News Article: Training camp starts. Camp discussion

[Faelko]

Upshall failed his medical...

He's skating with the team. The simple fact that he wasn't sent packing when he failed that physical tells me he's in their plans.

 

[Spawn]

Considering the Flames team is in China right now, anyone have a guess as to what beer league ringers we're going to be playing against in our first pre-season game tomorrow?

 

[LaGu]

i'm more hoping looch will get it together and not be the hurtin unit or anchor on that line should it carry forth into the season. i think drai and connor play too quick and process the game at a level looch cannot keep up with (at least it looks that way now). he may need to drop to the third line and play with the likes of chiasson or brodziak etc so that at the very least he can start getting some confidence back and get his mojo back. he looks like he's treading water and near drowning at times playing with drai or connor. i think if he gets his mojo or confidence back he could definitely slot in with them from time to time. i don't think he has the overall ability to stay with those top 2 guys for long stretches. needs to dip to third/slower line every now and then to regain mojo. it sucks to say but maybe the game has just gotten too fast for him. i hope he proves me wrong this season but he'll need some work through training camp and early in the season...

I am not sure about that he cannot keep up because McD and Drai process the game at a higher level. Krejci made his living out of processing the game, smart play and excellent vision. It's on looch to bounce back in terms of effort, McD and Drai are smart enough to understand how to play with Lucic (if they play together).

 

[booyakasha]

Assuming we get to watch Montreal and Winnipeg tomorrow night, but the Oilers/Flames won't be on TV - just online?

yup, the game on Tuesday is televised though

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Considering the Flames team is in China right now, anyone have a guess as to what beer league ringers we're going to be playing against in our first pre-season game tomorrow?

Someone posted their PTO list which was massive, Gilbert Brule was a notable name on there.

 

[booyakasha]

Kinda wanted to see more of Maksimov in preseson, but oh well, good luck in Niagara!

 

[Cypress]

Yeah, glad to see them start sending guys down already though. Hopefully they can slim down the lineup a bit quicker this year so the NHL guys have more opportunity to find chemistry.

 

[s7ark]

Good. Early cuts. Keep them coming. Keeping players who are obvious cuts up with the big team longer than needed just contributes to a lack of team chemistry when the season starts.

 

[GMofOilers]

How long before Koskinen steals the starter job? Middle of October?

 

[McShogun99]

Yeah I honestly don't get this either...

2017 - Yamamoto sent down- He might need more time in the AHL, can't judge him yet.
2016 - Pulju has spent time in AHL both seasons- They knew he wasn't ready but wasted an ELC year.
2015 - Nobody holds Connor back- Mcdavid was probably NHL ready at 15 years old.
2014 - Draisaitl sent down to junior, starts next year in AHL- They wasted an ELC year on him when they knew he wasn't NHL ready.
2013 - Nurse spent 2 more years in junior and started draft +3 in NHL-
2012 - Yak, 1st overalls are never held back. His lack of hockey sense and Eakins ruined him, not how quickly we put him in the league
2011 - RNH, was NHL ready, still doing fine.
2011 - Klefbom. Developed for several years and is a #1 dman when healthy.
2010 - Hall was NHL ready. Elite 1st overall pick
2009 - Paajarvi. This is the one that I will argue should have spent some time in the AHL instead of starting in the NHL in draft +2
2008 - Eberle. Waited a couple seasons. Did just fine. Our coaching didn't do him any favours
2007- Gagner. Kid was NHL ready. Coaching ruined him after his rookie season.

That is every 1st round pick post lock-out. The only case one can MAYBE make for rushing players is Paajarvi, but I think he, like our other busts falls more into the part on himself, part on our coaching/environment did him no favours.

We're also about to rush Bouchard. Post lockout we drafted horribly in the 1st round going back to 1983 with only Cogliano, Dubnyk, Hemsky, Arnott, Smyth and Rucinsky having any real imact at the NHL level. The rest of the player drafted were so bad that nothing could have helped them.

 

[CycloneSweep]

We're also about to rush Bouchard. Post lockout we drafted horribly in the 1st round going back to 1983 with only Cogliano, Dubnyk, Hemsky, Arnott, Smyth and Rucinsky having any real imact at the NHL level. The rest of the player drafted were so bad that nothing could have helped them.

Are we about to rush Bouchard? So far signs in camp show that's not the case. We know so little so far.

 

[Aerchon]

How long before Koskinen steals the starter job? Middle of October?

I like Talbot but I don't see how anyone can have faith he will be good to start the year. 2 of his 3 years he was bad to start the year. All games are important and our schedule is rough. I hope he is on a fairly short leash.

