News and Blog Report: Main Training Camp

[guymez]

Seems like a good idea to start a main Training Camp discussion thread.
With TC only a few days away and player interviews and articles happening every day now a thread to capture all of that also seemed like a good idea.

New coach and so many new players to follow this year so for me that makes this TC more interesting than last season.

This article by Gregor provides some insight into what Tippet is thinking....

Tippett Outlines Parts of His Plan

Some video as well...



This was posted in another thread already but here is the Leon interview....

Click to read more...

 

[guymez]

 

[Del Preston]

 

[Drivesaitl]

Theyyyyyyrrrrrr'eeeee baaaaacccckkkk.

Nice to see the players gathering up again.

Gotta say as bleak as the team success has been in recent years threre's a lot worse Oiler fans fates than having McD and Drai coming back again. Theres always some ample joy with those two.

Try to think how hard it was being a fan when the club was depending on guys named David Oliver. Jebus there was a stretch of 5 really bad years in the 90's.

 

[Darkwinter]

This off season just dragged ,so glad hockey's back

 

[ToeMcDrag83]

Some questions that will get answers going into camp:

Forwards
1. What will the bottom 6 look like after the 1,203,768 hopefuls battle it out?
2. Is Neal going to play with Nuge or McD?
3. Will Benson crack the lineup?
4. Who is our 3rd line center, who is our 4th line center?
5. Will we actually have an effective 2nd line we think we can trust throughout the year?
6. Do we keep 13 or 14 forwards up?
7. What is the Condors top 6 going to look like?

Defense
1. Who will play with Klefbom?
2. Does Bouchard play well enough to force our hand?
3. Who of the more seasoned prospects Jones/Persson/Bear/Lagesson make the squad?
4. Can Benning show another step of development beyond the bottom pairing?
5. What do the PP units look like with Nurse/Klef/Persson all vying for time?
6. What do the Condors ice back there this season and who are front runner call ups?

Goaltending
1. We know who makes it, are they good enough?
2. Do any of the kids look like "goalie of the future" candidates?
3. Was last year an anomaly for Smith?
4. Who starts Game 1?

 

[Tyrolean]

Some questions that will get answers going into camp:

Forwards
1. What will the bottom 6 look like after the 1,203,768 hopefuls battle it out?
2. Is Neal going to play with Nuge or McD?
3. Will Benson crack the lineup?
4. Who is our 3rd line center, who is our 4th line center?
5. Will we actually have an effective 2nd line we think we can trust throughout the year?
6. Do we keep 13 or 14 forwards up?
7. What is the Condors top 6 going to look like?

Defense
1. Who will play with Klefbom?
2. Does Bouchard play well enough to force our hand?
3. Who of the more seasoned prospects Jones/Persson/Bear/Lagesson make the squad?
4. Can Benning show another step of development beyond the bottom pairing?
5. What do the PP units look like with Nurse/Klef/Persson all vying for time?
6. What do the Condors ice back there this season and who are front runner call ups?

Goaltending
1. We know who makes it, are they good enough?
2. Do any of the kids look like "goalie of the future" candidates?
3. Was last year an anomaly for Smith?
4. Who starts Game 1?

Not really concerned about the Condors at the moment.

 

[ToeMcDrag83]

Not really concerned about the Condors at the moment.

Okay

 

[ohheyhemsky]

Forwards
1. What will the bottom 6 look like after the 1,203,768 hopefuls battle it out?
Nygaard - Sheahan - Gagner
Granlund - JJ - Archibald

2. Is Neal going to play with Nuge or McD?
Nuge at first, after some offensive woes and a decent showing on the PP, game three he'll be on the top line, Kassian will drop down to play with Nuge on the left side, with Chaisson on the right.

3. Will Benson crack the lineup?
No, second player called up from the AHL.

4. Who is our 3rd line center, who is our 4th line center?
Sheahan and JJ will trade off.

5. Will we actually have an effective 2nd line we think we can trust throughout the year?
No.

6. Do we keep 13 or 14 forwards up?
Haas.

7. What is the Condors top 6 going to look like?
Benson - Marody - Yamamoto
Jurco - Gambardella - Josh Currie


Defense
1. Who will play with Klefbom?
Larsson.

2. Does Bouchard play well enough to force our hand?
No. AHL.

3. Who of the more seasoned prospects Jones/Persson/Bear/Lagesson make the squad?
Jones.

4. Can Benning show another step of development beyond the bottom pairing?
Yes. He'll be somewhere between his first season and second.

