The NHL offseason has started and that means that the news surrounding the Edmonton Oilers, and the NHL in general, will start to simmer down. A by-product of this is what I like to call a blank space, meaning that I usually have no idea what to write about or think about, my mind is just a jumble of incomplete thoughts regarding the Oilers. For this very inconvenient reason, I often lose interest in writing, I am certain I am not alone in this dilemma. So, I decided to do some brainstorming, figuring out a way to keep my brain and mind active on the Edmonton Oilers, and I thought about starting this series. “The Dog Days” series will be a period of reflection on the Edmonton Oilers roster.There isn’t much current news so lets dig deeper into what we already have come to know. The Oilers are a very different team, as I outlined in my previous article, and the roster has plenty of interesting story lines which, when discussed, can lead to some great conversation and debate. In today’s edition of “The Dog Days” I am going to talk about the Oilers left-wing depth chart, a forward position that features Taylor Hall. So, without further explanation, I would like to welcome you to “The Dog Days”.

Taylor Hall

ahhhh yes, what better place to start then this editions cover boy, Taylor Hall. Drafted in the sunny hills of hollywood in 2010, Hallsy here was the original beacon of hope for Edmonton Oiler fans, far and wide. Hall was the franchise first #1 pick (a mark that has increased to 4, sorry not sorry) so fans had good reason to think highly of him and still do. Hall has been a quiet star in the NHL since his arrival, posting 263 points in 299 NHL games played. Taylor really started to show how deserving he was of NHL stardom in the 2013/14 season when he was the leagues highest scoring left-wing with 80 points. That superb season was quickly forgotten as it was followed by a dismal 38pts in an injury plagued 2014/15 campaign. In Taylor’s defence, if your name wasn’t Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, then you probably didn’t have the best season. Also, as mentioned, Hall was the recipient of some untimely injuries, which limited his games to 53, compared to the 75 he played when he put up those 80pts.

Ok, now that I’ve refreshed you on Hallsy here, let’s go more in-depth. For the better part of his career, Hall has been a pillar on what has been the much heralded “Oilers Kid Line” which includes Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle. The line has been through some fantastic stretches but recently been going through some tribulation in regards to Hall. When Hall went down due to injury, the Oilers experimented with Benoit Pouliot as a replacement to #4. The results were actually surprisingly beneficial, and because of this, Hall was demoted to a second line role upon his return from injury. I believe this is a role he will remain in at season’s start and one that he will take in stride. The phrase “demoted to second line” can be taken in a negative light in most situations but not in Taylor’s. This will be a great way to distribute the abundance of talent that the Oilers currently possess. Nuge and Ebs don’t seemed to be slowed by the addition of Pouliot, so lets give the second line a talent boost. That second line is no sloucher either, it will most likely be the most publicized line in the league this season with, hockey prodigy, Connor McDavid expected to slide into a 2C role. The right-winger to compliment these two fine hockey players will be none other than Nail Yakupov. If you read my last piece you should already know how excited I am for this possibility (hint: it rhymes with BOOOOOM!). This line shouldn’t be labeled as a “2nd line” but, should be referred to as “1b”. Taylor Hall is a fantastic player and has a burning desire to win, pair that passion with an elite skill set and equally amazing linemate, then I think we will see a whole new gear in Hall’s game that will catch us all by surprise. Oh, and don’t be surprised if that “A” on his chest bumps down two letters, if Andrew Ference is indeed shipped out.

Benoit Pouliot

“Poo” might sound like a degrading nicknames to most other people but, in Benoit Pouliot’s case, it is in fact the exact opposite. Signed to a hefty 5 year deal last summer worth 2o million dollars and, so far, he is earning every cent of it. When Benoit was signed, many were sceptical of the contract in regards to both term and AAV given his recent history of jumping from team to team. Since being drafted 4th overall in the 2005 NHL draft by Minnesota, Pouliot has found employment in Minnesota, Montreal, Boston, Tampa Bay, New York and now Edmonton. His impressive playoff run with the Rangers in 2013/14, along with his heavy build, is what most attracted the Oilers to lock this player down. His team role in the past has mainly been in the bottom 6 but, due to some impressive play and some injuries, has found himself dethroning the aforementioned Taylor Hall for a 1st line LW spot. After an impressive first year as an Edmonton Oiler, Benoit Pouliot is looking to use last seasons momentum in his favour as 2015/16 nears.

Well, I’ll admit that I didn’t think Pouliot would have the season he has when he was signed with Edmonton. In fact, I saw him rounding out a solid 3rd line, as I was under the belief that Hall and Perron were here to stay. Boy, was I wrong. Pouliot used some of that momentum he brought from New York and kept it alive in the Alberta capital. One of the bright spots that I had for him is when he took a rather lazy penalty against Detroit that cost Edmonton the game. It was an ugly play and fans had every right to be a little ticked off at Benoit, he even admitted that it was an undisciplined and stupid play. However, after that disappointing game, Benoit went on an absolute tear, putting up some crazy numbers in the next 10 games or so, making fans completely forget about his mistake. Benoit Pouliot works well on the Oilers top line as he adds size and can hold on to the puck better than maybe even Hall. Along with being big, Pouliot has an absolute rocket of a shot and some surprisingly silky hands if need be. He put up a career high in goals with 19 and it seemed that he only got more dominant as the season went on. His contract was, and still is, under lots of debate but hey, if he can anchor down and be a productive body on the team’s top line, then he’s worth every bit of that 20mil right now. Also….am I the only one who see’s a tiny resemblance to Keanu Reeves? Yea? Alright never-mind then..

