Player Discussion Send Down or Keep Up?

[Ritchie Valens]

I find it hard to believe anybody would think Bouchard should stay. We keep every 1st rounder up like it's some kind of rule that we have to or something. At least they did the right thing & sent KY back last year.

Pretty sure he's not gonna be the difference between us making the playoffs or not & the potential damage that could be done is too big a risk given our recent history. Anybody who says he's spent 3 years in junior & can't learn anything more there is wrong. If he stops learning just because he's at the major junior level he's not the player we hope he is.

If Benning wasn't so mother-effing awful, I think the general consensus would be to send him back down to the O. Bear is hurt I believe (it's mentioned in the Condors thread) otherwise I'm sure he'd be up in his place. They have their backs against the wall right now with R/S d-men.

Edit: Bear hasn't played since October 13 against Tuscon, so he must be injured.

 

[Jumptheshark]

All down

 

[Dan Kelly]

Down: Pool....we haven't missed him and we don't need him in the lineup right now. Send him to the AHL and let him play. Him sitting in the press box doesn't do him or the team any good.

Down: Bouchard. We haven't missed him out of the lineup either and he could use perhaps just one more year in junior.

Keep: Yam. He looks like an NHLer and is starting to play like one. No reason to send him back.

 

[LTIR]

Bear isn't even an option if he is injured. The guy has 0 pts in 2AHL games this year.
Caleb Jones would be the callup if Bouchard is sent down making Larsson and Benning the only 2 RHDs

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

Yama, Pulju and Bouch have a combined 3G and 1A so far. All of those goals were big goals mind you, but the best thing for this team going forward is to let them develop.

Imagine having a great season this year without them, watching them all gain confidence in the minors. The team would be feeling pretty good next season knowing that they're a good team already with the cavalry coming!

 

[nexttothemoon]

Bouchard is already cool as a cucumber.

Will learn nothing new in the OHL.

He makes mistakes at the NHL level... but so does every rookie NHL dman and you can point to several vet dmen on the Oilers every game that make mistakes... part of the game.

You learn and improve when you are playing with and against the best players in the world at the highest levels of play.

Bouchard's best development path is playing in the NHL on the bottom pairing... getting some PP time while he works out defensive issues on D at 5 on 5 in limited minutes.

Honestly that's EXACTLY what they should have done with Justin Schultz as well and he'd likely still be a very solid and productive contributor on this team instead of trying to Norris him into a top minute "be everything" role.


They'll probably send Bouchard back... but absolutely he's NHL ready and will develop here the best... even if he only plays ~70% of the games this season.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

Sekera has nothing to do with the expansion draft as his nmc expires after this year, the problem is Kris Russell.

What if begging Lucic doesn't work?

Paying Seattle not to take Puljujarvi or Bear is an option but not a very good one.

So it does, Russell's changes to a modified NTC/ NMC; whereas Sekera's changes to just a straight modified NTC. With the way Russell is playing right now though I see him as being tradeable.

Lucic and Chia have a strong relationship, I'm sure Lucic will do what's best for the team much like Fleury did, it's just the kind of guy he seems to be. I 100% don't want to give Pulju away for free, but at the moment he's not that big of a loss given how he's played, that will hopefully change over the course of the next couple years, but I don't want to make our roster weaker in the near term for something that may never come to pass. Though personally I feel about 90% positive that Lucic would waive his NMC for expansion draft purposes, he's highly unlikely to be taken and on top of that Seattle is pretty close to home for him.

 

[Little Fury]

Send Bouch to the O, Yamo to the A and play Puljujarvi in the top 6.

 

[hemmer_forever]

Bouchard is a toss up. He has really good moments but really bad ones too. I think if he plays sheltered minutes at least 10-12 minutes a night QB ing the 2nd unit power play he's good to learn in the NHL.

Yamamoto needs to stay. Sure he doesn't have many points but he's sure as hell creating a lot with his dogged forchecking and defensive stick lifts/takeaways. He's a hound on the puck and he's just starting to get used to handling the bigger bodies in the NHL. He definitely adds an element to the Nuge, McDavid duo. An element Rattie lacks, although Rattie has the better shot.

Puljujarvi needs to be sent down. He works hard for 30 seconds but then gets tired quickly. Loses defensive positioning with a seeming lack of effort. Is basically the exact opposite of Yamamoto. His tools need to be refined quite a bit still. He needs to discover his style of play and learn to excel at it. Right now we don't know what he is. It would be better if he discovered that and refined his game in the A.

 

[Porkleaker]

As tempting as it is, Bouch is still a question mark and very young, better than Benning at least but let's not rush this one. I'm sure he'd be fine here but like others said, have to protect him from the expansion draft. Send him down.

Yamamoto, send him down when Rattie is back, he's not ready and doesn't really contribute much, while he's defensively sound - his offense is nil and just draws the odd penalty because he's smaller than
my 13-year old nephew

Puljujarvi send him down if you're not going to play him, needs some confidence so giving him loads of mins in the AHL would benefit him. Stop turning him into Yakupov 2.0

 

[Drivesaitl]

KY isn't gelling.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Bouchard is already cool as a cucumber.

Will learn nothing new in the OHL.

He makes mistakes at the NHL level... but so does every rookie NHL dman and you can point to several vet dmen on the Oilers every game that make mistakes... part of the game.

You learn and improve when you are playing with and against the best players in the world at the highest levels of play.

Bouchard's best development path is playing in the NHL on the bottom pairing... getting some PP time while he works out defensive issues on D at 5 on 5 in limited minutes.

