QUICK HITS…

• Ekblad is clearly the best defenceman in the draft, and if they want a D-man he is the easy choice.
   
For the past few months much of the focus revolved around Reinhart and Ekblad, but Reinhart is not a run away choice for centre. There are other options, and some who might fit the Oilers needs better. If Reinhart is clearly the best centre come June, then would take him, but after talking to scouts from across the country the past week, I don’t get the sense that he is.
Many like Sam Bennett, and despite the differences in weight from one site to the next, he currently sits around 175-180. He will fill out according to everyone I spoke with, and he plays with a bit on an edge to go with his great offensive skills.
Draisaitl is big and strong. His size and skill would fit perfectly in Edmonton and help counter the massive size and skill of the top teams in the Pacific Division.
Scouting reports on Dal Colle point to him being skilled with an aggressive side as well. He plays both LW and C.
The debate over which centre will be the best NHLer will be intense and intriguing over the next five months.
 

Here is a a quick look at their offensive numbers.


Reinhart	November 6th, 1995
Season	Team	Lge	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	+/-
2011-12	Kootenay Ice	WHL	67	28	34	62	2	16
2012-13	Kootenay Ice	WHL	72	35	50	85	22	8
2013-14	Kootenay Ice	WHL	34	18	35	53	2	7
Dal Colle	June 20th, 1996
Season	Team	Lge	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	+/-
2012-13	Oshawa Generals	OHL	63	15	33	48	18	19
2013-14	Oshawa Generals	OHL	43	27	37	64	30	9
Bennett	June 20th, 1996
2012-13	Kingston Frontenacs	OHL	60	18	22	40	87	-2
2013-14	Kingston Frontenacs	OHL	40	26	40	66	85	26
Draisaitl	October 27th, 1995
2012-13	Prince Albert Raiders	WHL	64	21	37	58	22	22
2013-14	Prince Albert Raiders	WHL	35	19	35	54	18	2

That isn’t a typo; Dal Colle and Bennett were born on the same day.
Their point totals are pretty even when you look at points per game this year.
Bennett: 1.65
Reinhart: 1.55
Draisailt: 1.54
Dal Colle: 1.48
Points are only one aspect of their game. They all have different styles.
Here is how the Scouting Report sees them:
Reinhart…
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound centre is an excellent two-way forward who has really elevated his offensive game in the early going of the 2013-14 season. Reinhart shows an ability to produce in all situations and his excellent vision and offensive awareness bode well when projecting what type of offensive impact he can have in the NHL.
Bennett:
Bennett is a true 200-foot player and is capable of playing on the powerplay, penalty kill, and is never one to cheat his defensive responsibilities to initiate something at the other end of the ice. That’s not to downplay his offensive game, however, as Bennett is a very crafty player who has a deceptive shot release and underrated playmaking ability.
Draisaitl:
With pro size, Draisaitl plays brings a consistently high compete level and has excellent hands and offensive talent. More of a playmaker than a scorer, Draisaitl has shown that he can be an offensive catalyst night in, night out, and should wind up having a good opportunity to make the jump to the NHL next year.
Dal Colle:
The 6-foot-2 forward is capable of playing both centre and the wing and possesses impressive puck protection skills and offensive zone creativity that project well on his ability to be a big-time producer at the next level. Dal Colle’s top-end speed is an area of continued improvement, but his elusiveness, stickhandling ability, and long reach create matchup problems for any OHL defenseman.

WRAP UP…

Keep in mind that the above scouting report is just one example. Not every scouting bureau will see players the same way; just like Oilers fans don’t see every player the same way.
We hope this is the final time we have to start previewing draft selections in January, but until the Oilers become more competitive, we have no choice but to discuss draft picks in January.
I’ll be watching tonight’s game closely. Here are the projected lineups…
TEAM ORR…
 
21 Lemieux – 92 Draisaitl – 96 Watson
11 Perlini – 19 McCann – 66 Ho-Sang
61 Bishop – 72 Point – 18 Virtanen
91 Clarke – 10 Cornel – 24 Ehlers
 
2 Peters – 5 Ekblad
4 Marrtin – 6 Honka
28 Haydon – 27 Thomas
 
MacDonald (starting)
Billia
 
TEAM CHERRY
 
71 Dal Colle – 23 Reinhart – 66 Barbashev
20 Ritchie – 72 MacInnis – 91 Bleackley
22 Mistele – 19 Fabbri – 90 Goldobin
28 Audette – 9 De Leo -27 Scherbak
 
4 Fleury – 24 Irving
7 DeAngelo – 21 Middleton
3 Vanier – 2 McKeown
 
Edmonds (starting)
Nedeljkovic
Bennett is not playing unfortunately due to an injury, so you will have to watch his OHL games on line if you want to see him in action. He was replaced by Point.
The next few months decide if the Oilers finish 28th, or if the wheels completely fall off and they manage to finish below Calgary and/or Buffalo.
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