Oilers Sign Ethan Bear to an Entry Level Contract
By baggedmilk
7 years ago
Today, the Oilers announced that they have signed defensive prospect Ethan Bear to a three-year entry level contract.
After being taken with the 124th pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, Ethan Bear went on to have an excellent draft+1 season with the Seattle Thunderbirds and vaulted his way up the Oilers prospect rankings. Bear was a staple on Seattle’s blue line, doing everything from running the power play to playing big defensive minutes on their top pairing. Not only was the former fifth rounder (FIFTH!) playing huge defensive minutes but he was also putting up excellent offensive numbers (65 points in 69 regular season games and 22 points in 14 playoff games).
If the Oilers allow Bear to marinate in the minors for a few more seasons (which I assume is the plan) then they could have a late round gem on their hands. The thing that impresses me is his ability to generate offense from the backend. When you compare Bear’s draft+1 season offense (65 points in 69 games) to Darnell Nurse’s draft+1 season (50 points in 64 games) you see a kid that has some touch. Comparing the two players is unfair as they play very different styles, but it is interesting to look at the numbers they put up at the same age.
Let’s take a closer look at who we’re talking about here…
The Scouting Report from Draft Day (courtesy of Lowetide)
- Red Line Report: Shutdown rearguard plays against the opposing teams’ top line every night and refuses to give away even an inch of space. Owns a laser shot that often finds the net – keeps it low and often produces dangerous rebounds. A good skater who likes to take the puck deep into the offensive zone and create chances, yet still has the speed to get back on defence.
- Corey Pronman: “He’s not a really flashy guy, I don’t think he’s won a major accolade or anything of the sort. He was consistently impressive this season, especially against his own age group. I thought he looked good at the Ivan Hlinka and U18’s, he looked like one of the better 1997 defensemen. Throughout the entire WHL season he was very good—not amazing, but steady in both ends. He could move the puck, he played hard and showed good hockey sense on both sides of the puck.”
- Black Book: He prefers to use outlet passes, which he is very good at delivering to his teammates—sometimes sending the puck tape-to-tape from his own goalline to the opposition’s blueline.
- McKeens: Strong, physical defender – solidly-built and a tenacious competitor .. not flashy skill wise, however makes smart plays and packs a powerful shot.
- ISS: Does a lot of things well, but mainly plays a strong defensive and physical game. Strong in front of the net and along the boards, doesn’t run around in the defensive zone and has good positioning.
Over at Cult of Hockey Ben Berland wrote a great piece about Ethan Bear’s development. Here’s a taste:
Ethan Bear has a solid all-around game, and for a player chosen in the fifth round, one could only speculate that his size (listed at 5’11.5” 197 lbs) is why many teams chose to pass over him over his projected draft spot. Although I only was able to see him in one game, I must say that I was thoroughly impressed with many facets of his game. Bear does all the small things well, such as taking a hit to make a play, or lunging for a poke check in the offensive zone (successfully) to keep a power play going. His read and react skills are excellent as he has the ability to read all game situations and react to them accordingly. He has one of the higher levels of read and react that I’ve seen in an Oilers prospect in quite some time. This is what probably allows Bear to thrive in a position that often requires more size. Read and react is a great equalizer for many players and the lack of such skills is a detriment to others who possess the physical skills but weak read and react skills.
What does the future hold for Ethan Bear? Hockey’s Future put it this way:
Bear attended his first NHL training camp with Edmonton (last summer) and has blossomed as a top pairing defenseman for the Seattle Thunderbirds in his third WHL season. Playing in all situations for the Thunderbirds in 2015-16, he has logged large amounts of ice time and is among the team leaders in assists and points. Bear is still developing both physically and in terms of his tactical game. His play to this point has been impressive and he has the makings of being a late-round steal.
A late-round steal? When was the last time we were able to say that around here? From where I blog, this is a solid move that adds to the organizational depth on the backend, and if the Oilers allow Bear to marinate properly they could have a beauty coming up in the system over the next few years. Did I mention he’s also right handed? Love it.
ETHAN BEAR SO FAR
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | +/- | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-13 | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2013-14 | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | 58 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 2014-15 | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | 69 | 13 | 25 | 38 | 23 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 2015-16 | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | 69 | 19 | 46 | 65 | 33 | 14 | 18 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 8 |
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