Injury Report: Sekera Recalled!!

[McBigYak]

Can't wait to see Sekera get ripped to shreds on here because of expectations vs his realistic ability to contribute with his age and injuries.

This guy isn't going to be the contributor he was in 2016. In fact, with both his legs taking brutal damage, he's more than likely going to be a liability like we saw last. It sucks, because I really liked him but it's the reality of it. And to no fault of his own, those are some horrid injuries for a 32 year old in the NHL to endure.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Hopefully he plays well and the Oilers can move him in the offseason... doubt it though.

 

[Oilers in NS]

I agree.
The only disappointing thing is that Sekeras return (assuming he can get up to NHL speed quickly) is likely too late to make a difference this season.

Regarding Bakersfield....I would say that Jones is head and shoulders the best dman there. Next would probably be Lagesson but IMO he needs to work on his skating.

Jones is a nice skater . I don’t know much about Lagesson and people were saying Day looks good. Be nice to see some Condor games. That Marody goal was a beauty

 

[Soundwave]

Hope he can get it together, but I'm not expecting much.

 

[Stoneman89]

Not going to get upset at Sekera if he shits the bed on his return. After missing the bulk of 2 years, my expectations are not very high. Good luck to him.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Not going to get upset at Sekera if he ****s the bed on his return. After missing the bulk of 2 years, my expectations are not very high. Good luck to him.

Well he and the team did the smart thing and have him start in the AHL, also there's more support in the line up for him this time

 

[The Nuge]

Can't wait to see Sekera get ripped to shreds on here because of expectations vs his realistic ability to contribute with his age and injuries.

This guy isn't going to be the contributor he was in 2016. In fact, with both his legs taking brutal damage, he's more than likely going to be a liability like we saw last. It sucks, because I really liked him but it's the reality of it. And to no fault of his own, those are some horrid injuries for a 32 year old in the NHL to endure.

I mean, everyone that watched him said his skating looked good again (he’s not wearing a knee brace like he had to last year), so I doubt it. He very well might struggle mightily because of all the time off, but it sounds like it won’t be because of his skating

 

[McJadeddog]

I am not sure what it takes for you to project a guy as a top 6 player. You didn't even think McDavid was ready for the NHL so I am not sure if this is just an Oiler thing or if your bar is so high that no one would make it. Benson is having a great year as a rookie in the AHL and is right now tide for second overall in assists one behind the league leader. Benson has always been highly skilled and it was only injuries that resulted in him going in the second round. It also seems strange to argue that Yamamoto is not an offensive prospect. Maksimov has been one of the top goal scores in the OHL over the last two years.

The Oilers don't have an absolute sure fire top end offensive guy in the system but they have a lot of guys who could easily be solid complementary scores. They just have to develop well and hope they get lucky.

Yams has shown absolutely ZERO things that would make me think he will be an offensive player in the NHL.

Benson does seem to be a smart player from the limited views I have seen of him, and other people who watch more of his games also praise him in this regard. So if he has a high hockey IQ, he might be able to be a complimentary player in a top-6 role at some point, I'll grant you that. He is certainly a major part of the fantastic season the Condors are having, and he's near the league lead in points for a rookie. All good arrows for sure.

I haven't seen Maksimov play at all, but his stats are middling for draft+1, and certainly don't jump off the page and suggest a top-6 future in the NHL. Long ways to go with that player though, so who knows what he'll end up as really.

 

[McJadeddog]

Not going to get upset at Sekera if he ****s the bed on his return. After missing the bulk of 2 years, my expectations are not very high. Good luck to him.

In all honesty, the rest of this year for Sekera is about getting up to speed and hopefully be ready to play for real next year. This season is already a wasted season by the Oilers anyhow.

 

[LMFAO]

Hopefully Sekera regains form and mentor Bouchard on the third pairing next season

 

[Fourier]

Yams has shown absolutely ZERO things that would make me think he will be an offensive player in the NHL.

Benson does seem to be a smart player from the limited views I have seen of him, and other people who watch more of his games also praise him in this regard. So if he has a high hockey IQ, he might be able to be a complimentary player in a top-6 role at some point, I'll grant you that. He is certainly a major part of the fantastic season the Condors are having, and he's near the league lead in points for a rookie. All good arrows for sure.

I haven't seen Maksimov play at all, but his stats are middling for draft+1, and certainly don't jump off the page and suggest a top-6 future in the NHL. Long ways to go with that player though, so who knows what he'll end up as really.

Yamamoto was a dominant offensive player in the WHL. He is a small guy in his D+1 year playing in the AHL. That makes him one of the youngest players in the AHL. I think it's too early to write him off.

I also question your definition of middling as far as Maksimov is concerned. He was 15th in the OHL in scoring last year playing on a team with pretty average offensive talent. And he was barely old enough for his draft year. The guy has a goal scorer's touch. That may not convert to the NHL but as of right now he could well end up as a top 6 forward.

There is also Marody who is very talented. He was one of the top scorers in the NCAA and is at a PPG in the AHL. He just needs to work on his skating.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I missed the 1st but I thought that he played pretty damn well from the 2nd on. How nice would it be if he regained his '16-17 form and would no longer be considered a cap dump?

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

I missed the 1st but I thought that he played pretty damn well from the 2nd on. How nice would it be if he regained his '16-17 form and would no longer be considered a cap dump?

I think he looked good. Him patiently blocking that cross the net pass was so refreshing. Usually our D is two miles away and the player has an easy tap in.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I think he looked good. Him patiently blocking that cross the net pass was so refreshing. Usually our D is two miles away and the player has an easy tap in.

For a guy seeing his first action this season, he looked pretty good, I feel good about him for the rest of the season.

