Confirmed with Link: Tyler Pitlick Signs one year contract

[GMofOilers]

Never has had the offence.

 

[Game 8]

For sure. He seems to have all the tools but just can't stay healthy. I like his game when he plays but I find it hard to get excited about him on the roster. I think he's basically a 14th or 15th forward at best. In and out of the line up kind of player. Hopefully he proves me wrong though. It would be nice to see some of these picks become players that we can count on going forward.

One of the best energy guys when he is playing. Great emotion and speed. This guy really has a strong future if healthy. I've gone to games where he is the best Oiler.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

One of the best energy guys when he is playing. Great emotion and speed. This guy really has a strong future if healthy. I've gone to games where he is the best Oiler.

He's the guy we need to take that 13th forward role away from Gazdic. Need players who can play a heavy game while being able to play hockey, other than guys with fists dragging on the ice.

 

[PBandJ]

AHL/4th line fodder. Meh.

 

[McPuritania]

He's an NHLer, imho. Unless he completely bombs in the training camp, he will make the opening day roster.

Until the day after camp he sneezes, and his spine flies out of his body.

Love his game, but he's gotta stay healthy one of these years.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

Until the day after camp he sneezes, and his spine flies out of his body.

Love his game, but he's gotta stay healthy one of these years.

He has one of the weirder stories in recent history. Drafted high 2nd round out of high school, goes to College, goes to the WHL, goes to the AHL, sucks, stays and sucks some more, gets an NHL chance for some reason, does better in the NHL than he ever did in the AHL, gets injured, rinse and repeat.

 

[McPuritania]

And the thing with Pitlick, is that he needs to play a hard game, and take the body to have value to the team. Unfortunately for him, the way he needs to play doesn't lend itself well to staying healthy.

 

[Spawn]

He has one of the weirder stories in recent history. Drafted high 2nd round out of high school, goes to College, goes to the WHL, goes to the AHL, sucks, stays and sucks some more, gets an NHL chance for some reason, does better in the NHL than he ever did in the AHL, gets injured, rinse and repeat.

He was drafted out of college, not high school. He was ranked in the 1st round and everyone was super pumped when he fell to the 2nd and we had the chance to draft him. Otherwise you're right though.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I hope that he makes the club and shows 3rd line potential.

 

[McDNicks17]

I think the 4th line RW spot competition will end up looking like Pakarinen > Pitlick > Klinkhammer.

Might as well keep him around for at least another year. Not really expecting much from him though.

 

[Oilhawks]

Here's to hoping Tyler is able to stay healthy and that the past is more a matter of bad luck. Seems to have some potential as a good energy player.

 

[tiger_80]

I think the 4th line RW spot competition will end up looking like Pakarinen > Pitlick > Klinkhammer.

Might as well keep him around for at least another year. Not really expecting much from him though.

Completely forgot about Pakarinen. He's definitely a wild card to make it to the opening night roster.

 

[Hemsky4PM]

Health is the only issue with this guy. He's a bottom 6 who can skate well and forecheck effectively. He's just soooo brittle. We'll see if that continues.

Games played (NHL and AHL combined) in the past three seasons

2014/15 - 31 games

2013/14 - 49 games

2012/13 - 44 games

2011/12 - 62 games

This is a highly injury prone player. Could it really be bad luck or are there some physiological limitations to his durability? Minor signing either way, but we could use some guys with a bit of size who can actually play.

My guess is that Gazdik will be in the AHL for half this season.

 

[Samus44]

I think the 4th line RW spot competition will end up looking like Pakarinen > Pitlick > Klinkhammer.

Might as well keep him around for at least another year. Not really expecting much from him though.

Klinkhammer is actually ideally a LW so i'm hoping he slots in behind Hendricks.

Hendricks - Letestu - Pakarinen
Klinkhammer - - - Pitlick
Gazdic (AHL) - Draisaitl (AHL) - Miller (AHL)

I also think Miller has got a shot at a skill job if injuries hit, he had a poor rookie season as a pro but he hit it out of the park last year so there could be a player there yet.

 

[Spawn]

Completely forgot about Pakarinen. He's definitely a wild card to make it to the opening night roster.

I'm always forgetting about him too. Stauffer was saying (at least I think it was him) that Nelson was a huge fan of Pakarinen and he might have gotten some more push in the organization because of it. Will be interesting to see how the organization still views him this upcoming season.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Hope he can stay healthy. Seems like a great kid.

that isthe big thing--when he is healthy he is nhl ready

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I don't see Pitlick making the team next year, nothing against the kid, I just see Gadzic having a "role", Kilnkhammer having more experience and I see Pakarinen passing him.

