Recalled/Assigned: Anton Lander recalled / Beck back to BAK

[Asiaoil]

Yeah last year was pretty much a total disaster for him - 1.9% SP - and that even after scoring a hat trick in the last pre-season game. Shows what those mean I guess. A lot of the expectation for Lander changed when they signed Letestu. Nelson used Lander exactly like TMac uses Letestu - 4th line with PK and PP time. Lander made good coin on the PP under Nelson but he wiffed early and then never got another chance from TMac. It was a bad bad year - the kind that costs a 4th liner an NHL career.

He was fine early this season scoring exactly like he did in 2014-15 at ES, killing it in the faceoff circle, and anchoring an excellent PK. He never should have been sent down as he has a couple of skills (FO/PK) that are elite. We will need those skills down the stretch.

 

[McDNicks17]

Good for Lander, once again he's proven without doubt that he's too good a player for the AHL. Now if only he could prove that he can fog a mirror in the NHL.

Sure his faceoffs are a benefit to some degree, but he simply has to start showing he can provide at least a modicum of offensive production in the big leagues. His disastrous 15/16 season (3 points in 61 games) lost him a lot of trust with a regime that wasn't around when he had his outlier 14/15 spurt of offense, so he's going to have to fight hard to keep himself from going back to Bakersfield.

To be honest I think in the right situation he could be a bona fide NHL 3rd liner, but his roadblock to that role for now is McLellan's mancrush with Caggiula, who seems to be a big fan of the kid and his competitiveness. While Cag's icetime has fluctuated along with his play, McLellan seems to like having him in the lineup and must see this trust in him paying off once they get to the latter stages of the season.

The offense was there this season.

He has a higher 5v5 Points/60 than Eberle, Hendricks, RNH, Lucic, Pouliot and Caggiula.

 

[tiger_80]

Put Draisaitl on the wing and move letestu to the 3rd line.

Lucic-McDavid-Eberle
Maroon-RNH-Draisaitl
Pouliot-Letestu-Caggiula
Hendricks-Lander-Kassian

 

[Digger12]

The offense was there this season.

He has a higher 5v5 Points/60 than Eberle, Hendricks, RNH, Lucic, Pouliot and Caggiula.

I'm sorry, but 1 goal in 16 games is hardly an indicator "the offense was there", I don't honestly care what EV points/60 are trotted out to prop him up. There's zero proof that his scoring rate would translate if given greater icetime and subsequently tougher matchups and opposing D pairings.

And as I alluded to earlier, perhaps if he hadn't had the worst possible season at a time when a new regime was getting the lay of the land, he would've been given more of a benefit of the doubt this season and wouldn't have been sent to Bakersfield. They're giving him another shot since Beck looked absolutely useless here and Lander does do well in the faceoff circle if nothing else, but it's on him to force the coach to keep him in the lineup, the Oilers don't owe him anything.

 

[McDNicks17]

I'm sorry, but 1 goal in 16 games is hardly an indicator "the offense was there", I don't honestly care what EV points/60 are trotted out to prop him up. There's zero proof that his scoring rate would translate if given greater icetime and subsequently tougher matchups and opposing D pairings.

And as I alluded to earlier, perhaps if he hadn't had the worst possible season at a time when a new regime was getting the lay of the land, he would've been given more of a benefit of the doubt this season and wouldn't have been sent to Bakersfield. They're giving him another shot since Beck looked absolutely useless here and Lander does do well in the faceoff circle if nothing else, but it's on him to force the coach to keep him in the lineup, the Oilers don't owe him anything.

It's not his fault Pitlick was scoring all the goals haha. Lander was scoring at a ~16 point pace. You're not going to get much more than that from a 4th liner.

And I don't understand why you care if his offense would translate with greater ice time/tougher match-ups. You don't need it to. He did it on the 4th line and that's exactly where he should be played.

 

[belair]

Very glad to see Lander back up with the big team. He and Letestu were killing it on the PK before he got sent down. Hopefully this is the time he assumes Hendy's role and he goes off into the sunset.

As for the Caggiula argument, I agree. It's probably a good idea to send him and Puljujarvi down to Bako together to start producing some points and play some key minutes. Neither are moving the needle currently and it's probably not good for them to stay up here all year under those circumstances. Trading for a vet scoring winger would be a good predecessor to that occurring.

 

[SullivanT]

I've been calling for this ever since they moved nuge to the second line and pitlick blew up his knee

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

I've been calling for this ever since they moved nuge to the second line and pitlick blew up his knee

I wonder if Pulju and Lander would work at all.

I like Antons chirpability and angryfaceitude. Ruthless eyebrows.

 

[joestevens29]

Good for Lander, once again he's proven without doubt that he's too good a player for the AHL. Now if only he could prove that he can fog a mirror in the NHL.

Sure his faceoffs are a benefit to some degree, but he simply has to start showing he can provide at least a modicum of offensive production in the big leagues. His disastrous 15/16 season (3 points in 61 games) lost him a lot of trust with a regime that wasn't around when he had his outlier 14/15 spurt of offense, so he's going to have to fight hard to keep himself from going back to Bakersfield.

To be honest I think in the right situation he could be a bona fide NHL 3rd liner, but his roadblock to that role for now is McLellan's mancrush with Caggiula, who seems to be a big fan of the kid and his competitiveness. While Cag's icetime has fluctuated along with his play, McLellan seems to like having him in the lineup and must see this trust in him paying off once they get to the latter stages of the season.

I don't even know that it's man crushes as much as its he doesn't like Lander. Seems like there were plenty times last year we needed a center instead Hendricks would play center, something that TM said he didn't like to do.

