The biggest strength on the roster for the Edmonton Oilers is, for the first time in about a decade, the team’s center depth. Connor McDavid is a generational talent, while Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are both extremely useful players in their own right.
The play of these three men at the World Cup of Hockey is giving fans of the Oilers a glimpse at what could be a dominating trio this coming season.
European Firepower:
Leon Draisaitl was the subject of questions all summer long. Could the big German succeed in the NHL without Taylor Hall on his line? Why was he benched late in a pre-tournament tilt against Team North America? The questions raged on and skepticism rose in regard to our man Leon.
Since then? He’s done nothing but beat goalies into submission. In the final tuneup game, Leon scored a hat-trick against Team Sweden (with Henrik Lundqvist in net no less) and then proceeded to add another tally in Europe’s upset of Team USA on Saturday.
Not only did Draisaitl score against the Americans, he was noticeably one of the best players for Team Europe on the day. He followed that up with another extremely solid performance against the Czech Republic on Monday, which saw him score his second goal of the World Cup in dramatic fashion.
Leon Draisaitl game winner + ref cam angle pic.twitter.com/vFvIcnQgL5
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) September 19, 2016
If Draisaitl plays like this during the NHL regular season and centers a soft-minutes scoring line with, say, Jesse Puljujarvi and Patrick Maroon, I could see him scoring 50 points. He’s been really effective and that’s a great sign for the Oilers.
North American Pivots:
The other two Oilers in this tournament, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid, have also played exceptionally strong hockey.
While McDavid has yet to score a goal in this tournament, he’s still clicking at a point-per-game pace with two assists in two games. One of those assists might go down as the prettiest of the tournament, as he made Pavel Datsyuk look like an NHL rookie on Monday night.
McDavid! What a play! ? #TeamNA #WCH2016 pic.twitter.com/bQEzT1DNob
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) September 20, 2016
McDavid has been absolutely dominate thus far, creating offensive chances with ease and being a threat every single time he touches the puck. So far, McDavid has lived up to the hype of being one of the world’s best players, and if he’s playing like this during the season the Oilers will be in business.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is still a good player, oh by the way. Through two games, RNH is actually tied for the tournament lead in points with three (2-1-3). Nuge has been strong offensively, which is a nice sign, but it’s the other things that get me excited. He’s been stellar in the face-off dot so far, firing at well above 50%.
He’s been North America’s best penalty killer and looks like the elite two-way center of two years ago. If the Oilers get the RNH of 2014-15, they’ll contend for the postseason. Having an elite center like McDavid with a very strong two-way pivot is a deadly duo that will help this team win games. So far, that’s what we’ve seen in Toronto.
What Does It All Mean?:
The Oilers could end up with the best center depth in the NHL this season, seriously. McDavid will push for the league lead in points while Nugent-Hopkins, when on his game, is an all-star two-way pivot. Add in Draisaitl feasting on lesser opponents and you’re cooking with fire. Right now, all three of these guys are clicking and it’s a lot of fun to watch.
If the Oilers get these three playing at this level next month…..expect a hot start.
Random Thoughts:
*Jesse Puljujarvi absolutely dominated in Penticton this past weekend. His size and skill combination is impressive, but the way he can handle the puck and create offense is jaw-dropping. His second goal against the Canucks back on Friday night will stay in my mind for a long time. Marvelous shot.
*Joey Benik is going to be a name to watch in Bakersfield this year. He’s on an AHL contract but the Oilers simply don’t have enough skilled wingers at that level. He caught my eye this weekend and I’d imagine he caught Gerry Fleming’s as well.
*One note that I don’t think it getting enough play? Drake Caggiula played center this weekend and looks competent doing it. Will that continue into main camp?
*Eric Gryba is coming to training camp on a PTO according to Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal. While Gryba doesn’t really impact my prediction for the Oilers, I’d rather have him as the number seven defender than one of the younger players. He’s a solid stay-at-home type and his game grew on me last season. His ability to defend while mixing in some physical play was a welcomed addition last year. Not a sexy player, but he’s a strong defender.
*I trust the guys who first brought up Kris Russell and the Oilers. I profiled Russell for off-season targets here, and I don’t think he’d be the worst addition to this team. That said, Russell’s contract would have to be for one-year and he’d have to play a third-pairing role for me to be comfortable. Kris Hanson touched on the rumor late Sunday night for us.
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