The city of Edmonton is ready to witness an exciting Edmonton Oilers team. The Oilers showcased their top prospects in Penticton yesterday at the NHL Rookie Tournament, beating the Vancouver Canucks rookies 4-1, with their 'Big Three' players all hitting the score sheet.
Taylor Hall, along with Jordan Eberle and Magnus Paajarvi, are grabbing the focus of the media and hockey fans at this tournament. Although, only one game has been played, Oiler and general hockey fans were treated to some fancy skating, puck-handling, and passing plays that will ultimately land them a job in the Oilers line-up, come October.
The three players have shown that they are capable of playing well in a competitive environment. Many are not taking too much stock in their one-game performance, but if all three players finish top in scoring, consider those skeptics believers. Considering the Oilers entire rookie team is under the age of 21 and their opposition consist of players 21 to 25, we should remind ourselves that the team, not just the Big Three, outplayed people about 5 years older than them. At that age, 5 years is huge difference in terms of strength and maturity.
Paajarvi, 10th overall in 2009, who is considered the most NHL-ready, scored two goals in the first game of the tournament. Many in Oil Country believe that Paarjavi has the better chance of winning the Calder this year, not Hall, but if all three players compete for that trophy, without hurting the team, Oiler fans will be treated to great hockey. Eberle, 22nd overall in 2008, also scored a goal, receiving a nice pass from Hall, something I'm hoping to hear a lot of when the real season starts.
Comparisons to Gretzky, Messier, and Kurri, the Oilers Big Three of the 1980's, have emerged in the City of Champions, and many are expecting this team to one day hoist the Cup again. It's probably too soon, no, it is too soon, to say this is the next dynasty, but if the players live up to their hype, and can get better productivity from their past "kids" Gagner and Cogliano, we could see this last place team really be a Cup contender in just a few seasons. Oiler fans have seen many promising prospects flop, like Schremp, or play in the KHL, like Mikhnov, so it would be nice to see some prospects want to play here and one day win.
Last year's dismal performance by the team had one silver lining - nabbing Taylor Hall. He has won at multiple levels, including the two Memorial Cups with the Windsor Spitfires and a gold medal at the U18 in 2008 (with Eberle). Hall also won three gold medals in 2008 alone, one at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge, the IIHF World U18 Championsihps, and the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament (also known as the U-18 Junior World Cup).
Eberle has also shown he can show up and win big games. At the end of the NHL regular season last year, Eberle proved he can play with men in the IIHF World Championships in Germany, although Canada finished in a disappointing 7th place. After being called up to the AHL from the WHL late in the season, Eberle tallied 14 points in 11 games with Springfield, and was even rumoured to hit the ice for the Oilers in one regular season game, but of course nothing transpired.
Paajarvi, the biggest Swede to impact the Oilers since Tommy Salo, has a lucrative tradition of winning as well. Although not as successful as Hall and Eberle, Paajarvi has two silver medals and one bronze medal in the annual World Junior Championships Tournament, one bronze medal at the World Championships (2010) and was the youngest Swede to ever play in the under-18's. Paajarvi also won a gold medal in the J20 SuperElit (the highest junior level hockey league in Sweden, comparable with the OHL, WHL, CHL, and ECHL in North America).
With three players who have won so many titles and medals in their days, what's to stop them from winning the Stanley Cup? Just themselves.
On a side note, I really want to see Hall and Eberle play together with Crosby, Nash, or Perry and so many other talented players at the next Olympics in Russia. The 2010 decade for the NHL looks very promising and high-calibre players from all over the world are emerging in this sport including Russia's Malkin (Pittsburgh) and Ovechkin (Washington), Calgary prospect Backlund (Sweden), Los Angeles forward Kopitar (Slovenia), and Washington forward Backstrom (Sweden).
Well, that's my basic run down of the Oilers 'Big Three' prospects. It should make for a heck of a season, even if this team fails to reach the post-season again. Fans will be treated with creativity and imaginative plays beyond Hemsky and that should make it worth it. The development of the players from boys to men should also allow many superstars to realize the Oilers will be a legitimate contender very soon, and could bring greater talent to the city. For now, that's my run-down of this season. I hope to bring more updates of the Oilers in my blog. Good luck to the boys in copper and blue.
You can watch the entire tournament unfold for the Oilers, Flames, Canucks, Ducks, and Sharks at http://youngstars.insinc.com.
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