REVS 2013 NHL DRAFT PROSPECTS

The questions are plentiful when it comes to drafting and predicting who the next best players are each year. The exciting part, nobody is wrong, until the draft actually has finished in June. There are several rankings out there for the fans to follow through credible sources and less credible. Last year I only listed each player one at a time. This year I am releasing my full Top 15 NHL Draft Prospects and then will be doing a brief write up of each player as the weeks go on. I have posted my predicted rankings of players for the top 15 for the past two years but last year was my first time posting here at Oilers Jambalaya. First a look back at my ranking last year. Here is the link... 

http://www.oilersjambalaya.com/2012/01/revs-2012-prospects-list-jan-8th12.html

Each one of these players are ranked in the order I believe they will be ranked in by the top Prospect Guru's of the game. Teams do draft for need so it is not intended to be a mock draft.

REVS 2013 NHL DRAFT PROSPECTS:

1. Nathan Mackinnon

2. Seth Jones

3. Sean Monahan

4. Aleksander Barkov

5. Hunter Shinkaruk

6. Curtis Lazar

7.  Jonathan Drouin

8.  Ryan Pulock

9.  Elias Lindholm

10.  Valeri Nichushkin

11.  Anthony Duclair

12.  Max Domi

13.  J.T Compher

14.  Josh Morrissey,

15.   Adam Erne

For Oiler prospect news and the 2013 or 2014 NHL draft watch, go to

 www.twitter.com/revingev

"Pondering the future of the Oilers" pt2

While the NHL and NHLPA are fighting over Billions of dollars, the average fan is fighting to free up extra cash flow to spend that hard earned money to watch the game they love. 

Yesterday, news came down of the NHL teams assigning various players to their affiliate franchises , be it the AHL, ECHL or back to the CHL. I know some people are concerned that sending bonafide NHL players down to Minor pro leagues and Jr leagues will displace some players in the system. My thoughts? Absolutely, but truth is while some players will miss out on opportunities most teams are washed down with players who should not be playing on those teams anyway.

Providing there is no immediate change about to happen with this Lockout in the coming month, there is some exciting hockey coming especially to CHL teams and AHL teams. The one that I am about to discuss further is the OKC Barons. The reason? The Oilers are developing their future in OKC. If and that is a big IF, Hall gets cleared eventually and gets sent to OKC as well, this team will be lights out!

This year continues to be about development and if the lockout ends say sometime in December, the Oilers will likely have had Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jordon Eberle, Taylor Hall, Justin Schultz all primed up and ready to go. They will likely have continued to build their chemistry,  therefore not wasting part of a year of development waiting for a lockout to end. In addition the bonus is, they will be playing with others on the Barons roster like Magnus Paajarvi, Teemu Hartikainen, Anton Lander and Tyler Pitlick.

The greatest benefactor is going to be the fans in OKC. Will they show up in higher numbers to see a elite level AHL team? Highly debatable, however it's good on the faithful fans that have been paying and going to their games regardless. The second biggest winner will be those AHL players who are on the edge of making it to the NHL. It can do nothing but positive things for the Oilers organization. 

Just looking into the possibilities myself but between radio and live streaming hockey games, I am one fan who will just spend more time on the OKC Barons website, message boards etc...

I have heard some rumblings that some are concerned Nail Yakupov is headed to Russia to play in the KHL. I don't think the concern is him playing somewhere other then Sarnia but more they seem worried if he will return to the NHL when this lockout ends. IMO, even if Yakupov stayed the full year in the KHL, it would only make him more prepared for the following year. Playing with men rather then boys would only push him to learn more of a team and all around game. For those worrying about him returning to the NHL, Yakupov wants to play in the best league in the world and should he stay for a year in the KHL and not report for this year, his ELC would not start til the following year anyway. Until he starts playing in the NHL he is Oilers property and his ELC will not start til he does. Yakupov wants to prove he is the best, and that can only be done with the best league in the world.

