What's the odds on Draisaitl making the team?

[Eirhead*]

Skating 2 days/week and working out 5 days/week is a lot?

If he's balancing that while having a fulltime job, then yes. But we have to remember here. He's getting 8 hours of sleep/day bare minimum plus naps between workout sessions and activities. On top of that, he's 18. Kids recover faster around his age.

All this talk about Draisaitl is really making me excited for camp!

Man, I wish I had my current work ethic when I was 18.

 

[Da McBomb]

Pretty sure he'll be on the roster. Scouts were all saying he along with Ekblad were probably the most ready NHL prospects out of this year's draft.

I know he is still very young, but I wonder how effective Draisaitl would be on the PP. He's got great playmaking ability and is already the biggest skilled forward we have that can protect the puck and maybe take over Smytty's role creating havoc in front of the net. Will be interesting to see how he will be used this year.

 

[Eirhead*]

Pretty sure he'll be on the roster. Scouts were all saying he along with Ekblad were probably the most ready NHL prospects out of this year's draft.

I know he is still very young, but I wonder how effective Draisaitl would be on the PP. He's got great playmaking ability and is already the biggest skilled forward we have that can protect the puck and maybe take over Smytty's role creating havoc in front of the net. Will be interesting to see how he will be used this year.

Seems like that would be a natural fit for him. Good puck retrieval, finishing ability, and the finesse to make a seeing eye pass under pressure.

 

[Dorian2]

Here's a good interview with Drai on Oilers 1 on 1:

http://video.oilers.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=4&id=628803&navid=DL|EDM|home

No ground breaking news or anything, just a good conversation with Leon.

 

[oilinblood]

I'm most excited at the thought of having Boyd Gordon teach him how to win draws. Could be huge for his future as an elite center.

Yes. I think...unlike yakupov...Drai is eager and willing to listen to vet teammates. And will actually put his effort into executing what he was told to do.

 

[Eisen]

Yup. They are banking on him being ready. Might not hurt his development this year, heck might not ever. But it could.

everything i read about draisaitl indicates he has a real professional attitude. i don't think it'll hurt him.

 

[Eisen]

if the coaching in midgets/juniors wasnt already working on this kids skating = th whole development system up there is total bull**** / a joke.

i don't know where it comes from that he's a poor skater. sure, he's nothing special, but hardly horrible.

 

[plikestechno]

Id be honestly shocked and slightly concerned if he doesnt make this team. This is a bad team and he is needed if its going to get better. Even if they shelter him on the third line wing to start the year the team needs his offense, playmaking ability and puck posession. Lesser draft picks made their team right out of the draft and no one died.

 

[McPuritania]

i don't know where it comes from that he's a poor skater. sure, he's nothing special, but hardly horrible.

Flaws and strengths are magnified to silly levels here. Especially flaws.

 

[boopronger]

You what would of made this a bad situation? IF the oilers didnt draft rnh or had any other center and we were all talking about draisatl playing top line minutes. The rebuild is far enough along that at least the coaches can shelter him a little bit.

 

[Philly85*]

I don't know how a player can be "sheltered" at the NHL level unless you're playing almost exclusively 4th line hockey. Especially in the Western Conference and Oilers division.

and given Edmonton's putrid centre depth, he's almost a lock to be on the opening night roster, in their top 6 no less, it's a disaster waiting to happen. You watch, Edmonton will finish bottom 5 with the way it's shaping up.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I don't know how a player can be "sheltered" at the NHL level unless you're playing almost exclusively 4th line hockey. Especially in the Western Conference and Oilers division.

and given Edmonton's putrid centre depth, he's almost a lock to be on the opening night roster, in their top 6 no less, it's a disaster waiting to happen. You watch, Edmonton will finish bottom 5 with the way it's shaping up.

At home you can give them almost exclusively starts in the offensive zone and choose who they play against to a degree. That is sheltering to a "T" IMO. On the road it is much harder of course.

 

[Mr Positive]

I don't know how a player can be "sheltered" at the NHL level unless you're playing almost exclusively 4th line hockey. Especially in the Western Conference and Oilers division.

and given Edmonton's putrid centre depth, he's almost a lock to be on the opening night roster, in their top 6 no less, it's a disaster waiting to happen. You watch, Edmonton will finish bottom 5 with the way it's shaping up.

