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Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, Kris Hansen, Madison Moroz, NHL, Sunday Night Pint

BLH Sunday Night Pint #13

BLH Sunday Night Pint #13We’re back for another SaWEET Sunday Night Pint! Crazy week for the Edmonton Oilers eh? A little bit of winning, a little bit of getting their asses handed to them; and the formation of a new unstoppable force… The ConYak Connection!

But as we do with the end of every week, it’s time for the SNP and joining us today are Madison “Mad Dog” Moroz (@madi39) and “Crazy” Kris Hansen (@wildcardKH). I’m going to tag in as well to complete this trifecta of terror!

Topics today are as follows:

  • Favorite hockey quotes.
  • Biggest surprise/disappointment this season so far.
  • THE franchise player you’d build your team around (all-time).
  • Dirtiest hockey play ever!

Let’s get this party started!

WHO’S THE BIGGEST SURPRISE/DISAPPOINTMENT ON THE OILERS SO FAR?

MM: The biggest surprise to me this season is Justin Schultz. It’s been pleasant, coming into this season, I didn’t know what to expect from this kid anymore because he has been such a roller coaster of a player, hope was beginning to be lost. Then he showed up to camp and the coaching staff immediately commented on his I’m improved play. He has shown a huge boost in confidence and sprinkled in a pinch of aggressiveness to his game.

KH: It’s a great question. I do not have really any huge surprises right now. McDavid and Talbot are living up to expectations for sure. I’ll say that Gryba has been a pleasant surprise. He is constantly rotating partners and has been the most consistent defender.

However, Sekera and Fayne both need to step up and badly. I still think Sekera has looked better these last few games and is getting adjusted to a new team, but still, I expect a lot more from him.

BLH: I’ll tell you what, Yakupov has been the biggest surprise for me. He had chance after chance in the last few seasons to play with the elites on the team like Hall and Nuge, I never thought he’d start producing like he is now.

As for a disappointment, I’m going to go with the Oilers defence as a whole. I thought they’d be a bit better to be honest. Adding Sekera, Reinhart, and Gryba was supposed to shore up the Oilers leaky defence. It has not.

WHICH PLAYER WOULD YOU BUILD YOUR TEAM AROUND IF YOU COULD PICK FROM ANYBODY IN HISTORY?

MM: Sidney Crosby, it wasn’t an easy choice cause my heart is telling me to say McDavid lol. But Crosby is just on a whole other level with his game, his speed, his shot, his vision, his hockey IQ, his passion and hunger to win. He is a great leader on and the off ice and tends to stay rather humble. I still consider him the best player in the NHL and still has a chance to go down as arguably the greatest to play the game. Not sure what else you can say about the guy, his play speaks for itself. He’s started the year off a bit rough, but there isn’t any else I’d rather choose to have the puck on his stick in the final minute of game 7 of the cup finals.

KH: Obviously, it would be Gretzky, Lemieux or Orr, but where’s the fun in that?

For past players, I’d go back to say Gordie Howe. Could you imagine a Prime Gordie Howe on the Edmonton Oilers? That would not even be fair. He could do it all: score and had that nasty element that demanded respect. Plus that durability and longevity. Just golden.

For present players, it’s a bit more tough. I think McDavid is a great answer because he is that good but if we’re looking around the NHL….I’ll go with Doughty. Sure, could say Crosby or Ovechkin and they are fine picks, but again going against the grain with Doughty. He’s still young, has so much under his belt and is still missing that elusive Norris Trophy.

BLH: If I had to start franchise with any player in the history of hockey I’d go with… It’s hard not to say Gretzky, Orr, or Plante but I’m going to go off the board and say Dominik Hasek. A career .922 Sv% and two consecutive league MVPs is nothing to shake a stick at and I just remember him being unbeatable in a time when Gretzky, Bure, Lemieux, Jagr, Forsberg, Selanne, etc. quite possibly the greatest collection of goal scorers in the history of the NHL were playing.

