Player Discussion 2016 Draft Roundup....So How Did We Do?

[McIce Whole]

Overall, it was a pretty good draft. Love our first three picks but it's still way too early to tell. The only pick I really dislike was Desharnais and that's because we passed up on Quenneville and Sokolov.

Quenneville put up 55 points in 64 games as a Dmen, is right handed and he does not play small by any means. Yeah, he's 5'8 but he sure as hell doesn't play like it and looking at his family, his brothers are all 5'11 or taller. Here is a kid who can potentially grow still and has some skill and bite in his game.

 

[LTIR]

Good.

Would have taken a chance on Sokolov instead of Wells. Kid is more talented than Benson. Unbelievable how he was passed on. Worst case scenario he adds more skills in the AHL. Wells won't be stealing any jobs in the NHL or the AHL

+1

Shouldve taken Soko but so many other teams passed up on him so many times so there might be something really wrong other than russian factor..

This year's Timashov??

 

[La Bamba]

Overall, it was a pretty good draft. Love our first three picks but it's still way too early to tell. The only pick I really dislike was Desharnais and that's because we passed up on Quenneville and Sokolov.

Quenneville put up 55 points in 64 games as a Dmen, is right handed and he does not play small by any means. Yeah, he's 5'8 but he sure as hell doesn't play like it and looking at his family, his brothers are all 5'11 or taller. Here is a kid who can potentially grow still and has some skill and bite in his game.

You know why he doesn't play like it? Because he can't afford not to play like it. It's not a choice, it's a requirement for a guy like him. He wouldn't survive in the dub if he was a soft 5'8 d man.

5'8 D men don't make it in the NHL 99% of the time, its just a harsh reality. He's able to excel in juniors when everyone else is small.

 

[McIce Whole]

You know why he doesn't play like it? Because he can't afford not to play like it. It's not a choice, it's a requirement for a guy like him. He wouldn't survive in the dub if he was a soft 5'8 d man.

5'8 D men don't make it in the NHL 99% of the time, its just a harsh reality. He's able to excel in juniors when everyone else is small.

I agree but even in bantam he played like that when he was the same size as everyone else, he has just always had an edge to him. I still think it was a mistake passing up on him in favour of Desharnais. If Quenneville grows, that pick will be a steal for the Islanders IMO. He just has more upside.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

I'm not sure where you got from anything that I posted that it was Adam Fox or bust? I said that I feel that because of the way we drafted(higher emphasis on LHD than RHD) that I believe that Nurse is probably going to be moved. Perhaps every trade scenario that Chiarelli proposed the ask back was Nurse, and he didn't feel comfortable giving him up? I never mentioned a trade, I never mentioned Fabbro/Sergachev/Juulsen....I was also very much in favour of drafting Jakob Chychrun until Puljujarvi fell into our laps. My sole point is that at some point the split between left and right must narrow, and we must draft/trade for an NHL level RHD.

My point would be that it is narrowing. There should be other and better opportunities to find balance. Going for safe picks who have the best chance to provide depth was a decent strategy IMO.

 

[Canovin]

+1

Shouldve taken Soko but so many other teams passed up on him so many times so there might be something really wrong other than russian factor..

This year's Timashov??

Timashov was never ranked top 15 for the past 2 years. Sokolov was and went 196th. So at this point its not a risk anymore even if there's character issues. GMs have to remember these guys are still teenagers. They will mature with time. The skills are there. 1st round talent for sure

 

[PKSpecialist]

My point would be that it is narrowing. There should be other and better opportunities to find balance. Going for safe picks who have the best chance to provide depth was a decent strategy IMO.

Like I said, I like the picks, I just think it puts the writing on the wall for some of our current LHD, namely Nurse. That would be the other/better opportunity you speak of. Trading current LHD for RHD that may be available.

