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Connor McDavid Won’t Fix the Oilers Alone

By Gregory Katz

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Connor McDavid made the Edmonton Oilers the luckiest team of 2015, as they won the NHL Draft Lottery, and earned the first overall pick in this past years draft. After selecting McDavid, many believed that the Oilers’ 9 year playoff drought would soon come to an end. Connor McDavid was most talked about player before the NHL draft, and to many other teams misfortune, the Oilers were the ones to land him. This article will discuss how Connor McDavid needs some help from the Oilers’ supporting cast in order to turn the franchise around.

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Before getting in to anything, let’s put Connor McDavid’s statistics in to perspective. In his last year playing junior with the Erie Otters of the CHL, McDavid missed part of the year with an injury. In the 47 games that he did play, he scored 44 goals and 76 assists for 120 points. McDavid averaged just over 2.5 points per game. If it isn’t already clear, McDavid absolutely demolished the CHL in 2014-15, and he put NHL teams on notice. Connor McDavid quickly became the highest ranked prospect in the NHL draft, and he started drawing comparisons to NHL All-Star, Sidney Crosby. In Crosby’s last year in junior, with the Rimouski Oceanic, he put up 168 points in 62 games. This averages out to 2.7 points per game. The comparison is understandable, as both players were expected to have an immediate impact in the NHL, and both were expected to help fix their teams, which were suffering at the time that they drafted these young stars.

Many compare Sidney Crosby to rookie Connor McDavid. Crosby is a former Stanley Cup champion and two time Olympic gold medalist. McDavid has to feel the pressure.  Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Though there are many similarities between McDavid and Crosby, the two should not be compared just yet. After the Pittsburgh Penguins selected Sidney Crosby first overall in the 2005 NHL entry draft, the Penguins organization was drastically changed. Similarly to the Oilers, the Penguins had multiple high first round picks in the few years prior to selecting their franchise player. In 2003, the Penguins selected goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury first overall and in 2004, they selected Russian All-Star Evgeni Malkin second overall. In 2005 (Crosby’s draft year), the Penguins’ second round selection was Kris Letang, a defenceman who also ended up being an All-Star.

From 2010-2012, the Edmonton Oilers owned the first overall pick in the NHL entry draft. In 2010, the Oilers selected Taylor Hall, in 2011, they selected Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and in 2012, they selected Nail Yakupov. McDavid, Hall, Nugent-Hopkins and Yakupov are all forwards. If we take a look at the Penguins early draft picks from 2003-2005, they selected two forwards, one defenceman and one goalie. The Penguins used their draft picks to solidify the core of their team for many years to come, as they knew, that every team that wants to win a Stanley Cup must have strong defence, steady goaltending and offensive firepower. There is no doubt that the Edmonton Oilers will have the offensive firepower that is necessary to win a Stanley Cup for years to come, but they won’t have the necessary defensive strength – at least, not yet.

This past summer, the Oilers acquired Cam Talbot from the New York Rangers. Talbot is a young goalie with a lot of potential. Oilers management were hoping that Talbot could be the missing piece between the pipes, and that he, along with their offensive firepower, could help turn the franchise around. If Talbot ends up being the goalie of the future for the Oilers, that is one problem solved. However, there is still the issue of defence.

Oct 10, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Edmonton Oilers goalie Cam Talbot (33) during the first period against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

As the old saying goes, ‘defence wins championships’. In 2013, the Oilers selected Darnell Nurse in the first round of the NHL entry draft. Nurse is a defenceman who is expected to turn in to a solid NHL’er one day. Nurse could be the defensive piece that the Oilers are missing, however, defencemen usually take longer to develop in the NHL than forwards. Nurse could need another year or two before he is ready to take a prominent role on the Oilers blue line.

Let’s stick to the present. This year, the Oilers have a 3-4 record, as their optimistic fans hope to be cheering for their team in late April. The fact is, the Oilers don’t have the necessary defensive core to carry them in to the playoffs. On top of that, their goaltender, who has been good thus far this season, has never played a full NHL season. The Oilers have the right idea though, as they have drafted a defenceman who is expected to make an impact in the coming years, and they have traded for what they hope to be their goalie of the future.

Oct 14, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (25) handles the puck against the Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Oilers have a ridiculous amount of potential on their roster, and if things start to click sooner rather than later, they can be a feared team around the league. That said, in order for the Oilers to become a contender, they must solidify their blue line and protect their young goaltender.

Many Oilers fans believe that Connor McDavid is the solution, but in reality, no matter how good McDavid is, he is only one piece on a much bigger puzzle. A puzzle that the Edmonton Oilers organization is starting to put together. For now, the Oilers are not a team that will do much damage in the NHL, but that can change, and fast. Fans can expect a significant change once Darnell Nurse and their other young defensive prospects start earning their spots on the Oilers roster, and once McDavid turns in to the true force that he will inevitably be. Of course, goaltender Cam Talbot is going to have to be stellar too.

Connor McDavid can’t fix the Oilers alone, but he definitely helps their cause in trying to end their 9 year playoff drought.

Next: St Louis Blues Goaltending Situation

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