News Article: Training camp starts. Camp discussion

[CycloneSweep]

I know where he was drafted. I think if he had better hockey sense he would have gone mid-first round.

His draft year he was 5'11" and like...160lbs soaking wet. Guy had little to no weight on him, small frame and not a ton of strength. Which is the first big question mark in his draft year cause smaller weak guys can struggle in the NHL cause they can't physically get themselves the puck or they lose puck battles often. Guys like this usually excel due to skating ability they can be shifty and use their speed and edges to keep the puck and get into scoring lanes without needing to muscle in and out.

Which led to his second red flag, his skating. No strength no speed. So he was always going to be a long term project because for him to do anything in the NHL he either needed a new body or drastically improve his skating. No matter the shot or the intelligence, guys like that are heavily prone to drop out of the 1st round from teams.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I don't think hockey sense was ever an issue. I think it was physical ability to get himself there. You can see his intelligence and sense as a player when he was playing good last year.

Exactly. Size was always the issue. Talent is there, awareness is there. Thus my questioning earlier on the subjective nonsense of "hockey IQ"

People forget that hockey talk has been going on forever and online hockey talk for 25yrs. In that time I've heard some doozies.

The first times online I heard of this mysterious "Hockey IQ" was the "smartest player in Europe" Jiri Dopita, coming here to play for the Oilers. I think he was a deadline pickup in 2002. The guy was a complete and utter bust at the NHL level. His play was nonstop tentative. It was like he was trying to process what to do with the puck all the time while being stripped in the much faster NHL game then he was accustomed to. But STILL his defenders online were saying the REASON he was struggling was due to his team mates not having enough hockey IQ to even figure out what he was doing in his superior hockey brain, that unfortunately was not translating to NHL ice or to team mates. The play would invariable die on his stick but to hear it from the Czech contingent supporters he had it always the fault of NHL dopes he was playing with. At which point I started calling him Dopepita. They didn't like that..

So I innately pick on bs when I hear it regarding players because its an unending quantity that gets stated from year to year. Its easy to pick out the subjective comments that are nothing more than fanboy conjecture.

 

[CupofOil]

Here's my thoughts on Benson. He's a solid prospect who has had an underwhelming junior career relative to his expectations coming into junior (even when healthy) and is being overhyped because of a few standout games in a rookie camp.

Yes, he showed off some impressive playmaking ability in those games (I too got excited watching some of the plays he made) and his skating has improved but I see some people thinking that he could push for a spot on the main roster and lets be honest, nobody or at least a lot less posters had him even remotely on the radar of making the Oilers this season before those rookie games so I think too much stock is being put into those games good or bad, same with the McLeod hype as well, the criticism of Yamamoto and the goalies conversely. Benson and McLeod are solid prospects and they have the tools to be NHLers down the road but they are likely still a ways away from being an NHL regular.

In any event, it will be interesting to see how they do in preseason then we can make a more informed judgment of possible NHL readiness.

 

[Da McBomb]

 

[Aerchon]

Here's my thoughts on Benson. He's a solid prospect who has had an underwhelming junior career relative to his expectations coming into junior (even when healthy) and is being overhyped because of a few standout games in a rookie camp.

Yes, he showed off some impressive playmaking ability in those games (I too got excited watching some of the plays he made) and his skating has improved but I see some people thinking that he could push for a spot on the main roster and lets be honest, nobody or at least a lot less posters had him even remotely on the radar of making the Oilers this season before those rookie games so I think too much stock is being put into those games good or bad, same with the McLeod hype as well, the criticism of Yamamoto and the goalies conversely. Benson and McLeod are solid prospects and they have the tools to be NHLers down the road but they are likely still a ways away from being an NHL regular.

In any event, it will be interesting to see how they do in preseason then we can make a more informed judgment of possible NHL readiness.

While the rookie tourney means nothing it still leads me to the following conclusions.

Benson is better than I previously had heard for that level of competition. McLeod is exactly as advertised at that level and that bodes well. Yama and Bear are not yet "shoe ins" to be true nhl level players. I think a true nhl level player can show much better than they did. Bouchard for example looked great at both ends of the ice and controlled the flow of the game while looking like he wasn't even trying. Didn't blow the doors off but showed at that level he is one of the best.

It sucks Bouchard has to back to junior. He absolutely is ready for a higher level of competition, just probably not the nhl yet.

Everyone in that tourney needs to show and be a lot more before they can punch thier ticket to the nhl.

 

[nexttothemoon]

While the rookie tourney means nothing it still leads me to the following conclusions.

Benson is better than I previously had heard for that level of competition. McLeod is exactly as advertised at that level and that bodes well. Yama and Bear are not yet "shoe ins" to be true nhl level players. I think a true nhl level player can show much better than they did. Bouchard for example looked great at both ends of the ice and controlled the flow of the game while looking like he wasn't even trying. Didn't blow the doors off but showed at that level he is one of the best.

It sucks Bouchard has to back to junior. He absolutely is ready for a higher level of competition, just probably not the nhl yet.

Everyone in that tourney needs to show and be a lot more before they can punch thier ticket to the nhl.

I agree... definitely should be some sort of exemption in place so these top players can go to the next step up... the AHL, where they belong and where their play would be challenged with better QoC and teammates leading to better development.

 

[booyakasha]

Anybody here going to the scrimmage for fan appreciation day?
updates on how players look would be appreciated.

 

[rboomercat90]

Its positive that Karlsson renegotiation is somebody elses problem. Guy turned down 88M over 8 yrs in Ottawa. Good luck finding a team willing to pay an offensive D with 9 goals that much.

