Edmonton Oilers Must Select A Defenseman Early in NHL Draft

Edmonton Oilers Must Select A Defenseman Early in the First Round at the NHL Draft in Buffalo

Edmonton Oilers must select a defenseman early in the first round on June 24th when the NHL Draft kicks off in Buffalo.

GM Peter Chiarelli can still look to move down from 4th overall and collect assets, but contrary to popular belief (or so it seems among the Oilers fan base), Edmonton must target a blueliner early in the opening round.

The crowd in support of drafting another forward have fielded numerous explanations for the choice. While you hear many similar arguments being made, few (if any) hold up against the reality of the situation.

Let’s take a moment to separate fact and fiction as we attempt to explain why the Edmonton Oilers only have three legitimate early targets on the evening of June 24th.

Edmonton Oilers: Fact vs. Fiction

Fiction: There’s no point in drafting a defenseman that we won’t see for four years, he can’t help this team now.

Fact: Rarely do you draft a blueliner in the top 10, and have them develop at a Thomas Hickey rate. Look at the number of defensemen that stepped in as a teenager (if not immediately, in year two); Rasmus Ristolainen, Morgan Rielly, Noah Hanifin, etc. Projected number one defensemen don’t marinate in the AHL for four years.

Fiction: We can trade the 4th overall pick, a top-six forward (i.e. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail Yakupov, Taylor Hall, etc.) or both to acquire a blueliner that can help this team immediately, and swap so we still have a decent draft pick (to replace the traded forward).

Fact: If Peter Chiarelli trades down, it’s because he knows he can still draft a potential no.1 with three standout defenders in this draft class.

It would make little sense to bring in a top four d-man (i.e. Jonas Brodin or Sami Vatanen) only to draft another forward. That doesn’t solve the big issue. You might have four top 4 blueliners, but you’re still missing a number one.

For the Oilers, you want Predators type defensive depth where Peter Chiarelli has the option of whom to keep and who to move. If they continue down their current path, it screams a veritable Colorado Avalanche situation – that’s what happens when you convince yourself that the blueline is better than it is, and overvalue prospects.

Fiction: We must select a right-handed defenseman, too many left LH shots in the mix already

Fact: Does it honestly matter what hand the player shoots if they can be a no.1 d-man? It’s not as though one exists, and unfortunately Darnell Nurse and Oscar Klefbom (at this point) look to be projected no.2/3’s – don’t get me wrong, both outstanding young players.

Why Edmonton Oilers Must Select A Defenseman

The thing is, teams aren’t trading away number one defensemen. So, this pipe dream of using a top-six forward (or more) to address the problem on the back end is absolutely far-fetched.

Sure, you can acquire a solid d-man, but those Ryan Suter type situations in free agency rarely occur. The best Edmonton can do via trade is to add yet another two, three, or four type defender.

More from Puck Prose

The only way plans change significantly is if Peter Chiarelli pulls off some magic to make an off-the-radar acquisition. That’s very unlikely though.

Can you target teams in vulnerable situations such as Brent Seabrook in Chicago (cap strains) or Erik Karlsson in Ottawa (roster shake-up due)? Sure, but the likelihood of snagging a top player such as that is fairly slim – and return price tag would probably include the name Taylor Hall. Not exactly ideal.

On a side note, please do not comment with the name P.K. Subban as an option. Even if he were available (which seems unlikely), he’s a borderline no.1 d-man. In all honesty, he might be the best no.2 in the NHL and could probably win another Norris Trophy if Montreal finds him a true number one to play with.

The right course of action for a franchise isn’t necessarily the popular opinion, but regardless, teams must do what is necessary to build a winner. Look at some of the classic examples in recent history; Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, or Tampa Bay Lightning. Each of these teams endured a few tough years with their superstars in order to get where they needed to be.

Now, it’s admittedly different with the Edmonton Oilers scenario. Had the rebuild been constructed properly, this franchise should have already been turning a corner.

Welcome to Leafs Land Oilers Fans. When management screws up, it’s the fan base that suffers.

The worst thing Edmonton could do right now is a forced acceleration due to years of frustration. It’s not as though anyone expects the Edmonton Oilers to win a Stanley Cup in 2016-17, let alone the year after that.

It’s time for fans to take a step back and take a look at the big picture; If it takes two or three more years to clinch a playoff spot, so be it. The long-term goal is a Stanley Cup (and more than one), not repetitive early exits over the next decade because the team wasn’t built properly.

Next: NHL Mock Draft 6.5: 7 Rounds of Prospect Analysis

The most successful teams in the NHL feature three things: 1) a no.1 center 2) quality goaltender 3) a true no.1 d-man.

After Cam Talbot proved himself capable in 2015-16, it seems the Oilers are just one piece away from that winning formula.

You don’t have to like the idea, or even agree with it for that matter, but the reality is simple; Edmonton Oilers must select one of Olli Juolevi, Mikhail Sergachev, or Jakob Chychrun – whether they stay at 4th or slide down a bit – in an attempt to find that elusive number one defender.