Is there anything more Oilers than getting dummied on home ice and having the ISS release their mid-season draft the very next day? I don’t think so.
I never thought I would have to do this in year four of Connor McDavid’s career, but given the way this season is going and the mess that Peter Chiarelli left in his wake, I figured that we may as well look at the ISS’ list of top prospects for the upcoming draft. Considering the way things are going right now, we should probably get to know some of these top prospects a little bit and start figuring out what this team needs. Chances are that the Oilers are going to end up with another quality prospect and while it’s certainly not the end of the season any of us would have hoped for, I can’t help but feel like my body preparing itself for a consolation prize.
Since there’s nothing that the Oilers love more than drafting in the top half at the NHL Draft, I figured I would post the ISS’ top 15 players and take a look a couple of the prospects listed in the general area that the Oilers will land in when June rolls around. (the full list is here)
| Rank | Name | Team | League | Position | Shot | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hughes, Jack | USA U18 | NTDP | C | L | 5.10 | 168 |
| 2 | Kakko, Kaapo | TPS Turku | FinE | RW | L | 6.02 | 194 |
| 3 | Podkolzin, Vasily | St. Petersburg SKA | KHL | LW | L | 6.01 | 190 |
| 4 | Byram, Bowen | Vancouver Giants | WHL | LD | L | 6.00 | 194 |
| 5 | Cozens, Dylan | Lethbridge Hurricanes | WHL | C | R | 6.03 | 181 |
| 6 | Dach, Kirby | Saskatoon Blades | WHL | C | R | 6.03 | 199 |
| 7 | Boldy, Matthew | USA U18 | NTDP | LW | L | 6.00 | 175 |
| 8 | Zegras, Trevor | USA U18 | NTDP | C | L | 5.10 | 159 |
| 9 | Broberg, Philip | AIK IF | SweAl | LD | L | 6.02 | 199 |
| 10 | Turcotte, Alex | USA U18 | NTDP | C | L | 5.11 | 189 |
| 11 | Robertson, Matthew | Edmonton Oil Kings | WHL | LD | L | 6.03 | 201 |
| 12 | Soderstrom, Victor | Brynas IF Jr. | SweJE | LD | R | 5.11 | 179 |
| 13 | York, Cam | USA U18 | NTDP | LD | L | 5.10 | 163 |
| 14 | Harley, Thomas | Mississauga Steelheads | OHL | LD | L | 6.03 | 188 |
| 15 | Lavoie, Raphael | Halifax Mooseheads | QMJHL | C | R | 6.03 | 191 |
What’s interesting about this list is how many left-handed defencemen and centremen there are at the top of this draft. Obviously, it would be nice if the Oilers could add something to the right side of their depth chart to help with an organizational need, but the most important thing is that they add skill. I know that they love blowing the character horn all the time, but I was at the game last night and I would argue that there is a serious lack of skill on this hockey team and using character as an excuse for why things are going poorly is a lazy storyline. To me, it’s blatantly obvious that the Oilers need more talent and I highly doubt we’ll ever be hearing about character ever again.
Back to the list… If the NHL season ended today and the draft order went the way of the standings, the Oilers would be picking eighth overall, putting players like Kirby Dach, Matthew Boldy, Trevor Zegras, Philip Broberg, and Alex Turcotte as potential options for their draft board. At this point, I don’t know much of anything about these players, but I’m sure that will change as the weeks go on and the losses pile up. As I said above, I didn’t think we would ever be in a spot where we would have to write about draft prospects after McDavid landed in town, but here we are and I’ll be the first to admit that I’m pretty bummed out about it.
What do you guys think? Any early horses you’re interested in? Let me know in the comments.
After last night debacle this article is right on schedule.
Let’s get that Kaapo Kakko kid, rush him onto the first line next season, tank his career, and trade him for a fifth round draft pick in 2022.
Well that is an Oiler tradition.
Sounds about right.
I hope all the trade the first round pick people from few weeks back now see the folly of their ways.
We need to draft Connor McMichael for the memes. Anything short of that and we lost the lottery
Referencing previous articles that said we were better off just going with what Bob McKenzie recommended, I say we go that route and take the decision out of the hands of clearly incompetent Oiler Brass and scouting.
I mentioned many times over the years that someone should put a article together showing what players would have been chosen if the Oilers just followed Bob’s list.
Dusty did that exact article a little while ago. Here it is: https://oilersnation.com/2019/01/23/doing-nothing-would-have-been-better-than-following-peter-chiarellis-plan/
I believe an Alexa home speaker was done as well. Lol. My dog could do a better job and he is an idiot.
