It is now widely reported that the Oilers have signed free agent college forward Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, otherwise known as Caligula. Fun fact, Caligula is a nickname derived from the Latin word for a soldier’s boot, which Tacitus suggests an infant Gaius was dressed in to gain popularity among the army.
Before joining the University of North Dakota in 2012, he was the Emperor of Rome from AD 37 to AD 41. Unfortunately, in his senior year in Rome he was unceremoniously murdered by a group of his own highly trained guards and senators (there will be a forensic investigation headed by Eugene Melnyk). After that he stayed pretty quiet until he joined organized hockey.
Caligula’s reputation in history has been tarnished, many believe, because Roman Historians often ascribed sexual perversion and personal cruelty to the lives of the political leaders who wronged them personally or perhaps wronged a patron. It’s difficult, sometimes, to tell fact from fiction. It’s not unlike how every Oiler who happens to dislike spending time with the media somehow always ends up being the first one off the ice in practice. What’s fact? What’s fiction? Hard to tell.
In any event, the tales of Caligula’s deeply rooted insanity are many. This includes stories of serial adultery, incredible acts of cruelty, and potentially attempting to name his favourite horse a consul of Rome. In retrospect he was always destined for professional hockey.
However true those stories may be, combined with a 5 foot 10 inch 180 pound frame, they certainly affected his draft status. Caligula passed through the 2012 draft unselected after producing 10-24-34 in 25 regular season games in the OJHL and then adding 17-20-37 in 23 playoff games.
He played 4 seasons at North Dakota, growing in offensive proficiency every year. His totals look like this:
2012-2013: 39GP, 8-8-16 2013-2014: 42GP, 11-13-24 2014-2015: 42GP, 18-18-36 2015-2016: 39GP, 25-26-51
Below is a highlight reel of the young Caesar’s career.
By virtue of drafting near the top of the order for almost a decade, the Oilers have very few forward prospects in their minor league system. Frankly, the kids they draft are just too good for the AHL. Of course, after the 1st round the Oilers have largely struck out with their forward selections. It shouldn’t take much for Caligula to pass the likes of Moroz, Chase, or Pitlick.
VAN has been told they are out on college UFA Drake Caggiula (UND). Indications appear he's going to EDM but nothing official just yet.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) May 6, 2016
Interesting: Belief is Caggiula was down on EDM at some point during the process. But he loved his visit and was wowed by the new arena.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) May 7, 2016
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