Curtis Hamilton had an outstanding season for the Saskatoon Blades. Desjardins NHLE's suggest that he has a chance to be a useful NHL player, perhaps playing on a skill line in the show. Hamilton is near the top of an impressive list of CHL prospects for the Edmonton Oilers organization. The club has recently become a strong CHL booster, with 7 of last season's 11 selections playing in Canada's three major junior leagues.
Here are the NHLE's for the group.
Forwards
- Curtis Hamilton (WHL) 10-23-33 (18)
- Ryan Martindale (OHL) 13-18-31 (18)
- Tyler Pitlick (WHL) 12-15-27 (18)
- Drew Czerwonka (WHL) 5-11-16 (18)
- Kristians Pelss (WHL) 5-8-13 (17)
- Cameron Abney (WHL) 3-5-8 (19)
Defensemen
- Martin Marincin (WHL) 5-16-21 (18)
- Jeremie Blain (QMJHL) 1-20-21 (18)
- Brandon Davidson (WHL) 3-14-17 (19)
A nice trio here too. Blain had an exceptional season despite injury, and Marincin too had an impressive year despite fading substantially in the season's second half. Davidson is older and slightly behind offensively, but so much is involved in developing defensemen it's anyone's guess how this plays out. Davidson has joined the OKC Barons but there are plenty of options for him in 11-12, Marincin is very highly regarded and may be playing pro hockey in the fall and Blain is eligible to return to the QMJHL this fall.
There are no first round picks on this list but it's an impressive group.
How many of them have a realistic shot at making the team?
ReplyDeleteThe Oilers? Next year? I'd say zero. Long term, I think it's too soon to say but a lot of these kids are on track.
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping that the Oilers see things the way you do, LT. I'm still holding out hope for a rookie-free season next year.
ReplyDeleteLT - thanks for laying this all out for us. Do you ever do comparisons with other teams' prospects as part of coming up with your posts?
ReplyDeleteThe reason I ask is a statement like "... it's an impressive group" is missing one piece of information for me, which is a comparison to the norm. You likely have that in your head already from following prospects over many years, but I suspect a lot of us don't have that sort of context available when we read these sorts of posts.
Thanks again.
Steve Smith: Well I meant on this list. Anton Lander, the lottery pick and Hartikainen are likely, plus Petry if he's still a rookie.
ReplyDeleteSt. George: I don't really, because that's an enormous task. I'm comparing the Oilers CHL group against past Oilers CHL groups and this bunch are tracking well.
ReplyDeleteThe wheels will fall off some of them, Marincin flagged and we don't know if it's exhaustion or the league figured him out.
But compared to much of the 90s and a few of the ought's, the CHL group is among the Oilers best. Especially considering there are no first rounders left.
The club has recently become a strong CHL booster, with 7 of last season's 11 selections playing in Canada's three major junior leagues.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I just read that funny, but I guess that's bang on in terms of where the selections came from. Perhaps it's a hair worth splitting that this year fully 9 of those 11 play in the CHL, with 7 of those in the WHL. Only the first (Hall) and last (Jones) of those 11 picks are not playing junior this year, as all three of Pitlick, Marincin and Pelss have "turned junior" this season.
It's been an awesome season to follow the Dub. I've had the opportunity to see all 7 of those 2010 Oiler drafts play, some on several occasions. Collectively they are a very nice group indeed.
@steve smith,
ReplyDeleteI don't think rookie free is going to happen. If Teemu is ready, he's still considered a rookie and will be here at training camp. Likewise, there's a good strong chance the #1 overall sticks.
This mgmt team likes to parade out the #1 picks to keep the fans happy.
LT,
ReplyDeleteI checked and Petry has played 26 games now. If I remember right, Logan Couture was under the limit by one game and he had 25 last year, so that makes Petry ineligible as a rookie for next year.
But maybe Chorney ? Nope ... 54 games now.
Ryan O'Marra is now sitting at 15, so he would be eligible.
The score board is good for the ABC club ... anybody but calgary.
ReplyDeleteCHI win to take them to 88 pts (tied with NAS and LA for 5th)
ANA and DAL into OT taking advantage of Bettman's extra point which hurts the Flames.
Flames down 4-2 after one in SJ.
The makings of a bad night down south ...
trofta - exclamation of joy after a shot of russia vodka in celebration of a good night !
I'd be surprised if they didn't sign Abney. They gave a contract to Bendfeld and have stuck with JFJ and SMac.
ReplyDeleteIt seems evident they want a scrapper who can "play".
I actually didn't mind him in the Oil Kings I saw. He can go to the net and do some spade work along the boards. He can skate and fight pretty well.
It doesn't really make sense to draft a guy to do this, but they have come this far with him.
LT, on the goalie front, likely they sign Roy but leave Bunz in junior for another year?
For sure. Bunz has one more year in junior (turns 20 in 2012) and Roy's proven everything he can in the Q.
ReplyDeleteWe know season ticket prices aren't gonna be raised, 27 was dealt for hopes and wishes and 83 was on the block as well.
ReplyDeletePut all that together and the fact that the Oilers need size and grit and I'd say at least one of Hamilton or Lander will make the big club next year.
Let's assume Larsson's the pick.
Up front we're looking at 10-89-4-14-91-28-23-13-85-56 and one of Hamilton and Lander.
Basically, the Oilers are drunk on MacGregor and draft picks so I think they're totally fine with another top ten pick in 2012.
That certainly bodes well for Lander or Hamilton to make next year's club.
Even if Lander makes the big club, we'll see something interesting happen down in the A with both Martindale and Pitlick attempting to break in as pivots.
