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P4 Oilers vs Jets: Puljujarvi vs Laine

September 30, 2016, 1:57 PM ET [52 Comments]
Matt Henderson
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Edmonton takes on a Jets team that we know will feature Patrik Laine and Puljujarvi is likely to get a start as well. It will be the top two European players (not counting Matthews who is one by technicality) facing off against each other for the first of what may be many, many times.

Edmonton has been slowly but surely cutting players from camp. Right before the last game they sent the following players to the Condors:

Ben Betker
Greg Chase
Braden Christoffer
Josh Currie
Ryan Hamilton
Kyle Platzer
Patrick Russell

They also released Ryan Vesce from his PTO and on Thursday they assigned goaltender Nick Ellis to the Condors.

The Oilers are slowly taking form and by Sunday I expect we will see another significant cut. Leon Draisaitl and Andrej Sekera are done with the World Cup of Hockey and said hello to the team at Rogers Place this morning, but they will be getting several days of rest before formally rejoining the club. When they do, not only will camp be down to the few who are actually fighting for jobs, but that is also when the club is expected to name Connor McDavid their captain.

With camp heading to the point where tough decisions are going to get made, now is the time for Pitlick, Khaira, Lander, and Pakarinen to show their value. I thought Khaira has looked like a bull on the forecheck during preseason. I’ve really liked what I’ve seen from him. Pakarinen hasn’t moved the dial for me and Pitlick is Fool’s Gold as far as I’m concerned. He’s too injury prone and that’s too bad.

These are the top Condor players ripe for call ups. If Jujhar Khaira ever develops offensively then he might be the 4C of the future for the team. That may free up a Letestu to be moved some time in the next year, but that’s getting ahead of ourselves. Either way, more options is a good thing for this team. And having people who look qualified but must keep developing in the minors anyway is definitely new territory for this rebuild.

Just as the McDavid line was debuted in the last game, the complete RNH line (as imagined) will debut tonight. The trio of Pouliot-RNH-Puljujarvi will very possibly be Edmonton’s 2nd line this season. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a very positive World Cup of Hockey. Like McDavid, I expect him to look a lot sharper than his two linemates because of the added high pace games he’s played.

This line has more than enough talent to do damage offensively and the duo of Pouliot and RNH bring a defensive acumen as well. It’s Puljujarvi’s job to be noticeable out there. He was near invisible in his first appearance, but that was with a weaker center. No excuses tonight. We know he can dance with the puck, the question is whether it’s to the same tune as RNH and Pouliot.

LINEUP


Pouliot RNH Puljujarvi
Versteeg Caggiula Pakarinen
Khaira Lander Slepyshev
Hendricks Letestu Kassian

Klefbom Larsson
Oesterle Fayne
Reinhart Benning

Talbot
Brossoit

OILERS KEYS TO THE GAME

1) Extra At Bats. Nail Yakupov missed a glorious opportunity to play with a red hot Caggiula because of an undisclosed illness or tweak. He looks to be out of the lineup again. The chances are going to Versteeg who I thought played an OK game against the Canucks. He wasn’t spectacular but it was more than a passing grade. Nail Yakupov is fighting the narrative that he is out of rope in Edmonton. He has to turn in a solid performance soon before the story becomes that he’s losing his job to an unsigned veteran. Kris Versteeg is getting the chance to show McLellan that he can be a versatile and dependable player. Today he’s on the LW with Lander. The odds of him earning a contract only go up with every game his competition misses.

2) Reinhultz. An atrocious game against the Canucks where he played the right side was probably not the way Reinhart wanted to open his training camp. He’s back on the left and he needs to perform. He won’t be here long if Oesterle and Laleggia keep looking like better prospects. Everyone says he has the mind to play, but the commitment level doesn’t appear to match. I don’t know if that’s accurate. All I can say is that he looked afraid to handle the puck and his breakout passes were brutal. Like a lot of the players on the fringe, Reinhart is playing for a job and the opportunities become extremely limited if a bad impression is left at camp.

3) Laine’s Debut. Edmonton gets to be the very first NHL team Laine ever plays against. I anticipate that this young winger will have a lot to prove after an underwhelming World Cup of Hockey. He’s also facing off against countryman and fellow rookie Jesse Puljujarvi. Laine’s calling card is that wicked shot. Edmonton should be concerned about a lot of things tonight, but the hype will be surrounding that one-timer. I anticipate the Jets will put him in the best position to succeed and they have some quality players who can do that. Should be a fun one.

Puck drops tonight at 6PM Mountain Time on and streamed online at the Oilers website. Game On!

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