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National Post
27 minutes ago
- National Post
Oilers notebook: We hardly knew ye, Reid Schaefer
Article content Funny you should ask. Article content The former Edmonton Oilers first-round draft pick, part of the trade package along with Tyson Barrie to get defenceman Mattias Ekholm from Nashville in 2023—the most impactful trade move of former GM Ken Holland's five-year tenure here—is healthy now after shoulder surgery last season while the left-winger, 21, was playing on the top line in AHL Milwaukee. Article content Schaefer, who was at Rogers Place last June for games 2 and 5 of the Stanley Cup Final series against Florida, was only part of the Oilers organization for eight months but he's never left fan status, growing up in Spruce Grove. But realistically, Schaefer, at Perry Pearn's annual 3-on-3 pro camp here, is likely in a better place in Nashville, trying to get to the NHL, than here after two straight Cup runs by Edmonton. Article content But, as they say, we hardly knew ye, Reid Schaefer. Article content 'I was a little shocked at first. I've been an Oilers' fan for a long time (sweaters all around his house). I was pretty thrilled to be part of that organization but looking back, being part of the Ekholm trade it was a win-win for me,' said Schaefer, who was the 32nd overall pick in the 2022 July draft and dealt to Nashville Feb. 28, 2023. Article content 'I think there's more opportunity for me in Nashville, a quicker route to the NHL, where Edmonton's in a win-now mode. Article content 'I mean it sucked at first but looking back it's a blessing in disguise,' said Schaefer, whose dad Jeremy played junior in Medicine Hat for Pearn and was drafted by Boston and Reid's cousin is long-time NHLer Colin Fraser. Article content The Predators are clearly in transition. They signed a raft of older free-agents last summer—Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, Brady Skjei—to try and stay Cup relevant but the bottom fell out and they missed the playoffs. They need some younger people, which could be all good for Schaefer. Article content Article content Pearn, who's had Schaefer for a few years at his summer camp, clearly sees that he's making meaningful strides. Article content 'I think his skating has improved. It's apparent that he's done that work. He's definitely quicker and his size (6'4' and 223 pounds) allows him to win battles where you don't have to win races,' said the long-time NHL assistant coach. Article content 'I only see Reid in the summer time but for me there's been significant growth in him. He's got his dad's personality…he's just a nice guy. Reid has to push himself to be more of a pain to play against. If he does that, that will buy him more time and space.' Article content Article content Schaefer was at Nashville's camp last fall, in his second year in their organization, when his shoulder popped out in practice. After taking time off to rehab, he went to Milwaukee for the 2024-2025 season and had 14 points in 19 games. The shoulder again popped out in an AHL game against Minnesota's farm squad Iowa Wild in December. He opted for surgery, effectively losing a full minor-league season of assessment by the Predators, and now he starts over. Article content 'The shoulder (issue) had been lingering for three years but it fully came out at camp…a puck battle in the corner and I kind of got cross-checked,' said Schaefer, who did get into one exhibition last fall against Tampa but he was compromised. 'I was still in an arm sling. I wasn't rockin' at 100 per cent. Article content 'Then on Dec. 7, it was another weird one, just a light bump. I tried a reverse hit and the shoulder came out. Article content 'It was tough…you have such a good start to a season (AHL) and you see the NHL team struggling a bit and maybe you're thinking of pushing off the surgery and trying to crack the Preds for a few games or half a season,' he said. Article content 'But the surgery had to be done and now I have to prove myself again.' Article content Working on consistency Article content When and if Schaefer gets to the NHL, while counted on for offence in the minors, realistically it'll be as 7-through-12 forward on the Preds' roster, providing some secondary scoring. He's been on the PP in the AHL, but also killed penalties. Article content 'I think I can model my game after, say, a Trent Frederic, hard to play against,' said Schaefer. Article content He's been working on his foot-speed, the first three strides for awhile now, but you can't teach size. Article content 'I think I can play a heavy, power forward role, working on consistency, night in, night out. I think they can use that in the bottom six (Predators),' said Schaefer, who has been a slow-and-steady player throughout his hockey days, so nobody should be worried about his progress. Article content He was an eighth-round WHL bantam draft selection. 'Yeah, my whole life I've been a late bloomer. You start out in junior (Seattle) and you get two points in 18 games. Every year I seem to get more comfortable, a credit to how hard I work, I try to build off every season,' said Schaefer, who had 58 points in 66 games his second season in Seattle when drafted in 2022 and 61 in 55 the season he was traded for Ekholm. Article content He had 21 points in 63 games as a first-year pro in Milwaukee before the 14 points in 19 last season before the shoulder surgery. Article content And, yes, Schaefer still looks back to his trade to the Predators as a what-just-happened-here?. Trades happen all the time in hockey, but not that often when you're a first-round draft pick and in less than a calendar year, you're gone for somebody else. Article content 'I was drafted, went to Oilers development camp, then main camp and at the trade deadline I knew my name was involved in some rumours but I didn't think much of it. Then I'm at the rink in Seattle and (SportsNet's) Ellliotte Friedman leads off with Oilers get Mattias Ekholm for Tyson Barrie and Reid Schaefer. You have to find out from Twitter these days,' he said. Article content This 'n that Article content Pearn runs a junior camp before the pros two-week 3-on-3 session and Wednesday morning he had Prince George Cougars' forward Kayden Lemire, 17, with the pros because of a shortened pro turnout. The 6'4', 195-pound local product, draft eligible next June, turned heads. Pearn said the last junior at his camp that did that was Jay Bouwmeester when playing junior for Medicine Hat. 'I had all these guys coming up to me about Jay and saying 'who's that?''' said Pearn, who has run his pro camp since the late 90s… There haven't been any discussions with the hometown Oilers on a pro tryout for winger Noah Gregor, 27, who doesn't have a contract after finishing last season with San Jose. But he may still get one elsewhere with NHL camps opening in a month. He made the Leafs after a camp invite a few years ago… Another pro Pearn has really liked at his camp is Vern Fiddler's nephew Riley Fiddler-Schult z, who played junior for the Calgary Hitmen, was undrafted but played 51 games for Buffalo's Rochester AHL team last season with 13 goals and 26 points.
