It';s finally that time of year. The Edmonton Oilers are opening up training
camp with a staggering 62 players at camp this fall. The official breakdown
comes down to seven goalies, 19 defensemen, and 36 forwards. Of those players,
27 of them attended rookie camp. One notable omission, however, is Darnell
Nurse. The restricted free agent (RFA) is without a contract, and according to
TSN';s Bob McKenzie, those negotiations aren';t going well.

Regardless the Oilers are hoping for a fresh start after a forgettable 2017-18
season that saw the club miss the playoffs after a promising 2016-17. The
question on everyone';s mind in 2018-19 is who the real Oilers are? More
importantly which year was more representative of what this club is? We';ll get
 that answer this year.The 2018-19 Edmonton Oilers (Vince Richard/The Hockey
Writers)

As we get into that, let';s take a closer look at the pre-season schedule, the
training camp roster and what some of the expectations might be for this
upcoming season.Oilers 2018-19 Pre-Season Schedule

Monday, Sept. 17 @ Calgary (7:00 P.M. MT)

Tuesday, Sept. 18 @ Vancouver (8:30 P.M. MT)

Thursday, Sept. 20 vs. Winnipeg (7:00 P.M. MT)

Sunday, Sept. 23 @ Winnipeg (6:00 P.M. MT)

Tuesday, Sept. 25 vs. Vancouver (7:00 P.M. MT)

Thursday, Sept. 27 vs. Arizona (7:00 P.M. MT)

Saturday, Sept.29 vs. Calgary (1:00 P.M. MT)

Wednesday, Oct. 3 @ Cologne, Germany (8:00 A.M. MT)Professional Tryouts (PTO)
Players

There are three players at camp that are on professional tryouts (PTO';s).
Here';s what you need to know.

Alex Chiasson (RW) - The last of the three players to receive their invite,
Chiasson is in the running for a bottom-six job with the club. He';ll turn 28
before the season starts, and is fresh off a Stanley Cup win with the
Washington Capitals. He';s a depth scorer, a power forward-type player that has
 limited scoring upside.Related: Edmonton Oilers 2018-19 Season Preview

Last season he put up nine goals and 18 points in 61 games with the Capitals
while averaging 11:46 in ice-time. Could he push Pontus Aberg, Drake Caggiula,
or Zack Kassian for a job?Alex Chiasson (Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)

Jason Garrison (D) - The 33-year-old is coming off a rough year with the Vegas
Golden Knights where he played just eight games while averaging 19:04 in
ice-time. A 10-year NHL veteran, Garrison humbly played the majority of the
season (58 games) with Vegas'; farm team, the Chicago Wolves.

He registered 28 points, and that translates to an NHL Equivalent (NHLe) of 19
points over a full season. With the Andrej Sekera injury, he';s competing with
Jakub Jerabek, Kevin Gravel, Keegan Lowe, and Ethan Bear for a No. 6-7
job.Related: Make or Break Year for Chiarelli, McLellan, Oilers

Scottie Upshall (LW) - In a fan poll ran earlier this week, Upshall ran away
with the votes when asked which of these three players had the best chance at
sticking with the Oilers. Upshall collected 57% of the votes, and it';s his
abilities to help out and potentially boost Edmonton';s miserable penalty kill
(PK) that has a lot of fans hopeful about his prospects.

The former sixth-overall pick in 2002 turns 35 years old in October and has 15
seasons under his belt. A key question with him is how he';s going to hold up
with all the lingering injuries he';s suffered through his career. If you can
believe it, Upshall has never played a full season in the NHL.Oilers
Goaltenders at Training Camp

As mentioned, there are seven goalies at camp. There';s not a whole lot of
surprise that will come out of the battles in the crease. Cam Talbot will be
the No. 1 for the Oilers, while Mikko Koskinen is the clear-cut No. 2. If Al
Montoya can clear waivers, he';ll be assigned to help mentor and mold a young
Stuart Skinner down on the farm with the Bakersfield Condors.Related: Oilers
Rookie Camp Roster & Thoughts

That leaves the 123rd overall pick from 2016, Dylan Wells, to battle it out
with the returning Shane Starrett for minutes on the ECHL';s Wichita Thunder.
If everything goes according to plan, that';s how the dominoes are likely to
fall. That leaves Olivier Rodrigue, a late second round pick from as the lone
goalie in camp that will be returning to junior.Cam Talbot (Amy Irvin / The
Hockey Writers)

Oilers Training Camp Goaltenders

PlayerAgeAcquired2017-18 TeamGPGAASV%

Mikko Koskinen30FA Signing (2018)St. Petersburg (KHL)291.57.937

Al Montoya33Trade (2018)Edmonton/Montreal133.21.893

Olivier Rodrigue182018 Draft, 62ndDrummondville (QMJHL)532.56.903

Stuart Skinner192017 Draft, 78thSwift Current (WHL)*563.07.905

Shane Starrett24College FA (2016)Wichita (ECHL)383.01.912

Cam Talbot31Trade (2015)Edmonton673.02.908

Dylan Wells202016 Draft, 123rdPeterborough (OHL)563.62.896

Not At Camp: Hayden Hawkey is the only goalie in the organization that won';t
be at camp. The 23-year-old will be returning for his fourth and final year
with Providence College in the NCAA. Hawkey was acquired on draft day from the
Montreal Canadiens for a fifth-round pick in next year';s draft.