And as we know a good goalie can make a mediocre team look great but a mediocre goalie can make a great team look shat.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE HOCKEY QUOTE?

MM: “You just have to say ‘Screw it’, to losing and get the mentality that we can win games here.” – Connor McDavid

KH: Conn Smythe’s “If you can’t beat ’em in the alley, you can’t beat ’em on the ice.” It just screams the slugfest hockey can become.

BLH: “We know that hockey is where we live, where we can best meet and overcome pain and wrong and death. Life is just a place where we spend time between games.” – Fred Shero, Coach of the Philadelphia Flyers

WHAT’S THE DIRTIEST PLAY YOU’VE EVER SEEN IN HOCKEY?

MM: The dirtiest play I have ever seen, probably has to be the Todd Bertuzzi cheap shot from behind on Steve Moore. He ended someones career, all because he took a run at your captain. It was just reckless, stupid and disgusting. A close second is the Dale Hunter hit on Pierre Turgeon which I believed happened in the playoffs and was the latest hit I’ve ever witnessed after scoring a goal.

KH: Yep. It’s the Claude Lemieux on Kris Draper hit. Absolutely gutless and horrendous .  Lemieux literally broke Draper’s face. That Avs-Wings Rivalry which I grew up with was downright nasty and that was the boiling point for sure.

BLH: dirrrrrttttaaaaayyyy!

Well thanks for being with us today, I hope you enjoyed our Sunday Night Pint and feel free to let us know in the comments below your thoughts on today’s topics!

Oh! Before you go, head on over to the Beer League Heroes Merch Shop and grab the NEW “97 Drops of Hope” shirt! It’s on sale for 30% off and I heard it was a bit crisp today back home! Maybe a hoodie would treat you a bit better. Either way, click on the pic below and it will take you right to the shop!

The new McDavid inspired design!

Take Care!

BLH

Corey Mitchell, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

Prospect Profile: Jumping to Pro

As the summer continues, so does my weekly feature, Prospect Profile. This week, Part 4 takes a look at 5 players who are going to be jumping to pro for the Oilers this upcoming season. While they have taken different paths to get top this point, I feel like all these players have a chance to make an AHL roster that finds itself in Bakersfield, California this year.

Joey Laleggia

With four years of college hockey behind him, defenseman Joey Laleggia can now turn his attention to the start of his professional career. A smooth skating player, Laleggia displays the ability to jump up in the play, and find open ice. Much like Justin Schultz, Laleggia’s biggest strength may be his offensive abilities. Over his 156 games played with the University of Denver, Laleggia piled on the stats, going 49-83-132 with over a point per game pace. Prior to joining the U of Denver, Laleggia put up impressive numbers with the Penticton Vees of the BCHL as well, with 147 points in 114 games.

I brought up Justin Schultz. I find him to be the comparable for Leleggia moving forward in his career. We all know what Schultz is capapble of on the offensive side of the puck. The issue is his defensive play. It’s hard to say if this will be a detriment for Laleggia as well. He’s a vary capable college player. However, as has been the case with most players coming into professional hockey from the college ranks, it’s a very different experience. Players in college are accustomed to playing half of what a player in the NHL or AHL will play, and that can be a difficult adjustment for many of them.

On the positive note, however, Laleggia won’t be making the leap to the NHL full time for at least a year, if not two. While Schultz was able to get in half a season in the AHL during the lockout, he could have benifited from a whole year with Oklahoma City to learn the pro game. With the glut of defencemen currently under contract with the Oilers, that shouldn’t be an issue with Laleggia, who should be able to establish himself as a top four player in Bakersfield this season.

 

John McCarron

Another player coming out of college, John McCarron will be looking to come in to camp trying to earn an AHL job with Bakersfield. He’s a big player, listed at 6’3″ 219 lbs. on the Oilers site (although hockeydb.com has him at 230). While the size is there, it would be wrong to classify McCarron as a power forward, in the sense that he doesn’t have a lot of offensive flare to his game. In his 131 games with Cornell, he put up only 74 points, his best year being the 2013-14 season, in which he had 7-17-24.

