Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch
Looking at an article in Oilernation, then washing my hands, they talked about the Oilers depth chart. Personally I think its pretty much a disaster.
Line one
Maroon, McDavid, Draisaitl
Loading everything up on the first line and praying that it outscores everyone by a lot. In a way I like this because if Maroon gets another 27 goal season (Ridiculous career high) he's going to ask for 5 million bucks next year and be gone.
Lucic, RNH, Slepyshev
this line is like that cookie, you know the one with the hard cookies smashing a marshmallow center. Frankly if this is the line they go with, its going to be probably pretty unsuccessful, there's a speed mismatch, and RNH while a decent two way option can't play the bang and crash play that the others are supposed to do. Slepyshev is projected to be a bottom 6 energy type player, Lucic is slower then a lawmower at a horse race. I suppose that this is the line that JP is forced to play on, though his AHL season last year wasn't exactly awesome.
Caggigula Strome Kassian
When Kassian could be your best offensive weapon on your third line, you have problems. Strome is awful, Islander fans were high fiving and breaking out the single malt when he was moved, not because they got Eberle, but they got rid of this kid. Cagigula is ok but undersized and he's not going to bring a ton of offense. Kassian is a knuckle head who's out there to be intimidating.
Kharia Letestu, Pakarinian
Kharia and Pakarinan are bleah, Letestu is 32 coming off of a big career year. He'll win face offs but this line is a mess
Depth
JP, Joe Gambardella, Ty Rattie
Blue line
Klefbom Larsson - Decent first pairing but not knock your eyeballs out wow. Klefbom represents the biggest offensive threat on that blueline. Another guy who had a massive career year that went against his usual stats. Larsson is a good shut down guy.
Russell Benning - This would be a third pairing anywhere else, but because its Edmonton, awesome hall of famers. Benning is ok. Russell is like that side kick friend in adventures in babysitting. He's lost his glasses, fumbles around in his own end, gets eaten alive in corner battles and has to block pucks to cover for his mistakes.
Nurse Gazdic - This duo is hilariously bad, I'd be tempted to put Nurse with someone who can cover for his low hockey IQ and bail him out. Gazdic isn't that guy
Depth, Fayne, Stanton, Simpson Lowe. If anyone wants to talk about how bad the Oilers drafting has been, this defensive depth chart punches you in the face with that reality.
Talbot
Broissoit
Decent goaltending duo, but lets be honest, Talbot carriers the mail.
I don't care what anyone says, past McDavid, that's an underwhelming NHL team. They have one good line that's stacked and the rest is meh, they have one good blueline paring and the rest is meh. They have a great starting goaltender and the rest is meh.
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