Oilers Prospects Flourish on WJ Stage
By Lowetide
13 years ago
This is Martin Marincin at the World Junior’s a year ago. The Team Slovakia defender (and Oilers draft pick) is engaging Nazem Kadri on December 29, 2009. It looks like an effective play by the defender. Oiler draft picks are delivering more of the same at the Buffalo World Juniors this week.
- Olivier Roy, Canada: Won his first game against the Russians and will start game 2 today. His SP (.889) ranks him 8th among the 11 goalies who have appeared so far, and he did let in a soft goal against the Russians. However, Roy didn’t let any of the goals impact his play and looked like a calm force in net for Canada. The way this tournament is shaping up, Roy is going to get the tough assignments which bodes well for him when the medal rounds begin.
- Curtis Hamilton, Canada: Hamilton scored a goal, had 2 shots on net and finished G1 with a plus +2 (good for a 6th place tie in the tournament). He has a lot of jump and seems to have adapted well to the coach’s dizzying line combinations. He’s getting some PK time, I’m hopeful he’ll see a powerplay before the end of the tournament.
- Anton Lander, Sweden: 1gp, 0-2-2 +3 so far in the tournament. It’s important to remember that the 19-year olds dominate the WJ’s, so Lander’s bar should be set higher. Still, it’s difficult to hold back on superlatives when checking the faceoffs and seeing the young man has a 75% success rate on sorties in the circle. Crazy man, crazy. When do flights leave for Edmonton?
- Martin Marincin, Slovakia: 1gp, 0-0-0 +1 in his WJ’s so far this season, and the reports had him playing a sound positional game. He went 6gp, 0-2-2 -3 a year ago for Slovakia, so should improve on those numbers.
- Toni Rajala, Finland: 1gp, 0-1-1 E with an exceptional 6 shots on goal in G1 against the Americans. He’s a talented little buzzsaw, and based on his play I don’t think we should be too concerned about his middling offense in the SM-Liiga this season. Kid is a talent.
Every Oiler prospect plays today. Roy & Hamilton suit up for team Canada against the Czechs at 2pm Edmonton time this afternoon; Lander and Sweden play Russia at 5pm Edmonton time, both games are on tsn. Rajala and Finland play Switzerland this morning but there is no television coverage. At 6 tonight, Marincin and the Slovaks play the Americans. It is on the NHL network in the USA, but I don’t believe the coverage extends into Canada.
GO CANADA!!!
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