Nick Ellis is playing in Bakersfield, but a few weekends like the one just past and we’re going to see him in the NHL—at least for a look-see. Ellis shut out the Ontario Reign (32 shots Friday) and then stopped 35 of 36 Saturday night in another Condors win. The result has Ellis boasting a .956 save percentage, good for No. 4 among goalies with two or more games this year. Ellis is the lead story in a strong group of Edmonton prospects who enjoyed impressive weeks.
BAKERSFIELD CONDORS (AHL)
- G Nick Ellis 3gp, 1.35 .956 (two brilliant games this week)
- G Ed Pasquale 2gp, 4.00 .837 (did not play this week)
- RD Ethan Bear 5gp, 2-2-4 (2gp,1-1-2 this week)
- RD Ryan Mantha 5gp, 0-2-2 (2gp, 0-0-0 this week)
- LD Dillon Simpson 5gp, 0-2-2 (2gp, 0-1-1 this week)
- LD Caleb Jones 5gp, 0-1-1 (2gp, 0-0-0 this week)
- LD Ben Betker 3gp, 0-0-0 (2gp, 0-0-0 this week)
- LD Ziyat Paigin 3gp, 0-0-0 (2gp, 0-0-0 this week)
- RD Mark Fayne 2gp, 0-0-0 (did not play this week)
- LD Keegan Lowe 2gp,0-0-0 (did not play this week)
- L Joey Laleggia 5gp, 1-3-4 (2gp, 1-1-2 this week)
- LC Brad Malone 3gp, 2-1-3 (NHL this week)
- R Dave Gust 4gp, 2-0-2 (2gp, 0-0-0 this week)
- R Ty Rattie 5gp, 1-1-2 (2gp, 1-1-2 this week)
- R Jesse Puljujarvi 5gp, 0-2-2 (2gp, 0-2-2 this week)
- RC Chad Butcher 5gp, 1-1-2 (2gp, 1-1-2 this week)
- LC Joe Gambardella 4gp, 1-1-2 (2gp, 1-0-1 this week)
- L Braden Christoffer 3gp, 0-2-2 (2gp, 0-2-2 this week)
- L Ryan Hamilton 5gp, 0-1-1 (2gp, 0-1-1)
- R Patrick Russell 5gp, 1-0-1 (2gp, 0-0-0)
- L Evan Polei 2gp, 0-1-1 (2gp, 0-1-1)
- F Mitch Callahan 5gp, 0-0-0 (2gp, 0-0-0)
- RC Josh Currie 5gp, 0-0-0 (2gp, 0-0-0)
- LC Grayson Downing 2gp, 0-0-0 (did not play this week)
- R Greg Chase 1gp, 0-0-0 (did not play this week)
- R Anton Slepyshev 1gp, 0-0-0 (NHL this week)
WICHITA THUNDER (ECHL)
- G Shane Starrett 2gp, 2.41 .921
- RC Kyle Platzer 4gp, 4-4-8
- R Zack O’Brien 4gp, 2-3-5
- LC Travis Ewanyk 3gp, 3-0-3
- F Lane Bauer 2gp, 1-0-1
EUROPE
- RHD Filip Berglund 10gp, 1-3-4 for Skelleftea (SHL) (1gp, 0-0-0 this week)
- LC Bogdan Yakimov 24gp, 2-2-4 for Neftekhimik (KHL) (3gp, 0-0-0 this week)
- LD William Lagesson 10gp, 0-2-2 for Djurgardens (SHL) (2gp, 0-0-0 this week)
- LHD Markus Niemelainen 2gp, 0-0-0 for HPK (Sm-Liiga)
CHL
- R Ostap Safin 14gp, 4-10-14 for Saint-John (QMJHL) (4gp, 1-3-4 this week)
- R Kirill Maksimov 9gp, 5-6-11 for Niagara (OHL) (2gp, 1-1-2 this week)
- LD Dmitri Samorukov 12gp, 1-4-5 for Guelph (OHL) (3gp, 1-1-2 this week)
- G Dylan Wells 10gp, 3.07 .912 for Peterborough (OHL) (1 strong, 1 subpar this week)
- G Stuart Skinner 10gp, 3.36 .900 for Lethbridge (WHL) (1 brilliant game in three)
COLLEGE AND TIER 2
- RC Tyler Vesel 4gp, 3-3-6 for Nebraska-Omaha (NCAA) (2gp, 2-1-3 this week)
- L Graham McPhee 5gp, 2-2-4 for Boston College (NCAA) (3gp, 1-2-3 this week)
- L Aidan Muir 7gp, 2-1-3 for Western Michigan (NCAA) (2gp,1-0-1 this week)
- RC Aapeli Rasanen 5gp, 0-1-1 for Boston College (NCAA) (3gp, 0-1-1 this week)
- RHD Vincent Deslauriers 5gp, 0-3-3 for Providence (NCAA) (3gp, 0-3-3 this week)
- LC Skyler Brind’Amour 16gp, 6-5-11 for Chilliwack (BCHL) (3gp, 3-2-5 this week)
I was looking forward to this post. Lowetide, do you know why Lowe and Fayne did not play? Were they healthy scratches?
