Player Discussion Ethan Bear: It's a Bear Market

[JayE]

I think Russell - Larsson might have real trouble getting the puck out of the zone at ES.

Although Benning has played well over the last few games, I don't think of him as better than Larsson at just about anything.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Bear jersey incoming.

 

[oilynutz]

No it isn't. He is picked high for a reason and he better prepare for the pressure to mount. There is no free pass being a top ten pick. Look at all the fans bashing JP and nurse. The bashing will begin within 24 months if Bouchard does not deliver the goods.

Thats the shitty type of attitude that ran Petry and Schultz out of town.

I won't be bashing him if he isn't a top dman in 24 months. He is 19, calm down

 

[MessierII]

People overrate skating in prospects. Skating is something that can be improved as long as the player has the work ethic and desire. The way Bear shoots the puck and handles it even under pressure...much harder to teach. Those offensive skills you either have them or you don’t. I was always kind of baffled how many people preferred Jones basically just because his skating was so good. Then again I had the same debates in the Draisaitl, Bennett, Reinhardt draft as well. Same thing Drai was super underrated because of skating.

 

[oilynutz]

People overrate skating in prospects. Skating is something that can be improved as long as the player has the work ethic and desire. The way Bear shoots the puck and handles it even under pressure...much harder to teach. Those offensive skills you either have them or you don’t. I was always kind of baffled how many people preferred Jones basically just because his skating was so good. Then again I had the same debates in the Draisaitl, Bennett, Reinhardt draft as well. Same thing Drai was super underrated because of skating.

Jones has good hands as well. He didn't show up in training camp and is in the AHL because of it. I wouldn't write him off yet

 

[The Hound]

Bear jersey incoming.

yes

 

[MessierII]

Jones has good hands as well. He didn't show up in training camp and is in the AHL because of it. I wouldn't write him off yet

I think he gets traded honestly. Lagesson looks really solid and is the probably the 3 LD of the not so distant future then you’ve got Samorukov and Broberg coming up in the next 2-3 years. Klefbom and Nurse are not going anywhere. Not sure where Jones fits in the long run.

 

[oilynutz]

I think he gets traded honestly. Lagesson looks really solid and is the probably the 3 LD of the not so distant future then you’ve got Samorukov and Broberg coming up in the next 2-3 years. Klefbom and Nurse are not going anywhere. Not sure where Jones fits in the long run.

I would like to keep him in the mix. Hopefully they find a way to keep all the d prospects with some ingenuity.

 

[OilerTitanFan]

Thats the ****ty type of attitude that ran Petry and Schultz out of town.

I won't be bashing him if he isn't a top dman in 24 months. He is 19, calm down

Tell that to those who attack JP from the day he got picked till now. The pressure for Bouchard will come soon. You watch. People will start posting clips up from bakersfield complaining about him being useless like Yamamoto.

 

[oilynutz]

Tell that to those who attack JP from the day he got picked till now. The pressure for Bouchard will come soon. You watch. People will start posting clips up from bakersfield complaining about him being useless like Yamamoto.

That's what i am trying to do with my posts. Changing the narrative is never easy. Be the change you want to see in the world...

The same Yamamoto who was on a 30 goal pace last year and already has 2 goals in 2 games? Doesn't sound useless to me.

 

[Stoneman89]

Wow, things change quickly on here. 6 months ago, Caleb was going to be solidly in our top 6 and Bear was expendable. Now, the complete opposite. These are still young players that are learning the game and how to be pros.

 

[booyakasha]

This is a thing of beauty.
can't get the video?, that's bunk.
oh well, it was a video of a good play. trust.

 

[harpoon]

He should however definitely do the same skating program that Bear did next summer. Because daaaaaaamn, is it ever a night and day difference with Bear

I’m sure Bear worked hard. As he should. However I always thought his skating ‘deficiencies’ were overstated by fans who thought he should be Caleb Jones.

Wow, things change quickly on here. 6 months ago, Caleb was going to be solidly in our top 6 and Bear was expendable. Now, the complete opposite. These are still young players that are learning the game and how to be pros.

An excellent observation that isn’t getting enough play on the board.

 

[booyakasha]

I remember going to the rookie camp some years back, and being blown away by 3 players....Legasson, Bear and Draisaitl. (they owned the afternoon)
walking away from the arena, people kept gushing about C.Jones, and after discussing what we watched, i got the sense most were in love with his last name more than his actual ability.
He was really good, but I felt most fans were thinking he was closer to Seth, and unfairly watching him with unreal expectations.
nobody paid Bear any mind, because they had already appointed Caleb the next big D, without watching unbiasedly, due to his brother.
that was the feeling I got anyway

 

[blue_n_copper]

Bear's play so far proves that our development system doesn't suck. He is poised and decisive and just looks like a vet out there. He learned that in Bakersfield. I love it.

