Player Discussion Send Down or Keep Up?

[780il]

Should we send him down or should we keep him up? We've all been asking this question to ourselves regarding 3 young players - Evan Bouchard, Kailer Yamamoto, and Jesse Puljujarvi.

Imo:
Bouch - send down, give him 1 more year to iron out some kinks and play top 4 in 2019-20. Another developmental year where he focuses on skating and defense will make him a better player in the long run. Also, this would mean that he's most likely exempt from the Seattle expansion and his elc slides.

Yamo - send down, he needs to mature physically some more and focus on making better and quicker decisions (could also work on his shot more). Also, probably exempt from Seattle expansion if he is sent down and again, elc slide.

Pulju - keep him up/maybe send him down for a few games for confidence building. Imo we need to staple him to McNuge and see what we have. He has produced with these 2 (Mcjesus in particular) and his fancies look good with them. Give him a longer leash so he isnt worried about making mistakes and playing scared that he'll be benched. If he doesnt play well then send him to Bako and be patient with the big guy.

Roster Moves: call up Bear, waive Garrison, call up Gravel
Trade a 2nd for a middle 6 winger (Dzingel/Nyquist/Silf), trade away Kassian/Benning for a bag of pucks

Lineup:

Nuge - Mcdavid - Pulju/Rattie
Rieder - Drai - Trade Acquisition
Lucic - Strome - Caggiula/Marody
Khaira - Brodziak - Chiasson

Klefbom - Larsson
Nurse - Russel
Gravel - Bear

Talbot
Koskinen


What would you do? Discuss!

Click to read more...

 

[VainGretzky]

That Forward line up has 3 skilled players only, the bottom 6 will produce very little

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Send down all three. Let KY and JP get some confidence so they can come back strong when we need them to. Bouchard will be a strong impact defenseman for the Oilers soon but they should still be patient with this player.

 

[CycloneSweep]

I think once Rattie is back they send down Yamamoto. I think you send down Pulju now and then hope they both build some offensive confidence and then inject them when Chiasson and Rattie start to go bunk.

Bouchard you send him down after 9 and replace him with Bear

 

[HockeyGuy1964]

I find it hard to believe anybody would think Bouchard should stay. We keep every 1st rounder up like it's some kind of rule that we have to or something. At least they did the right thing & sent KY back last year.

Pretty sure he's not gonna be the difference between us making the playoffs or not & the potential damage that could be done is too big a risk given our recent history. Anybody who says he's spent 3 years in junior & can't learn anything more there is wrong. If he stops learning just because he's at the major junior level he's not the player we hope he is.

 

[Spawn]

Send down all three. Pulju now. Bouchard after 2 more GP. Yamamoto when Rattie is back.

Call up Bear if you're planning to play him, or Gravel if you're planning on him being a PB guy.

 

[Soundwave]

Probably won't be a popular opinion, but I think they should send down all three.

Let Kailer and Jesse light it up in Bakersfield and get the confidence that you only get from scoring actual goals.

Evan is very close, but I think you need to err on the side of caution there. As long as Benning can be kept on the bottom pairing and not given too much responsibility, I think that's ok for the time being (one hopes anyway).

I'd roll with

RNH McDavid Rattie
Reider Draisaitl Caggiula
Lucic Strome Marody
Chiasson Brodziak Kassian
Khaira

And then give Jesse or Kailer a call up when they heat up in the AHL.

 

[Cloned]

Probably won't be a popular opinion, but I think they should send down all three.

Let Kailer and Jesse light it up in Bakersfield and get the confidence that you only get from scoring actual goals.

Evan is very close, but I think you need to err on the side of caution there. As long as Benning can be kept on the bottom pairing and not given too much responsibility, I think that's ok for the time being (one hopes anyway).

I'd roll with

RNH McDavid Rattie
Reider Draisaitl Caggiula
Lucic Strome Marody
Chiasson Brodziak Kassian
Khaira

And then give Jesse or Kailer a call up when they heat up in the AHL.

The issue with Bouchard is sending him down is permanent for this season, which really sucks. They really need to change those outdated CHL/AHL age rules.

 

[guymez]

I think once Rattie is back they send down Yamamoto. I think you send down Pulju now and then hope they both build some offensive confidence and then inject them when Chiasson and Rattie start to go bunk.