Honestly that's EXACTLY what they should have done with Justin Schultz as well and he'd likely still be a very solid and productive contributor on this team instead of trying to Norris him into a top minute "be everything" role.


They'll probably send Bouchard back... but absolutely he's NHL ready and will develop here the best... even if he only plays ~70% of the games this season.

As much as I love his play he's a D, and they take longer. The last thing I would want is the player to be rushed and not have adequate opportunity to grow his game. NHL can teach the wrong things to young players. Can limit confidence, instill other habits.

The best way to make a potentially dangerous D ineffective is have that guy torched repeatedly while he learns that this game is played by elite players with hyper speed. So that it teaches the young player to be scared and tentative and hanging back instead of bringing their strong hand.

jmo, but seen it happen.

 

[Consultant]

Bouchard is a toss up. He has really good moments but really bad ones too. I think if he plays sheltered minutes at least 10-12 minutes a night QB ing the 2nd unit power play he's good to learn in the NHL.

Yamamoto needs to stay. Sure he doesn't have many points but he's sure as hell creating a lot with his dogged forchecking and defensive stick lifts/takeaways. He's a hound on the puck and he's just starting to get used to handling the bigger bodies in the NHL. He definitely adds an element to the Nuge, McDavid duo. An element Rattie lacks, although Rattie has the better shot.

Puljujarvi needs to be sent down. He works hard for 30 seconds but then gets tired quickly. Loses defensive positioning with a seeming lack of effort. Is basically the exact opposite of Yamamoto. His tools need to be refined quite a bit still. He needs to discover his style of play and learn to excel at it. Right now we don't know what he is. It would be better if he discovered that and refined his game in the A.

It's all about the expansion draft, keep up Bouchard and risk losing one of him, Larsson, Kelfbom or Nurse. The benefit of Bouchard over Bear or Jones this year is small to none, so in my mind if they must send Bouchard down, let him play in the world juniors, he has tons to learn down there yet.

 

[McShogun99]

I posted on these boards before that we should send down all 3. Give Bouchard his 9 games then send him back to Jr. Send down JP now, give him prime minutes in the AHL. Send down Yamamoto once Rattie is back.

Waive Garrison and call up Gravel, Bear and Marody.

 

[FlameChampion]

I would send JP down to bakerfield because honestly I dont think him and TM mesh. Let him play tons of minutes on Bakersfield. If the Oilers want to continue with McLellan for seasons beyond this one, then I think maybe you have to see whats out there in tradeland.

Bouchard I think you might as well send back to Junior. I have been impressed with him but I dont like the way TM has used him. If you are going to play him 10mins a night and not try him on the PP1 unit, then send him back.

Yamamoto I would prob keep up and let him play on the third line with Strome and Lucic, once Rattie comes back. If he struggles to produce, maybe send him to the AHL and play Marody till Yamamoto shows hes more ready.

 

[LTIR]

Maybe Puljujarvi won't feel as bad if we also send Yama down with him.
Last thing we need is a disgruntled top prospect.

 

[GMofOilers]

They will keep all 3 up for now

Why change anything

 

[Joey Moss]

Keep all three I'd say but wouldn't be upset with Bouchard going back.

 

[ManofSteel55]

The issue with Bouchard is sending him down is permanent for this season, which really sucks. They really need to change those outdated CHL/AHL age rules.

It doesn't suck, he needs to work on skating and defensive zone play. He can do the former in junior. Bear is ready for an extended look, Gravel is there if Bear crashes and burns, Garrisson is there if neither work out.

 

[Cloned]

It doesn't suck, he needs to work on skating and defensive zone play. He can do the former in junior. Bear is ready for an extended look, Gravel is there if Bear crashes and burns, Garrisson is there if neither work out.

That’s assuming Benning is a solid, reliable option on the bottom pairing. Which he isn’t.

I’d rather have Bouchard up here with Yawney and GG.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Sekera has nothing to do with the expansion draft as his nmc expires after this year, the problem is Kris Russell.

What if begging Lucic doesn't work?

Paying Seattle not to take Puljujarvi or Bear is an option but not a very good one.

Is Seattle going to debut next season? If not, then Russell is a small problem - buy him out with one year left if he doesn't waive his NMC for the draft.

 

[ManofSteel55]

That’s assuming Benning is a solid, reliable option on the bottom pairing. Which he isn’t.

I’d rather have Bouchard up here with Yawney and GG.

Is Bouchard really any better as a bottom pairing option today? On the powerplay, sure, but on an actual bottom pairing, is Bouchard truly an upgrade?

 

[Cloned]

Is Bouchard really any better as a bottom pairing option today? On the powerplay, sure, but on an actual bottom pairing, is Bouchard truly an upgrade?

If it’s a saw off, I’d rather keep him up so he can learn NHL level stick work and gap control with Yawney and GG. Look how much better Russell, Klef and Larsson look already under their tutelage.

 

[AM]

Stay with Benning and Garrison, Yamo and Bouchard down.

Make Puljujarvi win his opportunity to play in the top 6. Make him grind defensively. If he doesnt want to do it, send him down.

 

[Soundwave]

We can't sacrifice three full expansion protection slots just to have Bouchard this year.

It sounds like the whole Seattle 2020 thing is a bit of optimistic scheduling from the Seattle guys, they're not even sure if the Key Arena renovations will be done by October 2020 and the NHL seems like they're pushing them to move to 2021.

Call up Gravel again and send Bouchard down after his 9th game. When Bear is healthy and playing well in the AHL give him a call up.