Monday Mailbag – What’s the deal with Adam Clendening?

The weekend is over, you’re back at work, and you need a way to kill some time. With that, I introduce another edition of the Mailbag. The mailbag only works because of you guys, and that means I need questions. If you have something you’d like to ask our panel of mental wizards you can email it to me at baggedmilk@oilersnation.com or hit me up on Twitter. Enjoy the break from productivity, Internet friends.

He hasn’t done much for me. He looked pretty good against San Jose, but other than that I haven’t been overly impressed. At most I see him as a depth defender to slot in the 6-7 spot, which is infinitely replaceable, and I’d rather have a guy like Pardy in that spot. Might be a good fit in Bakersfield next year to help shepherd some of the younger guys though!

Hasn’t shown much. Thanks for coming.

I like him with the puck on his stick in the offensive zone, and he is a nice passer. I don’t like the fact he gets knocked off the puck easily and is not a great skater. As you say, too soon to know.

Don’t see what he excels at. Not a great skater, not physical, not dominant defensively and doesn’t produce enough offence. I see him as maybe a depth signing because Olers don’t have many right shots, but only if they strike out signing other right shot defenders.

I think he could be a #7 for the Oilers if they pick up two other RHD. I’ve seen some things I like but it’s mixed with some bad. He plays a bit like Justin Schultz, which is fine in small doses. When he’s on his game he can keep the puck moving forward. That’s important.

I’m skeptical. The main problem from my vantage point with Clendening is offence. My view so far is that he’s a fringe NHL’er at five-on-five — he does some good things and some bad things and overall isn’t likely to climb higher than No. 6/7 on the depth chart — and that kind of player needs to find a way to add something else. In Clendening’s case, that “something else” is probably power play ability. He was a big scorer in college and the AHL but hasn’t shown that side in his time in the majors. If he can’t find it, he’s just too replaceable.

I think he is a good fit to finish off the season but there are no sure bets for next season. To change my mind he would have to improve his ability of getting shots through from the point.

I could see the Oilers qualifying his contract to add depth to the organization, but I don’t think that there’s a role for Adam Clendening in Chilarelli’s top six going into next year. There are things to like about Clendening, but it probably won’t be enough to keep him on the roster.

I fully expected one game, and thought that would have been more than fair. Three games seems excessive to me. I think the difference comes down to a few things, mostly optics. First, with Domi, it was the continuation of a single play/shift, whereas Polak served his full two minute penalty THEN got pumped by Nurse. I also think the fact that Polak was wearing the crimson mask sealed Darnell’s fate. If it had been similar to Domi and they just kind of fell to the ice in a pile and there was no clear sign of injury, I think Nurse would have escaped with just one game. But since it looked REAL bad the NHL probably felt forced to make it look like it they were being serious about head injuries or whatever. Just another case of the NHL Wheel Of Justice® being consistently inconsistent.

Been discussed to death. I’m fine with three games. Lots different than Domi. Garbutt play was heat of the moment, seconds after play that sparked things. Nurse decided he was going get payback and he did several minutes after Hendricks went into the boards. Premeditated. Garbutt was not injured. Polak suffered broken nose.

I think the NHL Player Safety video explained it, they felt it was targeting a player and he definitely did a number on Polak. I think the suspension was too long, but have no quarrel with a suspension. As for Nurse, he handled the situation with aplomb.

I’ve written enough on it. It would be been interesting to see if refs had given him the proper instigator rule, which comes with automatic one-game suspension, if NHL would have added on.

I thought three was too much, but not outrageous. He got penalized extra because he broke Polak’s nose. That thing stays intact and he gets the one game that comes with the instigator he should have got. As for what I think of his actions, he did the right thing at the wrong time. Polak didn’t do anything wrong to Hendricks and deserved no punishment. Still, Nurse thought he was avenging a teammate and definitely sent a message to the league that this team will no longer tolerate liberties taken against them.

