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With Shawn Horcoff on the shelf with a broken knuckle the Oilers have, at least for now, turned their attention to Oklahoma City in search of a replacement.
#Oilers have recalled forward Mark Arcobello from the AHL's #OKCBarons
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) February 5, 2013
Arcobello played four seasons at Yale before turning pro in 2010/11 splitting time between Stockton and Oklahoma City. After that season Arcobello was rewarded with a two-year entry level deal. Last year he established himself as a full time AHL player scoring 17 goals and 43 points in 73 games; he added another 13 points in 14 playoff games. This season Arcobello's numbers continue to trend nicely. With 14 goals and 39 points he's almost matched his production from last season despite having played 30 fewer games so far and was named to the AHL Western Conference All-Star Team. In Derek's look at the Oilers prospects from last weekend you'll find Arcobello right at the top of the forward list.
Friend of the Copper & Blue, Neal Livingston (you can read Neal's write up on the Arcobello recall on his website Tend the Farm) has seen Arcobello play a lot of the last few seasons and has this to say about him:
Mark Arcobello has worked his way from undrafted Yale graduate to ECHL prized pony, to AHL All-Star to NHL callup in a span of less than three years. The smallish, lightweight forward has spent equal times on the wing and at center with the Oklahoma City Barons. He may be small but he's headstrong, fully capable in the face off circle, improving on defense, and always willing to play around the net. In what will be his first NHL ice time, the big question mark will be his ability to adjust from the speed and size of the AHL to the speed and size of the NHL. He seems to have been the beneficiary of some really solid linemates in two seasons with the Barons, and that will be the key to his success/failure in the big leagues. Fingers crossed.
Fingers crossed sums it up nicely. Both for Arcobello who is longest of long shots but also for the Oilers who are without their top two penalty killing centres and are looking to a player with zero NHL games for some help.