2016 Draft: 2nd Pick: Tyler Benson (UPD: Invited to Summer WJC Camp)

[McDavidMcCup]

Concerns

I have serious concerns about Tyler Benson pertaining to his current status and his pre-draft assessment.

Benson, as we known, was a highly touted prospect who fell out of first round consideration given injury concerns. I for one was glad to hear we had drafted him, after reading the Oilers had medically assessed him.

and then EJ in a March 17 outline a disastrous 2016/17 season:


"Oilers 2016 second-round draft pick Tyler Benson hasn’t played in two and-a-half months because of a sports hernia problem and after seeing the Oiler medical staff, he’s deciding soon whether to have surgery to fix things. A local product, Benson, who plays left-wing for the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, has had a run of bad fortune — last year a cyst on his spine, and pubitis —which limited him to 30 WHL games in his draft year. Benson, who turned 19 on March 15, has played 33 games this season with 42 points."

Two questions:

1) Why are we not questioning the work of our medical staff in the failure of their pre-draft assessment? I work in the medical field and am aware that there can't be 100% certainty in predicting future events, but I would like to know if we are asking the question, "Can we do better?".

To summarize, our medical staff took a high risk prospect, assessed him and, I presume, gave medical clearance to the Oilers to draft. Clearly they would have given the caveat of " he remains a high risk prospect.."

2) Why did our Oilers media not ask Management about the progress of Benson in the end of year events? One could argue he is our second ranked up and coming forward prospect (behind JP) and had a very difficult year. I would have liked to hear Chiarelli give us a state of affairs

 

[VainGretzky]

^ Sometimes you roll the dice on players . Sharks even traded up in draft to Couture who had serious injury concerns his draft year worked out well for them.

 

[McFlyingV]

I have serious concerns about Tyler Benson pertaining to his current status and his pre-draft assessment.

Benson, as we known, was a highly touted prospect who fell out of first round consideration given injury concerns. I for one was glad to hear we had drafted him, after reading the Oilers had medically assessed him.

and then EJ in a March 17 outline a disastrous 2016/17 season:


"Oilers 2016 second-round draft pick Tyler Benson hasn’t played in two and-a-half months because of a sports hernia problem and after seeing the Oiler medical staff, he’s deciding soon whether to have surgery to fix things. A local product, Benson, who plays left-wing for the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, has had a run of bad fortune — last year a cyst on his spine, and pubitis —which limited him to 30 WHL games in his draft year. Benson, who turned 19 on March 15, has played 33 games this season with 42 points."

Two questions:

1) Why are we not questioning the work of our medical staff in the failure of their pre-draft assessment? I work in the medical field and am aware that there can't be 100% certainty in predicting future events, but I would like to know if we are asking the question, "Can we do better?".

To summarize, our medical staff took a high risk prospect, assessed him and, I presume, gave medical clearance to the Oilers to draft. Clearly they would have given the caveat of " he remains a high risk prospect.."

2) Why did our Oilers media not ask Management about the progress of Benson in the end of year events? One could argue he is our second ranked up and coming forward prospect (behind JP) and had a very difficult year. I would have liked to hear Chiarelli give us a state of affairs

Because how can you assess a players risk of getting a sports hernia when presumably he had never had one in the past? There's some predictive data out there for certain injury susceptibility, but that relates more to musculoskeletal and movement patterns than it does to a sports hernia.

As to Tyler's year, he had a great season outside of his injury. He was heating up very nicely on a very terrible Giants team and was well on his way to a 80-90 point season. A fully healthy Benson on a contending team puts up near 100 points in the WHL quite easily imo.

If he's healthy next season he should make Canada's U20 team and hopefully gets traded out of Vancouver to a contending team.

 

[PKSpecialist]

Because how can you assess a players risk of getting a sports hernia when presumably he had never had one in the past? There's some predictive data out there for certain injury susceptibility, but that relates more to musculoskeletal and movement patterns than it does to a sports hernia.