Being a sixth round pick in 2012, the Oilers didn’t draft McCarron for his offense. Instead, they were looking to add a prospect with size, who isn’t afraid to play with an edge, as evident by his 216 PIM over his college career. More importantly, McCarron is a player with leadership capabilities. He captained Cornell for two seasons, from 2013 to 2015. In that time, he helped lead Cornell to the Ivy League Championship in 2014.

McCarron has all the tools to be able to make in impact with Bakersfield next season if he can make the team. Barring that, a year or two in the ECHL will be of a major benefit as well. As mentioned before, college players historically take some time to adjust to the longer grind of professional hockey. If the Oilers take their time with McCarron, he has the potential to be a very effective bottom six forward for them in a few years.

 

Ben Betker

Ben Betker is a prospect that I’ve personally been very high on. Standing at a towering 6’5″ and weighing 204 lbs., Betker looks like he could be a pillar on the blue line for the Oilers in the next few years. He was an anchor for the Everett Silvertips over the past three years, playing in all situations for them. While not an offensive defensemen by any means, Betker makes up for that with his defensive skills. A big body that pushes players off the puck, Betker also has an active stick, and Chara like reach. He saw his plus/minus last season jump to +19, after going -3 and -21 in previous years.

It’s hard to saw where Betker will start the year this season. The Oilers have so many defensemen coming into camp, it could be hard for Betker to land a position in the AHL, especially with the very real chance that both Darnell Nurse and Griffin Reinhart will be starting the year in Bakersfield, based on the numbers alone. Add in AHL veterans like Brad Hunt, Martin Gernat, and David Musil, along with Joey Laleggia, who most likely makes the Condors, and Betker could be the odd man out, finding his minutes in the ECHL this season.

Whatever road Betker takes, I’m excited to watch his development as a pro. He has all the tools to become a solid shut down guy for the Oilers, and could be hitting his stride at the right time, when the Oilers are looking to bolster their bottom three on the blue line to compliment Nurse, Reinhart, and Oscar Klefbom.

 

Greg Chase

For the last few years, the Oilers scouts have not had too much success outside of the 1st and 2nd rounds. It was a scouting staff that gained, in my opinion, too much credibility on their ability to draft 1st overall, apart from Jordan Eberle, who the stole at 22nd overall. The success of any franchise, especially in the cap era, depends on the ability to draft and develop players, and keep the team competitive through player turnover. It helps when you have later round success. Enter Greg Chase, a 7th round pick from 2013. He’s exactly the kind of player the Oilers need to develop.

A highly skilled player, Chase also brings an agitator element to the game, much in the way a Brad Marchand does. Following his draft year, Chase lead the Calgary Hitmen in points for the 2013-14 season, finishing with 25-50-85 in his 70 games played that year. The previous season, he only had 49 points 69 games. However, the same year he finished with 85 points also saw Chase rack up 83 PIM, something that it was rumored the Hitmen organization wasn’t overly happy with. The issues culminated with a healthy scratch last season when Chase had family in attendance, followed by Chase being sent home for what the Hitmen deemed “on-ice discipline”, and Chase requesting a trade. Following the trade to the Victoria Hitmen, Chase picked up right where he left off, adding 44 points to the 15 he picked up in Calgary, and helping the Royals to a playoff spot, where they would have been heavy favorites to come out of the West, if not for the acquisitions the Kelowna Rockets made, including Oilers prospect Leon Draisaitl.

Chase looks to make an immediate impact with the Bakersfield Condors this year. His high offensive skills, combined with an ability to get under his opponents skin, is an aspect the Oilers have been missing since Raffi Torres in 2006. With a few years of development in the AHL, there could be a spot on the Oilers 2nd or 3rd line in 3-4 years, that Chase would fill nicely.

