The sunshine of positivity may have been too bright this week in Edmonton as we saw the mercury rise to the 40C mark just yesterday. Grab your sunscreen and hit play on that sultry summer song from Burt Bacharach and let us bask in the sunshine that is Ryan Strome.
Now there will be people who are upset with the way we obtained Ryan, and that’s fine. Leave that to another article as it’s easy to get negative for a player for things that are completely out of their control. For Strome, he is the player he has been through his entire career and for a third liner on this team, that’s great.
He is also consistently inconsistent as ON writer pointed out just yesterday in his very own article speaking of Strome:
Is that a bad thing? From a top-line guy, I would say yes. But when you’re looking at the centre of your bottom-six players having a guy who can pitch in when he is hot, and will be a defensive guy in the lulls, why not? Your bottom-six guy would be someone like say Jussi Jokinen, who I was very bullish on when he came to the team last summer and how did that work out for him?
When you speak of other bottom-six guys and look at Strome, I am pretty happy with what we have and it seems like perhaps the only real issue for the player is other’s unfair expectations of him (once again based off the return for the trade). When good content boy Cooom looked at Strome for his RFA profile (prior to Strome’s signing) he summed up the season well with:
“Strome’s point-per-game in all situations in the past three seasons have been 0.39, 0.43, and 0.41 respectively. In 2014-15, Strome had what appeared to be a breakout season in which he recorded 50 points in 81 games, but given the two follow-up seasons, it’s pretty obvious that was the exception rather than the rule. With that considered, the Oilers got the player in 2017-18 they should have been expecting. If the Oilers expected more from Strome, that’s on them. That’s on their professional scouts who watched him, it’s on Peter Chiarelli for targeting him in a one-for-one deal for Eberle.”
The stats Cooom was referring to:
NYI 2015-16: 71 games, 8 goals, 20 assists, 50.6 CF%, +1.8 CF% rel
NYI 2016-17: 69 games, 13 goals, 17 assists, 45.9 CF%, -2.1 CF% rel
EDM 2017-18: 82 games, 13 goals, 21 assists, 50.8 CF%, -0.1 CF% rel
In Ryan, we now have a player who is “who we thought he is” and if you expect that kind of player, the team should be comfortable going forward with him solidifying the third-line grouping.
Lest we forget, Strome is one who believed in this team right from the outset of his trade:
Ryan Strome: “I think we’re really close to winning a Stanley Cup”
The prediction didn’t come to fruition, but you have to love a guy who buys in.
Ryan Strome is definitely a positive.
Soak Up All Previous Sunshine:
- Evan Bouchard
- Connor McDavid
- Tobias Rieder
- Jujhar Khaira
- Kailer Yamamoto
- Ty Rattie
- Jesse Puljujarvi
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Over the next 5 years average 12-15 goals & 20-25 assists and win over 50% of his face-offs as a 3rd line centre (and be the first choice at centre on the PK) I would say he would then become equally as valuable as a one dimensional Jordan Eberle. Dare I say a younger slightly better version of Kyle Brodziak in his prime years in Minny? These types of guys are a must have on a Stanley Cup winning team.
Strome is a solid middle 6 forward with the ability to move up the lineup (and I would like to see him as 1/2RW at least in stretches as the team has done well with him there last year).
I think he has more offence to give as he is a smart offensive player with under-rated vision in the offensive zone – I saw many great cross-ice passes in the offensive zone die on the stick of the recipient last year.
He provided value for his cap hit last year and I expect the same this year. He has more to give so he could turn that $3M contract in to a value contract, however, will likely see most of his minutes on the 3rd line so may not have the opportunity to do so.
Strome should be on the team when the oilers bring back the cup in the future , no not this comming season but in 2 years things will be looking good.
Strome is a solid addition to the team. A Puljujarvi type of player with drive and desire to win.
While I agree that he is a solid addition to the team, I”m not sure I agree with your second point or understand what you are getting at. I don’t see him as a similar type player to Puljujarvi at all – in fact, their skill-sets are almost opposing to me.
Also, if you was your way of saying that Jesse doesn’t have drive and desire, I will also disagree with your assessment of his character.
You are selling JP a little short he has a lot more upside than Strome but Strome will be a very good addition come the playoffs.
Ok. Which one of you is Puljujarvis agent and which one is his PR man? Strome and Puljujariv are similar players both could be effective third line players.
If you look at the lack of scoring on the bottom two lines last year, it not inconceivable the Strome can hit the fifty point mark if he gets a couple of wingers with even a little bit of ability to put the biscuit in the basket. Forget the idea of putting him on the wing, he proved in NY already that he is much more comfortable at centre.
GODDAMNNNN!
I love our centre depth!
Strome is going to prosper this year, maybe not 50-points but your definitely going to see his presence on the ice!
Also, saying this right now. Brodziak is gonna put up 35 points like Letestu did. Berta boyzzz
¯\_(ツ)_/¯