Die Anpflanzler [DA] » Compared to 1995

PHILADELPHIA -- Its far from a coincidence that the Edmonton Oilers went big with the third pick in the NHL draft. In taking German centre Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers added some much-needed size and depth at a position of great importance. "Its not a stretch to say were really happy and think that we filled a tremendous need for our hockey club and I think is going to have a real significant impact over time with our team," general manager Craig MacTavish said Friday night. "You combine him with our No. 1 pick last year (Darnell Nurse), and we start to see some size and quite a bit of character continue to come into our dressing room." Beyond 2011 No. 1 pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the Oilers are thin at centre. And in Draisaitl, the highest-drafted German in NHL history, they get a six-foot-one, 208-pound player who has drawn comparisons to Anze Kopitar and Jaromir Jagr. Playing for the WHLs Prince Albert Raiders, Draisaitl had 38 goals and 67 assists in 64 games this past season as he developed his defensive game and faceoff prowess. Hes from Cologne but came to develop in the Canadian junior system and will remain in North America this summer to train. There are still things Draisaitl believes he needs to improve this off-season but the physically mature 18-year-old also thinks hell be ready to play in the NHL in 2014-15. MacTavish cant make such a guarantee. "Obviously we project the team to be much more productive and much deeper than we were this year, and thatll be a significant factor," he said. "We want to make sure that if we do put young kids into our lineup that they have a chance to have success, and thatll be a big factor along with how well he adapts to the NHL game at training camp." Just having a chance to earn a spot at training camp is a nice opportunity for Draisaitl, who understands he wont just be handed a job playing alongside Nugent-Hopkins, Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle. "Im going to have to do my job and earn my spot if I want to play in that league and on that team," Draisaitl said. "I think theyre moving forward for sure and they made some good trades, (David) Perron, and the guys are getting older and more mature. This is just awesome right now." Draisaitl was thrilled to put on the same orange and blue of Edmonton stars of the past, most of whom had their primes before he was born. "Theyve had so many great players on their team: Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, MacTavish -- all those guys are stars in the league, and wearing the same jersey as they do is unbelievable," he said. MacTavish joked that he owed Draisaitl $100 for dropping his name in that group. More importantly for the GMs current job, he hopes Draisaitl can develop into an important piece of this already young core. Draisaitl fills a specific role, too, as the Oilers seek a variety of talent at forward. "(He) protects the puck and is a real offensive-zone player," MacTavish said. "Weve got a lot of skill, but were in need of somebody down low thats capable of sustaining the play. We have David Perron that fits that bill and now Leon will be a guy that can really protect the puck." If Draisaitl develops as scouts expect, he would slot in as the Oilers No. 2 centre of the future. His size mixed with Halls speed could be a tantalizing combination. "Hes probably the fastest skater in the league and hes an exciting player to watch," Draisaitl said. "It might be a good fit, but you never know." MacTavish would love to spend Saturday adding more depth to the organization, but the Oilers dont have a second- or a third-round pick after trades for Perron and goaltender Ben Scrivens. And he doesnt expect to be able to get into the second. "Well be sitting on our hands, it looks like, through the second or third round," MacTavish said. "Hopefully the scouts can pull a few of those impact players out of the later picks." Josh Rosen Jersey . He could have transferred when academic sanctions barred the Huskies from the NCAA tournament his junior season. Justin Pugh Jersey . TSN was honoured with several awards, with Rod Smith and James Duthie sharing the win for Best Sports Host for SportsCentre and the NHL: Season On The Brink coverage, respectively. http://www.cheapcardinalsjerseyssale.com/?tag=markus-golden-jersey-sale . While hell be dialed in to that tournament on a course he loves, you can forgive him if his eyes glance down the calendar just a bit, towards April. Benson Mayowa Jersey . He was 90. The team announced Monday that Adams had died, saying he "passed away peacefully from natural causes." The son of a