According to the Oilers’ Twitter account, the team has recalled Brad Malone from the Bakersfield Condors for his first NHL stint of the season. In 41 games with the Condors, Malone has amassed seven goals and 17 assists for 24 points, which currently slots in him sixth in overall team scoring.
With both Kailer Yamamoto and Ryan Spooner being assigned to the Bakersfield Condors in the days before the bye week started, the Oilers needed to call someone up to fill out the roster and it was Brad Malone’s name that got pulled out of the hat. For the first time this season, Malone will get a chance to ply his craft and try to do what it takes to stick in the NHL. Actually, to me, recalling Malone makes perfect sense given his low $650,000 cap hit and ability to centre the fourth line, probably, as well as any of the other options available. Frankly, it makes a hell of a lot more sense having Malone in the lineup playing under 10 minutes per night or up in the press box than it does for a guy like Yamamoto or Marody. To me, this is the best possible option the Oilers have on their depth chart at this stage to fill in that 13th forward role or chip in with a few minutes here or there.
If we’re going to take Bob Nicholson at his word that the Oilers are finally going to get away from rushing their prospects into the league before they’re ready, then I have to say that the Brad Malone recall is a good start. One recall does not change the way things have gone around here over the past decade, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction and one that actually makes sense. Having Malone with the Oilers makes so much more sense at this stage because of where he’s at in his career. It won’t matter if he plays five minutes per night or not at all because he’s the type of utility player that can do enough to not embarrass himself when he’s on the ice, and leaving him out of any given lineup won’t hurt his development either. To me, Brad Malone makes sense given the role he’s likely to play. To me, this is a guy that can come into town and adequately fill a role when needed without having all kinds of pressure placed upon on him to produce. To me, this is the Oilers making the right choice with a recall even though it will be a minor transaction in the grand scheme of things. The trick will be to see if they keep this kind of thinking going over the long haul. What do you guys think?
During the 2017-18 season, Malone played in seven games with the Oilers and did not register a point.
MALONE’S SEASON SO FAR
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | +/- | PGP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | Bakersfield Condors | AHL | 41 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 41 | 8 | |||||
| 2018-19 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | N/A | ||||||||||
| NHL Totals | 183 | 13 | 17 | 30 | 194 | 6 | 2 | ||||||
Source: Edmonton Oilers, Official Twitter Account, 1/31/2019 – 2:07 pm MT
This article is brought to you by Tourism Jasper
From here, the greatest personal expeditions begin. Prepare to Venture Beyond. Be sure to check out all of the amazing activities Jasper has to take advantage of this winter! Click here for more info.
Ah Ryan Spooner, not good enough for the big club and too expensive. Let’s all hope he finds his game and builds back some value. Not holding my breath though.
Maybe if we all lower our heads and join hands we can start some kind of Internet prayer circle that can make this happen.
I take it this will be until Sekera does his conditioning stint and then they will swap them.
Why haven’t they sent JP down? He needs it more than anyone. May as well keep Spooner up for now and let JP actually develop the right way.
Rather see Marody or Gambordella get the call, but yah JP should probably marinate.
I think Hitchcock still thinks he can put in more effort with JP to teach him about whats required in the NHL while he’s with the big club rather than in the AHL.
I’d rather see JP down in the AHL for the rest of the year too. Bring up Gambardella or another Malone type. Keep the more top flight guys there for development
I was at the Detroit game and actually thought JP played fairly well. He is starting to use his body more and seemed to be more confident. Now it may be a bit of an illusion against many of the other Oilers who had seemed to give up that night, but I was pleasantly surprised by his play. Would he be better in the AHL? Probably, but I’m not feeling the same way about it as I was a couple of weeks ago.
Step in the right direction, toughness down the middle. Should be in search for grit on the 2nd line center. Time to shop Nuge.
Shop Nuge? I can’t tell if you’re serious or if you recently received a blow to the head…
he could simply be stupid.
Works for the Oilers?
certainly has the decision making capability.
I don’t get why everyone is so up on Nuge. 4 wingers that played or play on the 2nd line with Nuge at center over the last 50 games have a total of 14 goals. Next to Looch hes the most over paid player on the roster. If it wasn’t for Mc David his points would be a lot less. 6mil don’t think so, we need a more physical, gritty 2nd line center. Speaking of stupid.
