With the NHL’s regular season soon to be underway, we will be previewing the season ahead for the entire Edmonton Oilers roster over the coming days. While for some players this might mean a focus on offensive production, today we will be looking at a group that contributes in a different way: defensively.
In particular, let’s take a look at the back half of the Oilers back end, the low end of the blueline’s depth chart. Don’t get it twisted, these players might all be instrumental to a successful season, or rather, they might all have to be.
Brett Kulak
Perhaps as stable as they come, Brett Kulak is something of a known commodity, consistently delivering strong play on the Oilers third defence pairing. A well-rounded player, Kulak has enough size, strength, skating, and power skills to effectively contribute to team success at even strength.
Because of this well-rounded skill set, Kulak is able to play well with many types of defence partners. This affords a great deal of flexibility and security to his coaches. His best work might have come when he was partnered with Tyson Barrie, meaning of the available options someone who can help with puck moving duties might be ideal. From this perspective Philip Broberg might be a good partner for Kulak. Just as possible, Vincent Desharnais might be Kulak’s partner, an assignment that would weigh on different aspects of Kulak’s skillset.
Either way, Kulak might see a bit less icetime than in years past. With Mattias Ekholm manning the top penalty killing unit Kulak will be battling Darnell Nurse for time on the second unit. Both will likely see time here, but outside of injury Kulak will be hard pressed for more minutes.
Kulak 2023–24 prediction: 75 games, 3 goals, 15 assists, 18 points
Vincent Desharnais
The past 12 months have been a rollercoaster for Vincent Desharnais. Training camp was no different, as a relatively poor performance in preseason have many across Oil Country soured on Desharnais’ viability as a regular contributor to a championship calibre team. Of course, Desharnais is not exactly a wizard with the puck, and is still prone to his share of lapses.
It is certainly possible to get caught up in these poor moments, but some credit is due to the many positives that have come from Desharnais’ time with the Oilers. By causation or correlation the Oilers record greatly improved when Desharnais was promoted in January 2023. While the Oilers defensive game was already trending in the right direction after a slow start to the season, Desharnais was also invaluable as a strong penalty killing option on the right side.
At the time, before the acquisition of defensive stalwart Mattias Ekholm, the Oilers right side consisted of Cody Ceci, Evan Bouchard, and Tyson Barrie. While Ceci is a strong defensive option, both Barrie and Bouchard were not enough, and likely a part of the Oilers poor performance while a skater short.
In other words it might have been a perfect storm, optimal circumstances where Desharnais’ skill set was needed. Are the Oilers as in need of such a player now as they were then? If so, does the shine of Desharnais’ surprise performance of 2022–23 fade?
Though the mood might have swung, the Oilers coaching staff might not be as easily swayed by the preseason performance. Desharnais’ spot, so to speak, is clearly in contention, and it is completely possible he finds himself in the pressbox, or in the AHL, to start the season. Most likely of all is that the Oilers, who clearly believed in him until now, give him some time to prove once more that he can be a positive contributor to a strong blueline.
Desharnais 2023–24 prediction: 50 games, 1 goal, 5 assists, 6 points
Ben Gleason
Of all the defencemen battling for NHL consideration, 25-year-old Ben Gleason might well have shone brightest. With several strong seasons of play in the AHL, Gleason will be an important piece of the Bakersfield Condors success this season, crucial with so many young forwards expected to take big roles. That is unless Gleason’s strong preseason performance can earn him a spot in the Oilers opening night roster outright.
While a lineup spot out of camp might prove to be too bold, Gleason has undoubtedly endeared himself to the Oilers coaching staff. This will be a big factor if and when injuries occur, as Gleason might well have passed Markus Niemelainen on the left side of the blueline depth chart.
If and when Gleason does suit up in the NHL, his offensive impact might be negligible from a fantasy perspective, but he does have a poise and control with the puck to effectively make direct plays. Gleason might end up producing strong possession or expected goals metrics, perhaps more so than some of his ilk this far down the depth chart.
Gleason 2023–24 prediction: 20 games, 1 goal, 5 assists, 6 points
Markus Niemelainen
Although he played more NHL games two seasons ago than he did last season, Markus Niemelainen is still in consideration for some time with the Oilers this season. A big, physical defender, Niemelainen has the skating skills to control gaps, often closing space on attackers.
At the NHL level in the past, Niemelainen did his best work alongside Tyson Barrie. Though certainly not the ideal choice for Barrie’s partner at full health, in a pinch Niemelainen’s skill set was a nice foil compared to other options of similar quality.
Perhaps this might be a factor in whether or not to promote Niemelainen over other candidates on the left side, namely Ben Gleason. As it stands, Bouchard might be the most ideal partner for Niemelainen, which might be the only scenario where he might enjoy this circumstantial advantage this season.
Niemelainen 2023–24 prediction: 10 games, 0 goals, 2 assists, 2 points
Philip Kemp
If mostly by tenure, Philip Kemp might be locked into the top call up spot on the Oilers right side. With the size to handle in zone defensive assignments and a steady track record in the AHL, the opportunity is only a few injuries away. Kemp plays a quiet and effective game at his best, and such was his performance in training camp. While his training camp might have further endeared him to the Oilers coaching staff, Head Coach Jay Woodcroft is familiar with Kemp from their shared time in Bakersfield with the Condors.
On the right side Bouchard and Cody Ceci are stalwarts, but the depth beyond that might be obscured. The Oilers have shown they have no issues using Broberg on the right, his weak side, likely cementing himself a regular spot. With Desharnais’ sub-optimal preseason, his standing is under question from many across Oil Country.
This all has much less to do with Kemp than it does Desharnais, or the Oilers as a whole, but still, Kemp should be able to handle limited duties on a temporary basis. It might not be long until AHL rookie Max Wanner starts to challenge higher in the depth chart of the Oilers right side, meaning the time might be now for Kemp to find his way into an NHL game or two.
Kemp 2023–24 prediction: 2 games, 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 points
Shaking it out
With a limited number of roster spots all of these defenders, excluding Brett Kulak, might find themselves on waivers at some point. Though it is possible that any of them are claimed, waiver claims are uncommon, from a percentage basis. The most likely to be claimed might be the big right shot in Desharnais or the camp standout in Gleason.
Any team claiming a player will have to carry that player on their roster. While some teams around the league might not possess the depth or quality of the Oilers, the odds that a team values the journeymen over their own players, as well as the multitude of players around the league placed on waivers, is quite low. Starting the season in the AHL does not shut the case on NHL appearances over the course of the season, either.
Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
