Caleb Jones recalled from Bakersfield UPDATE#2 Recalled from Bako 12/9/19

[McDNicks17]

Now that you added 'this year' then I can agree with you.

I made an edit you might have missed...Sorry...didnt mean to go after you specifically...yours was just the last post I read on here that seemed to be giving up on the player by virtue of 9 games this year.

It tweaked me a bit because there seems to be a lot of that impatience on here.

I'm not giving up on him, but I do think he got a bit over-hyped.

He's struggled with decision making and that's, IMO, the most important quality for an NHL defenseman.

 

[guymez]

I'm not giving up on him, but I do think he got a bit over-hyped.

He's struggled with decision making and that's, IMO, the most important quality for an NHL defenseman.

Its still early in his development. There is plenty of time IMO....especially now that the team has more depth on D.

 

[Aerchon]

Its interesting to me that this recent small sample size on the bottom pairing seems to be more meaningful than the large sample size from last season. Last season Jones looked excellent with his time on the bottom pairing...right up until Hitch decided that Jones should get top 4 minutes and even top pairing minutes.
Predictably the trouble started for Jones and many posters took that opportunity to (wrongly) suggest that his game wasnt good enough for the NHL.

Honestly...I think that too many people just havent paid close enough attentention to this player. If they had then statements like the above wouldnt be made. The tools are there and if he wasnt so brutally misused last season he would be much further along this season.

I hope they just leave him in Bakersfield for the rest of the season so he has a chance to undo some of development regression from Hitchs bad decision making last year.

Its got nothing to do with liking the player. It has to do with what I have seen from the player and taking into account his usage.

Usage matters a lot for Dmen..
If someone has actually watched Jones when he played the first half of last season then there is no way they can say that he isnt NHL ready.
There was a very clear change in usage a few games before Jones started to struggle.
Did you miss that?

Are you suggesting that what Hitch did last season didnt affect the player?

Dont mean to take it out on you but I just find it a little frustrating to see the same line parroted over and over without any consideration for the reality around how things played out.

I agree Hitchcock misused Jones. He went from heavily sheltered bottom pairing to trial by fire.

For me, even in that sheltered bottom pairing last year, I saw a very raw player not ready for a full time nhl gig.

This year I thought they eased Jones in to many different situations and imo did better this year than last overall.

As a gambling man I would have no trouble betting that between Jones and Lagesson you could get rid of Russell to open a spot for one of those two. A high risk high reward move to open up valuable cap space.

I would not have even suggested that based on Jones play last year and especially based off this years training camp.

Although, before I get too excited at that thought I really want to see Laggesson in the nhl. Having him and Jones both with some limited success in the nhl would be much better than just Jones.

 

[ujju2]

Jones is looking better and better. I can see us lose him to expansion draft .

That's a blow we can take.

Klefbom-Larsson
Nurse-Bear
Lagesson-Persson
Samorukov-Benning
Broberg-Bouchard

Our prospect D depth is a big blessing.

 

[ujju2]

Its still early in his development. There is plenty of time IMO....especially now that the team has more depth on D.

That's also the problem for his future with the Oilers though. With so many D prospects for so few spots, if Jones gets passed by a couple (Lagesson and Bouchard perhaps, in addition to Bear) he might never get an opportunity here.

 

[guymez]

I agree Hitchcock misused Jones. He went from heavily sheltered bottom pairing to trial by fire.

For me, even in that sheltered bottom pairing last year, I saw a very raw player not ready for a full time nhl gig.

This year I thought they eased Jones in to many different situations and imo did better this year than last overall.

As a gambling man I would have no trouble betting that between Jones and Lagesson you could get rid of Russell to open a spot for one of those two. A high risk high reward move to open up valuable cap space.

I would not have even suggested that based on Jones play last year and especially based off this years training camp.

Although, before I get too excited at that thought I really want to see Laggesson in the nhl. Having him and Jones both with some limited success in the nhl would be much better than just Jones.

I agree with you completely.

I have to defer to you on Lagesson though because I just havent seen him play enough. What I have seen is that he does seem to have some (for lack of a better word) 'calm' in his game. He seems like a smart player too.

I really need to watch more AHL games this season.

 

[guymez]

I agree Hitchcock misused Jones. He went from heavily sheltered bottom pairing to trial by fire.

For me, even in that sheltered bottom pairing last year, I saw a very raw player not ready for a full time nhl gig.

This year I thought they eased Jones in to many different situations and imo did better this year than last overall.

As a gambling man I would have no trouble betting that between Jones and Lagesson you could get rid of Russell to open a spot for one of those two. A high risk high reward move to open up valuable cap space.

I would not have even suggested that based on Jones play last year and especially based off this years training camp.

Although, before I get too excited at that thought I really want to see Laggesson in the nhl. Having him and Jones both with some limited success in the nhl would be much better than just Jones.

I disagree with your rendition of Jones when he was playing sheltered minutes. His mobility and smarts were on display IMO.
He was one of (if not the best) puck mover during his time in the bottom pairing. I watched far too many games twice last season and I would sometimes key in on Jones and applaud his decision making and execution when moving the puck.
It really looks to me that the 10+ games in the heavy lifting role killed his confidence. He didnt look as good this season in any of the games I watched.

