Large, new & nasty ahead debuts at the moment in Edmonton Oilers group

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This in: large and nasty Ontario Hockey League energy ahead Connor Clattenburg, who signed a contract with the Edmonton Oilers simply earlier than Christmas, will make his debut for the group in Bakersfield at the moment.

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Ryan Holt of the Condors studies: “Hits maintain coming for the Condors, who might be with out (Drake) Caggiula at the moment. (Jayden) Grubbe and Clattenburg attract. Bakersfield with 9 gamers left from the opening night time lineup.”

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My take

1. The chances of any fifth spherical draft decide making it within the NHL are small, extra so in the event that they had been an over-age participant that scored simply 13 objectives in 60 video games of their draft yr. However Clattenburg has some ability, 16 objectives in 46 video games this yr, and a top quality that’s drastically desired by NHL GMs: ferocity.

The younger man is a Cal Clutterbuck-style hitting machine on the ice, and as Clutterbuck demonstrated that type of participant can come out of nowhere to have a protracted and profitable NHL profession. Clutterbuck was a 3rd spherical decide who performed in 1064 NHL video games.

His Hockey DataBase mug shot actually offers me a chuckle. He seems an additional from a Seventies brawl scene from the film Slapshot.

2. When he was drafted by the Oil final June, Steven Ellis, prospect analyst for Every day Faceoff reported, “Clattenburg isn’t a lot of an offensive menace, however he makes it a mission to hit everybody in his path.” And Edmonton’s prime scout Rick Pracey: “He performs this recreation exhausting. He’s thick, he’s sturdy, he’s aggressive. He was a growth occasion participant, he acquired traded to Flint and he simply took off. He’s an thrilling participant for us.”

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3. In September, after a recreation in opposition to the Jets rookies, the Cult’s Bruce McCurdy reported: “Bodily winger met his match early when he acquired drilled within the nook by Liwiski, a 23-year-old who had 310 (!) PiM within the ECHL final yr and one other 26 in 7 AHL video games. Later was closely boarded by 25-year-old Dylan Anhorn, survived the crash, acquired up mad and proceeded to fill in his opponent with some strong punches. In some way solely coincidental minors had been known as after the bare-knuckled set-to. Made a superb play to win the puck with an aggressive forecheck and feed it to a mate within the low slot, the kind of sequence that might want to turn out to be a trademark if he’s to make it within the execs.”

4. In a follow-up preseason recreation in opposition to the Calgary Flames, the Journal’s Rob Tychkowski stated of Clattenburg: “Clattenburg was throughout this recreation. He had extra scoring probabilities than anybody however couldn’t discover a objective.”

5. In rating Clattenburg at #22 amongst Oilers prospects this previous summer season we expressed the next expectations for the season: “A cameo at Oilers rookie camp, then again to Flint for a 3rd full OHL season to spherical out his recreation. Not not possible he’ll get an over-age season there as effectively, given the Oilers don’t have to succeed in a contract determination on this participant till mid-2026.”

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6. Clattenburg exceeded expectations this yr, sufficient that he earned an professional contract. Can he accomplish that once more?

The Oilers are lifeless final within the NHL in hits per 60, simply 24.7 per recreation, with NHL chief Florida at 29 per recreation. Florida shares its fourth line with tough and aggressive hitting forwards. The Oilers may effectively do one thing comparable. Proper now the one Oilers forwards who play a lot of a hitting recreation are Vasily Podkolzin, Trent Frederic, Max Jones and Evander Kane, with Kane gone nonetheless out. There might be openings within the years to return for forwards with sufficient ability to hold within the NHL recreation and with the dedication, guts and ferocity to hit exhausting and infrequently. Clattenburg is within the working for one such job.

On the Cult of Hockey

LEAVINS: 9 Issues

STAPLES: Edmonton Oilers shut down and out by gritty L.A. Kings

STAPLES: The Bruce I knew

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