Prospect Info: 2017-2018 Prospect Stats and Discussion

[New York RKY]

Prior to this draft?

IMO:

Puljujarvi
Jones
Benson
Bear
Brossoit
Khaira
Paigin
Gambardella
Ellis
Mantha / Niemelainen

That's perfect, thanks so much!

 

[Legionnaire11]

I have a slightly different question. Can someone give me a quick rundown on the potential/expectations of the players who made their NHL debut last season?

Dillon Simpson
Matt Benning
Drake Caggiula

 

[Aerchon]

I have a slightly different question. Can someone give me a quick rundown on the potential/expectations of the players who made their NHL debut last season?

Dillon Simpson
Matt Benning
Drake Caggiula

Simpson didn't play in the NHL last year I don't think... Year before did tho and looked ok. Long way to go before being considered a #7 depth defender is my understanding. Most likely not an NHLer.

Matt Benning started as a #7 and worked his way steadily to be our #5 guy ahead of Darnell Nurse. Who knows if that was an anomaly or if he can continue to get better. Had stints in the top 4 where you know he just isn't there yet but for his NHL debut it's impossible to be anything less than impressed.

After seeing guys like Marincin and Davidson come in and do even better than Benning did this year I tend to be less optimistic about his future. I would be surprised if he can repeat his success from last year let alone improve upon it.

No real way to know if this guy will just get better or wash out of the league after one solid year.

Cagullia was easily one of our worst players last year but on a team with few passengers that's not really a big knock against him. Got every opportunity to succeed whether he earned it or not. Had a solid second round of the playoffs tho and absolutely has the potential to improve on his "meh" performance from last year.

His top end is a middle six forward IMO. Plays bigger than he is but that's not saying much. As terrible as Pouliot was last year expecting Cagullia to replace him is very unrealistic. Softmore slump likely.

Cagullia and Benning are similar players. Both had solid NHL debuts for the most part but neither has any draft pedigree, size, or NHL skillset that makes me think they are destined for big things. Both will only go as far as their willpower takes them. Both hardworking guys.

 

[North]

Simpson didn't play in the NHL last year I don't think... Year before did tho and looked ok. Long way to go before being considered a #7 depth defender is my understanding. Most likely not an NHLer.

Matt Benning started as a #7 and worked his way steadily to be our #5 guy ahead of Darnell Nurse. Who knows if that was an anomaly or if he can continue to get better. Had stints in the top 4 where you know he just isn't there yet but for his NHL debut it's impossible to be anything less than impressed.

After seeing guys like Marincin and Davidson come in and do even better than Benning did this year I tend to be less optimistic about his future. I would be surprised if he can repeat his success from last year let alone improve upon it.

No real way to know if this guy will just get better or wash out of the league after one solid year.

Cagullia was easily one of our worst players last year but on a team with few passengers that's not really a big knock against him. Got every opportunity to succeed whether he earned it or not. Had a solid second round of the playoffs tho and absolutely has the potential to improve on his "meh" performance from last year.

His top end is a middle six forward IMO. Plays bigger than he is but that's not saying much. As terrible as Pouliot was last year expecting Cagullia to replace him is very unrealistic. Softmore slump likely.

Cagullia and Benning are similar players. Both had solid NHL debuts for the most part but neither has any draft pedigree, size, or NHL skillset that makes me think they are destined for big things. Both will only go as far as their willpower takes them. Both hardworking guys.

Simpson did make his NHL debut last season. He played 3 games in Edmonton. He was steady and did make himself a possible call up candidate for this season.

 

[Aerchon]

Simpson did make his NHL debut last season. He played 3 games in Edmonton. He was steady and did make himself a possible call up candidate for this season.

Hmmm, my bad. For some reason I thought that was two years ago.

I remember he played ok but not so well I would want him in the line-up for anything else than a cup of coffee or as a #8/9 type guy.

 

[ImmuneEH]

I have a slightly different question. Can someone give me a quick rundown on the potential/expectations of the players who made their NHL debut last season?

Dillon Simpson
Matt Benning
Drake Caggiula

Simpson:
Not all that excited about him... he's decent all around but isn't exceptional in anything. Nor is he big, or especially fast. Okay call-up option, miss having a Davidson/Reinhart/Oesterle.

Benning:
To me he is Sekera-lite, but a little more physical. I like him, his rookie season was encouraging, and would expect him to be a solid top 4 guy for us. Seems to always prefer the simple play, and played with great poise before taking a big hit and being out for a handful of games. Think he and Nurse could become a great pairing, but it will take a couple years imo.

