LIVE BLOG DAY TWO....
Jason Gregor
June 23 2012 10:09AM
I'll be live blogging from the draft floor in Pittsburgh today.
The Oilers have an opportunity to add some depth to the organization today, and I expect them to add some players with a combination of size and skill.
The Oilers are currently scheduled to have six picks today, but I expect them to make a move or two so those numbers could change.
ROUND TWO
8:04 MST: Columbus doesn't surprise anyone and take goalie Oscar Dansk.
8:05: The Oilers needed some much needed grit and toughness, but they needed it in the form of a player who can play, so they took rugged winger Mitch Moroz from the Oil Kings. This might have been a bit early, but I spoke to Stu MacGregor on Thursday and he was worried that he wouldn't be there at #63.
They are really high on Moroz's overall game, but mostly that he is hard to play against, tough and he has some decent skill.
2011/2012 stats... 16 goals, 25 points, 131 pims in 66 games with Oil Kings in WHL.
I'm sure many will say this was a reach, and a bit early, but teams rarely trade "functional toughness" and the Oilers have virtually none in their organization. It will be a few years before we see Moroz, but the Oilers clearly deviated from the "best player available" motto with this pick.
8:21: Go talk to Moroz...clips to come.
8:29: Round two ends...Took 25 minutes...Round one took four hours. NHL needs to find a way to speed up the first round, four hours is ridiculous.
ROUND THREE
8:30: With the 63rd pick the Oilers pick Jujhar Khaira from Prince George of the BCHL.
Khaira is a big kid, standing 6'2 and 205 pounds already. "I'm a power forward, play a two-way game. I'm really good below the goalline in the offensive zone and finding guys in the slot," he said.
"I'm pumped to be going to Edmonton, they have my favourite player, Taylor Hall and I watched Nugent-Hopkins growing up in Burnaby, so I'm excited to maybe play with them."
Khaira has a scholarship to Michigan Tech, but Everett just traded for his rights, and he said he'll talk to the Oilers about what route is best for his career.
2011/2012 stats... 29 goals, 79 points, 69 pims in 54 games with Spruce Kings in BCHL.
8:55... The oilers acquired this 3rd rounder from the Kings as part of the Dustin Penner trade...
The 91st pick of the draft and the last pick of the 3rd round the Oilers select from the Belleville Bulls of the OHL, Daniil Zharkov. Zharkov is another big body, 6'3, 200 pounds. Shoots left, plays LW and tallied 23 goals and 36 points in 50 games with Belleville.
2011/2012 stats... 23 goals, 36 points, 25 pims in 50 games with Belleville of the OHL.
Zharkov is a charasmatic guy. Said he was Canadian and wants to be better than Yakupov... "I know him and I've spoken with him a few times. I like him. He's a good guy," Zharkov said regarding Yakupov. Zharkov has size and is a scorer.
He also was adamant he isn't going to Russia. He wants to play in NHL, and he said he has lots of people to prove wrong, since he was ranked as high as 32nd amongst North American skaters...
ROUND FOUR
8:58... With the 93rd pick the Oilers took Erik Gustafsson from Djurgarden. He's a left shooting D-man. He'll need to put on some weight, and he'll likely be a guy they develop slowly in Sweden. He's a 20-year-old.
2011/2012 stats... 3 goals, 7 points, 16 pims in 41 games with Djurgardens in the SEL
9:10... Still no Omark trade.
9:22... Florida takes a timeout...Fans boo, as does media who want this to keep going. There was 83 picks made in first 75 minutes and now a timeout...
ROUND FIVE
9:30... With the 2nd pick of the 5th round, and 123rd overall the Oilers select from the University of Denver, Joey Laleggia.
Laleggia is an offensive D-man. He played at the University of Denver last season, and spent the previous two seasons with the Pentiction Vees of the BCHL. He turns 20 tomorrow and was named rookie of the year in the WCHA this past season.
2011/2012 stats... 11 goals, 38 points, 16 pims in 43 games with Denver in the WCHA (college)
In 2010/2011 Laleggia had 20 goals and 82 points in 58 games. He's not very big, at only 5'10", 185, but he can move the puck.
9:42...Starting to get tweets and emails that the Oilers screwed made some bad picks. I've never understood how fans, who've never seen most of these kids play, actually think a young kid is an awful pick. I get if you go off the board in the first round, but in the 3rd, 4th and later rounds it is really a crap shoot. You draft for need as much as anything and you hope these kids pan out.
