Oilers Training Camp Battles: Second Line Right Wing

One of the least talked about training camp battles that is brewing in Edmonton is the second line right wing job. The player who wins this is likely to ride shotgun with Benoit Pouliot and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on a veteran, tough minutes, second unit.

We know that Milan Lucic and Jordan Eberle and going to team up with Connor McDavid on the top line, and we know the Oilers would prefer to use Leon Draisaitl at center, which slides him to the third line. Assuming Patrick Maroon stays on the left wing, he’ll skate with Draisaitl on line three. That, on the face of things, should solidify seven of the nine top-nine forward spots.

What about the other two spots? There was a thought process that some combination of Zack Kassian, Nail Yakupov and Jesse Puljujarvi would form the rest of the right wing depth chart, but Edmonton has since added veteran Kris Versteeg to the mix.

So, who gets that all-important top-six role and skates with RNH and Pouliot to start the season? A training camp battle will determine it between four hopefuls.

The Combatants:

The Oilers signed Versteeg to a PTO late last week, just weeks after his deal in Switzerland fell apart due to insurance issues. Versteeg isn’t a game-changer, but he’s a skilled forward who plays a gritty style and has some speed. Last year, in 77 games split between Carolina and Los Angeles, Versteeg posted 15-23-38. Those offensive numbers easily make him the most qualified candidate here.

Nail Yakupov had a nice little run with Connor McDavid early in the season, but he suffered a freak injury in November and struggled to get back on track when he eventually got back into the lineup. In 60 games last year, Yakupov only registered 8-15-23. Those numbers were even more disappointing when you consider Yakupov’s strong ending to the 2014-15 season.

After a trade request late last season, many thought Yakupov would be traded this summer, but the market for the Russian simply wasn’t strong. It’s also worth noting that RNH is the center Yakupov has had the least amount of success with in his NHL career.

Zack Kassian is a lock to make the NHL roster, but I don’t think he has the skill to make it as a top-six forward in this league. He’s a physical presence who can take a shift and play a depth role, but I wouldn’t be comfortable with him above the third line.

Jesse Puljujarvi, according to many, is close to being NHL ready, but would the Oilers be better served playing him in Bakersfield to start the season? That would limit potential cap bonuses and would allow him to adapt to the North American game playing a key role. I also think a soft-minutes third line is a better landing spot than the veteran second unit for the Finnish youngster.

Iiro Pakarinen (5-8-13, 63 games), Taylor Back (0-0-0, 2 games) and Tyler Pitlick (0 games) are all on the depth chart, but none of those three are candidates for this job.

Who Has The Inside Track?:

I’m assuming that Versteeg lands a contract with Edmonton. If he passes the physical, he should be able to force his way onto this Edmonton roster. In fact, I’ll go as far as this: I’d be stunned if he didn’t make the team. Versteeg has a proven track record as a second line forward and has played with skilled forwards on tough-minutes lines before. He’s actually a perfect candidate for this job.

Eventually, Puljujarvi will take this job with ease, but is he ready for that yet? I have some questions about that. He’s coming off of an injury and will be making his North American debut. The Oilers would be better off starting him in the AHL or on that soft-minutes line with Draisaitl and Maroon.

We know what Kassian and Yakupov are at this stage of their careers, and neither appear to be a fit. Kassian doesn’t have the skill-set while Yakupov has no chemistry with RNH and would not be a match for a tough-minutes line.

I’d label this battle heading into camp this way: Versteeg at 70%, Puljujarvi at 25%, Yakupov at 5% and Kassian at 0%.

Final Thoughts:

The Edmonton Oilers didn’t bring Kris Versteeg to town just to hang out during training camp, they brought him in to make the hockey team better. He’s got a proven track record as a top-nine forward and can produce offense at this level. Look no further than last year, when he registered 38 points in 77 games. He’s the most qualified offensive candidate for this job and has performed exceptionally in tough-minutes situations.

I know he was a late addition to the roster, but Versteeg is a perfect fit for this job and I think he will win the battle for it going away.

If in fact that is the case, and Kassian goes to the fourth line, it will be interesting to see how Edmonton deploys Yakupov and Puljujarvi with only one roster spot left. My bet? Yakupov plays on the third line and Puljujarvi starts the year in Bakersfield.