I still don't see the issue with him as the 13th forward making the money he does. He can win draws and is good on the PK. Not sure I'd care if he put up points in that role. Should we expect points from a 10 min guy?

Be nice, but as an extra forward playing 40ish games a year who really cares?

 

[joestevens29]

The offense was there this season.

He has a higher 5v5 Points/60 than Eberle, Hendricks, RNH, Lucic, Pouliot and Caggiula.

Goes to show how useful that stat is. Although I don't mind the actual offense he produces

 

[SullivanT]

I wonder if Pulju and Lander would work at all.

I like Antons chirpability and angryfaceitude. Ruthless eyebrows.

Honestly would still want to see more mins for the young fin. Pretty sure Mcdavid is still running away with the scoring lead if he has Puljujärvi or Kassian on his RW the problem is there isn't anywhere to play ebs unless he's on either draisaitl or nuge wing. Maybe playing Puljujärvi with Lander would work both great defensively with potential to have an offensive upside. You just need to play the kid he isn't a 13th forward like he is being treated as

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

Honestly would still want to see more mins for the young fin. Pretty sure Mcdavid is still running away with the scoring lead if he has Puljujärvi or Kassian on his RW the problem is there isn't anywhere to play ebs unless he's on either draisaitl or nuge wing. Maybe playing Puljujärvi with Lander would work both great defensively with potential to have an offensive upside. You just need to play the kid he isn't a 13th forward like he is being treated as

I'm fine with playing pulju in a 3rd line role.

Agreed he shouldn't be benched. I assume it makes sense though in some sort of language/systems/rehab excuse. Otherwise it's a huge organizational failure.

 

[belair]

Goes to show how useful that stat is. Although I don't mind the actual offense he produces

He's played 122 actual minutes. Let's bury that stat for good please.

 

[PBandJ]

Well, another career AHL'er, but whatever.

Lander can produce all he wants in the AHL, he sucks when it comes to crunch time in the big league.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

Well, another career AHL'er, but whatever.

Lander can produce all he wants in the AHL, he sucks when it comes to crunch time in the big league.

He's put up points down the stretch before and in a mediocre on mediocre tourney (the WC). Even if he's a 4th liner he's good at faceoffs and is a smart and vocal player from what I've gathered.

He's slow and bad with the puck. But has loads of intangibles and makebelievables.

 

[Digger12]

I don't even know that it's man crushes as much as its he doesn't like Lander. Seems like there were plenty times last year we needed a center instead Hendricks would play center, something that TM said he didn't like to do.

I still don't see the issue with him as the 13th forward making the money he does. He can win draws and is good on the PK. Not sure I'd care if he put up points in that role. Should we expect points from a 10 min guy?

Be nice, but as an extra forward playing 40ish games a year who really cares?

I don't disagree with any of this, but it should be noted that coming into the 15/16 season Lander playing 40ish games and 10 minutes/game was not the expectation for him, given how well he finished 14/15 and how outstanding he looked in the 15/16 preseason, leading the team in preseason scoring.

He looked like a player who was about to arrive in a big way, then went on to lay a colossal egg in front of a new coach.

Perhaps with expectations reset all around, Lander can start cobbling his career back together. I'm certainly cheering for his success.

 

[RipsADrive]

I like Lander.

I'm glad he keeps earning call-ups Would love to see him finally put it together like Pitlick did though he doesn't have the same injury excuse.

 

[joestevens29]

I don't disagree with any of this, but it should be noted that coming into the 15/16 season Lander playing 40ish games and 10 minutes/game was not the expectation for him, given how well he finished 14/15 and how outstanding he looked in the 15/16 preseason, leading the team in preseason scoring.

He looked like a player who was about to arrive in a big way, then went on to lay a colossal egg in front of a new coach.

Perhaps with expectations reset all around, Lander can start cobbling his career back together. I'm certainly cheering for his success.

Maybe small sample sizes and useless games against lessor teams shouldn't be taking to heart as much as it is. Especially when he played 60 games last year and didn't do so well. This false sense of hope is why we had GM's fail here.

Did we not learn anything after the Kid line of Cogs-Gags-Nilsson?

Might be time to temper expectations to what he's actually shown over a larger sample size and then if he starts lightening it up you have yourself a surprise.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

With a successful checking line seemingly working, I wouldn't be surprised to see Lander have a bit more success. Similar to when he had the Wagon line going.

I know a few people are ragging on Hendricks, but outside of his first couple games back and a couple odd situations (sadly though normally at crucial moments of games) I think he's been solid. Especially for his role (the trick is keeping him there).

Also getting Hendricks-Letestu, and Lander-Pouliot on the PK and even at evens will lower Nuge's defencive responsibility. Perhaps that helps further the rebound in his game.

Hendricks-Letestu-Kassian
Pouliot-Lander-Puljujarvi/Caggiula/Slepyshev/Pakarinen

For the bottom 6, I like it.

 

[Gone]

I like Lander.

I'm glad he keeps earning call-ups Would love to see him finally put it together like Pitlick did though he doesn't have the same injury excuse.

Lander needs to be glued to the wing where he can negate any handicap from a lack of foot speed.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Lander scores a pair in the next NHL game he plays... book it.

 

[space321]

Now they just need to call up Slepyshev. I have no idea why they sent him down in the first place.

 

[Jepprey]

Just like DNicks joked in Bako thread, this guy is Forsberg in the AHL. lol. It sucks he hasn't been able to put up any numbers at all in the NHL level.

 

[Brewster]

It's rather amazing that Lander can put up 21 points in 13 games in the AHL, then look entirely lost offensively in the NHL, especially considering he had appeared to turn a corner offensively two years ago with 20 points in 38 games in the big leagues.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

One would think he slides in for Pouliot next game.