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Edmonton Oilers Prospects Who Could Be Dealt At the 2020 Deadline – The Hockey Writers

Published

5 years ago

February 22, 2020

The Edmonton Oilers are going to be busy come deadline day. With injuries to both Connor McDavid and Oscar Klefbom, the team will have to make some moves to secure their position atop the Pacific Division. Could their buyer status shake loose a few prospects in the pipeline to some lower teams looking to offload veteran talent? I think so.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Ross D. Franklin)

The prospect pool in Edmonton has never been more crowded as the team is finally taking advantage of young talent such as Ethan Bear and Kailer Yamamoto. The emergence of some of these players may have made some other prospects in the system expendable as the Oilers look to load up for a playoff run. Who could these players be? Well, let’s take a look.

Dmitri Samorukov

The Oilers have a treasure trove of defensive prospects piling up in their system. At the very top of the pile are first-round picks in the last two drafts, Evan Bouchard and Philip Broberg, who both project to be top-four NHL defensemen at the very least. Add that to impressive rookie campaigns by Bear and Caleb Jones there seems to be very little room for a guy like Dmitri Samorukov to progress into an NHL regular with the Oilers.

Samorukov found his way to the Oilers organization after being drafted 84th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft. He put up a respectable 34 points with the Guelph Storm in his draft year but exploded in the 2018-19 season. After increasing his offensive totals to 45 points in the regular season he went on an absolute tear in the OHL playoffs, notching 28 points in 24 games.

Dmitri Samorukov Guelph Storm — Dmitri Samorukov (Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images)

His offensive production was very nice to see, but it hasn’t transferred to the pro level just yet. In 41 AHL games with the Bakersfield Condors, he has produced only eight points. It may seem like a disappointing number but that is largely due to a crowded blue line and him being a rookie. Most of his time has been spent playing on the third pair with players such as Logan Day and Jake Kulevich.

@Keyantonyo on Twitter (a very good source for all things Condors) was able to give a great scouting report on Samorukov’s first professional season to date.

If there is a green light with regards to pinching, jumping up and walking on/in from the offensive blue line, Samorukov has it. He appears to rookie out in the defensive zone (leave the slot vacant/miss checks or double up) or get turned around by some of the quicker AHL forwards – typically off of positioning errors more than skating deficiency

This is pretty standard as far as young defencemen go so it shouldn’t shock anyone that Samorukov isn’t producing at the insane pace he was near the end of his junior career.

With all this being said I do believe that NHL teams would have an interest in adding a guy like Samorukov to their prospect pipeline. He demonstrates great offensive instincts and could possibly blossom into a fine NHL defender once he is able to minimize his faults in the defensive zone.

Cooper Marody

Next up is Cooper Marody, a sixth-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2015, who was traded to the Oilers in March 2018 in exchange for a 2019 third-round draft pick.

At the time of the deal, Marody was described as being an above-average skater with great playmaking ability, but lacked size and often struggled to work the puck along the boards. He had been enjoying a breakout season in the NCAA having put up 46 points in 36 games at the time.

Marody made the jump to the AHL in the 2018-19 season with the Bakersfield Condors and he showed a lot of promise. At the age of 21, Marody put an impressive 64 points in his first season of professional hockey, good enough for second on the team in points. This performance would earn him a brief six-game stint with the Oilers where he was unable to pick up any points.

Heading into the 2019-20 season many expected Marody to push hard for a spot on the Oilers roster. However, he failed to impress in training camp and found himself assigned to Bakersfield rather early on. He has since played in 30 games with the Condors this season, putting up only 17 points in the process. Injuries might play a role in why his production is down from last season but his opportunity to progress through to the NHL ranks is becoming slim.

With players like Yamamoto, Tyler Benson, Patrick Russell and Colby Cave all getting the call up to the big team before Marody, it seems like his time with the organization could soon be coming to a close. Marody still possesses some offensive talent that could be valuable to a team looking to add to their forward depth but I don’t think his value is the same as it was when the Oilers initially acquired him.

Kirill Maksimov

The last prospect that could potentially be on the move at the deadline is Kirill Maksimov. The Moscow native was taken 146th overall by the Oilers in the 2017 Draft and has looked good since.

One of the most pure offensive scorers within the Oilers prospect pool right now, Maksimov might prove to be a fascinating gamble for teams looking to trade with Ken Holland. His last two junior seasons spent with the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs stand out as high points in his career to date, scoring 80 points during the 2017-18 season and 79 points in the 2018-19 season.

He made the jump to the AHL this season and, while the production isn’t quite as impressive, he remains one of the more interesting players on the Condors. Maksimov has 13 points in 47 games with the Condors but, as a rookie, there is still plenty of hope that he can recapture that offensive streak as he gets more accustomed to the pro game.

While the Oilers lack pure scoring skill in their prospect pipeline, they could definitely dangle Maksimov if the return helps them acquire a more established scoring forward. Also, like Marody, the road to the NHL might be tough for Maksimov given the amount of young players currently ahead of him on the depth chart.

At the ripe young age of 20, there is still plenty of time for Maksimov to blossom into an NHL forward. He is an attractive low-risk high-reward type of prospect that a rebuilding team could value when shedding assets.

Opportunity to Contend Sooner

Every trade deadline there is always two types of deals that get made. The first of which is the traditional hockey trade where two teams swap NHL players. The second type, and most common, involves contending teams trading picks and prospects to rebuilding teams in exchange for pending UFA players or more established NHLers. I believe the Oilers will be looking to make either one of these trades but the latter is probably the more likely option.

Newfound depth at the forward and defensive position has pushed prospects like Samorukov, Marody and Maksimov down the depth chart. This could open up a variety of trade opportunities that could help Edmonton contend sooner rather than later.

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Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

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AP cricket:

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Sports

Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Sports

Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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