Lousy wingers are not in his control.
and yet, one of the most successful coaches in NHL history plays him 22 minutes a night
Nuge plays second centre which typically is the line a coach uses to contain a potent opposing first line. RNH is an underrated 200ft player that plays with underwhelming wingers. If RNH had a pair of wingers that could put a few home and not be a defensive liability he would be an 80+ point player. Ya, his career PPG is 0.71 which isn’t elite, but you can’t knock the guy simply because his wingers can’t put the puck past a goalie.
Whenever someone says trade Nuge it brings into question their understanding of the game of hockey IMO.
We got Malone now… so lets trade 1 of our 3 good players? A centre who can play wing, play tough minutes and contributes at both sides of the ice.
Lets trade our good players for picks, prospects and magic beans. You know this is why we sre on year 13 of the rebuild.
Heres a thought… why dont we keep our good players?
How’s keeping your good players working out?
Its never happened… so i wouldnt be able to tell you…
Petry, Schultz, Hall, Dubnyk are just a few i can name off the top of my head…
Maybe if you learn to read you Hooker youd understand my comment, instead of posting the complete opposite of what im saying.
I actually would be happy for him if he got away from this tire fire. Nothing is going to change around here, he has been nothing but professional and deserves better.
The “deserves better” argument is so old, do you know how many teams have top players that are dissatisfied with the end result each season? Exactly 29 two years ago, and 30 last year.
Losing and losing a lot and badly wears on anyone, Hard to believe he still looks like a teenager. T-Mac looked like he had aged ten years before they sacrificed him to keep their jobs.
Defensive centers in shutdown roles, not named Bergeron, tend to be:
– Under-valued by the general hockey fan
– Over-valued by the stats community & bloggers
– Essential to the team
Most teams have a guy that fits this. Nuge is the Oilers guy.
That was Strome
When the “Trash it!” button just isn’t enough…
As a Flames fan I think you should trade Nuge too for another guy to protect McDavid. I was also in favor of trading Hall. Shop Klefbom too. He’s too injury prone.
Even if you are underwhelmed with Nuge why trade him? He is one of the few players contributing to the team. Do you think you can get someone better than him, or more useful to the team? I highly doubt it.
I dont really see any wow factor in the Malone call up, I gather Hitch wants some sand paaper in the line up o at least some compete and didnt think Spooner had any of it and Yamamoto was better served playing way moe in Bakersfield. I would be lying if I said I thought this long break will be a good thing for the Oilers, it will for McDavid because of all the minutes he has played, but the Oilers seem to come from a stretch off with the inability to show up when the game starts and are just plain terrible…
man these cheap keyboard are brutal, the “r” works for crap just like the space bar…lol typos unintentional folks
no one reads your posts anyway
lol keep trollin
apparently you just did…
i was just trying to be ironic.
Post Malone, Mayday Malone, Malone I want your badge and gun on my desk by the end of the day! Maalooan!
The saddest part of this call-up?
Malone is the best the Oilers system has to offer at this moment in time.
It is a disgrace. The people in charge should be ashamed.
I believe the person in charge is collecting EI with no shame.
He was never in charge and the next sucker wont be either.
Nice try. No shame in that head office. They just blame the guys that are on the way out. On to the next guy!
I do seriously think retaining these boneheads is going to finally bite them in the a*s. They will be lucky to attract medical staff (All have been fired at one time) Training staff Ditto. Puppet Gm’s Ditto, Head Coaches and staff Ditto, Octane Girls Ditto, virtually everyone has been held accountable except the bone heads who screwed it up in the first place yet they remain. They have 0 honor. Should have stepped down on their own years ago. Now it’s “there is something in the water” There sure is and it is called your own BS.
damn that’s some juicy bait right there
No Malone is not the best the Oilers system has to offer. Yamo, Marody and Benson are better. BUT the team is actually do the right thing for once. All Malone is up for is to be an extra forward. Maybe he gets in for 6 mins once in a while, that’s it. What value does having any of the 3 young guys I listed up do for them? They need to play and play a lot. They tried Yamo, he does some good things and there is a player there but he’s not ready.
I agree that the Oilers aren’t as deep as they should be but this move should be applauded because for once they are letting guys develop.
I never thought I’d be happy that Malone was up with the big club. Hopefully the kids are getting some good minutes in the AHL.
