EDMONTON – In 2017, the Edmonton Oilers found themselves on the inside of the NHL Playoffs, but in 2018 the Oilers found themselves back into a familiar position, which is missing out on the playoffs. The last time the Oilers won the Stanley Cup was 1990. Since then, Edmonton has only made the playoffs 11 times.
Hope sprang eternal when the Oilers Connor McDavid in 2015 and talk of a new Oiler Dynasty was just that, talk. Edmonton fans once again have the NHL Entry Draft to look forward with the 10th overall pick at their disposal. To say that the Oilers prefer to draft forwards in the first round is the classic definition of an understatement.
The last time the Oilers took a defenseman in the first round was in 2013 when they drafted Darnell Nurse 7th overall. Before that? In 2006 did not have a first round pick but they took Jeff Petry in the second round. Before that? Um, hold that thought, this might take a while. Edmonton did take a defenseman in the first round in 1993, but he was the second of the Oilers first round picks. Nick Stajduhar (who?) was taken 16th overall. Their other first round pick that year? Jason Arnott. Before then it was 1989. I think you get the picture.
The thing is, PHN sees this trend continuing. The Oilers had nine players with 10 or more goals but Pat Maroon was traded to New Jersey and Milan Lucic is past his prime. McDavid had 41 goals all by his lonesome. Four of the top five goal scorers on the team are centers. Edmonton had only one right winger with more than 10 goals (Jesse Puljujarvi with 12).
We look into the Oilers choices at #10 and we see some centers that are available and most of the top wingers in the draft will almost assuredly be gone in the top five. Defenseman is an option but we see an intriguing name still on the board from the USA developmental program that Edmonton probably won’t be able to pass on when their turn comes around.
With that said, it will be a bit of a tough call to make considering past history but you know what they say about history repeating themselves. At the end of the night in Dallas, we expect Edmonton to make the following announcement.
“With the 10th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft the Edmonton Oilers select, from the USA developmental program, Joel Farabee.”
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