 

[HeavyHitter99]

Yamamoto was a dominant offensive player in the WHL. He is a small guy in his D+1 year playing in the AHL. That makes him one of the youngest players in the AHL. I think it's too early to write him off.

I also question your definition of middling as far as Maksimov is concerned. He was 15th in the OHL in scoring last year playing on a team with pretty average offensive talent. And he was barely old enough for his draft year. The guy has a goal scorer's touch. That may not convert to the NHL but as of right now he could well end up as a top 6 forward.

There is also Marody who is very talented. He was one of the top scorers in the NCAA and is at a PPG in the AHL. He just needs to work on his skating.

Don’t want to derail this thread but a couple things:

Yamamoto is in his D+2 season right now. Yes he was a dominant junior but his lack of size and separation speed hurt him at the pro level when compared to other skilled players in the nhl under 5’10”. Regardless he is a 20 year old first year pro who is picking up his game in the AHL. Too early to right him off.

In no way was Maksimov barely old enough for his draft year... he was 18 before the draft even happened. Nobody is questioning is goal scoring ability or shot but his compete level, skating and willingness to contribute even a bit defensively are concerns. There hasn’t been much improvement in his game compared to last season.

Marody has talent and hockey sense but his skating is a concern and players in their 20s (he’s 22) typically don’t improve their skating. His skating held him back in his limited nhl time this season.

 

[Fourier]

Don’t want to derail this thread but a couple things:

Yamamoto is in his D+2 season right now. Yes he was a dominant junior but his lack of size and separation speed hurt him at the pro level when compared to other skilled players in the nhl under 5’10”. Regardless he is a 20 year old first year pro who is picking up his game in the AHL. Too early to right him off.

In no way was Maksimov barely old enough for his draft year... he was 18 before the draft even happened. Nobody is questioning is goal scoring ability or shot but his compete level, skating and willingness to contribute even a bit defensively are concerns. There hasn’t been much improvement in his game compared to last season.

Marody has talent and hockey sense but his skating is a concern and players in their 20s (he’s 22) typically don’t improve their skating. His skating held him back in his limited nhl time this season.

My post was admittedly a bit sloppy. The D+1 was a typo. I will change it in my post. My comment on Maksimov was awkwardly stated. He has a June birthday which means he played the whole year as a 17 year old and was one of the youngest players in the draft. The comments were in response to jdd's post suggesting that there were no offensive prospects in the pool so Maksimov's goal scoring was a key part of the response. But I would disagree with your concern on his compete level. His skating has improved a fair bit as well. Right now his allround game is definitely better than it was even last year. His big issue is that he is undisciplined. He takes too many bad penalties.

 

[Cypress]

Was pretty happy with Sekera's game against Arizona. Looked ready to play an effective game.

 

[Stoneman89]

Sekera looked okay. Made some smart plays and moved the puck up ice.

 

[Fourier]

Can't wait to see Sekera get ripped to shreds on here because of expectations vs his realistic ability to contribute with his age and injuries.

This guy isn't going to be the contributor he was in 2016. In fact, with both his legs taking brutal damage, he's more than likely going to be a liability like we saw last. It sucks, because I really liked him but it's the reality of it. And to no fault of his own, those are some horrid injuries for a 32 year old in the NHL to endure.

He was fine by the World's last year and right now looks a lot closer to what he was in 2016 than he does to what he was when he came back in 2017. In the end it is his smarts that could help him out even if his physical abilities are not what they were. Plus the expectation for him is more of a high end #5 than a #1b so I doubt expectations are really all that high.

 

[ujju2]

Hopefully Sekera regains form and mentor Bouchard on the third pairing next season

That would be the ideal scenario. Not to mention a great third pairing (finally).

Klefbom-Larsson
Nurse-Russell
Sekera-Bouchard

That looks pretty solid tbh. Not exceptional, but at least average.

 

[ThreeOfAPerfectPair]

Not bad numbers considering it's his second game in a near calendar year, and paired with Matt Benning.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

He makes such smart decisions and is able to look ahead of the play.

You can tell he is still a bit timid. Don't blame him.

 

[joestevens29]

He makes such smart decisions and is able to look ahead of the play.

You can tell he is still a bit timid. Don't blame him.

Sekera is a guy that isn't afraid to make high risks passes. This is what Yawney talked about before the year even started. Guys need to try make those stretch passes. It doesn't matter if it gets intercepted more often than not, because take your sweet ass time or firing it up the boards rarely works anyway.

But once you start having more guys doing stretch passes it forces the other team to play different, they can't cheat anymore. And it allows you to hit the offensive zone with full speed, not 1/4 speed.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

Sekera is a guy that isn't afraid to make high risks passes. This is what Yawney talked about before the year even started. Guys need to try make those stretch passes. It doesn't matter if it gets intercepted more often than not, because take your sweet ass time or firing it up the boards rarely works anyway.

But once you start having more guys doing stretch passes it forces the other team to play different, they can't cheat anymore. And it allows you to hit the offensive zone with full speed, not 1/4 speed.

He can attempt those plays because he has very good awareness.

That's why it's so important to have veteran d-men like Sekera because the younger one's can learn by watching and then they too will attempt those type of plays.

Oilers would be crazy to trade him.

 

[joestevens29]

He can attempt those plays because he has very good awareness.

That's why it's so important to have veteran d-men like Sekera because the younger one's can learn by watching and then they too will attempt those type of plays.

Oilers would be crazy to trade him.

The problem with younger guys is they get timid or afraid if they make mistakes. Which is so freakin odd because their d coach clearly said he knows that the puck is going to get picked more often than not, but you still have to try