Caggiula:
Happy to have him. Got off to a rough start due to injury and being expected to play 3C. He seemed to flourish and grow the moment he was placed on LW. Speedy, physical, good shot, plays hard, reliable defensively, nothing not to like. Late in the year & in the playoffs he displayed his ability to compliment a skill line. Likely a solid 3rd line guy who can move up to anywhere in the top 6 in a pinch.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

There isn't a thread about former Oilers prospects
so i put this here.

If anyone cares...former Oilers prospect,2002 first round pick
(15th overall) Jesse Niinimäki, in 2 years has gone from
playing in Liiga,SHL,KHL to minors in Finland,to Italy,to Belarus
and now has signed to play in Japan -> Nikko Icebucks

 

[Zaddy]

Aapeli Rasanen and Markus Niemelainen are part of the finnish U20 team for the tournament in Plymouth, Michigan starting in a couple of days.

 

[SpoolCat]

So at the World junior showcase, I guess it's boo Sweden. All the other teams have multiple Oilers which is nice.

Team Canada- Tyler Benson, Dylan Wells, Stuart Skinner
Team USA- Kailer Yamamoto,Phil Kemp
Team Finland-Aapeli Rasanen, Markus Niemelainen

 

[Aceboogie]

Itd be cool if Edmonton had both Canadian goalies

Bit suprised Kemp got an invite being a 7th round pick. I guess he did come up thru the NTDP

 

[McDNicks17]

Itd be cool if Edmonton had both Canadian goalies

Bit suprised Kemp got an invite being a 7th round pick. I guess he did come up thru the NTDP

USA Hockey seems to like him.

He was the captain of the u18 and u17 USNTDP teams and an assistant captain at last years' U18s.

 

[Zaddy]

Itd be cool if Edmonton had both Canadian goalies

Bit suprised Kemp got an invite being a 7th round pick. I guess he did come up thru the NTDP

It's because USA is sending two squads (and a total of 13 defensemen) to this tournament. He won't be anywhere near the WJC team. Maybe next year.

 

[jebs]

Benson is injured again(groin) and will not be playing...

It's a shame but he's had this injury on and off for a long time now, gotta think it might be chronic and a career ender.

 

[83to48]

Benson is injured again(groin) and will not be playing...

It's a shame but he's had this injury on and off for a long time now, gotta think it might be chronic and a career ender.

jeeessussss

 

[Aerchon]

Benson is injured again(groin) and will not be playing...

It's a shame but he's had this injury on and off for a long time now, gotta think it might be chronic and a career ender.

Picks like Benson have to pan out or we won't be getting a sniff at a cup during McDavids tenure with the Oil.

Can't say I had very strong feelings one way or other but still thought both the Benson pick and the Yamamato are too risky. Not sure why we need to have such boom or bust prospects when just picking guys that are healthy and NHL sized will probably be enough to be McDavids wingers moving forward.

Who does McDavid play best with... Maroon a slower big guy that's good around the net.

It's like the last 2 drafts have been all about picking potential home run possible star guys and not just stocking the cupboard with guys in positions we need.

I was surprised they moved on from Pitlick after all the years they waited on his injuries to develop and then they basically end up picking a guy who at best will end up like Pitlick has so far.

Reinhart deal was omfg terrible, Pitlick walks, Lander walks, Davidson for a rental, Marincin for chump change, Benson is a walking Band-Aid, and Yamamato is a shrimp even compared to other shrimps... All second or higher picks (minus Davidson) that really need to stick with the team as cost controlled useful players.

There is absolutely some stink left from the previous management group that needs to be purged quickly for our drafting, development, and trading of/for young assets. Something is indeed still wrong or just wrong. Our prospect pool is becoming horrendous.

EDIT: Check this out. Drafting from the second round and up over the past 10 years...

2007: Gagner, Plante, Nash. 2008: Eberle 2009: MPS, Lander. 2010:Hall, Pitlick, Marincin, Hamilton. 2011: RNH, Klefbom, Musil. 2012: Yak, Moroz. 2013: Nurse, Roy. 2014: Leon. 2015: McDavid. 2016: JP, Benson. 2017: Yamamoto.

These are all generally very high picks from the decade of darkness and we have zero second rounder's that turned out and stuck with the team. You have to go back to Stoll in 2002 for a second rounder that we at least got value from directly. Our first rounders outside of 1st OA's we only have Eberle, Klefbom, Nurse, and Leon. We even managed to strike out on a 1st OA... That's very very very bad drafting IMO.

 

[Aceboogie]

There is absolutely some stink left from the previous management group that needs to be purged quickly for our drafting, development, and trading of/for young assets. Something is indeed still wrong or just wrong. Our prospect pool is becoming horrendous.

