Justin Schultz

[BackhandToeyJoey]

He'd be better suited for 15-17 mins a game, 2nd PP. If we trade him to a team with actual d-men, it's going to look brutal on our end. It really isn't his fault, we just need better defensemen than him. "But we do!" Nah, I can't see Klefbom and Marincin playing 20-22 mins right now, or really any defensemen on our team.

 

[dustrock]

If we get offered a 2nd round pick for him, we're taking it. nobody is going to steal Justin Schultz from the Edmonton Oilers. Nobody is that crazy. That makes as much sense as hiring Dallas Eakins as a head coach.

But the Oilers organization is that crazy. Mac T said out loud, publicly, at a press conference, that Schultz had Norris potential.

They may trade him, but it won't be for a 2nd.

 

[CornKicker]

But the Oilers organization is that crazy. Mac T said out loud, publicly, at a press conference, that Schultz had Norris potential.

They may trade him, but it won't be for a 2nd.

maybe macT meany he had "chuck norris" potential as in he could kill a single teams playoff chances night after night

 

[SPIRIT]

maybe macT meany he had "chuck norris" potential as in he could kill a single teams playoff chances night after night

Justin is not the player we though the was...

During the lockout, anyone who grinded through the awful AHL streams saw an impressive, dominant performance by a player exploding with potential.

Development isn't linear and he can still turn into a top 4 defensemen... but he will not be the #1 pair, blue-line lock, offensive NHL dynamo that his AHL experience alluded.

(PS. Corn, your inbox is full... tried to thank you for your PM yesterday ).

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

He'd be better suited for 15-17 mins a game, 2nd PP. If we trade him to a team with actual d-men, it's going to look brutal on our end. It really isn't his fault, we just need better defensemen than him. "But we do!" Nah, I can't see Klefbom and Marincin playing 20-22 mins right now, or really any defensemen on our team.

I agree with this.

I remember hearing on the broadcast yesterday that he looked dog tired in the third period. He's being given minutes he simply can't handle, not to mention cycling through endless partners.

He's not going to be the #1 D we all want but with proper coaching he could be a decent #2/3.

 

[Draw Me a McElephant]

Justin "AHL Karlsson" Shultz has become the poster boy for everything wrong with the players on this team. Skilled, but not even that effective offensively, terrible defensively, flat out lazy, and seemingly more interested in collecting a paycheck and partying than actually winning hockey games. Trade him now while there is still a slight chance there is another GM dumb enough to think he has value. Unfortunately ours thinks he is a Norris calibre player (or his ego is just too big to admit he was wrong) so that will never happen.

 

[Del Preston]

He sucks. So bad.

The fact MacTavish sees Norris potential says all you need to know about this organization.

 

[oilphan]

I would literally rather have MAB back.

 

[McOvechking]

He sucks. So bad.

The fact MacTavish sees Norris potential says all you need to know about this organization.

Yeah, it shows a pretty startling inability to assess talent - which has already been made abundantly clear through our drafting.

 

[OnTheBrink]

I'm so done with Schultz, especially his cocky I Don't GAF attitude on the ice, he doesn't bury his opportunities, misses the net more often then not, make's bad shot decisions from the point, is soft as butter in front of his net.

I hope they trade him while he has any value I would take any similar aged 2C/3C for him, give his minutes to Klefbom or Marincin, team would be better off.

I see his career path being very similar to Del Zotto's over the next few years.

 

[Crobby]

I would literally rather have MAB back.

When he missed the net, at least it was fired hard

 

[NewBoysClub97*]

If this guy could hit the net he would have so many goals. I watched the 1st again from last night. He basically had a wide open net and put it wide. He had more chances later on.

 

[Pressure]

It bothers the crap out of me how smug he is back there and there is never a sense of urgency to skate the puck out or make the right play. He's consistently making the wrong reads this year all over the ice.

