EDMONTON \u2014 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.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Sure, there\u2019s an eraser nearby so things can be changed at a moment\u2019s notice, but it\u2019s not hard to see who\u2019s ahead and who\u2019s following behind.<\/p>\n
Here are six things that have stood out at camp so far.<\/p>\n
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 \u2014 unless he\u2019s downright horrid in the preseason. With 11 spots locked in, that leaves one to go.<\/p>\n
Judging by the first two days of camp, it\u2019s advantage Brandon Sutter for the final job.<\/p>\n
Sutter has been skating on the fourth line between Holloway and Mattias Janmark, an indication that\u2019s where he\u2019ll start seeing time in game action. There\u2019s a feeling around the team that he\u2019s exactly what they need \u2014 a veteran, two-way, right-handed centre to replace Nick Bjugstad \u2014 if he\u2019s up to snuff. GM Ken Holland said as much earlier this week.<\/p>\n
The job must be earned by Sutter, though. It\u2019s not like it\u2019s simply his to lose. At 34, he\u2019s the second-oldest player at camp behind Derek Ryan. And he\u2019s at camp on a tryout without a contract because he\u2019s missed the last two seasons because of long-COVID symptoms.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou think about where you were two years ago; it was horrible,\u201d Sutter said. \u201cWhere you are now, it\u2019s a huge change.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just wasn\u2019t quite ready to let my career end on those terms. I\u2019m proud I got back to the point I\u2019m at now.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s really just holding Ryan McLeod\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
The other forward to note who\u2019s in the running for that final forward spot is Raphael Lavoie. He\u2019s been part of the main group but on the fifth line with Brad Malone and Adam Erne.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s not a great sign. It\u2019s also not promising that the Oilers ideally need a fourth centre with their 12th forward spot as opposed to a winger.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s 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\u2019ll definitely get his chances.<\/p>\n
Woodcroft said he plans on giving Lavoie plenty of ice time \u2014 including power-play minutes \u2014 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.<\/p>\n
Lavoie requires waivers to be sent to the minors. It would take a leap of faith for another team to claim him, but it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Mattias Ekholm is still roughly a week away from skating with the team because of a hip flexor, Woodcroft said. It\u2019s sure looking like he won\u2019t be partnered with Evan Bouchard but rather another less-experienced player who could use a boost.<\/p>\n
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\u2019ll have the same effect that he did with Bouchard last season. The betting here is the player is Broberg, the guy with more upside.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one thing we know about the pairing of (Ekholm) and Bouchard is we know we can go back to it,\u201d Woodcroft said. \u201cWe know it. They have a chemistry. They showed it.\u201d<\/p>\n
If that\u2019s all the case, and the Ekholm-Broberg duo comes to fruition, it would represent the biggest opportunity Broberg has had as an Oiler.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also a lot on the line for the 22-year-old, who\u2019s 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\u2019s no doubt that a trade to bolster the blue line will be necessary.<\/p>\n
Ekholm said he\u2019s trying to help Broberg reach his potential.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m trying to talk to (Broberg) as much as I can,\u201d Ekholm said. \u201cHe\u2019s got all the skill. He\u2019s probably the best trained guy in the room. He skates well. He can defend. He\u2019s big. He does have it all.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes with young defencemen, they need to mentally find that last get-over-the-hump where they get comfortable enough to play the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Assistant coach and former longtime NHL defenceman Mark Stuart went to Stockholm to visit with Broberg this summer.<\/p>\n
The feeling is Broberg\u2019s time to shine with the Oilers is now, or it may be never.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel confident in my abilities,\u201d Broberg said. \u201cI feel like I\u2019m ready to take another step in my game.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The Ekholm-Broberg (or Desharnais) pairing could have a ton of promise.<\/p>\n
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 \u2014 to take nothing away from Nurse\u2019s five-on-five offensive chops \u2014 should allow him to shift his focus to the defensive side.<\/p>\n
Finally, there\u2019s a veteran duo of Brett Kulak and Cody Ceci, which is setting up to appear in lower-leverage situations (at least for Ceci).<\/p>\n
Provided Broberg or Desharnais can handle the increased load, this could be the best way to align the three pairs.<\/p>\n
Holland and Woodcroft had been tapping the brakes whenever they were asked about winger Connor Brown. That\u2019s fair, especially since Brown hasn\u2019t played in 11 months and is coming back from an ACL tear.<\/p>\n
But Brown has been training hard and was cleared by doctors before camp. He\u2019s not interested in putting limitations on himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told them I\u2019m ready to go,\u201d Brown said.<\/p>\n
It turns out that\u2019s for good reason.<\/p>\n
Brown, skating with Connor McDavid and Evander Kane, has been noticeable for the right reasons on the ice. He hasn\u2019t looked out of place in the slightest.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s just about ready to get things going for real.<\/p>\n
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 \u2014 probably Broberg because he\u2019s waivers exempt \u2014 faltering badly.<\/p>\n
Well, the odds got a little longer on Friday as Niemelainen was placed in the second group.<\/p>\n
Stranger things have happened. Maybe Niemelainen finds a way to make the season-opening roster. Truthfully, it\u2019s becoming harder and harder to envision a real future for Niemelainen with the Oilers.<\/p>\n
(Photo Jay Woodcroft speaks to the Oilers at 2023 training camp: Jason Franson \/ The Canadian Press via AP)<\/p>\n