It’s a question many Oilers fans are probably asking today. Just over six hours ago, a bombshell dropped that for the second time in a year the Oilers made a one-for-one deal in order to address needs.
Ryan Strome is a former 5th overall selection from the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and is now the third top-five selection from that draft on the Edmonton Oilers roster. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Adam Larsson being the other two.
Standing at 6’1, 199 lbs, Strome has put up 126 points (45G, 81A) in 258 NHL games.
At 507 NHL games, Jordan Eberle put up 382 points. Currently, Strome projects to score 248 points by that point in his NHL career.
Despite that, Strome brings a lot to the table that the former Oiler didn’t. A few inches in height and about 15 lbs is the difference size wise in the two.
Strome has largely underperformed since his sophomore season where he put up career highs in games played (81), goals (17), assists (33) and points (50).
In the 140 games since, he has put up 58 points.
This drop off seemed to have come from what appeared to be a frayed relationship with former Islanders head coach Jack Capuano who was let go last year by the team. Often, Strome was singled out for benching by Capuano.
Following the firing of Capuano and the hiring of Doug Weight as the new coach, Strome was able to score 80 per cent of his goals last year under the new coach.
Over his four year career, Strome has been nothing but a solid 5v5 hockey player via stats.hockeyanalysis.com:
5v5 | TOI | P/60 | SH% | GF% | GF% RelTM | CF% | CF% RelTm | PDO |
Strome | 3137:03 | 1.74 | 8.27% | 51.6% | 1.6 | 50.3% | /0.2 | 100.1 |
From Lighthouse Hockey, who gave Strome a “B-” grade for his 2016-2017 season:
The above grade is not necessarily a fair grading of what Strome can be, but what the season was. No one ever knew why, but Cappy had it out for Strome, and he struggled under him. Like many of our other players, he immediately changed when Weight came in, scoring 80% of his goals when he came in. But he suffered a broken wrist in the last month of the season, ending his chances to add to his scoring numbers. If we keep Strome, I think he can play up to his potential.
Strome’s broken wrist came on March 22 and it was reported he may have been able to play if the team made the playoffs.
In his past, he has shown an ability to put up numbers.
As a member of the OHL’s Barrie Colts and later Niagara Ice Dogs, Strome put up 295 points in 225 games.
Not only that, he scored 15 points over his 12 World Junior Championships games. Strome can be an elite level goal scorer.
This is what was said of Strome pre-draft in 2011:
NHL Central Scouting’s Chris Edwards “He skates very well and has very good speed. He’s a creative playmaker who sees the ice very well. He goes to the net and battles in front. He is able to get to rebounds and loose pucks in front. He has good hands and has scored some goals off tip-ins in front.”
Sounds like a player the Oilers could certainly use. All signs point to Strome having needed a change of scenery and now he will get it playing alongside Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.
The Edmonton Oilers are going to welcome him with open arms and it already sounds like Strome is ecstatic to be joining the team.
“I remember sitting in my basement a couple of months ago watching the playoffs and it was like, ‘holy, these guys are good players.'”
I hope Chia is looking at Marleau.. team could use a veteran scoring winger.
Maroon McDavid Foo/Jesse P
Cagguila Draisaitl Strome
Lucic Nuge Marleau
Khaira Letestu Kassian
Klefbom Larsson
Sekera Russel
Nurse Benning
Talbot
You are looking at a forward group that is 4 lines deep.
You are looking at a defensive group that will be together for the next 5 years.
I guess that is how a Harvard graduate builds a hockey team.
Impressive.
I don’t see them resigning Russel unless it’s to a really team friendly deal I know PC loves the guy though so it’s not out of the question. We most likely chase someone older on a one year deal to help out while Sekera heals and Benning moves up
If Sekera is still on the blueline at 36/37, then the Oilers defensive prospects never got better. That’s bad.
Cool. Let’s project a second year pro onto the top line, or in his absence… a rookie college pro. I remember the days when we did that regularly. Totally miss the results.
And, while we’re at it, let’s gloss over the absence of our #2/3 d-man in Sekera until the new year (at least). Or the hypothetical “preferred” transaction of the GM in Russell, which has yet to transpire.
Come on man, there’s plenty of work yet to be done before anointing this team as a juggernaut.
We’re moving in the right direction, but far from having arrived.
You can slot Marleau on the top line. Realistically McDavid can make any winger look great, college pro or not.
It is widely reported Russell will be extended tomorrow securing this defence for the next few years.
