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.
Please enlighten us why he has no hope of being an impact player? What are you basing that on? Your experience to predict the growth and maturation of players?
I don't compare players to other guys, cause it is inaccurate, but since people have brought up Lucic...
In his draft year he had nine goals and 19 points. Was anyone certain he'd be an impact player? Not for sure, but he was drafted there because they felt he had upside.
Moroz had 16 goals his draft year, in limited minutes. He has a solid presence as a player, and isn't just a goon. He can play. And teams rarely trade those types of players, so you need to draft them, and there wasn't many in this draft.
Time will tell if he'll progress. And four different teams would have taken Moroz in the 2nd round...Winnipeg really liked him and so did Carolina, Philly and Anaheim.
Ken Holland has said numerous times...If you really like a player, then you can take him a round early if necessary. Oilers liked Moroz, and rather than risk losing him they took him. Sure it likely was a bit early, but their needs were different than other teams.
We'll see if he'll pan out. But saying he has no chance to be an impact player is rather premature since no one knows for sure.
Put up your hands if you think your smarter than SMB? I know where I stand on the Moroz pick. Clearly there isn't going to be a consensus on anybody picked after the first round. Tambo's comments on Moroz hit the nail on the head. You just can't trade for the Lucic's of the NHL. You draft and develop them and then hang onto them for dear life. The 4th liner arguement will be moot this upcoming season for Moroz. He'll definitely see 2cd line minutes with the departure of guys Pelss and suchlike.
Enjoy this day and think of it as a beginning. These kids earned thier draft status. Lets not belittle the work and effort they have put in over thier lives by arguing over wether they should have been taken 75th or 32cd. Congrats to all our picks.
We can agree to disagree.
The team is set in the top six for skill.
They need grit,some players hard to play against.
Tough guys with skill are very hard to find and are even harder to trade for.
If they can get one player to play on the top two lines to protect and not look out of place this draft will be a major win.
@admiraimark
With all due respect, and I can very safely assume this, you know nothing about these players except what you JUST googled two minutes ago. Stu has likely been watching them for over a year.
Also, read any of Gregor's articles on draft-to-NHL likelihoods. You may as well close your eyes and just point at a name once it hits the 2nd round and beyond. Obviously, no one will do this but I feel I need to preface that sentence with one like this to a person like you! All due respect.
@Spydyr
I understand your point, but they could wait 60 picks and get guys like this.
they essentially used a late 1st round pick on a guy with 4th round talent. It's dumb.
Zharkov is a good pick. has upside.
That is exactly what I'm saying.
If one of those picks turns out to be anything close to Lucic of Neely it is going to be one of the Oilers best drafts in decades.
You have to take a chance to have a chance.
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.
"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.
I guess the Oilers should just fire all there scouts and just go off of one the mock drafts out there LOL oh but if they where so good would they not be working for one of the NHL teams????
Amazing how disloyal Oiler fans are. After 4 years of great drafting by Stu Macgregor there's no trust. He's not Barry Fraser circa 1990's people. It's not like any of us heard of Martin Gernat or Tobias Reider last year and both had very good years in the WHL and OHL respectively.
I know Moroz is a reach but after Oscar Dansk is off the board I'm okay with this pick because the Oilers needed toughness and skill and although they have size neither Pitlick or Hamilton play like Moroz. After that the Oilers are shorter on forwards than defence on the development level, especially skill players and the Oilers got players with size and skill. None of these guys are like a Cam Abney who didn't even put up decent numbers in junior. All these players were able to chip in offensively.
Also wait 4-5 years to see how things go with the draft. Year after year people talk about how things would change significantly if there was a redraft. Like in 2008 Eberle and Karlsson would have gone in the top ten in hindsight. I'd rate both of them ahead of Luke Schenn for sure.
Squirrel!
The team does need grit in the bottom six.They are the easiest team in the NHL to play against.
Management must feel secure in the defencemen coming up.