 

[Tyrolean]

Bear's play so far proves that our development system doesn't suck. He is poised and decisive and just looks like a vet out there. He learned that in Bakersfield. I love it.

Thank Chia for that.

 

[OilerTitanFan]

Thank Chia for that.

Also for Samorukov and Bouchard.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I think that Bear finally realized what it took to be a pro in terms of offseason training and in doing so, he is allowing all of his talents to be on display. One thing that I've wanted to see more out of him at the pro level is getting more pucks on net. He'll get there now that he's added more speed and quickness to his game. I've always been a fan of his as he seems like a generally great guy in interviews and he has a very good offensive skillset.

 

[Bangers]

I'll admit, I thought his upside was MA Bergeron.

Small sample size, but he already looks better than that this season.

 

[McXLNC97]

Will be interesting to see what direction the team goes with Bear's contract in the offseason if he keeps playing like he has. Do they go a short 2/3 year bridge deal, or take a shot and think that he will keep progressing and try locking him up long term at a lower cap hit?

 

[ImmuneEH]

Will be interesting to see what direction the team goes with Bear's contract in the offseason if he keeps playing like he has. Do they go a short 2/3 year bridge deal, or take a shot and think that he will keep progressing and try locking him up long term at a lower cap hit?

I'd go for a 2 year bridge deal.

 

[joestevens29]

Will be interesting to see what direction the team goes with Bear's contract in the offseason if he keeps playing like he has. Do they go a short 2/3 year bridge deal, or take a shot and think that he will keep progressing and try locking him up long term at a lower cap hit?

He's looked pretty good, but we still don't know what we really have in him. Even if he can keep it up I don't know that I go long term with him unless it's a rather cheap cap hit.

Need to see that offense on a consistent basis. Need to see if the 82 game NHL season wears him down. Does the 22 minutes a night put him into a slump?

Then the real key for me is what does he do late this year or next year when the book is out on him? Right now no one really knows his game, once they get some more looks at the guy it should become harder for him.

 

[Aerchon]

I remember going to the rookie camp some years back, and being blown away by 3 players....Legasson, Bear and Draisaitl. (they owned the afternoon)
walking away from the arena, people kept gushing about C.Jones, and after discussing what we watched, i got the sense most were in love with his last name more than his actual ability.
He was really good, but I felt most fans were thinking he was closer to Seth, and unfairly watching him with unreal expectations.
nobody paid Bear any mind, because they had already appointed Caleb the next big D, without watching unbiasedly, due to his brother.
that was the feeling I got anyway

There were lots of talk of how Jones would likely be the better because he trains with his brother. Who is a very good nhl defenseman.

So I think having a brother like Seth Jones certainly plays into it.

But for some reason the pro Jones group was very certain he was much better than Bear. It's like they forgot how good Bears draft +2 season was and how great he played in his nhl stint. Or how bad Jones struggled in his first AHL year and when he faced difficult nhl competition.

Both Jones and Bear have a successful nhl stint under their belt. But Jones really struggled when played against higher quality of competition. Jones is far more of high risk high reward type player than Bear is and has warts to his game. Warts that hopefully get figured out this year similar to Bear.

I think many on this board get caught up in Shiney new toy syndrome and just love high risk reward type defenders.

On the plus side for Jones I see a lot of similarities with him and Klefbom. Both really struggled early with the defensive side and learning when to take risks. Albeit Klef always was a better prospect.

Bear i really don't have a true comparable for. The way he shoots and walks the line reminds me of Matt Dumba. A much less aggressive more responsible version of Dumba that obviously does skate as good. Maybe some similarities to Petry as well.

Hopefully both continue to improve and we get a couple of gems that help us win for a long time.

 

[Zaddy]

The big advantage Jones had over Bear was his skating and that's why it was so much easier to project him as an NHLer. Credit to Bear for not only improving his skating leaps and bounds but also really working on his all-around game being a reliable player in all three zones. Not sure what Jones did this offseason because he looked way worse in camp than he did throughout the season last year.

 

[Soundwave]

Just goes to show how much hard work and smart work can do for a player. Bear said he studied the way Kobe Bryant trains and his mentality ... that's not a bad person to look at at all.