Staff Predictions for the Edmonton Oilers 2021-22 season
By Jim Lynch
The Edmonton Oilers season cannot come soon enough. With the first game of the year on Wednesday against the Vancouver Canucks, the Oil On Whyte staff is coming together to talk about some predictions for the year.
Who will lead the Edmonton Oilers in goals?
Jimmy Lynch: Draisaitl is the obvious pick, he is a great goal scorer and is going to benefit from some great plays from McDavid. Number two on the list I think could be Zach Hyman depending on how the year goes with him with McDavid. Hyman is going to get a lot of grade-A scoring chances with McDavid.
Colton Pankiw: I think Leon Draisaitl will lead this team in goals. I think his goal-scoring abilities have taken a back seat in recent seasons and have many forgetting he was a 50 goal scorer just a few short seasons ago. I believe he will hover around that mark again in 2021-22.
Phil Gretzky: Leon Draisaitl Connor Mcdavid has always been the playmaker, Draisaitl the sniper. I have no reason to believe that will change.
Nick Lariviere: McDavid (wins his first Rocket). This is a bold prediction but I could see McDavid taking the league by a storm and winning his first Rocket Richard trophy this season.
Devon Hladunewich: Leon Draisaitl-60
I think this year Leon Draisaitl will take back the Edmonton Oilers goal-scoring lead. I took a look at his growth over his NHL career if he continues on the same growth he is projected to get 60 goals this season. A low projection lands him with 44 which is still a good season. A high projection has him getting 75 goals this year which is unlikely in this day and age. Last season he was scoring at a pace that would have got him 45 goals if it was an 82 game season. So he would have to sprinkle in an extra 15 goals throughout the 82 game season.
Sean Mallon: Draisaitl. An elite finisher, the big German is almost Ovechkin-like in his ability to finish from his “office” just to the opposing goaltender’s left.