Friday, March 25, 2011

The Nuge Rocks Edmonites

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has a "Beatlemania" buzz going on in the city of Edmonton right now. At 7:30 tonight the Edmonton Oil Kings will play Red Deer (in RD) in game one of the WHL first round series. The game is on Shaw cable 10.

All eyes will be on the Nuge. He is among the very best prospects eligible for the 2011 entry draft and should have a strong series (and playoff run) for the Rebels.

Nothing has been decided in regard to the top pick this winter. I think the playoffs will be huge for the young men slated to go in lottery positions.

Adam Larsson has already impressed with big minutes in Timra. They won the first round and are on to round two (although Larsson has recently been injured). Nugent-Hopkins, Gabriel Landeskog, Sean Couturier, Ryan Strome and Dougie Hamilton all have a chance to impact their final draft number with impressive showings in the post-season.

Starting tonight.

39 comments:

  1. You'd have to think RNH has a chance to take Oil fans by storm with a strong round 1. A great showing in our own backyard...you don't get a better chance.

    You also have to think that there is not the same pressure to win the draft lottery as other years. If we get dropped to #2 there are still several players to take, none appearing *obviously* better than the rest.

    I'm an RNH supporter, but that Strome seems like an interesting darkhorse. The Jeff Skinner of 2011.

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  2. LT, whats with the shoe? You have finally given in and started advertising?

    I suppose you might as well get something for baby sitting us.

    I can't help you out - I don't look good in heels.

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  3. Ducey: Nah, just a favor for friends. You can certainly advertise here, though. :-)

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  4. I don't like the fact Larssen keeps getting hurt - but maybe he just keeps reaggravating the same injury.

    But I also don't like the fact that the Nudge doesn't look like he could take my 11 yr old in a fight. I'll be watching how he handles the rough stuff in the playoffs.

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  5. I'm still arsin' for Larsson. But I'm willing to be persuaded.

    Armchair GM time:
    Oilers 1st and Blain
    For
    Thrasher's 1st and Bogosian?

    onsfm, is that anything like upfm?

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  6. Mrdebakey: Have you seen Bogosian play? He's regressing AGAIN.

    I'm all on the Couturier train.

    But I think the playoffs will have a lot to do with the whole thing, especially if both team get in on the memorial cup.

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  7. 1-0 Drumondville after a period, Couturier with the goal.

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  8. I'm a Larsson backer but if RNH is bpa I'm all for it. I'd look forward to the 99 comparisons (in terms of size and thinking ability) from LT.

    Have tickets for Mondays game. Living social had a deal for Thursday (I believe) where they had $12 tickets as well.

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  9. Sean: Gretzky had RNH's numbers of assists as goals. Enough said.


    Zack Phillips and Jonathan Huberdeau might get a huge push from the playoffs.

    Game is in the 2nd period and it is

    Phillips 3 G 1 A
    Huberdeau 4 A

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  10. based mostly on size, if we draft RNH then i would hope he goes back to junior to get some more strength. If you want an nhl ready player i think it is Larsson or Couturier.

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  11. We won't get the game stateside.

    Anyone know if there will be a link???

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  12. itsaleaf: You can pay for a WHL feed from their website, though I'm not sure if you want to pay on PPV style pricing models for the WHL. I don't know if it's being streamed in other places though.

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  13. I'm Team Larsson, but Stu has earned the benefit of the doubt from me if he selects somebody else.

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  14. Barons outshot 16-4 thus far (only down 2-1) in the first of three critical games against Houston.

    That farm team...what a chip off the old block!

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  15. If the first shift is indicative, should be one he'll of a series.

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  16. Yikes...now 3-1 Aeros with 27-7 shots on goal differential

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  17. RHN has the buzz and you'd better believe that counts with Tambo and Lowe. If he has a Hall like playoff then I would bet on him being the pick.

    My only two questions are how is his skating and how tall is he? He's 6'1 is he not? But skinny?

    I would think he'll grow into his frame. Not too worried about the question about size if he's 18 and over 6'

    If he can skate then I would bet he's the man if he has a good playoff run.

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  18. He's listed at 6.00, 164 by the WHL. Redline has him 6.00, 163.

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  19. BDHS: He's an excellent skater to my eye, more elusive than power (if that makes any sense). His best talent is his passing, buddy's a freak.

    Keegan Lowe sure plays like his Dad in terms of style and presence. It's eerie.

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  20. I'm team Larsson but I'll give Stu the benefit of the doubt as well.

    fpb-fill me in on Bogosian..I don't watch him on a regular basis but is he that bad..?
    I mean there is no way in hell I trade a package of our first pick for him,but I'd like to see the Oilers try to acquire him.It looks to me that Buff and Enstrom are the future for Atlanta moving forward and there were rumblings at the deadline that Bogo was available and problems with the coaching staff and where there is smoke there's fire in this case imo.