 

[Aceboogie]

Ill give this draft an A for the picks

Reasons: Puljujarvi easily puts this draft at a B by himself. Then you get Benson and Nemo with next two picks. Both of whom I think are really solid picks. Then every other prospect was picked right around where consensus lists had them, so no drastic reaches. I have no clue about any of these prospects after Nemo, but picking players in the correct range is best bet to land luck out and land a stud

Chiarelli has really done a good job drafting and if 2 or 3 of these prospects take off like Bear/Jones/Paigin did in draft +1 our prospect pool could have some crazy good depth

 

[belair]

Timashov was never ranked top 15 for the past 2 years. Sokolov was and went 196th. So at this point its not a risk anymore even if there's character issues. GMs have to remember these guys are still teenagers. They will mature with time. The skills are there. 1st round talent for sure

His vision, puck-handling and shot release are outstanding. His skating is severely lacking from what I've seen but I've also heard he was hurt all year.

The one thing that stood out to me in his highlight reels, which is kind of silly, is how much he celebrates when he scores goals. He could score the only goal in a 7-1 rout and he's fully animated. I'm not sure if that has a small effect on him falling in the draft, but I'm sure it rubs a few people the wrong way.

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

This is the best I have felt about a draft since McDavid

 

[OilTastic]

Ill give this draft an A for the picks

Reasons: Puljujarvi easily puts this draft at a B by himself. Then you get Benson and Nemo with next two picks. Both of whom I think are really solid picks. Then every other prospect was picked right around where consensus lists had them, so no drastic reaches. I have no clue about any of these prospects after Nemo, but picking players in the correct range is best bet to land luck out and land a stud

Chiarelli has really done a good job drafting and if 2 or 3 of these prospects take off like Bear/Jones/Paigin did in draft +1 our prospect pool could have some crazy good depth

if Jesse P. and Benson and Nemo all turn out, then we've won that draft right there. usually about 2 or 3 or so picks most drafts turn out to be something for the Oilers, right?

 

[Jumptheshark]

here is my take--title--projects, raw talent and gambles

#4 Jesse Puljujarvi
Ranked #3 by Hockeyprospect.com
Ranked #3 by ISS Hockey
Ranked #3 by Future Considerations
Ranked #3 by McKeen's Hockey
Ranked #3 by NHL Central Scouting (EU Skaters)
Ranked #3 by TSN/McKenzie -

happy oilers got him. just concerned so many people want him on the top line this years. Like Leon D Jesse P has a lot of raw talent. We remember how badly Leon D struggled in his first 40 games before the oilers admitted he should have started the year in junior? Jesse P is best served finishing the last year of his contract with karpat and start 17/18 on the farm for 20 games

eta dec 1st 2017

# 32 Tyler Benson-- the gamble C/LW

Ranked #34 by Hockeyprospect.com
Ranked #55 by ISS Hockey
Ranked #29 by Future Considerations
Ranked #43 by McKeen's Hockey
Ranked #24 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters)
Ranked #39 by TSN/McKenzie

=Why is he a gamble? Like Tyler Pitlick Benson has trouble staying healthy sometimes--partly due to damn flukey injuries and the style of game he plays. If he can stay healthy the oilers could have a good steal on their hands. keys to his game is he an all around player.
here are his injuries
MCL-sprain
cyst from his back
the back injury then caused him to be shut down in feb of his draft year

ETA-18/19

MARKUS NIEMELÄINEN

2016 round 3 #63 overall by Edmonton Oilers
RANKINGS Ranked #42 by Hockeyprospect.com
Ranked #62 by ISS Hockey
Ranked #63 by Future Considerations
Ranked #48 by McKeen's Hockey
Ranked #52 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters)
Ranked #38 by TSN/McKenzie -

Standing 6 foot 6 who depending on who you believe is either trying to get traded off his current junior team or has already sign in HIFK for the 16/17 season. Doesnt mattter as he should not be on oiler radar for a few years as he is still developing and like all D-men--he needs to play--I have no problem him going back home to play for a year or two because unlike many I respect that Swedish and Finish leagues and see the benifits of slowling developing. I just hope we do not have an Erik Gustafsson situation here in a few years and see this kid playing on another team. projected to a 3/4 guy. He another LHD--so he is behind nurse, kle, Sekera and a few others, so oilers can wait and sort stuff before he is ready for the nhl

eta 19/20

#84 Matthew Cairns D

2016 round 3 #84 overall by Edmonton Oilers
RANKINGS
Ranked #77 by Hockeyprospect.com
Ranked #110 by Future Considerations
Ranked #100 by McKeen's Hockey
Ranked #86 by NHL Central Scouting -