Calgary did a great job sheltering Monahan. They gave him a lot of power play time, a lot of offensive zone starts, kept his minutes limited, and used him on shootouts. They didn't even have to play him on the wing to do it. He didn't have high point totals but Calgary was low scoring overall. He was something like 4th in points

 

[McShogun99]

Yes. I think...unlike yakupov...Drai is eager and willing to listen to vet teammates. And will actually put his effort into executing what he was told to do.

Where did you get this information that Yakupov was unwilling to listen to vet teammates? He seemed to do whatever role was asked of him last season.

 

[dobiezeke*]

Where did you get this information that Yakupov was unwilling to listen to vet teammates? He seemed to do whatever role was asked of him last season.

I like Yak. I believe he has tons of talent.

He was ill prepared to play in the NHL last year. He showed moments of flash that were surrounded by hours of misguided understanding of how the NHL game is played.

Much like you I have no idea whether he listened to the vets on the team as we were not in the dressing room. What was a black eye for Yak was having his agent come to Canada to speak out on his behalf. It came across as a spoiled brat whining to his mother.

I look forward to seeing him this year and hopefully a year of NHL and an off season to prepare have got his head in the right direction and he will show us the reason he was picked number one.

 

[McPuritania]

Well if we go by the polls section, 0%. There are currently seven posts already proclaiming him to be a bust in the Monahan vs Draisaitl thread.

 

[Mr Positive]

Well if we go by the polls section, 0%. There are currently seven posts already proclaiming him to be a bust in the Monahan vs Draisaitl thread.

comparing a player with NHL experience vs a prospect isn't fair. Of course Monahan would win that, even if Draisaitl would be rated higher if they were drafted at the same time.

It's like the 2013 re-drafts that went on. Doing it this early is meaningless. Nurse gets dinged hard because he's not a NHL player yet. In other words, by doing the right thing and keeping him down a season, we severely damaged his ranking. It's ridiculous.

 

[nexttothemoon]

100%... I'd be shocked if Draisaitl is not on the Oilers on opening night and plays the entire season.

Whether that's a "good thing" or not remains to be seen... but I have little doubt the Oilers have him pencilled into the lineup already.

 

[OiledUp]

I think he'll play and do it ok. I actually think it's benificial for him to be in the NHL as his biggest issue seems to be footspeed and D, two things he wouldn't be as harshly tested on in juniors. I think he'll learn more and quicker up with the big boys.

 

[Spawn]

Calgary did a great job sheltering Monahan. They gave him a lot of power play time, a lot of offensive zone starts, kept his minutes limited, and used him on shootouts. They didn't even have to play him on the wing to do it. He didn't have high point totals but Calgary was low scoring overall. He was something like 4th in points

I think Monahan actually fits Philly's point. He was "sheltered" by Calgary, but still got ridiculously slaughtered defensively.

 

[Aerchon]

As the summer wears on and I watch more and more video of Leon I am slowly leaning away from the thought he would benefit from Junior hockey.

The guy seems so driven and mature.

The vid of him chillin with those kids and all those ones with the media makes him seem like he is 30 years old not 18.

Hall says and does the right stuff but I kind of get the feeling after the camera goes away he is playing X-box and eating KD. Leon just looks/acts like one of those guys that doesn't fool around much.

I am a massive Hall and RNH fan but I have this sneaking suspicion Leon may end up being my favorite of them all down the road.

A guy a driven as Leon appears to be can continue his training while playing limited or sheltered minutes in the NHL. Will study games from the press box if necessary to improve.

My official stance is still send him down but damn, he is making me doubt how much that would actually benefit him.

With Nuge I knew Junior wouldn't help his overall game because he was so polished but in hind sight he could have used the time to get stronger physically and maybe worked on face offs. In Leons case he really doesn't need to get bigger/stronger for NHL life, just needs a bit more polish to his game. Maybe it wouldn't be rushing him if we kept him... So hard to say.

