Player Discussion Send Down or Keep Up?

[PumpkinBombX]

Send them down.
Would like to see Benson come up
I think Bear is injured right now.

 

[ManofSteel55]

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.

And if its a saw off I'd rather keep that extra year of ELC so we don't have to use a protection slot on him in the Seattle expansion draft.

 

[Cloned]

And if its a saw off I'd rather keep that extra year of ELC so we don't have to use a protection slot on him in the Seattle expansion draft.

I think people care way too much about this stuff. We don’t even know the rules of a hypothetical draft atm. And it’s not even a guarantee they get a team.

 

[Mez]

Send Pulju and Bouch down, keep Yams up. I think Yams is ready for the NHL.. his game is well rounded he just needs to find his scoring touch.

 

[TheNumber4]

I think a couple years ago I'd say send em all down. But the NHL these days is such a young mans' league. So many players these days are coming in and making an impact right away or learning the game at the NHL level. So I don't know if the mantra of developing slow and steady has as much weight as it did following the dominance of the Red Wings era.

I can already see Yamo and Bouch contribute in meaningful ways. Pulju has all the tools to contribute, for whatever reason it's just not working for him here... don't know if an AHL stint fixes that or not... wasn't he pretty unhappy that first time we sent him there?

Tough call... but I think we ice the best possible lineup we can. And if that best lineup includes kids then so be it.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I think people care way too much about this stuff. We don’t even know the rules of a hypothetical draft atm. And it’s not even a guarantee they get a team.

You know this has an impact, right? Maybe I’m off base but if they didn’t foolishly waste Draisatls first ELC year we aren’t in a cap squeeze this year.

 

[Cloned]

You know this has an impact, right? Maybe I’m off base but if they didn’t foolishly waste Draisatls first ELC year we aren’t in a cap squeeze this year.

Most GMs didn’t care too much about the Vegas draft, and for the most part they were justified, except for the ones that made really stupid moves like Florida.

I just think that if you’re weighing the impact of player development under great assistant coaching vs. the hypotheticals involved in an expansion draft where we don’t know the rules and that may not even occur if Seattle doesn’t get a team, the former is of more agency and more important.

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

You know this has an impact, right? Maybe I’m off base but if they didn’t foolishly waste Draisatls first ELC year we aren’t in a cap squeeze this year.

His contract kicked in last season. If we didn't waste that ELC year, it would have kicked in this season.

Unless you're suggesting that maybe waiting another season could have brought the number down to the 7-7.5m range?

 

[belair]

Unless Puljujarvi had a good rapport with Woodcroft, I don't think it'd be a good idea to send him down for a long period of time. Let the kid iron out the kinks in Edmonton. And when he's ready, put him back next to Ryan Strome, where he was seeing some success earlier this season.

He's a fragile character from what's been noted so far. And for a kid who's still struggling with the language, sending him down to California is just another hurdle for him to overcome.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

His contract kicked in last season. If we didn't waste that ELC year, it would have kicked in this season.

Unless you're suggesting that maybe waiting another season could have brought the number down to the 7-7.5m range?

I was off by a year but that would’ve left us even more room last year and could’ve changed the landscape of the team.

I doubt it would’ve brought his numbers down but... well, that’s another topic entirely.

 

[StoveTopStauffer]

Send Puljujarvi and Bouch down.

Call up Bear and Marody.

 

[stratedge]

I was one of those up until about a week ago. As much as I’ll miss the potential for that breakout pass, Bouchard will be better served playing massive minutes in all key situations as opposed to occasional press box, twelve minutes a game duty.

With Bouchard it's a glass half full / half empty thing, except instead it's looking at his offense versus looking at his defense. Yeah you'd like to challenge his ability to produce offensively more than the CHL can, but defensively he's still got a lot to learn there.

Still though, the focus should be on the fact that sending him down most likely protects him from the expansion draft. To me that's the end of the discussion... this team is in a horrible spot because of all the NMC Chia hands out like they're business cards. You simply HAVE to make the right move to protect as many high value assets as is possible, for the remainder of the time between now and that expansion draft being over with.

 

[fuswald]

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

Another

 

[bobbythebrain]

Bouchard has made a few mistakes no doubt, but he is already better than Benning in his own end. Atleast he wins his board battles

 

[FunkyChicken]

I would send all three down.
Puljujarvi to try and regain his confidence in the AHL. Should have been done a few games ago. He needs puck touches not press box popcorn at this point.
Bouchard to work on the defensive parts of his game in Junior now that he has been exposed to top players. Think he's ready next year.
Yama, I wait until Rattie returns. Just not getting the offensive chances I'd like to see yet and they won't miss his offense...yet.

I think the biggest reason the Oilers rebuild stalled is because a proper rebuild starts by first rebuilding the prospect pool. Drafting wasn't great and development and deployment of picks from the second round on was poor. All the top end picks went straight to the NHL and the team wasn't deep enough to replace them and allow them to work on their games in a lower league when they did falter, returning them to the NHL only when they were over-ripe. Now's the time to reverse that pattern.

 

[Risingwind]

Keeping Pulju on popcorn duty for 4 games is too much. I wish McLellan got over himself. Put him in or send him down already.

 

[PinSeeker]

Whatever the rationale, it makes zero sense to have both JP and Bouchard sit here and not play. Either send em down or play them, maybe less idiotic for Bouchard who you can't get back, but it still does him no good to sit.

 

[Bank Shot]

Whatever the rationale, it makes zero sense to have both JP and Bouchard sit here and not play. Either send em down or play them, maybe less idiotic for Bouchard who you can't get back, but it still does him no good to sit.

I'm ok with it. Bouchard gets to practice with NHL players, and gets instruction from the coaches. I am sure when they send him back they will have given him all kinds of things to work on in London.