He';s a former sixth-round pick himself in 2014 that will likely turn pro at
the end of the 2018-19 NCAA season.Oilers Defense at Training Camp

There are 19 blueliners at camp, however, there are two things to consider. As
mentioned in the introduction, Nurse is without a contract, thus he';s not on
the camp roster. The two sides will likely get an agreement in place well
before the puck drops in October, and an educated prediction might be $3.25
million with a two-year term. The longer this drags out, it could mean a
one-year deal to appease everyone. That means Nurse will have arbitration
rights next summer.Related: Oilers Roster Predictions - Goalies & Defense

Andrej Sekera is listed on the camp roster, but that';s a formality just to get
 him to his physical, which he won';t pass. It';s all in the process of getting
 him onto long-term injured reserve (LTIR). So in reality, this is a camp
roster of 18 rearguards. The usual suspects - Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson, Matt
 Benning, and Kris Russell - will gear up for the season, while a handful of
guys will compete for those No. 5-7 spots for opening night.Darnell Nurse
isn';t at camp. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Evan Bouchard is being penciled in by a lot of prognosticators to start the
year with Edmonton with a nine-game audition. That leaves Garrison, 33, with a
decent opportunity to earn a contract. However, much of that depends on the
Nurse situation and how long that drags out. Jakub Jerabek, Kevin Gravel,
Keegan Lowe, and Ethan Bear will all get long looks for those No. 5-7 jobs.

Oilers Training Camp Defense

PlayerAgeAcquired2017-18 TeamGPGPTS

Ethan Bear212015 Draft, 124thBakersfield (AHL)37618

Matt Benning24FA Signing (2016)Edmonton73621

Evan Bouchard182018 Draft, 10thLondon (OHL)672587

M-O Crevier-Morin22AHL ContractWichita (ECHL)68219

Logan Day24AHL ContractBakersfield (AHL)1022

Jason Garrison33PTOChicago (AHL)58828

Kevin Gravel26FA Signing (2018)Los Angeles1603

William Lagesson222014 Draft, 91stDjurgardens (SHL)49113

Adam Larsson25Trade (2016)Edmonton63413

Keegan Lowe25FA Signing (2017)Bakersfield (AHL)52214

Jakub Jerabek27FA Signing (2018)Montreal/Washington3628

Caleb Jones212015 Draft, 117thBakersfield (AHL)58217

Oscar Klefbom252011 Draft, 19thEdmonton66521

Jake Kulevich25AHL ContractManitoba (AHL)3303

Kris Russell31FA Signing (2016)Edmonton78421

Dmitri Samorukov192017 Draft, 84thGuelph (OHL)621134

Andrej Sekera32FA Signing (2015)Edmonton3608

Ryan Stanton29FA Signing (2017)Bakersfield (AHL)4628

Jared Wilson24AHL Contract (2018)RPI (NCAA)37714

Caleb Jones and William Lagesson have outside shots but will likely be key
pieces for Bakersfield this season. There are four defenders on AHL deals
entering camp; Marc-Olivier Crevier-Morin, Logan Day, Jake Kulevich, and Jared
Wilson. Day, 24, was a standout at rookie camp and got a taste of the AHL last
year getting into ten games with the Condors.

Not At Camp: Filip Berglund, Matthew Cairns, Philip Kemp, Michael Kesselring,
Ryan Mantha, John Marino, Markus Niemelainen, and Joel Persson.Oilers Forwards
at Training Camp

There are 36 forwards at camp. This year';s team is going to be built down the
middle; Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Strome, and Kyle Brodziak. The big
 openings are on the wings where almost nothing is set in stone. The right side
 is a complete wildcard, and the job is being trusted to Ty Rattie, Jesse
Puljujarvi, and Tobias Rieder.Related: Oilers Roster Predictions - Forwards

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is likely to start the year with McDavid, while Milan Lucic
 will look to bounce back and maintain a top-six job with Edmonton. It';s a
pivotal year for the team and Lucic. If he falters again this season, it';s
much more likely he';s shipped out of town. Jujhar Khaira is slowly emerging as
 a reliable bottom-six forward and might be able to push for third-line minutes
 eventually. Maybe even this season.Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Amy Irvin / The Hockey
 Writers)

So that leaves the openings for Chiasson and Upshall. It';ll be interesting to
see how these two do in camp. Upshall is a defensive forward at this stage of
his career, while Chiasson is a bottom-six scoring forward. Both bring
different things to the club, both address different needs. Can one or both of
them force the team to make a move and ship out some salary via Aberg,
Caggiula, or Kassian?