As for Lagesson...I like what I have seen but I need to see more. In limited viewings he seems like a nastier version of Persson.

 

[Aerchon]

I agree with you completely.

I have to defer to you on Lagesson though because I just havent seen him play enough. What I have seen is that he does seem to have some (for lack of a better word) 'calm' in his game. He seems like a smart player too.

I really need to watch more AHL games this season.

Unfortunately all my Lagesson stuff comes from the past or currently second hand. Heard very good things though and he is more than ready for a legit shot at an nhl bottom pairing role. Sounds like him and Persson really shone in Bako since Persson went down.

I stopped watching AHL games. Would like to watch some again as well. Hate getting everything second hand.

Laggesson really seems like overkill on ripening a prospect. He has played a top four role in every league he has played in with some solid success. I can't imagine he will wow like Bear but he "should" mildly surprise those that have not watched him before. His offense and passing are a nice treat compared to his steady diet of good board work and positioning. Where Jones and Bear are "flashy" and play a higher risk game.

 

[guymez]

That's also the problem for his future with the Oilers though. With so many D prospects for so few spots, if Jones gets passed by a couple (Lagesson and Bouchard perhaps, in addition to Bear) he might never get an opportunity here.

Totally valid point.
Its a nice luxury to have and to be honest I really didnt see this problem arriving this fast.

 

[Aerchon]

Totally valid point.
Its a nice luxury to have and to be honest I really didnt see this problem arriving this fast.

Russell has played the best of himself, Larsson, and Benning. But one of those guys should be moved in the offseason primarily to minimize the amount of waiver unexempt defense we have.

Or one of those no longer waiver exempt ahl defense needs to be moved.

I prefer the former and would suggest one of Russell or Larsson for maximum cap benefits and minimizing our UFA status contracts.

We have all this year to figure which familiar veteran D to move and then all next year to figure out which new D man works best moving forward. Seattle can take the one we like least.

4/4/1 will be who cares forwards and Klefbom, Nurse, Bear, and ???

One of Persson, Jones, or Laggesson. Seattle will get a good D from us but... it will kind of be nice. The Oilers will have enough data to make an educated guess but not enough that if the person let go succeeds wildly they won't have egg on their face.

No Chara Redden situation. To which I personally would have kept Chara despite his worse offensive number at the time.

 

[fancy dan]

writing was on the wall when he played only 7 minutes against the canucks.

 

[harpoon]

The NHL game just seems too fast for him.

I’ve said this all along. He feasts on inferior competition but when playing against equals he never stands out.

 

[ujju2]

Russell has played the best of himself, Larsson, and Benning. But one of those guys should be moved in the offseason primarily to minimize the amount of waiver unexempt defense we have.

Or one of those no longer waiver exempt ahl defense needs to be moved.

I prefer the former and would suggest one of Russell or Larsson for maximum cap benefits and minimizing our UFA status contracts.

We have all this year to figure which familiar veteran D to move and then all next year to figure out which new D man works best moving forward. Seattle can take the one we like least.

4/4/1 will be who cares forwards and Klefbom, Nurse, Bear, and ???

One of Persson, Jones, or Laggesson. Seattle will get a good D from us but... it will kind of be nice. The Oilers will have enough data to make an educated guess but not enough that if the person let go succeeds wildly they won't have egg on their face.

No Chara Redden situation. To which I personally would have kept Chara despite his worse offensive number at the time.

Love Russell but he's the one I'd move. I like Lagesson as an NHLer so the guy moved would have to be on the left side. I also think Larsson brings better upside and also isn't quite in his prime yet, whereas Russell is at the tail end of his prime.

Klefbom-Larsson
Nurse-Bear
Lagesson-Persson

With Bouchard, Jones, Broberg, Samorukov all in the pipeline.

 

[FlameChampion]

Not really surprised. He looked overwhelmed at times. I think he was a bit better on the left side. Hopefully he goes back down for the year and comes motivated to camp next year.

 

[TheUltimateOiler]

Oilers could do that same bullshit Calgary did with stone. Buy out Russel's last year and sign him to a cap friendly 700 k.

 

[WIOiler]

I'm really hoping Lagesson is he next call up. We need to see him this year. From what I saw, he is more defensively sound, and more physical than Bear, Jones, and Persson. Plus he does have some offensive skills.

 

[LemmyUlanov55]

Persson looks a little bit lost at times, maybe getting a bunch of games with the Condors might help him.
I hope Lagesson gets a handful of games, kinda curious why he hasn't got a chance so far..

 

[AddyTheWrath]

What is this Ferris wheel

 

[Pinnerdink]

I don't normally buy into the 'showcase' considerations, but this could definitely be a show for trade could it not?

 

[Oilhawks]

I don't normally buy into the 'showcase' considerations, but this could definitely be a show for trade could it not?

Could be, but he was just up for a while before. Wouldn’t that have been enough.

Don’t feel like this is a meaningful move though. Jones seems a bit better offensively and a bit worse offensively (at least in his off side).

 

[AUAIOMRN]

I wasn't impressed with Jones but I'll take him over Persson.