The college hockey season is just starting. They only play 40ish games. Bouchard has already played probably 15 including OHL training camp, NHL preseason and regular season. He'll get 40 games in junior plus WJC, plus playoffs.

Not enough games isn't going to be a problem for him.

Hopefully Puljujarvi comes back with some fire in his belly. The NHL season is long, and he had some major inconsistency issues last season. He was kind of falling into it again. Hopefully the reset helps him out.

 

[nexttothemoon]

I'm ok with it. Bouchard gets to practice with NHL players, and gets instruction from the coaches. I am sure when they send him back they will have given him all kinds of things to work on in London.

The college hockey season is just starting. They only play 40ish games. Bouchard has already played probably 15 including OHL training camp, NHL preseason and regular season. He'll get 40 games in junior plus WJC, plus playoffs.

Not enough games isn't going to be a problem for him.

Hopefully Puljujarvi comes back with some fire in his belly. The NHL season is long, and he had some major inconsistency issues last season. He was kind of falling into it again. Hopefully the reset helps him out.

These are good points... playing 70+ games in the OHL vs inferior competition is arguably not as good as "wasting" a season and playing even say 40-50 games in the NHL this year... versus superior opponents.

I do believe many players rise to the level of their competition (and their teammates as well). The higher level of play in the NHL doesn't allow them to "cheat and succeed" like at lower levels of play. They don't get away with bad habits and weak plays... as those events at the NHL level burn them and they either learn and get better... or they sink. I think the stronger elite players with high IQ learn and rise up and the lesser IQ players will sink.

Now this obviously doesn't mean throwing a dman in the deep end... playing him 24 minutes a night in every situation until their confidence is wrecked from being burned shift after shift.

Rather you go lightly... ~15 minutes of bottom pairing play while being fed some easier PP time. That's what development is... they make mistakes and learn from them at these highest levels instead of being beaten to death and demoralized by those mistakes.

 

[Soundwave]

Bouchard has made a few mistakes no doubt, but he is already better than Benning in his own end. Atleast he wins his board battles

The difference isn't so great at this point that it warrants the Oilers potentially losing 2 expansion slots down the line.

 

[nabob]

Send Pulju and Bouch down, keep Yams up. I think Yams is ready for the NHL.. his game is well rounded he just needs to find his scoring touch.

I’d give Puljujarvi a few more games to show something. His first game on the 2nd line ended up as a blender game when Rattie got hurt where his center was moved to RW, then he had a poor game and got benched. I’d send Bouchard back to junior and keep Yams up. Love his tireless work ethic and ability to create on the PK.

 

[Bank Shot]

These are good points... playing 70+ games in the OHL vs inferior competition is arguably not as good as "wasting" a season and playing even say 40-50 games in the NHL this year... versus superior opponents.

I do believe many players rise to the level of their competition (and their teammates as well). The higher level of play in the NHL doesn't allow them to "cheat and succeed" like at lower levels of play. They don't get away with bad habits and weak plays... as those events at the NHL level burn them and they either learn and get better... or they sink. I think the stronger elite players with high IQ learn and rise up and the lesser IQ players will sink.

Now this obviously doesn't mean throwing a dman in the deep end... playing him 24 minutes a night in every situation until their confidence is wrecked from being burned shift after shift.

Rather you go lightly... ~15 minutes of bottom pairing play while being fed some easier PP time. That's what development is... they make mistakes and learn from them at these highest levels instead of being beaten to death and demoralized by those mistakes.

Oh. I'm talking about him playing two more NHL games max. Just having him practice with the big club for two/three weeks/a month is fine.

He's not really contributing at the NHL level to any great degree. Gotta send him back. Pietrangelo treatment is fine though.

 

[Faelko]

Bakersfield has a really light schedule the last two weeks which is maybe why nobody’s been sent down, that will pickup starting tomorrow vs Stockton.

When Rattie gets activated the first person to be sent down will be Marody.

Bear has a minor injury according to Woodcroft, he won’t be out long.

I doubt Yamamoto gets sent down, he’s being played in all situations right now, although I wouldn’t be against it.

Puljujarvi most definitely needs to be sent down, I wonder if it happens after the game so he can play for Bakersfield tomorrow?

Bouchard should be sent down.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Oh. I'm talking about him playing two more NHL games max. Just having him practice with the big club for two/three weeks/a month is fine.

He's not really contributing at the NHL level to any great degree. Gotta send him back. Pietrangelo treatment is fine though.

Well I guess I just read a bit and twisted it to my point of view.

Bouchard is NHL ready... just not 20+ minutes per night ready. I think if the Oilers don't "Jultz" him by dumping too much responsibility on him, he'll be fine platooning it all season long with bottom pairing split duty with guys like Benning/Garrison/Gravel (and even Bear).

It's damn near ideal actually. This is probably the best time to develop a player like Bouchard in the NHL lineup when their top 4 is actually looking like a reasonably decent top 4.

 

[GameChanger]

I’d give Puljujarvi a few more games to show something. His first game on the 2nd line ended up as a blender game when Rattie got hurt where his center was moved to RW, then he had a poor game and got benched.

I wonder if it really was such a bad game until he was benched? I may be stupid to use time for this, but I wanted to know what was going on in the one period he played with Drai:

There were 5 penalties, which means there actually weren't too many 5-on-5 shifts. In one of those Drai scored a goal, where Pulju played a part too. I went through the GDT and I found only one negative comment and it was from someone who's usually first to do that.

So he may have been quiet and not playing up to his potential, but I didn't see signs of it being terrible, especially as the EJ said they thought Pulju was strong off the puck and the demotion was surprising.

I didn't see what happened on the 4th line, but the goals against weren't his fault.