The Edmonton Oilers’ 2017-18 23 Man (22 Man?) Opening Night Roster So Far

FINALLY

The 2017-18 season finally kicks off tomorrow. Here’s what the Oilers have on paper as of Tuesday, October 3rd 2017.

FORWARDS

Patrick Maroon - Connor McDavid - Leon Draisaitl

Milan Lucic - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Kailer Yamamoto

Drake Caggiula - Ryan Strome - Jussi Jokinen

Jujhar Khaira - Mark Letestu - Zack Kassian

DEFENCE

Oscar Klefbom - Adam Larsson

Kris Russell - Matt Benning

Darnell Nurse - Eric Gryba

GOAL

Cam Talbot

Laurent Brossoit

EXTRA

Yohann Auvitu

Iiro Pakarinen

ETC

• Anton Slepyshev has been sent to Bakersfield likely for just a conditioning stint. Slepyshev had missed most of training camp and didn’t get into any game action stemming from an ankle injury that was suffered nearly a month ago.
• I don’t really know what’s going on with Chris Kelly. The Oilers ought to cut him loose at this point, but we’re just over 24 hours remaining until game one of the regular season. You’ll notice that with Auvitu and Pakarinen that the Oilers’ opening night roster sits at 22 players, which is somewhat odd. Does that mean something has to happen? Not really. As for Kelly, I don’t see one player on the above roster that Kelly can effectively replace. A Chris Kelly deal would make it 50 contracts on the books for Edmonton, and...well, would Chiarelli use his 50th contract on Chris Kelly?
• There’s a fair shot that he’d use it on Chris Kelly if Kailer Yamamoto is going to Spokane. It’d also bring 50 contracts down to 49. If that happens, you’ve got a right wing set of Draisaitl, Kassian, Jokinen and Pakarinen. That’s not going to happen, is it?
• That might happen. Let’s not.
• Ryan Strome gets a look at 3C, just like Chiarelli suggested shortly after he was acquired from the Islanders.
• Get well soon, Andrej Sekera.
• Tomorrow it all begins.