And this doesn't even take into account if the Oilers want to keep an extra defenseman.

 

[Kerricthebig]

I really like Pitlick. He's a solid bottom 6 forward.

Unfortunately he is almost as injury prone as Rick DiPietro was.

 

[Fourier]

Last year the Oilers had a $5.5M 4th line. (And yes I know they did not really play the role of a true 4th line). If you want to keep all the top players you need some very cheap guys to fill in the last 4 forward slots. Home grown is the best way to do this I'd say. I'd keep Pitlick over Gazdic for sure even though I am a fan of Gazdic.

 

[joestevens29]

Last year the Oilers had a $5.5M 4th line. (And yes I know they did not really play the role of a true 4th line). If you want to keep all the top players you need some very cheap guys to fill in the last 4 forward slots. Home grown is the best way to do this I'd say. I'd keep Pitlick over Gazdic for sure even though I am a fan of Gazdic.

Honestly why can't you go out and sign Fehr at this point for 1mil? Those are the kinds of players we should be going after if we are worried about cheap guys on the 4th. Even Glencross.

 

[tiger_80]

Honestly why can't you go out and sign Fehr at this point for 1mil? Those are the kinds of players we should be going after if we are worried about cheap guys on the 4th. Even Glencross.

Exactly. Proven veteran players who played on the 4th line before and then moved up the depth chart. Ideally signed to cheap one year contracts.

 

[BleedingOil]

Honestly why can't you go out and sign Fehr at this point for 1mil? Those are the kinds of players we should be going after if we are worried about cheap guys on the 4th. Even Glencross.

Maybe because they don't want pay cuts to be 4th liners?

 

[joestevens29]

Maybe because they don't want pay cuts to be 4th liners?

What does this even mean?

 

[Fourier]

Honestly why can't you go out and sign Fehr at this point for 1mil? Those are the kinds of players we should be going after if we are worried about cheap guys on the 4th. Even Glencross.

Exactly. Proven veteran players who played on the 4th line before and then moved up the depth chart. Ideally signed to cheap one year contracts.

History suggests that the answer is no you can't. Hendricks makes $1.8M, so does Letestu. Gordon made $3M. Fehr made $1.6M last year with a cap hit of $1.5M

If the Oilers are a legitimate cup threat when McDavid's deal is up maybe you get some of these guys like Fehr to sign at a discount. But look at teams like Chicago and ask whether $300-400K makes a difference for your fourth line guys. Especially if you pay an additional $400k for each of your three guys.

That said here are some of the signings from last year of the type you suggest:

Joe Vitale (Arizona) 3 years $1.16M

Marcel Goc (Pitts) 1 year $1.2M

Brian Boyle (Tampa) 3 years $2M

Dominic Moore (NYR) 2 years $1.5M

Shawn Thornton (Flo) 2 years $1.2M

Manny Malhotra (Mon) 1 year $850K

Only Malhotra is under $1M and he is pretty much done.

You may get lucky if you can get a vet on a year when there is a flat cap. But when it rises you have guys like Derek Boogaard making $1.7M.

 

[joestevens29]

History suggests that the answer is no you can't. Hendricks makes $1.8M, so does Letestu. Gordon made $3M. Fehr made $1.6M last year with a cap hit of $1.5M

If the Oilers are a legitimate cup threat when McDavid's deal is up maybe you get some of these guys like Fehr to sign at a discount. But look at teams like Chicago and ask whether $300-400K makes a difference for your fourth line guys. Especially if you pay an additional $400k for each of your three guys.

That said here are some of the signings from last year of the type you suggest:

Joe Vitale (Arizona) 3 years $1.16M

Marcel Goc (Pitts) 1 year $1.2M

Brian Boyle (Tampa) 3 years $2M

Dominic Moore (NYR) 2 years $1.5M

Shawn Thornton (Flo) 2 years $1.2M

Manny Malhotra (Mon) 1 year $850K

Only Malhotra is under $1M and he is pretty much done.

We aren't a legit cup threat, we continue to spin tires in the basement because we don't bring enough competition for spots. There is no reason not to bring guys in to be pushing for spots, especially when guys like Fehr aren't just 4th liners. He is a 15 minute a night player on a playoff team.