EDMONTON — There have been just two days of practices at Edmonton Oilers training camp, but some of the dust is already settling and things are becoming clearer.
There’s really only one roster spot to be decided, plus a few roles to determine, yet the pencils are out as names are being written in.
Sure, there’s an eraser nearby so things can be changed at a moment’s notice, but it’s not hard to see who’s ahead and who’s following behind.
Here are six things that have stood out at camp so far.
1. Sutter leading the pack for the last spot up front
Barring a sudden change, the Oilers will break camp with 12 forwards on the roster. Dylan Holloway, who is waivers exempt, will be one of them — unless he’s downright horrid in the preseason. With 11 spots locked in, that leaves one to go.
Judging by the first two days of camp, it’s advantage Brandon Sutter for the final job.
Sutter has been skating on the fourth line between Holloway and Mattias Janmark, an indication that’s where he’ll start seeing time in game action. There’s a feeling around the team that he’s exactly what they need — a veteran, two-way, right-handed centre to replace Nick Bjugstad — if he’s up to snuff. GM Ken Holland said as much earlier this week.
The job must be earned by Sutter, though. It’s not like it’s simply his to lose. At 34, he’s the second-oldest player at camp behind Derek Ryan. And he’s at camp on a tryout without a contract because he’s missed the last two seasons because of long-COVID symptoms.
It was only six to eight months ago when Sutter felt like resuming his NHL career was even a possibility. His shortness of breath, which had plagued him for almost two years, dissipated and he was able to start training again. In July, he skated as he would to prepare for an NHL season.
“You think about where you were two years ago; it was horrible,” Sutter said. “Where you are now, it’s a huge change.
“I just wasn’t quite ready to let my career end on those terms. I’m proud I got back to the point I’m at now.”
Sutter said coming to camp with the Oilers was his first choice because he wanted to be close to home in Sylvan Lake, Alta., and the Cup-contending team had the ideal role up for grabs.
As for other centres, Lane Pederson has been between Ryan and Warren Foegele in practices. That may seem like a great place for him to be, but he’s really just holding Ryan McLeod’s place. McLeod has been held out with what coach Jay Woodcroft called a soft-tissue tweak. His status is day to day, Woodcroft said. McLeod, Ryan and Foegele were an effective line for the Oilers in the playoffs and are expected to pick up where they left off once McLeod is ready to join the group.
2. Lavoie needs to take advantage when his time comes
The other forward to note who’s in the running for that final forward spot is Raphael Lavoie. He’s been part of the main group but on the fifth line with Brad Malone and Adam Erne.
That’s not a great sign. It’s also not promising that the Oilers ideally need a fourth centre with their 12th forward spot as opposed to a winger.
It’s going to be up to Lavoie to change the narrative and make it so difficult for the coaching staff and executives to leave him off the season-opening roster. He’ll definitely get his chances.
Woodcroft said he plans on giving Lavoie plenty of ice time — including power-play minutes — early in the preseason. Lavoie will have to excel for Woodcroft to continue giving him those looks as the exhibition schedule progresses. Showing well later in preseason is crucial because the lineups become much closer to NHL calibre in the second week than the first.
Lavoie requires waivers to be sent to the minors. It would take a leap of faith for another team to claim him, but it’s not out of the question. And it would be a shame for the Oilers to see a player they drafted in the second round four years ago and develop since then playing for another team without any return.
So, you can bet Lavoie will get every chance to succeed and stay on the roster. Keeping him on the team likely means Ryan is sliding over to fourth centre from right wing.
3. The potential for an all-Swedish pair
Mattias Ekholm is still roughly a week away from skating with the team because of a hip flexor, Woodcroft said. It’s sure looking like he won’t be partnered with Evan Bouchard but rather another less-experienced player who could use a boost.
Philip Broberg and Vincent Desharnais have been a pairing at camp with Ekholm sidelined. It appears Ekholm will be used with one of them in the hopes that he’ll have the same effect that he did with Bouchard last season. The betting here is the player is Broberg, the guy with more upside.
“The one thing we know about the pairing of (Ekholm) and Bouchard is we know we can go back to it,” Woodcroft said. “We know it. They have a chemistry. They showed it.”
If that’s all the case, and the Ekholm-Broberg duo comes to fruition, it would represent the biggest opportunity Broberg has had as an Oiler.
There’s also a lot on the line for the 22-year-old, who’s entering his fifth season since he was drafted eighth in 2019. The stakes are massive for the Oilers this season. Broberg proving he can cut it in a big role should keep him on the team past the trade deadline. Otherwise, there’s no doubt that a trade to bolster the blue line will be necessary.
Ekholm said he’s trying to help Broberg reach his potential.
“I’m trying to talk to (Broberg) as much as I can,” Ekholm said. “He’s got all the skill. He’s probably the best trained guy in the room. He skates well. He can defend. He’s big. He does have it all.
“Sometimes with young defencemen, they need to mentally find that last get-over-the-hump where they get comfortable enough to play the game.”
Assistant coach and former longtime NHL defenceman Mark Stuart went to Stockholm to visit with Broberg this summer.
The feeling is Broberg’s time to shine with the Oilers is now, or it may be never.
“I feel confident in my abilities,” Broberg said. “I feel like I’m ready to take another step in my game.”
4. Evening out the blue line
After losing out to the Golden Knights, a team with three fairly even defensive pairings, it seems like the Oilers are adopting a similar approach.
The Ekholm-Broberg (or Desharnais) pairing could have a ton of promise.
Bouchard and Darnell Nurse are looking to tap into their past experience together. Bouchard is much more accomplished now, while putting Nurse with a more renowned offensive player — to take nothing away from Nurse’s five-on-five offensive chops — should allow him to shift his focus to the defensive side.
Finally, there’s a veteran duo of Brett Kulak and Cody Ceci, which is setting up to appear in lower-leverage situations (at least for Ceci).
Provided Broberg or Desharnais can handle the increased load, this could be the best way to align the three pairs.
5. Brown looks close
Holland and Woodcroft had been tapping the brakes whenever they were asked about winger Connor Brown. That’s fair, especially since Brown hasn’t played in 11 months and is coming back from an ACL tear.
But Brown has been training hard and was cleared by doctors before camp. He’s not interested in putting limitations on himself.
“I told them I’m ready to go,” Brown said.
It turns out that’s for good reason.
Brown, skating with Connor McDavid and Evander Kane, has been noticeable for the right reasons on the ice. He hasn’t looked out of place in the slightest.
The plan is to not play Brown in back-to-back exhibition games, which makes sense. No need to push it. But watching Brown, it seems like he’s just about ready to get things going for real.
6. Niemelainen has an uphill battle
Everyone knew the odds of towering defensive defenceman Markus Niemelainen making the team out of camp were slim. The feeling was it would take a tremendous showing, plus at least one of Broberg or Desharnais — probably Broberg because he’s waivers exempt — faltering badly.
Well, the odds got a little longer on Friday as Niemelainen was placed in the second group.
Stranger things have happened. Maybe Niemelainen finds a way to make the season-opening roster. Truthfully, it’s becoming harder and harder to envision a real future for Niemelainen with the Oilers.
(Photo Jay Woodcroft speaks to the Oilers at 2023 training camp: Jason Franson / The Canadian Press via AP)