Since our last update, the Bakersfield Condors have played four games: a back-to-back against the Calgary Wranglers and another back-to-back against the Henderson Silver Knights. The Condors dropped both games against the Wranglers before rebounding with two wins over Henderson. Early in the season, the strengths and weaknesses of this Condors roster are becoming clear, with the weaknesses rearing their head more often than you’d like.

The obvious strength is the offensive firepower this team brings on a nightly basis. From Atro Leppänen and Cam Dineen on defence to Quinn Hutson, Viljami Marjala, Seth Griffith, Roby Järventie, and more up front, this iteration of the Condors has the speed and skill to score with the best of them. The main issue continues to be attention to detail away from the puck. I wish I could say it’s limited to the defensive zone, but too often it starts in the offensive zone — a missed assignment by the F3 or a poor pinch by a defenceman — and it bites them instantly in transition.

Below is a clip of how fed up Connor Ingram was with the team defensively in the second game against Calgary. You don’t need to be a private investigator to tell that the veteran was not happy.

Don’t be fooled by the four goals on 15 shots. Sure, Ingram didn’t have a great weekend, but his team let him down time and time again. I’ve loved Quinn Hutson’s game to start the year, but the next clip is a perfect example of the defensive decisions hurting this group. It’s a two-on-one where Atro Leppänen has the pass, Hutson is closest to the puck carrier, but he decides to take Leppänen’s man and still allows the pass to get through for a high-danger chance.

Even after a turnover and a partial break chance, Rem Pitlick gets caught puck-watching against Henderson, and the Silver Knights take full advantage, scoring off the mistake.

The Condors’ offensive-zone fluidity is excellent, and when they’re clicking, it’s beautiful hockey to watch. But they’ve been caught one too many times early in the season. That’s my biggest critique. Now let’s talk about what’s going right — the offence.

The main strength of this team is its speed and youth. The top six have been in flux due to the injury to James Hamblin and the rehab plan for Roby Järventie (who played his first back-to-back this past weekend). Against Henderson, the lines stayed consistent, and we’re beginning to see who head coach Colin Chaulk trusts most. The first line featured Quinn Hutson and Seth Griffith centered by Josh Samanski, while the second line had Viljami Marjala between Järventie and Rhett Pitlick.

Connor Ingram struggled in his series against Calgary, while Matt Tomkins stopped 64 of 69 total shots against Henderson and was one of the main reasons Bakersfield won the second game, despite being outshot 41–21.

Such a highly skilled, fun, competitive player to watch. The rookie has four goals and two assists through eleven games, but his play speaks louder than the 0.55 points per game he currently has. One of Hutson’s biggest strengths is his ability to gain the zone with control by changing pace and separating his hands from his lower body. His feet can do one thing while his hands do another, something many players struggle with. The former Terrier shows this off beautifully against Henderson in the clip below.

This is a great example of how to attack a defender — constantly crossing over, changing angles, and slamming on the brakes. Hutson draws in two defenders and makes an excellent pass to the slot. In the second game against the Silver Knights, he was named the first star after scoring two goals and adding an assist. Both goals show off his finishing ability: the puck stays on his stick for less than a second each time, and he scores from both sides of the ice.

Maybe the three-point night is the start of a longer streak for Hutson. The final note I’ll make about the American winger is how competitive he is on the forecheck. Hutson has a great stick and causes turnovers if defenders aren’t careful. If he can carry that same tenacity into his defensive game, it’ll help him take another step toward becoming an NHL player.

The playmaking centre scored his first goal of the season against Calgary on an excellent shot in transition. Viljami Marjala has eight assists to go along with that goal, and his passing ability continues to impress. In the first clip below, you’ll see all eyes on Marjala as he slides a perfect cross-ice pass for a high-danger chance that’s stopped only by an incredible save.

The Finnish centre has a great feel for pressure and how to handle it. In the next clip, Marjala senses pressure on his back and recognizes that the winger has left his check to collapse in. Without looking, he swings the puck to the wide-open defenceman, creating another good chance.

Fourth on the team in points per game, Marjala has been excellent so far and hasn’t left the top six, which shows the coaching staff’s trust. His main area for improvement remains his skating. At his size, he’ll need to take another step for him to keep up with the NHL pace. The final clip shows Marjala’s first goal of the season — a rush chance on the power play where he places the puck perfectly blocker side.

Whenever he plays, Järventie shows exactly what he’s capable of. Staying healthy remains the main goal for the Finnish winger. Now sitting at eight points in seven games, Järventie leads the Condors in points per game. As mentioned earlier, he played his first back-to-back of the year against Henderson. The former Senators draft pick also spent a brief stint at centre against Calgary before returning to the wing.

Järventie continues to be a dual offensive threat for the Condors — dangerous as both a shooter and playmaker. His ability to take a puck from the perimeter and find a seam to the middle is impressive and valuable at the next level. In the clip below, Järventie shows off his deceptive speed, using it to drive hard to the net.

A similar situation presented itself against Henderson, but this time the 2020 second-rounder made the pass to fellow Finn Marjala, leading to a goal after Marjala fired the puck on net. It shows Järventie’s intelligence and commitment to making the right play, rather than forcing a shot or pass.

I believe Järventie is an NHL player and could contribute in a bottom-six role if needed, but there’s no rush. Things are going well in Bakersfield, and he should stay there for the season unless injuries on the big club force a call-up.

The Condors’ defensive pairs have shifted, with Cam Dineen and Josh Brown forming the top duo, Riley Stillman and Atro Leppänen on the second pair, and Damien Carfagna with Luke Prokop rounding out the third. Rem Pitlick still leads the team in scoring with 12 points in 11 games. The goaltending numbers are rough, with Tomkins carrying a 3.29 goals-against average and a .896 save percentage. Ingram’s tough weekend against Calgary inflated his numbers to a 4.05 GAA and .848 save percentage. Connor Clattenburg continues to bring the edge, sitting at 26 penalty minutes through 11 games.

As mentioned earlier, the main area of focus for the Condors should be their attention to detail in transition defence and their own zone.

Bakersfield faces the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Tuesday to kick off the week.