Oilers Face Tough Choices Thanks to Revolving Forwards Issue

The Edmonton Oilers have a few needs to fill before the NHL Trade Deadline. The priority will be a top-four defenseman and potentially a depth goaltender. In a perfect world, the Oilers might add a reliable forward with size and grit in the bottom six. Unfortunately, the latter can’t happen until the organization deals with another issue first — they have a surplus of forwards, a revolving door of players who are all capable, and a potential need to upgrade to keep pace with the division’s toughest contenders.

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Before the holiday break, the Oilers were cooking. Coming out of it, they’re still one of the NHL’s hottest teams. Unfortunately, a couple of their division rivals are also tearing it up in the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights. The trick will be finding the mix of forwards, building consistent chemistry, and determining if the players they have now can compete with those other two teams.

Oilers Keep Looking for the Right Mix at Forward

Forwards are being juggled around to make things work, but useful pieces are starting to sit. Specifically, Derek Ryan has been a healthy scratch, but he’s done nothing wrong. A solid faceoff guy and two-way depth piece, Ryan is only out because the alternative is sitting someone like Connor Brown, Corey Perry, Mattias Janmark, Kasperi Kapanen, Vasily Podkolzin, or Jeff Skinner. Head coach Kris Knoblauch is unlikely to do that.

At the same time, Knoblauch is trying out different combinations, rewarding forwards who have played well. Jeff Skinner gets the bump tonight as the Oilers take on the Boston Bruins. If Skinner doesn’t click, who gets the next look?

The coach said, “I see the group of 13 we have right now, and everyone brings something that’s very valuable to our team. I wouldn’t want to lose anybody. We got some decisions to make, but right now, I can’t think of our team wanting to risk losing anybody.”

If the Oilers aren’t keen on sending anyone down or moving anyone out, it poses a hurdle with the lineup as is. It only gets trickier as the team has access to the full roster. Guys like Kasperi Kapanen, who said in a recent interview this is the best team he’s ever played on, may get bumped as someone like Evander Kane gets closer to returning.

The Revolving Door: So What Will the Oilers Do?

The problem is a good one to have, but it’s going to require some tough decisions as the trade deadline nears and the contenders start to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. Oilers insider Bob Stauffer reported Kane isn’t expected back until March. That gives the Oilers some time. That said, if they have a desire to add, GM Stan Bowman may have to start laying out the framework of his plan.

As for which other forwards are part of that postseason mix, it’s evident now that anything can happen.

Next: D-Men and Veteran Goalie Noted as Oilers Narrow Trade Focus