Though, Pitlick's played this year as a winger and it seems a good bet that's where one of them's moved.
I don't see how Hamilton makes the team. LW might be something like this:
ReplyDelete1. Hall
2. MPS
3. Jones
4. Hartikainen
extra Reddox
Hamilton is behind Hartikainen and it makes no sense to have him play in Reddox's spot.
Lander though I can see making the team.
@Dennis,
ReplyDeleteAt the season ticket holder event at Rexall on Sunday LaForge said the average price increase was 2%.
As I previously mentioned a while back my seats actually went down 5%. Which means other seats went up in price beyond 2%.
His justification was costs continue to increase whether Oilers make the playoffs or not and they have to watch USD as well.
I wanted to ask him, but if your single largest cost is salaries and you are $13M under the cap, wouldn't that cover off any cost increase ? LOL
I don't see how Hamilton makes the team. LW might be something like this:
ReplyDelete1. Hall
2. MPS
3. Jones
4. Hartikainen
extra Reddox
I don't see JFJ anywhere on this list. I admire your optimism, LT.
Were there any visitors here today from Quebec City? If true our small thinking City may have more to complain about than just the team.
ReplyDeleteNoodles: lol. One of the really galling things about this season is watching Hartikainen play as well as he has so far. He can take a pass, make a pass, go to the tough areas, all kinds of things.
ReplyDeleteHe's got some things to learn but is miles past Jacques right now and that didn't just happen in the last few weeks.
Something happened to Jacques along the way (injury) but he's clearly a guy the Oilers worry about waivers over for no good reason.
Roy's proven everything he can in the Q.
ReplyDeleteHave to admit, my opinion changed on him after his showing at the tournament of small sample sizes.
Just putrid.
He's a small goalie. This disadvantage is extraordinarily difficult to overcome at the NHL level.
I'd prefer the Oilers trade him before the rest of the world finds out.
The makings of a bad night down south ...
Up north, we call it, "Refreshing."
Regwald - I'm wondering where you sit that the cost of your seats for next year actually went down. I'm mid blues and mine went up about 2.7% and I'm pretty sure that they reduced the amount of "Laforge dollars" they included for renewing your seats as well. I'm pretty sure mine we $4,005 for 2 seats last year and I got $150 per seat in funny money for renewing. This year it's $4,100 and only $100 per seat in funny money. Not a big deal, but another way they can hide a slight increase.
ReplyDeleteAs for JFJ, injuries have certainly played a role in his lack of development, but I think we can also conclude that he just doesn't think the game at a very high level either. Give me a team of Eberle's that might be undersized and a step slow who can think the game any time over the coke machine who has the same IQ as his jersey number.
LT : Fascinating how NHL players can't accomplish what you'd expect out of your average Midget player.
ReplyDelete@FPB:
ReplyDeleteI think players like that make it to the show (or at least the AHL) because one or more other skills are in abundance or in dominance. However, these are skills that soon become glaringly trivial at the NHL level.
Size and power, for example, are important aspects of the NHL Power Forward's toolkit.
But as you can see, guys like Gerbe and Omark are showing that you have to be more than just a flying fridge to make it in the NHL. You have to be a guy like Penner, who can play at both ends of the ice and actually do something with the puck other than bang in the occasional rebound.
I probably shouldn't have said no rookies - how about no new players, instead? People who finished the season with the Oilers (or would have, but for injuries) are exempt.
ReplyDeleteI probably shouldn't have said no rookies - how about no new players, instead?
ReplyDeleteOh "Steve", you are a bright, shining light of optimism.
Gah. "No players new to the NHL."
ReplyDeleteIdeally, lots of players new to the Oilers.
Steve Tambellini together with Robert Nordmark is in Luleå, Sweden today to scout Adam Larsson in game 2 of sel semi-finals.
ReplyDeleteEven if I want to see Larsson in a Oilers uniform next year I cant really cheer for him that much tonight since he's playing my favourite team.
I hope they will be talking about Djurgårdens Mika Zibanejad too, who was playing excellent in the quarter finals against Luleå. He almost ended up with the game winner in game 7 when he was inches from scoring on a rebound in the overtime.
Pretty big and strong guy, great skater and excellent at face off. I wonder if LAs pick will get us the chance to have a shot at him or if he will go even higher.
LT: I'm assuming 83's dealt for nothing that winds up on the big roster and that the RW depth starts with 14-23 and that a guy like Jones probably moves in there.
ReplyDelete@Riderguy,
ReplyDeleteI am row 33 behind the Oilers net - Colonnade section is what they call it. It starts in row 32 and goes all the way to the top of the blues in each section (not counting those 300 series seats).
The Oiler Bucks have always been $100 per seat in section my section.
The Oiler Bucks have always been $100 per seat in section my section.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Walt Whitman.
Marincin's second half slide coincided with his team's second half slide. Brett Connolly was also injured in the second half as well.
ReplyDeleteMarincin could be the victim of a weak team that overachieved or he could be the catalyst the team here needed. I know there was a noticable difference in watching the Cougars play this season and Marincin did not disappoint. Playoffs are coming up, so I'll see how he does and give you folks the word here.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteA Walt Whitman reference?
ReplyDeleteSS is trying to class this place up;)
Does anyone else here watch American Experience on PBS?They had a great show on Whitman a couple of years back and I was reminded of some of his work by Walter White's assistant Gale in the last season of Breaking Bad;)
SS is trying to class this place up;)
ReplyDeleteJust to cancel myself out, really.
Poop! Vagina!
I guess Tambellini didn't get much scouting done today, since Larsson was out with an injury.
ReplyDelete