The Edmonton Oilers have built something every contender wants on the blue line: real depth. But that kind of strength can turn into its own problem fast.
With nine defensemen on the pro roster, new head coach Mike Babcock is going to have a juggling act on his hands if he wants to keep everybody engaged. Ice time only stretches so far, and once you get past the top pairings, the fight for shifts can get ugly. That’s especially true in a season where the regular schedule runs 84 games and the team wants to make sure it reaches the postseason with a healthy group.
Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm remain the Oilers’ top pairing, but the rest of the mix is crowded. Jake Walman and Connor Murphy are in the group, along with newcomers Ryan Shea, Shakir Mukhamadullin, and Spencer Stasney.
Ty Emberson is also in the picture, while Alec Regula is currently on IR. That’s a lot of bodies for one blue line, and it could leave Oilers prospects with very few chances to see NHL action out of Bakersfield.
There’s also a chance injuries end up making some of the decisions easier. Mid-season absences could naturally open up minutes and help sort out the lineup.
The average age of the defense corps is 28.4, with Ekholm the oldest at 36, so managing the workload could matter more as the season moves along. The Oilers would love to avoid overtaxing key players before the playoffs, and Ekholm’s drop-off the second time Edmonton faced the Florida Panthers is a reminder of how much health can shape postseason performance.
Babcock isn’t exactly known for handing out comfort minutes just to keep everyone smiling, so this is likely to be handled with a pretty deliberate hand. Mukhamadullin is one player to watch in that regard, especially since he has already voiced frustration when his ice time is limited.
The larger issue, though, goes beyond the logjam. Edmonton’s defense is different from what it was a year ago, even if the top four were the same group that finished the season and saw things end early against the Anaheim Ducks.
However the rotation shakes out, the Oilers need a major upgrade in goal differential if they’re going to be taken seriously as a contender. They were a top-five scoring team, but the inability to keep the puck out of their own net is what ultimately sunk them.
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