Confirmed with Link: Ethan Bear signs 2-year $2M AAV

[CycloneSweep]

He'll be a Benning/Montour 3rd pairing type of player imo. Whatever offence he showed in the AHL has not translated and might not ever.

So his top end is a 3rd pairing d worse than he currently is and worse then he has shown he can be?

 

[AddyTheWrath]

Solidarity from McDavid and Draisaitl.

 

[missinthejets]

Look how many times Nurse took a step backward.

None, Nurse has improved every single season of his pro career thus far. Terrible comparison between the two. Nurse is in a whole different tier than Bear and Bear is highly unlikely to ever sniff the level Nurse is at. That's nothing again Bear, but Nurse is a very different kind of player.

okay Jeff Petry then.

I'm just saying we just watched a young defenseman flourish before our eyes who hit some speed bumps along the way. Lots of people wrote him off way too early and now look at what he's become. Not saying Bear has the same ceiling, but still.

Petry is another terrible comparison too. Petry was always good as an Oiler too and only took hate because he wasn't a bonafide #1. It's a disservice to Bear to make the comparison.

The problem with Bear is that people have wildly contradictory views on what this player is. Some people want to see the low pick make it based on his hard work and be a top pairing guy. Well that's not likely based on his physical limitations (which both Nurse and Petry never ever had). Bear is a success story though. I feel he is a legit NHL defender who can be a good bottom pairing guy or maybe even a middle pairing guy if he keeps progressing. For a later round pick that's already a big success story.

 

[tardigrade81]

How can anyone even make this comparison? Darnell was a top end pick, size, speed, all the tools.

Bear bottom pick, small, and slowest in the NHL.

Nurse has had his share of bad games with terrible turnovers. We have short memories I’ll give you that so it’s easy to forget. I know this is going to sound crazy, but Bear has had some nixes games too and he’s still young. He had a horrible turnover that cost us the game, but it wasn’t just him. Our two stars were complete no shows in game one and two. Hell we needed one goal to win game two and we couldn’t manage. The entire team outside of Smith and Nurse just sucked bad. Bear still has a lot of potential and it’s growing pains like many young players.

 

[tardigrade81]

Solidarity from McDavid and Draisaitl.

View attachment 439524
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Love this!!

 

[sepHF]

None, Nurse has improved every single season of his pro career thus far. Terrible comparison between the two. Nurse is in a whole different tier than Bear and Bear is highly unlikely to ever sniff the level Nurse is at. That's nothing again Bear, but Nurse is a very different kind of player.


Petry is another terrible comparison too. Petry was always good as an Oiler too and only took hate because he wasn't a bonafide #1. It's a disservice to Bear to make the comparison.

The problem with Bear is that people have wildly contradictory views on what this player is. Some people want to see the low pick make it based on his hard work and be a top pairing guy. Well that's not likely based on his physical limitations (which both Nurse and Petry never ever had). Bear is a success story though. I feel he is a legit NHL defender who can be a good bottom pairing guy or maybe even a middle pairing guy if he keeps progressing. For a later round pick that's already a big success story.

You're getting too caught up in comparing the players themselves instead of the point we're trying to make. Dont write off young defenseman too quickly, that's all we're saying.

It's funny though with the Petry / Bear comparison because in their first 3 years in the league they posted almost identical stats.

Lots of people wanted to throw away Petry for a bucket of pucks and he's a guy we'd love to have around these days.

 

[tardigrade81]

I bet McDavid faced more hate (not racism) on social media from Trolls then Bear faced.

Facing hate on your play happens though when you suck and are a no show. Happens in every sport with big time players….. racism and personal attacks are much different.

McDavid, you sucked in this series and you need to show up…. You’re too good of a hockey player to spew this kind of crap on the ice

McDavid, the reason you sucked is because you look like a fuc*ing moron who couldn’t add 2+2
And your family should abandon you.

See the difference? One is criticizing his play on the ice which wasn’t very good. The other is disgusting personal attacks that should not be said

that’s my point with Bear. To say he had a bad turnover and criticize him for his play…. Fine. But personal racist attacks is disgusting and Uncalled alled for.

 

[McSpecial DraiBlend]

Bear is a beauty. Love the support he is seeing. He deserves in 100%. There are always a few bad apples that ruin it for everyone. Racism is brutal and it's hard to imagine that people would even go there. It's always someone with a fake account because if they used their real names they would be finished.
Just f***ing be nice. It's not hard.

