WRAP REPORT: BARONS BLUE 11-12

Alex Plante started this hockey season with some question marks. His progression had been slow, the organization had traded for a very similar prospect in Colten Teubert and Plante was hindered by foot speed issues. Alex Plante’s arrows were not headed in a good direction. What a difference a year makes.

This has been a topsy turvy year for the Oilers defense. The incumbent home grown blue (Theo Peckham) battled injury and ineffectiveness and his status in the organization is in some question at this time. The "tweener" Jeff Petry began the season as an "AHL option" because he didn’t have to clear waivers–that won’t be an issue for many years to come. Corey Potter was a late July 1 signing with a less than 50% chance to make the team, and he ended up with an extension before season’s end.

What a year!

Here are the OKC boxcars for the blue.

Petry didn’t spend much time in the AHL, and he won’t return for a long time if ever. Chorney had an interesting season, and with his footspeed may well have been a multi-millionaire if the NHL had kept their post lockout rules. Plante has a decent number here for a stay at home type and that combined with a solid plus minus and improved play under coach Todd Nelson earned him a spot at the mid-season All-Star game.

Veteran Bryan Helmer is as old as the hills and twice as dusty, but the AHL record breaker delivered the best PP number for this Barons team. Rodney helped after coming over mid-season and Chorney–who spent some NHL time with both Edmonton and St. Lous this season–had some success on the PP.

 Teubert is the only defender to get a PK point this season.

 

 

Todd Nelson’s work in OKC has been an enormous positive for the Oilers in the last 24 months. A young man like Jeff Petry should be a major part of the organization for most of this decade, and if one of Plante, Chorney, Teubert or Marincin (who is OKC for the playoffs after playing well at the end of the regular season) can develop into a solid NHL defenseman then the Oilers hard word in procurement and development will have been worth it. 

A year ago, the men OKC looked to graduate to Edmonton in 11-12 were Jeff Petry, Teemu Hartikainen and Linus Omark. This fall, Hartikainen will be joined up front by Magnus Paajarvi and Anton Lander, and on defense by Alex Plante and Colten Teubert.

It takes awhile to graduate to the best hockey league on the planet, but there is progress. Next stop: Oilers training camp.