9:50... I count at least 15 players still sitting in the stands waiting to be drafted. If you kid is getting drafted in the next few years, unless they are rated in the top-100 in every ratings guide I wouldn't recommend them coming. Nothing worse than having your son sit through 210 picks and never hear his named called.
ROUND SIX
9:56... With the 153rd pick the Oilers select another big forward, and another 20-year old, John McCarron from Cornell University. McCarron is listed at 6'3" 215 pounds.
It is clear the depth of this draft class wasn't great, because we've seen numerous 20-year-olds taken thus far, and the Oilers have chosen three.
2011/2012 stats... 6 goals, 19 points, 61 pims in 35 games with Conrell in the ECAC (college)
Unless the Oilers make a trade, they are done drafting for today. I will have MacGregor's evaluation of the picks coming up at the conclusion of the draft.
@db7db7db7
there are two..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Gustafsson_(ice_hockey_b._1988)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Gustafsson_(ice_hockey_b._1992)
i'm guessing it's the latter... 20 years old.
both d swedish, shoot left... eery
@Romulus' Apotheosis
This is the problem. The Oilers are thinking this way. Can't you hear Tambellini saying "Benn and Lucic came from there, we'd better grab somebody too."
TWO PLAYERS. TWO. Both of them had to beat heavy odds to become what they are now, and we are going to use relatively high picks betting on other guys to do the same?
I'm fine with drafting these guys, but not while there are still better hockey players on the board.
Elite Prospects: Erik Gustafsson.
I don't know anything about him, but the numbers are good.
@michael
"A didnot charge for tickets last year. Give away? You hold this thing in a Canadian city and your charging 40 bucks a head an selling out."
that's what i thought.
I'd love to go... if toronto hosts i'll be there for sure... but I figured a lot of places would give away seats just to pack the house and avoid embarrassment (it is probably pretty boring for most people). plus you let people in for free all day... they buy a lot of hot dogs!!
I'd miss the coverage and analysis though... is it broadcast in some way in the building? otherwise I'd be really lost...
Right. One longshot paid off for someone else so we'd better do the same?
Stay away from the track my friend.
It should be pointed out that Lucic was not considered as much of a reach at 50 as either our second or our third pick. Draft number is not the whole story.
Thanks
at 6' and only 176lbs.... he needs to start into the carbs and protein shakes... night eating.
Daniil Zharkov ranked number 30 overall taken 91.LA's pick for pancakes.
Looks like Stu covering his bets after taking Moroz 32 when he was ranked 72
Here:
You are openly advocating drafting lesser players because they have "grit".
Who would you pick in the 5th Gregor?
that's what I've been saying... don't crib my statements like that out of context.
I've been saying all over... they should have taken Aberg or finn and held out for these guys in the later rounds...
it they are lucky, one of them becomes ben eager.
I'm more likely to get a bj from jessica alba than these guys become Benn or lucic.
Gustafsson best friends with Landeskog. Might help to land Landeskog one day.
Jonas Gustafsson for a conditional 7th?? Mr Dithers.. where are you?
one more thing on this coke machine business...
i've never heard of any of these guys... and there is a lot of info coming in at once... as hesitant as I am about these picks...
i'm going to hold back a bit and acknowledge that I don't have an effing clue what is going on and wait for some more thorough analysis...
Landeskog is best friends with Gustafsson, said we're gettin a good one.. I believe him.
Jesus...why so sensitive?
I wasn't disagreeing with you. I was making fun of Tambellini. It's like you want to take offense.
"Florida takes a timeout"
what are the rules for that??
how many do you get... how long is it?
I'm guessing it is because a trade may be in the works....
also can you lose a pick if you are too slow?
Gregor do you think someone takes a flyer on Legault in the fifth or 6th round.
The Penner trade will go down in Oilers history as the gift that kept on giving. Amazing.
Colin Fraser signs a 2 year deal in LA. Bet that he isn't sad anymore that he was traded in that deal. Hindsight is 100%.
Will Yak attend development camp in July?
No......I'm saying grit counts as much as skill.
In my book I would take a player with grit over a floater any day.
The goal is to win the Cup.Not score points in a the regular season.
It takes more than skill to win in the playoffs.
The Oilers are far to easy to play against. I for one would like to see it change.
You seem to associate skill with better hockey players. I look at the total package.
Case in Point Dustin Brown.
sorry... it was getting testy around here... I got caught up in it...
Best line from day 1 of the draft goes to Reggie Dunlop.
What was the biggest WTF moment tonight? Either Calgary taking a kid they could have waited until round 6 to select or Galchenyuk bringing a hooker to the draft.
