Official Edmonton Oilers Prospect Thread

[Sabres39]

1. Andrew Cogliano, C
2. Robert Nilsson, LW
3. Rob Schremp, C
4. Taylor Chorney, D
5. Marc-Antoine Pouliot, C
6. Denis Grebeshkov, D
7. Slava Trukhno, LW
8. Ryan O'Marra, C
9. Tom Gilbert, D
10. Jeff Petry, D

This is the top 10, to view more prospects click on this link.

[cynomatic]

Whatever Sam Gagner did -- mentally and physically -- to get ready for the Super Series, it obviously worked.

In Monday’s Game 1 of the eight-game showdown against Team Russia, Gagner managed a goal and an assist in a 4-2 victory against the hosts in Ufa, Russia. Gagner’s goal, a sweet modified spin-o-rama that began behind the Russian net, was the prettiest of the six goals scored Monday night.

He was held off the score sheet Wednesday in a 3-0 Game 2 victory, but is eager to get back on the beam in Omsk, Russia for the next two games before returning to Canada for the final four contests of the series.

Gagner admitted that getting ready to play important hockey like the Super Series at the same time that junior hockey training camp usually begins was a bit of a challenge.

“You need to push everything forward a little bit,” Gagner said. “Usually you are trying to get stronger early in the summer and then gradually try to work on your speed and your conditioning. But this summer was pushed forward a little bit. You have to work on your conditioning a little bit more and get on the ice a little bit earlier.”

That plan seemed to work to perfection as Gagner looked like one of the stronger players on the ice in Monday’s Game 1 triumph.



His performance had to make the Edmonton Oilers’ staff smile as they watched the game on TV early Monday morning. The Oilers selected Gagner with the sixth-overall pick in the 2007 Entry Draft, projecting him to be a first-line point producer in the near future.

With Monday’s goal, Gagner showed the scoring skill that has scouts salivating about his potential.

First, he found open ice behind the Russian net, slipping behind the Russian defensemen and presenting himself well for a pass from linemate Brad Marchand. Upon receiving the pass, Gagner quickly moved to his right, circling toward the right faceoff dot before starting the spin-o-rama move that left a Russian defenseman totally flummoxed. He capped off the play by finishing in pretty fashion, sliding the puck between the legs of Russian goalie Semen Varlamov, one of the best junior-aged goalies in the world.

Simply, it was a goal-scorer’s goal, something Gagner has become increasingly familiar with in the last couple years. The son of former NHLer Dave Gagner, Sam Gagner scored 35 goals and added 83 assists in 53 games with London last season, helping the Knights dominate play in the Ontario Hockey League. In the run to the OHL postseason championship, Gagner added seven goals and 22 assists in 16 games.

As a rookie last season, Gagner featured prominently on the OHL’s most dominant line. Gagner, Patrick Kane and Sergei Kostitsyn combined to score 394 points for the Knights.


Now, with a year under his belt, Gagner plans to have a bigger season for the Knights this season.

“I think everybody’s real excited about our chances (in London),” Gagner said. “We have a lot of good players coming back, as well as some new good players coming in. We’re looking forward to the challenge of another season. I felt we gained a lot of experience through last playoffs and last season and we’re a little bit older this year, a little more experienced. Everybody’s really excited and I am just looking forward to the season.”

It is entirely possible that Gagner could be the primary go-to guy in London this season. Kostitsyn has moved on to the pro ranks and Kane -- the first overall pick in the 2007 Entry Draft -- has a legitimate chance to make the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawk roster out of training camp.

So, is Gagner selfishly hoping that Kane does not make the cut with the Hawks and returns to the Knights for another season? Or does he hope that his one-time running mate hits it big in the NHL and leaves the London spotlight focused almost exclusively on Gagner?

“I’m hoping he has a good camp, but at the same time, I’d like to have him back,” Gagner says. “If he deserves to be in the NHL, that’s where he should be. I know I had a great time playing with him last year. He’s a great player and to have him back would be awesome.”

Before Gagner can worry about what the Knights do this season, he has a few other things to address. The Super Series is tantamount, obviously. But Gagner also has his own NHL training camp -- with the Oilers -- to worry about. He reports to Edmonton the day after Team Canada finishes the Super Series with Game 8 on Sept. 9 in Vancouver.