For Oiler prospect news and the 2013 or 2014 NHL draft watch, go to

 www.twitter.com/revingev

Edmonton Oilers Young Stars Head To Oklahoma City

The Edmonton Oilers assigned several players down to Oklahoma City today to play with the Barons during the NHL lockout. This is great news for Barons fans.

Here is the official press release from the Oilers;

"Edmonton Oilers General Manager Steve Tambellini announced today the club has assigned the following players to Oklahoma City of the American Hockey League.

Cameron Abney
Mark Arcobello
Tyler Bunz
Dane Byers
Philippe Cornet
Yann Danis
Brandon Davidson
Jordan Eberle
Taylor Fedun
Curtis Hamilton
Teemu Hartikainen
Tanner House
Anton Lander
Martin Marincin
Ryan Martindale
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Magnus Paajarvi
Kristians Pelss
Tyler Pitlick
Alex Plante
Toni Rajala
Olivier Roy
Justin Schultz
Colten Teubert
Antti Tyrvainen
Chris VandeVelde

Tambellini also announced defenceman David Musil has been assigned to the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League and forward Nail Yakupov has been assigned to the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League."

-WRITTEN BY SMOKIN' RAY BURNT-

"Pondering the future of the Oilers" pt1

1. This past summer, I was able to get away to my Cousin's cabin on the Shuswap Lake in B.C. Having time to rest and ponder can be both good and bad. The good part was, I got lots of rest time during my week, time to catch some fun in the sun and maybe get a bit of a tan while at it.

You know your a fan of hockey that while on the water in beautiful sunshine, your holding out hope that the potential lockout will not come to fruition. How can something so trivial occupy my head space at a incredible time like that? I tried to come up with idea's on stories, tried to follow the young prospects getting ready for camp in only a few weeks. Nothing! Had no motivation at all, just because I was worried, I was about to miss some exciting hockey to start the year.

Think about it, ever since the 2010 draft with...

 Taylor Hall

There has been excitement about hockey in Oil Country since Taylor joined the club. There should be! Adding a #1 NHL Draft pick is nothing to sneeze at. Talk shows and the conversation everywhere was all about if we picked the right guy. He had the pedigree but was he going to help a team who desperately needed a center? With Development Camp in late June, early July each year, free agency on July 1st, we basically only had to wait from about July 15th-August 15th before Oiler players started turning up in the city for Perry Pearn's 3on3 camp.

The excitement in 2011 was the same with...

 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Once again, talk shows were all over the stories. Was Ryan big enough to play in the NHL at 18 when he was only 164 lbs coming out of the WHL playoffs? That along with the fact the city was excited about drafting a centermen, the talk was constant all the way through to the new season. A plethora of free agent signings and it was hard to not be able to talk about Oilers hockey.

Off-season 2012, the excitement continued as the Oilers won the lottery and were handed a a free gift in the likes of...

 Nail Yakupov

This guy not only made things exciting, for Oil Country on the ice, but also off the ice. The conversations on twitter, his interviews , all were a blast as Oil Country embraced this Charismatic Russian. We enjoyed development camp and then came the signing of...

Justin Schultz

Justin had his prime choice of almost every team in the NHL but in the end choose the Edmonton Oilers for what I am sure is a variety of reasons. Bottom line? It doesn't matter, cause he is a Edmonton Oiler now!

How can Oiler fans be anything but excited? In 5 years time, the Oilers have added Jordon Eberle, Magnus Paajarvi, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail Yakupov and now Justin Schultz. While the last two players still have lots to prove as does Paajarvi, the cast is starting to shape into a resemblance of something exciting.

Add to the mix, Jeff Petry, Oscar Klefbom, Teemu Hartikainen and a future goalie in Tyler Bunz now turning Pro, it makes for some excitement everywhere. The Oilers have some exciting development going on at all levels. From the NHL, AHL, ECHL, the CHL and NCAA hockey to even the SEL. Is there excitement? You bet your bottom end there is, however it's difficult to get excited about something you can't watch isn't it? And why is that? Because of $$$$$$$!

