The Core Group

Wednesday I had a rumor round-up regarding all the recent rumblings in Oil Country. If you missed it, check it out here: http://www.theoilersrig.com/2014/01/first-domino/. In that piece I mentioned how Craig MacTavish seems to have found his core players.

The thing is, these core players have changed quite a bit since last April. Some players once viewed as ‘core’ members are now out of the mix, and some guys have played their way into the mix. It’s important to get to know this group, because these are the guys MacT will build around.

Craig MacTavish is a smart hockey guy. He was a great coach in Edmonton, and has an idea of how a roster should look. He always had the complementary pieces, but never the talent that is on this current roster. Give him some time, and I think he can build this team. The toughest parts of the roster, minus the top defender, are in place. MacT can get those other parts, heck he’s already started.

The Forwards:

Taylor Hall is the best offensive player Edmonton has had since Doug Weight in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. He creates tons of chances, pushes the river, and puts up points. He’s a fierce competitor and is one of the big leaders on this team. He’s a top 20 NHL scorer, and is arguably one of the best left wingers in hockey right now.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is that number one center that every team needs. He’s got awesome offensive skills and is improving his defensive game. There are some glimpses of a great player here, and Nuge has been improving since day one. You build around a center like this, with his skills, vision and hockey smarts.

David Perron has been Edmonton’s best forward behind Taylor Hall this season. He’s gritty, gets under the other team’s skin and puts up points. He’s also a veteran and has been on a winning team before. He’s got a fair contract and provides Edmonton with an awesome second line option. You keep players like that around. He’s a MacT player too, and that means something.

Jordan Eberle has tons of offensive skill and arguably the best hands on the team. He can put up points, and does a lot of things right. He needs some help defensively, but he has great chemistry with Hall and RNH and is easily a top-six winger. I wouldn’t label him as untouchable, but the Oilers love the guy and he’s a pretty darn good player.

Boyd Gordon is a tremendous third line center. He is money in the dot, plays on the PK, and handles the zone start equivalent of hell quite well. He can chip in on offense and shadow the other team’s top line. He’s a great defensive center and has some size and physical play to go along with it. Some people might be surprised I have him here, but the 3C role is VERY important and Boyd is a MacT guy.

The Defense:

Justin Schultz is a great puck-moving defender. He can make a very strong first pass and has good instincts when it comes to moving the puck and creating offense. He’s noticeably become much smarter decision wise on the ice, and has been cheating less for offense. His defensive game, as a result, has improved quite a bit. He’s handling big minutes right now, and seems to fit MacT and Eakins’ vision.

Andrew Ference isn’t a top pairing defender and won’t put up a ton of points, but he’s been steady this season for Edmonton. He’s physical, a leader and brings a solid defensive game to the table. Every team needs a defender like this, and ideally he fits in as number four on the depth chart. He’s not ideal, but he’s a top four defender, and NHL teams needs those, especially Edmonton. He’s the captain and a favorite of Eakins too, and has handled big minutes this season.

Jeff Petry is a defender I really like. He’s a mobile guy that can make a pass and create some offense, but also is mostly responsible defensively. He’s not overly physical, but he’s smart when it comes to his position and what to do. He’s had a rough year, and people will disagree with me, but he’s being put in a spot he quite frankly can’t handle. Put him as the number three and you are in a good spot.

The Outlook:

I know we’ve talked about the core, back in October or November I did a piece on it, but I found it important to bring up again, because there are going to be a lot of changes in Edmonton. It’s important we realize who the core guys are moving forward and what needs to be addressed.

The top-line is set moving forward thanks to Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle, while David Perron anchors one of the two wing spots on line two.

The Oilers still need a second line center and a second line winger with some size. Maybe Nail Yakupov works his way back into the core and earns that other wing spot, but something tells me he’s going to be moved sooner or later. Edmonton needs a power-forward in that top six. As for the center spot, they need a bigger, more two-way guy.

MacT has admitted to that as recently as this week in an article in the Edmonton Sun, where he talked about adding bigger, tough guys.

Boyd Gordon centers the third line moving forward, but the Oilers will need two wingers for that line. I think Ryan Smyth will be back, but think it will be in a fourth line role. Would love to see Ales Hemsky returned, but I doubt it. I also think Mark Arcobello has earned a spot here, but it’s likely on line four.

The defense does, against popular belief, have some nice pieces to it. Justin Schultz is starting to take form as an NHL’er, and is looking like a future top-four guy. Andrew Ference is a good number four, while Jeff Petry is a good number three. That said, Edmonton still needs a number one, arguably a number two, and probably a number six. I think Darnell Nurse might end up being that number six next year.

As for the other two spots, I imagine those are the areas of attack for MacT this off-season. Paging Christian Ehrhoff….Paging Dan Girardi….Paging Dustin Byfuglien….

Every team needs a core that consists of seven forwards, four defenders and a goalie. That’s 12 players. How many does Edmonton have? They still are three forwards, two defenders and a goalie short. There is some work to be done here, and yes, I know I listed three defenders, but still think two guys must be added that can make an impact.

The core group is still being built. MacT’s job is to fill in the pieces around the core he has now. If that means moving former members of this group, like Sam Gagner, Ales Hemsky and Nail Yakupov, then it needs to be done. Interesting time are ahead.