Oil Kings have two budding stars in Robertson and Neighbours
6 years ago
All season, the future has been the focus for the Edmonton Oil Kings. This years team has gone through more than their fair share of long losing streaks and blowout losses, but it was all expected. After all, this was the down part of their cycle. The focus was always on the future.
Now, with just seven games to go, fans are getting their best glimpse of this team’s bright future.
The teams 2017 #4th overall pick Jake Neighbours has been recalled for the remainder of the season, and there’s no doubt that the team expects him to be their offensive leader as they aim for playoff contention in the coming years.
While Neighbours is the core piece up front, Matthew Robertson is the teams’ cornerstone on the back end. As the year has gone on, Robertson has looked more and more like the future stud blueliner that the club expected when they drafted him 7th overall in 2016.
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve had the chance to chat with the two players about their seasons and Head Coach Steve Hamilton about the organizations budding young stars.
MATTHEW ROBERTSON
Although it’s his rookie year, Robertson is no stranger to the WHL life. His brother Tyler played in over 200 games with the Oil Kings and was apart of the teams 2014 Memorial Cup Championship.
“You’d be hard-pressed to look around the league and find a 16-year-old defenseman who’s had the same kind of impact that Robertson has had for us,” said Head Coach Steve Hamilton “We haven’t had a 16-year-old defenseman like this since Griffin (Reinhart).”
As the team has struggled, I’ve always been impressed with how Robertson has managed to keep an element of composure in his game. Although he isn’t overly flashy, I really value Robertsons ability to slow down the game and make good, calculated plays with the puck.
It’s very rare to see him turn over the puck, and for a WHL rookie, that’s an impressive quality.
Robertson hasn’t just been getting credit from those in Edmonton either. TSN’s Craig Button released a list of players to watch for in the 2019 NHL Draft, and he had the Oil Kings defender ranked 10th.
There’s no doubt he’s going to be a first rounder next year, it’s now just a matter of how high.
If there’s one area I’d like to see Robertson improve in, it’s his ability to produce offensively, but I believe that will come with more experience and a better supporting cast. As for what he would like to improve in his game as he heads into his draft year, Robertson had a few ideas.
“I’d like to gain some weight and get a little stronger, but also work on my skating and my shot,” said the Edmonton product.
It’s tough to tell exactly what Matthew Robertson’s ceiling is, and that’s what will make these next few years even more exciting. He has a chance to become one of the best defenders in this league and that should have Oil Kings fans salivating.
JAKE NEIGHBOURS
“He’s got tons of jam, he’s physical, he’s unafraid. I’d take a whole pile of Jake Neighbours in my lineup,” said Coach Steve Hamilton, who raved about the teams young forward.
When the Oil Kings took the Airdrie, Alberta fourth overall in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft, what they saw was the complete package. Not only does Neighbours have a natural scoring ability, but he combines it with good speed and a willingness to play a physical game.
His speed and offensive instincts are very apparent after watching him a few times lately, but what’s really impressed me with Neighbours is his ability to keep up his physical play despite only being 15-years-old.
“They drafted me for a reason, and I got to keep the game that I had when they drafted me regardless of how big I am,” said Neighbours.
He’s coming off a sensational year in the Alberta Midget Hockey League, grabbing 57 points in just 33 games, which led the league. That’s quite an accomplishment for a 15-year-old.
Although the offence hasn’t translated to the WHL quite yet, he’s only played four games and you can tell he’s starting to get more confident with the puck.
He’s now been recalled for the remainder of the season and there’s no doubt that it will be a great thing for him. Not only will he get seven more games in the WHL, which will help give him a leg up next season, he’ll also get to go on a road trip with the team through Saskatchewan, which will give him a taste of life in the league.
There are going to be plenty of positives around this team in the next couple weeks, regardless of the results, and that positivity starts with Neighbours and Robertson.
The Oil Kings are back in action tonight at 6 pm as they kick off a three-game road trip from Saskatoon.
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