The Edmonton Oilers hit the All-Star break having gone 5-4-2 since Todd Nelson took over the bench solo eleven games ago. As a result, Edmonton has moved out of 30th place, and now has their sights set on moving up to 28th in the NHL.
The hunt for McDavid/Eichel aside, what is there to look for following the All-Star break? A lot, actually.
1.) Saving Nail Yakupov: This is the key item for Todd Nelson in my mind. Edmonton invested a first overall pick in Yakupov, and is in danger of flushing away a very important pick in the rebuild. Yakupov had solid stretches his rookie year, but was a huge disappointment last season and has struggled this season.
While the boxcars are still down under Nelson, Yakupov has looked much better to the eye, and is starting to create some chances and look more confident. If Nelson can get Yakupov clicking and putting up points, then a huge part to Edmonton’s puzzle will be in place.
The Oil still badly need secondary scoring, and Yakupov can provide that to Edmonton. Unlocking him might also be the key to solving Edmonton’s power-play unit. That Yak bomb from the slot? It has potential to be absolute money.
2.) Anton Lander’s Progression: Under Nelson, Anton Lander has played his best NHL hockey. Lander has been useful in all areas of the game, has been good in the dot, and is starting to produce offense. Lander plays the center position, and could be a massive addition to Edmonton’s bottom six next season. To me, he’s the perfect fit as a defensive center on Edmonton’s third or fourth line.
If the offense starts flowing for Lander, his NHL career might be saved, and the Oilers might finally be granted a forward from their haul of post-first round draft picks. This could be another solid player coming along under Nelson, and his progress will be a huge part of the next 30+ games.
3.) The Jeff Petry Saga: It’s going to end, one way or another. Either Jeff Petry, Edmonton’s best defender, will sign a much deserved extension with the club or will be traded as a rental at the deadline to a team, likely a playoff bound club.
To me, Edmonton must re-sign the player. Petry is a complete defender and a proven top-four guy. Those guys do not grow on trees, and he should be a part of the future. Personally, a multi-year deal worth $4 M – $5 M is worth it for me to re-sign this guy.
Will Edmonton pony up? Does Petry even want to stay? We’ll find out soon enough. This is certainly something to keep an eye on between now and March 2nd.
4.) Farm Hands Get Dirty: Eventually, Edmonton is going to give some guys on the farm a look for the future. In net, it’s very possible that Viktor Fasth gets traded, meaning we could see Richard Bachman make a case for himself at the NHL-level. We might even see the future, Laurent Brossoit, get a quick look as well.
On defense, I think it’s possible Jordan Oesterle, Brandon Davidson and Martin Marincin all see some sort of NHL action. All three could be part of the future plans, and on top of that Davidson is looking for a contract for next season. Oh, and Marincin is trying to fit in with this organization in some way.
Up front, Iiro Pakarinen is the top call-up option, and likely will get an extended look under Nelson. Iiro could be a longer-term player in Edmonton too with his combination of size, skill and physical ability.
5.) The Audit: With Bob Green getting promoted, the changes have started in Edmonton. They likely won’t be ending soon either if I had to guess. I’d imagine multiple scouts, at the pro and amateur levels, will lose their jobs, while possible changes on the roster will take place too.
Will there be a young gun moved out of Edmonton? That could be part of the audit too. What about Todd Nelson, Craig MacTavish and Kevin Lowe? They are part of this audit as well.
What happens with this audit is likely going to set the path that the Oilers will travel on for the next few seasons, and should be watched closely. Any front office moves and trade rumors could end up making a big differnece down the road. It seems small now, but these changes and rumors could be the big story when we look back at this season during the summer time.
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