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We’re midway by the pre-season, and there are increasingly more empty stalls within the dressing room every single day.
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The Oilers have cut 12 gamers from NHL coaching camp previously two days. That leaves 36 wholesome gamers in camp with just below two weeks left earlier than opening evening. Roughly half of these gamers shall be with the Oilers once they tackle the Winnipeg Jets within the season opener on October ninth.
As befits a Stanley Cup contender, most of that opening evening roster is about in stone, all the way down to the projected ahead strains and defence pairings. Solely two spots are actually up for grabs: thirteenth ahead and seventh defenceman. With cap area at a premium, the workforce will possible solely carry a kind of positions in any respect.
With that being the case, the subsequent few video games shall be extra about impressing the coaches and presumably incomes a midseason call-up than successful a spot out of camp.
The most important roster battle is for the fourth-line centre/thirteenth ahead function. A kind of spots shall be taken by Derek Ryan, who at age 37 may not have the footspeed to play centre anymore. Wednesday’s game served as a tryout for that spot, as Noah Philp, James Hamblin, and Lane Pederson all received a shot in opposition to a loaded Jets lineup.
Primarily based on his efficiency, Philp has the within observe to win the job. He was concerned bodily, noticed time on each particular groups, and contributed a workhorse help on the workforce’s solely objective. As a 6’3″ righty, he additionally provides a little bit of a unique look to the Oilers’ backside six. Philp is waiver-exempt, so he may nonetheless be despatched down with no draw back, however he is received an actual shot at making this workforce out of camp.
Competitors for the sixth/seventh defence spot is simply as tight, however for much less encouraging causes. Free agent acquisition Josh Brown has had a really attempting coaching camp, trying sluggish and making errors with the puck in every of his two pre-season video games.
Troy Stecher was acquired because the workforce’s seventh defenceman on the commerce deadline final season and has spent most of his NHL profession in that function. He is far out of your typical bottom-pair defender at 5’10”, and hasn’t been all that noticeable in pre-season play. Ideally, he’d be the seventh defenceman once more this 12 months, however could possibly be pressed into service if Brown cannot reduce it.
Additionally combating for a depth defenceman function is PTO invite Travis Dermott. He is been probably the most noticeable of the three defenders within the pre-season, transferring the puck nicely and taking part in a quiet defensive sport, however has a harder highway to minutes as a left-shot defenceman. It is attainable he finally ends up on his off-side subsequent to Brett Kulak, or because the workforce’s seventh defenceman, however his handedness and contract standing are in opposition to him. The Oilers would favor certainly one of their waiver-eligible veterans to a participant on a PTO.
The overwhelming majority of non-NHLers in camp shall be mainstays in Bakersfield this season. Defencemen Connor Carrick, Cam Dineen, Ben Gleason, and Philip Kemp are all ticketed for the AHL, and all 5 have proven flashes of NHL expertise throughout the pre-season. Kemp may vault himself into consideration for the 6/seventh defenceman spot if he retains up his regular defensive play.
Amongst forwards, Carl Berglund, Drake Caggiula, Raphael Lavoie, Matt Savoie, Brady Stonehouse, and the injured Roby Jarventie are all assured spots on the Condors.
Savoie and Lavoie have each had good camps, particularly on the offensive facet. They will not have the ability to break into the NHL’s high six however ought to put up loads of factors collectively in Bakersfield. Each gamers ought to get NHL appears to be like in some unspecified time in the future this season, particularly within the occasion of an harm to a top-six winger.
2024 first-round choose Sam O’Reilly has had a really spectacular camp for a rookie, even notching a objective in his pre-season debut. He’ll head again to the London Knights quickly, the place he ought to be top-of-the-line gamers on top-of-the-line groups within the OHL.
The opposite ahead in camp is PTO invite Mike Hoffman. At 34 years outdated, Hoffman simply does not look very similar to an NHLer anymore. He is nonetheless received that shot, although, so he may stick round in Bakersfield or catch on with a backside feeder like he did in San Jose final 12 months. If not, it appears to be like like Europe or retirement for Hoffman.
Issues are much more locked up on the goaltending facet, the place Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard will occupy the crease for Edmonton. Their camp teammates Olivier Rodrigue and Collin Delia will combat for begins within the AHL. Delia has crammed in within the NHL earlier than, however the Oilers are absolutely hoping that the 24-year-old Rodrigue can pressure his manner into the workforce’s plans this season.
We’ll get our subsequent have a look at the Oilers’ coaching camp roster on Saturday once they welcome the Seattle Kraken to Rogers Place.
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