Monday Mailbag – What Will Scouts see in Pouliot?

Here we are on another pantless long-weekend Monday, but this time we look to avoid spending time with loved ones as opposed to pretending to be busy at work. With the trade deadline just around the corner, you need to prepare yourself as best you can and that includes absorbing the wisdom that’s waiting for you in this week’s mailbag. As always, the bag of mail depends on your brains, and if you have a question you can email it to me at baggedmilk@oilersnation.com or hit me up on Twitter at @jsbmbaggedmilk. Now, grab a coffee and leave your office line off the hook and learn something.

With a veteran like Pouliot, the scouting team would certainly know what he can bring. I have been told that scouts make sure player is healthy, confirm he is still on PK, and get a general feel about how well he is playing. I have talked to scouts about this in the past, and they mostly use anecdotes (probably why I like talking to them so much), but that is the general idea, I believe. 

There is much more to see in person.  TV is a really narrow view of the game. Often you don’t see away from the puck or behind the play. Scouts look for many things that the stat sheet or closed scope of TV show us. However, in the case of Pouliot there is nothing they will see live that will make him look better than he has on TV or on the stat sheet this year. He is in a major funk and no one will be trading for him at the deadline.

To get a full read on a player, you need every aspect — viewing him live, breaking down game footage on him and an eye for his statistics. The more information the better. The best scouts use all of it. A person sitting 1,000 kms away from a player watching him on TV and going over stats won’t have the same amount of information as the person who does the same but also watches the games live. It’s not just about watching live, it’s about talking to other scouts and picking the brains of those who are close to the team. There are tidbits and insights there that make a difference.

There’s a lot that a stat sheet can tell you and a lot it cannot. Is his skating laboured? Is he contributing to plays in the defensive zone or neutral zone that lead to offense but don’t show up in the box cars? I would be looking at passes and stick-work, but truth be told I can only tell you what *I* would be looking at. 

It likely comes down to the individual scout and the organization they come from. But professional scouts tend to watch for small details in a player’s game, like their speed on the forecheck and backcheck, whether or not they finish checks, how tired they look at the end of a shift, and so on. This is especially the case with older players, as the acquiring team needs to be sure that the player their targeting has the health and energy for a playoff run. 

TV won’t tell you what colour Gatorade Pouliot’s drinking on the bench, or how many times he gets yelled at by Todd McLellan. Lots of things to see that aren’t on TV!

I think scouts will look at him and say, “what the hell happened to Pouliot?” I personally believe that he’s a better play than what we’ve seen this year and I bet there are people around the league that would agree. No chance they want to pay the $4 contract he has, but there is a better player in there.

I think we will see a centre here, not sure if it will be a rental or someone with term. I also think a backup goalie is possible and maybe a RW—although the club does have internal options like Anton Slepyshev and Jesse Puljujarvi.

No way he gives up a 1st rounder for Boyle. I do see him adding a forward, though. He’d love to get a dominant offensive RD, but the cost will be very high and I don’t think he adds that at the deadline. I see more a mid round pick or prospect moving out for any deal he makes. Possibly the 2nd rounder in 2018 could be in play.

Tweaks? That’s anybody’s guess. I can’t see Chiarelli standing pat. The possibilities, like Boyle, Patrick Sharp and Patrick Eaves, we already know.

I mean, it’s realistic in the sense that I’m sure Yzerman would love that, but I can’t see the Oilers giving up a 1st for a 3C rental. That said, getting a player like Boyle would be fantastic for the Oil and allow for more offense up front without sacrificing too much on the 3rd. Maybe a middle 6 RW could be added instead. 

Trading a first round pick for Brian Boyle would be a massive overpay. Last year, the only player who netted a first round pick in any deadline deal was Andrew Ladd, and that was a regrettable deal for the Chicago Blackhawks to pull. The false parity in the league has created a situation in which only two teams are really totally out of it by late February, and as a result, the market heavily favours the seller. I mean, there’s a reason a replacement-level player like Boyle would net a first round pick in this climate, but for a team like the Oilers who are just opening up what should be a decade-long window of contention, there really isn’t any reason to pay that price. The Oilers are going to need to be continuously augmenting their roster with home grown talent, so in a year that heavily favours the seller, it might just be best to stand pat.

I wouldn’t call Boyle for a 1st a ‘tweak’. I would love to see a minor depth trade that ends up bringing a surprising performer like the Maroon trade last time. Amazing! 

