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It’s the day after free agency day in the National Hockey League. Everybody is getting ready to go back for a truncated work week tomorrow, Bob McKenzie has probably had the first of many margaritas earlier today, and (though they had a fairly successful day yesterday) the Edmonton Oilers are still lacking significant quality on the right side.
While we were caught up in signing Kyle Brodziak and Tobias Rieder (which are good signings, by the way), a few folks started cobbling together what the 2018-19 Oilers might look like.
Stauffer updated lines:
— Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) July 1, 2018
RNH-McDavid-Rattie
Lucic-Leon-Caggiula
Rieder-Strome-Puljujarvi
Khaira-Brodziak-Kassian
Aberg
I think I have Rieder higher up than Milan Lucic right now. The rest of this doesn’t look too bad, if you don’t mind that the entire right side has got a lot of, uh, things going on.
The right side has got Puljujarvi a little too low, Drake Caggiula is a bit too high, and Ty Rattie is somehow getting slotted in as your top line right wing. Unless Kailer Yamamoto comes in and just starts balling out, the Oilers could find themselves in some trouble on the right side.
IT HAS BECOME APPARENT
sorry but the Oilers don't need Lance Bouma who couldn't play in the NHL last year. They badly need wingers who can score goals. They are so top heavy in centres--McDavid, Leon, RNH, now on wing, Strome, Brodziak
— Jim Matheson (@NHLbyMatty) July 3, 2018
So Connor McDavid. How do you like your new right winger? Oh, right. They didn't get you one.
— Terry Jones (@byterryjones) July 2, 2018
Normally I find that the media is more than accommodating for the Oilers. Not all the time, but a majority of the time the local press doesn’t take it to Chiarelli very often. This time? That quote by Terry Jones is hysterical and brutally honest. Granted, Chiarelli didn’t have much to work with on July 1st with the cap situation the Oilers are in, but whose fault is that? The Oilers aren’t working with a whole lot on the right side, and scribes have started to take notice now that free agency day has come and gone without improvement past Tobias Rieder.
Fans (at least ones with a pulse) have seen this moment on the wall since Jordan Eberle was dealt for Ryan Strome and “cap space” that was later given to Kris Rusell. The Oilers haven’t addressed this issue, and it will become an issue again this season if they can’t make a deal.
And for God’s sake, find someone to replace Rattie on the top line. Sheesh.