RNH is killing it on the powerplay--I don't know if an Oiler rookie has ever impacted 5x4 in this way--but at even strength things have been less impressive. I thought it might be an idea to compare rookies over the past few seasons to RNH's rookie even strength totals.
Desjardins 5x5/60
- Andrew Cogliano 07-08: 2.28
- RNH 11-12 2.23
- Sam Gagner 07-08 1.96
- Jordan Eberle 10-11 1.79
- Taylor Hall 10-11 1.78
- Magnus Paajariv 10-11 1.36
Desjardins 5x5/60 for recent F Calder winners (courtesy Desjardins as always)
- Jeff Skinner 10-11 2.49
- Patrick Kane 07-08 2.32
- RNH 11-12: 2.23
Overall, I'd suggest the young man has done pretty well even considering he's had terrific linemates. I don't know that he's going to win the Calder if he continues on this pace, but the 5x4 numbers have to be considered as well.
Is it fair to call RNH an average offensive rookie at 5x5 and a special one via 5x4?
--
Home/Road
RNH
- Home: 18, 8-17-25 1.39ppg
- Away: 16, 5-4-9 .563
- Home: 35, 10-9-19 .543ppg
- Away: 30, 12-11-23 .767
- Home: 35, 11-11-22 .629ppg
- Away: 34, 7-14-21 .618
- Home: 41, 16-19-35 .854ppg
- Away: 41, 15-13-28 .683
- Home: 41, 15-36-51 1.24ppg
- Away: 41, 6-15-21 .512
My own guess is that the home/road thing has a lot to do with the kids being the target of opposition teams and that means some tough sledding on the road. Breaking up the line might help, and coach Renney has done that on the road. As RNH gets older, one would also expect to see him be more effective in all areas and one of them might be splits.
The good thing is that he's tracking well as a young NHL player, miles better than we had any right to expect as fans. I don't think it's possible to find a really negative thing to say about the kid.
He's golden, touched by God.
He'd be killing it in Red Deer.
ReplyDeleteImagine if was still in Midget!
ReplyDeleteWhat about street hockey? The only way to beat him would be not yelling "car!"
ReplyDeleteI bet he'd still stop on a dime, spin away from the car and use it as a screen.
ReplyDeleteMan. I don't remember the last 18-year old Oiler rookie who looked this good. Well I can, but can't say his name.
ReplyDeleteMan. I don't remember the last 18-year old Oiler rookie who looked this good. Well I can, but can't say his name.
ReplyDeleteAgreed.
An interesting difference was pointed out by Tyler here.
Nameless destroyed 5v5 like no one ever did, and was only slightly above average on 5v4.
RNH is meh to average 5v5 (if you include both home and away) and is destroying 5v4 like no rookie has since they started keeping track.
Amazing.
Also,
ReplyDeleteI'll say it.
Goddam kid looks like Gretzky out there at times.
But I thought Gretzky wasn't a rookie (says the NHL of course).
ReplyDeleteThree sublime talents have landed in Kevin Lowe's lap.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm afraid.
hunter: lol. Me too. I imagine some kind of $100,000 gap.
ReplyDeleteHenrique in Jersey might give the Nooge a run for his money if the Dev's comes alive in the second half like they're known to do. I doubt it happens tho.
ReplyDeleteThere is only one real comparison and since I wasn't an Oiler fan at the time I WILL say his name. This kid skates like, turns like, stops and starts like, and has the same vision WAYNE GRETZKY had. I do believe he has a much better shot though.
I am amazed at the kids toughness more than anything else I think. He doesn't look like he's going to be tossed around at all contrary to what so many believed.
I imagine some kind of $100,000 gap.
ReplyDeleteCal Nichols is still involved?
I am still giddy about Eberle's goals last night....we are going to see some sweetness from these 2 young guys and if Hall gets his stride in this league, will one boatload of fun to watch.
ReplyDeleteMike Vernon disagrees that Gretzky doesn't shoot as well as the Nuge.
ReplyDeletestubby: I still don't know how that found the net. I've watched that goal plenty and the puck skips a little on impact and I think that did something.
ReplyDeleteCrazy goal, maybe the most famous in history.
@ cabbie
ReplyDeleteHenrique is already in the conversation.
Boxcars: 31GP, 9G, 17A, 29P +6
7th in PPTOI/G. (1:46/G)
4th in SHTOI/G (2:05/G)
P/60 5V5 2.15
P/60 5V4 2.25
Qual Comp: 5th
Qual Team: 8th.