In Stu we trust and personally I totally agree with drafting for grit the rest of this draft.With Yak the skill up front is there now.
Just hope they take a Goalie in the next round or two.Again i feel a team should take a Goalie a draft and see who sticks.
Jujhar Khaira was Red Line's favourite draft sleeper, but they didn't have him in the top-100.
All I can say is
In Stu we trust.
We need some big forwards.
For sure......so was Lucic at 50.
The team does not need anymore small skilled forwards.
It needs toughness.
LA 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.
Moroz is the type of player that teams trade for and can't get. At 32 the Oilers did the right thing IMO. Dalton Thrower went 50th? Scissons 52? I just think we need to look ay what our bottom 6 needs and its guys like Pitlick,Hamilton and Moroz. Size,skil and grit. Our top 6 has what it needs skill and more skill.There has to be a balance.
Jesus...why so sensitive?
I wasn't disagreeing with you. I was making fun of Tambellini. It's like you want to take offense.
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.
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.
They got the 31 st ranked player at 92.
It goes both ways.
Stu must have seen something in Moroz.
Only time will tell.
Thanks Jason. This really helps. Oil trying to bulk up as they should be. I totally agree about the overwhelming negativity of some who are passing judgement on kids they have never even heard of. Clearly losers trying to compensate for their own powerlessness. A man's got to know his limitations. Two days until the Justin Schultz sweepstakes kick in. Put Katz, Namby Tamby, Lowe, MacT, Hall, Eberle, Nuge, Yak and Petry on the private plane and go sell the kid on E town.
@GVBlackhawk
That's hardly fair considering they were all just picked today. Can they have a year or two to develop before labeling them busts?
Excellent statement Gregor. Some fans think they know everything and can predict the future. Let these young men progress to where they can and let us fans appreciate it.
@TigerUnderGlass
You can sign grinders anytime hmmm?
Well Paul Gaustad was traded for a first round pick, Kassian for hodgson, Chris Kelly signed a high contract, ect.
These players are high price tags, and Edmonton has tried signing these types to no fruition. Fraser, Eager, Belanger, and Petrell clearly didn't work out so I would say getting effective grinders isn't as easy as you say.
Fist to say after drafting Yak......when the three number ones play together they can be called the Chosen ones.
No regrets. Great pick in Moroz. Why isn't the draft live on 1260 The Team? I am watching it on NHL.com but I prefer our pov.
Is Tambi so uncomfortable talking in public that he forgets things like opening the draft by thanking the host city, or congrats to the Kings, or shout out to Oiler fans or whatever?
I just thought that during the whole first overall pick thing yesterday he couldnt wait to get away from the microphone.
man these Sutters all look mildly alike.. it is more disconcerting that they aren't more similar... the similarity jumps at you after you look too long...
anyway, can some of you Oil King fans do a write-up on Moroz... not a scouting report.. but a "saw him..."
It seems a pretty loose convention... lots of GMs skipped it and the tsn guys seemed to diss the extra talk...
but I think it's classy to thank your hosts and congratulate winners.
I like the philosophy of taking players close to home or moving them to the Oil Kings to help development... But Moroz at #32 ranked #170th by ISS?! Come on really? #32 pick is almost like a 1st round pick... Bad time to choose to reach on a player...
is burke allergic to ties??
why does he wear one and then not tie it?
it's like those idiots that take a helmet but leave it on their handlebars of their bike
Lol.. Tambi is "so" uncomfortable in front of a mike. I don't think he's a supremely confident individual? Or he's just very awkward? not sure which it is?
I also notice how much he likes to throw in the word "SO" in a lot of what he says. The Oilers are SO proud to select. We are SO excited to see this player.
jujhar khaira???
great name... who is he?
Looks like the Oilers are drafting for grit.......something they need badly
@ Rom
Khaira: LW Prince Geroge BCHL 6-2 185 lbs. 54 games, 29 goals, 50 assists, 69 PIMS. Aggressive physical player, thrives down low, and protects puck well. Committed to Michigan Tech next year.
