Who Should The Edmonton Oilers Draft at 8th Overall?
With the draft lottery balls landing in favor of the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night, speculation now begins of who teams will be selecting June 21st at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft in Vancouver. The Oilers will have plenty of options at number 8, and we are going to look at which players would make the best draft options on draft day.
I don’t think I need to explain the apparent weaknesses of the Edmonton Oilers rosters; gaps that could be recognized and targetted in this draft with the loaded amounts of scoring wingers available in the top 10 range.
With that said, if the Oilers were somehow given a chance to take defencemen, Bowen Byram of the Vancouver Giants, I’d jump all over that and solidify the teams d-core moving forward. However, I don’t think there is any chance he falls to number 8.
Like I said though, there is a variety of scoring wingers available that could be the answer to the missing piece in the Oilers top-six forward group. Many of which should be available at number 8. So let’s jump into the best options for the future of the Oilers Franchise:
Kirby Dach – Saskatoon Blades WHL – 6’4 198lbs
A dominant scoring threat who possesses size and skill that has terrorized the WHL all season long. It’s no question that the local St.Albert born prospect checks all the boxes for the Edmonton Oilers.
Dach put up 25 goals and 73 points in 62 games for the Saskatoon Blades and currently has 8 points in 8 playoff games. Proving to be one of the most dynamic forwards of the WHL at just 17 years old.
The only question will be whether or not he is going to be available for the Oilers to pick. He has shown up as high as 5th overall in some draft rankings/mock drafts and has been seen as low as 15th in others.
It wouldn’t be the first time an elite scorer at the WHL somehow falls in the draft (Mathew Barzal in 2015). Either way an exciting prospect to keep your eyes on.
Matthew Boldy – USA NTDP – 6’2 187lbs
This is a player who could fill the exact void the Oilers are looking for: an elite scorer with the vision to make plays. He appears to have the intangibles to perform like a Brock Boesser type of player if paired with elite linemates at the NHL level.
Boldy played with many elite players at the US National Development Program, and was able to produce with those players in bunches, netting 30 goals and 69 points in 55 games.
It comes down to Boldy having an unbelievable shot, with a high hockey IQ which gives him the ability to play with elite players. One weakness would be his speed but he has been able to make up for that with the strengths he has in other areas of the game, and he’s only 18-years-old, so lots of time to improve on that. But something to consider.
Arthur Kaliyev – Hamilton Bulldogs OHL – 6’2 190lbs
Heres a guy who probably wasn’t on your radar… and he should be.
A citizen of the United States, Kaliyev was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. A place that I’m sure many have never heard of. Or at least I haven’t…
This is a guy who seems to be getting overlooked for some reason but may be the most natural scorer in the draft.
Kaliyev’s 51 goals were good enough for 4th in the OHL. The17-year-old is also three years younger than every player that finished above him. A pretty astonishing feat, to say the least. One that has been accomplished by very few 17-year-olds in OHL history.
He has been pegged by some as lazy, which if the Oilers had a stronger foundation in place that might not be such a risk. But they, unfortunately, don’t have that foundation and need to hit a home run with this pick. They are making Kaliyev a risky option at number 8.
However, if you think he can produce at the NHL level, you have to take a look at him. He could be absolutely lethal beside a player like Connor McDavid or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
Cole Caufield – USA NTDP – 5’7 157lbs
Some suggest Caufield could have the best shot in the draft, and he has shown to be one of the best goal scorers available at the draft. Many can’t help but make comparisons to recent Chicago Blackhawks draft pick Alex Debrincat, a player who showed dynamic scoring ability but was passed over by most teams due to his size, and those teams have since had to watch him dominate the NHL.
With 54 goals in 55 games this season in the US Development program, it’s no wonder Caufield is drawing these types of comparables. But do the Oilers really want to take a risk on another small forward panning out to be an NHL star? They are still waiting on Kailer Yamamoto (another Caufield comparable) to prove he can produce in the big leagues.
Caufield is committed to the University of Wisconsin for 2019/20, so there is room for teams to take their time with this players development.
This pick could be an absolute home run, and Caufield could turn out to be McDavid’s own Debrincat, who he had great chemistry with in junior. On the flip side — the Oilers could also risk spending two first round picks in 3 years on forwards under 160lbs who are dynamic scorers in every other league but aren’t able to produce at the NHL level (please note that this is not me writing Yamamoto off, just a situation that could happen).
Who else?
There are several other forwards who I found intriguing, such as Alex Turcotte. Who produced points at a monstrous rate for the USHL, which is why I doubt he makes it to the number 8 spot.
However, this draft seems quite a bit different than those of the past. There has been a wide margin of where players ranked outside the top 3 have been slotted, and almost every hockey expert or scouting agency seems to have a different guy in the top 5.
So all it takes is a few teams to have an outsider ranked as their top prospect available, then watch as some of the drafts most highly touted prospects fall way out of place, potentially right to the Edmonton Oilers.
It should be impressive with these many elite forwards ranked in the top 10; which is why I had to leave a lot of very talented players out of this article and picked out a select few that stand out in that range.
Let me know which player you hope the Oilers can snag on draft day!