[pens1fan]

Hey Beckett Community I just got back in from Oklahoma City as I went to games on Friday and Saturday and also went to their practice on Saturday. If your not aware OKC is the AHL team for the Edmonton Oilers and all the young stars for them are playing for OKC, including RNH, Eberle, Paajarvi, Hartikainen, Anton Lander and Justin Schultz (this guys is a beast). Also to my surprise there was another #1 draft pick that was practicing with the team, Taylor Hall. Taylor will be practicing with the team a week or so more then going back to Edmonton to get clearance to play for the Barons. Watching all of them in the games and especially in practice this team is going to be awesome. Justin Schultz is their new D man and he is leading the team in scoring with 4 goals and 2 assits and a +6 rating thru 4 games. Very impressed with him and this is his first year as a pro. Well enough of all my talking. Here are a few pick I took during practice on Saturday.


Taylor Hall in white


closeup of Hall


RNH right, Hall middle


Olivier Roy




RNH left

A bunch of my pics didn't turn out so well but I'm happy with just being there. Olivier Roy was really cool, he gave pucks to both my son and nephew, which made their day.

Personally now I hope that the lockout last a while that way I can see more of these guys locally.

Thanks for the look, comments are welcomed and appreciated.

Walt

[ricebondsmntna2young]

Whoa that's gotta take a little sting out of the lockout. What do you think of coach Todd Nelson. Is he NHL-caliber as a head coach?

Great pics by the way...and Justin Schultz is the standout for you on that roster?

[pens1fan]

Whoa that's gotta take a little sting out of the lockout. What do you think of coach Todd Nelson. Is he NHL-caliber as a head coach?

Great pics by the way...and Justin Schultz is the standout for you on that roster?

Todd Nelson is a very good coach and I think he could very well be an NHL coach some day in the near future maybe even for the Oilers.

Schultz is a standout for me just by watching him play. Now I'm not saying he is the best player on the Barons(personally I think Eberle is) but he was very impressive in the 2 games I saw (3 goals and an assist with a +6). He has one of the best shots for a defenseman that I have ever seen and the accuracy to go along with it. Not only that he plays a great defensive game(not one goal scored while he was on the ice except for empty net). This all from a first year pro. If the lockout ends soon, he will be in the Oilers lineup right away.

[bluefrozencanuck]

so jealous, damn now there's a tear in my beer.

[josiahcecil]

Very nice pics and you know what now the minors are going to sell out and the NHL reps are going to slap themselves with the missed profits!!!

[pens fan addict]

Great Pics Walt! I hope you ,Christian and the Nephew all had a good time! Did you get to get any autos??? Dont keep us in too much suspense!

[rayeates]

Brilliant pics, Walt! I am hoping to get out to some QMJHL games here in Halifax, but I have other stuff on my plate right now. Thanks for sharing the pics and story! Glad the kids got some souveniers out of the trip!

On a photography note, if your camera has a Sports setting, use it. It will enhance the brilliance of the colors and will also slow the action downs for you without all of the graininess. Best wishes!

Randi

[azicet]

It looks like you were the only ones watching practice. I hope you were able to take pics & get autos with the players after practice. (And if you do decide to go again, tell Eberle & RNH to sign their damn fan mail from me!)

[pens1fan]

It looks like you were the only ones watching practice. I hope you were able to take pics & get autos with the players after practice. (And if you do decide to go again, tell Eberle & RNH to sign their damn fan mail from me!)

We were the only fans there for practice. There were a few of the media people there and some agents and the owner but that was about it. I was able to get Taylor Hall's auto on a Barons shirt. RNH and Eberle went straight off the ice and to the locker room even with the boys asking them to sign, but that's ok. Taylor took time out to talk and sign for us, which is great. I have a new respect for him and hope that he's playing with the Barons really soon.

Thanks everyone else for the comments and thanks for the tips on the camera Randi. I am going back down again on Nov. 2nd for 2 games and the Saturday practice again, so here's hoping for more autos and photos.