prominent oil executive, Adams built his own energy fortune and founded the Houston Oilers. Gabe Holmes Jersey . Quarterback Drew Willy appeared to injure his throwing hand on the third last play of practice Thursday.TORONTO -- An overwhelming majority of Canadians dont want an NFL team in Canada, especially if it means the demise of the CFL, a survey suggests. Forty per cent of 1,007 on-line participants said they didnt want an NFL team in Canada at all while another 41 per cent added theyd welcome an NFL franchise in this country only if it co-existed with the CFL. The survey, released Sunday, was conducted in mid-November by Reginald Bibby, a professor of sociology at the University of Lethbridge, and pollster Angus Reid Global. "Theyd have to co-exist, thats the simple bottom line," Bibby said in a telephone interview. "Compared to 1995, if anything, that viewpoint seems to have solidified. "People are feeling stronger about it." According to the survey, since 95 Canadians have become more insistent that theyd only want the NFL here if the CFL continued to exist (41 per cent versus 32 per cent). Also, more care about the issue now than 18 years ago (50 per cent compared to 33 per cent). And in Bibbys mind, Vancouver is a good example of where that shift seems to have happened. "I sat there one night watching a game in about 1997 and there were 12,800 people there," he said. "You go out there now and you feel like the whole thing has come alive. "It just wouldnt surprise me that now in B.C., for example, theyre feeling a lot stronger about the fact that they want to see the CFL survive and dont want to see it disappear at all." Atlantic Canada is the only region of the country without a CFL team. However, the survey says only three per cent would welcome an NFL franchise north of the border if it meant the death of the CFL. The margin of error in the survey is plus or minus three per cent. Only 19 per cent of participants would be happy to see the NFL come to Canada even if it meant the demise of the CFL. "We dont have many things that are Canadian when you think about it," Bibby said. "The CFL, for better or worse, seemss to be one of them.dddddddddddd" On Sunday, the Buffalo Bills host the Atlanta Falcons at Rogers Centre a week after the Saskatchewan Roughriders defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 45-23 in the Grey Cup at Mosaic Stadium. Toronto has long been mentioned as a potential landing spot for an NFL club, but the survey says only 15 per cent of Torontonians would want a franchise here at the expense of the CFL. Eighteen per cent would be happy to see the NFL in Canada only if the CFL continued to operate with only seven per cent not wanting the NFL on Canadian soil at all. A larger percentage than in the rest of Canada, some 60 per cent, say they dont care much either way. The survey states 21 per cent of Canadians are following the NFL compared to 26 per cent for the CFL. Fourteen per cent of each fan base follows both leagues. However, the results show a large number of Canadians have a protective view of the CFL and relatively few want the NFL to come north, especially if its arrival means the demise of the CFL. "People arent troubled about the NFL coming but theres a big asterisk that they have to be assured the CFL is going to continue to live," Bibby said. "To come in and just be triumphant about the fact that Were going to bring the NFL to Canada, three cheers you should all be excited, isnt going to go over with Canadians. "In fact, that could result in a significant backlash. I just think people would have to come in and really be respectful of the importance of the CFL to Canada as a whole and make sure that they take steps to ensure the viability of the CFL." Theres also been persistent talk of the NFL eventually expanding into London. If that happened, Bibby said league officials would be advised to similarly respect the importance of soccer to the British sports culture. "The NFL would have to show the same grace if it moved to a place like London . . . and figure out a way to co-exist (with British soccer)," he said. Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap Adidas Hockey Jerseys Wholesale Nike Baseball Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys China Wholesale NFL Jerseys China Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Nike NBA Jerseys Authentic Cheap NHL Jerseys Canada Cheap Nike MLB Jerseys Cheap Soccer Jerseys China NCAA Jerseys Cheap Nike NHL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys Store Cheap Football Jerseys Store Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Jerseys NCAA China Jerseys NFL Cheap Cheap Nike NBA Jerseys ' ' '