Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson
7 years ago
Peter Chiarelli had what we might charitably describe as a
divisive summer, with the fan base split over both his choice of Adam Larsson
as a long-term defensive solution and also the cost paid to acquire that
player.
divisive summer, with the fan base split over both his choice of Adam Larsson
as a long-term defensive solution and also the cost paid to acquire that
player.
While the trade itself is highly debatable, what seems
beyond dispute is the fact that the Edmonton Oilers will go into next season
with a better top defence pair then they have iced in a long while.
beyond dispute is the fact that the Edmonton Oilers will go into next season
with a better top defence pair then they have iced in a long while.
A Brief History of the
Top Defence Pairings of the Rebuild Era
2015-16: Darnell
Nurse and Andrej Sekera. With Oscar Klefbom injured and Justin Schultz
traded midseason, the two top defencemen in terms of minutes last season were
Sekera and Nurse. That’s just as bad as it sounds. Sekera is a capable enough
veteran, but pushed to his off-side (where
he isn’t as good) and saddled with a first-year player he had very little
chance. Needless to say, it was also deeply unfair for his rookie partner to be tossed into the deep end, too.
Nurse and Andrej Sekera. With Oscar Klefbom injured and Justin Schultz
traded midseason, the two top defencemen in terms of minutes last season were
Sekera and Nurse. That’s just as bad as it sounds. Sekera is a capable enough
veteran, but pushed to his off-side (where
he isn’t as good) and saddled with a first-year player he had very little
chance. Needless to say, it was also deeply unfair for his rookie partner to be tossed into the deep end, too.
2014-15: Oscar
Klefbom and Justin Schultz. Among the more baffling items of the Craig MacTavish
era was the preference for Schultz over Jeff Petry. Schultz not only got more minutes,
but lasted longer as an Oiler due to the team’s reluctance to extend Petry
prior to his free agent year. The 2014-15 version of Klefbom entered the year
with just 17 games of NHL experience, but somehow ended up the team’s best
left-side option.
Klefbom and Justin Schultz. Among the more baffling items of the Craig MacTavish
era was the preference for Schultz over Jeff Petry. Schultz not only got more minutes,
but lasted longer as an Oiler due to the team’s reluctance to extend Petry
prior to his free agent year. The 2014-15 version of Klefbom entered the year
with just 17 games of NHL experience, but somehow ended up the team’s best
left-side option.
2013-14: Andrew
Ference and Justin Schultz. It was really Schultz and Petry who led the
team in ice-time, but Ference was the club’s top left-side option, averaging
21:03 per game in his first year with the team. The 34-year-old Ference simply
wasn’t up to the job, while Edmonton’s Schultz experiment continued with
lackluster results. As a duo, this pair managed a 42 percent Corsi rating.
Ference and Justin Schultz. It was really Schultz and Petry who led the
team in ice-time, but Ference was the club’s top left-side option, averaging
21:03 per game in his first year with the team. The 34-year-old Ference simply
wasn’t up to the job, while Edmonton’s Schultz experiment continued with
lackluster results. As a duo, this pair managed a 42 percent Corsi rating.
2011-13: Ladislav
Smid and Jeff Petry. This is the closest thing the Oilers have seen to a
legitimate top pairing in the last five years, and it really wasn’t. Smid was
always a limited player, but his strengths compensated nicely for Petry’s
weaknesses, while Petry himself was long underappreciated as a puckmoving
defender at evens. This was a 47%
Corsi duo on a 46% Corsi team, which wasn’t bad given the minutes they
played but wasn’t good enough, either.
Smid and Jeff Petry. This is the closest thing the Oilers have seen to a
legitimate top pairing in the last five years, and it really wasn’t. Smid was
always a limited player, but his strengths compensated nicely for Petry’s
weaknesses, while Petry himself was long underappreciated as a puckmoving
defender at evens. This was a 47%
Corsi duo on a 46% Corsi team, which wasn’t bad given the minutes they
played but wasn’t good enough, either.
