Fedun has a varied resume. Princeton's captain played big minutes in all areas and delivered a fine offensive season. He's 6,01, 210 and can play a solid two way game.
Among the AHL level defenders and new pro blueliners, Fedun offers a wide enough range of skills to be considered a possible "cup of coffee" option in 2011-12.
Fedun on Fedun: “I think the positives in my game are good first pass out of the D-zone and, this year, I had a chance to play the power play.” Story source is here.
OKC Prediction for 11-12: 55gp, 4-10-14 (.254)
NHL Prediction for 11-12: 3, 0-1-1 (.333)
- Why does Fedun get the call over more qualified players? Fedun will spend most of the season in the AHL, but if he performs as his NHLE suggests he will then I think he's very likely to get a cup of coffee in the NHL.
- There are more qualified defenseman than Fedun worthy of a callup. I'm projecting 11 defensemen, Fedun is #11. That's pretty reasonable based on the current depth chart.
- What role will he play in OKC? More of a defensive role, I'd say. The PP minutes will likely go to Helmer (who led OKC defenders in PP goals a year ago--5 in 42 games), Corey Potter and the loser of the Chorney-Petry battle for NHL employment. He should get some PK time and I think he'll be an AHL regular (AHL teams often rotate their bottom end D, meaning a lot of helthy scratches over the season for some).
- He's a better offensive player than you're suggesting. Fedun posted most of his offense last season on the PP (7-6-13) and some at EV (3-6-9). His projected number for OKC is based on getting far less powerplay time in Oklahoma City. Also, he's not a playmaker or anything, last year saw 6 shots get in on the PP. I'm not certain what kind of offense he'll bring, but it's always a good idea to guess low.
- Where does he rank on the current depth chart? 11th. I thought that was obvious.
- Okay, what are the names of the players clearly ahead of him? The Oilers top 6D, plus Chorney and Petry makes 8. I have Corey Potter and Colten Teubert ahead of him, with Plante, Motin and all the kids below that group on the depth chart.
- What about Marincin? I'm not sure he makes the AHL team this season; he may stay in the WHL for another year. Kind of hard to project him onto an NHL roster at this point in time. Same with Brandon Davidson.
- Could Fedun surprise in training camp and make the team? I don't think so. The training camp battles I see happening are Petry-Chorney-Potter.
- Potter? Yeah. Potter is a RH shot, has some ability and I think there's a good chance that he makes the big club out of training camp.
- And they send Petry and Chorney down? Yeah, although I still think Petry makes the club somehow. I wonder if Sutton gets traded at training camp instead of the deadline.
- Fedun is pure callup? Sure. They'll want him to get lots of playing time in the AHL so they can see what he can do, and then after that he'll be among the callups.
No way Sutton gets traded early on. That would contradict signing him this summer. And they never make decisions based on hockey outcomes - see Omark, Linus, TC 2010 for further reference.
ReplyDeleteFedun is a great signing, in that he helps the Barons and is depth for the inevitable injuries to D. If the Oil were going to be playoff bound (ahahhahaha, 'scuse me) then he would be the perfect fellow to help make a deeper run. Hope to see more of his ilk in the coming years.
Bar Qu: Oilers didn't sign him, they traded for him. The club offloaded the Foster contract, and I can see them dealing Sutton if someone like Potter emerges.
ReplyDeleteI'll give this college jock the Ryley Nash low expectation treatment then forget alll about it.
ReplyDeleteOne of my uncles played hockey in Saskatoon as a kid, and used to say they wouldn't allow this kid to join them, because he "wasn't any good" - the kid turned out to be Keith Magnusson.
Perhaps Magnusson could have a new award named after him, to the NHLer who shows the most perseverance to achievment in the NHL.
Apparently Keith couldn't skate.
ReplyDeleteCursed facts; foiled again!
ReplyDeleteScott Hannan to Calgary, 1yr 1 mil.
ReplyDeleteBarQu...
ReplyDeleteOmark being sent down after last year's TC was a hockey decision.
Before TC, we were begging management to give him 20 games in the A, and then when they do we criticize it? Talk about damned if you do and damned if you don't. He wasn't interestwd in playinh in his own end... A trip to OKC turned him around and after ripping the cover off the ball in Triple A, they brought him up. Can't ask for a better hockey decision.
And the clamour around here is for Lander to be handled the same way... Give him some adjustment time in OKC and bring him up if he's ripping the cover off.
Well, I still maintain Sutton is here past Christmas.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Hannan signing, well, that is one more indictment against management of the Oilers, imo.
ha, i love the sutton trade at training camp!! reminds me of last year's strudwick will retire before the season starts.
ReplyDeletei'm guessing that sutton is going to get some bad press on this blog this year.
It had been stated that Hannan wouldn't be interested in coming here. With him signing in Calgary, that most certainly leaves more questions as Calgary doesn't appear to be world beaters themselves.
ReplyDeleteThat kind've leads my thinking into "can Edmonton finish the season higher than Calgary?". I'm still stuck on whether last season was a disappointment for them or just reality. Even with Hannan, I'm not overwhelmed by their talent.
If Hannan was willing to come to the Oilers for anything near what the Flames gave him Tambo has clearly made his decision what this season is all about IMO.
