2016 NHL Entry Draft: Where the Oilers pick

Welcome to draft week. This is always a fun week for hockey fans. There is obviously no actual hockey to watch but there are endless rumours about teams potentially trading pick and players to move up or down in the draft order, and even though the overwhelming majority of these trade rumours turn out to be little more than rumour it’s still fun to speculate. And if rumours aren’t your thing you can still dig through a mountain of prospect profiles in an effort to try and figure out what will happen on beginning on Friday night. This week there is a little something for everybody.

The Oilers enter the week with nine draft picks, the first being the fourth overall selection, the last coming 179 picks later at 183rd overall. To help you prepare for the week we’ve compiled this list so you’ll know when the Oilers pick and, as an added bonus, so you can impress your friends, we’ve included a little bit about how they acquired the pick. As things change throughout the week (if they change) we’ll be sure to update this list.

First round - 4th overall: After finishing second last in the NHL the Oilers entered the lottery guaranteed to pick somewhere in the top five. After failing to win even one of the three lotteries that were used to determine the draft order, the Oilers slipped to fourth overall.

Second round - 32nd overall: The team’s only second round pick comes early on the day on Saturday. The Leafs will start the day off, they’re also set to make the final pick of the first round, and then the Oilers will step to the podium to make their selection.

Third round - 63rd overall: The first of three third round picks for the Oilers, and if you’re playing close attention you probably notices that the pick is one spot later than you might have expected. The reason for the one spot slide is a compensatory pick - the 53rd overall pick - given to the Coyotes for not signing 2014 1st-round pick Conner Bleackley, who they acquired via trade with the Avalanche.

Third round - 84th overall: Originally belonging to the Florida Panthers the Oilers acquired this pick in the days before the trade deadline when they traded Teddy Purcell.

Third round - 91st overall: Justin Schultz wins a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Oilers pick up the last pick of the third round.

Fifth round - 123rd overall: Without a fourth round pick the Oilers will get to take a short break before returning to the podium (teams aren’t still going up to the podium at this point, are they?) to make the second selection of the fifth round. Fifth round - 149th overall: This pick was acquired by the Oilers as part of the trade that sent Anders Nilsson to the St. Louis Blues.

Sixth round - 153rd overall: The search for a diamond in the rough continues with the second pick of the sixth round.

Seventh round - 183rd overall: The 183rd name called will be the ninth player to join the Oilers prospect pool this weekend. Maybe this player will be the next Kyle Brodziak.