FIXING A HOLE WHERE THE RAIN CAME IN
By Lowetide
7 years agoThe Edmonton Oilers must have had a plan for the 2014 draft, but two years later, that plan remains unclear. Perhaps the organization was concerned about not having enough room on their 50-man list, assuming the 2012 and 2013 drafts would have filled the organizational holes and sustained them for a decade. Peter Chiarelli is filling the void this spring with college and European signings, a rational approach to a lost draft summer.
THE 2013 DRAFT
Edmonton chose 10 players in the 2013 draft, signing six and all are in pro hockey now. A seventh, second-round selection Marco Roy, played in the organization last season on an AHL contract. Three men—Jackson Houck, Evan Campbell and Aidan Muir—are either in college or were not signed by the organization (Houck). Here are the results of this past season from the six players inside the Oilers organization from the 2013 draft:
- D Darnell Nurse 69gp, 3-7-10 (Oilers)
- C Bogdan Yakimov 36gp, 5-10-15 (Condors)
- R Anton Slepyshev 11gp, 0-1-1 (Oilers) and 49gp, 13-8-21 (Condors)
- C Kyle Platzer 48gp, 6-11-17 (Condors)
- D Ben Betker 14gp, 0-2-2 (Condors) and 49gp, 3-14-17 (Admirals)
- R Greg Chase 19gp, 1-6-7 (Condors) and 43gp, 18-19-37 (Admirals)
The 2013 draft saw one NHL (Nurse), three AHL (Yakimov, Slepyshev and Platzer) and two ECHL (Betker and Chase) occupy Edmonton’s pro lineups this season. We can agree or disagree on the quality of this draft crop, but there is some promise in this group three years after the draft.
THE 2014 DRAFT
Edmonton, with GM Craig MacTavish leading the decisions, chose very well in the first round with Leon Draisaitl. The team had no second-round selection, nor a third rounder, and the later picks have not performed well. Here are their boxcars for this past season:
- C Leon Draisaitl 72gp, 19-32-51 (Oilers)
- D William Lagesson 27gp, 2-5-7 (UMass-Amherst NCAA)
- G Zach Nagelvoort 11gp, 2.99 .893 (Michigan NCAA)
- L Liam Coughlin 35gp, 3-9-12 (Vermont NCAA) (rights were traded to Chicago)
- F Tyler Vesel 35gp, 6-12-18 (Nebraska-Omaha NCAA)
- G Keven Bouchard 41gp, 3.68 .878 (Two teams, QMJHL)
Leon Draisaitl is tracking well—coming off a solid NHL season—and William Lagesson appears to be doing well (almost impossible to measure defensive defenders beyond saw him good, and the Swede looked very good at the WJs).
None of these prospects is going to get signed this summer, in my opinion. Lagesson is a lefty blue, the Oilers have about 15 already on their pro list. The goalies are not coming off strong seasons, although that Bouchard playoff run (.909SP) is worthy of mention.
The bottom line? Craig MacTavish gifted Peter Chiarelli a spring signing season in which nothing grew. What did Chiarelli do?
SIGNING PROSPECTS
- LW Jere Sallinen. Jeff Veillette has a really good article on Sallinen and his KHL season.
- G Nick Ellis. Chris Dilks, SB Nation: Ellis
spent the past two seasons waiting in the wings behind superstar goalie
Jon Gillies at Providence. But this year, as the team’s top goalie,
he’s been able to shine. Ellis brings a good mix of size and athleticism
and has been very effective in net all season. Source - LW Drake Caggiula. Flyers GM Ron Hextall: “He’s got speed, he
plays hard, he has a lot of good attributes. He’s got a shot at being a
top six (player) based on his ability. He’s not the biggest player, but
he plays hard.” - RW Patrick Russell. Below
Peter Chiarelli probably spent some time last winter looking at the prospects who were eligible to sign from previous drafts, and chose File 13. His response this spring is encouraging.
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