C Leon Draisaitl - Prince Albert Raiders, WHL (2014, 3rd overall, Edmonton)

[Woodhouse]

Stick to Draisaitl, otherwise you Calgary guys stirring the pot won't be around for long in part two.

 

[WADEugottaBELAKthat]

I kind of feel there is no downside to sending Draisatl back to the WHL. From a fan perspective, I would rather have a terrible team and know that help is on the way than have a terrible-to-middling team with the prospect doing badly or just allright.

Of course there is also the potential for Draisaitl to step in a contribute big-time immedietely. But is that realistic? Isn't the risk of hurting the player's confidence (a la Grigorenko) just too big?

Anyways - good luck to Draisaitl and the Oilers next year, whatever their fates have in store.

 

[Karsa Orlong]

I kind of feel there is no downside to sending Draisatl back to the WHL. From a fan perspective, I would rather have a terrible team and know that help is on the way than have a terrible-to-middling team with the prospect doing badly or just allright.

Of course there is also the potential for Draisaitl to step in a contribute big-time immedietely. But is that realistic? Isn't the risk of hurting the player's confidence (a la Grigorenko) just too big?

Anyways - good luck to Draisaitl and the Oilers next year, whatever their fates have in store.

The only downside is that his junior team isn't very good either, and aside from Morrissey there is nobody even close to LD. If the Jets send Morrissey back, then i would send LD back without question. If they keep Morrissey up, then i think it becomes a good debate as to weather there is any benifit at all from going back.

We need him to develop, but i don't think that happens very well without some other skilled players to play with.

 

[King In The North]

http://flamesnation.ca/2014/6/27/the-2014-flames-fifteen-1-sean-monahan

Ofcourse this mistake of rushing players happens in other organizations. But I see alot of people saying LD can be given easy minutes and weve seen how bad it turned out for Monahan and I dont want the replicated for LD.

No issue at all with going back to junior to round out the game and improve skating. He already put up 105 points on a horrible team. If hes traded and gets good linemates he could be looking at 115 while being a good two way guy (assuming he continue to focus on it)

LD in the NHL this year will 100% be given easy minutes. As with all rookies.

 

[Vikingstad]

LD will get his chance at making the NHL roster. My opinion has always been if the player is capable of playing in the NHL, he should be in the NHL. Guys like nuge/kane/skinner all were very small players but they jumped right in to the league and did very well in their rookie years. For LD size isnt a concern, its pretty much whether or not he can keep up with the gameplay. Skating is obviously an issue, and faceoffs as well as a pivot. The good part though is if he stays up, Nuge will be taking the tough match ups, where as previously when they introduced RNH they only had Horcoff to shoulder the tough match ups.

At the end of the day he should get a 9 day try out and get in or sent back depending on that. Players like Galchenyuk, Monohan, Nichuskin, Couturier also drafted 3rd overall or higher made the jump, no reason LD cant.

 

[ponder]

I like Draisaitl's upside a lot, excellent hands and hockey IQ, and pretty good size. However, I think it'd be a big mistake to bring him into the NHL immediately. His skating needs A LOT of work, as does his lower body strength. In juniors, he can focus on improving his weaknesses - work on that stride in practice, make sure to use it in games until it becomes habit. In the NHL, it'll be all about winning - learning a new system, playing to his strengths to make an immediate impact, no trying new things.

On a team where the coach and GM aren't under so much pressure, always so close to losing their jobs, Draisaitl is 100% back to the dub. On the Oilers, you have to imagine management are feeling pretty desperate, especially with the league's worst centre depth. That might be enough for Draisaitl to make the team, but I definitely don't think it's the right move for his development.

 

[Boxscore]

Did Draisaitl not have a good prospects camp or something? A lot of what I've been reading on here in various threads make it sound like fans are all of a sudden disappointed in his game, skating, play, etc.

 

[djdub]

Did Draisaitl not have a good prospects camp or something? A lot of what I've been reading on here in various threads make it sound like fans are all of a sudden disappointed in his game, skating, play, etc.