This year is over, might as well keep the kids on the farm.
you guys have to quit referring to the last decade as it is now the last 14 years the oil have held the league laughing stock trophy.
Outside of a couple of lucky hiccups it is getting closer to 2.5 decades.
Now that you started us down the rabbit hole,once the Messier trade in 1991 I believe is when this team has at best been mediocre and gotten lucky probably 3 seasons the year they dumped Dallas (Todd Marchant)him verses Connor would be fun to see,2006 cup run and the 2017 run other then those it’s been pretty bleak!
Welcome to the show Brad.
Play hard and challenge anyone that takes liberties with McDavid and I will be a fan.
Best of luck
Should have said “welcome back” to the show.
Reclusive owner,a CEO who never ran a REAL hockey team,temorary GM and a temporary coach..supported by dated and stale fruit hanging low to the ground, rotting away a once proud organization. An organization that shamefully has become the laugh of the league and sportsworld
,Entrapping a young athelete who worked haed all his life to be the best in the world,only to be on the worst set up ever in the history in the NHL.
STOP AND THINK THE MESS THIS TEAM IS IN. SHAME ON YOU MR.kATZ
Shame on you Oilers fans for supporting this kind of mediocrity and compete level during the Hall & Eberle Era.
This is the bed you made, enjoy your deep sleep in it.
OMG, Oiler Al, I wish all of you would just wake up!
The stench is not the Oiler Brass, it is the season ticket holders whom refuse to tell the Oilers that they suck, and will not renew until a somewhat capable of winning team is iced, each and every game.
Burger Bob says we need a GM that fits into the Oiler culture, and not ONe journalist has the guts to ask him. ‘Please define what you mean by Oiler Culture?’
What does Oiler culture mean to me? Nepotism, favouritism, Zero strategic vision for the on ice product…not going to get far as anorganization with a culture like that
If Conner did not want to land with the Oilers, he should have played badly in his last season of Junior. But the first overall gets $3.5M/yr (I think according to tehCBA). SO he wants to be first overall to get the big signing money. Which automatically means he will be on the worst team in the NHL, look how long it took Mario/Sid to turn the Pens around, they did not whine for a trade, and neither will Connor
Team fighting for its life, and best they can come up with is a 4th line plugger.At the bottom of the league and out of Cap.Nice.
I hate trolls. The negativity sometimes is hard to handle. I guess that is their goal to make people feel bad. I still love my team despite years of mediocrity and that is being kind. I still have hope and have no choice but to believe that Nicholson can make the right call on the next GM. Nice to see Malone get called up he will give everything he has and effort has been short in supply on the 3rd and 4th lines. There are 32 games remaining and loved what Connor said about proving people wrong. I am cheering our Oilers on and will hope for the best.
Bet you got a lot of dirt under your carpet,Dan!
I’m not sure what you mean.
K dan…ignoring all the junk [dirt]that has been going on with the organization…you think Nicholson and Malone will save the day.I have cheered this team on for many years but have had enough of the nonsense they are selling.
Why are you here posting than?
Dan is just saying he hopes we finish strong with 32 games left. Is there something wrong with that?
I understand your pain but without hope you have nothing might as well go talk to the wife and turn the man cave into a tea room.
Finally someone to protect McD!!
Klefbom suffers setback in practice. If he’s out AGAIN the Oilers are peddling a lottery pick at the draft. He’s too fragile. Another Martin Havlat.
Yeah, a real defensemen doesn’t get hurt when a vulcanized piece of rubber hits him directly in in the finger going north of 70km/hr. A real defensemen would make the conscious decision to have his finger not break on impact. He would then proceed to tell the medical staff they are not a real doctors when asked if his hand is injured, promptly followed by him informing Hitchcock that he will be deciding his own ice time for the rest of the evening.
Reading those stories about how Ryan mcdonaugh was on the table for the 4th round pick and now looking at how pathetic that 4th pick player turned out is depressing. Can we just trade puljujarvi now already? We really don’t need another third line grinder that can’t score, I’d be happy with a late first round pick for him at this stage.
Look at the Leafs, now they got Muzzin. Stacked up front, and now securing the back end. That could have been us had we not hired Chiarelli.
Mark Messier – 48th Overall
Jari Kurri – Euro free agent
Glenn Anderson – 69th overall
Why can’t we no longer find nice things?
Kurri was a fourth round pick in 1980 not a free agent.