Thanks to Skidplate this was stolen from him
Can't find anything on this guy, other than he's 6'4". Oilers looking for 'coke machines' on day two!
@Spydyr
thanks, and to Skid
so ... is Stu taking a KP page... coke machines left right and left
jujhar khaira.. In STU we trust???
is bill guerin working for the pens? I'm pretty sure I just saw him over at their table
also, does anyone know if they charge the fans to attend these deals?
This organization clearly doesn't get it.
There's no value taking guys this high with no upside.
They just wasted 2nd and 3rd rounders on guys that are always easy to get.
Terrible drafting so far
" the BCHL"
didn't Benn and Lucic come out of the BCHL... ?? maybe that's where they farm these monster forwards...
Easy to get? Tough guys who can play. Wonder what it would take to get Lucic out of Boston?
On June 6, 2011, The Pittsburgh Penguins hired Guerin as their player development coach.
from wiki
good eye.
It's about value.
You don't take guys with 3rd line ceilings in the top 100 and spend 5 years developing them.
You take guys that have high ceiling with skill. These picks would have had more value had they been traded
Wonder what the odds are that either of these guys are anything close to Lucic.
You can sign grinders anytime you want.
Is Omark going to go today?
Zharkov... Button seems to like him...
that's all forwards so far right?
From NHL.com
inal Rank: 32 Midterm Rank: 19 Position: Left Wing Shoots: Left Height: 6' 3" Weight: 197 Born: February 6, 1994 Born in: St. Petersburg, RUS Drafted: EDM (3rd Round / 91st Overall)
PROFILE
• Despite missing the start of the year with a broken collarbone he sustained in training camp, Zharkov bounced back to record 36 points (23-13—36) in his first season in the OHL and rank third on Belleville in goals. He registered three points (1-2--3) in six playoff games.
• Zharkov competed for Team Russia at the 2012 Under-18 World Championship, posting five points (1-4--5) in six games.
• He split to the 2010-11 season between Serebryanie LVI St. Petersburg (MHL) and the Tri-City Storm (USHL). Zharkov recorded three points (1-2--3) in 12 games for St. Petersburg and 11 points (8-3--11) in 36 games for Tri-City.
• Zharkov started playing hockey when he was four and credits his parents for having the biggest influence on his career – “[I] always spend time with my dad and he encourage[s] me. Always talk with mom after game.”
FAVORITES
NHL team: Detroit Red Wings/Washington Capitals NHL player: Pavel Datsyuk Shootout move: Quick shot Goal celebration: One-knee dust Video game: NHL /Need for Speed Movie: Warrior Actress: Angelina Jolie Website: Russian Facebook Pump-up song: “Burn It to the Ground” by Nickelback Home-cooked meal: Chicken with cheese and bacon/Salmon with white sauce Activity away from the rink: Listening to music and relaxing
STATISTICS SEASON TEAM LEAGUE GP G A P PIM 2010-2011 SAINT PETERSBURG 2 RUSSIA-JR. 12 1 2 3 16 2010-2011 TRI-CITY USHL 36 8 3 11 27 2011-2012 BELLEVILLE OHL 50 23 13 36 25
Erik Gustafsson at 93
first d of the draft. swedish.
RLR on Khaira
Redline Report At Red Line, we believe this kid could be the biggest/best sleeper of the entire draft. Prince George is so far off the beaten path teams don’t even travel there for WHL games, much less BCHL contests, so he gets zero exposure. But this kid is big, mean, aggressive, nasty, and guess what… he can score too. Does the dirty work in the corners, bangs bodies and wins battles, and loves to initiate heavy contact. Powerful stride with great balance and gets leverage on his hits. Has surprisingly soft hands and puck skills with playmaking ability. Creates lots of space for smaller teammates and makes everyone braver. Very raw defensively.