 

Kyle Platzer

The problem with being on a team loaded with front end talent, is that sometimes players don’t get to live up to their billing. This was the case with Kyle Platzer, who was a member of a highly talented London Knights team when he was drafted. His first full year with the Knights saw Platzer score a paltry 22 points in 69 games. The next season, Platzer registered 14 points in 39 games, before the Knights traded him to the Owen Sound Attack. It was during the 2014-14 season that Platzer established himself in Owen Sound. His 81 points was good for the team lead, and helped Owen Sound secure a playoff berth.

While he has the skills needed to be a solid junior player, the one knock against Platzer is he fits the mold for a mid round pick during this era of scouting for the Oilers; skilled, but relatively small. Because of this, as well as the depth the Oilers now have at center, Platzer, along with John McCarron, is my pick to start the year in the ECHL. Maybe I’m wrong, and he can crack the Condors lineup. But I’m not entirely sold on Platzer making the NHL in the near future, at least with the Oilers.

 

 

Corey Mitchell, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

Prospect Profile: Class of 2015

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Part 3 of my summer feature, Prospect Profile, focuses on the Oilers draft class of 2015. Or rather, the players drafted in 2015 not named Connor McDavid. The significant aspect of the 2015 draft is that it was the last draft that Stu MacGregor and his staff had any input on. With so many middling prospects taken in the previous years, this was welcome news for many Oilers fans, as it signified true change continuing to happen throughout the organization. While McDavid may be the only guaranteed slam dunk of a pick, the Oilers selected some very interesting players this past June

Caleb Jones

If the name sounds familiar, that’s because it is. The younger brother of Nashville star Seth Jones, Caleb may not have the same pedigree as Seth at the moment, but that’s not to say Caleb Jones doesn’t have potential. Jones is joining the Oilers organization after having a reasonable season with the US National U18 Development Team of the USHL, posting 8 only 8 points in his 25 games, but doing so while having a +/- of 14, alluding to some decent defensive play.

But it’s really the next couple of seasons that should set the stage for where Jones will rank as an Oilers prospect. The 2015-16 season will see him take the same path Seth did, with Caleb preparing to join an outstanding program with the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL. Along with Seth Jones, the Winterhawks have produced a significant number of stand out NHL defencemen, such as Braydon Coburn, Matt Dumba, Derrick Pouliot, and the Oiler’s own Andrew Ference. Jones should benefit greatly from the increased competition level the WHL has to offer, as I assume he will be playing top four minutes for the Winterhawks.

Jones also looks to be a big part of the US World Juinors squad for the next few years, having already been named to the camp earlier in July. The US has been building a very strong U20 program in recent years, and Jones should be prepared to take on the best the world has to offer this Christmas, as a strong showing in Portland will only help to cement his place on this year’s team.

Two strong years of increasing responsibility in major junior is going to be a huge factor in the development of Caleb Jones. While no one is going to go out and say the 4th round pick is going to match the skill level of his brother, the Oilers will be very happy if Caleb can develop into half the player Seth is. He has the pedigree for it, and comes to the team at a point where, when he is ready to compete for a spot, he’s going to have a very capable mentor in Darnell Nurse. Keep on eye on him as the 2015-16 WHL season starts up.

Ethan Bear

Taken in the 5th round of the 2015 Draft, Ethan Bear looks to be a solid prospect for the Oilers. He finished last season tied for 6th in scoring with the Seattle Thunderbirds, going 13-25-38 in 69 games. Expect those numbers to increase over the next two seasons in the WHL, as Bear should be counted on to play a bigger role with Seattle. I say two seasons, because even though he will be eligible to turn pro after this year, I really believe he would benefit from playing his overage year in junior, much as Ben Betker did. Of course, that could be contingent on how competitive Seattle is at that point, as well as how Bear progresses in his development. There is every chance the Oilers would prefer him to move into the AHL ranks to gain more experience.

While Bear isn’t the world shaking pick that McDavid was, or have the family pedigree of a Caleb Jones, I fully expect to see him with the Oilers in some capacity in the next 4-5 years. There are lots of bodies on the blue line, both on the Oilers and in the system. This gives the team the luxury of being patient with Bear, allowing him to develop his game at the major junior and minor league levels, and add the size he’s going to need to play professional hockey. He already has good strength, and a tremendous compete level, both of which I saw first hand at the development camp earlier this summer.

