liked the addition of Kahun I also still was saying we needed to swing for the fence and get somebody like Hoffman.

But another thing is Drai is really struggling to score, immensely, and is just not finishing what he normally would. The whole line has struggled to score.

Kahun has has some good moments but he is dragging that line down a bit. At least compared to how amazing Nuge is in the same spot.

I'd move him up or down the lineup to see if someone else can get chemistry with him because at the nhl level him and Draisaitl are not anything special so far anyways.

I'm feeling another Reider situation with Kahun so far.

 

[bucks_oil]

Kahun has has some good moments but he is dragging that line down a bit. At least compared to how amazing Nuge is in the same spot.

I'd move him up or down the lineup to see if someone else can get chemistry with him because at the nhl level him and Draisaitl are not anything special so far anyways.

I'm feeling another Reider situation with Kahun so far.

Yeah... I really had my eye on him last night and he had a really tough game. Fumbling pass receptions and just generally wasting that little bit of time that he had, which then had him forcing bad passes under pressure as the time-space closed in around him. When Ennis is back, I'd drop Kahun to the third/fourth for a bit... let him inject some energy there until bounces go his way.

 

[FlameChampion]

I see some good in his game. Hes pretty shifty and seems like he hustles pretty well. I think hes been snake bit too. I think hes just having a hard time getting into the flow of the games, he doesnt really seem to get too that much ice time between no PP/PK time and sometimes double shifting of McDavid/Draisaitl together after a PK or something. I dont think Draisaitl has quite got up to speed at least offensively, so I think thats hurting the line a bit. That being said, not really seeing as much chemistry between him and Draisaitl as I expected. I still think we should try him with McDavid and put the DRY line back together.

 

[Mez]

He looks to me like he is close to finding his rhythm here. Once he does I think he will contribute offensively more. I wouldn't mind him getting a shot with McDavid as well.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Yeah... I really had my eye on him last night and he had a really tough game. Fumbling pass receptions and just generally wasting that little bit of time that he had, which then had him forcing bad passes under pressure as the time-space closed in around him. When Ennis is back, I'd drop Kahun to the third/fourth for a bit... let him inject some energy there until bounces go his way.

Saw a different game from him. Watch him without the puck. He was pressuring well, playing a solid 200ft game, had good pace, was on pucks and his stop/start is exceptional. He can even control pucks in traffic but it takes time. What I see is a player still not fully adapted to the NHL, and here specifically. He's even made potential scoring plays and set up Yama right in front of the net, Yama didn't have his stick on the ice but it could've resulted in a goal. Drai narrowly missed him on a back door pass.

Kahun was very good in first game, had multiple scoring chances. he was OK 2nd game, but then his pace fell off in games 3, 4 as he's getting wind back. Has to be remembered that all these players have not played very much and he's a pace player. Its imperative he has that.

I mean I think a player like Kahun even in a good year tops out at 40pts but this is not a typical year at all. I mentioned before the season started that open ice would be at a premium this year. Coverage was going to be closer and teams were going to be able to watch film and scheme much more specifically for all teams this season because you only have 6 opponents. This was going to effect everybody and their production, and their time to make plays and even the very best players are struggling to adjust to this as we've seen. This would be the hardest time ever to land into a new clubs topsix. you're playing in an intensity checking phone booth all the time.

We've noticed most of the games its hard for all to possess the puck, to make plays, passes, so much is being shutdown and contested this season. .

By all means give Kahun more time and patience. Everybody on the club is having to fight through. We're not playing teams only2 games a year where they just roll the game and don't have any specific scheme against us. Even Drai is impacted by this EV and PP because opponents are shutting down some of our set piece plays.

 

[Drivesaitl]

He looks to me like he is close to finding his rhythm here. Once he does I think he will contribute offensively more. I wouldn't mind him getting a shot with McDavid as well.

Yep. His first game and his last game were his best outings. He lost a step in the middle games. He'll find his way.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I see some good in his game. Hes pretty shifty and seems like he hustles pretty well. I think hes been snake bit too. I think hes just having a hard time getting into the flow of the games, he doesnt really seem to get too that much ice time between no PP/PK time and sometimes double shifting of McDavid/Draisaitl together after a PK or something. I dont think Draisaitl has quite got up to speed at least offensively, so I think thats hurting the line a bit. That being said, not really seeing as much chemistry between him and Draisaitl as I expected. I still think we should try him with McDavid and put the DRY line back together.

Kahun is good at creating separation, and even does it on boards. He's shifty very good one step skater in any direction. He has decent speed, gets to pucks, he's struggled a bit in traffic but the coverage and checking has been intense.

The chemistry is there. Drai and Kahun have had several plays that were slight of hand with one or the other getting into a position and the other reading where they were, they just have not clicked yet. Has to be remembered as I've stated all the games this year will be more adherence to system, better schemes, and easy stuff will be shutdown. The leafs seem to have even more trouble adjusting to this season than we are. You just aren't going to get many of the wide open games that we are used to typically seeing. Because all the matchups are 9, 10 game sets. All these games will be evalauated carefully by coaching staff and players. I hate to tell people this if its not your bag but this regular season will get even tighter. You just arent going to have any unprepared opponents this year that superstars like McD and Drai can easily exploit. Now you have to work much harder for your scoring chances. Kahun is placed in the middle of this massive adjustment, and on a new team. Its very difficult to ramp up because opponents know as much about what Drai and Yama will do than Kahun does.