It has been another busy week across Oil Country, with a mix of news to keep up with. As the stage for the playoffs continues to set, there will be challenges and opportunities ahead for the Edmonton Oilers.
Let’s take a look at some of the big storylines and developments in this week’s rumours roundup.
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Draisaitl done for regular season
After taking a huge hit against the Nashville Predators, it seems Leon Draisaitl sustained a fairly significant injury. Word is that Draisaitl will now miss most of the rest of the regular season. This is obviously a huge blow to the team, as their playoff seeding is still very much in question.
While this is bad enough news on its own, the implications are concerning as well. It could be that Draisaitl is not able to reach top health in this playoff run. Granted, Draisaitl has been spectacular while playing through injury in previous playoff runs, but it is still not ideal. The good news is that he will be back, though exactly when remains to be seen.
In the meantime the Oilers will have a huge opportunity for some of their other players to step up. Matthew Savoie is coming into his own at the perfect time, and could earn a huge showcase. There will be extra opportunities for offensive situations.
The silver lining is that this will give the Oilers some chances to buck the narrative that the team lacks identity behind their top players. The added opportunities could see players step up, or even develop more chemistry together. It is not ideal, but the Oilers could come out the other side of this stronger.
Ingram starter
It seems that Connor Ingram has taken over the starting role for the Oilers. After a long time away from the game, the Oilers took a chance on Ingram, hoping he would be able to return to form. While he started in the AHL this season, Ingram slowly found his game, impressing the Oilers enough for a call up.
Unstated are the struggles of Tristan Jarry, who has had a tough stretch of late. While Jarry will have a chance to rebuild his confidence, Ingram is coming into his own. Ingram has proven to be a capable starter before, but now he will carry the load for a team with championship aspirations.
The good news is that the Oilers have been much better defensively since the return from the Olympic break. This coincides with the return of Paul Coffey behind the bench, who is receiving a lot of praise for his immediate impact. Of course, some deadline additions have helped as well.
Look out for college signings
The Oilers appear to be scouting the college ranks for potential free agents come the end of the NCAA season. In particular, the Oilers are believed to be interested in TJ Hughes, a forward with the Michigan Wolverines.
Hughes played four seasons at Michigan, scoring more than a point per game in each of his last three seasons. His college career is decorated, and he might well be the top college free agent this season.
This path does not always lead to an NHL career, but Hughes will be turning 25 this November, and should hit the ground running as a professional. There is no guarantee he signs with the Oilers either, but the interest does underscore the importance of using every possible avenue to build a roster.
The Oilers have been assertive in targeting players in their early twenties under GM Stan Bowman, so the move does seem to follow his general philosophy. This has led to an impressive group of forwards in the AHL to the Oilers, including Isaac Howard, Quinn Hutson, and Viljami Marjala.
Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
