WWYDW: On the Bubble

As we get closer to training camp I started thinking about how the Oilers will fill out the bottom portions of the roster. Is every spot in the bottom six already locked up? If not, how many jobs are available? What about on D? I need you guys to break things down for me. 

As things stand right now, the Condors/Oilers have six forwards that could arguably battle for a job in the bottom six, and (at least) five defensemen that could push for third pairing minutes. To quote Lowetide, your mileage may vary in terms of who may actually be able to push for an NHL job, but I think we can all agree that there is room for competition. Last year, Anton Slepyshev surprised a lot of us by winning a job on the opening night roster, and I’m wondering if you think it’s possible for this kind of surprise to happen again. Do you have a dark horse to make the Oilers out of camp?  

Let’s look at some of the options… 

For me, if a guy comes in to steal a roster spot then I think it’s more likely that it will be a forward. Looking at the list I’ve put together there may not be any world beaters that can make the jump immediately into the top six, but there are guys that may find themselves pushing a veteran out of a spot in the bottom six. Will a guy like Drake Caggiula need time in Bakersfield before getting a chance with the Oilers? Will JJ Khaira force his way onto the energy line at the expense of a veteran? Maybe someone else swoops in out of the blue to claim a spot like Anton Slepyshev did a year ago? 

On defense it seems like the top four spots are all but locked in. I really can’t see any of the guys listed below beating out a guy like Brandon Davidson or Mark Fayne for a spot on the second pairing, and I would say the same about beating out Nurse on the third pair. The organization and fans alike are very high on Nurse, and I would be shocked if he gets sent to Bakersfield out of training camp, but maybe I’m wrong. Does that mean there’s only one spot on the backend that is realistically available?

With Jonas Gustavsson coming in to fill the backup position on a one-year deal it seems reasonable to wonder how long it will be until Laurent Brossoit is recalled to take his spot. Will it happen at the trade deadline? Next year? Can Laurent Brossoit do enough in camp to find himself with the Oilers on October 12th, or is it assumed that he will be starting the year as a Condor? You’ll have to decide.

With the suspects listed I now turn the comments section over to you to tell me which (if any) of these “bubble” players has the best chance of cracking the opening night roster. Maybe you think that none of the players from the aforementioned lists have a chance of making the team, and, if that’s the case, I want you to tell me. Maybe I missed an outside option and you want to call me out on it? Regardless of your motivation, WWYDW is your chance to put on your management cap and make the tough decisions.