Picking Fourth Wont Help Edmonton Draft for Need
8 years ago
We knew it was coming, but it took less than 24 hours for
the hot takes to start rolling in about the way the draft lottery panned out. The
30th placed team won. Edmonton missed out on the top three. Now,
unless Winnipeg or Columbus do something stupid, the Oilers will miss out on the two Finnish forwards many of us were dreaming about. But Edmonton doesn’t
need forwards so this is clearly a blessing in disguise, right?
the hot takes to start rolling in about the way the draft lottery panned out. The
30th placed team won. Edmonton missed out on the top three. Now,
unless Winnipeg or Columbus do something stupid, the Oilers will miss out on the two Finnish forwards many of us were dreaming about. But Edmonton doesn’t
need forwards so this is clearly a blessing in disguise, right?
Well, that’s how one writer for Toronto-centric The Score
sees it. You can read the article here, but I’ll save you the trouble. The crux
of the argument is that Edmonton has become handcuffed by that pesky “Best
Player Available” philosophy at the draft table and they’ve been forced into
taking a bunch of forwards in the first round (ignore Klefbom and Nurse please).
sees it. You can read the article here, but I’ll save you the trouble. The crux
of the argument is that Edmonton has become handcuffed by that pesky “Best
Player Available” philosophy at the draft table and they’ve been forced into
taking a bunch of forwards in the first round (ignore Klefbom and Nurse please).
Everybody knows the Oilers need defensemen. Even the Oilers
have known this despite their inability to remedy the deficiency. Still, the
team opted for Hall, RNH, and Yakupov instead of taking a defenseman in any of
those years (imagine how much further ahead we’d be if Ryan Murray was on our
injured reserve instead of the Blue Jackets’). McDavid is another forward, but
even the writer can hardly blame the Oilers for taking McDavid first
overall.
have known this despite their inability to remedy the deficiency. Still, the
team opted for Hall, RNH, and Yakupov instead of taking a defenseman in any of
those years (imagine how much further ahead we’d be if Ryan Murray was on our
injured reserve instead of the Blue Jackets’). McDavid is another forward, but
even the writer can hardly blame the Oilers for taking McDavid first
overall.
So here is Edmonton, knocked down from the two spot all the
way to the four spot, lower than any 29th-ranked team has fallen in
the draft in the lottery era. Not only is this not a bad thing, it’s the ideal
thing, allegedly. Now Edmonton is no longer in danger of blowing a first
round pick on another forward and free to finally get that defenseman they’ve
been dying for. Finally, the Oilers can safely draft for necessity.
way to the four spot, lower than any 29th-ranked team has fallen in
the draft in the lottery era. Not only is this not a bad thing, it’s the ideal
thing, allegedly. Now Edmonton is no longer in danger of blowing a first
round pick on another forward and free to finally get that defenseman they’ve
been dying for. Finally, the Oilers can safely draft for necessity.
It’s a wonderful fantasy. It really is. Well, either that or
it’s the laziest, dopiest tripe you’d expect to come from a market that can’t
take 15 minutes to research what the Oilers actually need.
it’s the laziest, dopiest tripe you’d expect to come from a market that can’t
take 15 minutes to research what the Oilers actually need.
Edmonton cannot draft for necessity in the 2016 draft.
No, not because drafting for necessity is a terrible way to
fill holes at the NHL level in light of the existence of free agent and
trade markets that allow NHL teams to acquire NHL ready players versus
expending a valuable draft pick on someone you don’t know will ever play an NHL
game but happens to play the position your NHL team needs.
fill holes at the NHL level in light of the existence of free agent and
trade markets that allow NHL teams to acquire NHL ready players versus
expending a valuable draft pick on someone you don’t know will ever play an NHL
game but happens to play the position your NHL team needs.
