Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Edmonton, We Have a Second-Line Centre

October 2, 2014, 1:02 AM ET [55 Comments]
Ryan Garner
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Throughout training camp, Edmonton Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins has been very non-committal about his plans for Leon Draisaitl, insisting that he has two NHL centres (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Boyd Gordon) and wants every other pivot prospect to earn their way into the lineup. It makes sense, because you don’t want to hand a minute-munching role to an unproven player. You also don’t want to paint yourself into a corner be prematurely anointing someone an everyday NHLer, only to have them disappoint in preseason play. Luckily for Eakins (and Oilers general manager Craig MacTavish) the Deutschland Dangler has emerged from the pack and cemented himself as the team’s second-line centre.

Draisaitl didn’t register a point and finished with a -2 in the plus-minus column, but still managed to be the best Oiler during Wednesday night’s 3-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Filling the excitement void left after Edmonton’s unconscionable uncoupling with Vladimir Tkachev, Draisaitl keeps proving that he’s ready for NHL service. Not just service, but stardom. The third overall pick in the 2014 draft continues to impress with his anticipation, vision and hockey sense. Those qualities help the organization breathe a huge sigh of relief after opening training camp with Draisaitl penciled in as the second-line centre. If the kid had been overwhelmed to this point it would have dealt the 2014-15 season a huge blow.

While his playmaking ability and stickhandling showed enough razzle-dazzle to send the crowd into a tizzy, Draisaitl also showed off a world-class shot against the Coyotes. After the game, he noted that he’s been focused on shooting the puck when he finds himself in scoring position, rather than always deferring to his linemates. Finding that balance is welcome news, because Draisaitl is a gifted playmaker but was guilty of dishing a tad too often during the Young Stars Tournament and early stages of training camp. Oiler fans can forget about tweeners like Mark Arcobello and Anton Lander on a scoring line, and Eakins and MacTavish can relax their tightly crossed fingers, because the Oilers have found their next big thing in the middle.

Fool Me Twice, Shame On Me

Jesse Joensuu earned the night’s first star with a two-goal performance, finishing on two sweet feeds from Steve Pinozzotto. However, as Flavor Flav has told us millions of times since 1988, don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t believe the hype. I was high on Joensuu during preseason last year, and figured he was a find after the first game of the regular season. However, the distinguished Dr. Jekyll soon turned into a murderous Mr. Hyde, and there wasn’t much to like about Joensuu during his next 41 games. That might be somewhat unfair, but I’m not buying into another strong preseason. The Finnish forward will have to prove that he can do it over the long haul, each and every night, before I climb aboard the Joensuu train and start blowing the steam trumpet.

All We Are Saying, Is Give Nurse a Chance

Darnell Nurse has officially arrived, right? It’s too soon to tell, but he put in another strong showing on Wednesday, and may have leapfrogged Martin Marincin and Oscar Klefbom on the defensive depth chart. Personally, I’m ready to give him the full nine-game NHL audition and see how he fares. At 19 years of age he’s too young for the American Hockey League, and I don’t see how he can benefit much from another year of junior. Plus, having Nurse in the lineup over Marincin, Klefbom, or Keith Aulie might give the Oilers the best chance to win. That should be the only thing taken into account, rather than worrying about burning a year of his entry-level contract or nudging him closer to well-into-the-future free agency.

If The Playoffs Started Today

If the playoffs started today, it would be an absolute debacle. I mean, really, why skip the entire regular season and proceed to the playoffs in the first week of October? From a revenue standpoint, it would cripple the league’s expected earnings and wreak havoc on the salary cap. How would the television networks adjust? What about season ticket holders? Would they be reimbursed, or simply have their tickets forwarded to the 2015-16 season? It doesn’t make any sense. However, if the playoffs started today based on the preseason standings, the Oilers would be a part of the action. I understand that preseason results carry as much weight as individual Corsi numbers, but it still makes me happy to see the Oilers winning games.

You’ve Got Questions, I’ve Got Answers

I’m accepting submissions for a regular weekly feature called Friday’s Burning Questions. Every topic under the sun will be tackled, from projected opening-day lineups to the amount of corn in my diet. If you have a burning question (or just a mildly irritating question) feel free to either drop an e-mail or hit me up on Twitter. All questions submitted will be answered. Yes, you heard that right—all questions submitted will be answered.

[email protected]


Join the Discussion: » 55 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Ryan Garner
» Coming Clean: Oilers Fan Confessional
» TWIRATOME: The Plane Has Crashed Into the Mountain
» Oilers Demonstrate Laziness, Poor Optics in Goalie Coach Shuffle
» FBQ: Oilers Need to Clean House, Carve Out Toxic Core
» Canucks Work Oilers Like a Yo-Yo