Oilers announce training camp roster

With the pre-season kicking off at the end of the week, the Edmonton Oilers revealed their training camp roster early this morning and I’ve put together a little primer to help us all learn about who will be in town, where they play, and what numbers to watch on TV.

In total, the Edmonton Oilers are inviting 56 players to camp — six goalies, 19 defencemen, and 31 forwards — and with only a job or two available at the NHL level, you have to imagine there will be a lot of guys chomping at the bit to get going. This year, the Oilers have more competition for fewer jobs than ever before and that fight is what will keep me the most interested over these next few weeks. Who will make a name for himself and who will let a job slip through their hands? Let’s check out the list:

Given that there are so few jobs available this year, the thing I’ll be watching most in training camp is how our prospects fare relative to their peers. I want to know how players with a real chance at an NHL gig — think Raphael Lavoie, Brandon Sutter, Lane Pederson — seize the opportunity that’s in front of them, and whether or not they can force their way into being a legitimate option for this hockey club. Only one or two guys who aren’t already NHL regulars will have that opportunity, and figuring out who earns it will be most of the fun this year.

Even though we know that the bulk of the aforementioned players will get cut and sent back to their junior/minor league teams, I’ll be very interested in finding out who will leave a lasting impression once the pre-season wraps. Even though most of these players are a long way away from the NHL at best, the pre-season always does a good job of introducing prospects and depth players into our ecosystem and giving us new names to cheer for as the year rolls along.

Who are you most excited to watch during camp and the pre-season?