2014-15 OUTLOOK
The terms “potential,” “rebuild” and “young talent” have become synonymous with the Edmonton Oilers over the last few seasons. Of course, so has missing the playoffs.
The Oilers have failed to reach the post-season for the last eight years, which makes them the owners of the longest current playoff drought in the NHL. The upside to losing — and there is one — is the Oilers have been able to draft well and bolster a roster that includes first-overall picks, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov.
Fans know a full-blown rebuild doesn’t happen overnight and they’ve been patient, to a point. But one of these years the young kids must gradate from flashy firstrounders to Cup contenders.
Last year was definitely not that year. The Oilers got off to an abysmal start, winning three of their first 15 games and were essentially exiled from the playoff conversation by November.
So what makes this year different? For starters, the Oilers goaltending issue seems to have been addressed, not with one starter but two — Ben Scrivens and Viktor Fasth. Neither has held a consistent starting job in the league, but Scrivens was impressive down the stretch last season — albeit when the pressure was off — highlighted by a sensational 59-save shutout performance against the San Jose Sharks. The 1A-1B solution can be cumbersome (re: Toronto Maple Leafs) but Edmonton was so bad in net last year this can only be viewed as a step up.
After posting the worst goals against last season, defence is an area that certainly needed an upgrade, so during the off-season the Oilers added defenders Nikita Nikitin, Mark Fayne and Keith Aulie. All should bring size and physical presence to the blue line and ease the pressure on goaltending.
Hall has emerged as the offensive leader, posting 80 points to finish seventh in NHL scoring. But if the team is going to make any kind of run in the tough Western Conference, 2008 first-round pick Jordan Eberle, Nugent-Hopkins and Yakupov will need to do the same.
Last season, Eberle saw a decline in his numbers (65 points) and Yakupov was just a mess, landing in head coach Dallas Eakins’ doghouse early and never recovering. With just a year left in his rookie contract, Yakupov will likely be out the door if he can’t remind the Oilers why they picked him in the first round (especially when they could have used that pick to address their needs on defence).
This year’s third overall pick, Leon Draisaitl has impressed in pre-season action. While it’s always risky to call on an 18-year-old to be a contributing member of the lineup, Draisaitl could be playing himself into the second-line centre job.
Along with David Perron, the new additions of Teddy Purcell and Benoit Pouliot should add secondary scoring to a team that finished 25th in scoring last season.
Edmonton has used five coaches since the last time it made the playoffs. The time is now for the young players to graduate and move the Oilers forward.