Edmonton Oilers training camp roster features no big surprises

A first look at the Edmonton Oilers phase three training camp roster reveals no big surprises.

The Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson got his hands on the roster and it features a number of Bakersfield Condors.

Forwards
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Leon Draisaitl – Kailer Yamamoto
Tyler Ennis – Connor McDavid – Zack Kassian
Andreas Athanasiou – Riley Sheahan – Josh Archibald
James Neal – Jujhar Khaira – Alex Chiasson
Joakim Nygard – Gaetan Haas – Patrick Russell
Tyler Benson – Cooper Marody – Markus Granlund
Ryan McLeod

Defencemen
Oscar Klefbom – Adam Larsson
Darnell Nurse – Ethan Bear
Kris Russell – Matt Benning
Caleb Jones – Mike Green
William Lagesson – Evan Bouchard
Philip Broberg

Goalies
Mikko Koskinen
Mike Smith
Stuart Skinner
Olivier Rodrigue

So as you can see, no major surprises.

Up front, the Oilers will have Tyler Benson in town. He’s scored points in 120 games in the AHL over the last two years and had a seven-game stint with the Oilers. He’s likely a full-time Oiler next year. Also getting a look will be Cooper Marody and Ryan McLeod — two prospects who will be vying for a spot on the Oilers roster next season. Markus Granlund, who had an up and down season last year between the Oilers and Condors, will get a chance to fill in as a vet.

On the backend, William Lagesson and Evan Bouchard will get the call from Bakersfield as Edmonton brings in Phillip Broberg from Sweden for his first taste of North American hockey. This is going to be a huge chance for Broberg to get his feet wet on a smaller ice surface before returning to the SHL’s Skelleftea next year. While he won’t play in any games unless he blows the roof off of Rogers Place in practice, it will give him the ability to learn about the game here.

In net, Stuart Skinner gets the call from the Condors as the Oilers bring in QMJHL prospect Olivier Rodrigue. The addition of Rodrigue to the roster is probably a tip-off Bakersfield Condors goalie Shane Starrett, an RFA at the end of this season and dealt with core-muscle issues this past year, won’t have his contract renewed, Matheson reported.

As Matheson also reported, ten Oilers players are self-quarantining in Edmonton, eight of which come from outside Canada. Europeans and Americans need to be in Canada by Friday according to league direction as Canadian-born players will need to be in Edmonton 48 hours before phase three opens which, while originally slated for July 10th, is likely to be pushed back to the 13th.

On Twitter: @zjlaing