 

[GMofOilers]

He isn't even the slowest player on the team let alone the NHL.

Who’s slower serious question?

 

[GMofOilers]

Facing hate on your play happens though when you suck and are a no show. Happens in every sport with big time players….. racism and personal attacks are much different.

McDavid, you sucked in this series and you need to show up…. You’re too good of a hockey player to spew this kind of crap on the ice

McDavid, the reason you sucked is because you look like a fuc*ing moron who couldn’t add 2+2
And your family should abandon you.

See the difference? One is criticizing his play on the ice which wasn’t very good. The other is disgusting personal attacks that should not be said

that’s my point with Bear. To say he had a bad turnover and criticize him for his play…. Fine. But personal racist attacks is disgusting and Uncalled alled for.

yup no doubt about it, I was just pointing out a poster that commented hate to Bear.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Who’s slower serious question?

Bouchard

 

[GMofOilers]

Bouchard

Bouchard would Bear in a race, easily.

 

[rboomercat90]

I’m sorry but this is taking player criticism way too far. Moderators need to send this guy packing. I’d love to see his other social media accounts and see what they say about Bear.

@Verdadplus your a disgrace to real Oiler fans.​

What was weird about that is I don’t recall ever seeing that poster before and yet he was all over that GDT yesterday posting nothing but Ethan Bear hits. Glad to see you call this out.

 

[t0nedeff]

So his top end is a 3rd pairing d worse than he currently is and worse then he has shown he can be?

Both players i mentioned had time in the top 4 doesn't mean they belong there long term now does it.

 

[redgrant]

I bet McDavid faced more hate (not racism) on social media from Trolls then Bear faced.

Yes mcdavid probably had more bashing on social media. I don't see what your point is.

Big difference in racism and calling out a player for not doing a good job. You think Ethan bear would be talking about this if he was pulled a steve smith and scored on his own net and faced criticism as a white player?

It's different because this is racism. It has nothing to do with his performance. People are now attacking him because of his race. Indigenous kids in school are probably hearing racist things said about bear right now and feeling hurt.

No, mcdavid does not have to deal with that in social media.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

I’m sorry but this is taking player criticism way too far. Moderators need to send this guy packing. I’d love to see his other social media accounts and see what they say about Bear.

@Verdadplus your a disgrace to real Oiler fans.​

Looks like he had a few too many wobbly pops. Woof.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Bouchard

No

 

[Bryanbryoil]

If Barrie walks, Bear will be relied on heavily next season. I love that Connor and Leon came out in support of their teammate and friend. That is what good teammates do.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Bouchard

IMO Bear was our slowest defenseman this season with the exception of Lagesson. Bouchard's skating actually looked pretty good in his limited appearances.

 

[nabob]

I really like how the Oilers and Ethan Bear himself addressed this head on. I read a ton of posts on Twitter of people who were feigning outrage at the Oilers for not instantly putting a generic statement on Twitter condemning racism in hockey after Holland had already said his piece during the earlier presser condemning it. That they gave Bear the platform to speak for himself and take a stand with him was way more powerful than any generic tweet could have been.

 

[CravenMH]

I'd like to see Bear back again. Mistakes such as he made are part of the learning experience. He'll grow from it. Unless the right trade comes along of course. Wouldn't have him on the top pair tho, hopefully Kenny gets that figured out.

 

[AlphaLackey]

Just wanted to lend my support for Ethan Bear as a human being here. I think he had a rough series, to put it mildly, but criticism of a player's performance is one thing -- the disgusting racist attacks on Bear are absolutely undeserved and beyond the pale in ANY case. As for the general non-racist pejoratives (i.e. that guy calling him 'scum' a hundred times over), I mean.. some players in the NHL ARE scum, let's be honest, but Ethan Bear is not nor anywhere near one of them. His work to bring hockey to the next generation in Indigenous communities is not unnoticed, it's appreciated, and it's just one of the ways it's clear he's a big net gain for the hockey world. And his response to these comments show that he's a brave man with big-time character, and the vast majority of the non-racist-scumbag members of the hockey community see and appreciate him for that.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Looks like he had a few too many wobbly pops. Woof.

Daily. This wasn’t just one day. So we probably have an alcoholic asshole here.

 

[GOilers88]

Who’s slower serious question?

James Neal. Milan Lucic.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I learned about racism when I was 8.

How others haven't learned yet is beyond me.

Disgraceful.