 

[Replacement*]

Calgary did a great job sheltering Monahan. They gave him a lot of power play time, a lot of offensive zone starts, kept his minutes limited, and used him on shootouts. They didn't even have to play him on the wing to do it. He didn't have high point totals but Calgary was low scoring overall. He was something like 4th in points

Calgary missed the playoffs by a wide margin. What was your point again?

 

[Replacement*]

I don't know how a player can be "sheltered" at the NHL level unless you're playing almost exclusively 4th line hockey. Especially in the Western Conference and Oilers division.

and given Edmonton's putrid centre depth, he's almost a lock to be on the opening night roster, in their top 6 no less, it's a disaster waiting to happen. You watch, Edmonton will finish bottom 5 with the way it's shaping up.

Pretty much this. I like Draisaitl but a Center depth chart of RNH, Draisaitl, Gordon, and Arco(lmfao) is going to result in our young C getting a lot of shifts, a lot of topsix, and facing tough opponents in the WC. Given RNH's sputtering development and already having deep-sixed Gagner from the club fans should be concerned at what the club will end up doing with Draisaitl.

There never was a plan when Gagner was moved to replace him with a vet Center. Draisaitl is the C they are replacing him with. At a position that typically takes years to learn at the NHL level.

Growing pains? Oh yeah. But then what will the club do. There is no plan B. I don't know theres even a plan period.

 

[Aerchon]

Pretty much this. I like Draisaitl but a Center depth chart of RNH, Draisaitl, Gordon, and Arco(lmfao) is going to result in our young C getting a lot of shifts, a lot of topsix, and facing tough opponents in the WC. Given RNH's sputtering development and already having deep-sixed Gagner from the club fans should be concerned at what the club will end up doing with Draisaitl.

There never was a plan when Gagner was moved to replace him with a vet Center. Draisaitl is the C they are replacing him with. At a position that typically takes years to learn at the NHL level.

Growing pains? Oh yeah. But then what will the club do. There is no plan B. I don't know theres even a plan period.

Given that they used Gagner as a center for 7 straight seasons despite being clearly terrible at that position certainly reinforces the no plan theroy.

While it certainly is not a great plan they do have 3 centers, all different ages but all with the "potential" to fill those 2 center spots. Both Lander and Arco while not perfect would certainly be given a chance in the NHL with another club based on what they have shown to date. Leon would also have a solid chance to make most NHL roster based on his skill set.

Sucks that we are weaker at center rather than wing but really we only have three forwards spots available for:

Leon
Lander
Arco
Joensuu
Gazdic
Pitlick

Which is pretty standard to have 3 borderline NHL players filling roles on your squad.

On defense we only have one spot available for:

Marincin (our best D-man last year IMO)
Nurse
Klefbom
Davidson
Gernat
Hunt
Musil
Simpson

Again none too shabby.

Not that I am going to truly fill myself with hope, especially with Eakins still at the helm, but I have heard more than a few people objectively say the Oilers have the best team they have had since 2006.

 

[McAsuno]

Given that they used Gagner as a center for 7 straight seasons despite being clearly terrible at that position certainly reinforces the no plan theroy.

While it certainly is not a great plan they do have 3 centers, all different ages but all with the "potential" to fill those 2 center spots. Both Lander and Arco while not perfect would certainly be given a chance in the NHL with another club based on what they have shown to date. Leon would also have a solid chance to make most NHL roster based on his skill set.

Sucks that we are weaker at center rather than wing but really we only have three forwards spots available for:

Leon
Lander
Arco
Joensuu
Gazdic
Pitlick

Which is pretty standard to have 3 borderline NHL players filling roles on your squad.

On defense we only have one spot available for:

Marincin (our best D-man last year IMO)
Nurse
Klefbom
Davidson
Gernat
Hunt
Musil
Simpson

Again none too shabby.

Not that I am going to truly fill myself with hope, especially with Eakins still at the helm, but I have heard more than a few people objectively say the Oilers have the best team they have had since 2006.

Unless Nurse somehow outplays Marincin and Klefbom, he's going back to juniors. Too bad he can't go to the AHL instead though. They should fix that damn rule.