And for the love of god WHY THE HELL DOES HE KEEP GLANCING UP AT THE SCOREBOARD EVERY TIME HE GETS THE PUCK BEHIND THE NET!??!?!?!?!??!?!?!

 

[Spawn]

Schultz's problems lie more with the fact that the organization threw him to the wolves from day one and they have never bothered properly insulating him. This just looks like another player who has had his development screwed up by the Oilers organization.

 

[MISC*]

I think he would flourish on a team like the Wings or MTL.

 

[Sheikyerbouti]

Schultz's problems lie more with the fact that the organization threw him to the wolves from day one and they have never bothered properly insulating him. This just looks like another player who has had his development screwed up by the Oilers organization.

Ya, and he's lazy. Some of it's on him.

 

[Spawn]

Ya, and he's lazy. Some of it's on him.

Sure some of it is on him. No doubt.

But outside of Hall, how many of our blue chip prospects have developed and gotten better over time? Most of them seem to level off or get worse after their first year or two here.

Just look at the majority of our first rounders in addition to Schultz

Yakupov
RNH
Paajarvi
Eberle
Gagner
Cogliano

All of these guys broke into the league, had good rookie seasons, in Eberle's case a good follow up season. And then after that never really surpassed that level of play.

This many players indicates to me that this is an issue of development.

This organization doesn't know how to nurture these players. They don't know how to properly identify their weaknesses and strengths and put them in the proper positions to not only play at the NHL level, but grow at the NHL level.

Schultz is just another strike against the organization. Would anyone really be surprised if in a few years time everyone is wondering why Klefbom, Nurse and Draisaitl aren't top pairing/first line players?

I know I wont be...

 

[Replacement*]

Ya, and he's lazy. Some of it's on him.

Is he really?

You don't get as good as this kid got at playing hockey by being lazy. Lazy is not taking up hockey at all and sleeping in instead of all the 6am practices.

What occurred here I've already stated. The Oilers threw 10M bucks at a collegiate frat house boy and he's still ****ing grinning at having it made. From starving student status to rich beyond belief is probably how he's viewing this.

Throw 10M bucks at pretty much any college kid in any discipline and guarantee payment and watch how much career related performance drops off.

This guy isn't playing for a next contract. He figures he has it made.

kaching

 

[Replacement*]

Just to add one of Justins problems not having a particular desire to find another gear is the same problem as a lot of the players that come here. That basically every facet of coming to the rink sucks. You're exposed chronically to an org without a clue, coaches that are sillier than anything you've seen, and practices, drills, and games and on ice play that doesn't make any sense.

You don't take any of it seriously and eventually book out.

Which occurs to every player that comes here.

This is not really about Justin Schultz.

 

[Moose Coleman]

Is he really?

You don't get as good as this kid got at playing hockey by being lazy. Lazy is not taking up hockey at all and sleeping in instead of all the 6am practices.

What occurred here I've already stated. The Oilers threw 10M bucks at a collegiate frat house boy and he's still ****ing grinning at having it made. From starving student status to rich beyond belief is probably how he's viewing this.

Throw 10M bucks at pretty much any college kid in any discipline and guarantee payment and watch how much career related performance drops off.

This guy isn't playing for a next contract. He figures he has it made.

kaching

In other words: he's lazy.

 

[Horseradish]

When he missed the net, at least it was fired hard

I'd rather them just flub the puck at the net. Focus on getting a medium speed wristed on goal rather than rockets which never seem to hit the target.

 

[McDreamy]

Just to add one of Justins problems not having a particular desire to find another gear is the same problem as a lot of the players that come here. That basically every facet of coming to the rink sucks. You're exposed chronically to an org without a clue, coaches that are sillier than anything you've seen, and practices, drills, and games and on ice play that doesn't make any sense.

You don't take any of it seriously and eventually book out.

Which occurs to every player that comes here.

This is not really about Justin Schultz.

