If Oilers are looking for toughness, there's an explosion of it in Bakersfield

If the Edmonton Oilers are looking for toughness, they know where to find it close by, within their own organizaton. Connor Clattenburg, 20, continues to throw his weight around in the American Hockey League.

Here’s how things unfolded in Clattenburg’s latest game against Abbotsford on Wednesday night.

Ryan Holt of the Condors reported: “Condors win their fifth straight, 4-1 in Abbotsford. Connor Ungar is now 4-0-0 with a 1.73 and .943.”

Cult of Hockey contributor Ira Cooper noted the nasty play of Clattenburg: “Clattenburg with a dirty open ice hit – d-man didn’t have the puck, it was high, it was a blind-side and there may have been an elbow. Ryan Holt with the ‘that’s a clean hit, its a blind side but its clean’ but it was very much not clean. Fight ensures – his 8th – suspended at 10.”

Holtby confirmed this: “Clattenburg with a big hit and his 8th fight (7th for suspension purposes). For those into that sort of thing: Clattenburg is at 8 fights. But only 7 count to suspension (1 had an opposing instigator). His 10th carries a 1 game suspension.”

My take

1. The Edmonton Oilers need a fearless, active and aggressive hitter on the team, someone to bring at least that particular aspect of Evander Kane’s game. Clattenburg lacks Kane’s skill as a hockey player, but the 20-year-old is already a fearsome intimidator at the pro level. He’s making an impact in the AHL, he did well in his brief stint in Edmonton, and he’s not too far from sticking as an Oiler.

2. Clattenburg skated well in Edmonton, at least if you go by average speed during his even strength shifts.

He ranks fourth on the Oilers in this category, with the data courtesy of NHL Edge and Puckalytics.com.

Of course I’m still not sure exactly what to make of all the skating data, but I put some weight in three categories: maximum speed, speed bursts and average speed at even strength.

3. Max Jones, another Bakersfield regular, also stepped up in his last stint in Edmonton. He’s a big, aggressive forward who can play an ornery game if the spirit moves him.

Could it be that come playoff time we’ll see a fourth line on the Oilers with Jones and Clattenburg? It’s unlikely but possible. There’s no harm in having three solid top lines and one fourth line that hits, forechecks and fights.

4. Finally, there’s also big prospect winger Roby Jarventie in Bakersfield, more healthy after missing major parts of two seasons with knee problems. He’s got 23 points in 29 games and he’s a 6-foot, 3-inch, 210 pound player, bigger even than Jones at 6-foot, 3-inches, 195 pounds.

Oilers prospect expert Bruce Curlock says of Jarventie’s game: “He’s a very big body who wins board battles. His hands are certainly a plus grade in terms of passing and puckhandling. His skating is very good for a man of his size. If Jarventie keeps pushing, I suspect he sees time in Edmonton before the end of the season.”

At the Cult of Hockey

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