I think the suspension was entirely justified. The fact is that Nurse beat an innocent and unwilling opponent into a bloody mess, and while I think he felt he had good reason to do so, the league needs to make the decision based on the facts. Having said that, the Domi suspension was far too lenient and an example of the maddening inconsistency the NHL habitually displays in these cases.

He didn’t stop hitting Polak, who was not into the fight, at all. I think three games is too much but considering the time of the game and how it looked I understand the league’s stance. I like this about Nurse. I like how aggressive he is.

When I wrote about Darnell Nurse’s hearing I wondered if he may get more than one game due to the fact that he beat the hell out of Polak minutes after the alleged offense against Matt Hendricks. Apparently, the NHL doesn’t appreciate when guys get their face punched in after doing nothing at all. That being said, I love what Darryl brings to the plate physically and he’s still just a kid. Just imagine how terrifying 25-year old Darnell Nurse will be.

I’m going with Florida. Since it’s not my money I have nothing to lose, and you have to think they’re going to be a huge underdog, so the payout would be MASSIVE! And it would be hilarious/sad to see ANOTHER cup in Florida before a Canadian province. Also I really want to see Loooouuuuuu win a cup before he retires. I love that guy!

Give me the $100 first and I’ll tell you. I’ll take Anaheim. Playing best hockey when it matters.

I would pick the Anaheim Ducks. They have been on fire since Christmas and have depth everywhere—including an enormous number of capable defenders. That can be key in the playoffs.

Washington because I think their path to the Cup looks easier than the top teams in the west.

Washington. They’ve got the ability to score, great coaching, and a fantastic goaltender. This is the year that Ovechkin becomes a champion.

Well, I’d rather just keep the money, but let’s run with it. I’d probably put $10 on Nashville, which seems to be paying out 30/1 right now; Rinne’s rediscovered his prior form and the team is good enough to be a darkhorse pick now that it has goaltending again. Tampa Bay is listed at 13/1 and I like their odds quite a bit better than that so I’d put $10 on them, too. Washington is at almost 4/1, so $28 gets spent there, Chicago is 5/1 and gets $23 from me, Anaheim’s 9/1 so I’ll put $15 there and Los Angeles is 10/1 so I’ll put $14 there, too. That’s $100 spent, and I get it all back and a little bit extra if either of the favourites (WSH and CHI) win. I make money on the Ducks, Lightning and Kings, all of whom have a chance, and while the money on Nashville may be wasted I like the Predators and a win there would triple my original $100 investment.

The Kings. This team is rested and ready to rumble. The Caps look very good but they don’t have Drew Doughty!

Chicago is going to be tough to beat again. Put it this way: would you bet against them?

It seems like he’s still focusing on the same thing that has been a problem that has plagued the team a lot this season/pretty much every game for the last six seasons or so: consistent compete. How many times this year have we seen them get hot for a game or two, come out flat the next game, give up a goal or two early and then have an incredibly hard time coming back? Even Patrick Maroon said the team looked deflated after that first San Jose goal, AND HE’S ONLY BEEN WITH THE TEAM FOR LIKE A WEEK! If the team can look competitive, regardless of if they win or not, for every game until the end of the season I think that will be a huge step forward.

He wants the Oilers to compete every shift, every period, every game. That’s not a switch you can turn on and off as you please even if the games are meaningless in the standings.

I think he will want to see what the team with all three of McDavid, Leon and Nuge as part of the top 9F—and Klefbom inside the top 6D. He won’t get  a feel for a completely healthy lineup but will know who he can rely on next year, and who Peter Chiarelli can send away.

Nothing different than he has done since he challenged them after the Ottawa debacle. Play hard, and try to be consistent. The Oilers effort, excluding SJ game, has been solid ever since.

I think you answered your own question. Getting that PP going would be a great start. It would be nice for McLellan to see what he could do with a healthy lineup. He won’t get to see that this year, but maybe 90% healthy.