John Marino

It could be a very long time, if at all, until Oilers fans see John Marino wearing Oilers colors anywhere but training camps. Taken in the 6th round, Marino will be heading out to the USHL this upcoming season, to play for the Chicago Steel after two years with the South Shore Kings of the USPHL-Pr league. In those two seasons, Marino managed to tally 45 points in 83 games, which isn’t exactly lighting it up, but is also fairly respectable for a defenceman.

While the USHL should be a step up in competition for Marino, time will tell if that factor is going to help or hinder his development. For those unsure by what I mean, think of the USHL as a comparable league to the BCHL, or the AJHL. It’s Junior ‘A’ hockey, a tier below the major junior level of the CHL. As of now, he seems a bit too small for my liking to really have a legit shot at becoming an NHL defenceman. Granted, he is only 18, and still has time to grow muscle mass, but I’m thinking he projects to be a depth player for the organization at the ECHL and AHL levels. Nothing would make me happier than to be proven wrong, as Edmonton desperately needs some of these late round picks to surprise, and not just be throw aways.

Miroslav Svoboda

Even after the acquisition of Cam Talbot at the 2015 Draft, everyone knew the Oilers had to take a goalie on the second day. Enter Miroslav Svoboda. The 6’3″ goalie immediately jumped to 2nd on the Oilers goalie prospect depth chart in my opinion, behind Laurent Brossoit. He was easily the best goalie the Oilers had at the development camp this year, looking more ready for pro hockey than either Keven Bouchard or Zach Nagalvoert. The only question is, how ready is he?

I in no way expect to see Svoboda in North America until he’s ready to jump to pro, instead playing a handful of seasons in Europe to develop. There’s also a chance he could see an invite to the Czech world junior team this season, although there’s been nothing official I can find, and is just speculation on my part at this point.

As another overage draft pick, the Oilers should be watching Svoboda closely, and can hopefully get him signed to a contract sooner rather than later, and let him continue his development in North America. Like the defensive depth, the Oilers have time to let Svoboda develop properly as a prospect. Talbot is the here and now for this team, and Brossoit isn’t too far away from being a regular with the Oilers himself. Svoboda is a player the Oilers need to take their time with, after seeing Tyler Bunz fail as a prospect, and Keven Bouchard no exactly looking all-world at this point in his young career.

Ziyat Paigin

Taken in the 7th round this year along with Miroslav Svoboda, defenseman Ziyat Paigin joins the Oilers organization as another overage pick, with a year of pro hockey in the KHL already under his belt.

Standing at 6’5″, Paigin could be one of those late round picks that really turns into something. He gets the puck on the net, has a very good shot from the point, and is extremely aware in his own zone. He had an outstanding showing this past winter at the world juniors, helping Russia to a silver medal, and looks to be poised to return to the team this year as well.

The trick for the Oilers is going to be if they can intice him to come over to North America when his contract is up. Paigin is already a full time player of Ak-Bars Kazan, and with the lack of a transfer agreement between the NHL and KHL, there’s no guarantee he even sees ice time with the Oilers or their affiliates. My hope is that isn’t the case, as it looks like Paigin has the tools to be a very capable NHL player in the future.

Corey Mitchell, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Prospects

Prospect Profile: Higher Education

Part 2 of my summer feature, Prospect Profile, finds us examining a trio of players in the Oilers system that will be playing collegiate hockey this upcoming season. In the past, the Oilers have dipped into the US college system on a fairly regular basis to find players, whether it be via free agency in the case of Justin Schultz or Marc Arcobello, or by using a mid round draft pick, as they did twice in 2012 when they drafted both Joey Leleggia and John McCarron out of college, both of whom we’ll look at on a future date.

