The Edmonton Oilers’ Window for Pacific Division Domination is Quickly Closing

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

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Oil on Whyte (Lynch)

Five reasons this team is a playoff team

Better Top Six

The top six really only added one player this offseason, Zach Hyman, but that one move definitely improves the team a lot. Edmonton has two first-line units in Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman combined on one line and then Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Leon Draisaitl on another.

BLH’s Thoughts: Add in an ever-better Jesse Puljujarvi as well as a youngster like Kailer Yamamoto or Rafa Lavoie (in the coming years), and that top-six is set to get better and better.

To add to that, players like Zack Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will someday transition to the best third line in all of hockey and the likes of Dylan Holloway and perhaps Carter Savoie or Matvei Petrov will graduate to the top six.

Weak Division

The Edmonton Oilers division is not the strongest in the NHL. This season they will be in the Pacific that has opponents like the Seattle Kraken, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, and Anaheim Ducks. None of those four teams are expected to be very good, and the biggest threat in the division should be the Vegas Golden Knights.

BLH’s Thoughts: This division might be weak now but it will get very competitive in two or three years. The Oilers had best have their ideal lineup sorted by the time LA or Anaheim’s grade ‘A’ prospects have hit their stride.

The Defence Looks Deeper

Keeping Tyson Barrie gives the Oilers a top offensive defenseman that might be a liability in his own end at times, but honestly, he is not a bad defenseman and he put up a heck of a lot of points last season.
The second unit is also pretty good depending on how Duncan Keith performs. If he can show that he is not the aged veteran on his way out of the league and instead can be the same guy that won the Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup six years ago then this blueline has a major upgrade in their top four.
Cody Ceci is a reliable defenseman that still has a lot of hockey ahead of him and can be a good pairing with Keith.
The bottom unit that will have Evan Bouchard getting a big chance in the league definitely also will take a step forward this season.

BLH’s Thoughts: It’s a more experienced group, exactly what the club needed. Toss in the fact that there are no untradeable defensemen on this team and there will be opportunities available for the likes of Philip Broberg, Dmitri Samorukov, Phil Kemp, etc.

Improved Bottom Six – On Paper

The bottom six added Warren Foegele as their big addition this offseason. Honestly, that is a great move for the team. Edmonton’s bottom-six does look better on paper with Foegele, Kassian, McLeod, and Archibald ready to lead the charge.

BLH’s Thoughts: There’s talk that Dave Tippett may even slide Jesse Puljujarvi or Kailer Yamamoto down to the third line. That’d definitely increase the scoring ability of the bottom-six.

Connor McDavid Is Still Here

Any team with Connor McDavid is a contender for the Stanley Cup… Teams have found ways to shut him down and keep Edmonton off of the score sheet, but this season with the different additions to the lineup that just might not be possible.

BLH’s Thoughts: 100%

Lowetide.ca

HEAVEN

When a hockey team works really well, like the early 1970’s Bruins or 1980’s Oilers, there are so many parts that work in unison to drive success. It’s talent, experience, hard work, precision.
Edmonton’s top talents have it all figured out, they soar like majestic eagles. It’s the rest of the roster, the sixes and sevens and nines, who must come together and create something more than their individual talents imply.

BLH’s Thoughts: LT has what he believes to be the opening night roster sans the 4th line up on his site as well as who we might see at rookie camp next week. I suggest you click the link above and check those out.

I think one of the easiest things for the GM of a rebuilding team to do is acquire the stars. It’s simple, draft them and develop them. The hard part is finding the surrounding pieces that will facilitate the young stars’ development so that they do indeed become elite hockey players.

The Oilers are now on the right road with the decade of darkness firmly implanted behind them. The depth pieces might not be 100% right, but the players that Ken Holland has brought in are the right “kind” of players and by that I mean, guys who want to be in Edmonton, have high work rates, and are of exemplary character. The bad apples are gone and nobody is bigger than the club anymore.

That said, there will still be tinkering to be done. Every year contracts expire and trades are made, the job of bringing in the right players will be an ongoing one for Ken Holland, but the most exciting part of where the Oilers are in the process is that come trade deadline time, Edmonton should be in on some really good names.

NHLRumors.com

The top remaining unrestricted free agents

Luke Fox of Sportsnet: The latest notes on the top remaining unrestricted free agents.

1 Tuukka Rask – If/when his body is ready to play after offseason surgery, GM Don Sweeney left the door open for his return, and he’s not looking to break the bank on any deal.
2. Jason Demers – Played over 17 minutes a game last year.
3. Nikita Gusev – The 29-year old forward can play both sides. He should be getting some interest. If not, he could head back to the KHL.
4. Travis Zajac – The 36-year old can still give a bit of offense (20 points last season), kill penalties, and is good on the draw.
5. Sami Vatanen – The New York Islanders and Edmonton Oilers are two teams that might have a bit of interest in the right-handed defenseman.
6. Zdeno Chara – Unsure if he’ll play this season. There was some speculation that the St. Louis Blues were interested but that report got shot down.
7. Ryan Donato – The San Jose Sharks didn’t qualify the 25-year old center after consecutive 20 point seasons. Should be a low-cost gamble for someone.
8. Alex Galchenyuk – The Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t publicly closed the door on bringing him back after he showed some flashes beside John Tavares and William Nylander last season. The Montreal Canadiens are believed to have some level of interest.
9. Tyler Bozak – Will have to take a pay cut but can still kill penalties and win faceoffs.
10. Zach Parise – Still waiting for a deal with the Islanders to be announced.