5. What do the PP units look like with Nurse/Klef/Persson all vying for time?
Nuge - Draisaitl - McDavid
Klefbom/Neal

Gagner - Sheahan - Nygaard
Nurse/Benning

6. What do the Condors ice back there this season and who are front runner call ups?
Front runner call ups:
Persson
Benson
Marody
Yamamoto
Jurco
Gambardella
Currie

Goaltending
1. We know who makes it, are they good enough?
Yep, nope.

2. Do any of the kids look like "goalie of the future" candidates?
Starrett has the best chance to get some NHL games next season, if there are injuries. Our best G prospect is Ilya Konovalov, and he's shitting the bed right now 2 games into the season.

3. Was last year an anomaly for Smith?
Nah, he's getting older. He's slowing down.

4. Who starts Game 1?
Koskinen, pressures from above because of the shitty contract to give him the lead even if Tippet prefers Smith.

 

[guymez]

Koskinen, pressures from above because of the ****ty contract to give him the lead even if Tippet prefers Smith.

Just curious...what does this mean? Where will the pressure to play Koskinen be coming from?

 

[ohheyhemsky]

Just curious...what does this mean? Where will the pressure to play Koskinen be coming from?

It's the only way I could justify why Koskinen would start the season, because I guarantee, barring injury that he will and won't deserve it. I'm guessing Tippett will show patronage to his old keeper, we'll see negligible but favourable numbers for Smith and Koskinen will still start the season off in net. This board will go back and forth about why it is, and a lead argument will revolve around guys like Bobby Burgers breathing down Tippet's neck because of the hive mind f*** up that is Koskinen's contract.

This is the Oilers. Seems like a weird rationale, but I've been more right than wrong proclaiming some inane idea by simple saying: because Oilers.

 

[Senor Catface]

Okay

 

[Senor Catface]

Theyyyyyyrrrrrr'eeeee baaaaacccckkkk.

Nice to see the players gathering up again.

Gotta say as bleak as the team success has been in recent years threre's a lot worse Oiler fans fates than having McD and Drai coming back again. Theres always some ample joy with those two.

Try to think how hard it was being a fan when the club was depending on guys named David Oliver. Jebus there was a stretch of 5 really bad years in the 90's.

Completely random and not important, but David Oliver is now an assistant coach with the Rangers.

 

[Del Preston]

It's the only way I could justify why Koskinen would start the season, because I guarantee, barring injury that he will and won't deserve it. I'm guessing Tippett will show patronage to his old keeper, we'll see negligible but favourable numbers for Smith and Koskinen will still start the season off in net. This board will go back and forth about why it is, and a lead argument will revolve around guys like Bobby Burgers breathing down Tippet's neck because of the hive mind **** up that is Koskinen's contract.

This is the Oilers. Seems like a weird rationale, but I've been more right than wrong proclaiming some inane idea by simple saying: because Oilers.

I see what you're saying but I think those days are over.

 

[LemmyUlanov55]

Long summer, glad hockey season starts again. The amount of awful threads on the mains was getting out of hands.. haha.

Not much to say what hasn't been said within the last weeks, guess my secret hope is Shane Starrett pushes hard for the backup role. I finally want to see a proper goalie prospect from within the org.

 

[Kolja]

Forwards
1. What will the bottom 6 look like after the 1,203,768 hopefuls battle it out?
Nygaard-Shehahanha-Chiason
Granlund-JJ-Arch
Jurco as 13th
2. Is Neal going to play with Nuge or McD?
Nuge
3. Will Benson crack the lineup?
Yes. 2nd line LW
4. Who is our 3rd line center, who is our 4th line center?
Sheahanahehan / JJ
5. Will we actually have an effective 2nd line we think we can trust throughout the year?
Yes.
6. Do we keep 13 or 14 forwards up?
-
7. What is the Condors top 6 going to look like?
-

Defense
1. Who will play with Klefbom?
Incoming trade. Bye JP!
2. Does Bouchard play well enough to force our hand?
Yes, but will still be sent down
3. Who of the more seasoned prospects Jones/Persson/Bear/Lagesson make the squad?
Persson
4. Can Benning show another step of development beyond the bottom pairing?
Nope
5. What do the PP units look like with Nurse/Klef/Persson all vying for time?
-
6. What do the Condors ice back there this season and who are front runner call ups?
-

Goaltending
1. We know who makes it, are they good enough?
90.2ish for both.
2. Do any of the kids look like "goalie of the future" candidates?
Ye
3. Was last year an anomaly for Smith?
No
4. Who starts Game 1?
Smith. Koski begins 3rd period.

 

[Ctrain2k]

Does everyone think Jujhar should be 4C? I just don’t think he has the instincts to play centre and is much better utilized on the wing.

