2023/24 Edmonton Oilers GM32: Oilers @ Sharks – 3P2W – We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat

Hey y’all! Welcome back for another season of Edmonton Oilers hockey! I’m BLH and I’ll be giving you the skinny on today’s game!

If you’re new here and are wondering what 3P2W means, well, it stands for Three Players to Watch and seeing I’m as lazy as I am, I figured we’d shorten it to 3P2W.

So with that out of the way, let’s talk a little bit about what’s been going on lately in the Oilogospehere and then get into the player’s I’ve put under the spotlight for today’s matchup!

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Random Pontifications

While he admitted in his article that Jordan Eberle is an unlikely fit because he’s playing out his contract of $5.5 million and having a bit of down year, on Twitter, Staples did say he liked Eberle as an option. It was David Perron that really caught his eye. “Perron is the stand-out possibility in this group, as he’s a tough and aggressive player,” Staples said. He added, “Even if he’s not scoring much, he could help Edmonton win as a third or fourth line winger, and also act as insurance in case of injury.” – NHL Trade Talk

• Edmonton is in need of a top-6 goal scoring RW and one or both of Eberle and Perron would be fantastic additions.
• I think Edmonton would be sacrificing some size and physicality in those deals, mind you, as players Warren Foegele, Dylan Holloway, Rafa Lavoie, and maybe Connor Brown would need to be included along with premier draft picks and prospects.
• But if you could go into the playoffs with a RW depth of Hyman, Eberle, Perron, and Gagner, that’d up the optimism amongst the fanbase. However, I have a tough time believing they could get both.
• Maybe they could sign both in the offseason though. They’re UFAs.

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Three Players to Watch for the Bad Guys

• #38 Mario Ferraro (17g 26a 43pts) – This guy is definitely on Edmonton’s radar as a potential acquisition. He’s a better version of Kris Russell and an upgrade on Brett Kulak. Only 9pts on the season to date but 60 shots and 100 blocked shots. The fancies are fugly but so is his PDO. The fact that he can log 22+ minutes a night and also be under contract for another two seasons after this at $3.25M is appealing to the Oilers. The question is, with Broberg thriving in Bakersfield right now, is the young Swede’s potential higher than Ferraro’s?
• #10 Anthony Duclair (7g 6a 13pts) – Duclair has cooled down as of late but that doesn’t make him any less dangerous for the Sharks. His speed and scoring ability is a major threat. I also see him as another potential trade target for the Oilers around the trade deadline. Although things might be changing on that front with the emergence of Ryan McLeod on Draisaitl’s wing…
• #48 Tomas Hertl (12g 15a 27pts) – Eight goals in his last ten games where his team has only won three times. He’s hard to ignore when he’s on his game and you never know with these Oilers, are they going to take a bottom-feeder like the Sharks serious or will they get lit up? If it’s the latter, Hertl will have a heavy hand in that scenario.

Three Players to Watch for the Good Guys

• #71 Ryan McLeod (5g 6a 11pts) – Three goals and 1 assist in his last five games. Promoting him to Leon’s flank has proved fruitful for Kris Knoblauch. Personally, I think it’s a better place for him considering he’s not much of a mucker and grinder. Dylan Holloway might be a better 3C until Edmonton finds a proper Scott Laughton-type to put there of until Holloway grows into that role.
• #93 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (8g 23a 31pts) – Nuge is the club’s hottest player aside from McDavid at the moment tallying up 6pts in his last five games. You’d like to see him pot a few more goals, wouldn’t you? Put your hand up if you think 93-97-18 might be a line for Team Canada at the next World Cup?
• #29 Leon Draisaitl (14g 21a 35pts) – December’s done and now it’s time for the blitzkreig to begin. Historically Leon starts to light up the league after Christmas. I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility that The Chancellor could rack up 60-70pts in the remaining 50 games, you?

Oilers lines & pairings in San Jose:

RNH – McDavid – Hyman
McLeod – Draisaitl – Foegele
Kane – Ryan – Janmark
Erne – Hamblin – Brown
Holloway

Nurse – Ceci
Ekholm – Bouchard
Kulak – Desharnais
Gleason

Skinner
Pickard#Oilers

— Tony Brar 🚀 (@TonyBrarOTV) December 28, 2023

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