2010-11: Ladislav Smid
and Tom Gilbert. Ryan Whitney and Jeff Petry each played less than half the
season (though for different reasons) and with few other options then-coach Tom
Renney decided to play his two real NHL defencemen together. It worked relatively
well, for mostly the same reasons that Smid/Petry would over the following
years. The Oilers as a team ran a 46% Corsi; Smid/Gilbert together clicked at
51%.
and Tom Gilbert. Ryan Whitney and Jeff Petry each played less than half the
season (though for different reasons) and with few other options then-coach Tom
Renney decided to play his two real NHL defencemen together. It worked relatively
well, for mostly the same reasons that Smid/Petry would over the following
years. The Oilers as a team ran a 46% Corsi; Smid/Gilbert together clicked at
51%.
2009-10: Chaos. Lubomir
Visnovsky was dumped at mid-season, with Ryan Whitney replacing him. Sheldon
Souray was injured and ultimately banished. Tom Gilbert played with Denis
Grebeshkov until the latter was shipped off to Nashville. In all, Pat Quinn
would use 14 different defencemen in what remains the worst season of the last
decade for the Oilers.
Visnovsky was dumped at mid-season, with Ryan Whitney replacing him. Sheldon
Souray was injured and ultimately banished. Tom Gilbert played with Denis
Grebeshkov until the latter was shipped off to Nashville. In all, Pat Quinn
would use 14 different defencemen in what remains the worst season of the last
decade for the Oilers.
There are a lot of reasons the Oilers were as bad as they
were over the rebuild era, but a lack of stability at the top end of the
defence (along with the lack of depth behind the top pair) was a key
contributor. Just a year before the chaos of 2009-10, Edmonton had run a
five-man unit anchored by Sheldon Souray and Lubomir Visnovsky, with Tom
Gilbert, Denis Grebeshkov and Steve Staios in supporting roles.
were over the rebuild era, but a lack of stability at the top end of the
defence (along with the lack of depth behind the top pair) was a key
contributor. Just a year before the chaos of 2009-10, Edmonton had run a
five-man unit anchored by Sheldon Souray and Lubomir Visnovsky, with Tom
Gilbert, Denis Grebeshkov and Steve Staios in supporting roles.
Then Steve Tambellini started making changes and the whole
thing went pear-shaped.
thing went pear-shaped.
Klefbom and Larsson
The closest comparison to Klefbom/Larsson on the above list
is probably Smid/Petry, but it’s hard not to like this newer version better.
is probably Smid/Petry, but it’s hard not to like this newer version better.
Larsson, obviously, is the stylistic fit for Smid. Both are
big, strong, defence-first defencemen. Larsson just happens to be better. I’ve
groused as much as anyone about the lack of offensive track record from Larsson
in the NHL, but he can make a pass and put up 18 points in brutal minutes last
season. At the same point in his career, Smid had 25 career points and had never
taken on the kind of responsibility that Larsson did in 2015-16.
big, strong, defence-first defencemen. Larsson just happens to be better. I’ve
groused as much as anyone about the lack of offensive track record from Larsson
in the NHL, but he can make a pass and put up 18 points in brutal minutes last
season. At the same point in his career, Smid had 25 career points and had never
taken on the kind of responsibility that Larsson did in 2015-16.
For that matter, even in his prime Smid never took on the
kind of defensive responsibility that Larsson did last year.
kind of defensive responsibility that Larsson did last year.
Klefbom is also well ahead of where Petry was at the same
age. Petry, who went the longer college route, split his rookie pro campaign
between the NHL and AHL at the same age as Klefbom was last season. Klefbom’s
bigger, just as fast, and tracking ahead of Petry in both the offensive and
defensive zones.
age. Petry, who went the longer college route, split his rookie pro campaign
between the NHL and AHL at the same age as Klefbom was last season. Klefbom’s
bigger, just as fast, and tracking ahead of Petry in both the offensive and
defensive zones.
That isn’t a knock on either Smid or Petry, both of whom
have enjoyed fine NHL careers. Rather, it’s a reflection of how good Klefbom
and Larsson look at a younger age.
have enjoyed fine NHL careers. Rather, it’s a reflection of how good Klefbom
and Larsson look at a younger age.
Chiarelli can’t take credit for Klefbom, and he may well
have overpaid for Larsson. Nevertheless, he enters next season with a better
top pairing that any the Oilers have seen in at least eight years.
have overpaid for Larsson. Nevertheless, he enters next season with a better
top pairing that any the Oilers have seen in at least eight years.
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