Oilers 2021 Draft Review

Oilers crack scouting team was seen packing their bags and heading home after a busy week. Making 8 selections in the first 3 rounds we can now take a closer look at the new additions to the organization:

#10 Cole Sillinger - has all the tools and genes to be a top 6 nhler, drafted #12 by the rebuilding Jackets
#33 Mackie Samiskevich - dynamic forward with genuine character, drafted #24 by the Panthers
#41 Olen Zellweger - smooth dman and one of the youngest players in the class, drafted #34 by the Ducks
#42 Tristan Broz - skilled and slick playmaking forward, drafted #58 by the aging Penguins
#57 Dylan Duke - elite scorer yet was the 2nd highest RHL reach with a 69(!) pick differential, dropping #126 to Tampa
#58 Samu Salminen - skilled big Finnish forward, drafted #68 by the Devils
#66 Shai Buium - has top pairing written all over, drafted #36 by the Red Wings and committed to Denver
#71 Danila Klimovich - super skilled boom bust Belarussian, drafted #41 by the Canucks

There's a little bit of everything to revive any given franchise. Oilers may still be looking to move the rights to one or two of them as they continue to add pieces for a very realistic championship run. The current roster looks as follows:

Evander Kane - Tomas Hertl - David Perron
Analysis: powerful and complete top line that can both score and defend its own zone
Robby Fabbri - Chandler Stephenson - Denis Gurianov
Analysis: certainly needs some work here
X - X - X
X - X - X

Shea Theodore - Jeff Petry
Analysis: one of the best top pairings in the league
Jake Muzzin - Matt Grzelcyk
Analysis: excellent mid pairing that will move the puck well
Dmitry Orlov - Borgman
Analysis: Orlov should stabilize this bottom pairing with whoever is slotted with him

Juuse Saros
Thomas Greiss
Analysis: arguably the best tandem in the league

Coach Yeo wants the team to play an up and down, fast, and rugged style. The backend is packed with puck moving dmen, all can more than handle offensive duties. The goal will now be to fill out the bottom end of the roster with similar type of players. Fast, rugged and skilled are three attributes desired in every player. If a player is missing one of those, they need to make it up in the other 2. At no circumstance will a player be missing two of those three. Even if they are the best player in 1 of those three, if they're missing the other two they will not be on the team.

Free agency could bring in some pieces to fill the bottom half of the roster but there's still desire for a major trade acquisition. Management made it clear that they could make youngsters Grigori Denisenko, Lukas Reichel, Sam Fagemo, Cam Morrison, Tristan Broz, and Samu Salminen available for the right players. We should have a much clearer picture after free agency ends, but excitement is in the soil in Oil Country.