The only thing fans are really concerned about is his skating ability.

It makes a good argument to let him work on it in junior and come up next year.

 

[Boxscore]

The only thing fans are really concerned about is his skating ability.

It makes a good argument to let him work on it in junior and come up next year.

Perhaps. But the skating thing was also said about Kopitar and Barkov and they did well by learning on the job. I'm not sure spending a year in Juniors will improve Draisaitl's skating anymore than playing in the NHL will. It's not like the Raiders are going to tell him to solely focus on improving his skating and not to worry about anything else, right?

 

[Ynnek]

I think it would be better if he spent the year in Junior again. And as a flames fan I can say the same about Bennett as well.

 

[MCDAVIDISH]

Did Draisaitl not have a good prospects camp or something? A lot of what I've been reading on here in various threads make it sound like fans are all of a sudden disappointed in his game, skating, play, etc.

There was little hockey actually played at our camp, it was all team building stuff in Jasper. People worried about his game because of camp have nothing to go on and are just speculating.

 

[wings5]

Just a question on Draisaitl, could he be loaned to a team in Europe like say the DEL of FEL for example?

 

[Boxscore]

There was little hockey actually played at our camp, it was all team building stuff in Jasper. People worried about his game because of camp have nothing to go on and are just speculating.

That is what I thought. However I find it interesting that the consensus post-draft was that Draisaitl was ready for prime time and then suddenly after prospect camp the vibe is that he needs to spend more time in the minors to develop his skating and overall game.

 

[MCDAVIDISH]

That is what I thought. However I find it interesting that the consensus post-draft was that Draisaitl was ready for prime time and then suddenly after prospect camp the vibe is that he needs to spend more time in the minors to develop his skating and overall game.

Ya it's a bit odd, I think a lot of it has to do with an attitude that Oilers rush prospects. I feel for most other teams it wouldn't be as much an issue on these boards if they had drafted him.

 

[Boxscore]

Ya it's a bit odd, I think a lot of it has to do with an attitude that Oilers rush prospects. I feel for most other teams it wouldn't be as much an issue on these boards if they had drafted him.

Was he out-muscled or unable to keep up in the drills or something?

 

[iCanada]

Was he out-muscled or unable to keep up in the drills or something?

Well, the 240 lb khiara, 230 lb Yakimov, 220 Moroz, and 205 lb Nurse gave him troublebut they all huge. I'm not worried.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Perhaps. But the skating thing was also said about Kopitar and Barkov and they did well by learning on the job. I'm not sure spending a year in Juniors will improve Draisaitl's skating anymore than playing in the NHL will. It's not like the Raiders are going to tell him to solely focus on improving his skating and not to worry about anything else, right?

Just IMO - but if LD plays in the NHL as a 18 YO, his becomes UFA eligible when he's 25. If the Oilers give him another year in the WHL, he's not a UFA until he's 26, and he's much more likely to contribute for the entire period.

There is also the fact that the Oilers need to come together as a team. MacT is giving Eakins at least the start of the season, so it might be helpful to limit the amount of distractions.

After camp, I think it will be pretty apparent how close LD is to contributing. If he's really close, they might keep him. If he needs some work, it would be a slam dunk to send him back to the Dub and not have him be in what has the potential to be a difficult situation in EDM. I like the Oilers, but if they're a dumpster fire to start the season, how long a leash does MacT give Eakins?

 

[40oz]

Perhaps. But the skating thing was also said about Kopitar and Barkov and they did well by learning on the job. I'm not sure spending a year in Juniors will improve Draisaitl's skating anymore than playing in the NHL will. It's not like the Raiders are going to tell him to solely focus on improving his skating and not to worry about anything else, right?

Just to add to the part of him learning on the job, Draisaitl is living in Edmonton for the rest of the summer and has two days a week dedicated to working with his skating instructor (and 5 days in the gym). Kid is definitely putting in the work, but who knows if it'll pay off by camp.

 

[JawandaPuck]

Continued here...
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1712823