Edmonton Oilers: What To Expect in 2015/2016?
By Zane Tomich
The upcoming 2015/2016 NHL season has the entire city of Edmonton buzzing. There is no shortage of excitement and anticipation as pre season and training camp draws even closer with September around the corner.
A hectic summer consisting of personnel changes, roster moves and drafting the next generational talent has greatly impacted the blueprint of the Edmonton Oilers plans moving forward.
The 2015/2016 season was originally predetermined as “another developmental year”, as former GM Craig Mactavish predicted in a press conference towards the end of last season.
Now, with a new GM in place and a fresh outlook on the situation at hand, it appears to me the organization is ready to take a large step forward towards becoming a legitimate contender. The team will have to spread its wings and grow internally as a whole organization this year.
I agree, 2015/2016 will be a “developmental” year for the Oilers, but in terms of on-ice performance, a last place finish cannot be acceptable. The stakes have to be higher this time around.
Expectations need to be raised for the Oilers to be competitive this season. The bar has been set so low for so long that losing has become a repetitive pattern here in Edmonton. I believe this year will be an important turning point for the franchise.
However, there is no doubt in my mind the Oilers can challenge for a playoff spot, but only if they play their cards right and deal with the hand they’ve been given.
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Everyone in the organization from the players on the ice to the coaching staff, scouting department and hockey operations must perform to the best of their ability in order for success to be achieved. Everyone has to do their job!
This season, young star players on the Oilers should trend upward to a higher level in terms on ice performance, rookies and prospects will positively progress and move further through the development process and veterans of the team will have to step up, lead and play their very best.
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When I view the Oilers roster, I see a team insulated with world class talent, a good mix of effective veterans, depth at centre and quality between the pipes. There is potential for this team to have major success in 2015/2016.
I believe Todd Mclellan is the answer to the Oilers coaching woes. He was the right man for the job since day 1. We got a taste of what could be in store this season during the World Championship.
Mclellan coached Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle at the tournament and the pair of Oilers responded incredibly well under his system. That in itself is a major positive as it provides the fan base with hope and optimism that Mclellan can connect with the rest of the players in Edmonton.
In the past, the Oilers have tried to adopt the identity of being a small, fast, skilled team. They certainly brought in players over the past few years that fit the mold. We’ve seen the likes of Andrew Cogliano, Robert Nilsson, Mark Arcobello, Linus Omark and Sam Gagner come through here.
No disrespect to these players because I thought at times they played quite well when they were Oilers. At the end of the day things did not work out.
I think its fair to say that most of these players didn’t exactly live up to their full potential during their time in Edmonton. This “small, skilled team” plan did not garner much success as they were too often overpowered by bigger, stronger teams.
In todays NHL, it is a necessity to balance out your team. A team must have a good mix of size, speed and skill. Having a roster full of small players with high end skill just won’t cut it.
In the past I remember watching a lot of games where the Oilers would play a team like the St Louis Blues. They would slam the small Oiler forwards right into the boards all game long and overpower and out muscle them.
This led to many dominant performances over the Oilers. Rarely have I seen the Oilers beat the Blues. There has been the odd time where the Oilers could prevail with their skill and fluke out a win over the powerhouse Blues, but too often they were physically dominated. The Oilers have actually not won a game against the Blues since the 2012/2013 season.
Size isn’t everything. It won’t single handedly win you a hockey game. I believe it should be of equal importance when compared to other elements of the game, like speed and skill.
When I talk about “size” I don’t mean the guy has to be 6”4 230 pounds or your team has to be overflowing with Godzillas. I am talking about having some players on your team that are at least 6”1 and 200 pounds or more that add a wide range of skill to go along with their size.
I think the Oilers are doing a better job in addressing the need for size on their team. Players like Leon Draisaitl, Benoit Pouliot, Ted Purcell, Lauri Korpikoski and Matt Hendricks inject the lineup with size and skill. Eric Gryba provides more beef and physicality to the blue line as well.
The Oilers are a much more balanced team now. They have size, high end skill, speed, aggression and players with great character. Put all of those tools together, you get a highly effective, multi-dimensional team.
I see an Oilers team that will play with a competitive edge in 2015/2016. There will be more room on the ice for the young stars to maneuver and create offence as a result of improved defensive play, the ability to get the puck on the star players stick and more aggressive style. The first outlet pass from the defenceman when breaking out for an offensive rush should also be better this year for the Oilers.
Goaltending has the potential to be reliable and efficient this season. With more assurance in net, we can expect to see trust level, play execution and communication among teammates on the ice improve.
We will see the Oilers turn their focus on defence this year. They have been a team that constantly emphasizes offence over the last few years. Now strong, responsible defence is going to become a part of the Oilers new identity as a solid, all around team.
I predict the Oilers will surprise the hell out of the NHL and be a team that battles hard this year. The season will not be over by Christmas.
Peter Chiarelli will be a busy man all year long trying to improve the team and provide periodic maintenance to necessary areas. If his team is in the playoff hunt, expect big moves at the trade deadline.
If all goes according to plan and the players perform well enough to win a few games, the Oilers could finish the 2015/2016 season 7th or 8th in the Western Conference. I have the utmost confidence that they will be one of the teams vying for a wild card position at seasons end.
This year we will find out what this team is capable of. The Oilers success will coincide with how well the players execute the system and respond to their new coach, Todd Mclellan. Can the Oilers go the extra mile to secure a playoff birth for the first time since 2006? That remains to be seen. Only time will tell.
Next: Edmonton Oilers Between Two Posts: 2015-16 vs. the Washington Capitals