The Edmonton Oilers will have three centres playing in the 2016 NHL World Cup of Hockey in Toronto during training camp. Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will suit up for Team North America, and Leon Draisaitl will play for Team Europe.
Bob Stauffer speculated the Oilers could sign a centre to a PTO before the start of camp in December, and there are a lot of different names for the Oilers to look at. They already have Drake Caggiula and Mark Letestu, but another centre to strengthen the depth going down the middle wouldn’t hurt, especially if Draisaitl ends up playing the wing and Caggiula isn’t NHL-ready yet.
Oilers will have 3 C's (McDavid, Draisaitl, RNH) at World Cup. Don't be surprised if Oilers invite a C in on PTO for training camp
— Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) August 28, 2016
Many of the centres still available on the market are veterans, but they are decent guys who we could ink to a deal to have some depth and more action on the wing.
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Paul Gaustad
One of the toughest centres available in free agency, Gaustad would be great to have in the Oilers lineup. The 6-foot-5, 227-pound centre is able to fill out the bottom six, and definitely has the size and physicality that the Oilers need.
When it comes to the face-off dot, Gaustad is the go-to guy. He can win draws with ease, and his frame and aggressiveness comes in handy. He is also a great defensive player, and can be relied on when it comes to backchecking.
However, when ti comes to offense, he isn’t quite the producer. In 63 games with Nashville, Gaustad put up six points (two goals, four assists) and was a minus-4. He is also prone to injury.
David Legwand
Legwand is a decent veteran option, and still put up strong numbers this past season. He spent the majority of his career with the Nashville Predators, putting up solid scoring numbers.
Though the 36-year-old only scored 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 79 games this past season, he has a lot of upside and could be a decent player to have in Edmonton on a PTO.
Legwand is fast, and has size to match his speed. The 6-foot-2, 207-pound centre can also play the wing, and plays a solid all-around game. He is reliable in the defensive zone, and could benefit he Oilers when killing penalties. Overall, he is a decent guy to sign to a PTO; but the Oilers should watch out for his struggles with injury if they are to consider him.
Dominic Moore
After a rough year with New York, Moore is still available as a free agent, and is a solid pick-up for any team. The 36-year-old is generally a bottom six forward, and put up 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 80 games this past season.
Moore has a great hockey IQ, and knows how to play defense. He is a player that isn’t afriad to intimidate his opponents, and he is also an excellent skater. While he also gives maximum effort, he comes in clutch, and scores when you need him to. Moore can also crash the net.
However, his problems stem from capitalizing on opportunities, and he can be inconsistent at times. Overall, he is a decent forward to fill out the third or fourth line,a and would be an upgrade over Letestu.
Edmonton has a lot of options, and one of these players would likely jump at the opportunity to try out. There are plenty of other options, and the team could be pleasantly surprised.