Roby Jarventie on the other hand is really a mirror image. Jarventie entered his draft-eligible year as a potential first-round pick, with his size and offensive skills making him intriguing. The problem was that Jarventie really struggled in his own zone. So badly that he was a net liability despite his scoring impact. In addition, and more concerning, was his trait to go missing for big periods of time in games.

Jarventie would play on the perimeter and not really engage in the play. As a result, he ended up sliding to the second round of the 2020 NHL draft with many draft experts having him ranked much lower. But something happened when Jarventie turned pro. Whether it was coaching, self-reflection or a combination of both, Jarventie started to produce. His first year in the AHL was a 19-year-old and he put up 11-22—33 in 70 games. He also had a magnificent World Juniors for Finland ending up 4-5—9 in seven games, winning a silver medal. Jarventie has played only portions of his last two seasons due to injury,but in those 62 games, he has gone 25-25—50 with a very impressive shooting percentage of over 18 percent.

So what exactly did the Oilers receive in exchange for their 2021 first-round draft pick? Let’s take a look at the video.

What Caught My Eye?

Shooting By Deception

The first thing that caught me by surprise was Roby Jarventie’s shooting percentage. It’s really good. In 2023-24, he was a 19.1 percent shooter. That average would have landed him second on the Bakersfield Condors. My recollection of him as a junior player was he could shoot the puck, but my assumption was that in the AHL, he was using his size and scoring a lot of six foot rebound goals. I was wrong. Look at this collection of goals by Jarventie.

These are goal scorer-style goals. Not the classic style of NHL goal scorer shot, but a very effective one. Let’s break it down.

Take a look at this goal. In this instance, Jarvantie gets the puck on the side wall and slides down to attack the net. Watch how he gets the puck on his stick in a position to either pass or shoot which causes issues for a goalie read. Then notice how there is no coil of his lower body. He doesn’t bring his legs together or even flex to take the shot, creating no tell. Then look at the stick swing, or to be accurate, the lack of it. The puck just comes off his stick without any pre-set motion.

The shot is obviously not a howitzer, but it seems to get on goalies fast. I think most of this is attributed to the deceptive nature of his shot. Here is another example from even further out. This time Jarventie sets his feet a little, but again, the release comes so quickly and without swing that it is hard to anticipate. His shot is also highly accurate. It finds holes in screens and holes in goalies.

There is enough runway in his AHL career to suggest this is not a fluke. This is a very intriguing element because any ability to score from a distance will serve him well. With the offensive talent on the Oilers, the opportunity to get into open space will be plentiful. The ability to use that space will be the key. Jarventie’s shot might be able to do that.

The Power Game

As mentioned, I was really certain that Jarventie’s offensive success had to come from his frame as he’s a big body at 6’3″ and 210 lbs. I remember in his junior days that his ability to protect the puck and make plays with defenders on his was exceptional. That has not left him at all. Watch this offensive zone sequence leading to a goal.

He uses his body to absorb the check and corral the puck. He and a teammate work the wall to get the puck back up top to their defenceman. Now watch him bee-line to the net on the back side and get into position to make a play on the shot.

This type of “half-court” offence is really translatable to the NHL. Here is another NHL style of play.

Jarventie sets up for a one-time attempt to start. Then watch him quickly transition to attack the net front and present his stick for a deflection. His size and reach make him very tough to defend. Watch the deft touch by him to score this goal.

Here is one final clip of this element of his game.

Here Jarventie attacks the mid-lane. His skating stride is a little awkward with some upper body movement that needs to be corrected. However, he is an NHL skater for certain. He drives into position on the net front, fends off a stick check from the defender and taps the puck into the net. Again, his size and skating ability help him get to a spot where he can use his goal-scoring ability.

Where Are The Yellow Flags?

As mentioned, Jarventie had two issues coming out of junior. One was his level of engagement in the game. That really appears to be gone as he is relatively impactful every shift. He makes sure he uses his body to wear on opponents, not so much from a hitting standpoint, but by leaning on them in wall battles and causing transition chances.

The other area was his defensive zone play. He could really get lost there and also take high-risk chances that led to goals against. That remains an issue although it is much cleaner now. Here is an example of something that Jarventie can be prone to do.

Sometimes when he gets the puck in his zone, his feet stop moving. He starts to process the play as he has the puck. That is not a recipe for success. Then he can get caught trying to make the complicated play instead of the simple one. This would be an example. The middle of the ice is clearly taken away. Jarventie’s best move is to turn and go off the glass and out here. His size and hands should help him make this play. Instead, he wants the middle of the ice. He turns it over and eventually, it ends up in his team’s net.

This type of play can happen to Jarventie more than most. He needs to start processing the play a little quicker using scans ahead of possession. Then he needs to choose the simple play to start. With his puck protection skills and hands, exits should be easier than they are for him. That said, his defensive play is miles better than it was two years ago for certain.

The other notable issue is injuries. Jarventie has only played 62 of the last 144 games in the AHL. He has suffered two knee injuries that are clearly a concern. While I don’t usually rate injuries in evaluating a player, I do not think this can be overlooked. Jarventie doesn’t have a huge injury history, so it is probably this is a bit fluky. However, it is something to watch coming into the season.

The Final Verdict

This is a solid trade for the Oilers. There is a player here whose already played seven NHL games, so he is close to NHL-ready. This is key for a team that needs to compete for the Stanley Cup now but needs players who can fill NHL roles on cheap contracts. In addition, he has great size and his offensive skills are certainly good enough to create offense. There is a third-line NHL player here with some possibilities of playing further up the line-up if his shooting percentage can hold up against NHL goaltending.

If Jarventie comes to camp healthy and puts up numbers to start the season, I think it is highly likely this player will get Oilers games sooner rather than later.