Thanks I must have missed that one.
Just took a peak that article was about Chiarelli doing nothing. It is a good article but I’m more interested in who could have been drafted according to Bob’s list instead of the many Oiler walkabout picks in every round going back further than Chiarelli tenure.
Going back two rounds for a handful years does not show the entire picture of the Oiler incompetence when it comes to drafting.
2015: McDavid
2016: Puljujarvi
2017: Kristian Vesalainen
2018: Noah Dobson
Just to note, Yamamoto and Bouchard were very close on MacKenzie’s list.
Somewhere in that list fate has dealt the career death card to one of those fine young men. My Condolences in advance.
#loseforhughes
Dive for top 5!!
LOLOLOL, now these articles are more of what we are use to. LOLOLOL
This is the sadness we’re doomed to.
Who cares. They cant draft anyway. Probably end up with another JP. They will just screw up the development on whoever they get. Rinse and repeat.
I tried to keep watching these guys into the new year with a glimmer of hope but that game last night destroyed whatever hope I had left for this year and next. They should take it slow this summer but they wont. Knee jerk trades and overpriced contracts are coming folks. Buckle up. The OBC jokers want to make the playoffs so bad there is bound to be some ridiculous moves to come.
Well … I guess the ‘good’ news is because of the salary blunders the last few years .. this off season, they’re constrained to only over pay in the order of hundreds of thousands, rather than millions. Progress!?
I think I’ll take that back based on the Koskinen deal. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
I am pretty sure Chia had a lot of consensual help destroying the franchise.
I am curious if the league is having conversations about how the “Face of the League” affects NHL marketing playing for Katz and company. Especially considering I don’t see ticket sales going up in a market that is slam dunk. It’s one thing to embarrass your own franchise, but this is getting for entire NHL.
embarrassing for entire NHL. edit button not working.
The league may step in at some point, doubt they could do any worse. They already practically run the Coyotes, and they are better than us as well.
Finaly, were at this point of the season. I was at that game last night and was bored to death. This team is junk
Cozens.
stay away from Dach.
He’s gonna get blown up in the show.
I’m shocked its Feb 6 and its the first article regarding the draft. Most years its before Christmas. The organization must be considering this improvement. I’d love to see a poll regarding who is more incompetent, Oilers management group or our federal government.
Had a dream…….Oilers drop low enough and get into the lottery and the bullet goes their way! Hughes goes public and claims he will not go to the Oilers! No word of lie, this is what I dreamed and honestly, could see it go just that way. Thing is I wouldn’t blame the kid at this point.
Or Gm’s, or players , or coaches, or training staff, or medical staff (All have been held accountable while Kim Jung Lowe and his unqualified cronies continues his reign of ineptitude unabashed) Unless Katz takes a pair of b*lls out of petty cash and fires everyone from Nicholson on down today, it is going to get worse before it gets better. And we know that will not happen. Whoever ends up on our roster next year, this is getting to the point where players will just refuse to come to the rink anymore. Who would want to work for this joke of an organization? Rufio may be on to something there. Edmonton will pay to watch whatever crap team ends up on the ice, all we get is guys who cant land a gig elsewhere.
Let’s be honest…theyll draft the oil kings kid because hes big and familiar, rush him, and he will flop. #RinseRepeat
The draft Lottery- Our Kung fu has always been strong. Lose for Hughes! boycott for Turcotte! Do something for the Finnish Guy! *Sigh*
13th year of a rebuild that the teams around us seem to be able to do in 2 years. What gives???
Suck-o for Kakko?
I’m pretty proud of how late we made it in the season before turning to draft watching. A real accomplishment gang!
Four simple draft rules for the Oilers for future drafts– 1. no Europeans in the first round; 2. take the defence-man if everything else is equal; 3. don’t feed the prospects after midnight; and 4. don’t get them wet.
I agree, unless getting Kappo or Hughes take BYRAM!!!
Kaapo I meant…
Four years into the McDavid era. We must be due for another first overall.
Five cups. 40 years. 30 teams. Yikes we’re not due for 100 years.
Just to remind everyone- “we aren’t supposed to be looking at the draft board” -we weren’t supposed to be looking the year we took Connor either v
I would love to get Bowen Byram for this team. He is a franchise changing defensemen (only one in this draft). If not Byram I would go for Cozens (I agree that Kirby Dach won’t be a difference maker at the NHL level). If both are gone I would trade down in the draft (or trade the pick altogether for a 2021 1st rounder, THAT draft will be STACKED!).