Oilers Training Camp Forwards

PlayerAgeAcquired2017-18 TeamGPGPTS

Pontus Aberg24Trade (2018)Nashville/Edmonton53416

Tyler Benson202016 Draft, 32ndVancouver (WHL)582769

Kyle Brodziak34FA Signing (2018)St. Louis811033

Drake Caggiula24FA Signing (2016)Edmonton671320

Mitch Callahan27FA Signing (2017)Bakersfield (AHL)4529

Alex Chiasson27PTOWashington61918

Braden Christoffer24AHL ContractBakersfield (AHL)63615

Josh Currie25FA Signing (2018)Bakersfield (AHL)682046

Leon Draisaitl222014 Draft, 3rdEdmonton782570

Luke Esposito24PTOGrand Rapids3118

Joe Gambardella24FA Signing (2017)Bakersfield (AHL)501319

David Gust24AHL ContractBakersfield (AHL)531324

Cameron Hebig21FA Signing (2017)Saskatoon/Regina (WHL)664190

Zack Kassian27Trade (2015)Edmonton74719

Jujhar Khaira242012 Draft, 63rdEdmonton691121

Colin Larkin24FA Signing (2018)UMass-Boston (NCAA 3)272446

Milan Lucic30FA Signing (2016)Edmonton821034

Kirill Maksimov192017 Draft, 146thNiagara (OHL)623480

Brad Malone29FA Signing (2017)Bakersfield (AHL)561333

Cooper Marody21Trade (2018)Michigan (NCAA)401651

Connor McDavid212015 Draft, 1stEdmonton8241108

John McFarland26AHL ContractLa Chaux-de-Fonds (NLA)1167

Ryan McLeod182018 Draft, 40thMississauga (OHL)682670

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins252011 Draft, 1stEdmonton622448

Evan Polei22AHL ContractBakersfield (AHL)3049

Jesse Puljujarvi202016 Draft, 4thEdmonton621220

Ty Rattie25FA Signing (2017)Edmonton1459

Tobias Rieder25FA Signing (2018)Arizona/Los Angeles781225

Patrick Russell25FA Signing (2016)Bakersfield (AHL)681427

Ostap Safin192017 Draft, 115thSaint John (QMJHL)612658

Ryan Strome25Trade (2017)Edmonton821334

Scottie Upshall34PTOSt. Louis63719

Ryan Van Stralen24AHL ContractCarleton (USports)251119

Tyler Vesel242014 Draft, 153rdBakersfield (AHL)1136

Nolan Vesey23Trade (2018)Maine (NCAA)371125

Kailer Yamamoto192017 Draft, 22ndSpokane (WHL)402164

Not At Camp: Joey Dudek, Graham McPhee, Aapeli Rasanen, Patrik Siikanen, Anton
Slepyshev, and Bogdan Yakimov.Predicting the Oilers Opening Night Roster

The Nurse contract talks throw a wrench in the plans for constructing this
roster. I';m still certain a deal gets done before the season starts and that
means Nurse will factor into the top four. Does Garrison crack the roster?
Probably not if Nurse is back for opening night. It also comes down to who do
you think is more serviceable as a No. 6; Evan Bouchard, Jakub Jerabek, or
Garrison?

Upshall earns a spot in my predictions, but it won';t be comfortable with guys
like Kailer Yamamoto and Cooper Marody pushing for an NHL job. Ultimately I
have both Marody and Yamamoto starting the year in the AHL and eventually
getting recalls throughout the year. Yamamoto has a good chance at progressing
through Bakersfield and eventually earning a full-time NHL job by the end of
the year.Roster Predictions (Vince Richards)

Edmonton Oilers Depth Chart 2018-19

GoaltendersLeft DefenseRight Defense

1. Cam Talbot1. Oscar Klefbom1. Adam Larsson

2. Mikko Koskinen2. Darnell Nurse (RFA)2. Matt Benning

3. Al Montoya*3. Kris Russell3. Evan Bouchard

4. Stuart Skinner*4. Jakub Jerabek4. Ethan Bear*

Left WingCenterRight Wing

1. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins1. Connor McDavid1. Ty Rattie

2. Milan Lucic2. Leon Draisaitl2. Tobias Rieder

3. Drake Caggiula3. Ryan Strome3. Jesse Puljujarvi

4. Jujhar Khaira4. Kyle Brodziak4. Zack Kassian

5. Pontus Aberg5. Cooper Marody*5. Scottie Upshall (PTO)

* Denotes players expected to start the year in the AHL.

All in all, this is what the Oilers opening night roster could look like. Do
you agree or disagree? Let us know in the comment section below.

The post Edmonton Oilers 2018-19 Training Camp Guide appeared first on The
Hockey Writers.

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