Bouchard you send him down after 9 and replace him with Bear

I agree with this. I actually think the hardest decision here is the Bouchard situation. With Seattle now looking to be in for the 2021 season (providing some much needed roster clarity) not having to protect him is important.

I also think Sekera may be back in January as well and although I dont expect him to be a top 4 dman I do expect that he will solidify the bottom pairing providing an extra body for the 5/6/7 positions..

 

[Soundwave]

If Seattle is looking towards 2021, we have to send Bouchard down, I don't really even know how much debate there is to be had.

 

[Jepprey]

Bouchard to OHL.
Yam to AHL.
Pulj stays and plays.

 

[MinimaMoralia]

All are in dire need of seasoning. I actually kinda think Woodcroft might be good for Pulju.

 

[Chet Manley]

The issue with Bouchard is sending him down is permanent for this season, which really sucks. They really need to change those outdated CHL/AHL age rules.

I bet a lot of the junior teams would be fine with a cash payout for 1st rounders that decide to go to the AHL. Many in the CHL require the community to help get them by. Could have a standard compensation plan based on the picks position or perhaps a percentage of the ELC.

 

[Burnoutboi]

Anybody who says he's spent 3 years in junior & can't learn anything more there is wrong.

I was one of those up until about a week ago. As much as I’ll miss the potential for that breakout pass, Bouchard will be better served playing massive minutes in all key situations as opposed to occasional press box, twelve minutes a game duty.

 

[Moregoalspls]

I would send them all down. It seems we have a stable team at the moment. Let the young guys get some confidence in the minors, you can see the lack of it in there game right now. Pulu looks like he's playing scared all the time like he's worried to get sent down. Yamo is drawing penalties and all but can't seem to play his game among the elite. Bouchard is a rookie and a damn good one and I would play him over any of the bottom 6 but he doesn't need to play now. A little maturity goes a long way, age makes a difference.

 

[dss97]

Send all three down when Rattie comes back, maybe keep Yamamoto up if anyone. Bouchard needs some work on his defensive game (also concerned about having to protect him for expansion). JP just hasn't been doing anything when he's in the lineup, send him down.

 

[bobbythebrain]

I find it hard to believe anybody would think Bouchard should stay. We keep every 1st rounder up like it's some kind of rule that we have to or something. At least they did the right thing & sent KY back last year.

Pretty sure he's not gonna be the difference between us making the playoffs or not & the potential damage that could be done is too big a risk given our recent history. Anybody who says he's spent 3 years in junior & can't learn anything more there is wrong. If he stops learning just because he's at the major junior level he's not the player we hope he is.

Like who? The new regime has sent down everyone

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

I'd send Yamo down- does a ton right already, very smart, but needs to work on his lower body strength and AHL affords him time to do that, plus a little more confidence in handling the puck opposed to deferring to others.

Pulju's fate will be determined by how he responds to being healthy scratched, if he doesn't bring any passion once he's inserted back into the line-up then send him to the AHL too.

Bouchard I'd keep- he's better than Benning now by a decent margin by my estimation and I see the gulf widening as the season progresses, he's got the maturity that I think he can take the NHL development path over the OHL which doesn't bring a lot of resistance or challenge, plus I see Yawney being good for his development. I strongly disagree with the general sentiment that 3rd pairing D don't matter, IMO they matter as much as the quality of your 3rd line C, a good two-way or offensive 3rd pairing D really helps skew 3rd and 4th line head to head match-ups in your teams favour. I believe that the difference between Benning and Bouchard could be the difference between making and not making the playoffs. Gravel+ Bouchard >> Garrison+Benning. With respect to the expansion draft you go 4F and 4D, buy-out Sekera's last year and then get on bent knee and flat out beg Lucic to waive his NMC so we don't have to protect him, at present we only have 3 forwards legitimately worth protecting, we'll see who can play their way into that 4th spot. Potential also exists to bribe Seattle in whom they take or don't take, much like occurred multiple times with Vegas.

 

[Oilers in NS]

Should we send him down or should we keep him up? We've all been asking this question to ourselves regarding 3 young players - Evan Bouchard, Kailer Yamamoto, and Jesse Puljujarvi.

Imo:
Bouch - send down, give him 1 more year to iron out some kinks and play top 4 in 2019-20. Another developmental year where he focuses on skating and defense will make him a better player in the long run. Also, this would mean that he's most likely exempt from the Seattle expansion and his elc slides.

