As the season picks back up after the Olympic break, the Edmonton Oilers’ roster needs become clearer. The Oilers may soon find themselves looking backward to move forward. Some players felt like imperfect fits in a different stage of the team’s evolution. They could suddenly make sense as possible fits within the roster.
The Oilers are now built around urgency and experience. They have a specific role definition. Revisiting former options or player styles they once passed on might reveal something valuable. What didn’t work then could be exactly what they need now. But who would fit?
Nail Yakupov could become a star
The Oilers originally picked him first overall in the 2012 NHL Draft. He was supposed to be a star forward. He was anticipated to bring speed, grit, and most prominently, his big shot. Over the next four seasons, Yakupov played 252 games in total. He scored 50 goals and earned 61 assists. This resulted in a total of 111 points.
He is most known for scoring a dramatic game-tying goal for the Edmonton Oilers against the Los Angeles Kings. There were only 4.7 seconds left in regulation when he batted in the puck off a rebound from Justin Schultz’s shot. Following the goal, he celebrated with an iconic, knee-sliding celebration the length of the ice.
Back in 2012, Yakupov was asked to grow into a star on a rebuilding roster with little to no structure. His greatest strengths are his speed, shot release, and offensive instincts. These could be maximized in a middle-six role alongside playmakers like Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. Now that defensive systems and accountability have improved, Yakupov could focus on being an energy scorer. He could inject pace into the lineup.
In a modern NHL that rewards offence and depth scoring, Yakupov might finally have a chance to make a difference. With stability and leadership, he could become the player Edmonton once hoped for during the decade of darkness.
Philip Broberg would fit much better now
Philip Broberg was selected eighth overall by the Oilers in the 2019 NHL Draft. With the Oilers starting the transition from rebuilding to a true contender team, they didn’t have enough patience for a young, mobile defenceman still learning the game at an NHL level. At the beginning of his time on the roster, he had low ice time. He also faced bad timing opportunities.
However, his most recent time with the team earned him a ton of brownie points. He was involved in a few big plays in the regular season and playoffs. This would seem to be the breakthrough the Oilers were waiting for from him, before being offer sheeted by the St. Louis Blues in the offseason.
Broberg would be a much better fit on today’s Oilers roster. The environment around him is finally built to support a developing defenceman. When Broberg first broke in, he faced a challenging situation. He was asked to grow on a blue line that leaned heavily on him. It required solving problems beyond his experience level. Broberg’s biggest assets lie in his elite skating, puck retrieval, and transition ability, which match perfectly with a team that wants defencemen who can move the puck quickly. In a modern NHL where speed through the neutral zone and clean exits are critical, his skill set aligns with Edmonton’s identity far more than it did in his earlier years.
The return of Dylan Holloway?
Selected 14th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2020 NHL Draft, the product of Calgary, Alberta, was drafted as a high-energy forward with speed and physicality. Holloway entered the lineup during a period when the Oilers were shifting fully into contender mode. Pieces of his two-way game and forechecking ability were evident.
However, injuries and limited opportunities hindered his efforts to establish a consistent spot on the Oilers roster. He found bits of success in his last season in the organization, even putting up seven points in the Oilers 25 game playoff run; not bad for a bottom-six forward who didn’t see a ton of ice time.
Holloway would be a far better fit for the Oilers now with the roster finally being built to value exactly what he brings rather than forcing him to be something he wasn’t ready to be. The Oilers now lean more heavily on depth, forechecking, and responsible two-way play instead of relying almost entirely on top-six scoring. His speed, physical presence, and ability to pressure defenders would complement a middle-six role where energy and puck retrieval are priorities.
In a lineup that now understands the importance of role players who can tilt the ice without dominating the scoresheet, Holloway’s game fits the vision of the Oilers far better than when he originally joined.
Right players, wrong time
When looking at Nail Yakupov, Philip Broberg, and Dylan Holloway, a common theme shows: timing mattered as much as talent. Each came to Edmonton during a phase when the Oilers were still searching for identity. They didn’t have the luxury of patience. Today’s roster, built around structure, defined roles, and championship pedigree, is far better suited to support players who thrive within specific positions rather than unrealistic expectations. What once felt like missed opportunities could now represent smarter fits. This is proof that the right player in the wrong era can look very different when the team dynamic changes.
In the end, revisiting these former Oilers isn’t about nostalgia, it’s about recognizing how much the team has evolved over the last number of years. The Edmonton Oilers are no longer searching for identity but fine-tuning the contender team they have now, and that changes how players like Yakupov, Broberg, and Holloway would work out with the team.
Sometimes the difference between a bad fit and a missing piece is simply timing. The question now becomes: which former Oiler would you trust most if given a second chance in today’s lineup?
Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
