Potatoe1 wrote:It's early but I have to say I'm surprised at the low scoring numbers we are seeing from the Oilers kids.
I was expecting them to tear it up given they all played pro hockey during the lock out, but their trends are all way off from last year.
And what the hell happened to MPS. He looked incredible at the prospect tournament a few years back, then promptly put up 34 points as a rookie.
Since then the kid only has 9 points in his last 50 games.
I wonder if there is a way to pry him out of there. He still had the tool's, perhaps in the right organization he could get his shit together.
I'm actually not surprised. I've always thought that Taylor Hall was a speedy scorer, but on the whole a fairly one-dimensional player who is easily out muscled along the boards. He still has a couple years to grow and develop physically so that could change, but I really think that ever since the few years between the Ovechkin and Toews draft years many top 5 picks have suffered from the media hype that has surrounded them.
RNH proved in the WJC this year that in big games he won't step it up. Every game in the NHL is a big game for young kids, particularly ones who have had big expectations piled upon their shoulders by a crazy fan base who haven't seen any consistent success in a decade. He's a soft and slight player who is already having shoulder trouble at a young age.
Eberle will likely be the standout in that group. I never expected him to become a player that would challenge for a scoring title, still don't to be honest, but I do think he will develop into an 80 point player. He doesn't seem to get pushed around as the other two, and he has become a less selfish player than I saw what I saw of him in junior. He doesn't strike me as being as fast as RNH or Hall, but I think he has faster hands.
These youngsters also don't have much in the way of true talent surrounding them or mentoring them. Horcoff? Smyth? Hemesky? Those are your veteran leaders on that team. Smyth has heart, Horcoff has a massively over-priced contract, and Hemesky is a good offensive forward but finds himself on the sideline with an injury all too often.
I'm not sure why anyone is surprised by the Oilers this year. If anything I'm surprised they actually have a better than .500 record right now.