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Halifax homeless encampment on Windsor Street ordered to close
Steve Falshaw woke up to an eviction notice on his grey tent in a Halifax park on Wednesday morning. The municipality has closed the designated encampment in the small green space that runs along Windsor Street near Quinpool Road, giving the roughly nine people living there about a month to leave. Halifax said the Cogswell Park site must be cleared out because it's too close to a new tower catering to seniors. "It's a pretty lousy thing to do, actually. They've got nowhere to put us," said Falshaw, who added he is dealing with cancer and other health conditions. The site was designated in July 2024 as a homeless encampment managed by the city with portable toilets and garbage pickup. It had an original capacity of eight tents, but that grew to about 16 tents at some points. Max Chauvin, Halifax's director of housing and homelessness, said municipal policy states that designated encampments cannot be within 50 metres of the entrance to a seniors' care facility. He said the new Shannex building, called Parkland on the Common, has a door that is about 20 metres from the site. The building offers 20 floors of premium apartments for seniors and three floors for seniors who require full-time care. Saint Vincent's Nursing Home, a 149-bed non-profit facility, is also located across the street from the encampment. However Chauvin said that building's entrance is more than 50 metres from the encampment. "Whether it is about closeness to a daycare, or closeness to other facilities or things like that, it's always been about the entrance to the space," Chauvin said. Chauvin said outreach workers will now meet with everyone at Cogswell Park to find them a place to go next, and help them move if needed. He said there are open spaces in multiple indoor shelters, or temporary housing options run by the province. "People do have some choice, which is something that didn't happen in some previous incidences — the options were more limited," Chauvin said Wednesday. Falshaw said he's been sleeping rough for the past three years and has tried a few of the temporary housing options, but they were not a good fit and he was usually asked to leave. Resorting to living in a public park in a rich country like Canada "is an absolute heartbreaking shame," he said. "Why are we even outside? Why do we even have to do this?" said Falshaw, who doesn't know where he'll go next. Virginia Hinch, councillor for the area, had asked for staff to explore the process of closing the Cogswell Park site in early July following ongoing safety concerns from nearby residents. Karla Nicholson, executive director of Quinpool Road Mainstreet District Association, said residents and businesses have told her about an increase in thefts since the site was designated. She said there have been reports of fires and violence at the site. "I think the residents have suffered enough in this area, and it is very close proximity to their homes," Nicholson said Wednesday. While the site was officially designated last year, Nicholson said people have sheltered in tents there since about 2020. The Quinpool business association has put "a lot of work" into the park, including new lights and a raised wooden boardwalk, said Nicholson. "We're hoping to take back the park, and make it a place where everyone can enjoy," she said. The three remaining designated encampment sites around Halifax and Dartmouth are over capacity, but Chauvin said there are a few spots at those sites where people could fit tents if necessary. "Considering the breadth of options and the different supports that are available … I'm really hoping that everybody can find an indoor option," Chauvin said. Chauvin said there are fewer than 100 people sleeping rough in Halifax. The city counted about 75 tents and four trailers in the municipality's designated locations as of last week. The by-name list tracking people dealing with homelessness in Halifax showed 972 people or families in need of housing as of Aug. 13. The list, maintained by the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia, said 642 of those people were experiencing "chronic" homelessness. according to the federal government.
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
N.S. seniors take course on how to prepare for emergencies
A Halifax organization held a free seminar on how to be ready for disasters. Its goal was to equip participants with knowledge and supplies to protect themselves. Olivia Piercey has the story.