Yeah, I agree. Hockey is just a game, and if you're playing well you are having fun. The endless losing is definitely taking its toll on the state of mind of everyone on this team, especially the guys who have been here for several years. This organization is sucking the passion for hockey out of our fans and our players.

This is the 5th season Taylor Hall has played, all of which have been a complete waste of time. He's gonna eventually want out, and I wouldn't blame him at all.

 

[WKFan]

I know people are frustrated with the way things are going for the Oilers and are sick of being told to be patient, but fact of the matter when it comes to Schultz people forget he hasn't even played 150 games in the league. Its really rare for a dman to come right in and be a true top pairing guy off the hop even if he's already that by default on this team fairly or not. Not that they're in the same mould but I know right around the time that Hedman was putting it together last year there was a lot of talk that he was coming up on 300 games in the league and that it takes a dman around that many games to really know whats going on in the NHL.

Another comparison development-wise would be Cam Fowler who was brutal in his 2nd and 3rd years before coming into his own last year by the time he was at around 250.

Or look at Justin Faulk in Carolina. Highly touted player was actually real bad for them in October before looking like he might be turning a corner this month as he comes up on 200 games.

Or John Carlson in Washington. Now over 300 and looks like he's a key guy for them this year.

Or even Kris Letang who was not a lot more than 30 point player til his fourth year, granted in a different situation in Pitt

Not at all saying that things arent bad in Edmonton or that there shouldn't be some changes, but I just think that 141 games in the NHL is way too soon to start drawing conclusions about what the player's top end is or even what he'll be by this time next year.

 

[bone]

I know people are frustrated with the way things are going for the Oilers and are sick of being told to be patient, but fact of the matter when it comes to Schultz people forget he hasn't even played 150 games in the league. Its really rare for a dman to come right in and be a true top pairing guy off the hop even if he's already that by default on this team fairly or not. Not that they're in the same mould but I know right around the time that Hedman was putting it together last year there was a lot of talk that he was coming up on 300 games in the league and that it takes a dman around that many games to really know whats going on in the NHL.

Another comparison development-wise would be Cam Fowler who was brutal in his 2nd and 3rd years before coming into his own last year by the time he was at around 250.

Or look at Justin Faulk in Carolina. Highly touted player was actually real bad for them in October before looking like he might be turning a corner this month as he comes up on 200 games.

Or John Carlson in Washington. Now over 300 and looks like he's a key guy for them this year.

Or even Kris Letang who was not a lot more than 30 point player til his fourth year, granted in a different situation in Pitt

Not at all saying that things arent bad in Edmonton or that there shouldn't be some changes, but I just think that 141 games in the NHL is way too soon to start drawing conclusions about what the player's top end is or even what he'll be by this time next year.

Basically every player you've mentioned is younger than him except Carlson who is 5 months older. Letang is also older but the breakout you reference happened when he was younger than Schultz currently is. Yes, he has less games played than many of them, but that in itself shows that he has never been as good as these comparisons as he took longer to get to the NHL in the first place.

 

[WKFan]

Basically every player you've mentioned is younger than him except Carlson who is 5 months older. Letang is also older but the breakout you reference happened when he was younger than Schultz currently is. Yes, he has less games played than many of them, but that in itself shows that he has never been as good as these comparisons as he took longer to get to the NHL in the first place.

Good point for ponder, would be an interesting debate on how much age is part of that conversation. Until you've been in the NHL as a dman and had to take shifts against Crosby, Getzlaf/Perry, Stamkos, Ovechkin, Sedins, etc etc have to wonder how prepared you can be for them by playing an extra year against college players. I haven't played in the league but my guess is its a huge adjustment no matter what your talent level to learn to play at both ends of the ice which is why you see so many of these players take a couple hundred-plus games against NHL men to really start living up to potential.

But if you want to look at a couple others from that same draft year that are just starting to break out as higher end 2-way guys, Brodie and Josi were both around that 150-200 window. Of course both of their teams seem to be in a lot better shape and playing with Giordano and Weber can't hurt.