Couldnt disagree more. Chiarelli should get full credit for his drafting. Old management picked massive reachers that could be considered busts from day 1. These were your Abneys or overage under PPG BCHL players picked round 4 or earlier. No upside, no reward

Benson falls into the category of big risk big reward. He is/was a top 15 talent at draft time but fell due to injuries. Yamamoto was a great pick in our range and was also a high reward pick with risk (you get a Gaudreau or a bust)

For our depth players weve been picking a ton of high upside players (Bear/Jones/Wells/Stafin/Paigin/Makisomov/rasanen/Berglund). And very few coke machines. We used ot pick these guys in the 3rd round, now its 7th

If you look at independent draft rankings from past 3 years, we have rountiely been ranked high for our later round picks

 

[Aerchon]

Couldnt disagree more. Chiarelli should get full credit for his drafting. Old management picked massive reachers that could be considered busts from day 1. These were your Abneys or overage under PPG BCHL players picked round 4 or earlier. No upside, no reward

Benson falls into the category of big risk big reward. He is/was a top 15 talent at draft time but fell due to injuries. Yamamoto was a great pick in our range and was also a high reward pick with risk (you get a Gaudreau or a bust)

For our depth players weve been picking a ton of high upside players (Bear/Jones/Wells/Stafin/Paigin/Makisomov/rasanen/Berglund). And very few coke machines. We used ot pick these guys in the 3rd round, now its 7th

If you look at independent draft rankings from past 3 years, we have rountiely been ranked high for our later round picks

I would agree with our later picks but wow, that second round is a graveyard and where a lot of teams get their talent... at least statistically I believe. And too much bust or boom for my liking these last 2 years.

 

[Aceboogie]

I would agree with our later picks but wow, that second round is a graveyard and where a lot of teams get their talent... at least statistically I believe. And too much bust or boom for my liking these last 2 years.

Lander IMO was a good pick at the time
Moroz was a bad bet, completely unjustified.
Musil was a poor bet but a somewhat ok option as he was ranked in that area. I dont see Carlo as being significantly better on draft day for example
Marco Roy and Hamilton were both justified. Both had the stats to back it up and most all scouts had them in that range

Id call each case besides Moroz bad luck but something is up with 5/5 cases of bad luck. Poor scouting? maybe but they were ranked in that range, poor development? Applies to the AHL busts, but cant apply to Roy as he was never touched by the Oilers. These 2nd round busts are tough to call. They were outright bad and not many were boom or bust like Benson, but way to low of odds to miss on ALL.

I can easily grill the Oilers with confidence about their 3rd-6th round picks from those years tho. Sooo many wasted picks, should have just threw darts at names on a board

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Benson is injured again(groin) and will not be playing...

It's a shame but he's had this injury on and off for a long time now, gotta think it might be chronic and a career ender.

FFS, I hope that it's unrelated to his previous issues.

 

[The Batman]

Benson is injured again(groin) and will not be playing...

It's a shame but he's had this injury on and off for a long time now, gotta think it might be chronic and a career ender.

Gotta be freaking kidding me.

 

[40oz]

Yamamoto time

(he's on team white, reunited w/ the Brown and Mittelstadt. They dominated the u18's together)

 

[Soli]

He won't get an assist on the play, but that little scuttlebug that rushes in for that corner dump and gives his man a bump off the puck?... I believe that's Yamamoto (#24) with his linemates Mittelstadt to Barratt finishing it off.



Based off this, I'd imagine Yamamoto is playing the left hand point on this PP with it going through Hughes.

Kemp and Rasanen are also playing in this Team USA White vs. Finland World Junior Summer Showcase game.

 

[Soli]

Niemalainen played earlier vs. USA Blue. Finland lost 4-1.

Yamamoto & Kemp playing vs Sweden today. Kemp is paired with Hughes, Yamamoto is playing with Barratt and Baldini.

Yamamoto collects this beauty assist on the PP to set up this Hughes goal. Wow.



And now a Yamamoto goal. Truly spectacular display of skill.



Wells & Skinner manned the nets for the second practice group for Team Canada at the WJC. Benson isn't participating, likely cause jebs is correct with the re-injured groin.

We get some actual broadcast hockey starting Wednesday.

 

[Zaddy]

^Quinton Hughes is amazing. That's a guy I wouldn't mind drafting next year. Really, really skilled offensive d-man. Could go top10, but could also fall because of his size.

Also it's cool to see Max Gerlach doing well at this camp for team USA. That's a guy I selected a lot in mock drafts 1-2 years ago. Wouldn't surprise me to see him have a breakout year in the dub this year and get signed by an NHL team. Tyler Johnson 2.0.

 

[Senor Catface]

I'm ok with boom or bust picks, but we have to stop taking them when it's injury related, and especially that high. It didn't work with Pitlick, and I don't feel its worth it with Benson.

Hope he makes it, but never been a big fan.