Home points: 13
Road points: 16
With Hoppy heading out on the road for an extended period, it's likely Henrique will close the points gap.
Considering Henrique also kills penalties and plays tougher competition, I think astute observers might be swayed.
9-17-29? Fricking Lou, he even has math working for him.
ReplyDeleteKlefbom is #6 if you're watching the CAN-SWE game.
ReplyDelete@LT
ReplyDeleteOops typo.
9G, 17A, 26P
Mind you Henrique also has 3 games in hand.
Points still stand although I know you don't like to compare Oiler players to other teams' players unless you have an ace up your sleeve.
Henrique will catch him.
Book it.
I like Ted but he's no Gretzky. He's a playmaking centre and he's slight and that's about as far as I'd go.
ReplyDeleteGoing to be a heck of a player though. Sometimes I wonder if Eberle may end up being the best of the bunch though. Damn he's something.
Canada looking iffy so far, especially the goaltender. Commence gnashing of teeth across the country. ;)
ReplyDeleteHenrique is already in the conversation.
I think the voters will ding him for centering Kovalchuk and Parise.
Not bad line mates.
Voters will probably ding him for turning 22 in Feb too, they like kids.
He's good though.
I wonder if Eberle may end up being the best of the bunch though.
C'mon BD don't you know you can only build a team with lottery picks?
22nd over all only gets you guys like Eberle,Giroux, Pacioretty.... or Pouliot if you trade down and away from Parise at 17th.
How do you build a team without tanking!?!?
The swedes are owning the Canadians although I haven't watched that much I the game. How many pros do they have in the line-up?
ReplyDeleteHad to pop in the DVD. Your right LT, puck wobbles but lies flat again right as Gretzky struck it. 23 years later and I still jumped out of my chair.
ReplyDeleteThe puck was on the way out of the net by the time Vernon moved. Gretzky gets mobbed by teammates then gives his stick to an Oiler fan behind their bench....
Whitman and Bowman with the call.
Classic early-tourney team Canada. Rushing their passes and shots WAY too much. Slow down boys!
ReplyDeleteI was at the game tonight and that Sweden team looked good very good. Lots of crisp passes and good plays. Well coached and in-sync. Their goalie stood tall when Canada came roaring back.
ReplyDeleteI think they will be tough to beat.
Canada looked tentative, goaltending shaky and not much flow to their game. Huberdeau's ankle looks wonky and I think there's a risk he won't finish the tournament.
Schwartz and Stone looked like the best forwards. That Smith-Pelly hits a ton. As long as he stays out of the penalty box he will be an asset. As we all know with the kinda tourney, he makes a big physical splash, refs will be throwing him in the box every chance they get.
ReplyDeletecan anyone who was at or watched the game on tv comment on Klefbom? not comments at all so far.
ReplyDeleteAlso, how can I find a boxscore? can't seem to find one at tsn.
Well, DSF, we can add you to the long list of RNH doubters who have lived to eat their words about him.
ReplyDeleteBook it?
I think the kid will write his own book, and you can read all about it then.
It must really gall you to see something good happening to the Oilers, eh? Like a 18 year old kid pumping out a point a game through Christmas. Dime a dozen, those guys.
Not that I regret the trade or anything, but for the record I think Riley Nash got his first NHL point tonight.
ReplyDeleteI would have said that the Nuglet line of RNH/Eberle/Hall performs poorly on the road.
ReplyDeleteI also think his home ice numbers were inflated by a couple of big nights before the opposing coaches began to draw triple circles around his name.
How do RNH's stats break out in his road games where Renney divided his horses? How do his numbers break out when playing a compressed schedule (typical of road trips) vs having more rest?
The kid learns fast, and some of the vets shutting him down on the road are already playing him as hard as they can. It's not like he's got one signature move and everyone has figured this out.
I think the only way he falls short of the Calder is wearing down as the season progresses.
At his age, he could wear out in February and have a second wind by March.
Re: Klefbom
ReplyDeleteI tried to watch him but truthfully I don't have a good report.
I thought his skating was pretty decent. At one point I commented how he fast and smooth he looked as he gained speed going backwards with a Canada rush coming at him.
I also recall that he made a couple of nice passes. The hard part of the game was the pace was pretty fast and trying to find Klefbom on the ice they have a dman with a #5 and he was #6, it's hard to always pick him out. Especially as you are trying to pick out all the Canada jr's as well.
