The Edmonton Oilers have looked pretty good these past few weeks, and now, they are ready to make that playoff push. And thankfully, they finally have the depth to do it.
With an arsenal of forwards and defencemen, Edmonton has a variety of players that can truly make a difference throughout the lineup. With this, the Oilers can shuffle players according to the teams they play, which is something they’ve been unable to do for a long time.
Edmonton Oilers
Adding Toughness
As seen with the Los Angeles Kings, the Oilers could utilize some of their bigger players. While they had players like Anton Slepyshev and Matthew Benning available, they felt they needed more size. Therefore, they could sit them and play Matt Hendricks and Eric Gryba.
Seeing that the Oilers can pick and choose with the players they have is mesmerizing and makes them a stronger team. It shows that they are finally equipped to adapt to any opponent they have, and can do whatever it takes to win.
Centre Depth
The Oilers also have excellent centre depth. With the addition of David Desharnais, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has been able to stay in top-six territory, and Mark Letestu has played well enough to balance out the fourth line.
Edmonton has struggled with building centre depth over the years, and now they have a wealth of face-off men who can win draws and be assets down the middle.
Bottom Line
Overall, this team looks well-equipped, which is a strong sign heading into the postseason. They will certainly need the ability and flexibility throughout their roster to adapt to different teams they will face. Sometimes, they’ll need tougher players that add size and physicality. At other times, they’ll need more speed. Either way, they’re ready.