Edmonton Oilers and Multi-dimentional Players

By Kurt Leavins |

Zack Kassian, Andrew Ference

The Edmonton Oilers have re-called Zack Kassian from the minor league Condors, and there is every indication that he will be in the lineup Thursday, in San Jose.

The call-up came as a surprise to many. Perhaps not so much that Kassian WAS summoned from the AHL (although a handful of detractors predicted he would never see the NHL, even though that was extremely unlikely), but how soon it transpired.

There are a number of reasons why the call to Bakersfield came as early as it did. I maintained from the moment that he was acquired from Montreal for Ben Scrivens, that it was only a matter of time that Peter Chiarelli would have him in the NHL.

After all, Kassian wasn’t going to “learn” anything in the AHL. He is an NHL player. He was there to find his legs, his hands, keep his nose clean, and wait for the phone to ring. He did, it did, and here we are.

So…why the rush?

Well, Zack Kassian is not your average, ordinary NHL performer. He is a multi-dimensional athlete. All NHL players are talented, you don’t get there if you are not. But they come in all shapes and sizes. The higher the level of talent a player has in more than one facet of the game, the more valuable he is. It means, while he generally plays at a higher level, he can also do so in multiple situations, and is usually harder to defend against and/or is a superior defender.

This describes Zack Kassian. While he has a reputation that is somewhat tarnished (of his own doing), fact is he fits the mold of a Top-6 (or, at least Top 9) power forward: He has above-average speed, a real physical element, can give and receive a pass with elite-level players, can score, and has a solid defensive conscience

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It is an interesting study to compare him to his Edmonton Oilers teammates:

–Taylor Hall possesses all of the above. The difference is that Hall ticks off several of those boxes at an elite level, such as speed, passing and scoring (shooting), that exceeds what Kassian does. With improved defence this year, Hall has risen to all-around elite status among NHL players. Connor McDavid certainly appears destined for this level as well, we just have a small sample to base that projection on, so far.

–Jordan Eberle, an elite-level NHL goal scorer, doesn’t quite rate at Hall’s level. He’s not as fast, and doesn’t have the same physical tools. It is his better-than-average ability to score that makes up for his relative weaknesses. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, while marginally more able than Eberle in a general sense, lacks that one, elite skill.

-Other younger members of this roster that have potential to reach elite status: Darnell Nurse appears to have the raw tools to be a 1D, but still needs time. Leon Draisaitl, already a point-a-game player, is not yet established. Oscar Klefbom is in the same universe, but is probably a half-tick lower in terms of pure, raw skill.

-One-dimensional players with narrow skills can put a coach in a corner, as he knows he can only play them in certain situations: Justin Schultz, Nail Yakupov, Brad Hunt, et al. These players are useful and even dangerous at times, but to some extent, they need to be “coached around”. You likely won’t need to coach around Kassian.

-Then there are role players, where the relative value of Zack Kassian shows. His skill set is better and broader than Luke Gazdic, Lauri Korpikoski, Rob Klinkhammer, Anton Lander and others. “Real” NHL players, but Bottom-six-ers. They are a cut below a Kassian at his best.

One does not get very deep into this exercise before you realize that Kassian (if he indeed has straightened himself out) slots pretty high in the batting order. He has a chance to be an impact player in the Edmonton Oilers lineup, and to perform well in all (or most) situations.

For a team like the Edmonton Oilers that still has a shot at the post-season, a player of Kassian’s quality is valuable indeed. That’s why its January 2016 and he is back in the NHL. Period.

Caveat:

Zack Kassian is that ’74 Camaro in the used lot. At one point it was a pretty sweet ride. But what you don’t know until you drive it, is whether it can “still go”, and even if it can, will the engine blow a piston a hundred miles down the road. There is no warranty left on it.

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But if the new owner is lucky, and checked under the hood first, he can end up getting some really good miles out of it.

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