What I mean to say is that even if the Oilers wanted to draft
someone who fills their organizational needs, that person isn’t even in the
acceptable range of the fourth overall pick. The writer of the article
mentions top rated defenders Olli Juolevi and Jakob Chychrun, but, since both
are 18 year old left handed defensemen, neither scratch the itch that’s driving
Edmonton crazy.
someone who fills their organizational needs, that person isn’t even in the
acceptable range of the fourth overall pick. The writer of the article
mentions top rated defenders Olli Juolevi and Jakob Chychrun, but, since both
are 18 year old left handed defensemen, neither scratch the itch that’s driving
Edmonton crazy.
Edmonton doesn’t need defensemen. Edmonton needs right-handed
defensemen. This isn’t a secret or something that has happened last minute.
From the opening puck drop of the season, the right side of the defense has been hammered by
opponents and critics alike. I mean, when Mark Fayne is the most useful RHD on
your club, there’s a problem. I was tempted to say it was Jordan Oesterle,
because he was the best right side defender in the last quarter of the season,
but he’s a lefty too.
defensemen. This isn’t a secret or something that has happened last minute.
From the opening puck drop of the season, the right side of the defense has been hammered by
opponents and critics alike. I mean, when Mark Fayne is the most useful RHD on
your club, there’s a problem. I was tempted to say it was Jordan Oesterle,
because he was the best right side defender in the last quarter of the season,
but he’s a lefty too.
The depth chart of the defense is so incredibly lopsided that
the suggestion Edmonton simply needs “defense” generically is insulting. It
takes five minutes to research. It takes just a cursory knowledge of the team.
the suggestion Edmonton simply needs “defense” generically is insulting. It
takes five minutes to research. It takes just a cursory knowledge of the team.
The best case scenarios still leave Edmonton lacking any
help where they need it most. Juolevi or Chychrun would have to continue developing
as top defenders, mature into NHL ready bodies, then be a clearly better option
than one of Klefbom, Sekera, Nurse, or Reinhart in order to play their natural
position. Of course, if one of those kids happens to accomplish that, it would still Edmonton in a position where they are still completely devoid of RHD.
help where they need it most. Juolevi or Chychrun would have to continue developing
as top defenders, mature into NHL ready bodies, then be a clearly better option
than one of Klefbom, Sekera, Nurse, or Reinhart in order to play their natural
position. Of course, if one of those kids happens to accomplish that, it would still Edmonton in a position where they are still completely devoid of RHD.
Raise your hand if you’re going to be the highest paid player in the NHL one day
Naturally, this also ignores the very real, very loud
ticking clock that is attached to the remaining two years on McDavid’s ELC.
Connor McDavid is never going to cost the Oilers less on the cap than these next
two years. After that, the phenomenal 97 can name his price and Edmonton will
pay it. When the time comes, there will be significantly less
space in the budget to add and keep all the pieces needed to compete for a Stanley
Cup. Edmonton wasted year one, giving McDavid the NHL’s worst defense to work
with. They can’t wait around for years hoping Juolevi fixes the defense.
ticking clock that is attached to the remaining two years on McDavid’s ELC.
Connor McDavid is never going to cost the Oilers less on the cap than these next
two years. After that, the phenomenal 97 can name his price and Edmonton will
pay it. When the time comes, there will be significantly less
space in the budget to add and keep all the pieces needed to compete for a Stanley
Cup. Edmonton wasted year one, giving McDavid the NHL’s worst defense to work
with. They can’t wait around for years hoping Juolevi fixes the defense.
So, no defenseman within reasonable striking distance from
the fourth position fixes what’s wrong with Edmonton’s blueline now or
in the future. Even if that player becomes an NHL player, it won’t be for
years. Dropping to the fourth pick in the draft isn’t some blessing in
disguise. It doesn’t allow Edmonton to draft someone they need. If anything, it
opens up the possibility of not using the pick at all.
the fourth position fixes what’s wrong with Edmonton’s blueline now or
in the future. Even if that player becomes an NHL player, it won’t be for
years. Dropping to the fourth pick in the draft isn’t some blessing in
disguise. It doesn’t allow Edmonton to draft someone they need. If anything, it
opens up the possibility of not using the pick at all.
Edmonton cannot draft for need, not even if they wanted to.
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