With training camp just around the corner, I had a few questions on my mind that the Oilers that will need answers as we get closer to puck drop.

Now that Leon has a fresh eight-year contract in his pocket, Oilers fans are curious about where he’ll end up spending his time on the ice. Will McLellan slot him in next to McDavid again? Will he centre his own line? Based on the amount of money Peter Chiarelli just stuffed in his jeans, I think most Oilers fans would agree that Leon Draisaitl has to find a way to drive his own line.

To this point in his career, Leon has had the luxury of playing with some pretty good players either on his wing or as a winger himself. Last season, Draisaitl played next Connor McDavid for the majority of the time he spent on the ice (TOI: 660.50 with, 500.40 without) and that split leaves a situation where doubts arise. Personally, I believe that Draisaitl can take another step and drive his own line, and I wouldn’t bet against him, but the point is that we still don’t know for sure.

If the playoffs are any indication, Draisaitl has the ability to carry a line but there is still a question mark for a young guy that just signed a big deal.

Last summer, Drake Caggiula was a big free agent pickup for the Oilers. The Drake was a highly sought-after college UFA and Oilers were lucky to get him, but, as has been the case many times before, Caggiula was rushed to a spot where he couldn’t be expected to succeed. Remember when Caggiula started out the year (after coming back from injury) playing at centre? The guy had barely gotten his feet wet but the coaches thought it was a good idea to throw him into a role that he had no business playing in, and he struggled as a result.

My question for this season is whether or not Caggiula can take a step forward while playing in a role that’s much more suitable than what he was given when he started. Whether he’s playing on the first, second, or third line, Drake should have a skilled centre playing next to him which should open up some space and allow him to set up shop in the shooting areas. With a shot like he has and his willingness to drive to the net, Caggiula definitely has a chance to improve on the seven goals and 11 assists he put up last year (60 GP).

It’s a story that seems played out at this point, but one that will be hugely important for the Oilers. Which defenceman is going to step up their game in the absence of Andrej Sekera? With the veteran d-man out for a couple months to start the year, the Oilers are going to need one of their internal options to take on more responsibility while also keeping their heads above water.

As I post this, Kris Russell is the only certainty on the second pairing and that means that the Oilers are going to need one of Benning, Nurse, Gryba, or Auvitu to take on more responsibility and make it count. At this stage, the Oilers are still building depth on the back end and one of the four aforementioned guys are going to get thrown into the deep end whether they’re ready or not. Someone is going to have to navigate those waters and learn on the job, a task that is very difficult for a young/depth player.

The stats breakdown courtesy of PuckIQ.com (2016-17 regular season):

Of the players listed, who do you think has the biggest chance to make a step up to fill the void left by Andrej Sekera’s injury? What say you, Nation?