 

[Oilers in NS]

Theyyyyyyrrrrrr'eeeee baaaaacccckkkk.

Nice to see the players gathering up again.

Gotta say as bleak as the team success has been in recent years threre's a lot worse Oiler fans fates than having McD and Drai coming back again. Theres always some ample joy with those two.

Try to think how hard it was being a fan when the club was depending on guys named David Oliver. Jebus there was a stretch of 5 really bad years in the 90's.

I had a bad feeling in 90’s that team was moving to Houston. I thought only teams back then that would survive would be Leafs and Habs

 

[Oilers in NS]

Forwards
1. What will the bottom 6 look like after the 1,203,768 hopefuls battle it out?
Nygaard-Shehahanha-Chiason
Granlund-JJ-Arch
Jurco as 13th
2. Is Neal going to play with Nuge or McD?
Nuge
3. Will Benson crack the lineup?
Yes. 2nd line LW
4. Who is our 3rd line center, who is our 4th line center?
Sheahanahehan / JJ
5. Will we actually have an effective 2nd line we think we can trust throughout the year?
Yes.
6. Do we keep 13 or 14 forwards up?
-
7. What is the Condors top 6 going to look like?
-

Defense
1. Who will play with Klefbom?
Incoming trade. Bye JP!
2. Does Bouchard play well enough to force our hand?
Yes, but will still be sent down
3. Who of the more seasoned prospects Jones/Persson/Bear/Lagesson make the squad?
Persson
4. Can Benning show another step of development beyond the bottom pairing?
Nope
5. What do the PP units look like with Nurse/Klef/Persson all vying for time?
-
6. What do the Condors ice back there this season and who are front runner call ups?
-

Goaltending
1. We know who makes it, are they good enough?
90.2ish for both.
2. Do any of the kids look like "goalie of the future" candidates?
Ye
3. Was last year an anomaly for Smith?
No
4. Who starts Game 1?
Smith. Koski begins 3rd period.

What’s everyone think we can get for Puju?
I was really hoping for Justin Faulk but I think we would have to add and he has a NMC and 15 teams on list he can refuse trade to. Sounds like Anaheim is scoping him

 

[Niten Ichi Ryu]

Does everyone think Jujhar should be 4C? I just don’t think he has the instincts to play centre and is much better utilized on the wing.

Ya, he was magical playing wing-man to Nuge. And with Sheahan, Haas and Granlund in the mix, for the 3/4 C, Khaira's spot is probably going to be wing, or the 13th forward depending on his pre-season

 

[CupofOil]

Draisaitl has become a lot more comfortable with the media in the last year or so. He used to give those typical generic and boring McDavid type answers but he's a lot more insightful now which is nice to see. Our little Leon is growing up.

 

[McDNicks17]

Tippett's comments about the bottom six are interesting. Looking to go with a scoring line and a heavy line.

Maybe something like:

Nygard/Jurco - Sheahan - Gagner/Archibald

Khaira - Haas/Cave? - Kassian


I'm really curious to see Haas. I think it'll be a big boost if he's at least a good #4C.

 

[snipes]

Theyyyyyyrrrrrr'eeeee baaaaacccckkkk.

Nice to see the players gathering up again.

Gotta say as bleak as the team success has been in recent years threre's a lot worse Oiler fans fates than having McD and Drai coming back again. Theres always some ample joy with those two.

Try to think how hard it was being a fan when the club was depending on guys named David Oliver. Jebus there was a stretch of 5 really bad years in the 90's.

The 90s also gave us some great playoff action against the Stars. Despite losing most of those series against them, I’ll always remember the Marchant goal with a smile on my face. Cujo was incredible.

Here’s to hoping Bouchard is our Zubov. That’s who Bouchard reminds me of so much.

 

[snipes]

Put a letter on Draisaitl.

 

[Debbie Mathers]

3. Who of the more seasoned prospects Jones/Persson/Bear/Lagesson make the squad?

If Russell is going to play 3LD, as Tippett has alluded to, the left side is basically set with Nurse, Klefbom and Russell. Larsson will play 1RD. That leaves 2RD, 3RD and #7 open.
The ideal scenario would be to have two righties and a versatile D to fill out the D-corps. In my opinion, Persson, Benning and Jones have the best chances to take those three spots.
Bear and Bouchard would have to outplay Persson and Benning. In Bouchard's case, he would probably have to outplay them significantly.
Lagesson and Samorukov will imo have a hard time making the roster, barring injuries. I can't see Klefbom and Russell staying healthy for 82 games each though...