Committed to Cornell for atleast two years so he will the out site out of mind pick for a few years. Another 6'2 dman that is a project like most dmen needs to play. He is not going to UNI till the 17/18 season--so he is ETA could be as late 20/21. Will be interesting to how long we have to wait for this kid. Could be a long time with the time frame that has been laid out right now

#91 Filip Berglund--gamble LHD
2016 round 3 #91 overall by Edmonton Oilers
RANKINGS
Ranked #91 by Hockeyprospect.com
Ranked #187 by Future Considerations
Ranked #33 by NHL Central Scouting (EU Skaters)


a 6'3 d-man signe with Skellefteå AIK through the 17/18. Like the other d-men he wont be in an oiler uni full time anytime soon and that is a good thing and a bad thing. Skellefteå AIK is well respected organization and he has been a part of it for 5 years and players are usually loyal to this club. May sound like a silly concern but one of their strengths is how they treat the players and the family off the ice.
ETA 18/19

#123 Dylan Wells G unknown quantity

Ranked #97 by Hockeyprospect.com
Ranked #111 by Future Considerations
Ranked #72 by McKeen's Hockey
Ranked #10 by NHL Central Scouting -

Like all goalies he is a gamble--he is in his second year with the Petes and has been their back up behind Matthew Mancina--Matthew Mancina is 20 and hopefully moves on to the pros and is not one of their over agers and allows wells to be the starter. hopefully the petes do trade for another goalies. but his stats were not great

ETA-- unknown

# 149 Graham McPhee--Lon term project
2016-Feb-27 Draft pick rights traded from St. Louis Blues with Niklas Lundstrom to Edmonton Oilers for Anders Nilsson

son of former nhler player/gm George mcphee

Ranked #165 by Hockeyprospect.com
Ranked #100 by ISS Hockey
Ranked #123 by Future Considerations
Ranked #110 by NHL Central Scouting -

committed to boston college and if he follows in his father foot prints he will do the hole four years. IF I was drafting I would have taken Ty Ronning here--but that is just me

# 153 Aapeli Rasanen C--wild card

Ranked #135 by Hockeyprospect.com
Ranked #157 by ISS Hockey
Ranked #59 by Future Considerations
Ranked #93 by McKeen's Hockey
Ranked #21 by NHL Central Scouting european skaters

Why do I call this guy a wild card? some days he reportedly looks great and other days like a lost puppy dog. One good piece of news unlike the other euros the oilers took is that he is coming over to North America this fall to play with the Sioux City Musketeers--bad news is that it maybe a move that opens the door to play uni hockey.

ETA--could be sooner then later or never at all

#183 Vincent Desharnais RHD Providence College
6-6 207

With the last pick you are scrapping the bottom of the barrel. enter his second year of uni. Beyond that know nothing about him.

The draft is always about not now but in the future--and most of the picks are several years away

 

[joestevens29]

I voted good, but really don't know to be honest. I like Puljujarvi falling to us. I like that we didn't trade up and got who we liked at 32. I like our 5th rounders. I saw people bashing Wells, yet it's not like he went off the board based on a few rankings he slipped a lot. McPhee another interesting pick, like the tools he brings and he'll be one of those guys you just let develop for 5+ years.

Couple things I did notice. I took a break from the boards and hockey sites with talks to drafts because it was getting too much. So many people go ape **** because they know best. The one takeaway from this draft is there is not even close to a consensus set of draft picks. We saw at #3 a team go what would be considered off the board. At #5 Tkachuk should've went, but didn't. We saw a guy go 15 that apparently a lot of teams wanted nothing to do with because he went back to be with his friends instead of looking for the tougher path to pro hockey. Boston goes off the board. All of this in round 1 which should be quite straight forward, but isn't.

It just goes to show how much various opinions there are on guys.


Also, is there a reason Sportsnet didn't actually have a show? In hindsight I don't mind seeing the info on the american players, but it's kinda shocking there is no Canadian geared show.

