Quick Hits on Oilers vets and rookies

Photo credit:Walter Tychnowicz-USA TODAY Sports

6 years ago

The Oilers informal skates began earlier this week at the practice rink at Rogers Place, and every day new players are arriving. Patrick Maroon and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins joined the skate this morning. Mark Fayne arrived last night, however, his equipment didn’t make the transfer in Toronto and he wasn’t on the ice this morning because he was still waiting for his equipment to arrive.

The Oilers rookies went through their off-ice testing this morning and will fly to Penticton this afternoon.

They open the Young Stars Tournament tomorrow at 5 p.m MST against the Calgary Flames rookies. They play the Winnipeg Jets Saturday night at 8:30 MST and wrap up the tournament Monday afternoon at 3 p.m MST. All games will be streamed live at Oilers.nhl.com.

Here are a few quick notes from today.

Caleb Jones had nose surgery in the summer, which is why he wasn’t at development camp in July. He was out a month, but is feeling much better. He was having trouble breathing properly, after breaking his nose numerous times, but now he feels great. “I’ve noticed it in training, but mostly when I sleep. I can breath much easier and it has really helped sleeping,” said Jones. Proper sleep is such a major part of proper training for players and Jones is very happy with the improved breathing and sleeping results due to his surgery.
Jones played RD the past two seasons. He shoots left, but can play both sides. That is a massive advantage and makes him even more valuable. I know Ethan Bear has garnered a lot of interest within Oilersnation due to his offensive numbers, and rightfully so, but today I’d have Jones ranked higher. He is a better all-around defender. Bear is more offensive and his offence will be his calling card, but Jones is versatile, can play both sides, skates very well, has good positional awareness, can move the puck and produce some offence. I’m very curious to see how these two progress over the next three seasons.
2017 first round pick Kailer Yamamoto weighs 155 pounds today. He said he was 146 at the combine so he’s gained nine pounds. He wanted to gain more, but admitted it has been tough to put on weight. Still, adding nine pounds on such a small frame is still a lot in four months. Weight is one aspect, but adding strength will be much more important for Yamamoto moving forward. He doesn’t have to be huge to be successful — look at Johnny Gaudreau — but rushing Yamamoto has no benefits. He simply isn’t big enough or strong enough to take on 200+ pound defenders. He has loads of skill, and is very determined and confident in his ability, which is great, but I wouldn’t even consider having Yamamoto in Edmonton after the first six or seven preseason games. Let him go to Spokane, light up the WHL, represent the USA at the World Juniors and when his WHL season is over, he can play some games in Bakersfield if they are still playing. He will gain strength in the future and that will be more important than the number on the scale.
Stuart Skinner, the 78th selection in the 2017 draft has a very unique story. The product of Edmonton is the youngest of nine kids. His parents, Sam and Sue, love the letter S and their kids are, in order from oldest to youngest, Steven, Sarah, Sandra, Sharon, Shannon, Samantha, Scott, Sheldon and Stuart. “My dad joked if they had a 10th child they’d name him or her ‘Stop’,” Skinner said this morning. Skinner has 12 nieces and nephews. “It’s pretty crazy. I remember when I was at school, I think I was only in grade three or four, and my sister just had a baby, and I was like, ‘I’m way too young to be an uncle. How is this even a thing?’. He’s (my nephew) only a couple years younger than me. I think he’s 11 or 12. I’m 18,” smiled Skinner.They must be huge fans? “For sure, the nieces and nephews are so supportive, and they are such loving kids. I learned how to be a guy who likes kids, and a guy who likes babies. I know how to hold them, and how to change diapers and stuff. I learned that when I was in Grade 4. It’s pretty crazy having the family that I have, and I couldn’t imagine it any other way,” said Skinner.
The Oilers just signed their other third round pick from the 2017 draft, Dmitri Samorukov, to a three-year ELC this afternoon. It is a bit of a surprise to sign a third round pick so soon after the draft, but the Oilers are really high on the left-shooting defenceman. The young Russian played in Guelph last season, racking up 20 points in 67 games on a bad team. He was -24, but that was only fourth worst among defencemen. He turned 18 in June and I believe the reason for this early signing is so he won’t be signing in the KHL and delaying his debut in the AHL/NHL. He will return to Guelph this year, and likely again next season, but this signing is unique in how early it was after the draft for a pick outside the first round.
I spoke to Oscar Klefbom today. He was very excited to be back. He stayed close to home in Sweden all summer. “It was a shorter summer and I was invited to go to Greece and Spain, but I just wanted to relax close to home. I’m hoping that is the case for the next few years. We should be playing late in May and June, I hope,” said Klefbom. He believes the Oilers have something special and wants to build on it. Look for Klefbom to try and add some more 5×5 offence in his game. He believes playing a second year with Adam Larsson will allow him to take a few more chances because he knows exactly where Larsson likes to be. “Knowing where he is every play is great for me. It is much easier to play when you know where your partner will be. We read each other well,” said Klefbom.One of the most overlooked aspects of how the top teams stay at the top is the lack of lineup change, especially among their top players. Larsson and Klefbom will improve, due to their age, but also due to more on-ice continuity. It is a massive advantage and something the Oilers haven’t had for years. The past few years they were always adding 8-11 new faces to the lineup. This year they could have no new faces on their blueline on opening night and only two or three new forwards.

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