Player Discussion Oliver Ekman-Larsson

[Luck 6]

Hi guys,

I didn't see a formal discussion thread for OEL, and considering all of the player discussion that happens this time of year, I thought I'd create one.

Click to read more...

 

[Ginger Papa]

I really like what I’ve seen so far. Looking forward to having a 2nd PP QB that’s effective & smooth

Thanks for the Thread @Luck 6

 

[David71]

was thinking about this last night too. how come OEL hasn't gotten his own thread yet. but anyways. he's been good throughout the preseason. minus that bagskate that everyone on twitterverse went up in arms for. his passing skating very good. his usage on the powerplay should help the 2nd unit? should help that immensely. gets his shots through for rebounds. i say hes gonna put up 30-45 pts

 

[F A N]

I feel that an OEL and Poolman pairing might actually be good. OEL and Myers pairing not so much.

 

[Luck 6]

Overall I have been pleasantly surprised regarding OELs play so far in the pre-season. I was watching the game live the other day with my Dad, who doesn't watch a lot of hockey, and even he commented on how smooth, quick, and effective No. 23 appeared on the ice.

I have been very pleased with his poise on the blue line. His ability to get pucks on net is very noticeable, and his defensive efforts seem almost seemless.

Let's hope he can carry this into the regular season when the intensity picks up. If he does, I definitely see him as a top pairing defenseman.

 

[VanJack]

Canucks best d-man so far in this post-season.....Even managed to survive a pairing with Myers in his last exhibition game, no small feat.

It's still early, but if OEL can play at least 80 percent of what he was doing for Arizona during his Norris Trophy consideration years, it will be a huge 'add' for this team.

 

[82Ninety42011]

I really like what I’ve seen so far. Looking forward to having a 2nd PP QB that’s effective & smooth
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Thanks for the Thread @Luck 6

If he's half as smooth as that kid we've struck gold

 

[Canuckle1970]

Agreeing with the comments posted. Yes, it's early times, but so far, so good.

 

[Regal]

I feel that an OEL and Poolman pairing might actually be good. OEL and Myers pairing not so much.

Is any Myers pairing good?

 

[MarkMM]

If OEL and Poolman can keep this up then it rapidly changes the picture of our ability to do damage, this pairing more than anything to me is probably the biggest factor that we're counting on.

 

[alternate]

Something that has stuck out for me so far is OEL's impeccable timing. Don't think there was any questions about his vision and IceQ, but it's one thing to see a play, and another thing to get the puck to the right spot, at the right time. Often see guys make the right play, but they get the puck there a stride late or a stride early.

OEL opens up so much ice for his teammates through this. I was hoping OEL would be a Hamhuis/Tanev type, able to rely on his intelligence and evolve his game into a strong support defensive dman. But the way he's looked so far -- albeit in preseason -- he's still an elite transition player.

For all the justifiable questions about how we are going to be inside our DZ, we are shaping up to have one of the most explosive bluelines in the league.

 

[F A N]

Is any Myers pairing good?

I thought Juolevi and Myers last year was good.

 

[Hit the post]

Is any Myers pairing good?

Sheltered on the 3rd pairing perhaps.

 

[MarkMM]

Sheltered on the 3rd pairing perhaps.

Myers in a sheltered role has value, the problem is sheltering someone with that salary does damage to a team in a cap world. If he was a few million less I'd be fine with him, he has valuable attributes, but when the opportunity cost of his salary is factored in IMO he's a net negative. If we could trade him even for nothing and replace him with a passable bottom pairing paid defenceman I think the team would suddenly be pretty well balanced.

 

[Hit the post]

Myers in a sheltered role has value, the problem is sheltering someone with that salary does damage to a team in a cap world. If he was a few million less I'd be fine with him, he has valuable attributes, but when the opportunity cost of his salary is factored in IMO he's a net negative. If we could trade him even for nothing and replace him with a passable bottom pairing paid defenceman I think the team would suddenly be pretty well balanced.

He's a sunk cost at this point (baring DimJim dealing yet another 1st round pick to unload him). I've accepted that fact & moved on.

 

[MarkMM]

He's a sunk cost at this point (baring DimJim dealing yet another 1st round pick to unload him). I've accepted that fact & moved on.

I think he has enough attributes that we could find a buyer for him, and even if it was for nothing, it could free up cash needed for next year and the eventual renewals of Boeser and Horvat. Like, at his size and offensive production, my thought experiment is if we waived him, would he be claimed? I'd think so, especially if he has a decent year. So maybe hold on to him for our playoff run, but then see if we could offload in the off-season.