    Fill me in.

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  21. Thanks LT, yeah I get what you are saying.

    btw I've been catching your show, listened to the last one today. Really enjoying it and it sounds like you are too.

    Bogosian is what, 20? If you can acquire him then you do so. Writing him off already doesn't make much sense. Kids take time, something that seems to have been forgotten somewhere along the way.

    Crosby and Ovechkin didn't help with that idea I think.

    I've seen very little of the big prospects, just the WJC. Sounds like a decent draft though. I would think they are going to go with RHN or Larsson. Larsson really sounds like the real deal but a right handed centre who has wheels to play with Hall and that buzz may be hard to pass up.

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  22. Cripes the Q has some bad teams in the playoffs. Sea Dogs are playing Cape Breton who finished with a whole 41 points this year.

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  23. I'm thinking RHN will be this year's Sequin.

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  24. Lowetide, I have been reading your blog for a little over a year and regularly read over at ON. Having read several blogs I generally find myself agreeing with your views. Thanks for the blogs and your work on the radio.
    I talked to my Flames friend, we both read hockey blogs, he told me that we have to learn about hockey because our teams are so terrible. Valid point.
    I am happy the Oilers will be picking at worst second this year. I find myself all over the place on preference for the top prospects. But everything being equal among these players and no one being the clear bpa, I really want Couterier (sp?). I realize he has dropped in the rankings but he has been criticized for over a year. He is the big center we need and put up a pile of points in the Q in the last couple years. I have read some of the knocks on him but I think the good out weighs the bad. I dont see him falling in the draft like Fowler last year, as some have suggested. I would move down in the draft if you know he will drop a couple spots and you can get a decent asset.
    My two cents.

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  25. Pelss: 0-1-1 +2
    Abney: 1-0-1 +1

    The Nuge: 2-2-4 +1

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  26. RNH with 4 points in the series opener? Wow! Pretty impressive. If he keeps this pace up, should be an easy decision come draft day n'est ce pas?

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  27. Elsewhere...

    Czerwonka: 0-0-0 -1
    Marincin: 0-0-0 -1
    Blain: 1-0-1 -3

    Bunz: 5GA (27-22)
    Roy: 6GA (23-17)

    Rough night for the goalies -- they were both pulled and replaced before their games finished.

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  28. I need someone to talk me off the ledge with this kid. The skinny thing and the inflated PP numbers thing aren't getting it done anymore.

    Kids fill out, and I'm sick of the Oil PP being deflated.

    denio - a great actor who's been raided by pirates.

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  29. Lowetide,

    Could you please provide a link with Larsson's injury info...what is it? how long is he out?

    I had been 50-50 but this second injury to Larsson moves me slightly to the RNH camp. Like this team needs an injury prone franchise player...he'll fit right in.

    Does anybody know much about Mark McNeil that Stauffer is always talking about?? He has similar size and scoring stats to Ryan Johansen did in his draft year. Is he as good a skater though?

    I am fine with two forwards with both picks...a dman in the 20th spot will probably take 5 years to be NHL ready. Draft a forward, hope he is ready in two years and trade him for a dman if necessary.

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  30. found this on nhl.com

    Larsson has a shoulder injury, sounds like he is day to day.

    shouldn't count him out yet I guess.

    http://www.nhl.com/ice/post.htm?id=549

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  31. Not sure why there a concern about Ryan-Wango-Tango-Hopkins spending another season in junior after this one. Not everybody is a physical exception like Hall; Eberle looked to benefit from going back to junior.

    In fact, there has been a running debate for some time on whether that might have been the best option for Gagner (among others). If we have to have a player for that #1 pick in the line-up next year, then it probably comes down to one of the Swedes or Couturier.

    I like Couturier, and he may be the most physically ready center right now, but what would we realistically expect from him next season? As good as Larssen might end up being, how fair would it be to expect a rookie NHL defenseman to solidify the Oiler blueline.

    Six years may be too long to wait, but next year is a fools hope. The Oilers should be looking at the BPA for as long as they can keep him under contract, not who can play sheltered minutes next season. As everybody knows, there ain't no shelter in Oilerville when March rolls around.

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  32. I wonder how many LT regulars got both the:

    a)Ted Nugent

    &

    b)Don King

    references?

    Also, what do take for Cat Scratch Fever?

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  33. Hoil, a better Nugent question for Oiler fans would be:

    Can you shoot yourself with a crossbow and is it a relatively painless way to go?

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  34. RiversQ,

    It may be theortically possible for an Oiler fan to shoot themselves with a crossbow, but I don't think they will let you into Rexall with one.

    For an alternative way out, you could try breaking into Georges Laraque's home and turning on all his electrical appliances and lights during "earth hour" today.

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