Aidan Muir

Following his draft year in 2013, Aidan Muir joined the Indiana Ice of the USHL for one season, before moving on to Western Michigan University. The Oilers took Muir in the 4th round that year, with the 113th pick, adding more depth to the forward position. Muir looked to have some impressive offensive potential, as the left winger amassed 14 goals and 41 points in his 51 games with the Ice in the 2013-14 season, helping the team capture the USHL championship, the Clark Cup. His offense seemed to dry up a bit though following his jump the NCHC the following year, as Muir only turned in 15 points in his 36 games as a freshman. Perhaps that can be contributed to it being his first year of collegiate hockey, playing against older and stronger opposition.

Unfortunately, Muir was not at the Oilers development camp earlier this year, so I wasn’t able to get a look at him on the ice. I also had a difficult time finding any video of him, aside from a highlight reel goal he scored while with Indiana, which you can find below.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGk8zSrB5nI&w=560&h=315]

Based solely on his numbers since being drafted, it’s somewhat difficult for me to profess to know what kind of player Muir is, or when Oiler fans can expect to see him have an opportunity to play in the NHL. As it stands now, my personal opinion is the Oilers aren’t going to be in any rush to see Muir leave college to go pro. It would more than likely benefit both sides to allow Muir to finish his hockey career at Western Michigan, and hopefully gain some more size and strength to his 6’0″, 212 lbs. frame. This upcoming year, and likely the season after, are going to be key for Muir to show the Oilers he still has an offensive touch, and is deserving of an ELC from the club.

 

Tyler Vesel

I can’t really say Tyler Vesel stood out for me too much at the development camp. In all honesty, he was a smaller forward who got lost in the group of smaller forwards in attendance, standing at 5’9″ and weighing in at 182 lbs. Drafted in the 6th round of the 2014 draft, and I don’t mean for this to be a knock against Vesel, but he epitomized everything that was wrong with the Oilers scouting staff at that time. Too often they drafted undersized players who were supposed to have the potential to counter that with skill. With that, there is definitely a skilled player in Vesel, although he could be a project for the Oilers to develop.

The Oilers drafted Vesel out of the Omaha Lancers of the USHL. In the year leading up to his draft, Vesel notched an impressive 33-38-71 in 49 games. Vesel then took a similar path to Aidan Muir, jumping to college hockey the next year with the University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks. Vesel though, seemed to carry some of his offensive flare with him into his freshman year, going 8-15-23 in 39 games, and gaining some big game experience in the Frozen Four, although the Mavericks lost in the semi-final

For Vesel, drafted as an overage player, he needs a breakout year with the Mavericks this season to really catch the attention of the Oilers. Even so, while I think there is a very good chance the Oilers will sign him to an ECL, Vesel will find himself in tough to stand out in an organization that drafted so many similar players.

 

Evan Campbell

Another pick from the 2013 draft class, the Oilers selected Evan Campbell following his last year of Junior ‘A’ hockey with the BCHL’s Langley Rivermen, where he scored 66 points in 51 games, including 20 goals, making him the first NHL draft pick in franchise history. His first year with the UMass-Lowell River Hawks saw him contribute only 9-2-11 in his 33 games. His numbers the next season started to climb however, as Campbell increased his totals to 12-15-27 in 34 games. There’s every reason to believe those numbers will continue to increase as Campbell readies himself for the 2015-16 season, his third at UMass-Lowell.

Like Tyler Vesel, I didn’t see anything overly memorable from Campbell at the development camp. He’s an average sized player, who could stand to add some weight before trying to make the leap to pro. One thing that could very well work against Campbell is the path he’s taking in his hockey career. Not to say there is anything wrong with it. By all accounts, the BCHL is a very tough league to play in, and the opportunity to get a top education from a US school while playing hockey is an excellent opportunity. What I mean when I mention the path Campbell is taking, is that there are players in the Oilers organization who have a higher pedigree, and have faced stiffer competition in their development that Campbell has.

Already at 22 years of age, there’s every reason to believe the Oilers are going to let Campbell play out his college commitment before deciding on him one way or another. If his numbers continue to increase, perhaps he gets noticed enough to get a shot in Bakersfield. My opinion is he’s going to be another prospect who falls just short of expectations, like so many players taken under the Stu MacGregor regime.

