Core Contributors

Craig MacTavish eluded to identifying a core group of about eight or nine players and building around them. Those eight or nine players, according to MacT, would be the core group moving forward. That was said on Thursday during the “State of the Union” address that MacT gave at the quarter point of the season.

MacT didn’t identify those eight or nine players though, and part of me wonders who he has in mind for those guys. Now I could be wrong, it wouldn’t be the first time, but I think I have a pretty decent idea of who that core is….

Taylor Hall: Let’s the get the obvious one’s out of the way here. Hall is the face of the Oilers franchise, and barring a trade request, will be with Edmonton for a long time. He’s got unreal talent, and is arguably one of the best left wingers in the NHL today. He’s got a great burst of speed, generates offense quite well, and has that leadership quality Edmonton so badly needs. Hall will be the top LW for a long, long time.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: Every good team needs a number one center, and RNH is going to be that for the Oilers. He’s a good play-maker and has awesome offensive instincts. His two-way game has gotten better, but still needs some work and you can see that. That being said, he has the skill set to be a very successful center at the NHL level, and the Oil are going to need that.

Jordan Eberle: Say what you will about Eberle, but the Oilers love the kid and he isn’t going anywhere. He’s a legit top-six forward option on almost every team in the NHL, and brings forth a good work ethic and some pretty good skill. He’s got awesome hands and a great shot, and is extremely talented as a player. He’ll be around in the top-six for a long time.

David Perron: The elder of this group was added this past summer and has been good for the Oilers. He’s generated offense for the club and has been getting under the opposition’s skin quite a bit. He needs to focus in on his two-way game a little more, but DP is an awesome second line LW moving forward and I believe is in it for the long haul.

Boyd Gordon: Every good NHL team needs a solid veteran presence at the center position, and that is what Gordon is. He’s a good veteran, is awesome in the faceoff circle, is terrific on the PK, and on top of that is a tremendous defensive center who is responsible and willing to play tough minutes. He blocks shots and does all the little things, a good guy to have on line three moving forward. I believe he was brought in by MacT to take a core spot up.

Sam Gagner: If I were GM, I’m not sure Gagner would be in my core group, but for MacT I’m nearly 100% certain that he is. Gagner is a good leader who loves the city and loves the team, and is willing to do whatever he can to win games. He’s an offensively talented center, but does leave a lot to be desired defensively. Gagner is struggling this year, but I think is in it for the long run.

Jeff Petry: The young defender takes a lot of heat, but is easily the best option the Oilers have on the blue-line. He’s good enough to be a top-four guy on just about any roster, and perfectly fills the number three spot on a team. He has good puck-moving ability and offensive instincts while also being mostly responsible in his own end. He gets ripped a lot, but he does a lot right.

Justin Schultz: The young offensive defender is part of the long term plan in Edmonton. The offensive instincts are there and are very clear to see on any given night. Schultz however needs to work on his defensive play. It has gotten better since his debut a year ago, but young Justin Schultz needs to fix this part of his game. Still think he’s a second pairing guy moving forward, and that’s core material.

Andrew Ference: The captain won’t be here past his current contract because of age, but I do think right now he is part of the core group of players on the roster. He’s a responsible defender who is good in his own zone, plays physical and is willing to give up his body. He’s a great option at the number four spot for a lot of teams, and I think still has two more years left in the tank.

That’s nine guys right there that are part of the core, leaving us with the following depth chart….

Hall – RNH – Eberle

Perron – Gagner – ???

??? – Gordon – ???

??? – ??? – ???

??? – Petry

Ference – Schultz

??? – ???

???

Notice I didn’t have Nail Yakupov or Devan Dubnyk in there, allow me to explain. It’s quite clear the Oilers are not sold on Devan Dubnyk, and I think he has played himself off the team. Unless he has an unreal finish, I think MacT looks for an upgrade in the summer. Whether that is keeping Bryzgalov or adding a guy like Hiller remains to be seen.

As for Yakupov, in my core I’d have him instead of Gagner, but I get the feeling the Oilers will end up moving him for a defensive piece, whether that’s part of a package for a stud, which MacT wants, remains to be seen.

The Oilers have the framework of a roster right now. After hearing MacT’s comments late last week I believe these were the players he was referring to as his core, and I believe his next move will be to add the 10th piece to that core, the top defender.

Am I right? I might be, I might not be. Truth is, no one really knows the core group in MacT’s head. I’ve given you my thoughts, what are your thoughts Oil Country?