The Edmonton Oilers are still hunting for a right-shot centre, and NHL insider Elliotte Friedman says the search has been active.
On the 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman said, “They’ve been combing what’s available. And you know Mike Babcock, he is so minute in his coaching of hockey of hockey that he would look at this and say, ‘We need this.’
That’s why the Dach rumours have been there. Also Stan Bowman has a history with Dach, but I also think he’s a right shot guy who can play centre.
I think a few teams have kind of looked at Dach. You know, I wondered about Shane Wright for Edmonton.
I think they looked around but I don’t believe that is going to happen.”
That report lands after Frank Seravalli said late last week that Edmonton has interest in Montreal’s Kirby Dach. That connection has an extra wrinkle: Dach’s brother, Colton, is being given a look as Edmonton’s fourth-line centre.
The timing also matters because the Oilers are set to trim their roster today before the regular season begins. A few decisions are still hanging over camp, including whether the team keeps one or both of right-shot centre Owen Michaels and left-shot centre Josh Samanski, along with right-shot defenceman Ty Emberson and/or left-shot defenceman Spencer Stastney.
From the camp battle side, Emberson appears to have the clearest path. Based on both training camp and what happened last season, the case for him over Stastney as the team’s seventh defenceman is straightforward. Emberson has looked like the steadier, more reliable player, and he also fills a right-shot need on a blue line that could use it.
The Michaels-Samanski decision is tighter. Samanski was strong defensively for the Oilers last spring, while Michaels has turned in a good camp and brings the right-shot centre profile Edmonton seems to want.
Samanski’s play has improved of late, but the push for a right-shot centre could tilt things Michaels’ way. Neither player has shown much offensive punch, though the Oilers would live with that if the defensive work is there.
As for Colton Dach, his trial at fourth-line centre has been fine, but it remains an experiment. He hasn’t played the position enough for it to feel settled, and he still looks more natural on the wing. There, he can attack with speed, arrive hard on the forecheck and bring the physical edge that fits his game better.
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Senators Blue-Line Decision Signals Where Ottawa Is Headed
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Where that leaves the back end is a little clearer now, even if the full depth chart is still being finalized. Ottawa has moved on from Huttons PTO, leaving Nikolas Matinpalo in position as the extra defenseman and signaling that the Senators are leaning toward younger internal options as they map out their next step on defense. [Read more 🡒]