Sorry, not the most useful scouting report.
Sweden is big, strong, fast and well coached.
ReplyDeleteIf they are not in the gold medal game it will be an upset. I heard somewhere that they have 19 returning players. That's huge when you have a short tournament like this.
And to top it off the goalie who played last night is a real battler. Johan Gustafsson. He's the reason that Canada didn't tie the game in the third.
Read an interesting quote from NYR goalie Lundqvist.
ReplyDeleteThe Rags are without starting Dmen Staal, Sauer, Emminger, and Woywitka.
Filling in are Stralman, Erixon, and Bickel.
Despite losing so many starting D, the Rags keep rolling along.
After a horrid start where there Fenwick Close was 43%, the last 15 games or so its at 52% despite playing a lot rookies on the D (and having Girardi play 27:35/game, most in the NHL)
The quote:
"The coaches have done a good job of putting down a structure that helps the whole team, but especially the d-guys," Lundqvist said. "They know their roles and how we have to play to have success. If it's your first game or second game or whatever, to have that structure helps you when you're under pressure."
When the Oilers have been winning and outshooting, they generally make at least 2 passes before the center line, and sometimes 3.
The D are called upon to usually make a 10 foot pass to start the break out, not a 40ft pass.
When they are not playing well and outshooting there's a jailbreak the second an Oiler Dman gets the puck and the breakout collapses with turnovers.
Keep it simple please.
Woodguy said...
ReplyDeleteI think the voters will ding him for centering Kovalchuk and Parise.
Not bad line mates.
Voters will probably ding him for turning 22 in Feb too, they like kids.
The Logan Couture rule in play. The way Mr Eberle is panning they might ding Nooge for having HIM on his RW?
Henrique"s a nice looking kid for a 3rd rounder.
I'd forgotten about the missing Oiler picks that year. First rounder went to ANA for the Penner offer sheet yes? Can someone refresh my memory as to where the 2nd rounder went?
Happy Holidays lads. Off to the land of sun and sand, Yorkton Saskatchewan, on an acreage which thankfully just got satellite so I can actually watch the WJC, but am not sure about internet speeds.
ReplyDeleteLT, Thanks for all the great posts, and to everyone else it's been a great year of solid (and sometimes innane) debate. Appreciate a site where intelligence most often wins the day, and trolls are not welcome. Can't wait for the "will the Oilers win their 3rd straight cup" post. And yes I'm hopeful this time of year, so just let me have that one!
Eberle was taken with the ANA conditional from the Pronger deal but we gave them back our own because of the Penner offer sheet?
ReplyDeleteCan't figure the missing 2nd rounder still and I wonder which kid we might have taken with that other first?
It's too early and I have to do the standard guy start your Christmas shopping day.
CM,
ReplyDeleteI don't think Eberle is in the same conversation as Kovalchuk and Parise yet, but its nice to think he'll get there.
Also,
The 22nd pick in 2008 came from Anaheim in the Pronger trade.
It was a conditional trade. If the Ducks didn't make the Stanley Cup Finals, that pick doesn't go to Edmonton.
Good thing the Ducks did eh?
The Oilers gave up their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd picks that year to Anaheim as compensation for their RFA offer sheet on Penner.
The Oiler's first round pick, 12th overall, got traded to BUF by ANA.
BUF picked Tyler Myers, who was a Norris finalist last year.
I think the Oilers were high on Joe Colburne that year.
ReplyDeleteWho knows who they would have picked though.
Tks WG. I'd forgotten we had to give all 3 picks the same year in the Penner deal.
ReplyDeleteMr Eberle is something else man. Blows me away how smart the kid is and how well he reads the play. He and Ted should be making music for a long time together.
Ya Colbourne. Or maybe that was just some in these parts due to his proximity. I'm a bit surprised he hasn't been able to dent the Leafs lineup yet. Seems to be Burke's kinda guy.
ingworm....better news from doctor than what it could have been. Or Peter's small johnson.
@Woodguy: Nitpicking, Myers wasn't a Norris finalist last year, but a Calder finalist the year before. So far his rookie season has been his best by a goodly margin.
ReplyDelete@Rich: Wayne Gretzky was an 18-year-old rookie with the Oilers in 1978-79. That was in the second half of the season, of course; in the first half he was a 17-year-old rookie.
... in the WHA, just in case you're not as old as dirt, like me.
ReplyDelete