ReplyDeleteAdding a very serviceable veteran D to help out on the back end for for almost nothing just seems like a pretty simple move to make. I have a bad feeling this season is going to be another development year with more emphasis put on protecting the kids and teaching them how not to get pushed around.
Calgary is just delaying the inevitable rebuild. We know this torture having recently lived through it.
ReplyDeleteIginla could still bring something valuable in a trade, but unless you start disassembling the team, he will never ask for a trade. Classic catch-22.
That kind've leads my thinking into "can Edmonton finish the season higher than Calgary?". I'm still stuck on whether last season was a disappointment for them or just reality. Even with Hannan, I'm not overwhelmed by their talent.
ReplyDeleteCalgary had the 7th best goal differential in the WC last year with +13.
EDM had the worst in WC (and league) with -76.
With no goalie signed to replace Khabby I'd mortgage my house to be Calgary finishes higher than EDM.
I like EDM over CAL in the 13/14 season, maybe even 12/13 if they add some pieces and CAL starts the rebuild, but not this year.
Damn too bad we could not outbid that massive offer from Calgary. Hannan will love the big city and those warm winters - plus the team is a sure fire contender and their management is so solid
ReplyDelete;) in lieu of the bookie thing-a-ma-bobber
Tambo the chai wallah strikes again
Dang. One would have to conclude that Hannan is at least half as good as Sutton.
ReplyDeleteScott Hannan was a third pairing guy in Washington - 19:47, -0.9 Rel Corsi 5v5. Questionable mobility - great defender in the pre-lockout.
ReplyDeleteHe's likely an upgrade on Steady Steve Staios - but the numbers at BehindTheNet tell why it's not a shock he only got $1m, this late in free agency.
@victor: A lot of third-pairing defenders get murdered in RelCorsi. -0.9 ain't bad at all.
ReplyDeleteLowetide:
ReplyDeleteDo you know when the Buffalo Sabres first took off as a winning team, was it mainly something to do with Rick martin's rookie season?
I'm no Tambo apologist but...
ReplyDeleteI can hardly be bothered to critique every fucking thing that transpires in a 30 team league, without trying to stick Tambo's head in the guillotine.
How can it be worse than last year? 31st?
No. I know the Buffalo situation pretty well because I'm old. :-)
ReplyDeleteImlach did a very good job at the expansion draft and immediately afterward at three things:
1. drafting well in expansion.
2. trading for established veterans
3. killing it at the entry draft.
The Sabres lost a lot of games early in their first season iirc but they added guys like Don Marshall and Phil Goyette and finished strong.
They ran through a ton of players but picked up guys like Rene Robert for not much. Imlach hired John Andersen from the Seals and he put together the scouting department.
They killed it right from the start.
Scott Hannan was a third pairing guy in Washington - 19:47, -0.9 Rel Corsi 5v5. Questionable mobility - great defender in the pre-lockout.
ReplyDeleteUsing both Corsi QC and QC Hannan ranks 4 of 7, so he played 2nd pairing minutes via that metric.
Using TOI he was 3rd pairing, but it seems that Green was sheltered and Hannan saw 2nd toughs.
I wonder if the Oilers made him an offer. If they made him an offer and he chose Calgary--they're a better team with a chance to make the playoffs--then finding fault is difficult.
ReplyDeleteBut if they didn't pick up the phone then that's terrible.
Tambo the chai wallah strikes again
ReplyDeleteAsiaoil, we've had this discussion before. That's insulting and demeaning to chai wallahs everywhere who do an awesome job of providing delicious milky tea beverages. Internet forum marketing posters on the other hand....
I wonder if the Oilers made him an offer.
ReplyDeleteI highly doubt it.
With Whitney, Smid, Peckman, Barker, Sutton and Chorney all LH Dmen under contract, it would be a stretch to think that they would entertain the thought.
The Oiler GA last year was 29th in the NHL with 269, I don't see much improvement happening. 250GA would be a high water mark.
Also,
I was doing some research for a bet (I took CAL to finish 2nd in NW ahead of EDM,COL and MIN, a slam dunk I think if you look at the goal diff from last year and I think MIN regressed)
Anyhow, I was looking at MIN D 5v4 numbers and saw this:
MIN D with > 1min/60 5v4 40gp, ranked via GoalFor/60:
Spurgeon 9.43
Zidlicky 7.12
Burns 5.35
Barker 1.68
In fact, among all NHL Dmen who played at least 40 games and played at least 1min/60 5v4 Barker ranked 104 of 105 (ahead of only Lebda)
No wonder MIN bought him out. That's below AHL replacement I'd guess.
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ReplyDelete@hunter: The French Connection got all the glory for the Sabres, but the real workhorses of that club were Don Luce and Craig Ramsay. Fantastic two-way players, often on a line with Danny Gare which was the best "second line" in hockey. Luce and Ransay were superb on the PK, took on the toughs, and posted huge plus numbers doing so. If you want an eye-opener, check out the +/- figures of the 1974-75 Sabres that went to the Stanley Cup Finals.
ReplyDeleteOf course the French Connection were dynamite on the PP which is not reflected in +/-, but at evens they weren't serious outscorers like those other dudes. Between the two sets of forwards doing their thing, the Sabres were an outstanding +39 on special teams. PP was a net +78 and the PK a net -39. That's half a goal a game right there.
Club also had a real solid and underrated defence, including the great Bill Hajt. Eh, LT?