We entered this season with the danger of having two very over-paid defenceman and maybe one slightly overpaid one (Poolman), if OEL can rejuvenate his career and help Poolman grow into his contract, then trading Myers would mean we could turn this defence around. I know it's early, but it's better we have these positive signs from OEL than this going the other way.

 

[canuckking1]

Bottom pair Dmen can play low event hockey and play within their limitations. I don’t think Myers can even do that as he’s an adventure every shift.

 

[4Twenty]

Myers has basically been sheltered. Played with Benn/Fantenburg mostly. He’s his own worst enemy and his time on ice stats are all inflated because he gets caught out for more 2:00+ shifts than I can remember.


his length is very effective killing penalties though.

That must be why people think he’s ok defensively.

 

[F A N]

Myers has basically been sheltered. Played with Benn/Fantenburg mostly. He’s his own worst enemy and his time on ice stats are all inflated because he gets caught out for more 2:00+ shifts than I can remember.


his length is very effective killing penalties though.

That must be why people think he’s ok defensively.

The problem with saying Myers was sheltered was that he logged the 2nd most even strength minutes behind Hughes. He also had a lot of defensive zone starts last year (skewed by the fact that Canucks started in the defensive zone a lot). His minutes were also kind of evenly split between playing with Schmidt, Juolevi, and Benn (in that order). The year before, Fanta was actually used primarily in defensive situations. Fanta was like Green's #2 go to after Edler that year.

 

[Nucker101]

Myers has basically been sheltered. Played with Benn/Fantenburg mostly. He’s his own worst enemy and his time on ice stats are all inflated because he gets caught out for more 2:00+ shifts than I can remember.


his length is very effective killing penalties though.

That must be why people think he’s ok defensively.

That, and sometimes he makes a play to finally relieve the pressure after being stuck in his own zone for 1 minute+

That's the flaw with the eye test, some people overlook why he's constantly hemmed in his own zone just as long as he makes 1 or 2 noticeable defensive plays.

 

[Nucker101]

The problem with saying Myers was sheltered was that he logged the 2nd most even strength minutes behind Hughes. He also had a lot of defensive zone starts last year (skewed by the fact that Canucks started in the defensive zone a lot). His minutes were also kind of evenly split between playing with Schmidt, Juolevi, and Benn (in that order). The year before, Fanta was actually used primarily in defensive situations. Fanta was like Green's #2 go to after Edler that year.

Only 10.6% of his shifts started with a defensive zone faceoff, the rest were on-the-fly, offensive zone or neutral zone

 

[VanJack]

OEL has had a solid training camp.....but if they pair him with Myers, look out! That pairing would be an analytics nightmare.

 

[Diamonddog01]

Something that has stuck out for me so far is OEL's impeccable timing. Don't think there was any questions about his vision and IceQ, but it's one thing to see a play, and another thing to get the puck to the right spot, at the right time. Often see guys make the right play, but they get the puck there a stride late or a stride early.

OEL opens up so much ice for his teammates through this. I was hoping OEL would be a Hamhuis/Tanev type, able to rely on his intelligence and evolve his game into a strong support defensive dman. But the way he's looked so far -- albeit in preseason -- he's still an elite transition player.

For all the justifiable questions about how we are going to be inside our DZ, we are shaping up to have one of the most explosive bluelines in the league.

Given how insanely expensive the d corps is I'd hope so. Need to get rid of Myers so badly.

 

[Scorvat]

Myers has basically been sheltered. Played with Benn/Fantenburg mostly. He’s his own worst enemy and his time on ice stats are all inflated because he gets caught out for more 2:00+ shifts than I can remember.


his length is very effective killing penalties though.

That must be why people think he’s ok defensively.

This is exactly what happens

There was a distinct play I remember from the first pre season game, where Myers lost his man in the neutral zone causing a partial break for the Kraken player.

He then recovers, and manages to lift the Kraken players stick for a puck stop. Hirch went on for a whole bit about what a great play that was, never mentioning the fact that he caused the play in the first place.

I notice hockey commentators do this all the time where they focus on defensive recoveries, but ignore breakdowns

 

[vanarchy]

I feel that an OEL and Poolman pairing might actually be good. OEL and Myers pairing not so much.

It's basically "[anyone] and Myers pairing not so much" at this point.