Edmonton Oilers Replace Injured Gryba With Nikitin

By Kurt Leavins |

Oct 17, 2014; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers defenceman Nikita Nikitin (86) plays the puck up ice against the Vancouver Canucks in the first period of the game at Rexall Place. Mandatory Credit: Steve Alkok-USA TODAY Sports

The Edmonton Oilers have recalled much-maligned D-man Nikita Nikitin from Bakersfield, to replace the injured Eric Gryba.

The move is somewhat of a surprise, although I was not one of the watchers who thought that Griffin Reinhart was the automatic choice. The swiftness with which he was most recently dispatched smacked of an organization who had decided to make the young rearguard earn his next invitation to “the show”.

Be that as it may, why Nikitin? The Russian has been an unmitigated disaster UFA signing. Outside of perhaps in his first training camp has Nikita Nikitin ever looked like the Top 4 defender that Craig McTavish and Scott Howson thought that they were getting when they signed him? Nope.

Reinhart was not the only plausible choice: I, for one, mused that perhaps David Musil would get the nod. He is the closest thing to Gryba’s player type in Bakersfield, and has been solid all year. Jordan Oesterle has been on-fire, offensively, and of course there is always Brad Hunt.

Well, there may be some method to the Edmonton Oilers madness:

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I would first argue that the worst thing about Nikitin still being with the organization but not with the Oilers is the fact that he has been taking valuable ice time away from the kids in Bakersfield. The first thing this recall accomplishes is that it gives back to the AHL prospects more TOI and opportunity. That’s a win, all day long.

The next thing to consider is whether Nikitin will play in Edmonton at all, at least n any meaningful way? All NHL teams need a 7D, if for no reason other than to cover for sickness. And with the flu going through the Edmonton Oilers dressing room again, that is a real risk. See the fate of Zack Kassian the past two days. You need that spare guy.

It’s also entirely possible that Todd McLellan plans to run Adam Clendening out there ona regular basis. Otherwise, why did Peter Chiarelli even bother claiming him off waivers? Clendening does replace Gryba’s right-handed shot. And if Clendening DOES play, go back to my first point: Why call up a kid who needs to play, for the good of his development, and then sit him while you play a waiver claim?

See…being the veteran that he is, Nikitin does not really NEED to play. He can stay sharp and ready in practice, in case of emergency, without impeding his development. Really, he’s the perfect candidate to sample the Rexall Place popcorn, if indeed this is the plan of Chiarelli, Mclellan & Co.

Now, we’re making educated guesses here, of course. I don’t pretend to have a mole inside the Edmonton Oilers head office. But since we ARE guessing, here is one other very plausible reason for the Nikitin re-call: The NHL trading deadline looms, just a couple weeks away.

With the Edmonton Oilers all but out of the playoff picture now, what is there to lose by running Nikitin out there, and by doing so…attracting a late-round draft pick from a playoff team that wants some veteran NHL depth on their blue-line, at a Value Village price? Nothing whatsoever, that’s what.

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Hey, maybe Nikki will enjoy the Edmonton perogies and holubsti so much, that he makes a contribution, perhaps even on the RHS where he has played a bit in the past, and he redeems himself as he prepares to catch the last train out of town in April.

Maybe.

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