The Edmonton Oilers have undergone many changes this offseason within both their front office and behind the bench, naming a new head coach amongst others.
In addition to these changes, the Oilers -- specifically general manager Stan Bowman -- are also tasked with making changes to the lineup. Bowman has done a great job in this department, making multiple key trades and signings, like the Darnell Nurse move.
The team is not done however and we will need to see how things shake out in their everyday lineup once camp opens next month. This includes the young Oilers players who will undoubtedly be battling for a lineup spot.
When speaking to Sportsnet writer Mark Spector, quoted Stan Bowman as saying "Howard's in that group, where we expect them to be on the team. Then there are guys like Samanski and Quinn Hutson. Then you've got maybe unknown guys that are a little bit older, like Eduards Tralmaks and Aku Raty".
This quote provides interesting insight from Bowman in who he plans to be competitive for a lineup spot when camp opens.
Oilers young players called out by name by GM
Bowman is right, Isaac Howard does seem poised to make the opening night NHL lineup. He had a poor showing at the NHL level last season, scoring just five points (two goals, three assists) in 29 games but a very strong AHL performance with 50 points (24 goals, 26 assists) in 47 games played.
Josh Samanski is another player who seems like a near lock to at least make the Oilers opening night lineup. He projects very well for the future and although is not the most high impact scoring player, he has shown the ability to use his brain to impact the game on both ends of the ice.
Finally, Quinn Hutson is a player who should be in the mix for a variety of reasons. He has proven himself to be a capable scorer at just about every level up until the NHL, most recently having an impressive season in the AHL, scoring 63 points (30 goals, 33 assists) in 67 games. In addition to his performance, he has also shown plenty of chemistry with Howard, making him even more valuable as a depth scoring option.
In addition to these three, it is good to see Tralmarks and Raty are seen as players capable of pushing for a lineup spot. This type of internal competition is important for a team like the Oilers that hopes to get back to the Stanley Cup Finals sooner than later.
Entering this season, the Oilers and the coaching staff will need to make some adjustments in the lineup and relying on their young players is definitely one area that needs to see improvement. The team has squandered too many prospects in recent years and will need to avoid making the same mistakes.
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