As to Tyler's year, he had a great season outside of his injury. He was heating up very nicely on a very terrible Giants team and was well on his way to a 80-90 point season. A fully healthy Benson on a contending team puts up near 100 points in the WHL quite easily imo.

If he's healthy next season he should make Canada's U20 team and hopefully gets traded out of Vancouver to a contending team.

Benson would be a great fit on the Memorial Cup host Regina Pats next season, perhaps on a line with Sam Steel and Nick Henry.

 

[sepHF]

I remember seeing Benson in SSAC, he was absolutely dominant. Still like the pick, hoping he gets over his injuries.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

The injuries are unrelated, how can you get on the medical staff? Ultimately it's up to Tyler if he wants surgery or not for the hernia.

 

[McDavidMcCup]

The injuries are unrelated, how can you get on the medical staff? Ultimately it's up to Tyler if he wants surgery or not for the hernia.

I don't understand how you can make the statement that it is unrelated. Someone with a lengthy history of groin issues (pubitis, cysts on the lower spine) gets a sports hernia injury and we are saying that it has no relation- this makes zero sense to me.

Are we just saying that Benson is a very unlucky player that gets injury after unrelated injury? I don't buy it, not for one second.

My point is this- Benson has talent and should be a top ranked prospect. Injuries have caused him to be derailed and the Oilers have not made a statement about it. This vexes me.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I don't understand how you can make the statement that it is unrelated. Someone with a lengthy history of groin issues (pubitis, cysts on the lower spine) gets a sports hernia injury and we are saying that it has no relation- this makes zero sense to me.

Are we just saying that Benson is a very unlucky player that gets injury after unrelated injury? I don't buy it, not for one second.

My point is this- Benson has talent and should be a top ranked prospect. Injuries have caused him to be derailed and the Oilers have not made a statement about it. This vexes me.

Hernia's can occur in places other than the groin. Have they said the location of the hernia?

 

[Paralyzer]

I don't understand how you can make the statement that it is unrelated. Someone with a lengthy history of groin issues (pubitis, cysts on the lower spine) gets a sports hernia injury and we are saying that it has no relation- this makes zero sense to me.

Are we just saying that Benson is a very unlucky player that gets injury after unrelated injury? I don't buy it, not for one second.

My point is this- Benson has talent and should be a top ranked prospect. Injuries have caused him to be derailed and the Oilers have not made a statement about it. This vexes me.

The way I look at it, this was a high risk high reward pick. Yes, he was injury prone from the hernia, but if we didn't take a risk on him, someone else would have. The rest of our picks were pretty safe in that draft except for Benson so I'm not worried about taking a flyer on this one. Besides, Chia is doing a great job signing college guys who can fill the roles Benson can do so I'm not that concerned. Let him heal up, and hopefully next season he can play a full year without any type of injury. If he get's hurt again next year, I'm willing to write him off 100%.

 

[Stoneman89]

The way I look at it, this was a high risk high reward pick. Yes, he was injury prone from the hernia, but if we didn't take a risk on him, someone else would have. The rest of our picks were pretty safe in that draft except for Benson so I'm not worried about taking a flyer on this one. Besides, Chia is doing a great job signing college guys who can fill the roles Benson can do so I'm not that concerned. Let him heal up, and hopefully next season he can play a full year without any type of injury. If he get's hurt again next year, I'm willing to write him off 100%.

If we can use Tyler Pitlick as a relative gauge, he should be getting about 8 more injury chances and 5 more years.

 

[CornKicker]

i like how pitlick and benson are pretending to be hurt so they can sneak in and score 40 with mcdaivd in 2 years time

 

[McDavidMcCup]

Hernia's can occur in places other than the groin. Have they said the location of the hernia?

This is part of my point Bryan, we have no idea! We have a top ranked prospect that may (or may not) need surgery and we have no idea as to the nature of the injury, whether it is related to his previous injuries ....