They are both out for a few weeks with injury.
Thanks as always LT – I’m loving following the prospects this year and am a big fan of three new draft picks in the CHL – Safin, Maksimov and Samorukov.
It’s very unfortunate that we don’t have an offensive center to play with Jesse – he’s playing with Josh Currie since Malone was recalled.
I’d like him to drive a line but that’s a tough situation for a teenager in a league most teens aren’t even eligible to play in.
Not time yet but I wonder if his development is actually best served with the Oilers for this reason?
Can it hurt his development to be in the AHL without any offensive players to play with?
With lack of scoring on backend , i.m surprised Bear is not up with club already .
OMG – he shouldn’t be up with the club at all this year. He’s played five professional hockey games. Five!’
Can the fanbase let one prospect actually develop?
He is doing very well in the early going but my god, he’s a first year pro d-man – very very few first year pro d-men play in the NHL – its generally saved for the Ekblads of the world and even those d-men drafted in the first round often need development time in the proper leagues.
No, just because its rare doesn’t mean that this particular prospect can’t go to the NHL but 5 good games in the AHL, playing with the most seasoned and veteran prospect in the organization (Simpson) does not mean he should be called up to the NHL.
Also, lets not forget, Bear has a total of 2 shots on net through those 5 games. He’s happened to score on both (and last night was a tap in empty net off a rebound on a 3 on 1) – its not like he’s been a dominating offensive force out there.
I watched the farm team the other night, their defense looks solid but their forwards look slow. This team really needs a strong center to drive the play. I think Bakersfield will be a low scoring team that rely s on their goal tending and defense most nights.
Where is Tyler Benson? An article said he would be back for Oct 13 with the Giants, but it’s the 22nd and he still hasn’t played. What’s up with that.
He’s still with the Oilers and is supposed to be ready to play in early November and will be re-assigned at the time.
He’s getting close – the Oilers are making sure he’s 100%, being extra diligent.
Thank you, was starting to get a little worried about his status.
Benson has been returned to Vancouver and will practice with the team tomorrow.
Recall Bear and Jones!!!
Is it just me or does it seem like Lagesson and Berglund could end up being a Klefbom and Larsson 2.0? Probably not but I do like how those 2 seem to be playing.
I am loving following those two players in the Swedish League – Berglund is out a few weeks with an injury but nothing too serious.
Lagesson is playing near 23 minutes a night and Berglund close to 20.
They both have the trust of their respective coaches.
I’m not sure if either will be coming to North America next year, it may be a couple though.
Ellis should be up sooner than later. What if we have another Matt Murray on our hands. Stubbornness and fear of losing Brossoit on waivers shouldn’t be the reason to hold Ellis back. I think he’s for real. I’ve been saying this for over a year now and he keeps proving me right…
I think that Brossoit is up in the NHL because he’s earned it. He had one “bad” start and it wasn’t even that bad – he didn’t make any saves (we could have used) but he wasn’t letting in bad goals.
His GAA last year in the NHL was under two and his save percentage was ear .930.
He doesn’t look as calm as a guy like Talbot and I think it makes fans lose confidence in him but he’s played well in his NHL time and deserves more than just one “bad” game – where is team left him out to dry with a very poor performance.
Ellis has had a great start to the year in Bakersfield and I’m sure he’ll be raring for his opportunity if LB does indeed falter in the medium term.
Ellis is developing nicely in the AHL. I’m sure the organization has high hopes for him. He’s better off playing than he is riding the pine as Talbot’s back up.
Maybe Ellis should be playing here while Talbot rides the pine. This is a contract year for him. One good year doesn’t make him completely indispensable.
I don’t understand what you are getting it?
Who isn’t completely indefensible?
Why would Talbot, one of the top tenders in the league ride the pipe?
I have no idea what your point is or what you are trying to get at.
My point is that dismissing Ellis just because Talbot had one great season could be a mistake. Matt Murray, Jones, etc. aren’t the norm but dismissing them would’ve been very costly. Who’s to say what the ceiling is for Ellis.
Benson needs to get healthy and play at least 60 games, two NHL camps and injured in both of them. I remember Tampa a few years Tampa drafting a kid who had lots of injury issues in the first round. He never panned out for the same reasons , Benson needs to somehow stay healthy.
With this latest injury the kid has been out 6 months, these are not small injuries. Hopefully he can go back to his junior team and show that the Oilers were right to draft him.
He’s been returned to the Giants and will be practicing with them tomorrow.
Great stuff.
Ellis looks to be a keeper.. Pun intended.