With the trade of Cody Ceci over the offseason, the Edmonton Oilers have a new hole in the roster that they are going to need to fill soon: the second pairing right defender. Darnell Nurse needs a new partner. Ideally, someone who will let him focus on one facet of his game while providing a solid and stable enough presence that he doesn’t have to cover for his teammate.
They have been rumoured to be exploring some external solutions through potential PTOs or even a possible trade, but with training camp open and the preseason starting today, time is running out to bring in an outside option.
As a result, the internal options might end up being top of mind to fill the role. To start the season at least.
We took to X this week to ask Oil Country how they would fill this position.
Want to take part in Sunday Census polls? We send them out every week on our Twitter at @oilrigEDM. Follow along or send in ideas for the next poll!
Should Emberson play with Nurse?
The easiest solution to this roster hole is the player that was acquired for Ceci. Although it was assumed that however this trade was accomplished it would be a cap dump scenario, and it sure looked that way, the defender they acquired in that trade, Ty Emberson, seems to be the most likely fit. And with an overwhelming victory in this week’s poll, garnering 62.3% of the votes, the fans seem to agree.
Emberson had an impressive rookie season with the San Jose Sharks, recording 10 points in 30 games while averaging 18:33 in ice time per game. His underlying numbers seem to suggest he did well in this role. Well enough to earn a shot alongside Nurse.
Although a small sample size, he has a ton of room to grow and the opportunity to do so on one of the best teams in the league could be just what he needs for his career growth.
Early on in training camp, it appears that Emberson is the front-runner within the organization as well, as he started camp alongside Nurse.
The Oilers need to bring a defender in
Finishing second in this week’s poll is an external solution, capturing 23.2% of the vote. It makes sense to lean this way. The Oilers are in a cup-or-bust era, and they need proven players and proven talent in these critical roles. The internal options do not have the track record or the experience to comfortably cover this position all season long, especially in the case of a lengthy playoff run.
There are some options on the market. The free agent pool is a bit thin at this point, though a few notable names remain as candidates for a PTO. The more likely route is a trade, of which there are plenty of options already to look at with more opening up as the season goes on.
A possible return to a big role for Stecher
Troy Stecher, acquired at last season’s trade deadline, is turning into a bit of a journeyman defender who is often on the move. He hasn’t really been able to find a stable place to play, but his chance to find this place may come in Edmonton. He was retained this offseason after a brief stint in the Oilers lineup before being shut down due to injury. And 12% of fans are confident enough in him to think he will be the solution on the second defence pair, finishing third in the poll.
Stecher is regarded as an underrated but stable and solid defender with enough smarts to succeed in this role. However, he hasn’t been utilized enough in the lineup since his first few seasons with the Vancouver Canucks to suggest he is ready for that big of a role on a regular basis. In his seven games with the Oilers last season, he averaged 16 minutes per game, which is a bit less than they would maybe want and be more indicative of a smaller role on the third line.
Could Josh Brown develop into this role?
Finishing last in this week’s poll with 1.6% of the vote is newcomer Josh Brown. On his signing, it was believed to be a more depth role with the organization, given his past experience, playstyle, and $1M AAV. But there is always the chance of someone outplaying their past roles and their contract.
Brown’s playstyle is a close comparison to Vincent Desharnais, who signed with the Canucks over the offseason. Indicating that he was a replacement for the third pairing/depth role that Desharnais admirably filled for the last couple seasons.
He has never averaged over 16 minutes of ice time per game, usually closer to 14, and his underlying numbers do not paint the picture of someone who will be able to jump into a bigger role with the Oilers.
There is nothing wrong if defensive depth and physicality is what Brown can provide to Edmonton’s roster. But he may top out at that, not as Nurse’s partner.