Yamo - send down, he needs to mature physically some more and focus on making better and quicker decisions (could also work on his shot more). Also, probably exempt from Seattle expansion if he is sent down and again, elc slide.

Pulju - keep him up/maybe send him down for a few games for confidence building. Imo we need to staple him to McNuge and see what we have. He has produced with these 2 (Mcjesus in particular) and his fancies look good with them. Give him a longer leash so he isnt worried about making mistakes and playing scared that he'll be benched. If he doesnt play well then send him to Bako and be patient with the big guy.

Roster Moves: call up Bear, waive Garrison, call up Gravel
Trade a 2nd for a middle 6 winger (Dzingel/Nyquist/Silf), trade away Kassian/Benning for a bag of pucks

Lineup:

Nuge - Mcdavid - Pulju/Rattie
Rieder - Drai - Trade Acquisition
Lucic - Strome - Caggiula/Marody
Khaira - Brodziak - Chiasson

Klefbom - Larsson
Nurse - Russel
Gravel - Bear

Talbot
Koskinen


What would you do? Discuss!

I watched Puju in warm up in Nashville game. He has a wicked shot. I wanna see him with Top 6 minutes

 

[780il]

So, the almost consensus seems to be to send down all 3 or 2/3. Can't say I disagree.

 

[joestevens29]

Probably need to keep one of KY or JP until Rattie is back.

Would also suspect Bouchard sticks around until at least he plays game 9. Not sure that him going back to junior a week later really will matter.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Bouchard is an NHL dman... keep him up and he gets better over time. Simple decision. I don't have a problem with him being "slow rolled" into the NHL. He can be played in the lineup for most games... and sit out others... and he'll develop best playing at the NHL level.

KY is a solid player... decent at both ends of the ice. He isn't lighting up the scoreboard so I don't have an issue with cycling him between the NHL/AHL along with players like Marody/Benson as well.

Puljujarvi... similar story... not lighting it up but the skill and talent is there... will take him longer than most to reach his ceiling and nothing wrong with rotating him to the AHL as well... along with KY, Marody, Benson etc.

 

[ConnorMcNugesaitl]

Yamamoto should stay up, he's actually contributing in the NHL.

Jesse looks over matched so he goes down.

Bouchard goes down to preserve the year of his elc and develop more. I'm not sure who's dog Matt Benning kicked for so many to believe there's a massive gap there, Benning looked pretty damn good lately but if not bottom pairing d aren't hard or expensive to acquire.

 

[LMFAO]

Bouchard to OHL

Pulju and Yam stays

RNH-McDavid-Rattie
Rieder-Draisailt-Pulju
Lucic-Strome-Yamamoto
Caggiula-Brodziak-Chiasson

 

[ConnorMcNugesaitl]

I'd send Yamo down- does a ton right already, very smart, but needs to work on his lower body strength and AHL affords him time to do that, plus a little more confidence in handling the puck opposed to deferring to others.

Pulju's fate will be determined by how he responds to being healthy scratched, if he doesn't bring any passion once he's inserted back into the line-up then send him to the AHL too.

Bouchard I'd keep- he's better than Benning now by a decent margin by my estimation and I see the gulf widening as the season progresses, he's got the maturity that I think he can take the NHL development path over the OHL which doesn't bring a lot of resistance or challenge, plus I see Yawney being good for his development. I strongly disagree with the general sentiment that 3rd pairing D don't matter, IMO they matter as much as the quality of your 3rd line C, a good two-way or offensive 3rd pairing D really helps skew 3rd and 4th line head to head match-ups in your teams favour. I believe that the difference between Benning and Bouchard could be the difference between making and not making the playoffs. Gravel+ Bouchard >> Garrison+Benning. With respect to the expansion draft you go 4F and 4D, buy-out Sekera's last year and then get on bent knee and flat out beg Lucic to waive his NMC so we don't have to protect him, at present we only have 3 forwards legitimately worth protecting, we'll see who can play their way into that 4th spot. Potential also exists to bribe Seattle in whom they take or don't take, much like occurred multiple times with Vegas.

Sekera has nothing to do with the expansion draft as his nmc expires after this year, the problem is Kris Russell.

What if begging Lucic doesn't work?

Paying Seattle not to take Puljujarvi or Bear is an option but not a very good one.