The Showcasing Begins?

The Edmonton Oilers returned to practice earlier today with their full team. 13 forwards and nine defenders took part in the skate along with both goalies. There were some interesting lineup tidbits, including some of the rumor mill players taking on bigger roles than before the break. Showcasing at it’s finest.

Hemsky:

Forward Ales Hemsky, a staple on the Oilers third line this year, was bumped up to the second line with Sam Gagner and Jordan Eberle. Hemsky will play on the left side, something he has handled in the past, and will get much more in terms of offensive minutes. On that third line, he was stuck in a defensive role and his numbers have suffered as a result.

Hemsky’s trade value has no doubt increased thanks to his good Olympic performance, and it seems like the Oilers are going to be putting him in a position to succeed and put up some good numbers in what could be his final three games as an Oiler. Eberle and Gagner, also offensive minded, will be music to Hemsky’s ears for this next stretch.

We’ve talked about possible locations before, Montreal, Pittsburgh, San Jose and Detroit, and those are still the teams to watch. It surly looks like the showcase is on here, and that a Hemsky trade is right around the corner.

Schultz, The Elder That Is:

Schultz and Schultz inc, for maybe the final time, have been reunited. Nick Schultz took a spot on the Oilers top pairing this afternoon with Justin, and will likely see a bit of an increased work load in this next stretch, which starts on Thursday night. Veteran defenders, no matter how bad, always seem to have some trade value this time of year.

Schultz, a UFA at season’s end, has been primarily playing third pairing minutes this season, with a little bit of second pairing duty tossed in there as well. Schultz has largely struggled in those roles this season, especially playing with the younger Schultz. The idea of showcasing the veteran makes a ton of sense, but will it bring forth the desired result? I have some doubts.

Potential Partners?:

Some tidbits of information regarding potential trade partners with the Oilers. The Fourth Period reported over a week ago that the Predators are interested in Sam Gagner, and that rumor hasn’t exactly gone away. It’s no doubt something to keep an eye on as we move closer to the deadline.

Interestingly, yesterday the Oklahoma City Barons took on the Toronto Marlies in Toronto, and played in front of quite a few scouts. The Lightning, Flames, Avalanche, Wild, Flyers and Jets had scouts in Toronto watching the game, no doubt checking in on a few buried Oilers and Leafs. The Flyers scouting the Oilers prospects is a very interesting development.

Lastly, the Oilers have been keeping tabs on the Columbus Blue Jackets’ prospects at the AHL level sources have indicated. Big forward Jack Skille, and puck-moving defender Tim Erixon could be targets for the Oilers, with Erixon being a very interesting name because Scott Howson was the one who brought him to Columbus.

More as it happens, this is going to be a fun stretch.