 

Corey Mitchell, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Prospects

Prospect Profile: It’s Showtime

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Welcome to Prospect Profile, my eight part series looking at the players in the Oilers system. Over the course of the summer, I will present a new group of players each week, leading into the prospect camp this September. For the purpose of these features, my definition for a player to be deemed a prospect is less than 100 NHL games, and no older than 25 years old.

Part One will focus on five players that I feel have the most legitimate shot of making the opening night roster this season, although there may be one or two players exempt from this grouping, based on upcoming Profiles.

Connor McDavid
The Oilers have had 1st Overall picks before. The excitement generated in 2010 when Taylor Hall became the very first Number 1 in Oilers history is something I remember very well. But this year was something different altogether. Over the last two seasons, everyone in the hockey world has been privy to the knowledge that Connor McDavid was going to be a superstar at the level of Sidney Crosby. But as the 2014-15 Oilers season began, the team and the fans were at a level of optimism that they hadn’t been at for some time. While everyone agreed it would be nice to somehow end up with that 1st pick, no one expected it. Fast forward to the NHL Draft Lottery, and the hockey gods smiled upon Oil Country that day.

Connor McDavid is now property of the Oilers, having officially signed his ELC during development camp. Already, the atmosphere in the city is electric. McDavid is hands down playing, and excelling in Edmonton this season. He could, and should, finally be the catalyst to break the Oilers out of the perennial funk they’ve found themselves in.

While he didn’t finish his OHL career with either a Memorial Cup or even an OHL Championship, McDavid’s accomplishments last year alone are astounding. The highlight being finally helping Canada reclaim World Junior supremacy, McDavid also walked away with a bevy of individual awards, most notably his second CHL Scholastic Player of the Year, which he also won in 2014, and the CHL Player of the Year award.

As good as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has been, and continues to be, Connor McDavid is the new top center for the Oilers. Already on social media, fans are dreaming up fantasy line ups, discussing who to play with McDavid. He’s changed the entire dynamic of the team without playing a game, and given a long suffering fan base something they need and deserve; hope.

Darnell Nurse
Picked 7th in 2013, Darnell Nurse looks to be poised to crack the Oilers roster heading into this season. Nurse had an absolutely tremendous year with Sault Ste. Marie of the OHL, proving that sending him back to junior after making the Oilers out of camp was a very wise decision. Nurse dominated all season, leading his Soo Greyhounds into the OHL playoffs, and an extremely entertaining series against Connor McDavid and the Erie Otters. Prior to that, Nurse was on the same Canadian junior team as McDavid, and was a pivotal member of that blue line, taking on more of a shut down role playing against the top players in the world.

As I mentioned earlier, Nurse did make the Oilers out of camp last season, albeit for two games before returning to junior. However, that was a defense corps that looked very different from the one Peter Chiarelli has assembled this offseason. The additions of Andrej Sekera and Eric Gryba this summer brings in two more experienced NHL players. That, along with added competition in Griffin Reinhart and the recently re-signed Brandon Davidson is going to make the Oilers a very hard team to make on the back end, although there could still be moves made before the start of the season that may open a spot or two. I’m hoping if it comes down to Nurse and say, Davidson for that seventh spot, Davidson gets it. Nurse is only going to benefit from playing. I would much rather see Darnell Nurse as a staple on the blue line in Bakersfield, eating huge minutes in all situations, instead of healthy scratched most of the year.

That being said, as beneficial as starting the year in the AHL would be for Nurse, I don’t expect him to be there long, and definitely not after Christmas. He’s ready for the NHL now, and I expect he’s going to be a key figure for the Oilers for many, many years.