Lauri Korpikoski

Ah yes, the new guy! The Oilers acquired Lauri on the day before Free Agency in a trade that sent Boyd Gordon back to the desert. I don’t know a whole lot about Korpikoski, other than the fact that I’ve heard he’s pretty speedy for 6’1″ 205lb guy. An NHL vet of 469 games fits the definiton of being a 3rd line guy that plays a two-way game. He has the ability to put up points but its nothing overwhelming and he is more valuable in what he brings on the defensive side of things. According to a brief scouting report by “The Hockey News”; Korpikoski uses his speed in a variety of defensive situations and is exceptional in a penalty killing role. His downfalls are mostly on his lack of confidence in his own abilities in the offensive ends. That being said, he has a 40 and 37 point seasons on his resume, which shows that “Korpi” does have the potential to be a scorer. Those scores came from the 2010/11 and 2011/12 seasons however, so he will need to up his offensive game if he hopes to reach those levels again. 2015/16 will be an interesting one for the 28yr old Finn.

Korpikoski will slot in on the third line obviously and I believe he could surprise some people. His centerman will most likely be Lander and his fellow winger will be Purcell. The reason why I am optimistic about Korpikoski is what he could do with Lander. Lander is finally showing signs of progressing and I think Korpikosi fits into that two way style that Lander plays, as well as being a calming veteran presence. Korpikoski could also benefit as Lander is known more as a passer than a pure goal scorer, combine that with some speed and we might just see Lauri return to that 30pt range. As for what we gave up for him, I think giving up Boyd Gordon was a bargain considering the Oil signed Letestu the very next day. The trade made lots of sense, as Chiarelli obviously saw that he could add depth to the LW and basically lose no assets. As I mentioned before, I don’t know too much about Korpikoski other than the stuff I mentioned (as well as the fact that he will wear jersey #28 with Edmonton) so there are still many unknowns with this player. As a new season approaches, it brings another oppertunity to learn more about new players and hopefully I’ll enjoy “Korpi’s” tenure more than some of last years additions *cough* Ni-Kitten *cough*

Matt Hendricks

Also known as the creator of the much heralded “Wagon Line” Matt Hendricks is plays a hard game that rivals anyone. acquired halfway through the first season of the Eakins experiment for, now Vezina Finalist, Devan Dubnyk (ugh), Hendricks isn’t much to bat an eye at when it comes to offensive instincts. He has managed to pot some 81 points in 411 NHL games but that’s alright when you play the majority of your time in the bottom 6. Hendrick plays a very effective physical game that can actually instil intimidation into the opposition, which is exactly what a fourth line does. Matt Hendricks is the type of player that plays a “what you see is what you get” style, which means that there isn’t many things that will surprise you when you watch him. Some strong aspects in his game include his physicality and his fantastic work ethic, as well as being a very team friendly guy. He has easily played his way into a fan favourite just by sticking to his playing style. After 104 games with the Oilers, you can only hope that we see more of the same from Matty Hendricks.

Anyone who likes talking hockey with me will know that I am a huge fan of how Hendricks plays hockey. That being said, I am a sucker for a good hit and fight, which is why I admire Steve MacIntyre more than I probably should. Ahem, but there is more to Hendricks when it comes to why I am so high on him. The thing with Matty is his pure work ethic and the way he supports his team as well as teammates. I can count multiple times during his Oilers tenure when he tried to everything he possibly could to fire up the team, whether it be a fight to spark emotion or some friendly antics to grow team confidence. He captained Team USA at this years Worlds and that is no mistake, Hendricks is a fantastic leader. One moment in particular sticks out for me when it comes to him. It happened this past season when Edmonton visited San Jose, where the shootout seemed to go on forever. During all this intensity where the game could end with the next shot, there was Hendricks with his helmet on backwards “rally cap” style, seemingly a effort to relax his fellow teammates. Then when, linemate, Rob Klinkhammer finally won the game for Edmonton, you could swear that Matt Hendricks was the happiest guy in the building. The season was close to wrapping up but Hendricks brought a positive attitude night in and night out. Sorry if I am tooting Matt Hendricks horn a little too much, just a big fan of the guy, hoping he holds down the 4th line once again in 15/16.

Soooo, that about does it for the first edition of “The Dog Days”! Hope I was able to keep your mind on Edmonton and help spark a few interesting thoughts for the day! I have high hopes for this new series and after I finish previewing the NHL roster, I plan on continuing on to crafting a prospects team and writing about them in the same format. The next edition of “The Dog Days” will focus on the center position which include the likes of Anton Lander and Mark Letestu (oh, and two other guys). Thanks for reading!

You know what you could do? You could follow me on Twitter and we could chat Oilers @CrazyOilersFan!

Cheers!

#NewEraOilers