WRAP REPORT: BARONS FWDS 11-12

Teemu Hartikainen posted another strong season in Oklahoma City and is now poised to take a run at NHL employment. Does Hartikainen score a lot of his AHL goals on the PP? Is he an EV monster? Do the young Barons have a penalty killer who drives the opponent crazy? Yes. Yes they do.

When we look at AHL forwards, the most important discipline is even strength. Most of these kids won’t get much PP time when they arrive in the NHL, certainly not as rookies. So, even strength scoring gives us some insight into the most promising prospects in the system and how they might perform in their big league roles–even strength.

Interesting list. Linus Omark is clearly the class of the group, even though he didn’t spend a lot of time in the AHL. We know he won’t be back, so the really prospects of note for Oilers fans on this list are Magnus Paajarvi and Teemu Hartikainen. Both men scored enough at even strength to suggest they might be able to make the jump to the NHL.

Notice the gap at evens between Hartikainen and Cornet. It is an issue.

A note on Anton Lander. His scouting reports suggest that defensive play will be a big part of his game and the total posted (in 14 games, so a small sample) suggests a player who will spend his NHL time as a checker and penalty killer.

Not much to say about this list. I doubt any of them spend a lot of time on the PP in the NHL save Omark, and he’ll need some help when he gets to his new team. I think Hartikainen could end up being a "block out the sun" slot presence on the PP but that’s down the line–he needs to earn an NHL job first.

Phil Cornet started well and 11 PP goals is solid, but the Edmonton Oilers have better options on their big league roster now and more may be on the way (Nail, anyone?).

Wow. Now that’s a number. Hunter Tremblay may never do anything else in his pro career worth mentioning, but his work shorthanded in OKC this season was clearly brilliant. This also gives us a clue about the main PK men for the Barons this year, I believe Tanner House also played a lot of SH minutes in 11-12.

 

Most of these guys won’t make it, the Oilers AHL team from 5 years ago looks like one giant mistake but others from the same era had some success with a player or two. Edmonton will need role players from OKC over the next few seasons, some regulars and good callups for injuries and slumps.

Two seasons of the Todd Nelson/OKC Barons regime shows there are some good signs for the Oilers. Among forwards, the OKC players to watch this coming fall will be Magnus Paajarvi, Teemu Hartikainen, Anton Lander and Linus Omark in his new NHL city.