Though he didn’t start as a main part of the Edmonton Oilers roster, right winger Anton Slepyshev has and continues to work his way up the lineup.
Slepyshev ended up playing nine games with Bakersfield, where he posted three goals and 10 points. Thanks to his outstanding performance, and the need for more right wing scoring in Edmonton, he earned the call-up. Here’s how he played this season.
Edmonton Oilers
Overall Impact
Slepyshev was able to have chemistry on all of his lines and did a lot to help the team when it came to offence. He was a stable on the bottom-six and helped ignite a spark there, but could also keep up with the top six and ignite chemistry. With skill, stick-handling ability and an underrated shot, Slepyshev made the most of his chances.
Not to mention, he was great physically and made his presence known on the ice. The 6-foot-1, 218-pound winger threw plenty of hits and made sure to be aggressive and give his opponents a harder time. With his size and speed, as well as his physicality can help him win battles for the puck.
Stats
Through 41 games this season, Slepyshev finished with four goals and 10 points and was a plus-5. He finished with 64 hits this past season. The Russian forward also had 55 shots on goal this past year. Slepyshev also posted three goals through 12 playoff games and was a force through the postseason.
While he brought speed and skill to the lineup, he didn’t see too many results. Slepyshev still has to improve on making the most of his opportunities and taking more shots. He is a quality shooter and can rip shots on net, and the only way he can improve in this area is if he continues to get pucks on net.
Defensively, there is plenty of room for improvement. While he had 19 takeaways for just 14 giveaways, Slepyshev posted a -3.1 relative Corsi, which shows that he has difficulty with maintaining possession of the puck. While he is a goal-scorer, he ends up spending too much time in his own zone, and this will not help him contribute more on the forecheck.
Next: Edmonton Oilers Season in Review: Milan Lucic
Overall Grade: B
The 23-year-old is still developing and transitioning from the AHL to the NHL, and he brings speed and chemistry to his lines. However, he has to work on his all-around game and spend less time in his own zone and more time playing a physical game, winning battles for the puck and getting shots on goal.