The Edmonton Oilers are down to their second-to-last pre-season test, and tonight’s trip to face the Vancouver Canucks carries a little extra weight for a few players trying to leave a lasting impression.
For some, this could be the final chance to force their way into the picture.
Isaac Howard is at the top of that list. Through the first two pre-season games, he hasn’t done much to stand out, and the numbers back that up.
He has logged the most minutes of any Oilers forward, but in 30:30 of ice time he has just one shot on four attempts. At five-on-five, Edmonton has also been outchanced 17-7 with him on the ice and owns only a 28.44 per cent expected goal share in those minutes.
Howard’s reputation is built around offense, but the puck has been spending too much time away from his stick. That’s the part Mike Babcock wants him to sort out.
“It’s a miserable league if you’re an offensive guy and you’re just arriving and they won’t give you the puck,” said Babcock. “You’ve got to figure out how to get the puck back, so that’s why he gets a chance to play over and over again.
We like how hard he works, we like how he prepared, we like what he’s doing. He still hasn’t figured out how to have the puck all the time, so that’s the challenge for him.”
Howard gets another shot tonight on the Oilers’ top line, skating with Owen Michaels and Quinn Hutson.
Josh Samanski is another name worth watching. After what many viewed as a strong enough showing last season, he seemed like a safe bet to stick. He put up two goals and four points, but his underlying numbers were steady and encouraging for a rookie.
This pre-season, though, hasn’t gone the way he or the Oilers would have wanted. There’s even a path where Colton Dach, who has been moved from wing to center, leapfrogs him on the depth chart. That move doesn’t happen for no reason, and Dach is still only 23.
Samanski still has a route to the roster as the 13th forward, and a good night could help his case. He’ll be on the second line with Max Jones and Aku Raty.
Then there’s Tomas Cibulka, who should be an intriguing watch in his own right. Signed out of Czechia earlier this year, he’s set to make his pro debut in North America with the Bakersfield Condors this fall. Over the last two years in Czechia’s top league, he scored 13 goals and 42 points in 90 games, and Daily Faceoff Edmonton ranked him 19th among Oilers prospects.
He’s described as a strong, confident skater with some offensive flair, and tonight offers the first look at how that translates on this side of the Atlantic.
In Other News...
Messiers Oilers Blast Just Raised A Bigger Leadership Question
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Oilers Could Take A Risk That Changes Their Middle Six
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Any move would likely mean sending prospects and draft picks back the other way, which is no small thing for a team trying to stay competitive now while keeping an eye on what comes next. But Wrights pedigree alone makes him the kind of swing worth discussing, especially for a club that could benefit if a change of scenery helps him rediscover the form that once made him such a coveted prospect. [Read more 🡒]