Our Edmonton Oilers player power rankings are back. Twice a month throughout the schedule, we will be ordering players based on their contributions and value to the club, taking into account recent feats, statistics, failures and some of the more intangibles. Here is our list this week:
1. Connor McDavid (Last week’s rank: 1)
Never mind being No. 1 on this list, Captain Canada returns from Italy No. 1 in the hearts of Canadian hockey fans from coast to coast.
Sure, Team Canada’s bid for gold fell a goal short in 3-on-3 overtime, but we couldn’t have asked any more from the guy who stepped up in the absence of Sidney Crosby and took over the ‘C’ on the way to posting records by an NHL player in the Olympic Games with 11 assists and 13 points.
What price will the Oilers pay for lending their captain to Canada’s cause? Only time will tell how much McDavid could have used the same break as his teammates back home enjoyed.
Whether it ends up being enough to knock him out of first place in the next Oilers player power rankings to come?
… I wouldn’t bet the farm.
2. Leon Draisaitl (Last week’s rank: 2)
From Captain Canada to the mannschaftskapitän of Team Germany, Draisaitl not only represented his home country at the Olympics, but was their poster boy.
He held the honour of flagbearer alongside seven-time world ski-jumping champion Katharina Schmid.
Draisaitl and fellow countryman Josh Samanski lost 6-2Â in the quarterfinals at the hands of Slovakia, but the duo represented their NHL club proudly.
His three points (one goal, two assists) in the tournament came in a 5-1 win against Team France to reach the playoff round to become the first German-born player with a three-point game in the Olympics.
As a bonus, the early ousting means Draisaitl was able to rest up more than McDavid did prior to returning to the Oilers lineup.
3. Evan Bouchard (Last week’s rank: 3)
Bouchard was left off the Team Canada roster because they couldn’t risk having early season Bouchard, instead of mid-season Bouchard.
And there’s been a difference.
While the points always seem to add up for the offensively gifted blue-liner, it’s the costly mistakes he’s just as much known for that could have turned Canada’s Olympic tournament upside down in a hurry.
Fortunately, we have seen less of the former and more of the latter in Bouchard since December, as Bouchard sits third in team scoring behind the two superstars.
Unfortunately, it’s the defensive side of Edmonton’s game that has been thrust into the spotlight over the Olympic break. The Oilers sit tied for third-worst in the league with 200 goals-against, prompting the return of defensive assistant Paul Coffey to the Oilers coaching staff, as well as an overhaul to their defensive systems, apparently.
That means from here on out, Bouchard will have to focus every bit as much at keeping pucks out of the Oilers net as he does putting them in the opposition’s, which may affect where he lands on this list next time.
4. Zach Hyman (Last week’s rank: 4)
A healthy Hyman would have been in the running for a Team Canada spot if he hadn’t missed the first 19 games of the season with a wrist injury held over from last year’s playoffs.
Especially a healthy Hyman who is on a pace that would have seen him approach the 50-goal mark once again, had an 82-game regular season been on the table.
Instead, he’s got 24 of them to go along with 16 assists to sit at 40 points in 41 games. And most of those have been spent showing what the Oilers top line missed in his absence, as the team struggled to find a suitable replacement.
5. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Last week’s rank: 5)
He’s got seven points (two goals, five assists) in the past eight games and 47 points (14 goals, 33 assists) in 51 games played this season.
Simply put, the Oilers wouldn’t be able to do this without him, and will require even more from their longest-serving member of the dressing room if they hope to take a third-straight run at the Stanley Cup here.
He’s versatile. He’s reliable. And he’s having a bit of a rejuvenating season when it comes to the scoresheet, sitting two points shy of last year’s production with 22 games left to go.
6. Mattias Ekholm (Last week’s rank: 6)
If anyone is going to lead this defensive surge the Oilers are hoping to build up with sandbags on their way to the playoff stretch, it’s their most defensive-minded defenceman.
Playing on the top pairing alongside Bouchard, Ekholm has not only been in charge of holding down the fort, but has made the most of his opportunities to put up points lately too.
He is three points shy of last year’s totals with 22 games left to go, while his plus-20 rating leads the team in a season where positive plus-minus can be tough to come by on any given night.
7. Tristan Jarry (Last week’s rank: 7)
Is Jarry the answer the Oilers were looking for when they traded with the Pittsburgh Penguins to bring him in back in December?
Connor Ingram did his part, earning the backup job from Calvin Pickard with some impressive numbers after getting called up.
But both members of the Oilers’ current tandem appear to have cooled off somewhat on the stats sheet recently.
Maybe it’s a team issue. Maybe it’s the defensive structure. Maybe it’s the systems being deployed. Maybe it’s a classic case of the Oilers simply trying to outscore their mistakes.
But one thing’s certain, they are going to need some rock-solid performances in net once again if they hope to push the pedal to the metal in the post-season.
And it will be Jarry with the first opportunity to take the wheel in the crease, should he claim the duty.
8. Jack Roslovic (Last week’s rank: 9)
Roslovic is a guy who has played better the higher up the lineup he appeared. And not every supporting member of this roster can say that.
His productivity has tapered off since settling into a role in the bottom six, but he is hearing the sound of opportunity knocking with the latest injury to Kasperi Kapanen coming out of the Olympic break.
Roslovic is back up on the second line in the meantime, while at the same time, Adam Henrique came back from an injury of his own to resume his role as third-line centre.
9. Vasily Podkolzin (Last week’s rank: 10)
The tenacious winger’s team-leading 168 hits has him sitting 12th overall. And that’s a part of their game that has been sorely lacking, a fact that will only become more apparent once playoffs arrive.
The young Russian is on a four-game point streak with a goal and three assists, after being held off the scoresheet in his previous six.
10. Kasperi Kapanen (Last week’s rank: 8)
He’s been injured twice as often as he’s played this season, which is a shame for the Oilers, considering he is scoring at a pace that is right behind Edmonton’s big-five when he’s been healthy.
His much-needed speed has found a home on the second line. And he has found some finish that makes the Oilers wish he could stay healthy and available to the lineup on a regular basis.
Runner-up: Stan Bowman, general manager
Considering the NHL trade deadline comes up in one week, we’re keeping this space saved for the GM and the rest of the Oilers management in hopes they can pull whatever strings necessary behind the scenes to shed off some dead weight and free up the cap space to bring in a new piece or two to help turn this squad back into a contender.
Mediocre is simply not going to get the job done. And that’s where this roster is at right now. It’s not magic. Where there is a will, there’s a way. There is no ‘next year’ for this team right now.
The fallen:
No one has dropped out of the top 10 from last week.
Disagree? Have your say over who belongs where by sending your submissions to:
E-mail: gmoddejonge@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @GerryModdejonge
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