Hey, at the end of the day, I think that Benson is an top talent and I am glad we picked him. He is high risk and high reward, and I don't have a problem with it.

I do have a problem with the process and general lack of any transparency

 

[PKSpecialist]

This is part of my point Bryan, we have no idea! We have a top ranked prospect that may (or may not) need surgery and we have no idea as to the nature of the injury, whether it is related to his previous injuries ....

Hey, at the end of the day, I think that Benson is an top talent and I am glad we picked him. He is high risk and high reward, and I don't have a problem with it.

I do have a problem with the process and general lack of any transparency

Im actually the complete opposite of you on this one. Medical information is private. If Tyler Benson wants to make his medical file public or tell you about it, that's his right. However, it is also his right to keep his medical conditions and history private.

Not only do the Edmonton Oilers not owe any of us an explanation, it is my opinion that it is illegal for them to do so without Benson's consent.

I really don't understand the infatuation you have with getting a 19 year old kids medical records released publically. Who cares?

Same goes for any other player in the league....

 

[Staghorn]

Im actually the complete opposite of you on this one. Medical information is private. If Tyler Benson wants to make his medical file public or tell you about it, that's his right. However, it is also his right to keep his medical conditions and history private.

Not only do the Edmonton Oilers not owe any of us an explanation, it is my opinion that it is illegal for them to do so without Benson's consent.

I really don't understand the infatuation you have with getting a 19 year old kids medical records released publically. Who cares?

Same goes for any other player in the league....

This 100%. Took the words from my mouth. You're not an Oilers executive - I'm sure as his employer, Oilers mgmt knows all the details. That's what matters.

 

[Mr Positive]

Benson's injury history were known, which is why he's slipped so far from where people thought he would be taken (I'm not so sure what his ranking was right before the draft though)

We took him with that risk because he's a local product and has potential to be much greater that his draft spot. Just because he's mired on injury issues doesnt mean he'll always be. Just look at Klefbom. I'm sure the Oilers staff will get a lot of input on his status and treatment as well

 

[dustrock]

Part of the problem is WHERE we took him.

He wasn't so far ahead of some other picks around that point that it was worth taking the risk. I'm not even saying Debrincat, who's the obvious example.

Our forward prospect cupboard is pretty bare, and the Oilers took a risk on a young athlete who had already suffered some pretty serious injuries. Oh, he was from Edmonton? Go figure.

I've actually mostly liked both of Chiarelli's drafts, but that was a bad pick.

 

[Debonair]

Part of the problem is WHERE we took him.

He wasn't so far ahead of some other picks around that point that it was worth taking the risk. I'm not even saying Debrincat, who's the obvious example.

Our forward prospect cupboard is pretty bare, and the Oilers took a risk on a young athlete who had already suffered some pretty serious injuries. Oh, he was from Edmonton? Go figure.

I've actually mostly liked both of Chiarelli's drafts, but that was a bad pick.

Too early to call it a bad pick. Benson was a top 15 pick if it had not been for injuries in his draft year, so I think he was pretty far ahead of the other prospects in the low 30 range. Yes his health makes it a huge risk, but it's a risk worth taking IMO.

Debrincat is also a risk, he's a smurf. Who knows if he's the next Marty St Louis or the countless 5 foot 6 players who just can't handle NHL hockey. There's a reason both of these players were not 1st rounders.

 

[Aerchon]

Part of the problem is WHERE we took him.

He wasn't so far ahead of some other picks around that point that it was worth taking the risk. I'm not even saying Debrincat, who's the obvious example.

Our forward prospect cupboard is pretty bare, and the Oilers took a risk on a young athlete who had already suffered some pretty serious injuries. Oh, he was from Edmonton? Go figure.

I've actually mostly liked both of Chiarelli's drafts, but that was a bad pick.

Did not like the pick at the time but didn't hate it either. Have been on and off the fence with him numerous times since we picked him.

