With the lockout I've been following the progress of many of the Oiler prospects fairly closely, so thought I'd share brief notes/stat updates on a few of them for anyone who is interested. No expert but I watch quite a few WHL games and have streamed a few KHL games.

The Forwards

The Oilers forward prospects might not be the best pool in the NHL but it does include arguably the top prospect in the world in Yakupov as well as a number of promising depth options.

Nail Yakupov (1st Overall, 2012 Draft) - Has been very impressive in the KHL thus far, posting 5 goals and 2 assists in 9 games to go along with a few shootout winners. What makes these numbers more impressive is that he's only averaging around 15 minutes per game playing with pretty mediocre linemates. He's been held off the scoresheet the past two games after posting 7 points in 7 games, but for whatever reason he's been pretty much glued to the bench the past two games (played only ~3 shifts last game). From the one game I saw he was deadly every shift and his stat line is pretty impressive given his limited use.

Tobias Rieder (114th Overall, 2011 Draft) - After enjoying a breakout season last year in which he scored 42 goals in 60 games (with 27 points in 16 playoff games to boot), Rieder started the 2012-13 season fairly slowly with the entire Rangers squad struggling. However, him and Murphy have really turned things around and he's up to 15 points in 10 games with 8 points coming in the last 3 games (same with Ryan Murphy).

Mitch Moroz (32nd Overall, 2012 Draft) - A controversial pick at 32, especially with players like Matt Finn on the board (largely considered to be a first-rounder, and has posted 12 points in 12 games so far this year), Moroz started the year terribly. However, he has been a lot more physically involved lately and has started to find the score sheet with 7 points in 13 games.

Ryan Martindale (61st Overall, 2010 Draft) - Martindale's career so far has been a yo-yo - after posting an 83 point season after being drafted fans were elated, and then worried after he followed it up with an abysmal AHL season and an equally bad 34 game stint in the ECHL. However, his 2012-13 season is showing a lot of promise as he has posted 3 points in 3 games while being a physical force on the ice. While he has been benched for a few games, it is more a result of a stacked Barons lineup and trying out different players than as a result of his play.

Anton Lander (40th Overall, 2009 Draft) - A lot of Oil fans (myself included) had high expectations for Lander after posting 26 points in 49 games in the SEL while being a team leader and displaying an excellent defensive game. However, he had an abysmal showing in the NHL and a mediocre followup in the AHL and this year has gone pointless in 3 games. There's still hope for Lander to become a 3rd/4th line center for the Oil in the future but at this point he's in danger of being surpassed by Martindale and Pitlick.

The Defencemen

The Oilers, who over the past few years have had a dismal defensive core, are starting to show some promise, especially when it comes to some of their young prospects.

Martin Gernat (122nd Overall, 2011 Draft) - Not much to report here as he's been out this season with a shoulder injury. However, the Oil Kings blueline is depleted this year (especially with Pysyk gone) and their PP has been struggling mightily as well. The Oil Kings are just starting to find their stride again and once Gernat returns to the lineup look for a big season (although a shortened one) from the 6'5 defenceman.

Justin Schultz (43 Overall, 2008 Draft) - There's enough on these boards about Schultz that I'll be brief here. He's adjusting to the pro-game very well so far with 6 points in 4 games, and while his defensive game still needs a lot of work, the future looks bright. While it's important to temper expectations, a good comparable is Jake Gardiner who had a 30 point rookie season (it doesn't hurt that Schultz has produced at a higher clip at every level too).

Oscar Klefbom (19th Overall, 2011 Draft) - Have posted about Oscar a few times on the boards and up until his unfortunate injury, which will sideline him for 4-6 weeks, he was considered among the best defenders in the SEL this season. While he's not lighting up the scoresheet, his 3 points in 11 games is an improvement upon last season and a small bonus to his superb defensive play. He also led the league in +/- before his injury, and assuming he recovers in time he should be a fixture on the Swedish Juniors team.

Martin Marincin (46th Overall, 2010 Draft) - Marincin is another player that has been up and down throughout his career after posting 56 points in his post-draft year and then following it up with only 17 points in 30 games with the struggling Cougars, before being traded to the Pats where he returned to near-point-per-game numbers. He's off to a strong start in the AHL with 3 points in 4 games and is really showing off his ability to skate and put the puck on net with his booming shot. He also has a mean streak as evidenced by his 4 game suspension for a wicked elbow last season.

David Musil (31st Overall, 2011 Draft) - Musil has made some pretty big strides since being drafted, especially this season. He has been a rock defensively and has seen his offensive game improve vastly as well with 8 points in 10 games thus far.

Joey Laleggia (123 Overall, 2012 Draft) - What else can be said about Laleggia other than that he's a fantastic skater and simply produces everywhere he goes. He posted 82 points in the BCHL, following it up with a near-point-per-game season in the WCHA and is picking up where he left with 3 points in 2 games for Denver this season. The issue is, and will always be, whether he has the size and strength necessary to be an NHL defender.

That's all for now!

Nice write up. Always good to keep up on the prospects, especially some of the lesser known ones to non-Oiler fans.

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Such a homer.

Seriously though, nice write-up bud.

Nice write up. thanks

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Well done dyz!

Has anyone else heard of Lander being compared to Kesler?
Thoughts.

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Nice write up man. Is Linus Omark done with the Oilers now?

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Yes, before he played in the NHL. He was fantastic playing overseas. His offense has completely dropped off the map though and he doesn't play as gritty as he used to.

Pretty much. He's doing great over in the Swiss-A league (21 points in 14 games) but he can't cut it as a 3rd/4th liner in the NHL and the Oilers top 6 is more crowded than ever.

Kesler was mediocre offensively for a while before his career took off. Prior to that he was just a bottom six type of player. I see Lander evolving to 3rd line level at some point but I just cannot see him booming like Kesler to 70+ points.

They will probably trade him for a mid-round pick after the lockout ends. Unfortunately he is probably not worth more than that.

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Yea, but even the little offense Kesler displayed was leaps and bounds beyond Lander. Lander was being groomed as the #3C but he's really dropped off.

Kesler had 11 points in 33 games during his first AHL season (0.33 ppg) followed by 5 points in 28 games in NHL. He then followed that up with 58 points in 78 games then next year stepped into the NHL putting up 23 points in a full season.

Meanwhile Lander put up 6 points in 56 NHL games (twice as many games as Kesler, about the same points) and then 5 points in 14 AHL games (about same ppg as Kesler).

And then a key difference here... when Kesler went back to the AHL he dominated. Lander on the other hand, has gone pointless, and has been passed on the depth charts by 1-2 guys and as a result has been getting used to the bench as often as not.

I saw an interesting tweet this evening where someone mentions the fact that Omark now has points in 13 straight games in the Swiss league.

https://twitter.com/UffeBodin/status/260865656755458048

Theres little doubt he has the skill to play in the NHL. Its all about opportunity. Right now, theres little of that with the Oilers.

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25 Man Roster, top 20 monthly point getters count
Goalie points W=2pt L=-1pt SHO=2pt

Stamkos, Tavares, Hall, Couture, Hanzal, Wheeler, Stastny, Versteeg, Fisher, Hornqvist, Eriksson, Hodgson, Setoguchi, Turris, Steen, Letang, DRoy, Yakupov, Grabner, Byfuglien, Baertschi

G-Rask, Halak, Schneider