I’d like to see the Oilers add another centre or a right-handed guy that move the puck on the backend. I doubt the latter will be available so I guess I’ll turn back to hoping for another centre. I’m still curious what it would look like with Nuge playing on the wing with either Draisaitl or McDavid. They can’t try that one though until they have a more competent 3rd line centre. 

I like them a lot, especially Lucic with Leon—which showed promise early. Jordan Eberle is the most established scoring winger, so putting him with McDavid also makes sense. The Nuge line is a bit of a mess, but that has more to do with roster quality.

I like Caggiula better on the wing and Draisaitl at centre. Draisaitl can carry the puck more and use his speed down the middle. He and McDavid can still play together on the PP, but I like having two dominant centres.

The results in the first two games going into Chicago were promising and not surprising. The Oilers were in a dry spell, which happens. You can’t just stand pat. Looks like Jordan Eberle is coming on, which helps.

I like them. He switched back in the 3rd period against the Hawks, but that’s what I want to see when the team struggles. I think strength down the middle is important but flexibility is important.

This is good and it’s been a long time coming. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have been phenomenal together, but stashing the team’s two best offensive threats on the same line makes the team much more predictable and easy to control. Draisaitl has the ability to drive a line, and McDavid can make just about anybody look good, so they should be the team’s one-two punch. 

I’m happy with them actually! Caggiula’s rocking on the wing and Draisaitl’s rocking back at centre. I didn’t think I’d like the split-up between Drai & McDavid, but it only makes sense to separate them. 

They’ve looked pretty good so far. After not really scoring since the All-Star Break the Oilers have rattled off double digits in goals for over the past three games. Can it continue? A blogger can only dream.

I think both will start in the AHL and spend most if not all of the year with Bakersfield. I would guess Jones gets a look in the NHL first because of foot speed, but that is a guess.

Neither is close to NHL. They aren’t big enough or strong enough yet. I highly doubt either one dominates in the AHL next year either. It is a massive jump from WHL to NHL. Jones is a bit ahead in my eyes than Bear. He is bigger and a better skater.

I don’t see a place on the Oiler blueline, as it stands now, next year or anytime soon. There is no rush. Both are seasons, not months, away — if they make it at all. 

Bear has an easier path to the NHL because he’s a RHD. If he can keep progressing it will be much easier for him to climb the depth charts. The Oilers are stacked down the left side. The right is pretty barren.

Definitely not next year, no. The Oilers have done a nice job building up depth on their blue line for the first time in years. Because of that, they can allow prospects like Bear and Jones to develop slowly, learn the professional game in the minors, mature physically, and come into a more favourable environment than ones they’ve thrown, say, Darnell Nurse or Justin Schultz into in the resent past. 

Right now Ethan Bear is looking a little better in my eyes. He has the advantage over Jones by being a right-hand shot. Honestly I don’t think either of them would CRACK an NHL roster next year but they might get a game or two. 

Too early to expect either of them to make the NHL roster but both are still intriguing prospects. Bear has an advantage in that a right-handed defenceman with a little bit of scoring touch is like a unicorn around these parts. Jones has some size and mobility that could allow him to move up the depth chart quickly. That said, both guys will be first year pros next year, in the AHL, and that’s where they should be for a while. 

Two answers: Billy Guerin, I still miss him. He was a force. Also, Reijo Ruotsalainen. I think he would be fantastic in this era.

Weight was great in Edmonton, but they don’t need another C. Steve Smith would bolster their D. Played the tough minutes, was highly competitive and would be great guy to teach Klefbom, Nurse, Benning and rest of younger D-men. Smith was very good on the blueline for many years and proved he has the gumption to overcome adversity. My second choice would be Bill Guerin. They could use a rugged, skilled RW. Guerin could fly, was tough and could score.

I go straight to either Kevin Lowe or Steve Smith first. My next choice would be Doug Weight. 

I’m taking your boy Doug’s winger Bill Guerin. He could play with McDavid, Drai, or Nuge and instantly add an element of physicality and goal scoring from the right side. I think he’s a Chiarelli-type player who would fit in very well on this roster.

2006 Fernando Pisani, of course. 

Doug Weight is a good pick. I’m always terrible at these questions but I’m going with Kevin Lowe!

I’m looking at you early to mid-2000s Ryan Smyth. I used to love watching Smytty plug away in front of the net, annoy goalies, and score a goal off of his ass. The Oilers don’t have anyone like him and I’m sure they could use the extra offence. On the back end I’m going with Pronger. I know that may not be a popular sentiment but you all know that it makes sense. 

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