Worth a second look.
joey laleggia
d u of denver??/
any word on this guy... there's another d anyway... no goalies yet
was there an interview... i missed this nugget
you got a clip or a pic??
what that the blonde with the tight green dress???
(she had a big nose as I recall)
5th round choice
Joey Laleggia Defence
5.9 182 lbs
small must be a puck mover
009-2010
PENTICTON BCHL 54 13 52 65 19
Someone mentioned it was Igor Larionov daughter
Twitter man, its all on twitter..
@Spydyr
Once again. Show me where I made this association.
Dustin Brown huh?
Do you mean the same Dustin Brown who had 76 points in 58 games and was drafted 13 overall? What a crazy bet by those crazy kings amiright? He was definitely the same kind of pick as these guys.
Good example.
You're probably right though. I hate size (even though Brown is not big) so there is no way I would have taken him with my 3rd round pick unless he also happened to be good....wait....what was your point again?
damn you twitters...
I can't keep track of this blog and the live feed of the draft let alone some demon technology from the future.
haha!!!
that alyonka... she's pretty hot... but i hate media nepotism. it just instantly rips your credibility...
at any rate... we should be working her for inside dope on Igor's clients... we should send ebs over to give her the homme fatale work over.
Thats why I said "seem"
Was just my read on your comments.
Lets just agree to disagree and revisit this draft in a few years.
Now why is Omark still an Oiler pretty sure the ties have been cut.
Is it time to draft a goalie yet?
@JG
"9:42...Starting to get tweets and emails that the Oilers screwed made some bad picks. I've never understood how fans, who've never seen most of these kids play, actually think a young kid is an awful pick. "
I think that is fair for the 91 and above picks.... but 32 is basically a first round pick and there were dynamic picks available... you could argue the same for 63
Was it though? I didn't see who was with Galchenyuk, but Alyonka was in a red dress at the draft doing her "social media room" thing.
This. Wasted picks. Both of these guys were almost certainly available later.
Stu took the 30th ranked player at 91.
He must have seen something in Moroz.
I saw him play a few games did not really stand out for me but I am no Stu.
In Stu we trust.
@Spydyr
You do mean the same Stu who has a perfectly average draft record right?
http://www.mc79hockey.com/?p=4220
it wasn't I think Spyder was joking and i was following along... the lady with Gal was in a green dress... blonde... tight body, bad nose.
alyonka was indeed in the champagne room keeping the boys happy.
She was sitting with Galchenyuk in the stands and was his first hug. Blue dress as I recall.
I was going to let it go but come on man.
How many times have you seen these players play?
How can you say a pick is wasted until at least 5 years after the draft?
To call a pick wasted on the day of the draft ....really?
Give it time.
"9:50... I count at least 15 players still sitting in the stands waiting to be drafted. If you kid is getting drafted in the next few years, unless they are rated in the top-100 in every ratings guide I wouldn't recommend them coming. Nothing worse than having your son sit through 210 picks and never hear his named called."
good point JG.... that's got to sting... you don't need that kind of crushing blow to confidence
no!! it was some horrible green colour... big nose
you can see her briefly in the video here:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=635624
and here: http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=182269
Did you read past the word "wasted"?
Better hockey players were available and both of these guys could have been had later.
another big kid
John Mccarron North American Skater - Cornell U., ECAC Final Rank: Midterm Rank: Position: Right Wing Shoots: Right Height: 6' 2" Weight: 219 Born: April 16, 1992 Born in: Grosse Pointe, MI, USA Drafted: EDM (6th Round / 153rd Overall)
Oh dear.
That was no Alyonka.
You are correct sir.
If they are going to take a reach I am happy for the to do it with a kid playing in their backyard they got to watch every day of the year.
At least they were taking a flyer on some kid in the finnish elite league they "saw" good once or twice.
It also has to be said he had enough skill and speed to be a contributor during their memorial cup run.
Yes, this doesn't make the pick ideal! But at least it raises my hope a little bit that we arent watching them buy lottery tickets.
http://www.cornellbigred.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=23673
"both of these guys could have been had later"
And you know this how?
Do you have DSF's ability to look back in time and make the right pick every time?
These are 18 year old kids outside the first round it is a crap-shoot.
@Spydyr
It's about VALUE.
They could have taken moroz at least one round later.
These 4th line guys are a dime a dozen. You don't develop them when you can get them pretty much anytime.
Remember JFJ??? YUCK
This pick stinks from a value perspective. I'm fine with the other picks but to take this guy 32nd when any number of 1st round talents are still available is stupidity
thanks...
well he's from an Ivy... so there's that!!!