Although there are less questions for the Oilers heading into this year’s training camp, there actually may end up being more battles for roster spots. In previous years, we could basically draw up a mock lineup in early September and be dead on come opening night. This year? Not so much.
On Tuesday we looked at the backup goaltending battle, while this morning we look at the battle that will take place for the seventh defender’s role in Edmonton.
The Oilers have Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson and Andrej Sekera as proven top-four defenders already on the roster. Brandon Davidson played like one last year, while Mark Fayne was very strong the last three months and is reportedly in the best shape of his life. Those five defenders are locks to make the Oilers opening night roster and be in the lineup.
In all likelihood, Darnell Nurse will also be on the team and in the lineup. Personally, I think a stint in the AHL, playing a major role, is best for Nurse but that seems unlikely. The Oilers, barring a trade for a defender like Dennis Wideman or Cody Franson, are likely to run with Nurse on opening night as the sixth defender.
So who is sitting in the pressbox? Who is that all important first injury fill-in? I know it doesn’t seem like a big role, but in today’s NHL that seventh defender will end up playing around 40 games due to injury and ineffectiveness from other blueliners. This is an important player.
The Combatants:
Griffin Reinhart’s late season run in Edmonton gave me confidence that he may end up being a useful NHL defender. That said, is it in Reinhart’s best interest to be the seventh defender for Edmonton? Or, conversely, is it better for the waiver-exempt rearguard to play on the top-pairing in Bakersfield and only come up when injury strikes? A compelling case can be made for both.
That said, Reinhart’s fate is likely sealed by the salary cap. Like Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Jesse Puljujarvi and Darnell Nurse, Reinhart is eligible for performance bonuses throughout the season. In order to protect themselves from going over, the Oilers may start Reinhart in the AHL to keep some of those bonuses out of reach. That’s the likely play in my mind.
Jordan Oesterle emerged as a legit prospect during his rookie pro season in 2014-15. In Oklahoma City, the NCAA graduate skated in 65 games and posted 8-17-25 while earning a six game NHL cameo. This past season, Oesterle scored 4-21-25 in just 44 games in Bakersfield and skated in another 17 NHL tilts (0-5-5).
His combination of speed and skill makes him a very appealing option for Edmonton on the blue-line. He’s a mobile puck-mover in an organization starving for that exact player. Although he shoots left, he formed a solid pairing with Griffin Reinhart at times towards the end of last season and appears capable of playing on the right side in spot duty.
David Musil is, in my mind, the last internal candidate for this job. The shutdown defender didn’t play an NHL game last season, but in 67 AHL tilts he was arguably the best defender in Bakersfield. He posted 3-11-14 and was the team’s top option in key situations. Musil, by the way, is eligible for waivers this fall, which could be a factor in what happens.
The last player I think needs to be discussed? Free agent Eric Gryba. According to a report, Gryba has been offered a PTO by the Oilers, who would be his first choice if he didn’t sign a contract anywhere. In 53 games with the club a year ago, Gryba proved to be a reliable shutdown defender who gave the Oilers a physical edge from the blue-line.
Who Has The Inside Track?:
Of the group of players listed above, I think Eric Gryba is the best of the bunch currently. That said, he’s still a free agent and there are no guarantees that he accepts Edmonton’s PTO offer. If he does end up accepting it, I suspect that he’ll land a one-year deal with the club and end up as the team’s seventh defender.
I also think Jordan Oesterle has a good shot of holding down this position. He’s a puck-mover, is extremely mobile and has shown legit growth year-over-year. I think he’s close to being an NHL regular and wouldn’t be surprised to see him push in training camp.
Quite frankly, I’m not sure this management team values Musil enough to put him on the NHL roster and I think the roster bonus issue, at least right now, will keep Griffin Reinhart in the AHL.
Currently, I think Oesterle leads the way with a 50% chance of winning this job. Musil has a 30% chance to me because of his waiver eligibility, while Reinhart is down to 20% because of his bonuses and waiver-exempt status.
If Gryba attends camp on a PTO, these numbers shift to 40% Gryba, 25% Oesterle, 20% Musil and 15% Reinhart.
Final Thoughts:
As we saw a year ago, defensive depth is a big damned deal at the NHL level. Having at least seven defenders who you trust is an absolute must in this day and age. For the Edmonton Oilers, the good news is they have more than seven defenders. In fact, I’d wager that every player listed above appears in at least five games for the club this season.
The team broke camp with eight defenders last year, so it’s possible that they do the same again this season. That said, I’d wager that the club roles with seven NHL defenders on opening night and adjusts accordingly throughout the season.
While Jordan Oesterle currently has the inside track for this job, it could all change in heartbeat, especially if Eric Gryba comes through that door on September 22nd.
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