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News has come in that the Edmonton Oilers have loaned Xavier Bourgaud to the Bakersfield Condors and placed AHL veterans Seth Griffiths and James Hamblin on waivers for transfer to Bakersfield.
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my view
1. Bourgaud scored two goals last night against Seattle and showed off his ability to clinically end scoring chances, but I’m not complaining about him getting sent off. He’s in his second year as a pro and is still finding ways to assert himself both defensively and offensively. His skill level with the puck on his stick is high, but he is still learning how to check and retrieve the puck. He appears to have an NHL future, but he’s in no hurry.
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2. I expected some D-men to be sent out as well, namely Cam Dineen and Phil Kemp. They were okay in camp, but they didn’t do anything to advance beyond players like Ben Gleeson and Markus Niemelainen on the depth chart. . Even Nimelainen could have been sent off, as the NHL has struggled with the speed of play in recent games.
3. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Oilers turn to the waiver wire to find forward #12 on the roster. Brad Malone seems to be a step too slow for the NHL, Lane Pederson has skated well but hasn’t performed well in terms of defensive grit, and Raphael Lavoie hasn’t shown up enough in terms of defensive grit, and aside from one great scoring shot, Raphael Lavoie I couldn’t leave a lasting impression. Adam Arne is here as a PTO, and while he’s on the roster, he doesn’t really make an impact in most games. Not one player has grabbed the last roster spot and made it their own.
4. Pederson is the best of the candidates, but if Edmonton can land a defensive center with some speed and guts on waivers, that might be their best bet. However, I’m not sure that’s the kind of move Ken Holland likes to make.
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