Edmonton Oilers: Breaking Down the Right Wing Depth

The Edmonton Oilers will enter the 2017-18 season with a strong lineup, though questions remain concerning their depth at right-wing.

It’s impossible for any NHL team to have a roster void of weaknesses in the salary cap era. Even the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins have areas they would like to improve. So, while Oilers fans would love to see the team add a veteran scorer, general manager Peter Chiarelli wants to give his young players a chance to earn more playing time.

It appears that Head Coach Todd McLellan will start the season with a first line featuring Connor McDavid, Patrick Maroon and Leon Draisaitl. With that being said, here’s a look at the Oilers best options at right-wing on the top two lines this season:

Leon Draisaitl

Edmonton Oilers

While he’s a natural centre, Draisaitl is also the Oilers best right-wing option. McLellan separated McDavid and Draisaitl during the second round of the playoffs last year, but it might just be too tempting to put them back together for a stretch of games at a time.

While it may be wise to spread scoring to beyond the top line, but as long as the Oilers are scoring, it does not matter where the points are coming from. When you have the top scoring duo in the league, it only makes sense to have them together.

Kailer Yamamoto

Due to his youth and size, Yamamoto was expected to return to his WHL club after one or two preseason contests. Instead, he was one of Edmonton’s best wingers in exhibition play, racking up five goals and seven points in six games. The 19-year-old has good hands and plenty of speed, which makes him an ideal linemate for players like McDavid and Draisaitl, and even Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

While he officially earned a spot on the Oilers, but will likely be returned to the Spokane Chiefs after a short stint. Unless he proves his worth as a full-time NHLer, it would be best for his development to dominate in major junior and be a key contributor for Team USA at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Jesse Puljujarvi

Ever since Puljujarvi fell in the laps of the Oilers with the fourth overall pick in 2016, expectations have been high. After regaining his offensive confidence in the AHL during the second-half of last season and having a full summer of training, expectations for the former high pick were elevated, again. Unfortunately, he had only one truly strong game in the preseason and was assigned to the Bakersfield Condors Sunday.

Puljujarvi is going to play NHL games this year. He might not be ready to take on a top-six role just yet, but he had loads of potential and will get the opportunity eventually to play on a skilled line in Edmonton.

Drake Caggiula

Despite an underwhelming showing in training camp, Caggiula could still end up on McDavid’s wing this season. A year ago, Caggiula the 23-year-old looked great in camp but suffered an injury that sidelined him for the first 12 games of the season. He has existing chemistry with McDavid and shown glimpses of offensive potential. In the end, the former NCAA star is ready for a breakout season.

Ryan Strome

Simply put, Strome has not done enough through training camp to earn a spot in the top-six. While he showed chemistry with McDavid and a lot of ability to be a potential first-line winger, McLellan will likely start him at centre, especially since Draisaitl will remain a winger to start the year. And ultimately, the 23-year-old needs to do more in a third line role if he wants another opportunity to play with McDavid.

Next: Edmonton Oilers Assign Slepyshev to Condors

Anton Slepyshev

There are major question marks about Slepyshev going into the new season. He missed the first seven game of the preseason due to injury, and after getting cleared by the medical staff for the final tune-up contest in Vancouver, he sat out with an illness. The Russian winger will get some conditioning time at the AHL level, which will hurt his chances of coming out of the gate as a top-six winger. Additionally, he’s been outshined by names like Yamamoto and Jujhar Khaira, so he must do a lot to prove his worth.