Who's side am I taking on this? Not happy with the NHL Commissioner or the NHLPA representative Donald Fehr. Both waited til last minute and then take hard lines in the sand affecting who the most? Those of us who have made the game of hockey what it is today. The FANS!!! Without fan interest, there is no big pay cheque for anybody. Believe me, if I could, I would forfeit hockey, take my money and walk. Problem is, to make a point, we fans would have to sacrifice the most and we know it is not going to happen. 

At this point of time I feel like the rabbit and the NHL and NHLPA are the bear  

TO BE CONTINUED......

For Oiler prospect news and the 2013 or 2014 NHL draft watch, go to

 www.twitter.com/revingev

Is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Gretzkyesque?

Before you shoot the messenger, I am in no way saying Nugent-Hopkins will or ever can match what the 'Great One' did in the record books. It's the way they both play the game. It's the way they move on the ice, see the ice, glide on the ice and let their actions speak more then their voice.

Here is a video clip of some of what Gretzky looked like on the ice during his days as a Oiler. I can not but help myself,  to notice so many similarities between the way they play the game. 

Wayne Gretzky

 As an 18-year-old NHL rookie in 1979, he was conspicuously underweight at just 160 pounds. Many critics stated at that time that Gretzky was "too small, too wiry, and too slow to be a force in the NHL". Although he managed to increase his weight to 185 pounds by the end of his career in 1999, that was still much less than the NHL average. Gretzky always finished dead last in peripheral vision, flexibility and strength for early season testing with the Oilers, and could only bench press 140 pounds. Gretzky had such an uncanny ability to judge the position of the other players on the ice that many suspected he enjoyed some kind of extrasensory perception.  Gretzky said he sensed other players more than he actually saw them. His intelligence and reading of the game was unrivaled, and he could consistently anticipate where the puck was going to be and execute the right move at the right time. Gretzky seemed to be able to, in effect, slow down time.  most elite athletes have "more room in the flow of time" than ordinary athletes. 

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is a special player that only answers the bell when critics try to pick away at his game or his ability to perform at the next level. Take a look in this clip at the way Nugent-Hopkins plays on the ice and you will notice once again some similarities in the way they both play.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 

Ryan was questioned if at barely 6'1 and 164 lbs he could withstand the rigours of the NHL as a 18 year old. 4 months later Nugent-Hopkins started the season at 174 lbs and went on to display the same skills at the NHL level as he did in the WHL. This year, reports are coming out saying Ryan is now weighing in at 185 lbs. That would put him at Gretzky's size when he was wrapping up his career. Ryan has the intangibles required to battle in the corners with guys much larger then him, and more often than not, RNH comes out with the puck. He doesn't shy away from battling bigger players. Ryan is brilliant with his edge work and has the ability to out-manoeuvre defenders. His balance is notable. Most often he will be engaged from the back along the sideboards, stay up, and slide off the contact. Ryan's puck skills are elite and enough can't be said with what he does with the puck. His combination of vision, hands, and passing ability are a sight to see and separate him from other players.

With his elite hockey sense and agility, RNH does things at a quick and efficient pace while creating a ton of offense. When watching him on the ice you will notice he keeps his head up at all times, like his head is on a swivel, which helps him avoid checks but also gives him that uncanny ability to get passes through sticks and players to his open man who in most cases has a open net.

He is a perfectionist, who has a strong work ethic and gives lots of attention to detail. RNH is a cerebral player who can fool you when watching him. Just when you think you have kept him at bay, the puck is in the net. An underrated strength he has is his commitment to defence. He works hard to be in the right position and his stick in the right lanes. RNH makes the game look simple and slow out on the ice. He is a Very focused player. Hard worker and humble

For Oiler prospect news and the 2013 or 2014 NHL draft watch, go to

 www.twitter.com/revingev