Finally. You’ve made it to training camp.
There are 36 forwards, 18 defencemen and 7 goaltenders to make 61 total invites. They are listed towards the bottom of this post. Before we get there, let’s talk a little bit about Ken Holland and his media availability this morning, as he faced hungry reporters who were no doubt ready with questions.
Here’s what I took from Ken Holland’s media availability from 22 September, 2021.
- ON DUNCAN KEITH: Keith is quarantining after receiving a Covid-19 vaccine, and is not expected to make a return to the club until next Friday, October 1st. When asked why he was skating in the captain’s skate last week, Ken Holland replied that he doesn’t make the rules. Holland would later explain that he’d like to have Duncan Keith for the start of training camp, but he’s not too concerned with him not being there, as he has a relationship with the player. He’d explain that although Keith hadn’t done much skating in the offseason, he was in the gym most every day.
- VACCINES - Holland expects one Oiler not to be vaccinated when the season begins. There’s been plenty of speculation as to who that Oiler is. Holland was quick to point out that this player would likely cause headaches for the club in the future with the rules on quarantining in place. “30” was the expected number of games that would be missed should this player decide against getting vaccinated, and this could become a factor moving forward.
- ON THE DEFENCE IN GENERAL: Kris Russell is experiencing some “neck pain” right now. I don’t know if that’s going to keep him out of a preseason game or two, or if it’s going to push into the regular season. Keep an eye open for that. The third LD position sounded like it was wide open, and it might be a contest between Slater Koekkoek and William Lagesson to get things started this year. Listening to Holland talk about Philip Broberg made it sound like Broberg was going to have to just blow everyone out of the water in order to get a look at the NHL level this year. Holland said that there’s plenty of opportunity for Broberg, Bouchard, Michael Kesselring and Phil Kemp, though I’d temper those expectations for everyone not named Bouchard. Holland did his thing where he talks about the NHL Record and Guide Book and how an NHL player has earned his keep until a new guy comes in and shakes it up. I’d expect Broberg to be a mainstay in Bakersfield this year.
- ON ALEX STALOCK: Holland said that he doesn’t expect Alex Stalock to play in the NHL this season due to a heart condition he developed from Covid-19. When asked if he was pressed to find another goaltender, his response was no, at least, not right now. That may change in the upcoming days, weeks and months ahead.
- ON GOALTENDING IN GENERAL: Holland appeared comfortable going into the season with Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen as his tandem. He suggested that Koskinen might be due for a rebound after last year, as he didn’t have any preseason to get into a rhythm. Holland pointed out that Koskinen played a slew of games to open the season; and that Mike Smith grabbed the ball and ran with it after coming off injury. Holland said he’s goign to try to get Smith and Koskinen two or three games in preseason, he’ll try to get Skinner and Konovalov one game a piece. It’s my opinion that Holland will play the wait-and-see game this year, perhaps opting to make a move towards the trade deadline.
- KAILER, JESSE: Matty had a question about depth and where Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto might land this year. Holland talked about how there’s more depth on the right wing than people might have realized, and that it will ultimately come down to where Dave Tippett wants everyone on opening night. Holland was also quick to point out that new Oiler Zach Hyman can play both left wing and right wing, he’s a physical, 200 foot player and that he’s a versatile “top six, top nine” option. I’m not sure if Holland was serious about Hyman perhaps being on the third line or if he was just riffing, but it was an interesting quote. I’d be fairly surprised to see Hyman start anywhere other than the top line to open the season. As far as where Kailer Yamamoto and Jesse Puljujarvi open the year, they ought to be on lines 2 and 1 respectively. Whether or not Tippett wants to move Kassian up the lineup has yet to be seen, it would not surprise me to see Kassian getting a few looks on line 2 to open the season. Said that there’s some depth in camp this year with Brendan Perlini and Colten Sceviour, who is in on a PTO.
ROLL CALL
Forwards (36)
- Kyle Turris 8
- Derek Ryan 10
- Jesse Puljujarvi - 13
- Devin Shore - 14
- Josh Archibald - 15
- Tyler Benson - 16
- Zach Hyman - 18
- Seth Griffith - 23
- Brad Malone - 24
- Adam Cracknell - 27
- Leon Draisaitl 29
- Dylan Holloway - 36
- Warren Foegele - 37
- Matteo Gennaro - 38
- Brendan Perlini - 42
- Matvey Petrov - 43
- Zack Kassian - 44
- Dino Kambeitz - 45
- Henry Rybinski - 46
- Drew Englot - 47
- Tim Soderlund - 51
- Devin Brosseau - 52
- Xavier Bourgault - 54
- Luke Esposito - 55
- Kailer Yamamoto - 56
- James Hamblin - 57
- Ostap Safin - 59
- Jake Chiasson - 61
- Raphael Lavoie - 62
- Cooper Marody - 65
- Tyler Tullio - 68
- Colton Sceviour - 70
- Ryan McLeod - 71
- Kirill Maksimov - 72
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - 93
- Connor McDavid - 97
DEFENCEMEN (18)
- Duncan Keith - 2
- Cody Ceci - 5
- Kris Russell - 6 (new number)
- Slater Koekkoek - 20
- Tyson Barrie - 22
- Darnell Nurse - 25
- Dmitri Samorukov - 58
- Vincent Desharnais - 73
- Simon Kubicek - 79
- Markus Niemelainen - 80
- Filip Berglund - 81
- William Lagesson - 84
- Michael Kesselring - 85
- Philip Broberg - 86
- Max Wanner - 88
- Yanni Kaldis - 90
GOALTENDERS (7)
- Mikko Koskinen -19
- Alex Stalock - 32
- Ilya Konovalov - 34
- Olivier Rodrigue - 35
- Mike Smith - 41
- Ethan Kruger - 50
- Stuart Skinner - 74
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