Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers’ right wing options on skill lines may be shifting

The following are the Edmonton Oilers’ 2022-23 training camp gets underway, job descriptions may be shifting for some veteran incumbents. The next two weeks will be a crucial time for any team that seems close to being set. This is why it’s important to fix its cap house.

Without someone to step in, the team will not have a full roster.

It’s also true that restricted free agent Ryan McLeodMust be signed

The situation on the right wing will be one of the most important stories at Oilers camp in this year’s season.

At the end of the 2021-22 regular season, Edmonton’s right wing depth chart consisted most often of Jesse Puljujarvi (with Connor McDavid Evander Kane); Kailer Yamamoto (with Leon Draisaitl Zach Hyman); Derek Ryan(Centred By) Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Warren Foegele); Zack Kassian(With rookie pivot McLeod, and veteran deadline pick Derick Brassard).

In the offseason Kassian was dealt to the Arizona CoyotesOilers sign Kane, adding veteran left winger. Mattias JanmarkFree agency

Kane (Hyman), Foegele(Foegele), Janmark and one of Nugent–Hopkins/McLeod moved over from the centre to make up the offseason left wing depth. That’s five men with four jobs available, meaning a trade or position change.

The pipeline is also available for comment. Forwards have one of the top prospects: Dylan HollowayHis performance at Penticton’s prospects tournament was a stunning example of his NHL-ready potential.

What will Ken Holland as general manager do?

Hyman moving to the right wing is the obvious move (he is a right-handed shot).

I asked Hyman about a preference (left or right wing) and he said, “It doesn’t matter. In reality, I was a right-winger within the American League and was called up for playing for. Toronto. P.A. Parenteau was there and asked if I could play left wing and I said ‘sure’ and I played left wing. Then Babs asked if I could play left wing and I said ‘sure’ and I became a left winger.”

That’s a quick fix and gives the team four right wingers who played successfully for the team last season. The numbers are five-on-5 and sort by expected goals.

Edmonton can have three top-quality units on the ice every evening, despite the fact that fans spent the summer arguing about the best two lines. It’s also true coaches hit shuffle to gain an edge so often the argument for one winger over another falls apart early in the first period of Game 1 every season.

These numbers indicate that any one of Hyman, Yamamoto or Puljujarvi would be high-quality on the top line, and Ryan is an effective bottom-six player.

There are other options

Foegele can play the off wing, but hasn’t established himself as a strong option on the skill lines. This could also be true for the off wing, though it would be more obvious. Devin Shore. Jake Virtanen was signed to a PTO this week, but there’s no recent evidence he could produce on a line with McDavid or Draisaitl.

These are the most likely roster options as of one year ago. Foegele Shore, Virtanen and Shore are not included in the conversation.

What about Holloway?

Holloway could solve the cap problem if he can move from the left to the right wing. He would have to demonstrate his dynamic ability at the Young Stars tournament in deep into the winter. NHLPreseason questions regarding his wrist were not a concern. He was impressive with the torque of his shot in Penticton and scored a goal from distance against a top goaltending prospect.Calgary FlamesDustin Wolf, netminder

He was awarded a Pretty goalPenticton: roaring down right-wing, then driving to net (using James Hamblin distraction) and making an impressive shot in what appeared to be a repeatable skill.

Could he play right-wing?

Reliable sources confirm Holloway didn’t play right wing in college (he was a centre) with the Wisconsin Badgers. With the Bakersfield Condors, he started on the left wing (Hamblin). Tim SchallerIt’s better to start early than later Brad MaloneColton Sceviour) achieved great success.

It’s a reach to suggest he can be plug-and-play on right wing out of the box, but he has plus speed, plays an intelligent game and turns 21 on Friday. This isn’t a teenage phenom, Holloway is a top-flight prospect who looks NHL-ready.

What would it look like?

Holloway and Hyman could move to right wing. It would alleviate the pressure on left wingers and help with team balance.

This depth chart has many pieces that can be moved up and down, or in some cases, to another position. If Jay Woodcroft decides to add McDavid and Draisaitl to the top line, Yamamoto, Hyman and Nuge could follow. That’s plenty of firepower.

McLeod could struggle as No. Nugent-Hopkins would be the obvious answer for McLeod’s No.2 left wing. But what about Holloway, though? He could be an important utility player in this team’s 2022-23 season.

Compliance with caps

How can the Oilers become cap-compliant? If the team decides that they will have 20 players (12 forwards and six defencemen), the forwards could split camp together. That would mean just six defencemen and it’s unlikely the team would be willing to cut so close to the bone.

Ryan, a fine player with a contract that is subject to demotion because of cap issues, could be sent down to the minors to add a seventh defenseman to the cap. This would result in 21 roster players, seven defencemen, and allows the team to have some flexibility (an additional player) early on the year.

It’s less than ideal, as Ryan is a solid player and his cap hit ($1.25 million) makes him a value contract.

Hyman and Holloway moving to right wing does give the organization some room to make a trade, with left  and right wingers likely available.

That management has left signing McLeod this late, and hasn’t solved the cap issue via trade, likely means there are no easy options available.

Another obscure alternative is to repeat the Parenteau-Hyman conversation. Holloway can Holloway be his off-wing? It’s worth asking the question.

(Photo of Zach Hyman & Leon Draisaitl by Christopher Hanewinckel / USA Today