 

[McFlyingV]

here is my take--title--projects, raw talent and gambles

#4 Jesse Puljujarvi
Ranked #3 by Hockeyprospect.com
Ranked #3 by ISS Hockey
Ranked #3 by Future Considerations
Ranked #3 by McKeen's Hockey
Ranked #3 by NHL Central Scouting (EU Skaters)
Ranked #3 by TSN/McKenzie -

happy oilers got him. just concerned so many people want him on the top line this years. Like Leon D Jesse P has a lot of raw talent. We remember how badly Leon D struggled in his first 40 games before the oilers admitted he should have started the year in junior? Jesse P is best served finishing the last year of his contract with karpat and start 17/18 on the farm for 20 games

eta dec 1st 2017

I don't think the two are that comparable tbh. Jesse doesn't need to start the season on the first line he can start lower in the line up with PP time if he needs. Jesse's skating is miles better than Draisaitl's was, and that alone makes his size more effective than Drai's who had a hard time using it because his skating wasn't great, and he's also been playing against men since he was 16. He also plays the wing which is a lot less pressure and an easier transition. If anything he might need 20 in the AHL to start the year, but there's no reason for him to stay in the FEL.

 

[Nalens Oga]

Some draft talk with TheDraftAnalyst and Guy Flaming from The Pipeline Show on TSN 1260 Edmonton

https://soundcloud.com/lowdownwithlowetide/hour-2-62816-feat-steve-kournianos-guy-flaming#t=7:26

 

[Beerfish]

I voted 'good' but the thing that it all depends on is the Benson pick.

 

[Aerchon]

Still think this is edmontons worst draft overall in recent memory.

Pronman and others usually so write ups on how each team did. Anyone catch wind of what he or any other non oilers bias draft reviewer rated our picks?

 

[BleedingOil]

Still think this is edmontons worst draft overall in recent memory.

Pronman and others usually so write ups on how each team did. Anyone catch wind of what he or any other non oilers bias draft reviewer rated our picks?

Its way to early to call it the worst draft in memory lol

 

[McDoused]

Still think this is edmontons worst draft overall in recent memory.

Pronman and others usually so write ups on how each team did. Anyone catch wind of what he or any other non oilers bias draft reviewer rated our picks?

Not a fan of puljujarvai then? I think people have too many expectations for scouts and drafting. If you get one player from each draft at Puljujarvais level you're laughing. You can literally strike out with every other pick and still have a "successful" draft relative to the rest of the league.

Find a single team out there has been able to produce more than one solid NHLer every season for over 10 years and you will be hard pressed. It's nice to add a depth guy in addition to these players but really it's nothing you can't find on the free agent market.

I'm not saying it's fair but it is what it is. Our scouting has produced more than any other team even if they had the picks handed to them on a silver platter.

 

[BarDownBobo]

Still think this is edmontons worst draft overall in recent memory.

Pronman and others usually so write ups on how each team did. Anyone catch wind of what he or any other non oilers bias draft reviewer rated our picks?

There's no way this year can be considered worse than 2014 IMO. That's easily the worst.

 

[Hynh]

Still think this is edmontons worst draft overall in recent memory.

Pronman and others usually so write ups on how each team did. Anyone catch wind of what he or any other non oilers bias draft reviewer rated our picks?

I'll ignore 2014 due to the lack of a 2nd and 3rd round pick but worse than 2012? No way.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

There's no way this year can be considered worse than 2014 IMO. That's easily the worst.

2012, and 2013 are turning into **** too.

 

[BarDownBobo]

2012, and 2013 are turning into **** too.

I still like Yakimov, Slepyshev and Platzer from '13 personally, but I agree about '12-it's pretty bad. Khaira could save '12 a bit, but Yak turning it around is about all we have left for hope from that year.

 

[Aerchon]

Not a fan of puljujarvai then? I think people have too many expectations for scouts and drafting. If you get one player from each draft at Puljujarvais level you're laughing. You can literally strike out with every other pick and still have a "successful" draft relative to the rest of the league.

Find a single team out there has been able to produce more than one solid NHLer every season for over 10 years and you will be hard pressed. It's nice to add a depth guy in addition to these players but really it's nothing you can't find on the free agent market.

I'm not saying it's fair but it is what it is. Our scouting has produced more than any other team even if they had the picks handed to them on a silver platter.

Love the Puli pick but would switch the rest with the flames picks just as a quick example.

Ver curious on how othets view how the Oil did this year.