Prospect Info: Caleb Jones

[Oilers in NS]

His knee was 100% healed coming into this season, it clearly wasn’t last season when he came back. He struggled last season due to lack of mobility with his bad knee. Why should that still be a factor when he comes back from a totally separate injury. Not saying to throw him to the wolves or that he won’t have some rust in his game. But to automatically assume he’ll suck this year coming back from an injury because he sucked last year coming back early from a totally unrelated injury is shortsighted.

When he came back last time, he had to wear a knee brace and was not ready to come back. This time the knee will be completely healed and no brace. Will it take time to get to game shape? Without a doubt, but when Sekera was healthy in his playoff year here, he was great. He is only 32

Andrej Sekera hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com

 

[nabob]

When he came back last time, he had to wear a knee brace and was not ready to come back. This time the knee will be completely healed and no brace. Will it take time to get to game shape? Without a doubt, but when Sekera was healthy in his playoff year here, he was great. He is only 32

Andrej Sekera hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com

Exactly some people acting like he’s 50 and an old man are being silly. He’s a professional athlete that’s two years removed from his best season ever. His previous knee injury will have zero bearing on his play when he comes back.

 

[Oilers in NS]

Exactly some people acting like he’s 50 and an old man are being silly. He’s a professional athlete that’s two years removed from his best season ever. His previous knee injury will have zero bearing on his play when he comes back.

We're on the same page pal. Lots in Oilernation are not, but Oilers in NS and @nabob are

 

[fuswald]

Exactly some people acting like he’s 50 and an old man are being silly. He’s a professional athlete that’s two years removed from his best season ever. His previous knee injury will have zero bearing on his play when he comes back.

50 is an old man? I must be ancient.

 

[booyakasha]

Na. I doubt he will ever catch Nurse's "Unnecessary Icings" record.

You keep stats on that?
Prove it. Show your work LOL
how far away is Jones from that record?

 

[CornKicker]

Exactly some people acting like he’s 50 and an old man are being silly. He’s a professional athlete that’s two years removed from his best season ever. His previous knee injury will have zero bearing on his play when he comes back.

his knee injury was a complete non issue in the world championships last year on the bigger ice where he was wheeling around and looked back to top form. the fact that he is skating with the team already and they are slow playing his return makes me think it will only be a week or so before hes back to game speed and playing like he can. Getting a healthy sekera in jan is like hitting gold with a deadline deal and bringing in a stud.

 

[FlameChampion]

I hope he does well. They should probably just waive Garrison at this point. Guys not going to play much going forward.

 

[Louis Cypher]

I don't mind giving him a few games to see where he's at.
Bear got to.
Bouchard got to.
Klefbom is out and we really don't have anyone better to bring up at this point that's proven imo.

Problem is Klefbom is probably gone for 20-30 days and I have no reason to believe that Jones is ready to take up for what's been lost and the players playing behind him on the depth chart probably aren't ready, either.

Do you put Nurse on the top pairing? What does that do to the 2nd pairing?
Holy cow this is scary.

I remember Nurse playing some of his best hockey with Larsen. Im not worried about that pair.

Russel - Benning
Gravel - Jones

Yikes

 

[backhandsauce]

I remember Nurse playing some of his best hockey with Larsen. Im not worried about that pair.

Russel - Benning
Gravel - Jones

Yikes

Honestly, Benning and Gravel have been solid under Hitch.

 

[Louis Cypher]

Honestly, Benning and Gravel have been solid under Hitch.

Yes but it should be
Gravel - Benning
as the third pair.

 

[thadd]

I remember Nurse playing some of his best hockey with Larsen. Im not worried about that pair.

Russel - Benning
Gravel - Jones

Yikes

Jones is lefthanded.
Surely they can't throw a rookie into the fire on his off side like that...

 

[booyakasha]

Jones is lefthanded.
Surely they can't throw a rookie into the fire on his off side like that...

He's been playing on the right side down in the A

 

[thadd]

He's been playing on the right side down in the A

Yeah, but still... surely there's a better option out there unless we're going to give him a bunch of offensive zone starts. (Which I doubt.)

 

[booyakasha]

Yeah, but still... surely there's a better option out there unless we're going to give him a bunch of offensive zone starts. (Which I doubt.)

Claim Jan ruuta

 

[nabob]

50 is an old man? I must be ancient.

For a hockey player I’d say it’s past their prime. I’ll be 50 soon enough

 

[nabob]

I hope he does well. They should probably just waive Garrison at this point. Guys not going to play much going forward.

Hitch likes having 8 Dmen on the roster. No better player to have as the 8th guy. He’s a very good veteran leader out there. Maybe he could even help Nurse and others with their one timers as it was always his bread and butter.

 

[thadd]

Claim Jan ruuta

When are we getting a seppuku emoji?

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Replace garrison for the love of god

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

Replace garrison for the love of god

I'm guessing we will see that next game, Garrison got the short end of the stick ice-time wise and Hitch said he wants to see what he has in Caleb.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Hitch likes having 8 Dmen on the roster. No better player to have as the 8th guy. He’s a very good veteran leader out there. Maybe he could even help Nurse and others with their one timers as it was always his bread and butter.

That's how I'm feeling about Garrison. Perfect body for the #8 role. He spent last year in the AHL so I can see him happy to just be back on an NHL roster, even if that mean limited to no playing time. (not something everyone would be happy with)

If you can have him be a positive influence in the locker room and practice, then that's worth a league min contract for him to be around.

 

[elmeroil]

Sounds like Jones could play tonight.

 

[McJadeddog]

his knee injury was a complete non issue in the world championships last year on the bigger ice where he was wheeling around and looked back to top form. the fact that he is skating with the team already and they are slow playing his return makes me think it will only be a week or so before hes back to game speed and playing like he can. Getting a healthy sekera in jan is like hitting gold with a deadline deal and bringing in a stud.

If you consider a player who will struggle mightily on the 3rd pairing "hitting gold", then yeah, sure I guess. Sekera is already on the downside of his career without injuries. His knee shouldn't be a huge issue, I agree there, but its still going to be a slight issue. The achilles however, is going to be a major, major issue. It takes a full year to recover properly from achilles surgery, and January 15th will only be 5 months. He might be "okay" next year, and a capable 4/5 dman, but that isn't happening this year in all likelihood.

 

[ujju2]

I thought Wideman was quite good last game (and I've always thought he'd be a good 6/7 for us). I'd replace Garrison with Jones.

 

[elmeroil]

Hitch talking about Jones:

"I've talked to people at the American (@TheAHL) level & major junior level & I got a good feel. He's a guy that's going to be a player here & we might as well get his career started."

 

[SullivanT]

Excited to see a Jones been waiting for a while now. Definitely earned a look. Been a while since we developed a player the right way forcing him to earn a chance on the big club