Confirmed with Link: James Stefan signs a 3 year ELC with the Oilers

[McFlyingV]

James Stefan you should be embarrassed for what you just did!

 

[Ritchie Valens]

Wrong thread

 

[Mcnofool6110]

And James Stefan has just one offer, he's going to sign it...

AT LEAST I THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA, UNTIL HE BLEW IT!

 

[Fourier]

This is what they need to do. Make up for lost draft spots with free agent signings focusing on skill.

 

[joestevens29]

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

 

[AUAIOMRN]

99 points in 64 games with a few yet to play, that’s damn near first rounder material for free.

Maybe if it was his D+1 year instead of his D+3 year. That said, those are just stats and development isn't always linear, so who knows what he'll become.

 

[Da McBomb]

Apparently there were 6-8 teams interested. Chose the Oilers. I like that.

Probably chose the Oilers because he kept seeing his dad's highlight over and over of the Oilers scoring

 

[bone]

Probably chose the Oilers because he kept seeing his dad's highlight over and over of the Oilers scoring

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.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Oilers gonna need more of these signings with so little draft picks

I like it

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

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.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

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.

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.

 

[Rpenny]

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.

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

Now there is a name I forgotten about. I just remember Stauffer gushing over his speed and a few other things

 

[Stoneman89]

Undrafted WHL player who's having a monster year.

Welcome to Oil country.

About time we signed one of these undrafted guys that rip up the league they're in.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

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.

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.

 

[McDNicks17]

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.

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.)

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

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'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."

33 WHL players selected in 2023 NHL Draft - Edmonton Oil Kings

A total of 33 WHL players were selected in the 2023 NHL Draft, including 17 in the first three rounds.

chl.ca

 

[Rpenny]

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

 

[Artorius Horus T]

this is pretty cool goal, his #50 of the season

 

[Dr Awesome]

Why was not he drafted? Holland traded all the picks. He'd better be signing a ton of good free agents out of college and Europe.

Not a fast/strong skater

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Not a fast/strong skater

did pretty well on that goal though..

Not a fast/strong skater

but yeah, maybe he wasnt that at his draft year, he has improved soo much in past 2 or 3 years

 

[Perfect_Drug]

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.

 

[Canovin]

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.

Eberle was a D+2 player. It's fair to say he had a pretty good career

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Eberle was a D+2 player. It's fair to say he had a pretty good career

????
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.

 

[Canovin]

????
Jordan Eberle??

Jordan Eberle was literally a 1st round pick.

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.

 

[CycloneSweep]

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.

His first draft year was 2021 draft so this was his draft +3