Note that I have borrowed liberally from TSN, the NHL and Eliteprospects.com. The photo above is from the Leader_Post. All credit is due them.
Oilers didn't make any moves and in an atmosphere of highly inflated costs, while operating with less-than-normal-value assets, this was the right move to make.
Unlike last year, where they took a bunch of sleeper picks with their late rounders, this year the management team went for safe picks. Guys who should make, at the least, the AHL team. This is totally okay. Sometimes you have to change where you fish.
Without further ado, at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft the Edmonton Oilers draft picks were:
022 - Jordan Eberle
C
Shoots: R
1990 Birthyear
5'10" / 174 lbs
Canada
Top-6 skill player. Numbers are very impressive given team and conference. Good equivalencies. I like the pick. He projects out well, wasn't a reach at where he was chosen and has the skills needed to play. Issue is that he is small both in height and weight - since he doesn't have blazing speed (Cogliano) or phenomenal skills (Gagner) he will have to be really, REALLY smart (which he reportedly is) to play to form. That said, a good choice.
From NHL Central Scouting: Jordan is a slippery scorer with great hands. Jordan is an up-and-down the wing tease in the sense that sometimes he'll look like he's just going up and down the wing and you have him slotted as a checker and then he'll cut in off the wing and use that shot to put his team up a goal. He needs to improve a little bit on his consistency, in that sometimes his up and down game gets too frequent and he has to learn that all his good skills can't be hidden – he has to use them more often.
From TSN: A somewhat under-sized centre, Eberle is considered one of the smartest offensive players in the draft. He is a better goal-scorer than a playmaker and is an elusive talent when he has the puck. There are some questions about his speed, but he does have quickness, especially in tight situations and one-on-ones.
103 - Johan Motin
D
Shoots: L
1989 Birthyear
6'1" / 202 lbs
Sweden
3rd pair defensive defenseman. Decent size and was (very) highly regarded just the year before. Decent game by all reports but stalled in 2007-08. Which is the issue - did the engine cough a little or did the transmission drop out? The Eliteprospects.com review does not lend itself to hope but an independent blog scores him well (go to Illegal Curve for the full read). Interesting pick imo as the team is chock full of puckmover d-prospects so maybe it was time for a stay-at-home (you know... BPA).
From Eliteprospects.com: Motin is a stay-at-home defenseman with very good size and strength. He has the potential to become a bruising defenseman if he develops his physical game. At this point, his is inconsistent when it comes to playing the body and should act with more resolution and confidence along the boards and in front of his goalie. Offensively, there is little to say about Motin. He does not have the fundamental skills to contribute in a big way in terms of points and hockey sense is limited to playing it safe in his own end. Motin’s puck skills are rather average and on the downside, mobility and speed could use some improvement.
From Illegal Curve: ... defender who is likely close to NHL ready. He has already played half a season in the Swedish Elite League and boasts a steady, mature game ... Not an overly offensive player, Motin does have a good shot and offensive instincts, but plays more of a solid 2-way game and leans a little to the defensive. He has all the tools that you hear scouts repeat when talking about defenseman that they like: size, strength, mobility, lateral quickness, instincts and hockey sense.
133 - Philippe Cornet
C/LW
Shoots: L
1990 Birthyear
6'0" / 173 lbs
Canada
Top-6 or bust skill winger from the QMJHL. Offense orientated and seems to have the skills but not necessarily the numbers. Not a bruiser by any means but I haven't seen much that outright labels him as 'soft' - so that is interesting. One of those 'waddya want from a 5th round pick?' kind of picks.
From NHL Central Scouting: ... moves the puck well, especially on the power-play. While not a great skater – he has a short stride – he can keep up the pace in a quick game with some deceptive speed. He is not an overly physical player and needs to work on winning the one-on-one battles to take his game to the next level.
163 - Teemu Hartikainen
C
Shoots: L
1990 Birthyear
6'1" / 198 lbs
Finland
(Maybe the guy in the Kalpa banner is him?)
Hard working 4th line winger who will need a skill to stick in the NHL. First of all, he is a Finn. For some reason, in my brain, that equals good. By all accounts (i.e. the chatter) he is a hardworking guy, has heart, has brains, uses his body effectively, will block shots and knows how to play at both ends at both ends of the ice. The problem is that he is slow. I like a pick like this because it means that IF the guy can develop better skating he can be an impact energy guy with upside - and that is all you really want from a 6th round pick anyways.
From NHL Central Scouting: nothing reported.
From Eliteprospects.com: nothing reported.
193 - Jordan Bendfeld
D
Shoots: R
1988 Birthyear
6'2" / 216 lbs
Canada
Seventh defenseman. 20 yr old bruiser who will slip into a Falcons jersey sooner rather than later. Draft re-entry this pick was all about filling a need in Sprinfield. While it is okay to use 7th round picks for that sort thing it shouldn't become a habit; taking a flyer on a skill player who could turn out is probably a better way to go imo.
From NHL Central Scouting: nothing reported.
From Eliteprospects.com: nothing reported.
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Have a great evening everyone.
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