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GDB -1.0: IT’S ALL HAPPENING!
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Lowetide
Oct 8, 2016, 15:00 EDTUpdated:
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Connor McDavid is the captain of the Oilers, and October means snow in Edmonton. After that? The Edmonton Oilers roster is in a state of flux—and one suspects Peter Chiarelli is not finished tinkering for opening night.

THE MOVEMENTS

In the last 24 hours, the Edmonton Oilers have traded Nail Yakupov—opening up a job for Jesse Puljujarvi on the big team—and signed veteran defender Kris Russell—effectively sending Mark Fayne to the pressbox to start the season.
What does it all mean? Well, the Oilers are a more veteran team today, the club picked up more depth on defense (an area of weakness) and perhaps freed up a lefty blue for trade (acquiring a righty who can help on the power play).
All of that said, what might the opening night roster look like?
  • Milan Lucic—Connor McDavid—Jordan Eberle
  • Benoit Pouliot—Ryan Nugent-Hopkins—Jesse Puljujarvi
  • Patrick Maroon—Leon Draisaitl—Anton Slepyshev
  • Tyler Pitlick—Mark Letestu—Zack Kassian
  • Oscar Klefbom—Adam Larsson
  • Kris Russell—Andrej Sekera
  • Darnell Nurse—Brandon Davidson
  • Cam Talbot (Jonas Gustavsson)
  • Extras: Anton Lander, Kris Versteeg, Mark Fayne
Versteeg may not be ready, so I have him as an extra player on the opening night roster. Thoughts? Leon could move up to the Nuge line, or Kassian could replace Puljujarvi on the 2line. I also believe the Oilers may not be done, that center position still feels incomplete. We wait.

THE RETURN FOR NAIL YAKUPOV

Once the Edmonton Oilers determined that proceeding with Nail Yakupov was a bigger concern than the return in trade, making the actual trade was probably fairly easy. Getting a third-round pick in the 2017 draft is not a major item, nor quite frankly is the possibility of getting a second-round pick in 2018. Here is what Scott Cullen of TSN had to say:
  • Cullen: The conditional pick going to Edmonton offers a little value – about 28% chance of turning into an NHL player if it’s a third-rounder, nearly 34% if it’s a second-rounder – but may not amount to anything. Source
Edmonton received a distant bell and the team did not retain any dollars—and that last part is a big deal for the club, who then signed Kris Russell to a one-year deal. Why would the team do that? Well, there can be zero doubt in anyone’s mind that the Oilers have to turn north this season and in the estimation of management the defense needed more help. Kris Russell is the answer.
Is he the right answer? We are about to find out. I am of two minds in this area. Russell is a proven NHL player and Edmonton needs help—real help—on the blue. On the other hand, Russell is a lefty on a team with the Leftorium in place and it is worth contemplating a late lefty-for-righty trade to improve balance.
It has been a very interesting 24 hours, but I don’t think the impact is on the same level as the Taylor Hall or Griffin Reinhart deals.

LINEUPS

Oilers:
Lucic – McDavid – Eberle
Pouliot – Nuge – Draisaitl
Maroon – Lander – Puljujarvi
Pitlick – Letestu – Kassian
Klefbom – Larsson
Sekera – Russell
Nurse – Fayne
Cam Talbot
Jonas Gustavsson
Canucks:
Sedin – Sedin – Eriksson
Rodin – Sutter – Hansen
Baertschi – Granlund – Virtanen
Burrows – Horvat – Skille
Edler – Tanev
Hutton – Gudbranson
Sbisa – Larsen
Miller
Markstrom

QUICK HITS

  • The trading of Yakupov once again draws attention to the 2012 draft and the overall weakness that season. The biggest fracture of the Katz ownership (in my opinion) occurred around that draft, and was driven by (reportedly) by a failure to agree on the best player. It appears the scouting staff, the general manager and (apparently) the owner were arguing over 6s and 7s and 9s—and the GM should have traded down.
  • Kris Russell played a lot last season, and I mean a lot. With Calgary, he was on the ice for 19:43 a night at even strength, 1:50 a night on the PK and 1:18 PP.
  • Among Oilers defensemen in 2015-16, Darnell Nurse topped regulars with 17:57 at evens, Mark Fayne and Andrej Sekera were in the Russell range on the PK and Adam Clendening was somewhat similar as a power-play option.
  • I think the Oilers under Peter Chiarelli found several Oilers players and picks unsuitable for the new template. Justin Schultz was one, Nail Yakupov another, and I do wonder if Anton Lander makes the grade.
  • I think Edmonton is probably shopping for a center, depending on how these injuries shake out. Watch the waiver wire.

TONIGHT


GAME DAY PREDICTION: The entire game is played in less than 40 minutes and there is no actual contact. A shot from center ice dips and goes in late in the first period, Edmonton up 1-0. 
OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Vancouver storms back in the second, scoring twice on the power play. 2-1 Van City. 
NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: In the third period, Jesse Puljujvarvi scores a power-play goal to tie it and Matt Benning pots one in overtime. 3-2 Edmonton. 

NAPA GOLD FILTER EVENT SALE

 
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Visit one of these three fantastic locations or visit www.napacanada.com and find out how much you can save with pricing that needs to be seen to be believed!
The Nation Discount
Use the discount code “OILERSNATION” when you visit one of these three NAPA locations from October 3rd to October 9th and receive 10% OFF any regular priced items in the store.  
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