Leon Draisaitl
This is a player who, I feel, the Oilers handled in all the wrong ways last season. My personal feeling is Draisaitl should not have played one NHL game last season, let alone 37. That’s not a knock against him in anyway. I think given some time to develop and adjust to the pro game in the AHL, Draisaitl is going to evolve into a very, very good NHL player. He has the size and he thinks the game well. But he’s lacking speed. And that was something that should have been evident last year in training camp. Unfortunately, Craig MacTavish felt comfortable with what he had down the middle, and ended up burning the 1st year of Draisaitl’s ELC.

Now, I understand the situation the Oilers found themselves in, not wanting to send Draisaitl to a Prince Albert team that was going to be at the bottom of the WHL. I’m of the opinion that a trade could have been worked out earlier, even if it meant Draisaitl playing a few months with the PA Raiders. Also, I don’t recall Jordan Eberle suffering that much playing for a non-playoff team in Regina. The story also eventually came out that it was the Oilers who determined Draisaitl would not be representing Germany at the World Juniors last season. Again, a situation in which there may or may not have been a large amount of success to be had, but representing his country again would have at least given Draisaitl some confidence. And it’s not as though he was making a difference for the Oilers at the time.

But, be that as it may, Draisaitl excelled once he finally did make it back to the WHL, with the Kelowna Rockets. He helped the Rockets secure a berth in the Memorial Cup by capturing the WHL Championship, being named playoff MVP in the process. And although he came up short in the Memorial Cup championship game, Draisaitl walked away from the tournament with both the Ed Chynoweth Trophy as the leading scorer of the tournament, but also Memorial Cup MVP.

Much like Nurse, there is a very good chance Draisaitl makes the Oilers out of camp this year again. Also like Nurse, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with him starting the year in Bakersfield. With both McDavid and Mark Letestu filling in the middle along with Nugent-Hopkins and Anton Lander, there’s been talk of moving Draisaitl to the wing, which I think would be a very beneficial move.

Anders Nilsson
The battle of the goalies at training camp should be interesting. Ben Scrivens was not good last year, and Viktor Fasth has moved on to the KHL. This off season saw Chiarelli bring in Cam Talbot, who many are pegging as the new number one. If that is the case, then the back up position is going to be between Scrivens, and Anders Nilsson, who was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks, and quickly signed a one-way deal with the Oilers. However, Nilsson signing a one-way deal makes me wonder if Scrivens is being shopped. Nilsson looks to be a capable back up to Talbot, having posted some very nice numbers last year with Kazan Ak-Bars of the KHL.

That being said, last season was the only year he posted a GAA under 2.00, seeing previous action with the Bridgeport Tigers of the AHL, and a handful of games with the Islanders, who drafted him in 2009. This could be the restart he needs. My thought is he was brought in by Chiarelli fully expecting to be the back up to Talbot. Sending him down to the minors doesn’t benefit Nilsson at all, and if anything, hampers the development of Laurent Brossoit, who should be the starter in Bakersfield next year.

Tyler Pitlick
My opinion is that this is Pitlick’s last chance to prove he belongs with the big club. Although he’s suffered through injuries, he looked to be on the right track last year, scoring a couple of goals before injuries ended his season. Pitlick brings just what the Oilers need in their bottom six, which is physicality and an ability to chip in some goals. His 62 points in his only year of junior hockey with Medicine Hat is proof of that.

Pitlick could be in tough to secure a spot in the bottom six. Rob Klinkhammer and Matt Hendricks are both stalwarts for the Oilers, and the addition of Lauri Korpikoski accounts for 3 of the 4 winger positions available. Factor in that the Oilers will have to find a spot for top six players like Teddy Purcell and Nail Yakupov, and the log jam gets even worse. For Pitlick though, he may be able to come into camp, and impress enough to force out a Luke Gazdic, or at least secure some playing time as an interchangeable 13th forward.

The biggest struggle for Pitlick is going to be staying healthy. A knee injury in the 2013-14 season limited him to 49 games split between the Oilers and the Oklahoma City Barons, while a lacerated spleen resulted in Pitlick missing all but a combined 31 games. When healthy though, Pitlick has shown he can be an effective player at the AHL level. That’s something he’ll need to try and carry over to the NHL level.