Obviously, winning games in the final quarter of the year is one key goal; Edmonton has floundered in last for such a long time that some sign of progress would go a long way toward improving perception of the team. Getting special teams clicking would help – the power play hasn’t been good enough overall and the penalty kill allows far too many shots, but has been bailed out by Cam Talbot. Mostly, though, I think the team wants to see what having three healthy centres looks like, and if at all possible give a boost to one or two players that it will try and trade this summer.

Consistency. This is an issue that still plagues this team too often. Consistency in their approach to the Power play, discipline, turnovers, etc. Night to night you can’t tell what is coming down the pipe. Good teams are much more predictable.

He will keep banging home the importance of good defense leading to more offense, and why it’s important to do every single time. When you’re tight in your own end it will result in more opportunities to counterattack. 

I think by the time he retires he’ll be recognized fairly as one of the greatest of all time. Unfortunately for Jagr he wasn’t a trailblazer like Richard, Howe or Orr, and he wasn’t playing on a completely different plane than everyone else like Gretzky. Probably also didn’t help that he rode shotgun to Mario early in his career. But he’s been consistently amazing for pretty much his entire career. And I think what will help put him over the top is the fact that he’s STILL doing this at 44! He honestly looks like he could easily play until he’s 50, and if he does I think that alone will cement him as one of the G.O.A.T, numbers be dammed (but his numbers will obviously be even crazier if he does that)!

I think the most special thing about him is he’s pretty much impossible to knock off the puck. He’s got that big o’l badonkadonk that gives him an insane centre of gravity. Good luck knocking that guy over! He also has an sociopathic work ethic, as we’ve seen over the last few years where he basically never gets off the ice. He’s an absolute freak and a pleasure to watch!

For me, Jagr is top 10 all-time. His dedication to training is one of the things that sets him apart. Doesn’t hurt that he’s naturally big and strong and has been durable.

Jagr is one of the best I have ever seen. As a younger man, he combined size, speed, strength and fantastic skill and he was fantastic. Later in his career, as speed left him, he adapted and played a complementary game. For Jagr to have the skill he possesses, for so long, is one of the greatest things I have ever seen as a hockey fan. He is first ballot, inner circle, Hall of Fame.

Did anyone ever look at him as not a Hall of Famer? He is one of greatest players ever. Hockey is his life. He isn’t married and doesn’t have kids. He focuses everything on hockey. He is very determined and committed.

Absolutely he is one of the best of all time. He’s obviously hugely talented but even as the legs have gotten slower he’s still been able to produce in the NHL. His hockey IQ is probably underrated because his physical abilities were on display when he was a young man. He remains incredibly difficult to knock off the puck, he knows where it’s going to be, and he can still make plays. I don’t know what needs to happen for his production to really drop off.

Reconsider his place in history? He’s led the league in scoring five different times and sits third on the all-time scoring list with a very good chance of passing Mark Messier for second prior to his retirement, all while playing in an incredibly low-scoring era and taking a three-year European vacation while still in his prime. Yes, he’s one of the best players of all-time. As with all such players, there are a lot of things that make him special, but for me it’s his longevity. The man is 44 years old and still clicking along at nearly a point-per-game pace. When he came back to the NHL at the age of 39, a team could have signed him to a five-year contract and been just fine. That’s freakish, and speaks to the man’s commitment to his craft.

Yes. He is one of the greatest I have ever played against and with, and who has ever played. He is so strong. He can not be pushed off the puck so it gives him extra time to make plays. He is one of the most unique players to ever touch NHL ice.

Jaromir Jagr is an absolute legend in every sense of the world. In the NHL universe this guy is a God and I encourage all of you to watch him, and enjoy it, while you still can. There is only one Jaromir Jagr and we’re lucky enough that he’s still playing. I don’t know how old most of you are, but I remember this guy lighting up the league in the early 90s. The things that Jagr could do with the puck was amazing. It was like he was some kind of wizard.