He admits that training camp with the Oilers weighs on his mind now as it gets closer. But he is trying to do all he can to keep his focus squarely on the task at hand, which is helping Canada win some more games against a talented and dangerous Russian squad.

“You dream of going to NHL training camp your entire life; it’s what you work toward,” Gagner said. “But, at this time, you try to keep that out of your mind. We have a goal here and we’re looking forward to try to help Team Canada to win. That’s the main thing right now.”

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=...ticleid=336458

[a_sutcliffe]

Is Schremp in the doghouse or something? After watching him with the knights for a couple years, he seems to me to be the kinda guy the oilers need. He's got the offensive, and is great at shootouts.

Anyone know what the deal is? I know they've got a bunch of god young centers, but I think Schremp should get a shot soon....maybe??

[cubsfan9124]

OMG another person.

[RedsOilers7]

I agree with the Oilers needing offense... I believe they're one of the lowest scoring teams in the western conference, but I doubt we need help in shootouts, since we're the best team in shootouts...

[broncosfan_101]

1. W Jordan Eberle - Dynamic scorer, potted 9 points in his first 9 professional games in Springfield this year. Not slow, but not fast either, which means he'll need to get bigger than his 175 lbs frame.

2. D Jeff Petry - Could easily become a top line defender, as he does almost everything very well. The only thing he doesn't do much of is score goals (which is odd considering his booming point shot), but he still has value on the PP because of his ability to break out of the zone. A big boy at 6'3, 200 lbs.

3. C Riley Nash - Very good 2-way center, could put up 50-60 points per season while still being responsible in his own end. Needs to get thicker, but has basically been a point a game guy in 2 years at Cornell.

4. W Linus Omark - Put up over a point a game in the SEL as a 21 year old. Like most of our promising forwards, he's quite small, but has more offensive game than any other player in our system. We lost him to the KHL this year because we didn't guarantee him a roster spot, but has said he really wants to play in the NHL soon.

5. D Taylor Chorney - He might just be a clone of Tom Gilbert. Has great makeup (was team captain at every level through juniors and wore the 'A' at UND).

6. D Alex Plante - Finally stayed healthy for an entire year, and looked real good while doing it. Huge at 6'5", 225 lbs, but is still a decent skater. Plays physical, but has offensive upside as well. His ceiling is probably as a poor man's Chris Pronger.

7. D Theo Peckham - Not a lot of offensive upside, but very sturdy in his own end, and tough as nails. Think Jason Smith. Could easily see time with the big club this year, as he's the most ready for that level of anyone on this list.

8. W Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson - I put him at the bottom of this list because I haven't seen enough to make any kind of informed decision on him. I know he's got good size, great speed and goes hard to the net. That sounds like a nice recipe to me.

Other notables: G Devan Dubnyk, C Ryan Potulny, C Chris Vande Velde, C Teemu Hartikainen, W Philippe Cornet

[flyers1618]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=451090

39 points in 72 games and led the team in plus-minus at plus 12. Not bad for being 25

[broncosfan_101]

^^ Not really the thread for this

[flyers1618]

My bad

[Peteman]

Wow amazing that Riley Nash made that list one year ago...

[broncosfan_101]

Wow amazing that Riley Nash made that list one year ago...

Well we did trade him for a mid-2nd rounder after he refused to sign an EL contract with us.

That pick turned into Martin Marincin, who's beasting in the WHL, just like Tyler Pitlick and Curtis Hamilton. Ryan Martindale is having a great year in the OHL, Olivier Roy is playing well in the Q, and Anton Lander continues to improve in Sweden.

Our system is having a fantastic year. We're graduating Hall, Eberle, Omark, Paajarvi, Dubnyk, Petry and possibly Chorney, and we'll still have a top 8 system at worst.

Our first or second overall pick, the same pick in the 2nd round, Marincin, Pitlick, Hamilton, Lander, Roy, Martindale, Plante and maybe Hartikainen make for a pretty formidable top 10 prospect list, ESPECIALLY after graduating so many good players this year.

[Peteman]

I live out west, and I have seen Marincin play a few times live, he looks good for sure. Lets hope we get the top pick again this year!!