Theres no way, contractually, for Karlsson to be an Oiler. Why even worry about it. No team can spend say 32M on 3 players. That's absurd. Karlsson wants Connor McDavid type money. He can suckballs.

We’re losing Draisatl to realistically be able to afford Karlsson. I’d find the idea interesting if it was say three years ago. At this point in time I’d consider it too risky. I’d be really nervous giving him the term and money he wants after both his injury and the “extra stuff”. Trading Draisatl to afford him opens up too big a hole to assume that risk for me.

 

[GodPucker]

Nice article. McDavid is something else..

 

[Drivesaitl]

Anybody here going to the scrimmage for fan appreciation day?
updates on how players look would be appreciated.

Would be nice if I had even known it was going on. The Oilers website is so oddly constructed I have difficulty finding such information laid out. I've yet to find a main camp page on their site.

Would it appreciate fans more to effectively inform them such things are going on?
Next, will they accommodate with any free parking. I doubt it, right.

That was the joy of Rexall. Being able to attend any time you wanted, pull right up, park for free, enjoy. Used to be a 20minute trip. Now its 30 to DT and then searching for parking and paying for parking and then walking to arena through a morass of construction areas.

Finally, is this in the community rink with limited seating or at Rogers itself?

 

[booyakasha]

Would be nice if I had even known it was going on. The Oilers website is so oddly constructed I have difficulty finding such information laid out. I've yet to find a main camp page on their site.

Would it appreciate fans more to effectively inform them such things are going on?
Next, will they accommodate with any free parking. I doubt it, right.

That was the joy of Rexall. Being able to attend any time you wanted, pull right up, park for free, enjoy. Used to be a 20minute trip. Now its 30 to DT and then searching for parking and paying for parking and then walking to arena through a morass of construction areas.

Finally, is this in the community rink with limited seating or at Rogers itself?

It's better if you follow the Oilers on twitter

 

[CycloneSweep]

My buddy is there and says McDavid indeed does look faster.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

My buddy is there and says McDavid indeed does look faster.

Nuge in his interview either looked bigger or more mature. Not sure what it is but Nuge looks a little different this season.

 

[booyakasha]

My buddy is there and says McDavid indeed does look faster.

NHL defenders, when they hear the news..

 

[guymez]

My buddy is there and says McDavid indeed does look faster.

How is this even possible? I am not doubting your buddy but it just seems nutty that he could get faster.

 

[CycloneSweep]

NHL defenders, when they hear the news..

Faster and he also looks like he had put on a bunch of muscle and looks to be more man like ...

 

[CycloneSweep]

Scrimmage is tied at 2-2
Team White (RNH, Lagesson)
Blue (Chiasson, Klefbom)

Also allegedly before others were out Upshall spent like ..an hour doing skate sprints up and down the ice.

 

[Hopelesslucicfan]

My buddy is there and says McDavid indeed does look faster.

That just can't be true. Like, how can that even be possible? At what point do they just force him to wear weighted equipment to keep things fair?

No matter how crap this org is, McDavid is always going to have me looking forward to hockey season.

 

[Drivesaitl]

It's better if you follow the Oilers on twitter

I can't because I don't use twitter, and don't wish to open an account.

Its poor service though if the Edmonton Oilers can't even maintain their own site and instead one needs to be checking disconnected tertiary sites like Facebook and Twitter. This complaint has been made to them (and the COE) before.

Wait, that twitter came out at 8;45 this am for a 10pm fan appreciation start time. For real?

What kind of shit is that. Is this a covert rave or a pro team letting its fans know something.

I wouldn't even be able to get ready, drive, and park and make it on time with 75mins notice on a Saturday Am. Hell, I was napping...

 

[Drivesaitl]

Faster and he also looks like he had put on a bunch of muscle and looks to be more man like ...

Our boy is growing up!

 

[CycloneSweep]

Our boy is growing up!

If he was able to out on size and muscle and simultaneously add speed overall...how the shit are teams gonna stop him now lol

 

[oil Leaks]

Caleb Jones looks good.

 

[joestevens29]

Would be nice if I had even known it was going on. The Oilers website is so oddly constructed I have difficulty finding such information laid out. I've yet to find a main camp page on their site.

Would it appreciate fans more to effectively inform them such things are going on?
Next, will they accommodate with any free parking. I doubt it, right.

That was the joy of Rexall. Being able to attend any time you wanted, pull right up, park for free, enjoy. Used to be a 20minute trip. Now its 30 to DT and then searching for parking and paying for parking and then walking to arena through a morass of construction areas.

Finally, is this in the community rink with limited seating or at Rogers itself?

Jimmi talked about it and I believe in this thread.

You need to use technology. It's really that simple, there has been ample notification out there.

 

[Drivesaitl]

If he was able to out on size and muscle and simultaneously add speed overall...how the **** are teams gonna stop him now lol

go back to lumber sticks instead of this new fangled graphite that breaks when someone looks at it..

Kind of jk but Dallas Stars 90's players I think some of their Neanderthals like Derrian Hatcher would have preferred clubs to sticks.

 

[CycloneSweep]

@Drivesaitl cause you are old and can't figure out technology I'll pass on some scouting reports from people.

Klefbom looks healthy again
Jerebek making some solid offensive reads.

Koskinen has excellent rebound control and takes up a lot of the net. Goal Nuge scored on him (only one he allowed) was a top corner shot that would of been a hard stop for most goalies.

Stauffer thinks McLeod gets at least a few preseason games, doesn't look out of place.