The Edmonton Oilers are gearing up for the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft that looms in the coming month.
General manager Peter Chiarelli mentioned that the team will likely take the 7-3-1 route when it comes to their protection list. That being said, it’s easy to imagine who makes the list, but here’s what that’ll spell for the Oilers next month.
Projected Protected List:
Protected Forwards: Leon Draisaitl, Patrick Maroon, Milan Lucic, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Mark Letestu and Zack Kassian.
Projected Defence: Andrej Sekera, Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson
Projected Goalie: Cam Talbot
This is easy to explain. Draisaitl, Maroon and Kassian are the ones that have earned and deserve protection. They’ve helped Edmonton reach new heights and are likely to get contract extensions in the offseason. Milan Lucic’s NMC in his contract requires him to be protected.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle are likely to be protected as well, despite lacklustre seasons. Nugent-Hopkins is a solid two-way centre that adds depth down the middle. As for Eberle, he could either get one more year with the team, or he could find himself dealt by the time the draft comes around. Either way, if he is on the move, the Oilers won’t dump him for nohting.
For the final forward, I believe that Mark Letestu should be protected. He’s an outstanding asset on special teams and a solid bottom-six centre. Somewhat of an unsung hero for the Oilers, Letestu has proven his worth in his versatility and leadership, as well as experience.
Edmonton Oilers
Who’s Exposed?
Perhaps the most notable forward is Benoit Pouliot. While he is able to score and can add depth down the wing, he has struggled to put up top numbers. Not to mention, he struggles on the backcheck and has poor possession metrics. Considering that and his $4.5 million AAV, it is easy to see why he would be left exposed.
David Desharnais is also exposed, but he is set to become a UFA, so he is not completely desirable. He does add depth down the middle and can win faceoffs while crashing the net and adding a lot to the rush.
Another thing that could happen is that the Oilers protect Khaira over Letestu, leaving him exposed. However, that would be difficult, considering everything Letestu has brought to this team.
Younger Names
Some younger names, including Anton Lander and Iiro Pakarinen, could also draw interest. Lander can win faceoffs and has great promise in his future; however, there is plenty of room for imporvement. Pakarinen has proven to come in clutch and is a fine addition to right wing depth, but could put up more points.
Jujhar Khaira and Tyler Pitlick will also be left up for grabs. Both bring a lot of promise and are able to score and add a lot to the wing. However, Khaira does struggle to remain consistent, and Pitlick is constantly plagued by injuries. Not to mention, both have not proven full-time capability at the NHL level. Keeping this in mind, the Golden Knights may opt for a tenured NHL name.
The Oilers’ defence does not have too many interesting names left. Russell is also set to become a UFA, as is Eric Gryba. Griffin Reinhart, who still has a lot of work left to do before proving his worth, will be exposed. In addition, Jordan Oesterle, Dillon Simpson and many other names will be let as well, though they are all AHL-names that the Golden Knights won’t be too interested in.
Lastly, Laurent Brossoit is the one goalie singled out, but there are other goalies from other teams that have proven more consistency and ability at the NHL level. Brossoit will likely remain with the team and stay the Oilers’ number-two netminder.
Bottom Line
The Oilers are going to lose someone. It’ll be a player of some worth to the team, but it may also be a blessing in disguise. If Vegas takes Pouliot, the Oilers get more cap space and can search for another winger in free agency. Overall, this situation is not the end of the world, especially for Edmonton. If they protect all of their big names, they’ll be less likely to lose someone important.