NHL EQUIVALENCIES AT CHRISTMAS (VOL 2)

In our second look at NHL equivalencies during the Christmas season, we’re off to Oklahoma City in order to find some signs of offense. A youngster like Travis Ewanyk (in photo) is playing 4line minutes, are there any signs he can play someday in the NHL? Let’s have a look.

I’ve started to use Rob Vollman’s equivalencies for AHL players, he staggers the number based on age. That makes sense, since a 20-year old posting a point-per-game is clearly better than a 27-year old doing the same thing. Here are the NHL equivalencies for men aged 19-22 on the Barons (per 82 games):

Lots of good information here. First, Anton Lander! His final season in Sweden featured some solid offense, but it’s been a miserable time for him in North America. He started to turn the corner last season when the NHLers went home, and that is continuing this season. Roman Horak is the new hire, I liked him in Calgary and believe he should get a shot in Edmonton (probably next season). Martin Gernat is beginning to emerge as a viable two-way option for the Barons, and his number at 20 is encouraging. Among the rest, I like the Marincin number but the Klefbom number suggests we might be looking at Smid-level offense from the young phenom.

(Phil Larsen. All photos by Rob Ferguson, all rights reserved).

This group has added experience to their skill set, and so a little more air is let out of their tires using the Vollman method. Per 82 games:

No surprise that Omark posts the best number, but a big surprise that Larsen’s offense is so mammoth. Now, this is in fewer than 10 games, but the young man has been on a pace in the NHL that would put him past 30 points in a full season. Fedun is a solid AHL player looking for a chance, Hunt is intriguing and Miller, Stretch and Acton are also in photo. In that group, only Acton is a pure defensive forward, so the other two are in a little trouble as prospects.

This is the group that is either trying to find NHL work or at the end of their NHL run before heading to Europe. It’s unlikely any of this group ends up in the NHL for an extended period of time. Per 82 games:

Hamilton is a guy I thought might have some NHL impact, but foot speed exposed him and he had poor timing in the injury department. Grebeshkov’s skills have eroded since leaving the NHL, I’m surprised he isn’t back in Russia.

It’s a dog-eat-dog world when it comes to getting clearance from other prospects, but this season I would suggest that Barons Lander, Gernat, Marincin, Larsen and Fedun have done it. There’s a lot of defensemen on that list, but they lack experience. As has been said many times, the odds that Edmonton cashes one or two of these young men for a more experienced player is high.

The CHL, college and Euro group is here.  I’ll do a wrap up post in the coming days.