If Kosikinen is best out of camp start him to both give him the opportunity he deserves and send a message to Talbot he needs to be better at the start of games/seasons.

 

[McDrai]

RNH-McDavid-Rattie
Lucic-Draisaitl-Rieder
Aberg-Strome-Puljujarvi
Khaira-Brodziak-Chiasson
Kassian-Caggiula

Would be my guess for opening night forwards

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

We're also about to rush Bouchard. Post lockout we drafted horribly in the 1st round going back to 1983 with only Cogliano, Dubnyk, Hemsky, Arnott, Smyth and Rucinsky having any real imact at the NHL level. The rest of the player drafted were so bad that nothing could have helped them.

Nothing that you posted suggests that we rushed a player, you just don't like how their ELC's were handled, which is fine, but an entirely different conversation. Now you're claiming we are about to "rush" Bouchard to which I have 2 problems with.

1) If he does make the NHL this year, he will be the same age, with the same amount of pre-NHL (University or Junior) developmental years as Provorov, Sergachev and Werenski (all similar level prospects).

2) By all accounts, the team is very likely gearing up to land a veteran dman like Faulk to allow us to give Bouchard more time to develop. Klefbom, Larsson, Nurse, Faulk, Russell and Benning in the top 6. Bear, Gravel, Jerabek, Jones fighting it out for that last spot.

 

[nexttothemoon]

RNH-McDavid-Rattie
Lucic-Draisaitl-Rieder
Aberg-Strome-Puljujarvi
Khaira-Brodziak-Chiasson
Kassian-Caggiula

Would be my guess for opening night forwards

Liked it more before you put Caggiula in for Upshall.

 

[bobbythebrain]

RNH-McDavid-Rattie
Lucic-Draisaitl-Rieder
JJ-Strome-Puljujarvi
Cags-Brodziak-Kassian

Klef-Larsson
Nurse-Benning
Jones-Russel

Opening night

 

[Ruok]

RNH-McDavid-Rattie
Lucic-Draisaitl-Rieder
JJ-Strome-Puljujarvi
Cags-Brodziak-Kassian

Klef-Larsson
Nurse-Benning
Jones-Russel

Opening night

I would be shocked to see Jones get the opening night start before Bouchard.

 

[bobbythebrain]

I would be shocked to see Jones get the opening night start before Bouchard.

Jones is older, and already shown a better overall game the last 2 weeks. His mobility and skating is an asset. My guess is that continues in camp

Klef and Benning will also step up on the pp leaving Bouchard little room to be clear cut a call up

Bouchard defending will prove to need enough work this year to keep him off the roster..imo

 

[Mr Positive]

We're also about to rush Bouchard. Post lockout we drafted horribly in the 1st round going back to 1983 with only Cogliano, Dubnyk, Hemsky, Arnott, Smyth and Rucinsky having any real imact at the NHL level. The rest of the player drafted were so bad that nothing could have helped them.

Rushing Bouchard might be okay if he's sheltered. Schultz's problem here was that we were playing him 20-25 minutes a night (many nights exceeding 30 minutes too btw). On our team, Bouchard would get sheltered bottom pairing minutes and lots of PP time.

edit: btw I'm not in favor of pushing Bouchard in the NHL right away. Just saying that it could work

 

[McDNicks17]

The Oilers aren't going to waive Jerabek or Gravel to get Bouchard nine games.

He'll be going back to the OHL before the first game.

 

[Louis Cypher]

Going to the game on Tuesday. Hoping McDavid is playing.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

The Oilers aren't going to waive Jerabek or Gravel to get Bouchard nine games.

He'll be going back to the OHL before the first game.

I'm wondering if we start the year with 8D?

 

[BlackDogg]

Going to the game on Tuesday. Hoping McDavid is playing.

Imagine he'll either play Monday or Tuesday but not both.

 

[McDNicks17]

I'm wondering if we start the year with 8D?

They'd have to wait until they send Bouchard down to sign a 14th forward or send Puljujarvi down if they do.

Puljujarvi and Koskinen being the only waiver exempt players on the roster is going to make it pretty tough, I'd think.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Good. Early cuts. Keep them coming. Keeping players who are obvious cuts up with the big team longer than needed just contributes to a lack of team chemistry when the season starts.

Agreed too. The team has stated they are going to make quicker cuts and spend more time preparing the nucleus more likely to be in the mix. The Scrimmages even reflecting this. On Saturday there were 2 teams, some years there has been as many as 4 scrimmage teams. So that each teams had some set lines and basically only about half a dozen prospects each. Really an entirely different no nonsense focus this year.

This needs to be the case this season. We can't have a bad start.