All good I understand your skepticism but this team has arrived.
Not impressive enough. Is that line up much better? I don’t think so.
I think Strome will do well here.
My criticism is that was he the correct target? We spent out trade chip without getting better.
We need defence to be better, the opportunities are this summer. We need to win face offs with a good third line center. Maybe that’s Strome but doubt it.
To get to the Cup, trading out Ebs for Strome won’t be enough.
The lineup is good enough to get to the western conference finals.
Most of the team will mature another season, pushing us over the hump.
This team is great. Not much work to be done.
Maroon-McD-Drai
Lucic-RNH-Slepy
Drake-Strome-Pitlick/JP(pending Foo)
Iiro/JJ-Let-Kassian
Maroon-McD-Strome
Drake-Drai-JP
Lucic-RNH-Foo
JJ-Let-Kassain/Slepy
Maroon- McD- Drai
Lucic- RNH- Marleau
Drake- Strome- JP
JJ- Letestu- Kassian
Guy-McDavid-Guy
Guy-Guy-Guy
Guy-Guy-Guy
Guy-Guy-Guy
Guy-Drai-Guy should not be overlooked
One positive is McDavid knows Strome well.
I believe mcdavid played with his brother, not Ryan. Ryan is the older brother.
Dylan strome is the guy mcdavid was teammates with.
Their families are close friends. Mrs McDavid was very excited to hear the news as well
could this mean we draft Matt Strome with pick #22? 😉
I said he knows him well, I knew Dylan was a good friend with Connor and Ryan said that Connor has used to visit their family and hang out.
At first I didn’t like it. But after about 5 hours of research, I’m slowly changing my mind. Strome is a good match up for the bigger heavier teams in our division.
I’ll be watching with bated breath.
ChiaPete is good with these reclamation projects.
it’s been so much fun watching the Corsi guys over on Copper and Blue go absolutely ape spit over this trade all the while usually forgetting to see the bigger picture, LOL !!
So far chia has done well with these types of moves, trust in chia.
If Oilers decide to use Strome as the 3rd center on team , then it would make sense to move Hopkins next if Draisaitl moves to center on second line ? Perhaps for another defenseman or winger ? Perhaps for both with D.Strome and Tinordi part of package ?
with the way we have been getting just 1 for 1 deals, don’t expect to get multiple players for Nuge anytime soon.
No. Strome has barely played center in the NHL. Draisaitl is obviously a stud and still projects o be a stud center one day, but he also is unproven at center. He had a coupke games against Anaheim where he blew up but that was in the context of line matching with TMac. Nuge had huge minutes against San Jose and was vital in that series despite not scoring. Im sure Drai could take the second line center role from Nuge as early as this season but to pencil in Drai and Strome in the second and third center spots would be very risky.
Drai scored five points in a second-round playoff elimination game, centering his own line against Ryan Getzlaf. How much proof do you need?
Strome will take a hit to make a play Eberle not so much.
The only Hit Eberle will take is gonna be in the pocket book once his contract is up.
hello nation. If you are stressing the crap out take a chill pill or just go and watch the acceptance speech of the hart trophy winner. I think it was 97. let’s give strome a chance to prove himself before we empty out the bottle. just like many of other citizens I wondered why we didn’t go for a guy like dumba. I still wonder what could it be if we had a line of 4-97-29 I really like larsson, I’m not hating on him. I’m just saying that the GM might do mistakes but at the end of the day we have MCDAVID, every time you stressing out about the team. just remember that 97 came back after braking his clavicle and won the art ross + Hart + ted lindsey. we are going to feast in the next few years… Hopefully :p. rest easy citizens
Do we sign another forward in free agency? if Drai is on McD’s wing for most of the season we probably need another center, but many of the best free agent targets are wingers, such as J Williams on a one year deal if possible. I like all of our wingers and dont want to push then off the roster but most of them are not proven top 6 forwards. Sleppy, Caggy, Pulj, Pou, Strome, I hope we resign Pitty, If Lucic doesnt get his 5 on 5 scoring up he is then a 3rd liner, we might sign Foo. what do you guys think? is there room to add another body and shoukd it be a center or a RW?
Interesting point about his play after coaching change. Can we get an article with a statistical breakdown of stroke before and after the coaching change. …. goals, points, corsi, usage etc. also, has anyone watched enough islanders games to know if he can play defense
lol “strome” not “stroke” …. auto correct is killing me