Edmonton Oilers training camp preview 2024-25
Left wing
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jeff Skinner, Evander Kane (IR), Mattias Janmark, Vasily Podkolzin, Mike Hoffman (PTO), Roby Jarventie (recall option)
Injuries have hit this group early and beyond Berglund the recall options are weak, but at the top and especially when Kane returns this is a formidable group. Questions remain for Vasily Podkolzin in his relatively young career. In 19 games last season he tallied a mere two assists. Whether or not he can be an adequate replacement for Dylan Holloway remains to be seen. The battle at camp between him and Mike Hoffman will be interesting, as they'll push each other for the last remaining starting left wing spot.
Right wing
Zach Hyman, Victor Arvidsson, Connor Brown, Corey Perry, Matt Savoie (recall option), Raphael Lavoie (C/RW, recall option), Matvei Petrov (recall option)
After Zach Hyman and Arvidsson there is a significant drop off with this group, and that is no slight to one of my favorite players in Connor Brown. If he can rekindle the magic from his stellar playoff run, then this group will be a strength through three lines health pending. I do believe that he can as well and that the trio of himself, Adam Henrique and Mattias Janmark can pick up where they left off as one of the more effective third lines in hockey,. In practice however, we can't evaluate that as a certainty and that gives this group for Edmonton a mere passing letter grade.
Centre
Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Adam Henrique, Derek Ryan,
James Hamblin (recall option), Jayden Grubbe (recall option), Carl Berglund (IR, recall option)
Centre is a massive strength of this team and to be clear, the above names are far from the only natural centremen which I will unpack with more detail later. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Matt Savoie, Raphael Lavoie and Janmark, are all natural centers as well with varying degrees of effectiveness. But to be led by McDavid and Draisaitl down the middle would give any team at least one of the best centre groups in the NHL. With Nugent-Hopkins playing the wing, I think this depth chart 1 through 4 is not the best in the game, but it is certainly up there and is not something they need to consider upgrading on, at least for now.