Oilers AHLer Leads In Ultimate Tough Guy Stat

caleb kerney

Fri, Nov 8, 2024, 1:57 p.m.·1 min read

EDMONTON -- Defense is a team sport.

Hockey aficianatoes acknowledge that playing defense is something that everyone on the team needs to buy into.

The Edmonton Oilers are no exception.

This past summer, the team said goodbye to Philip Broberg and Cody Ceci. To fill the void they either brought back, signed, or traded for, Troy Stecher, Ty Emberson, Connor Carrick, Travis Dermott, and Josh Brown.

Stecher, Emberson, and Dermott have been playing musical chairs all season as Kris Knoblauch and company perform alchemy to determine the best pairings on defense. However, Carrick and Brown have been playing for the Bakersfield Condors in the AHL.

<p>Josh Brown.</p><p>Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images</p> — Josh Brown.
Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Brown in particular has made his presence felt in the league, in a big way.

He is currently tied with Montana Onyebuchi and Navrin Mutter for the most penalty minutes in the AHL. All three currently have 39 penalty minutes.

In early October the Oilers put Brown on waivers in order to step up his game and reach the level they know he can play at. He's certainly made an impression with the number of fights he's been in, and his willingness to play physical hockey.

It remains to be seen if he can make his game rise to the level that would help the Oilers improve their speed. He is not known for being a puck-mover, nor does he skate fast, but it's never too late to develop those aspects of your game.

The Condors are next in action on Saturday night against the Abbotsford Canucks.

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