The one thing I remember from the draft was the more dependable picks left were very meh for a high second rounder. 2 risky player and a 2-3 "solid but unremarkable" choices and then nothing of consequence. Far slimmer pickings than I thought the Oilers would have for their high second.

So far gambled and lost but none of the picks available really were short term projects anyways. Very much still in the wait and see portion.

 

[Arpeggio]

Too early to call it a bad pick. Benson was a top 15 pick if it had not been for injuries in his draft year, so I think he was pretty far ahead of the other prospects in the low 30 range. Yes his health makes it a huge risk, but it's a risk worth taking IMO.

Debrincat is also a risk, he's a smurf. Who knows if he's the next Marty St Louis or the countless 5 foot 6 players who just can't handle NHL hockey. There's a reason both of these players were not 1st rounders.

There aren't countless 5 foot 6 forwards who score like Debrincat does, and have a history with McDavid. That was a huge missed opportunity, they should have grabbed him.

I like Benson though, I think he can challenge for a spot reasonably quickly just because of the way he plays, as long as he can avoid injury. I've also heard rumours that he gets held out a bit more quickly and longer than maybe necessary because of how bad his team is. Don't quote me on this, and mods can delete it if they want, but that's just something I've heard.

 

[smokersarejokers]

There aren't countless 5 foot 6 forwards who score like Debrincat does, and have a history with McDavid. That was a huge missed opportunity, they should have grabbed him.

I like Benson though, I think he can challenge for a spot reasonably quickly just because of the way he plays, as long as he can avoid injury. I've also heard rumours that he gets held out a bit more quickly and longer than maybe necessary because of how bad his team is. Don't quote me on this, and mods can delete it if they want, but that's just something I've heard.

Look up Brandon Kozun. There really are a lot of smaller guys that put up big numbers in junior and end up spending their careers in Europe.

Benson has Ryan O'Reilly potential if he can get over his injuries, but of course history is also full of younger players with huge potential who could never stay healthy. Look up Adrian Foster.

It was a risky pick, but so was DeBrincat. Couture was a risky pick because of injuries and Gaudreau was a risky pick because of size. Sometimes it's a roll of the dice.

 

[ujju2]

Part of the problem is WHERE we took him.

He wasn't so far ahead of some other picks around that point that it was worth taking the risk. I'm not even saying Debrincat, who's the obvious example.

Our forward prospect cupboard is pretty bare, and the Oilers took a risk on a young athlete who had already suffered some pretty serious injuries. Oh, he was from Edmonton? Go figure.

I've actually mostly liked both of Chiarelli's drafts, but that was a bad pick.

Completely disagree. Fully worth the risk at this point, imo. Especially after the good fortune of having JP fall to us.

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

I remember Mitch Holmberg, a 5'10'' player who was top in whl scoring in 2013/14. Ended up in the echl and he's not exactly setting the league on fire.

 

[MoneyGuy]

Can't remember his name but maybe 20 years ago this smurf tore up the WHL, breaking all kinds of scoring records. He did nothing in the bigs either. These wee players are a big risk regardless of how successful they are in junior.

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

I've heard the problem is combination of size and skating. Small players tend to skate better, and if you're not particularly fast and you're below average height it's a huge red flag. That being said, I'm not sure how DeBrincat's skating is.

 

[McDNicks17]

I remember Mitch Holmberg, a 5'10'' player who was top in whl scoring in 2013/14. Ended up in the echl and he's not exactly setting the league on fire.

The WHL is weird in that regard though, I think.

Seems like there's a handful of guys every year that score 100+ points and then just disappear.

I think the list of 100+ point OHL scorers that don't make the NHL is much shorter.


edit: I was curious. There's been 23 100+ point scorers in the OHL since 2010. Charlie Sarault(Ducks UFA, bust), Dane Fox(Canucks UFA, bust), Andrew Mangiapane(Flames pick in 2015, just had a decent rookie AHL season) and DeBrincat(the only three time 100+ point scorer) are the only guys who haven't played NHL games.